Chapter 81: Information

Li Xiangping looked down at the fawning Ah Huilai, his gaze resting on the man's thick neck. He mused inwardly, "This man is somewhat useful, but he is cunning and disloyal, and his Shan Yue tribesmen are unruly. If not handled well, he could harm us."

Ah Huilai watched Li Xiangping, seeing his eyes sweep across his neck. A chill ran down his spine, feeling like thorns in his back, and his mind raced for a way to escape. He pleaded in a mournful voice, "Great King! We were all forced to move east by Ganixitu's slaughter and persecution; we just sought a place to live. Great King, please spare our lives. Ganixi will certainly move east within ten years; we are still useful, Great King..."

Li Xiangping let out a soft laugh and waved his hand. Li Xuanxuan and Li Qiuyang stepped forward to restrain Ah Huilai. Li Xiangping turned and instructed, "Return the belongings to each family. These Shan Yue tribesmen are all to be escorted away. As for you..." He paused, then continued, "...escort him to Lijing Mountain for now."

Watching Li Xiangping walk away with Li Tongya, Chen Erniu clicked his tongue and shook his head from behind the crowd. He looked at Chen Sanshui, who was hanging his head behind him, and muttered softly, "It's one thing for me to be completely subdued by Li Mutian, but what kind of sons have we all fathered! This fool can't even compare to... even Li Yexian's son, Li Xiewen. At least Li Xiewen knew to work diligently in Lidaokou these past few years!"

The thought of Li Mutian instantly depressed Chen Erniu. He looked up at Lijing Mountain in the distance, his face filled with complex emotions, and murmured to himself, "Why isn't that old wolf dead yet? Did he eat some immortal elixir? Staying silently on the mountain for over ten years always keeps people on edge."

****

"Speak."

Li Xiangping sat in the main seat. Beside him stood Li Tongya, sword in hand, staring intently at Ah Huilai. Li Xiangping, sipping hot tea, smiled as he looked at Ah Huilai kneeling obediently below. "What kind of person is this Ganixi?"

Ah Huilai sweated profusely, then looked up at Li Xiangping again, staring blankly for a moment. Not until Li Tongya frowned, and Li Xuanxuan, standing behind Ah Huilai, sharply tapped his head with a knife hilt, did Ah Huilai shudder and come to his senses. He bowed his head and stammered, "Ganixi... Ganixi is a person like Your Majesty."

Ah Huilai was inwardly terrified, thinking to himself, "Although these two look different, their posture and expressions are truly identical, both possessing the look of a tiger eyeing its prey and an eagle glaring."

While Ah Huilai was still thinking, he received another rap on the back of his head. He raised his head resentfully, only to see Li Xuanxuan's face flushed red, gritting his teeth. "How can a mere Shan Yue chieftain compare to my uncle!"

Li Xiangping frowned and waved his hand, saying gravely, "Stop talking nonsense. How many soldiers does he have? What is his strength? How many shamans are under his rule?"

Ah Huilai quickly bowed his head, smiling fawningly. "When we were driven out of our ancestral lands in the northern foothills, Ganixi had already integrated a dozen tribes. He should have three to four thousand soldiers under his command. Ganixi himself is at the Qi Refining cultivation level, and two human shamans who have consumed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth serve him. There are also over ten tribal members and shamans at the Embryonic Respiration Realm."

"Four thousand soldiers, three Qi Refining cultivators, over ten Embryonic Respiration Realm cultivators." Li Xiangping and Li Tongya exchanged glances, both seeing the seriousness in each other's eyes.

The Li family had cultivated and recuperated for many years. The total number of villagers in their four villages barely reached ten thousand. At most, they could raise a little over a thousand clan soldiers. In battle, they could barely muster another one or two thousand village militiamen with limited combat power.

"Rather than dealing with this Ganixi, I'd rather face Ji Dengqi," Li Xiangping sighed inwardly, though his face remained calm. He gently placed his teacup down and asked softly, "You Shan Yue usually gather and hunt. Do you understand farming?"

Ah Huilai was startled, then hesitantly replied, "Yes, some. We plant some herbs and native cotton."

"Very well," Li Xiangping rubbed his chin, saying softly, "The remaining five or six hundred of your tribesmen will be dispersed among the villages to work as tenants or hunters. Those with skills can become leatherworkers or carpenters. Make a good living. Fortunately, the previous raid didn't cause too many casualties, so the villagers won't bear too much resentment against you. Take care of yourselves and don't cause any unrest!"

Ah Huilai knelt on the ground, nodding repeatedly and stammering in reply, "My tribesmen were originally living peacefully and hunting in the strongholds. If our homes hadn't been destroyed and our tribes wiped out, we wouldn't have come east to raid. I will certainly instruct my tribesmen well..."

"You, Ah Huilai, will start by planting spiritual rice at the foot of my Lijing Mountain." Li Xiangping gently stood up, smiling. "I will send people to teach you how to read and how to cultivate spiritual rice. After all, a labor force at the fourth layer of Embryonic Respiration is too valuable to simply kill."

****

Green Pool Peak.

Si Yuanbai knelt quietly before a stone gate engraved with complex spirit patterns. He tightly pressed his lips together, looking at the formation before him with a complex expression. "Ancestor, please reconsider your decision!" His clear voice echoed in the cave dwelling for a moment, then gradually faded into the wind.

"Yuanbai, why must you be like this..." A sigh was heard, followed by a deep, aged voice, also echoing in the cave dwelling.

Si Yuanbai closed his eyes for a moment, looking somewhat tired. He opened his mouth and continued, "Please, Ancestor... reconsider your decision!" Seeing the person behind the stone wall remain silent, Si Yuanbai's eyes hardened. He said softly, "My Green Ear Peak will not go to the Southern Border."

"Nonsense!" A thunderous roar exploded in Si Yuanbai's ears, causing blood to flow from both his ears. Si Yuanbai gave a cold laugh and continued, "Do you think I don't know what you're planning? It's nothing more than to devour Jing'er to make up for the deficits of the others! Perhaps the large pots of a few demon kings in the Southern Border are already heating up, and you've even negotiated how many mortals to hand over and how many treasures and spiritual items the Southern Border will offer in return!"

"Si Yuanbai! How dare you!" The pressure of a Purple Mansion stage cultivator erupted, causing Si Yuanbai to spit out a mouthful of blood. He bitterly wiped his mouth and said through gritted teeth, "Back then, you sent Yu Xie, saying it was to gather twelve streaks of Taiyin Moon Essence. I pleaded bitterly for a hundred and fifty-six days, and you said that was the last one. I actually believed you people..."

"Silence!" Si Yuanbai was struck by an unseen force, hitting the stone wall hard and spitting out another mouthful of blood. He laughed heartily, "Green Pool Immortal Sect, what a Green Pool Immortal Sect! What an immortal sect!"

Si Yuanbai's hair was disheveled, completely abandoning his usual gentle and scholarly demeanor. His eyes were bloodshot as he stood up, vigorous and continuously circulating magical power swirling around his body.

"Si Yuanbai, your inner demons are acting up. We will not hold it against you." The first deep, aged voice spoke again, forcefully suppressing Si Yuanbai. It said softly, "Seal his cultivation and escort him to the tower."