Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 177 - 166 The Situation is About to Change (Two in One)_2
Li Qiuyang secretly clenched his teeth, but dismissed the impulsive thought, staring silently at Shamo Li without a word. This middle-aged man who had devoted most of his life to the service of the family, in the end, did not wish to ask the family for even a single elixir.
"Hahahaha, how delicate and charming!"
The laughter of Shamo Li echoed in the courtyard, the dim light shining on Li Qiuyang’s white hair, which clashed with the luxurious surroundings of the courtyard. He stood like a stone statue, firmly remembering the mission assigned by his family, silently watching Shamo Li.
————
"Elder, the Xiao Family received the message and asked me to bring back their reply, expressing thanks on behalf of the Xiao Family."
Chen Donghe knocked on the door of the cave mansion and respectfully approached, holding the jade slip in both hands. Li Tongya reached out to take it, and with his spiritual sense probing into it, Xiao Yuansi’s amiable voice echoed in his mind.
"Yuansi bows deeply. Today, I received the message from Brother Tongya. The ancestor has made a trip to the Shanyue’s territory. Witch Mountain has been sealed off and cannot attend to other matters. The Zifu of Shanyue is preparing for the breakthrough to Golden Core, and it should happen within six to seven years. There must be anomalies between heaven and earth."
"Yuansi also got news in the sect. All twelve disciples of Witch Mountain are Foundation Establishment Cultivators who have already colluded with the Three Sects and Seven Doors. Once this Zifu falls, Witch Mountain will perish, and the Foundation Establishment Cultivators will each lead people into the Three Sects and Seven Doors. Perhaps three or four will stay in the Shanyue territory to establish sects and clans under the rule of Green Pond, becoming noble families. If your family has plans, you must seize the opportunity immediately after his fall and intervene swiftly... Once the situation stabilizes and the Shanyue Foundation Establishment has divided the territory and forged relations with the sect, plotting then will become difficult."
After reading the jade slip, Li Tongya pondered for a while and had a plan in mind. He put away the jade slip and said to Chen Donghe:
"Call Xuanling up."
Li Xuanling was already waiting at the door of the cave mansion. Hearing the summons, he entered, and Chen Donghe consciously withdrew. Li Tongya spoke in a low voice:
"Read this jade slip."
After Li Xuanling read it, he bowed his head in thought for a moment before hearing Li Tongya say:
"Witch Mountain will soon be no more, and to the west, there will be several Foundation Establishment clans under the rule of Green Pond emerging. Our Li Family can take advantage of this turmoil to take over Eastern Shanyue."
Li Xuanling nodded repeatedly and then heard Li Tongya speak with gravity:
"Immediately feed Shamo Li to Qi Cultivation stage. While Witch Mountain is sealed, pretend it’s just an ordinary upheaval to support him to power secretly, and control Eastern Shanyue. Once the Zifu of Shanyue falls, immediately claim Eastern Shanyue for our Li Family under the banner of the Green Pond Sect. The Foundation Establishment of Shanyue will have just lost their support and will not act rashly."
"I understand, father."
Li Xuanling replied respectfully, deep in thought for a few moments before speaking softly:
"Once these Foundation Establishment Cultivators have divided the territory and become families under the rule of Green Pond, they will recognize the prestige of the Sword Immortal and will not oppose our family. It’s likely they will seek to curry favor, like the Yu Family. If handled properly, the Li Family can gain control of the Eastern Shanyue territory without lifting a finger!"
"Exactly."
Li Tongya nodded and instructed:
"There are still a few years left. Take a Serpent Origin Pill, and no matter what, you must feed Shamo Li to Qi Cultivation!"
Feeding Shamo Li to Qi Cultivation within six years was somewhat difficult, but not impossible. After all, he just needed to break through two layers. Unlike normal cultivation that required steady and gradual progression, shoving spirit stones and spirit fruits could serve to inflate the foundation. Ingesting mixed Qi would be easier than harnessing nature’s spiritual energy, but it meant his future cultivation would be slow, and he would never be able to reach Foundation Establishment.
"Son will go do it right away!"
Li Xuanling prepared to leave in response, but Li Tongya suddenly stopped him, asking:
"Who is currently looking after Shamo Li?"
"Father, it is Brother Qiuyang," he replied.
Li Tongya calculated the time and said in a deep voice:
"Li Qiuyang should now also be forty-five years old. I heard he has just broken through to the fifth layer of the Yujing Wheel of Fetal Breathing... Although Shamo Li is an outsider, we cannot overtly admit that we’re offering these spiritual objects in exchange for Eastern Shanyue’s territory. Qiuyang has never asked for anything other than the dissemination of the spirit rice and spirit stones for the family salary over the years. Seeing such a situation, he might feel resentful... Call him here."
