Chapter 778: Seeking Elixir Being the Protagonist, I Want to Be an Extra

Soon after, the golden-eyed young man, clad in armor, entered the hall. Li Jiangxia, who was tall and a head taller than Li Zhouluo, bowed low upon seeing him, like a crouching bear, and said in a deep voice, "Greetings, Fourth Uncle!"

Li Zhouluo quickly helped him up. Li Jiangxia's expression was grave, and he said in a low voice, "Uncle Zhouluo, I've been guarding the East Bank for days, but there has been no news from home regarding my father. I'm extremely anxious and couldn't bear it, and I also have matters to attend to, so I returned personally to ask you."

Only then did Li Zhouluo remember that the second young master, Li Jianglong, had returned with Li Minggong and others, had long known the news, and had attended Li Cheng's funeral. At that time, Cui Jueyin was not on the East Bank, and the East Bank was full of demonic cultivators looking to profit. Li Jiangxia had become the only one who could make decisions, and the journey was also dangerous, so he hadn't been able to return; he had only offered a distant tribute. Now that things had settled, he had returned with the Xuan Yue cultivators to pay his respects.

He simply replied, "There's no news, but he should be safe and sound... How are the Xuan Yue cultivators?"

"Kong Guxi has returned, Fourth Uncle; you can ask him for details... My purpose in coming this time... is to request assistance."

Li Zhouluo frowned, "What's the matter?"

Li Jiangxia looked somewhat embarrassed and said in a low voice, "The people from Duxian haven't continued westward; in fact, they are constantly recalling personnel. However, local demonic cultivators, hearing that our Zifu is not well, frequently come to seize an opportunity, and believing there's safety in numbers, they come in groups of three to five to plunder..."

"At first, it was just minor skirmishes, but as time passed, they realized there were no major consequences. In the past few days, it has become increasingly fierce, with even Foundation Establishment cultivators appearing."

"Most of the Xuan Yue cultivators are injured, and only Elder Kong is struggling to cope. I was hoping the family could send a few people to help."

Li Zhouluo looked slightly embarrassed and replied, "The few cultivators at home can't easily leave, and several powerful elders are in secluded cultivation. There are also demonic cultivators on the other side of the desert. I'm planning to have Li Wen and Qu Bushi take Xing Han and the others there, but it will take a few more days."

Li Jiangxia sighed. Li Zhouluo then said, "Please wait a moment. I'll see Chen Yang and have him go to the East Bank. His combat ability is considerable, and his Immortal Foundation excels at fighting multiple opponents. He would be most suitable."

Li Jiangxia could only nod, but he did not immediately withdraw. Instead, he said with some hesitation, "This time, I also came... to exchange for a Suiyuan Pill from the clan, Uncle."

Li Zhouluo immediately frowned and looked at him in confusion. The young man before him was clearly only at the fifth level of Qi Refining. He asked, "You're still a long way from Foundation Establishment. Even if you were to achieve a breakthrough in cultivation, shouldn't you first cultivate some magical arts? The clan's elixirs will naturally be prepared for you. Why are you so urgent?!"

Li Jiangxia hesitated slightly and replied, "This is an exchange with the family... I have a close friend named Pei Xie, a person from the wilderness. He's now at the late stage of Qi Refining and only needs one pill to break through. If the family has an allocation, I would like to exchange one for him."

Li Zhouluo suddenly understood and shook his head, "What does this mean?! Since you're confident he can break through to Foundation Establishment, and he's your close friend, the family is currently short of personnel. Even if the family bestows it upon him, just have him come to the lake to receive the order. I just need to see him."

After he finished speaking, Li Jiangxia looked very awkward and said in a low voice, "Reporting to Fourth Uncle... Brother Pei has other plans. He intends to break through in the East Sea and venture overseas..."

"What?!" Li Zhouluo was stunned and felt a secret displeasure. *It sounds like... he wants to use the family's resources to win favor for himself! Whether he can break through is still unknown... Giving it to a rogue cultivator from the wilderness would be like casting pearls before swine!*

The moment he fell silent, Li Jiangxia immediately understood his thoughts and replied, "So, your nephew thought that this would be an exchange with the family..."

