Chapter 379: Each Benefiting Themselves

Li Yuanjiao put away the two items and tossed the storage bag back in front of him. The rogue cultivator kept prostrating himself. Li Yuanjiao noticed that despite his tattered clothes, his hands were fair and delicate, suggesting he practiced some immortal arts. This immediately aroused his suspicion, and he asked, "Are you a rogue cultivator?"

After Li Yuanjiao's two questions, the rogue cultivator immediately realized Li Yuanjiao was not easily deceived. He thought, "This person is suspicious, but he isn't killing me immediately, so he's probably not a demonic cultivator. He must be from one of the Three Sects and Seven Gates, or an immortal family. Such individuals have managed affairs for many years; deception will only backfire…"

He immediately changed his approach. Lifting his head, all traces of his former mediocrity and cowardice vanished. He said respectfully, "This junior was originally a cultivator from the State of Wu. My sect was destroyed by demonic cultivators, so I fled to the State of Yue…"

Li Yuanjiao observed his calm tone and extraordinary demeanor, and a desire to recruit him arose. He thought to himself, "If I treat him gently, I might acquire the secret arts of the State of Wu from him, and my family would gain an additional helper…"

However, his inherently suspicious nature led him to sense the true essence within the man for a moment. It felt extremely familiar. A sudden chill flashed through his mind, and startled, he whispered, "Tujun Sect?!"

The rogue cultivator had not expected to be recognized so quickly. He immediately bowed repeatedly, knowing he couldn't hide it any longer. He said gravely, "Precisely… Senior, I wonder…"

Li Yuanjiao's mind recalled the old monkey and the Tujun Kuiguang he had obtained many years ago. He mused, "Such a coincidence?! My family would never dare get involved! The Tujun Sect was besieged and annihilated during the demonic catastrophe; who knows what conspiracy lies behind it?"

"Moreover, this person doesn't seem ordinary; he's likely a dormant flood dragon… perhaps he has a destiny!"

Li Yuanjiao's thoughts stirred, and he no longer dared to take advantage of the situation. He tossed the demonic cultivator's damaged magical artifact onto the ground and poured out the idle bottles and jars from his own storage bag.

A few bottles of demonic cultivator's blood pills, over a dozen spirit stones, and two low-grade magical artifacts, along with the fiend qi from the fire and the *Runyang Method*—he quickly glanced at them for a moment, then stuffed them all back, whispering, "I, too, have received grace from Tujun. This is to compensate you; go and sell it yourself. Consider it my repayment for the Tujun Sect's lineage. You may leave!"

For the first time, the rogue cultivator's expression changed. He was too stunned to speak, frozen for a full moment, then quickly asked, "Which senior are you referring to?"

Li Yuanjiao said in a muffled voice, "No need for further words. Depart at once!"

Having said that, he had already risen into the air on the wind. The rogue cultivator's eyes were slightly red, and he only had time to call out, "This humble cultivator, Tu Longjian, will remember this kindness today and will surely repay it handsomely in the future!"

Fearing any entanglement with him, Li Yuanjiao hastily flew away. Upon returning to his cave dwelling, he felt a huge sense of relief, completely relaxed. He thought, "Whether there's a handsome repayment or not, I must not harm my family… Since there's an immortal sect behind the demonic cultivators, the Tujun Sect affair probably has hidden complexities, just like the Xiao family's. I'm already nervous about the two inheritances I've stumbled upon; I'd be mad to get involved with a Tujun successor…"

Li Yuanjiao briefly glanced at the *Runyang Method* in Tu Longjian's hand. It seemed to describe a method for converting one kind of heaven-and-earth spirit fire into another, requiring numerous spiritual materials. The text was surprisingly extensive. Fearing a trap, Li Yuanjiao dared not read it in detail and simply gave up on it.

After careful consideration, feeling that it wouldn't cause any delay, he spread out the three storage bags, filled with delight.

The storage bags belonging to the father and daughter were ordinary, but the one from the decisive demonic cultivator was of the highest quality. Li Yuanjiao looked at it twice, his suspicion resurfacing. He murmured, "I'll find someone in the family to open it when I get home; there's no need for me to take this risk."

