Lu Sisi and Li Tongya rode the wind and landed east of Lidaokou.
In the Lu Family territory, a group of tired-looking villagers were gathered together, having cleared swathes of woods and erected dozens of huts. Piles of neatly trimmed wood lay stacked, ready for the commencement of the building of a mining site.
“This Ebony Ore is found atop ordinary iron deposits and as the mining progresses, we’ll need to use the Vein Searching Technique to ascertain its precise direction...” Lu Sisi explained but paused, “...we cannot do this without the An Family,” he finished.
Li Tongya nodded in agreement, recognizing the significance of legacy in such endeavors. It was no wonder every family guarded and preserved their legacy so tightly, opting to even destroy them in times of peril. It was a clear advantage in this world of cultivation.
The two paused, observing as mortals kneeled before them in respect. Lu Sisi pointed to the base of the hill and said, “An Family estimates this mine to be narrow, capable of accommodating one or two thousand miners and yielding around a hundred pieces of Ebony Ores monthly. With a market price of approximately fifteen Spirit Stones per piece, the operation definitely promises profitable returns.”
Li Tongya nodded thoughtfully, then considered its proximity to Moongaze Lake.
“This location is only three hundred li from Moongaze Lake, where there’s a market frequented by rogue cultivators... We should set up formations to conceal the operation and present it as an ordinary town,” he suggested.
Lu Sisi quickly agreed in eagerness. Although they could not hide the operation from the Li Family, deceiving rogue cultivators was not an issue.
“You’re right, my friend. The Lu Family has two formation plates... you can leave that to us, I’ll make sure that the entrance to the mine is well-hidden,” he assured with a satisfied smile.
After a brief exchange, the bald man from An Family descended from the sky and cupped his fist to Li Tongya.
“A few years back, we parted ways in haste without even exchanging names. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you again, Brother Tongya,” he greeted Li Tongya with a warm smile.
Gone was any hint of the ruthlessness that was present during their discussions about eliminating the Li family months earlier. His smile was genuine as if he were reuniting with an old friend after many years.
“I am An Zheyan, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” he grinned.
Li Tongya quickly cupped his fist in response and could not help the smile that tugged on his lips.
“It’s good to see you again, Brother An.”
Lu Sisi chuckled and shot a knowing look at An Zheyan before addressing the matter with a serious expression.
“Now that our young friend has also seen the ore vein... it’s time to discuss the matter of profit sharing,” Lu Sisi declared.
An Zheyan nodded eagerly. “Indeed! The location and direction of this ore vein are located through the use of the An Family’s Vein Searching Technique, and my family will be involved in the mining operations. The initially agreed upon forty percent share is absolutely non-negotiable!” he asserted fiercely.
Lu Sisi laughed, noting Li Tongya’s silence.
“Since this vein requires our combined efforts for proper extraction, how about a forty percent share for An Family, and the same for Lu Family...?”
Observing the exchange between the two, Li Tongya realized the need for him to intervene in the discussion. He smiled gently before speaking.
“A significant portion of the vein lies within the Li Family’s territory, and I have also noted that there are also branch veins extending into the Lu Family’s territory... It wouldn’t be fair for both of your families to split the resources equally. Let’s allocate shares based on the mineral quantities within each family’s territory.”
Li Tongya’s words immediately soured the expression on Lu Sisi and An Zheyan’s face.
An Zheyan took a deep breath, then forced a hard smile.
“Brother Li, can you clarify on that?”
Li Tongya nodded, then rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Since the discovery of the vein is credited to the An Family, it’s only fair that you receive a share too. I propose that the Li Family receives fifty percent of the profit, while the An Family receives thirty percent,” he explained with a warm smile, eyes twinkling.
An Zheyan stood in stunned silence, unable to muster a response.
Meanwhile, Lu Sisi’s eyebrow arched immediately the moment he heard those words.
“The Li Family seems to have quite the appetite! Surely... you must be joking?”
Li Tongya shook his head and chuckled softly.
“It’s you who are joking, senior! Both of your families combined are asking for eighty percent of the vein altogether... did you think that I am a pushover just because I’m younger and easier to talk to?”
After saying these words, he raised his sword with a nonchalant expression.
“It’s only a matter of time before we have to do this... we might as well just do this now and settle it once and for all.”
Lu Sisi and An Zheyan exchanged a glance, knowing that the negotiation had failed and violence was the only way to resolve this issue.
Lu Sisi nodded, his jade scepter already hovering in the air.
An Zheyan hesitated, but once he caught sight of Li Tongya’s sword which was glowing with white light that resembled a crescent moon, his demeanor immediately changed. A frown formed on his brows and he exclaimed, “Such arrogance!”
Summoning an ebony pole, he prepared to face Li Tongya's Celestial Moon Slash technique.
