Chapter 518: Secret Room

Mulin County.

The Azure Pond Sect does not impose many requirements on the division and administration of its counties, which vary in size. Mulin County, a small county established by Yuanwu at Yumu Xian's request, has always been under Yuanwu Peak.

Li Zhouwei rode in, conquering several cities in succession. The defenses of these cities crumbled upon contact. Many of the cultivators stationed there were dissolute individuals who, having made no progress in their cultivation, lingered in these low-spirit-energy places at the foot of the mountains, wielding their authority.

Upon seeing the fires erupting in the south and the blood energy surging skyward, those with foresight immediately turned and fled. Others, unable to escape, knelt on the ground. Li Zhouwei rode past, and cultivators naturally followed behind him, binding those who knelt.

Only a few scattered figures rushed frantically to the city gate, their faces contorted with rage, immediately unleashing curses.

The middle-aged man, pale-faced and reeking of alcohol, whether truly loyal to these aristocratic families or merely foolish, wore robes that appeared to have been hastily donned. A jade flask at his waist pulsed with rising blood energy. He bellowed:

“Which Mulin family’s idiot! Qingdu issued an order prohibiting mutual slaughter, how dare you attack like this! Aren’t you afraid of incurring the wrath of the higher clans…?”

His words had barely left his lips when red and black light surged from Li Zhouwei’s long halberd. With a single strike, it pierced through his chest, bringing forth a pool of blood.

Thudding horse hooves sounded. His face remained calm as he rode past without stopping. The middle-aged man still hung lifelessly from his halberd. With a flick of his wrist, Li Zhouwei flung the body to the ground, where it landed with the sound of cracking bones.

“Such insolence, daring to secretly refine blood energy at Wangyue Lake.”

He shook off the blood. Entering the city at the base of the immortal peak, he found dust everywhere, human waste flowing in the streets, and a scene of utter desolation. Emaciated commoners knelt everywhere, occasionally raising their heads, their scattered gazes sharp as arrows.

To be fair, the various families had received warnings from the Li family, and the commoners in their territories did not live too badly; they at least had food and a linen robe. Yet, their gazes were still fervent.

After all, the commoners under the Li family’s rule lived exceedingly well.

All these families had mixed populations of cultivators and mortals. Even if they had their lives, they lived daily like lambs to the slaughter. How could it be like the Li family, where Li Zhouwei galloped past on the road, seeing only bowed heads and countless withered hands prostrating on the ground, packed densely together?

Upon reaching the immortal peak of the Lu family, its Qi Condensation patriarch had already bound himself and emerged, leading a group of people to kneel. Those behind him held a formation disk, respectfully stating:

“Your humble servants pay respects to the main family!”

The Li family had launched a secret, extensive operation. Li Zhouwei’s forces were not the only ones; to prevent these families from absconding with formation disks, spiritual objects, or cultivation techniques, seven detachments of troops were dispatched simultaneously. Foundation Establishment cultivators suppressed from the sky, ensuring not a single person escaped.

The Li family, like a lion hunting a rabbit, went all out. However, they had overestimated these aristocratic families. The Lu family, the strongest and leading all the others, opened their formation to welcome them immediately, adopting an extremely subservient posture.

Li Zhouwei’s long halberd was still dripping blood, and his expression showed some disappointment. He flicked his magical artifact forward, hooking the formation disk, which floated lightly into his hand. He examined it carefully.

“Mid-tier Qi Condensation.”

After examining it, he took a talisman from his pocket and threw it into the air. A golden light immediately rose into the sky.

The Lu family patriarch trembled and dared not speak further. Li Zhouwei merely glanced at the numerous clan members behind him, then looked up at the sky. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, golden lights began to rise one after another.

“Six hours.”

Li Zhouwei planted his long halberd on the ground, counting precisely six more lights rising. In just one night, Mulin County had fallen into his family’s hands.

The Yu family grew from the remnants of the Jiang family, eventually splitting to form the various Mulin families known today. With the Lu family at the helm, the gates of every family’s mountain retreat were dim, and they were filled with extreme dread.

Several families didn't even have Foundation Establishment cultivators, and Jiang Heqian, the puppet master behind them, had disappeared. Even when they saw the faint golden lights in the south, they didn't know what was happening. Their inquiries for news were even more confused and incomplete.

The Li family launched a sudden attack. Li Zhouwei, clad in armor and mounted on his horse, fought his way through with his halberd. When the vanguard reached the nearest families, only then did the various families realize what was happening, and it was too late to escape.

He looked around and said softly:

“These survivors of the Yu family, their cultivation should all be sealed, and they should be sent back to Qingdu for judgment.”

The Lu family patriarch instantly turned pale. Hearing Li Zhouwei refer to them as survivors of the Yu family, he feared that the Yu family’s debts would be laid at his family’s feet. He tried to explain but was silenced by the surrounding Jade Court Guards and dragged away.

