"Yu Xiaogui has passed away."
Li Yuanjiao had already heard many rumors, and had also experienced the death of an ancestor at ho; his gaze swept the scene, and he imdiately understood what was happening before him.
The two families have been sworn enemies for generations. Naturally, Li Yuanjiao felt little grief, but rather a sense of finality, quietly breathing a sigh of relief:
"Fei Mubai died to an unknown sword cultivator, just one sword; Yu Xiaogui died to Uncle, a Hua Shang fruit and the Green Ruler Sword, also just one sword... The three Foundation Establishnts among the lakeside families, now all dead."
The Green Pond Sect is not one to let off the fat sheep beneath them just because a noble family's Foundation Establishnt has fallen. The tributes still must be paid—under the nice-sounding na: 'Blessings left by the forebears.' For fifty years, the family will still carry the noble na, until a few decades of extraction have wrung their very foundations dry, and then they'll be kicked aside once more.
That day, the Li Family gained several more Foundation Establishnts and expanded their territory. It's likely their tribute will go up a few shares, just like the Yuan Family's tribute, which is several tis higher than the Li Family's each ti.
The scene of Yu Xiaogui's death was quite spectacular—jade stones rolling all across the ground. Li Yuanjiao watched admiringly, then left the cave mansion, circling for a while over the Yu Family territory.
Under the Yu Family's governance, conditions nowadays are far better than years ago. At least people can now live. Yu Mugao, though sinister and ruthless, didn't shy from using lethal force, boldly restructured the clan's system, and promoted several commoners of outside surnas—a promising outlook.
With a clear understanding in his heart, he put away the Dharma Mirror. Before his eyes, the stone wall of his own cave mansion appeared again. Li Yuanjiao murmured lowly:
"Chi Buzi's visit truly made my whole family anxious and restless. Who can say what troubles may follow?"
This whole day had been harrowing; with a breath of pent-up anger in his chest, Li Yuanjiao took the Green Ruler Jing from its rack and began practicing swordsmanship.
Li Yuanjiao drew the sword and swung it, practicing swordsmanship for over half a day before feeling much of the imnse burden pressing on him lt away, even faintly sensing further improvent.
Then he sat cross-legged, polished his Green Peak sword, and soon saw soone approaching below—a man in brown clothing, crowned with jade, beaming broadly, announcing respectfully:
"Cousin! Cousin! Good news for you, cousin!"
This was naturally Shamo Li, who approached cheerfully. Though older than Li Yuanjiao, he had learned the ways of the world, calling him cousin again and again, ingratiatingly smiling, saying:
"Cousin! News from Lijing—Chuting, the Perfected Person, appeared in Yu Mountain, killed dozens of devil cultivators hiding there, and has already returned to Xianyou Peak. The devil cultivators in Xiao Family territory have scattered and fled!"
'Xiao Chuting has returned!'
Li Yuanjiao quietly sighed in relief. Even a smile crept over his face despite himself:
'With Xiao Chuting overseeing things, the Xiao Family's predicant is resolved. No need to struggle anymore. This ans added safety for our family too.'
Thinking this, he patted Shamo Li's shoulder and replied:
"Good news indeed. Keep watch here—I'm going into seclusion to cultivate."
Shamo Li nodded and quietly withdrew.
...
The cultivators on the mountain breathed sighs of relief, and when the news spread, the common folk below the mountain were overjoyed. Ignorant of the struggles behind the scenes, they simply viewed the Xiao Family as the Li Family's pillar. Now that the Perfected Person had returned, all was well.
The Yuanqing generation of clan mbers was especially delighted. This group mostly held important roles on various mountains and in towns. Catching the opportunity to return to Lijing for official business, they ca to Li Yuanping's Central Hall with congratulations.
The Yuanqing generation could be counted as more than ten people in all; of those, nine remained alive, excluding Yuanjiao and Qinghong on the mountain, and the housekeeper Yuanping. Li Xuanxuan's secondary children were the most nurous—four sons and two daughters. The eldest was thirty, the youngest only in early teens, each holding their own post.
There were two Spiritual Aperture Seeds among them, though their talent did not compare to Li Yuanping's—practically no different from mortals.
"Greetings, Family Head!"
The gathering in the hall ant nearly half of the Li Family's secular power now converged in the Central Hall. With a smiling face, Li Yuanping personally ca to welco them, helping his siblings up one by one.
Compared to the sullen unruliness among brothers during Li Yuanxiu's ti as head, now each sibling smiled warmly, hearts set firmly on the family.
It wasn't that Li Yuanping's thods surpassed Li Yuanjiao's, but that all the brothers had taken wives and had families of their own.
After all, Spiritual Aperture Seeds and mortals are worlds apart. These n could hardly produce Spiritual Aperture children, yet forced themselves to have offspring. The children at their knees were no less than their own father Li Xuanxuan.
According to Li Family custom, these children of secondary lines in the main branch would be tested for Spirit Apertures at six and hence could ascend the mountain to cultivate. Why chase after re mortal prosperity when their precious children are already in cultivation above? Naturally, their loyalties shifted—they beca staunch supporters of the main branch.
Li Yuanping understood these intricacies perfectly well; bold in his appointnts, he has promoted several to key positions, easing his own burdens greatly. The bonds among brothers have grown sharp these years, and now he smiled and said:
"This is a fortunate event. No need for such formality from you all."
They apologized, pressing forward the eldest among them—a man with a sowhat broad and round face, the eldest of Li Xuanxuan's secondary sons. Making so small talk, he grinned and said:
"Yet there is still good talent in the family, long denied proper use by the clan. We have co to recomnd them to you, Family Head!"
"Oh?"
Li Yuanping raised his head with interest, and the other introduced:
"These two are sons of An Zhiyan, a Guest Elder, and thus carry Li blood as well."
He beckoned, and two boys of about thirteen or fourteen were brought forward—hair tied up, robed, gold rings on their fingers, round faces and dark eyes, rather restrained, they bowed and said:
"An Siwei and An Siming pay respects to the Family Head."
An Zhiyan and Li Feiruo had these two sons—full brothers. Both not only possessed Spirit Apertures, but reached the fourth level of Fetal Breathing cultivation by ages thirteen and fourteen!
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