Chapter 65: One Year Later, Major Accomplishment in the Qi-Blood Realm, The Li Clan’s Development
Li Xuling’s hatred for Zhang Wan’er and her son had reached the utmost extreme.
Zhang Wan’er had repeatedly schemed to make Guo Yulong cast off his lawful wife, and had even wanted Li Xuling to die of illness. If not for her fear of Li Xuling’s natal family, Li Xuling might long since have become nothing more than a handful of yellow earth.
As for Zhang Wan’er’s five-year-old child, though still so young, his thoughts were already vicious. Again and again, he framed the legitimate son, causing Guo Yulong to grow increasingly disgusted with his rightful heir.
As for Guo Yulong, after Li Xuanzhong crippled his cultivation, he had become a cripple.
Dazed and spiritless, he was placed under house arrest by Li Xuling’s order.
For Guo Yulong, losing the power and authority he so cherished was even more painful than death.
After everything had been dealt with, inside the Guo Family Head’s study,
“Xuling, the reason my Li Clan maintains friendly relations with the Guo family is because Dong County is rich in medicinal herbs, and the Guo family alone controls a third of Dong County’s herbal market. After taking charge of the Guo family, you must guarantee the Guo family’s supply of medicinal herbs to my Li Clan. There must not be the slightest mishap!”
Li Xuanzhong instructed gravely. This, after all, was the true reason the Li Clan had stirred up such a great commotion this time.
Li Xuling nodded and said firmly, “Please rest assured, Uncle Xuanzhong. I will firmly seize control of the Guo family and make it serve my Li Clan.”
Now that she had taken charge of the Guo family’s power, Li Xuling already carried a trace of the bearing of a strong woman.
This time, she had also seen things clearly. If she had not had a powerful natal family behind her, then the grass on her and her son’s graves might already have grown three zhang high.
During the time Zhang Wan’er and her son had tormented her, not a single person in the Guo family had stepped forward to speak a word of fairness for her. Clearly, the Guo family had always regarded her as an outsider. Since that was the case, then they could hardly blame her for what came next.
Li Xuanzhong nodded in satisfaction.
“For the next two days, we will remain in the Guo family. Use those two days to do everything that needs to be done. With us here, that old thing Guo Taichang will not be able to raise any trouble.”
Li Xuanzhong said with utter confidence.
“Do not worry, Uncle Xuanzhong. I am not some delicate little woman.”
A cold killing intent flashed in Li Xuling’s eyes.
Two days later, Li Xuanzhong and the others withdrew from the Guo family and returned to Baihe County.
......
Another month later,
inside the Family Head’s seclusion chamber, Li Xingge, who had remained in seclusion for a full year, slowly opened his eyes. A sharp gleam flashed within them.
Sensing the powerful strength now flowing through his body, Li Xingge threw back his head and laughed loudly.
“Major Accomplishment in the Qi-Blood Realm. I’ve done it!”
After his excitement subsided, Li Xingge muttered to himself, “I wonder how the family has developed over this past year.”
During the year of his seclusion, the family had never disturbed him. Every month, great quantities of cultivation resources had been delivered punctually to the stone chamber outside his door. It seemed that the family must have developed very well over the past year.
“System!”
Li Xingge called.
“I’m here!”
the System replied.
“Open the family panel.”
A vast screen of light unfolded before Li Xingge’s eyes.
【Family Name: Qingfeng Li Clan】
【Family Head: Li Xingge (Major Accomplishment in the Qi-Blood Realm)】
【Family Level: Level 2】
【Family Fortune: Green — Blue (7%)】
【Number of Main Clan Members: 1427】
【Number of Branch Clan Members: 117890】
【Family Combat Strength: Qi-Blood Realm: 4, Physical Body Realm: 45, Body Tempering Realm: 898】
【Supplementary information on the Li Clan’s upper ranks (organize it a bit):】
【(Li Clan Elders: Seven) Details are as follows:】
【1. Grand Elder Li Xuantong: Age: 81, Cultivation: Early Qi-Blood Realm, Position: Chief Elder of the Council of Elders.】
【2. Second Elder Li Xuanzhong: Age: 76, Cultivation: Early Qi-Blood Realm, Position: Elder of the Enforcement Hall.】
【3. Third Elder Li Xuanyong: Age: 72, Cultivation: Perfection in the Physical Body Realm, Position: Elder of the Internal Affairs Hall.】
【4. Fourth Elder Li Xuanzong: Age: 59, Cultivation: Half-Step Qi-Blood Realm, Position: Elder of the Clan Martial Pavilion.】
【5. Fifth Elder Li Xuanqi: Age: 63, Cultivation: Half-Step Qi-Blood Realm, Position: Chief Steward of the Silver Ridge mineral vein.】
【6. Sixth Elder Li Yanzhao: Age: 38, Cultivation: Perfection in the Physical Body Realm, Position: Chief Steward of the Hall of Retainers.】
【7. Seventh Elder Li Yanxiu: Age: 38, Cultivation: Minor Accomplishment in the Physical Body Realm, Special Profession: first-tier spirit planter, Position: Elder of the Spirit Medicine Hall.】
【(Retainers: 3) Details are as follows:】
【1. Jiang Dao: Age: 63, Cultivation: Early Qi-Blood Realm, Position: Chief Retainer of the Hall of Retainers.】