The magical artifacts of the father and daughter had been given to Tu Longjian, leaving Li Yuanjiao with few items in hand, only two jade bottles.

The demonic cultivator who had almost escaped left behind a profound-patterned jade bottle, barely two fingers wide, covered in dark silver mysterious patterns. It was small and exquisite. When Li Yuanjiao injected his true essence into it, he saw the patterns light up one by one, emitting a plume of white mist.

The mist billowed continuously, subtly revealing its ability to conceal. Under its shroud, his entire body disappeared completely, leaving the cave dwelling empty.

Perhaps because of the Immortal Foundation River Dragon King, the mist seemed very affectionate towards him, circling him once. Li Yuanjiao then understood: "This must be that demonic cultivator's invisibility artifact! I don't know where he got it; the patterns on it are quite unusual."

He inverted the profound-patterned bottle and heard a splashing sound like rain. Clear spring water gushed from the small bottle, forming streams of silken water that undulated like snakes in the air.

At the bottom of the bottle, engraved on the patterns, were a few small characters: "Li Qianyuan of the Li Clan, State of Wei."

"The State of Wei… the ancient State of Wei also had a Li Clan…"

Li Yuanjiao examined it carefully, filled with joy: "No wonder I couldn't detect it; this item is actually a Foundation Establishment-grade magical artifact… That demonic cultivator was both decisive and cautious to have obtained such a treasure from it."

This profound-patterned bottle could conceal one's figure, be inverted to serve as a magical artifact for fending off enemies, and its mist could be used to resist spells and accelerate wind travel. It was truly a versatile tool.

"Excellent! I'll call it the Profound-Patterned Bottle."

Obtaining this item made Li Yuanjiao's journey worthwhile. Although Yuan Tuan had casually given away the Foundation Establishment-grade magical artifact "Green Proclamation" during her visit to the Li family back then (Foundation Establishment artifacts were standard equipment for peak masters of the Three Sects and Seven Gates), for external clan cultivators, they were extraordinary treasures.

The other jade bottle contained a heaven-and-earth spirit fire, bright golden-red. It should be called Profound Yang Li Fire, though Li Yuanjiao didn't recognize it at all, only feeling a burning, stinging pain in his spiritual consciousness from it.

Looking at the sky, he rode the wind out of his cave dwelling, activated the profound-patterned bottle, and rose amidst the clouds and mist, heading towards Xuanyue Gate.

**The Li Family**

Li Yuanjiao had been away for a long time, but news of his breakthrough had already spread throughout the Six Mountains. The cultivators were jubilant, and several guest elders felt a great sense of relief and comfort.

Li Tongya had not appeared for over a decade, causing the non-clan members and guest elders to grow increasingly puzzled each day. However, Li Tongya's prestige was too immense for anyone to dare question it.

After all, Li Qiuyang and Chen Donghe were raised by Li Tongya himself, and An Zheyun was suppressed by his sole power. His calm eyes had once swept over everyone, and even after more than a decade, that gaze remained unshakeable in the hearts of all non-clan members and guest elders.

With Li Yuanjiao's sudden breakthrough, everyone felt more secure. Several families sent congratulatory gifts; regardless of any hidden envy, outwardly, they offered continuous felicitations.

In the old main hall, Li Yuanping was meticulously calculating income, making notes on a small slip of paper on the desk. Beside him, Li Qinghong stood holding a spear. Having already consumed the Talisman Pill, her aura clearly indicated she was at the ninth level of Qi Condensation.

Li Yuanping meticulously explained things, flipping through the ledger in his hand, while Li Qinghong stood slightly to the side, listening attentively.

"With the implementation of the new system this year, our family's surplus has decreased by seventeen or eighteen spirit stones."

The Li family's most productive territory was the Wutu Prefecture of the Shanyue region. Seventy cultivators at the Fetal Breath stage worked diligently there, generating an annual income of twenty spirit stones. After deducting their stipends of seven to eight hundred *jin* of spirit rice, there was still a surplus of fourteen spirit stones.

Next was Huazhong Prefecture, with an income of sixteen spirit stones. After deducting six to seven hundred *jin* of spirit rice for stipends, approximately ten remained.

