Li Xiangping was a year older than Li Yesheng, but because he practiced cultivation, he appeared somewhat younger. At this moment, he was leaning back against a stone chair, reading through a scroll of technique formulas with rapt attention.
Li Yesheng and his son stood respectfully to the side, heads lowered and eyes fixed on the ground.
"However Xuan'er wishes to arrange things, let him. Old Man Xu can be counted a benefactor of our Li family; whatever fuss he makes over it is not excessive."
Holding the wooden slips, Li Xiangping read a few more lines before slowly asking, "What else is there?"
"The young clan head has broken through, and Li Qiuyang came up the mountain to pay a visit," Li Yesheng answered with utmost deference, keeping his head down. Behind him, Li Xiewen stared even more intently at the polished ground, not daring to look up at the surrounding furnishings.
"Not bad."
Li Xiangping raised an eyebrow, a faint smile surfacing on his face as he asked with feigned nonchalance, "How long has Li Qiuyang been stuck at the third layer of Embryonic Breathing, the Zhouxing Wheel?"
"Three years without a breakthrough."
Li Yesheng had done his homework before coming and answered without a second thought.
Hearing this, Li Xiangping looked up and said with a smile, "Well done. When you go back, tell Li Qiuyang to cultivate diligently and not let himself get distracted."
"Understood."
Li Yesheng nodded and continued, "The Wan family sent someone to ask for aid again this month, even requesting grain and medicine for wounds."
"Oh?"
Li Xiangping frowned, saying softly, "Before the year turned, word was that Wan Xiaohua had already broken through the Lingchu Wheel and reached the peak of Embryonic Breathing. Yet they are still in such dire straits? This Ji Dengqi is truly no simple character."
"So long as it isn't excessive, give them what they ask for."
To the side, Li Xiewen had his ears perked, listening intently. Li Xiangping glanced at him and remarked in a low voice, "Xiewen has grown up now too."
Li Xiewen hastily bowed and spoke up: "Greetings, Clan Head."
"Tomorrow, head over to Lidaokou to assist Xu Wenshan. Loafing around the village all day won't do," Li Xiangping said with a smile, addressing Li Yesheng.
"It was Yesheng who indulged him too much."
Li Yesheng quickly apologized. Seeing Li Xiangping wave a hand in dismissal, he led Li Xiewen out.
The two walked along the mountain path in silence. Only after descending Meichi Mountain did Li Yesheng finally speak:
"You and Xuanxuan share deep ties, and the Clan Head is willing to employ you. Once you are under Xu Wenshan, learn well and do not stir up trouble with others. Xu Wenshan is a clever man; he will not make things difficult for you."
Li Xiewen gave a subdued assent, then asked, "The Clan Head is sending me out—is it to groom me into a manager?"
Li Yesheng shook his head and replied, "Five years at the shortest, seven at the longest. Once your father can no longer work and Li Xuanxuan takes charge of the family, he will transfer you back. There is no need to rush. Temper yourself well."
"Yes. Thank you for your guidance, Father."
***
In the cave dwelling on Meichi Mountain.
Li Xiangping frowned, a trace of vexation stirring in his heart. Over these past five years, he had remained at the fourth layer of Embryonic Breathing, polishing the Qingyuan Wheel without managing to touch the Yujing Wheel.
Li Tongya had wanted to find a dose of Mingshen Powder for him, but upon hearing from Wan Tiancang that a single dose was worth twenty spirit stones—and that whenever this medicinal powder appeared on the market, it was instantly snapped up, impossible to obtain without proper connections—he had been struck speechless and retreated in disappointment.
"Clan Head!"
While Li Xiangping was lost in thought, an announcement came from outside the cave. A boy of about eleven or twelve walked in—it was Chen Erniu's youngest son, Chen Donghe. A few years ago, he had been found to possess spirit apertures, and he was now cultivating alongside Li Xiangping in the cave dwelling on Meichi Mountain.
Looking at the only child discovered with spirit apertures in nearly ten years, Li Xiangping asked with a smile, "What is it?"
"Wan Tiancang of the Wan family requests an audience."
"Let him in."
Li Xiangping took out his tea set. Seeing Wan Tiancang step into the cave dwelling with a deep frown, Chen Donghe tactfully withdrew. Li Xiangping smiled and said, "Brother Wan, what brings you here?"
