Huiyao's face shifted through a kaleidoscope of expressions. Gone was his former ferocity; he shrank back in defeat, forcing a laugh as he stammered, "Easy to discuss, easy to discuss! I can just reassign the mortal quota to other islands. Consider it making a friend!"
"Very well."
Li Yuanjiao narrowed his eyes without speaking. Huiyao, utterly reluctant, offered up his innate spiritual nature to take an oath, followed by swearing the Xuanjing Spiritual Oath. Only then did he see Li Yuanjiao take his hand off his sword.
Li Yuanjiao signaled his sister with a glance, and Li Qinghong took out a storage bag and pressed it into the demon's hands. Huiyao accepted it with practiced ease, his expression turning far more sincere. After a few more words of discussion, he hurriedly took the jade box and took his leave.
He flew out beyond the array in a daze, still reeling from the shock of having been thoroughly subdued in the blink of an eye. Having sworn the oath in such a muddled stupor, he broke into a cold sweat, feeling as if his soul had left his body.
Opening the storage bag for a look, he saw quite a few spiritual materials and ores inside, and the jade box in his hands was cool to the touch. It truly proved impossible for him not to be tempted. Reverting silently to his true form, Huiyao dove deep into the seawater.
Watching Zong Yan escort him past the boundary of the array with obsequious deference, Li Qinghong let out a cold sneer. "They truly are creatures that respect power rather than virtue. Enticing them with profit only whets their appetite, but show them your fist, and they shut up immediately."
Li Yuanjiao nodded. "The necessary benefits still had to be given. Such lackeys cannot accomplish great things, yet sabotaging our affairs would be all too simple for them. We cannot afford to have them lure our enemies here."
Right after they spoke, Zong Yan hurried back on the wind, dropping to the ground before them and speaking respectfully, "This subordinate pays his respects to the two masters! Zongquan Island will follow the two masters' lead in everything!"
Li Yuanjiao nodded slightly. He had observed Zong Yan's conduct, and the man handled matters better than most. He asked softly, "Did you always demean yourself like this in the past, begging and pleading with everyone?"
"Alas!"
The respect on Zong Yan's face did not waver. Cupping his hands, he said in a solemn voice, "Naturally so. I merely sacrifice a bit of face and call them grandfathers a few times. If it pleases them, a few less people on the island will have to die."
Li Yuanjiao fell silent, while Li Qinghong looked at him quietly and said in a gentle voice, "Everyone says the Eastern Sea is murky and devoid of light, yet you shine far brighter than the so-called righteous path of the inland realm."
Zong Yan hurriedly demurred. Li Yuanjiao waved his hand, retrieved several sacks of spirit rice from his storage bag, and set them clattering before the hall. He then took out several medicinal pills and placed them all into Zong Yan's hands.
"Take these provisions for your own use for now. Distribute the spirit rice to the island's practitioners; from now on, there is no need to consume blood qi."
Zong Yan bowed deeply, choking back emotion. "Yes!"
To the Li family, these sacks of spirit rice were a mere drop in the bucket, but spirit rice could not be grown in these remote waters. To Zong Yan and his people, they were already rare and precious cultivation resources.
Holding the supplies, he respectfully withdrew. When he examined the medicinal pills, a fragrant aroma rushed to his nose, making his eyes sting with tears. He rushed to drag the young boy out from the side hall, shook his arm vigorously, and choked out, "Good boy, go home!"
The boy took two confused steps before Zong Yan burst into hearty laughter. Scooping him into his arms, he rode the wind and plummeted swiftly toward the distant town.
Back in the hall, the Li siblings waited until he was gone before looking at each other with a smile. Li Qinghong remarked, "These remote waters truly have no inkling of how affluent the inland realm is... Ten Embryonic Breathing spiritual items? What kind of demand is that? Back when our family was in the Embryonic Breathing realm, the tributes we submitted to the Qingchi Sect were far more than that!"
"Ah," Li Yuanjiao shook his head, considering the matter. "The spiritual items from the inland realm would be recognized, so it is better to exchange them in the overseas markets for local spiritual materials before paying tribute, lest the demon become suspicious."