The remaining areas—Lijing, Huaqian, and Yuting—were barren lands, yielding only seven or eight spirit stones. Fortunately, they required fewer personnel, and after deducting stipends, each could only yield two or three, totaling just eight.

"The total annual profit is only thirty-two spirit stones, meaning it would take five years to accumulate one hundred and sixty…"

Fortunately, the family now possessed the seals for various peaks, allowing them to legitimately send cultivators to discreetly gather qi in the remote areas of Dalei Mountain. With monthly rotations, this could generate an additional seven spirit stones in annual income.

"If we include the qi gathering, we'll have a total of one hundred ninety-five spirit stones, just twenty or so shy of what's required for tribute."

Li Yuanping nodded. This deficit, when spread annually, amounted to only three or four spirit stones. Although most of the talismans refined by his father, Li Xuanxuan, had been distributed as rewards, it would still be quite easy to cover this shortfall.

"On the other hand, with the implementation of the new system, our control over our territory has more than doubled. We now have over ten times more personnel at our disposal, significantly increasing our influence over surrounding families and those on the East Shore…"

The distribution of benefits, stabilizing the cultivator community, and winning over people's hearts were all within Li Yuanping's expectations. As he pondered how to extract more profits, someone approached.

"Seventh Uncle, Ximing is already preparing to break through to the third level of Qi Condensation."

Li Xijun bowed slightly, reporting. Li Yuanping quietly nodded, saying nothing, but instead smiled and looked at him, whispering, "Jun'er, have you not yet married?"

Li Xijun was now twenty-one. His early breakthrough to Qi Condensation made him look quite young, though he was still at the first level of Qi Condensation cultivation. After breaking through, the disparity in talent became even more apparent, and he was naturally left behind by Li Ximing.

Li Xijun frequently brought good news, hoping to resolve the estrangement between him and his father. However, Li Yuanping showed no interest; instead, he asked about Li Xijun's own affairs. Li Xijun could only reply, "This junior has met that An clan daughter… I have no particular thoughts about her."

Li Yuanping sighed, not asking who had no thoughts on the matter, and only whispered, "You decide for yourself… just make sure to leave an heir."

Li Xijun gently shook his head: "My elder brother has many descendants, and the secondary lineage has already secured an heir. So, Xijun will let fate decide. Keeping my *yuan yang* unbroken also has benefits for practicing certain secret arts."

Li Yuanping chatted with him for a couple of sentences, then watched him fly back to Qingdu Mountain, either to cultivate or practice swordsmanship. He couldn't help but shake his head: "This child is good in every way… intelligent, cautious, diligent, and tirelessly practicing the sword path day and night without ever slacking. It's just that his affections are too shallow, and he carries a pride that makes him rarely put anyone in his eyes…"

Li Qinghong, standing by, pursed her lips: "It's still my fault. When Jun'er was young, it was when Yun-di was down on his luck. This child is quick-witted and saw many people who were arrogant before and obsequious after, or those who were two-faced. It's inevitable he would become somewhat dispassionate."

"As he grew older, with his outstanding appearance and innate spiritual aptitude, his childhood experiences made him able to see through others' small intentions with a glance or two. Arrogance was even more unavoidable. His current demeanor… is already quite good."

Li Yuanping watched Li Qinghong finish speaking, then stared directly into her almond eyes, suddenly letting out two muffled, husky laughs: "Truly, aunt and nephew. Jun'er is just like you."

Li Qinghong was slightly taken aback, but she saw Li Yuanping's face was pale, and he forced an ugly smile, saying hoarsely, "Who remains unmarried for life? Who sacrifices lifespan for the Dao? With outstanding looks, innate spiritual aptitude, quick wits, and pride—isn't that you, Li Qinghong?!"

**Dongli Mountain, East Fire Grotto-heaven**

The East Fire Grotto-heaven, serving as the Dongli Daoist temple, was approximately the size of a commandery. Immortal mountains stood in clusters, but the various pavilions and immortal platforms were now shattered beyond recognition. All around, different kinds of spirit fires flowed, and black smoke permeated the air.

Li Xizhi and Yang Xiao'er landed on a small mountain with Yuan Tuan. As Qinghui Peak was less influential, the peak allocated to Yuan Tuan was also low and small, seemingly lacking anything valuable.