Li Zhouwei rested his halberd on his horse. A clear light appeared on his hand, wiping away the bloodstains.

He and his father had long discussed the disposition of these non-Yu-family clans. It was absolutely impossible to let them remain in these places, as they were deeply entrenched locally and had their own methods for secretly cultivating blood energy.

They had also cultivated many local lords and even most of the rogue cultivators, playing a significant role in the Yu family’s disintegration and being deeply intertwined. Naturally, they could not be simply suppressed.

“Local strongmen… then relocate them.”

Although most of these people had consumed blood energy, such a large number of cultivators could not simply be killed off. They must first be moved south while the general situation was favorable. Once they left their local area, it would be difficult for them to employ any further schemes.

In the air.

Li Xijun, on his side, had someone send Bai Rong back. Watching the vast Mulin County instantly fill with the golden glow of talismans, he slightly sighed in relief:

“It seems things were handled quite well; no family tried to cause trouble.”

This was also to be expected. The Tangjin Gate to the north was preoccupied with its own affairs, and the Fei family on the north bank dared not make a move. The western mountains marked the boundary drawn by Azure Pond and Golden Feather, and the various small temples and Daoist He on the west bank had always kept to themselves, concerning themselves only with their own matters, and thus could not interfere.

To the east, the Xiao family's consent had been obtained, agreeing not to disturb the Xiao family's vassals on the east bank. The sect had also clearly managed internal affairs. If anything else were to happen, that would be truly strange.

After a moment, Li Chengliao ascended on the wind. He wore a grey fur cloak, and around his waist was a coiled jiao dragon belt with scale-like patterns. Having managed the family for many years, he was steady in his actions. He stopped before Li Xijun, cupped his hands, and replied:

“Greetings, Eighth Uncle. Mulin County’s eighteen towns and five immortal peaks have all fallen under our family’s control. The seven non-Yu-family survivor clans have all been captured and sent to Lijing.”

Li Xijun nodded and said softly:

“Good. Make sure not to miss any family; detain them all first.”

He first gave an answer, then softly asked:

“Have you thought about how to deal with them?”

Li Chengliao followed him forward on the wind, softly answering:

“Eighth Uncle, do you still remember the many shamanistic places in the Shanyue region?”

Li Xijun nodded gently and replied:

“Of course I remember.”

As the Li family gained control over the entire Shanyue region, some ancestral lands of the Shanyue, located deep within the towering mountains, also appeared before them. In these places, wicked shamanistic cults and their shrines were deeply rooted in the people's hearts, and human sacrifices were often performed. Over a hundred thousand shamanistic followers were scattered throughout the region, ninety-nine percent of whom were mortals.

The Li family had just conquered Shanyue, and these desolate mountain temples immediately sent emissaries, expressing their willingness to submit to the Li family. Those territories were impoverished and desolate, and strictly speaking, they were within the territory of the Great Li Mountain Demon Cave.

The Li family naturally did not want to risk offending the Demon Cave by venturing deep into those areas. Moreover, they were all mortal fanatics, difficult to deal with, and the cost of governing them would far outweigh the benefits. So, they simply accepted tributes.

And the ancient lands of Huoluo, near these impoverished and desolate mountains and rivers, similarly had scarce spiritual energy and fierce customs. These were precisely the shamanistic places Li Chengliao was referring to.

“My intention is this: the seven families will first relocate their entire clans to Lijing Mountain, where they will be registered one by one. Then they will be used to populate the shamanistic places deep within the Shanyue mountains.”

“Those evil cult temples and mountain areas have fierce customs. Most Shanyue people don't even speak the Eastern language. It's wilderness everywhere, and spiritual energy is low. Our family has no cultivators willing to go there; if we truly send our own people, it would be more like a punishment… these seven families are perfect to fill those places!”

He smiled, evidently having had this plan for a long time, and respectfully stated:

“The strength of these seven families is not weak. Placing them there will cause them to consume each other, change local customs, and also deter those desolate mountain temples from entertaining any thoughts of blood sacrifice.”

After listening, Li Xijun nodded slightly and replied softly:

“Indeed, it’s a good idea. However, we must send people to supervise these seven families closely, especially loyal ones, and keep them under heavy watch.”

He raised his sword-like eyebrows and explained:

“That place inherently has sparse spiritual energy. These seven families are accustomed to using blood food and are used to blood pills and meat. If we place them there, they might become even worse… It’s even possible they’ll collude with those desolate mountain evil temples and prey on the common people together.”

Upon hearing this, Li Chengliao immediately understood. He bowed respectfully and replied:

“Thank you for your guidance, Eighth Uncle!”

Li Xijun chuckled softly:

“It’s not really guidance. When it comes to actual execution, you’d also see it. It’s just planning ahead to avoid too many losses… If we had acted even two days slower, who knows how many more people would have died…”

Li Chengliao nodded and followed behind. Li Xijun descended on the wind and soon saw the towering Mulin Peak. This mountain was not the best spiritual vein in Wangyue Lake, but it was the most expansive and formidable, even half the size of the Xiao family’s Xianyou Peak.

