met free Chapter 456 373: Rui Family Peak (Alliance Leader Bonus Chapter)
Chapter 456 373: Rui Family Peak (Alliance Leader Bonus Chapter)
Wangyue Lake.
The lake waters on a winter day were light aqua and crystal clear, with many fragmented pieces of ice floating on the surface, drifting about finely. A streak of light tore through the sky and plunged into the water with a splash.
"The Serpent Demon Cave Mansion... I'm not sure what name they plan to change it to."
Li Xijun cast a water avoidance art and dove into the waters, landing on the yellowish-black lakebed. The serpent demon cave mansion was located at the bank of Wangyue Lake, the entrance not too deep, its formations simple and straightforward, set up by the Li Family themselves.
After entering with the spell, he was greeted by a sprawling grand mansion, with a faint blue hue lingering in the air. The floor and the surrounding walls were polished smooth and even, white and clean.
Inside the mansion, it was divided into many small courtyards, and over a dozen cave mansions had been hollowed out of the stone walls around the perimeter, most without any luster, devoid of inhabitants.
In the center, there was a huge icy blue column, roughly polished on the surface, that supported the cave and connected the earth vein and spirit mechanism above and below it, maintaining spiritual energy at a level forty percent higher than the outside.
The light within the cave mansion came from it. The Li Family had learned that this material was "Cleansing Spirit Jade," not particularly rare and mostly used to make jade slips.
While not valuable, such a sizable piece was rare, and given its connection to the earth vein and its role in sustaining spiritual energy, the Li Family naturally wouldn't be shortsighted enough to mine this ore.
He flew down to the central platform where Li Wen, who was holding two golden melon hammers, came up to greet him, earnestly saying:
"Young Master!"
The branches of the Li Family now nearly numbered ten thousand people, quite a few of whom were Fetal Breathing Cultivators; most had gone to serve in the peaks, and there wasn't a single cultivator with mixed energies. Only Li Wen emerged as a Qi Cultivator, a genius in his own right considering his size.
"Thirty-five years old and at the third layer of Qi Cultivation, truly not bad."
Li Wen was of an honest disposition. Now that the family had reformed and had little use for him, he was sent here to cultivate in peace, contrary to his elder brother Li Xihong, who had become the clan leader and was seldom seen.
The figures in the cave mansion were few and far between; Li Yuanjiao was still in seclusion at Wutu, and Li Qinghong had already moved over. The others were only two young clan disciples, named Li Chengshi and Li Chengmu, both with decent talents and cultivating in this place.
Li Xijun descended into the courtyard of these two children and gave them some guidance. His white attire shimmered like snow, with True Yuan undulating as if he were an Immortal, hence both children looked at him with sparkling admiration in their eyes.
"Uncle Eight!"
All these descendants had the potential for Qi Cultivation and, once they had cultivated it successfully, would go out to replace non-family seniors as peak stewards. Therefore, Li Xijun spared no effort and took out two elixirs to give to both of them.
While he was considering this, purple light streamed from one of the cave mansion walls, and Li Qinghong appeared, glancing around before landing beside Li Xijun, softly saying:
"Elder Uncle Xuanxuan has returned!"
...
Li Xuanxuan and Kong Yu stopped above the Li Family's territory, with Kong Yu looking around in astonishment:
"It was said that Wangyue Marsh was the premier Taoist site in the South River region. After many great battles that diminished its earth vein and spirit mechanism, I had not expected to see such scenery still!"
He came from a lineage that specialized in moving mountains and could see everything very clearly. After praising the view, he pointed to Jade Court Mountain regretfully saying:
"This mountain has been severed. Had it not been so, it would've also been an excellent Immortal Mountain!"
"Taoist Fellow can discern so much at a glance!"
Li Xuanxuan, whose family had only risen over the last hundred years, had no knowledge about whether Jade Court Mountain had been severed or not, also put on an enlightened expression. After some light-hearted banter, Li Xijun and Li Qinghong had already come to greet them.
"These are the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of our ancestor."
Li Xuanxuan introduced them rather proudly. Kong Yu watched the approaching aunt and niece, staring wide-eyed for a couple of breaths before softly adding:
"Having met these two Taoist Fellows, one can hardly bear to look away. The charm and grace of 'Moon Que Sword' Li Tongya are evident."
'The old man sure knows how to flatter.'
Li Xuanxuan laughed heartily in his heart, thinking that if it came to comparisons, Li Tongya had a more heroic presence, Li Xijun possessed an immortal-like elegance, and he himself resembled Li Chijin even more.