Li Xuanling hurriedly nodded and withdrew. Soon, the stone door of the cave mansion was quietly knocked, and from outside came Li Qiuyang’s respectful voice:
"Junior Li Qiuyang, greetings to Uncle!"
"Come in."
Li Tongya put down the jade slip in his hand and glanced at the white hairs at Qiuyang’s temples, speaking warmly:
"In my memory, you are still the little boy on the Spirit Testing Platform. It seems in the blink of an eye, decades have passed, and now you have a family and have become one of the senior clan elders in the family! You have been diligent over the years, and I have taken notice."
Li Qiuyang bowed his head slightly, his eyes misty, feeling somewhat uneasy as he responded:
"If it weren’t for the family, Qiuyang would merely be an old farmer toiling in the fields by now. Qiuyang is grateful for the kindness of the family and dares not be inattentive."
Li Tongya nodded in approval, flipped his hand, and revealed a small brocade pouch, saying warmly,
"Now that you are also a cultivator of the Yujing Wheel, you don’t even have a Storage Bag. This Storage Bag was once used by me in my youth. Its capacity is not large, but you can take it for now."
"I couldn’t possibly accept!"
Li Qiuyang’s heart was shocked, knowing well that a Storage Bag was worth ten or twenty Spirit Stones, far beyond his means. His salary for cultivation was always spent on cultivation, and he couldn’t even muster half a Spirit Stone. He protested repeatedly,
"How could I accept this!"
Li Tongya waved his hand, and the brocade pouch was already hanging at Li Qiuyang’s waist. Patting the Storage Bag on his waist, he took out a small Jade Bottle. Li Tongya spoke softly,
"This is a Serpent Origin Pill, the product of the family’s Alchemy. Take it and use it for now. If you cannot break through in Qi Cultivation, then come back to the mountain to find me."
Li Qiuyang was stunned, his eyes reddening, but in the face of the temptation of increasing his lifespan by a hundred years upon breakthrough in Qi Cultivation, he found himself unable to utter a word of refusal and could only say with a trembling voice,
"Qiuyang... Qiuyang is undeserving!"
"What are you talking about!"
Li Tongya’s expression became serious as he spoke righteously,
"Those youngsters are the ones who are undeserving! In these thirty years, you have grown Spirit Rice, guarded the mines, and eliminated demon creatures. There is no one more dedicated in the family than you!"
Li Qiuyang burst into tears, repeatedly acknowledging. Li Tongya consoled him kindly for a few moments before sending him out of the Cave Mansion.
————
Huazhong Mountain, An Family.
An Jingming halted before the towering and lavish hall. His father, An Zhiyan, was again feasting inside the hall. This grand hall’s construction began on the day when An Zhiyan became the Family Head. It was only completed on the day An Jingming was born, and beneath the opulent hall lay the bones of countless laborers.
"Alas."
An Jingming sighed softly, his eyes filled with bewilderment. Everywhere he looked was a scene of joyous and extravagant festivity, which immediately stirred slight anger within him. He thought to himself,
"The Yu Family from the north is covetously watching, the Li Family from the south is rising like the early sun, and even the Ding Family, which we personally invited, is full of ambition. Yet my family has no sense of crisis and indulges in such extravagance!"
Angrily, An Jingming strode forward, but then a few mortals, with bowed heads, passed by. They were carrying a large basket, from which blood dripped, their faces filled with unparalleled fear, and they didn’t dare to look up at him.
"What happened!"
An Jingming blocked their path with a cold voice. The people had no choice but to drop the basket and kneel down. Immediately, five or six fingers rolled out and after tumbling on the ground, stopped at An Jingming’s feet.
"Family Head... The bear’s paw the Family Head ate today..."
An Jingming closed his eyes; he already knew the full story. An Zhiyan was not lustful or greedy, but he was fond of gastronomy and was cruel and ruthless. If a chef’s cooking didn’t meet his expectations, he would lash out with brutality—cooking a bear’s paw poorly warranted chopping off the chef’s fingers, and if the roasted meat wasn’t fragrant enough, the chef’s legs would be cut off. Every day, cries could be heard from within the hall in the mountain.
"I understand."
An Jingming shook his head, feeling powerless. There was not a single person in the family he couldn’t reprimand, except for his own father.
Stepping forward, An Jingming entered the grand hall where An Zhiyan was drinking wine with a cold expression. Seeing An Jingming, however, he wore a pleased expression and smiled,
"Here comes my Qilin son!"
"Father."
An Jingming responded respectfully before saying,
"Jingming has something to inform father!"
"What is it?"
An Zhiyan frowned, looking distractedly at the overcooked bear’s paw in the dish, but didn’t expect An Jingming to bow and say solemnly,
"The day when you and me, father and son, perish and the An Family is annihilated, is already imminent!"