Mulin County had one main mountain and five auxiliary peaks. Here, Li Ximing, who possessed the highest cultivation, personally made a move. He merely released the bright Huangyuan Pass into the sky. Its brilliant light shone down, and the cultivators in the mountain immediately came out to surrender.

After all, the formation of this mountain was no longer the Foundation Establishment formation built by the aristocratic Yu family back then. After numerous conflicts, it had long since been dilapidated, having been collectively dismantled by a group of non-Yu-family clans, each taking a share of the spiritual objects.

The current formation was barely at the Qi Condensation level; it probably couldn't withstand a few hits from the bright and shining Imposing Pass. Li Ximing toured the mountain, finding it relatively well-preserved, with no significant loss of spiritual energy or ley lines. Unfortunately, there were not many buildings left on the entire mountain.

There was too much turmoil before and after the Yu family's split. Each family looted what they could and moved what they could. Hardly anything was left; former medicine gardens and alchemy chambers had long become desolate mounds.

Li Xijun landed on the main peak. Li Ximing, clad in a golden Daoist robe, his body shimmering with light, was standing there waiting for him.

Li Ximing's cultivation had become increasingly profound, and his alchemy had also improved. Two non-clan members who practiced alchemy had emerged within the clan, and they now assisted him in his alchemy chamber. He was favored by everyone in the clan, and rogue cultivators occasionally came to him for medicine.

Seeing Li Xijun and the other descend, he first nodded to Li Chengliao, then chuckled:

“Several of the Yu family’s storerooms were almost completely plundered, so empty that rats could run freely. I searched carefully twice before discovering a few secret chambers.”

“These secret chambers are reinforced by Foundation Establishment level enchantments. They probably require a token or specific bloodline to open. These families are all at the Qi Condensation level, so it’s estimated that only Jiang Heqian entered them before and after the split.”

He clearly waited specifically for Li Xijun to go and see together. Seeing his younger brother nod, he then stepped forward with him, a look of emotion on his face. He tilted his head, looked at him, and sighed:

“Do you still remember An Jingming?”

Li Xijun naturally nodded and said gently:

“Other families might not know, but our family has a deep impression of this person. All direct descendants who have read the clan history know.”

Li Ximing sighed and took something from his sleeve. It was a grayish head, enhanced with magic. Due to long-term storage, it was slightly desiccated. Its eyes were tightly closed, and its brows were lifeless, yet a hint of heroic spirit could still be faintly discerned.

“So this is what he looked like!”

Li Xijun glanced at it, noting a strong resemblance to the two brothers, An Siming and An Siwei. Li Ximing whispered:

“An Jingming was too strange and demonic; after his death, his clan members consumed his flesh and blood. Only this head was left. The Yu family, not understanding its significance, preserved it with magic and stored it in the vault.”

“Later, the Yu family suffered repeated turmoil, with infighting breaking out everywhere within the clan. Few people visited the storerooms. When the family split, the secret vault was plundered, and blood was everywhere.”

“Amidst all the looting, this head was ignored. It was left alone in a corner, mixed with some mundane items. If I hadn’t used my spiritual sense to scan the area and specifically looked for this item, I probably would have missed it.”

He quietly put it away and said somewhat inexplicably:

“Having obtained this item and placed it in the vault, I vaguely recall there’s also the head of Yu Mugao… Ah… it simply makes one sigh. All that struggle, in the end, leads to one’s demise and the destruction of one’s clan, surrendering their head to others.”

Li Xijun paused, then replied:

“Put this away and take it back to An Zheyan; let him give it a proper burial. As for Yu Mugao’s head, find a place to bury that as well… Consider it the end of our grievances.”

He lowered his sword-like eyebrows slightly and said softly:

“You and I can sigh with such emotion today looking at this head. I only fear that a century from now, when our clan declines and others break into our vault, upon seeing these two heads, they will also sigh, saying—‘All the past grudges and grievances, in the end, lead to demise and clan destruction.’”

Li Ximing silently swallowed his words. The two walked through the empty secret vault, all the way to its deepest part. Before Li Ximing could speak, Li Xijun had already looked up, glanced at the blank stone wall, and said softly:

“As expected, there’s a hidden chamber.”

“I forgot about your spiritual eyes.”

Li Ximing murmured this. The two studied it for a while. Li Xijun’s eyes were indeed powerful; although he didn't know much about formations, he could still discern some things. He said softly:

“To open this formation, it likely requires either a direct descendant of the Yu family or something from Jade Smoke Mountain. If we attempt to forcefully break it without sufficiently profound formation cultivation, we might destroy what’s inside.”

As Li Xijun spoke, Li Chengliao immediately understood and replied:

“I heard that when the Yu family was destroyed, their direct descendants were brutally massacred, so probably few survived. Your nephew will go down and investigate immediately.”