Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 118 - 109: Dependence

Li Xuanxuan descended the mountain and stepped into the large courtyard at the foot of it, waving his hand behind him, Li Xiewen hurried forward, and Li Xuanxuan gave his instructions in a low voice:

"Tell that Mu Yalu that we agree, find a place for her to stay in the residence, teach her the rules, and then send someone to check how many sons and daughters Mu Jiaoman has."

"Yes."

Having given the order, Li Xuanxuan dismissed Li Xiewen and lowered his head to read the "Spiritual Talisman Technique" in his hands. Li Xiewen left the courtyard, deployed people, and headed toward the town center.

Mu Yalu had been waiting in the town for a while, her tribespeople sitting behind her with empty hands, displaying expressions of suppressed anger. They had been stripped of their leather armor and weapons. Finally, she saw the keen-looking young man approach and bow:

"Miss... my lord has agreed. Please dismiss your people, and follow me to the residence. As for the girls of marriageable age among your Shanyue tribespeople who were to accompany the traveling merchants, that has been arranged as well."

Mu Yalu's face lit up with joy, and the tension on her tribespeople's faces eased somewhat. She quickly thanked him and turned to her people:

"Everyone disperse, go back and report to the fortress leader that Lulu has fulfilled his instructions."

A dozen or so Shanyue nodded in agreement and walked toward the outskirts of the town. Mu Jiaoman, fearing to arouse suspicion from the Li Family, hadn't arranged even a single servant for Mu Yalu. For a moment, she was left alone in the courtyard, cold and deserted.

"Madam Seven, please follow me."

Li Xiewen had changed his manner of address, bowing respectfully. Hearing the title "Madam Seven," Mu Yalu shuddered, knowing that the days to come were unlikely to be easy.

Mu Yalu followed Li Xiewen through the streets and soon a large courtyard unfolded before her, with its green bricks and black tiles, and its eaves upturned grandly; even the slanting stones at the entrance were scrubbed clean, exuding a certain imposing air.

She entered the courtyard with Li Xiewen and saw a few children between three and five years old playing. Li Xiewen whispered:

"These are children of the 'Yuan' generation. If you bear children in the future, they will also be of the 'Yuan' generation."

Mu Yalu nodded blankly, recalling what she had learned before she left, and quickly asked:

"Which one is the legitimate heir?"

Li Xiewen shot her a glance and said sternly:

"The legitimate heirs are all up the mountain. Even these secondary children, if they show spiritual apertures after seven years, are sent up the mountain. Madam, you must not harbor any scheming thoughts; a cultivator's methods are beyond your imagination!"

Mu Yalu stopped short, realizing Li Xiewen had misunderstood her. She opened her mouth but couldn't find a way to defend herself, feeling wronged, and thought to herself:

"Our tribe has been shamans for generations, with a noble bloodline. As long as Li Xuanxuan is willing to be close to me, who's to say we can't produce offspring with the shamanic aperture... the Spirit Aperture. Now that I'm married off to the east, what scheming thoughts could I possibly have..."

Li Xiewen, however, was totally unaware as he led Mu Yalu to an empty room and said softly:

"The servants in the house have all been arranged, Madam may make yourself comfortable."

After he spoke, he took his leave, leaving Mu Yalu staring blankly at the narrow patch of sky in the courtyard, her heart filled with complex emotions. She pushed open the spotless door to her room and sat down on the bedstead.

"From now on, I shall live within this Li Family, uncertain of what my remaining years may hold."

Back outside the courtyard, Li Xiewen received a report. He listened attentively and quickly made his way to the courtyard at the foot of the mountain. Upon entering, he saw Li Xuanxuan still engrossed in his book. Respectfully, he said:

"Reporting to the Family Head, Mu Yalu has been settled, and there is also news of Mu Jiaoman."

Li Xuanxuan raised an eyebrow, surprised:

"That quickly?"

"Reporting to the Family Head, this Mu Jiaoman lives in luxury. There are several thousand servants in his household. There were some Shanyue refugees who had served in his house years ago; by inquiring among them, we learned the information."