Li Zhouluo let out a long sigh and shook his head, "This isn't simply a matter of exchange!"

One must understand that if Li Ximing went missing and was recuperating overseas from his injuries, it was possible he wouldn't return for twenty, even fifty, years. Each Suiyuan Pill consumed meant one less available; it wasn't just a matter of value. Under the joint monopoly of the Jiangnan Zifu, Suiyuan Pills had long acquired a status far exceeding their intrinsic value!

The Xiao family had always kept to themselves and stayed out of others' affairs. Xiao Chuting, in particular, traveled the four seas; even the Xiao family themselves couldn't find him. They were also consuming their own stock of Suiyuan Pills, making it difficult for the Li family to exchange with them.

After he finished sighing, the young man before him seemed unsurprised and bowed. "This junior is willing to give up his own pill first and take one now. When this junior reaches Foundation Establishment... if there are still no unforeseen circumstances, I will not ask the family for another one!"

"You..." Li Zhouluo shook his head, "Get up quickly; what are you talking about? How could the family deprive you of your elixir? You're known for your discernment; I naturally trust you. What cultivation path does he follow? It's not Binghuo, is it?"

He made a small joke. Li Jiangxia was overjoyed and replied, "Certainly not! Brother Pei's cultivation is of the Gold Virtue path, aiming for great accomplishments."

"Gold Virtue... Indeed, many rogue cultivators in Jiangnan practice Gold Virtue. There's still one in the treasury; take my written order to retrieve it."

Li Jiangxia immediately breathed a sigh of relief, nodded repeatedly, and quickly withdrew. Li Zhouluo, meanwhile, was lost in thought: *I've seen that Pei Xie has long intended to attempt Foundation Establishment... He just wasn't confident in acquiring it... Now that I'm managing the family, this child immediately came asking for the elixir!*

Among the past few family heads, Li Zhouluo was indeed the most approachable on this matter. After all, he figured he would only be in this position for three to five years, and Li Jiangxia's talent was exceptionally high. Li Zhouluo naturally wanted the other party to owe him a favor and make a good impression...

He paced two steps, adjusted his demeanor, and sat back on the main seat. He said clearly, "Invite the Xuan Yue Sect Master in!"

Only a little over ten breaths passed before an old man hurriedly entered from below. His hair was white, and his face was gaunt. Upon seeing Li Zhouluo, he dropped to his knees with a thud and said, "Greetings, Family Head! All of Xuan Yue is grateful for your noble family's life-saving grace! I, Guxi, hereby express the gratitude of all of Xuan Yue to your noble family!"

Li Zhouluo was slightly surprised. This was the first time Kong Guxi had knelt so completely before their family. Previously, he would only prostrate himself so thoroughly before a True Human; when encountering the Li family head, he usually offered a cupped-hand salute.

"Sect Master Kong, please rise quickly!" Yet, Kong Guxi did not get up.

In Kong Guxi's eyes, the Li family had been utterly benevolent and righteous to the extreme. This Xuan Yue Sect Master knelt with deep emotion and sincerity. Tears streamed uncontrollably from his eyes, and low sobs escaped his throat.

Duxian Dao's attack this time had caused the disappearance of True Human Zhaojing of the Li family's Zifu, and the disappearance of Li Zhouwei, the family head and Zifu seed. In Kong Guxi's view, all of this had originated from his Xuan Yue Sect! How could this not move the old man to the utmost?

Once the turmoil passed, even the young Foundation Establishment cultivators in his Xuan Yue Sect were silent. Not only had Kong Qiuyan, who was originally deep-minded and inscrutable, personally stepped in to treat the Li family cultivators, but even Kong Xiaxiang, who usually bore slights in silence, had started patrolling the entire East Bank for the Li family. Not to mention Elder Kong Guli... The old brother almost didn't treat his own injuries and wanted to come to the lake to offer a humble apology!

*'The bonds of blood and brotherhood are still not as reliable as this True Human's promise... My Xuan Yue... owes the Li clan greatly!'*