"Only Brother Li could still smile at a time like this."
Wan Tiancang let out a bitter laugh and bowed deeply. "My family wishes to carry out the ambush. Everything will be delivered as agreed."
"Why such haste? Seven days ago, my second brother already set out for Guanyun Peak to deliver our tribute. Did the Wan family not send anyone? Why launch an ambush at a time like this?" Li Xiangping asked, his brow furrowed in bewilderment.
"Ji Dengqi somehow learned that these few days are when Moon Lake Peak of the Qingchi Sect collects the tribute. He has raided our Mount Huaqian three nights in a row! As soon as two hours pass, that old bastard withdraws immediately to avoid being attacked by the Qi Refinement cultivators arriving from the commandery as reinforcements. Our clan has been worn ragged by his harassment. Hundreds of mortals have died, and even two cultivators have fallen!"
Wan Tiancang's eyes were bloodshot as he explained through gritted teeth, "Now, our Wan family cannot even produce the tribute we are supposed to deliver. We have been driven to a fight with our backs to the river! Over these past ten-plus years of attrition, nearly all our foundation has been depleted. If we do not make a desperate stand now, I fear we will never have the strength to fight again."
"Fine."
Hearing this, Li Xiangping also gritted his teeth and said in a heavy voice, "Everything will proceed according to the agreement. Once your Mount Huaqian's grand array is raised, I will activate the talisman and strike Ji Dengqi from afar. Whether this succeeds or fails, that array inheritance must be handed over to my Li family!"
Having said that, Li Xiangping's brow furrowed as he sensed something amiss. He said in a deep voice, "The date Moon Lake Peak collects tribute every five years is never fixed; it has always been communicated by someone sent along the route. How could Ji Dengqi possibly know the exact dates Moon Lake Peak collects the tribute? Could Senior Xiaohua have proclaimed it far and wide? Brother Tiancang, there is definitely something strange here!"
Wan Tiancang had been rattled by the message from his clan, but now that he had calmed down and thought it over, he too fell silent with a frown.
Li Xiangping had always been cautious and faintly caught the scent of something amiss. Seeing Wan Tiancang remain silent, he pondered secretly:
*The Ji family must have something to rely on—some way to wipe out the Wan family. I fear Wan Xiaohua is panicked out of his wits right now and rushing to drag my Li family into the water. Yet my Li family and the Wan family are as closely linked as lips and teeth. How can we just sit by and watch the Wan family be slaughtered to the last person...?*
"Brother Li!"
Wan Tiancang's face turned pale all of a sudden. Who knew what had crossed his mind, but his voice trembled as he spoke: "Could it be that Ji Dengqi knows my Wan family has outside aid and is deliberately exerting pressure bit by bit to force out our reinforcements? This... this is an open trap!"
Li Xiangping's expression darkened. He stared coldly at Wan Tiancang and cursed, "Damn it all! This isn't just Ji Dengqi's open trap—it's also an open trap set by your clan head, Wan Xiaohua!"
***
After seeing off the bitterly pleading Wan Tiancang, Li Xiangping exhaled deeply, his mind thoroughly unsettled. Seeing Li Xuanxuan slowly walk into the cave dwelling, he recounted Wan Tiancang's words in a low voice.
"If Ji Dengqi didn't besiege Mount Huaqian because he learned that these few days were for tribute collection, trying to keep the Wan family from paying on time, then he must have found a way to eliminate them to take the trouble of attacking."
"And now he is freely allowing the Wan family to send out requests for aid. He must have a scheme to wipe out all reinforcements in one fell swoop."
Li Xuanxuan pondered for a while, his face full of worry. He shook his head with a bitter laugh. "Yet our family has no choice but to help. There is only one road leading to the commandery. If the Wan family is destroyed, our Li family will be left isolated deep in the mountains, not only cut off from the outside world in every matter, but also subjected to the harassment and oppression of the Ji family."
"We must save them," Li Xiangping said, shaking his head. His voice turned solemn. "We won't aim to kill Ji Dengqi; relieving the Wan family's siege will be enough."
"We just need to see what Ji Dengqi's trump card really amounts to, that he dares to be so brazen."
Chapter 66