While he was indulging in his pleasant thoughts, the reactions of the two people approaching were quite different. Li Qinghong merely nodded politely while Li Xijun bowed slightly and said softly,
"Senior's stature is majestic, truly embodying the spirit of Xuan Yue."
With a clear and calm voice, Li Xijun had originally just been formally flattering Kong Yu, who now couldn't help but take another look at him and joke,
"Youngsters should be like Xijun, as elegant as orchids and jade trees. If one were to become as stingy and graceless as Situ Mo, it would be a disaster."
Li Xuanxuan gave a bitter smile, realizing that Kong Yu was still someone who held grudges. He promptly changed the topic to discuss the Earth Veins of the place. Li Xijun listened attentively, following behind on the wind.
Having been graced with an attractive appearance, Li Xijun had often used it to his advantage since childhood. In just a moment, he had won the admiration of Kong Yu for the Li Family, pleasing the elders with just a few words.
'The ways of the world are often so superficial,'
Li Xijun thought, sneering inwardly.
Once they landed on the Lake, Li Xuanxuan circled the area and said in a low voice,
"Taoist Fellow, take a look, do you think it's appropriate to move a mountain here?"
Kong Yu looked around, performed a few spells, then descended on the bank of the Lake, grabbing handfuls of river silt. He then returned on the wind and said with a radiant smile,
"Taoist Fellow, Taoist Fellow, there is actually a noble's Cave Mansion below, quite spacious indeed. Wangyue Lake truly is a wonderful place!"
Li Xuanxuan was unfazed, cheerfully stepping forward and saying directly,
"Your talent in detecting veins is truly extraordinary. This Cave Mansion was not easy for my family to acquire."
Kong Yu nodded and said solemnly,
"After careful observation, the Earth Veins in this area are weak and the Water Veins abundant. You can't move too large a mountain here, or it would affect the Spiritual Energy of the underground mansion—not to mention, within a hundred years, the mountain could turn into sand and stone."
"Second, the Water Veins of this Cave Mansion are biased towards Yin and cold, suitable for Serpent Jiaos to inhabit. Newly imported mountains can't have Fire Veins, and if you wish to practice Alchemy or Artifact Refining on the mountains, I'm afraid that wouldn't be possible..."
As expected of the Xuan Yue Sect, which is renowned for moving mountains in their Taoist Lineage, Kong Yu listed points one by one, clearly outlining the potential risks, before finally explaining,
"It might require a starting offer of fifty Spirit Stones and the combined effort of twelve Qi Cultivators to safely plant a mountain here."
"No problem!"
Li Xuanxuan waved his hand grandly. With the current human and material resources at the Li Family's disposal, he naturally agreed without hesitation. Li Xijun smiled secretly behind them, thinking to himself,
"I'm afraid Uncle Yuanping will be so distressed he'll be jumping up and down."
Kong Yu exclaimed "Impressive!" and then followed the group to survey the East Bank estates. They spent most of the day checking each one, and naturally, the more than a dozen tribute families on the East Bank dared not obstruct them and let them inspect their properties.
By the time Kong Yu once again soared on the wind, the sky had already darkened. He removed the large mountains and Fire Veins from the map and also eliminated the locations with intricate Earth Veins, then assured them forthrightly,
"All the rest are fine; pick as you please!"
The three of them were immediately pleased and together descended on the Rui Family's mountain. Rui Family Head Rui Qiongcuo bowed and kowtowed, opening up the Great Formation and following humbly behind them. The two elders entered the mountain to study the Earth Veins, while Li Xijun held back Rui Qiongcuo, saying warmly,
"Thank you for your trouble, Noble. If your mountain range is selected, the main Family will offer a position within the peak that can provide shelter for the Noble, subsidies for both the Spiritual Field and Spirit Rice, and family children may come to study..."
Rui Qiongcuo kept nodding his head. Although the Li Family's subsidy certainly was not as valuable as the Immortal Mountain, the chance to leave this forsaken place and the favor of the main Family left it whether it was a gain or a loss for them to calculate personally.
While Li Xijun was comforting Rui Qiongcuo, inside the mountain Li Xuanxuan pointed at the Spiritual Spring and asked Kong Yu,
"This Spiritual Spring is affected by the Essence of Copper, cold to the bone, and cannot irrigate Spirit Rice. I wonder, if we move this mountain back, will the Spiritual Spring still exist? And will it be able to water Spiritual Objects?"