After Li Xiewen finished speaking, he saw Li Xuanxuan set down the wooden slip and smile:

"I thought Lu Sisi from the Lu Family with his over a hundred wives and concubines was astonishing, but this Mu Jiaoman actually has several thousand servants. Truly an extravagance that does not consider the welfare of the people, no wonder that even now with abundant rain, Shanyue still have people fleeing every year."

"Indeed!"

Li Xiewen promptly echoed, replying,

"Underling has inquired for a while, it is said that this man has fathered three sons and four daughters, among them one son and one daughter possess a Spirit Aperture."

Li Xuanxuan nodded and, stroking his chin, said,

"I understand."

"A few days ago, the Lu Family and the An Family came to discuss matters of trade, and now they have also reached trade agreements with Shanyue. The manpower for both before and after must be well arranged; dispatch people to protect the routes so that no mishaps occur on the way."

"Yes! Manpower from two towns has already been arranged for this."

Li Xuanxuan then closed his eyes and pondered for a while before giving orders,

"These few days I have also touched the edge of the Fifth Layer of Fetal Breathing; I can attempt a breakthrough. In a few days, I will enter seclusion to break through. Affairs of the home can be sent to Xuanling to oversee."

"Yes."

Li Xiewen respectfully acknowledged, and Li Xuanxuan lowered his head to continue reading his book.

————

The Li Family held four towns, with Lichuan Entrance to the west, bordering Shanyue, and Jingyang and Lijing towns in the middle, surrounding Lijing Mountain and Meichi Mountain.

Lidao Entrance was the furthest eastern boundary of the Li Family, bordering the Lu Family's Huaqian Mountain. As the population of the Li Family gradually expanded, many villagers had begun to cultivate the wilderness right up to the edges, presenting a scene of thriving vitality.

After repeated massacres, Huaqian Mountain had been devastated, with the Tang Jin Sect slaughtering all the commoners. Though populations from the Ji Family and the Lu Family had moved in succession, it still consisted of vast lands with sparse habitation. Hence, many hunters from the Li Family would cross the border to chop wood and hunt in the Lu Family's territories. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Now, a village bustling with life received two unwelcome guests. One was a bald man in long robes, and the other, with white hair, held a Jade Ruyi in hand—it was none other than An and Lu, who had previously joined Li Tongya in eradicating the Ji Family.

The two men darted through the woods, occasionally leaping high to survey the mountain's trend and converse, holding the Concealment Technique for half an hour as if they were searching for something.

"Brother An, is the vein located here?"

Lu Sisi asked, only to see the bald man look down at his feet, pinch a spell with his hands, and press it to the ground. He picked up a clump of yellow soil, examined it, and laughed,

"Undoubtedly, after searching for so many days, this Green Crow Mine is narrow and long, stretching over several miles, winding and long, right beneath our feet here."

Lu Sisi's brows rose with joy as he strolled around the area. Flying back and forth over the heads of the shivering villagers, he then frowned and muttered to himself,

"Indeed, a large part is within the Li Family's boundary… This is going to be tricky; it's probably hard to keep it a secret."

The bald man too showed a troubled expression, saying,

"Exactly! This is my An Family's Vein Searching Technique, Lu brother, you agreed to give me thirty percent. But mining operations are so conspicuous, it's impossible to keep hidden; we'll have to give the Li Family a share."

"Alas!"

Lu Sisi sighed and said in a low voice,

"Even though it's a small vein, if developed well, the Green Crow Mine could yield dozens of Spirit Stones each year. I truly begrudge having to share the profits!"

"What can you do about it! Can you annihilate the Li Family and swallow up these four towns?"

The bald man said with a wry smile and a shake of his head,

"Li Tongya is cautious and his swordsmanship is superb; killing him is no easy task. Besides, I've heard that the Li Family has a deep relationship with the Xiao Family of Lixia County, and within their clan is a Qing Sui disciple, someone with a very substantial background!"

Lu Sisi offered a low chuckle, put away his unrealistic fantasies, and said reluctantly,

"In a few days, I will take a trip to the Li Family to negotiate the development of the vein! For now, let's thoroughly explore this mine."

The bald man named An nodded, pinched a new spell with his hands, and started to discern the precise course of the vein.