【2. The Heavenly Crippled Twin Elders: Age: 56, Cultivation: Perfection in the Physical Body Realm, Position: Retainers of the Hall of Retainers.】
【Family Wealth: 317 low-grade spirit stones, 205578 taels of gold, 4898788 taels of silver】
【Vassal Forces: Chen family (Qi-Blood Realm family), Hao family, Jiang family, Wu family, Sun family】
【Family Sphere of Influence: jpg (If you cannot view it, perhaps you should consider what your own problem is.)】
【Family Buffs:
Comprehension Increase Buff (Lv1: Can increase family members’ comprehension by 10%)
Family Cultivation Increase Buff (Lv2: All clan members’ cultivation speed increases by 20%)
Many Sons, Many Blessings Buff (Lv2: Effect 1: The birth rate of newborns within the family rises to 20%. Effect 2: The chance of twins being born within the family is 5%)
Lower-Level Cultivator Cultivation Increase Buff (Lv1: The cultivation speed of the family’s Physical Body Realm and Body Tempering Realm cultivators increases by 20%)】
【Family Head Buff: Basic Cultivation Speed Increase (The Family Head’s cultivation speed increases by 20%)】
【Family Cohesion: 91 (United as one)】
.......
After going through the family panel, Li Xingge came to a conclusion.
There were too few direct-line clan members. With the Li Clan’s current strength, they were no longer enough. More talent had to be unearthed from the branch lines.
The seven elders had all improved in strength to varying degrees. It was just a pity that the alchemy manual he had given the Grand Elder had still not allowed the family to produce an alchemist successfully.
As for wealth, after annexing the treasuries and industries of several major powers, the Li Clan was now bringing in immense riches every day.
But those spirit stones gave Li Xingge some pause. Why was the Li Clan stockpiling spirit stones?
Spirit stones were the cultivation resource of Innate Realm cultivators, and they also served as currency at that level. They were extremely precious. In general, one spirit stone could only be exchanged for a hundred taels of gold.
But before long, Li Xingge figured it out. These spirit stones had likely been specially prepared in advance for him, the Family Head.
At that thought, Li Xingge’s heart could not help growing warm. At the same time, he could not help sighing at the benefits of having a great power behind one’s back. They would search everywhere for cultivation resources on your behalf, rather than forcing you to scrape through life like a rogue cultivator, running about everywhere in hardship to find them yourself.
......
The stone door of the seclusion chamber slowly opened.
The four Li Clan cultivators who had guarded the chamber day and night saw Li Xingge step out, and fervent reverence lit up their faces. They all dropped to one knee in unison.
“We welcome the Family Head out of seclusion!”
Li Xingge nodded in acknowledgement, then said, “Notify the elders. One hour from now, we will discuss matters in the council hall.”
Inside the Li Clan council hall,
the elders each reported to Li Xingge on the family’s development over the past year. Although the system panel had already given him a general overview, there were many details Li Xingge still needed to understand.
Then Second Elder Li Xuanzhong also brought up the recent matter of Guo Family Head Guo Yulong doting on a concubine while crushing his wife.
After hearing it, Li Xingge praised them.
“You handled that matter very well. The dignity of my Li Clan cannot tolerate the slightest provocation!”
Then his tone shifted, and he asked, “How is the situation with the family’s new generation?”
Fourth Elder Li Xuanzong, who oversaw the Clan Martial Pavilion, thought for a moment before replying, “Family Head, among the Xing generation, two have already broken through into the Physical Body Realm. As for the two new bloods selected in the last New Blood Selection Assembly, both have performed exceptionally well. Among them, Li Xingzong and Li Wu have both reached Major Accomplishment in Body Tempering, while Li Wuyou, whom you brought back, has already reached Minor Accomplishment in the Physical Body Realm.”
When Li Wuyou was mentioned, the expressions on the elders’ faces all became rather strange.
Li Xingge’s mouth could not help twitching.
Was this the Daughter of Fortune?
It was simply outrageous. A nine-year-old Physical Body Realm cultivator.
The Fourth Elder continued, “In addition, among the children born within the clan this year, one was found to have eighth-grade talent, and three were found to have ninth-grade talent. At this year’s New Blood Selection Assembly, two more promising youths with ninth-grade talent emerged as well.
For reasons no one understood, high-grade talents that had not appeared even once in several decades had, over the past year or two, burst forth like water from a broken dam.
“It is a blessing for the clan to have worthy successors. The family must devote great effort to nurturing these younger generations. After all, they are the family’s hope for the future.”
Li Xingge said with a smile.
“Family Head speaks wisely.”
The discussion continued, one voice after another, until the sun had already set. Only then was this Council of Elders meeting finally brought to a close.