Before long, a golden-eyed youth clad in armor arrived in the hall. Li Jiangxia was tall and imposing, standing a whole head taller even than Li Zhouluo. Upon seeing him, he bowed low like a prostrated bear, saying in a deep voice:
"Greetings, Fourth Uncle!"
Li Zhouluo hurried forward to help him up. Li Jiangxia's expression was heavy as he murmured:
"Uncle Zhouluo, I have been guarding the East Shore all these days, yet news of Father has still not come from the clan. I was so anxious I could no longer hold back, and with official business to attend to as well, I returned in person to ask you, Uncle."
Only then did Li Zhouluo recall the circumstances. The second young master, Li Jianglong, had returned alongside Li Minggong and the others, so he had long known the news and attended Li Chengkun's funeral rites. At that time, however, Cui Jueyin was not on the East Shore, which was swarming with demonic cultivators seeking to turn a quick profit. Li Jiangxia had been left as the only one capable of making decisions, and the road back was perilous, so he had been unable to return, offering his respects and libations only from afar. Now that matters had stabilized, he had returned with the Xuanyue cultivators to pay his respects.
He simply replied:
"There is no news yet, but he should be safe and sound... How are the Xuanyue cultivators?"
"Kong Guxi has returned. You may inquire of him in detail, Fourth Uncle... My purpose in coming this time... is to ask for men."
Li Zhouluo frowned.
"What is the situation?"
Li Jiangxia looked somewhat embarrassed and said in a hushed voice:
"The people of Duxian did not push further west; in fact, they have been steadily pulling their men back. However, nearby demonic cultivators heard that our clan's Violet Palace senior was indisposed, and harboring hopes of plundering a fortune, they frequent the area. Convinced that the law cannot punish the multitude, they band together in threes and fives to raid..."
"At first, it was mere petty skirmishing, but as time went on and they saw no retaliation, things grew increasingly intense over the past few days. Foundation Establishment figures have even been spotted."
"Most of the people from Xuanyue were wounded, leaving only Sect Master Kong... He is hard-pressed on all sides, so we hoped the family could dispatch a few people to help."
Li Zhouluo felt a touch awkward and answered:
"The few here at home cannot easily leave either; the powerful seniors have all entered seclusion... There are also demonic cultivators out in the desert, and I intend to have Li Wen and Qu Bushi take Xinghan and the others there, which will still take a few days."
Li Jiangxia sighed. Li Zhouluo then said:
"Wait a moment. I will see Chen Yang and have him make a trip to the East Shore... His combat prowess is formidable, and his Immortal Foundation excels at fighting many opponents at once. He couldn't be more suitable."
Li Jiangxia had no choice but to nod, but he did not withdraw immediately. Instead, he hesitated before saying:
"My visit this time... is also to exchange for one of the clan's Suiyuan Pills from Uncle."
Li Zhouluo frowned at once and gave him a puzzled look. The youth before him was clearly only at the fifth layer of Qi Refinement. He asked:
"You are still a long way from Foundation Establishment. Even if you possessed the cultivation to break through... wouldn't you practice some spells first? The clan will naturally prepare a pill for you when the time comes; why the urgency?"
Li Jiangxia hesitated slightly and answered:
"I wish to exchange for it from the clan... I have a close friend named Pei Xie, a rogue cultivator from the wilderness. He has reached the late stage of Qi Refinement and lacks only a pill to make his breakthrough. If the family has a quota available, I would like to exchange for one on his behalf."
Li Zhouluo realized what was going on and shook his head:
"What is the meaning of this? If you are confident he can break through to Foundation Establishment, and he is your close friend, the family happens to be short on hands right now. Even if the clan bestows it upon him, just have him come to the lake to receive orders. A meeting with me will suffice."
At these words, Li Jiangxia felt exceedingly awkward and whispered:
"Reporting to Fourth Uncle... Brother Pei has other plans. He intends to go to the East Sea to break through and make his way in the overseas lands..."
"What!"
Li Zhouluo was taken aback, feeling secretly displeased:
*From the sound of it... he wants to use clan resources to win someone over for himself! Whether this man can even break through is anyone's guess... Giving it to a wilderness rogue cultivator—isn't that throwing meat buns to a dog?!*
Seeing his silence, Li Jiangxia immediately understood his thoughts and answered:
"That is why your nephew thought of exchanging for it from the family..."