Li Xizhi stepped into the small courtyard on the mountain. Yuan Tuan remained on her deer's back, gently saying, "Go ahead and search. Bring back Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment-grade items to the peak. Purple Mansion-grade items must be submitted to the main peak. Pill recipes, cultivation techniques, secret arts, and the like must be copied for the sect and must not be widely disseminated. Don't harbor any small intentions; there's a grand formation watching."

For her, truly beneficial items were naturally only found on the dozen or so peaks at the center of the Grotto-heaven. Yuan Tuan had no strong backing within the sect, making it difficult to gain entry, so she simply gave up to avoid offending others through disputes.

The courtyard floor was strewn with collapsed bookshelves and various spiritual items. Spiritual energy surged, sparkling beautifully. Yuan Tuan swept her spiritual consciousness across, then beckoned with her hand, causing a scattering of shattered brilliance to rise from the ground. She lamented, "Such good Crying Blood Stones… what a pity… Chu Yi truly squandered heavenly treasures, forcefully bringing down the Grotto-heaven like this. At least thirty percent of the spiritual items within were destroyed…"

Within the courtyard, Li Xizhi stepped forward, rummaging through a collapsed medicine cabinet and pulling out several stacks of medicinal recipes. Upon closer inspection, he clearly saw large characters written on them: "Three-Completion Realm-Breaking Pill… Annotated by Cui Niexiang."

Inside, there were two methods for refining this spirit pill, corresponding to Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment respectively. Li Xizhi was secretly delighted: "My family's precious Ming'er is precisely an alchemist. With the help of these pill recipes, he will surely be able to help the family!"

Yang Xiao'er, standing nearby, leaned over, holding a stack of small notes. She suddenly exclaimed, "Senior Brother! The Cui clan of the Dongli Sect truly did migrate from the north; they must be related to the ancient State of Wei. No wonder they use 'Blazing Sun' and 'Li Fire' as their emblems…"

Li Xizhi immediately remembered that his family's *Golden Hall Resplendent Origin Art* was compiled by Cui Mu of the ancient State of Wei. His heart stirred, and he thought, "Could our family's great opportunity be within this grotto-heaven?! If I could find the Purple Mansion chapter of the *Golden Hall Resplendent Origin Art* here, wouldn't it allow my younger brother Ming to continue his cultivation path?!"

His heart fluttered for a moment, then he grew secretly troubled. The Three Sects and Seven Gates had long since thoroughly divided this grotto-heaven. Where would there be an opportunity to fish in troubled waters? He'd probably be struck down by a group of fellow disciples' spells the moment he flew away from this peak…

So, he casually remarked, "I wonder if there are any fifth or sixth-rank cultivation techniques in this grotto-heaven? If one could acquire one, it would certainly be a great merit."

Yuan Tuan, standing nearby, gently shook her head and quietly said, "Don't even think about it. Other than Chu Yi with his Li Fire Spear, who else could open the Dongli Daoist Repository!"

Both of them assented repeatedly. After thoroughly searching the main courtyard on the mountaintop, they received their master Yuan Tuan's command to descend the mountain and continue searching.

Li Xizhi and Yang Xiao'er acknowledged and descended. Yuan Tuan slightly furrowed her brows: "Yang Tianya claimed that Li Mutian truly existed… Could there really have been a Foundation Establishment cultivator named Li Mutian who joined Yang Tianya's army, only to die so suddenly?!… The clan was completely unaware… even though it clearly states there were only three Foundation Establishment cultivators…"

"Ning Hemian married Li Xuanfeng. What exactly was Elemental True Man thinking?… Whose pawn is the Li family, ultimately?"

Yuan Tuan increasingly felt that the current situation was becoming bewildering. Yang Xiao'er, down the mountain, was calling out "Senior Brother" repeatedly, her tone warm and joyful. Yuan Tuan's gaze lowered as she listened.

She gazed softly at Li Xizhi and Yang Xiao'er. The person she had once called "Senior Brother" had long since abandoned her and left the sect, never to return. Yuan Tuan's eyes reddened as she listened, and she thought to herself:

"No matter how the pieces are played outside, I'll first do my best to protect the children in this peak."

The extra chapter will have to wait.(End of Chapter)