"As for the Wanling Flower..." He pondered for a moment. "I have already inquired about it. One branch of the Han family sells them overseas, several other sources are assets in the north, and one or two can be found circulating through the sea. Offering one every five years and shifting the connection to the Han family should not pose much of an issue..."
At that moment, Li Yuanjiao had not had anything readily available that could tempt the creature at first glance. Having bound the demon with an oath sworn upon its spiritual nature and bribing it with their gifts, ensuring it could no longer use the prestige of the Flood Dragon Palace to intimidate them, the outcome was already well worth the price.
"Now that the business here is concluded, I will return home to guard the clan," Li Qinghong said.
Li Yuanjiao looked at his sister and replied, "Do not worry about the trouble. Kongheng and I will escort you all the way to the Salt Lake. Once I make the round trip, I will enter secluded cultivation to prepare for breaking through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment."
"Very well!"
***
Mount Qingdu.
The pale azure grand array atop Mount Qingdu glowed as it always did. Li Chengliao took a few steps across the water, traversed the lake's surface, and landed in the town.
Chen Mufeng of the Jade Court Guards had already been waiting by the shore for quite some time. Ever since Li Xicheng took over as patriarch, Chen Mufeng had acquired the power and resources he had long yearned for, and he now possessed the fifth layer of Qi Refinement, a commendable achievement.
After all, the eldest young master before him would be the future backer for his branch. It was rare for Li Chengliao to descend Mount Qingdu, so Chen Mufeng had pulled himself away from his busy duties to receive him, greeting him with a beaming smile. Li Chengliao returned the salute slightly and said in a calm tone, "Battalion Commander."
"Greetings, Young Master."
Li Chengliao currently stood at the fourth layer of Embryonic Breathing and was not yet at an age when he needed to leave the mountain, but his father, Li Xicheng, had arranged a betrothal for him, so he still had to come down to take a look.
His father, Li Xicheng, was the clan head, so his status as the eldest young master was naturally exalted. Many families of prominent surnames had set their sights on him, yet Li Xicheng had specifically chosen a young woman from the Liu family.
The Liu clan had long fallen into decline by now, but fortunately, a remarkably talented young woman had emerged among them named Liu Lingzhen. At just fifteen years of age, she had broken through to the third layer of Embryonic Breathing, making her a veritable genius within the town.
Given the Liu clan's decline, she had enjoyed no cultivation resources to speak of. To stand shoulder to shoulder with the prominent surnames entirely by her own efforts proved that she was anything but ordinary. Furthermore, having no powerful backing behind her, Li Xicheng had been overjoyed and, after consulting the Liu family, settled the engagement with Li Chengliao.
The matter had thus been decided. Li Chengliao had seen her portrait; she was indeed breathtakingly beautiful, and her talent was excellent, so he harbored no resistance to the match. Nevertheless, he needed to meet her in person to see whether she was an astute, capable person or merely an empty vase.
Following Chen Mufeng into the grand hall, he wound through several corridors into an adjacent side hall. Two cups of tea had already been set out on the tea table, yet not a soul was in sight.
"Hmm?"
Li Chengliao frowned slightly, caught off guard. Chen Mufeng felt even more awkward, his expression faltering as he hurriedly apologized, "This subordinate will go see to it at once... Perhaps something went wrong somewhere."
"No matter. Please take your time, Commander."
Li Chengliao replied generously. Just as Chen Mufeng turned to ride the wind away, a Jade Court Guard barged in hurriedly, dropped to one knee, and said in a hushed voice, "Reporting to the master..."
His voice was kept exceedingly low. Having not yet awakened his spiritual sense, Li Chengliao could only faintly make out a few stray words:
"...crippled... Xu family... refused to come in the end... the news has already been locked down..."
Li Chengliao's brow furrowed. He twirled the teacup on the table and looked at Chen Mufeng's back, only to see the middle-aged man clenching his fists tightly, grinding his teeth with rage while still forced to keep his voice down:
"Go gather all the Court Guards for me!"
Chapter 421