Li Zhouluo let out a long sigh and shook his head:
"How can this be a simple matter of an exchange!"
One had to know that Li Ximing was missing. If he was injured and healing overseas, he might not return for twenty or even fifty years... Every Suiyuan Pill used was one fewer left. It was not merely a question of value; under the joint monopoly of Jiangnan's Violet Palace powers, the Suiyuan Pill had long attained a significance far exceeding its mere worth!
The Xiao family had always stayed aloof, minding only their own affairs, and Xiao Chuting was roaming the four seas—even his own kin couldn't find him—while they were also consuming their stockpile of Suiyuan Pills. It was by no means easy for the Li clan to trade for them from the Xiao family either.
When his sigh ended, the young man before him seemed not in the least surprised. He bowed and said:
"This junior is willing to surrender my own future pill in advance to take this one. When the time comes for this junior's Foundation Establishment... if circumstances have not changed, I will not ask the family for another!"
"You..."
Li Zhouluo shook his head and said:
"Get up quickly. What kind of talk is that? How could the family ever short you of your pill? You have always had a reputation for judging character, so of course I trust you. What Dao lineage does he cultivate? It isn't Combined Fire, is it?"
He made a slight joke. Li Jiangxia was overjoyed and replied:
"Of course not! Brother Pei's cultivation culminates in Wangshang Blade, a lineage of Metal Virtue."
"Metal Virtue... There are indeed quite a few rogue cultivators in Jiangnan who cultivate Metal Virtue... There is still one in the vault. Take my written order to fetch it."
Li Jiangxia breathed a great sigh of relief, nodding repeatedly before quickly withdrawing. Li Zhouluo, meanwhile, fell into thought:
*It seems to me that Pei Xie planned to attempt Foundation Establishment long ago... but Jiangxia lacked the confidence to secure a pill from the others... Now that I am managing the clan, this boy ran right over to ask for one!*
Among the clan heads who had managed the family affairs over time, Li Zhouluo was indeed the easiest to persuade on such matters. After all, he figured he would only hold this position for three to five years, and Li Jiangxia possessed such exceptional talent. Li Zhouluo naturally wanted him to owe a favor, to show some goodwill...
He paced a couple of steps, adjusted his composure, and seated himself once more upon the master seat. He called out in a clear voice:
"Please invite the Xuanyue Sect Master inside!"
A mere ten-odd breaths later, an old man hurried in below. His hair was completely white, and his countenance was haggard. The moment he saw Li Zhouluo, he fell to his knees with a thud and said:
"Greetings, Patriarch! All of Xuanyue are deeply grateful for your noble clan's life-saving grace! Guxi bows here on behalf of all Xuanyue to thank your noble clan!"
Li Zhouluo was somewhat astonished. This was the first time Kong Guxi had ever performed a full kowtow before their clan. Previously, he would kneel so thoroughly only before a Real Person; when meeting the Patriarch of the Li clan, he had mostly exchanged cupped-hand salutes.
"Sect Master Kong, please rise quickly!"
Kong Guxi, however, did not stand.
In Kong Guxi's eyes, the Li clan had acted with absolute benevolence and righteousness to the utmost limit. This Xuanyue Sect Master knelt with heartfelt emotion, tears streaming uncontrollably from both eyes while low sobs caught in his throat.
Duxian Dao's attack this time had caused the Li clan's Violet Palace cultivator, Real Person Zhaojing, to go missing, along with their Patriarch and Violet Palace seed, Li Zhouwei. In Kong Guxi's view, all of this had been brought about entirely because of his Xuanyue Gate! How could this old man not be moved to the core?
Now that the storm had passed, even the young Foundation Establishment cultivators of his Xuanyue Gate had fallen silent. Kong Qiuyan, formerly deep and inscrutable, was now personally treating the Li clan's cultivators. Even Kong Xiaxiang, who usually swallowed his grievances in silence, had begun patrolling all across the East Shore on behalf of the Li family. Not to mention the elder, Kong Guli... that older brother had nearly refused to treat his own wounds so he could come to the lake bearing brambles to beg forgiveness!
*Ties of blood and fraternal closeness pale before the promise of this Real Person... My Xuanyue... owes an immense debt to the Li clan!*
Chapter 778