As the confrontation escalated, Li Tongya unleashed the sword qi he had been accumulating all this while, breaking the Pure Spiritual True Essence on the two dharma artifacts and repelling them with a resounding clang.
With momentum on his side, Li Tongya launched two Profound Water Sword Qi at his two opponents, catching them by surprise due to his speed and rendering them unable to mount a defense.
Li Tongya had never used the Celestial Moon Slash technique when they were assaulting the Ji Family back then.
Misjudging their opponent’s strength, Lu Sisi and An Zheyan found themselves disarmed and scrambling to evade Li Tongya’s relentless assault.
After they finally managed to retrieve their dharma artifacts, Li Tongya gained the upper hand, leaving them with little opportunity to retaliate.
Empowered by the Deep Ocean Long Whale Talisman, a surge of potent mana coursed strongly in his body. Wisps of white qi escaped through his parted lips with every breath.
After about a quarter hour of relentless onslaught, Li Tongya noticed An Zheyan’s pale complexion and finally stopped.
“Do you two still wish to continue?” he asked almost amusedly, an eyebrow raised but still visibly on guard.
An Zheyan flushed with embarrassment almost immediately, waving his hand in defeat. Similarly, Lu Sisi decided to swallow his pride and also conceded.
“Brother Tongya’s swordsmanship is indeed impressive, and it was presumptuous of us to make the earlier suggestion... The Li Family rightfully deserves their fifty percent share.”
Words of respect flowed freely, and they no longer addressed Li Tongya as a friend. They now viewed him as a brother—an equal.
An Zheyan laughed along with them, and the atmosphere was now of genuine harmony without any tension, as if the three of them had just sparred earlier as a friendly exchange.
Li Tongya nodded and gratefully said, “The Li Family will take you up on that offer then... both of you can discuss how to split the remaining balance.”
His true essence remained abundant, and he did not want to push these two to exhaustion just to prove his strength.
Observing their discussion, Li Tongya had already managed to estimate their strength in comparison to his own.
These two are stronger than the Qi Cultivators from Mount Yue, but they’re nowhere near Zhang Yun of the Golden Feather Sect. If I hadn’t learned more about their backgrounds, I might have considered annexing their families directly...
After some debate, they settled on dividing the remaining fifty percent equally between them. They also suggested stationing cultivators of the Embryonic Breathing Realm from each family to oversee operations, along with rotating Qi Cultivators to maintain security.
The arrangement concluded with the Lu Family setting up formations, the An Family conducting exploration, and the Li Family providing the majority of the miners since they had the most population.
Li Tongya was quite content with the outcome, especially considering the opportunity it had presented for the vagrants from Mount Yue, given the overcrowded villages in the area.
However, Lu Sisi could not shake off the unease that settled in his heart... particularly regarding Li Tongya's formidable swordsmanship.
While Lu Sisi observed Li Tongya with a smile on his face, he harbored deep worries. The image of that sword—blazing with white light when unsheathed—lingered in his mind.
That level of might... it’s definitely not a sword technique lower than Grade Three! It must be at least a Grade Four technique or higher!
He plucked up his courage and finally asked, “Brother Tongya, your sword technique was truly phenomenal! What’s the name of the technique? Is it a legacy from a certain gate?”
Seeing how Lu Sisi had to swallow his pride in order to ask such a direct question, Li Tongya could only frown and reply, “It’s a technique passed down from my father... known as the Celestial Moon Slash technique.”
With that, he ended his explanation without revealing to Lu Sisi that there was only one move in the sword technique.
An Zheyan observed the exchange with a serious demeanor, noting Lu Sisi’s reaction.
It seems like the rumors about there being a cultivator of the Foundation Establishment Realm in the Li Family’s last generation are true... it would explain how Li Tongya’s true essence is so strong and clear. It must be a legacy passed down through his family teachings! His swordsmanship is undeniably lethal as well, especially if opponents are caught off guard...
Meanwhile, Lu Sisi’s concerns deepened as he contemplated Li Tongya’s youthful appearance which made him seem like a man in his thirties or forties.
Li Tongya is probably less than fifty years old, while I’m over a hundred and seventy... and my descendants are all ill-prepared. Once my generation passes, Mount Huaqian and Huazhong will definitely fall under the Li Family’s control. Their ascension seems inevitable!
This man is not like others... he’s very cautious and powerful. He’s less likely to die of unnatural causes. I guess our generation will need to prepare our children and grandchildren for the future!
His despair deepened, overshadowing the joy of acquiring the Ebony Ore Mine. His aged eyes clouded with worry as he observed Li Tongya preparing to leave.
He forced a smile and shook away his thoughts before speaking once more.
“Brother Tongya, please forgive us for any offenses today... I shall visit your residence in a few days to formally apologize again!”
Li Tongya was taken aback by this. A strange look clouded his expression, but he quickly nodded in response and cupped his fist.
“You’re too courteous, Senior Lu.”