A few months after Lu Sisi’s visit, Li Xuanxuan emerged from seclusion. He had finally condensed the Jade Capital Chakra and attained the fifth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm.
With this feat, he now ranked third in the family in terms of strength, with Li Qiuyang and Chen Donghe serving as his two right-hand men; who were both at the fourth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm.
The Ebony Ore Mine bustled with activity each passing day as Li Xuanxuan had gathered a large group of able-bodied Mount Yue tribesmen to work in the mine.
The reduction in the surplus of laborers led to a significant rise in wages for workers in the four towns, effectively alleviating the strain caused by overpopulation and resulting in improved living conditions.
Huts lined the ore vein, and in just a mere few months, the three families had already managed to establish a thriving small town.
It was decided that the Qi Cultivator to be stationed at the Ebony Ore Mine for the first year would come from the Li Family.
According to their agreement, each family would also send a cultivator of the Embryonic Breathing Realm to keep watch of each other, with Li Qiuyang having been sent by the Li Xuanxuan several months prior.
As Li Xuanfeng descended upon the mine, he found the three cultivators of the Embryonic Breathing Realm awaiting his arrival, along with the miners who were kneeling in reverence nearby.
“Greetings, Senior!” the three cultivators greeted in unison. Li Xuanfeng acknowledged them with a wave of his hand, then turned to address Li Qiuyang right away.
“Clan Uncle,” he greeted respectfully before nodding to the cultivators from the Lu and An families.
“No need for formalities.”
Surveying the two cultivators before him with his spiritual sense, he learned that both of them were only in the third and fourth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, and seemed to be in their forties and fifties.
Li Xuanfeng dismissed them with a wave before turning to Li Qiuyang.
“Clan Uncle, did something happen in the mine during these few months? Why the urgent summons?” he questioned, a hint of concern discernible in his voice.
Li Qiuyang, the boy who ate a Snake Dragon Fruit in the mountains, was now in his thirties and had already become a grandfather. He stood with the bearing of a family elder and held a long saber in his hand.
“We’ve only just begun digging, mining seven pieces in three months... production should increase gradually. However, we’ve encountered some concerning incidents. Over the past few months, several miners have lost their ability to speak. Last month saw one or two cases, but this month... There have been dozens of cases. We have no choice but to send word to the family,” he explained with a worried expression.
“..Lost their ability to speak?” Li Xuanfeng pondered aloud as he adjusted the longbow on his back and furrowed his brow in confusion.
“Take me to see these people.”
Li Qiuyang nodded immediately and led Li Xuanfeng to a courtyard through an area occupied by tents of varying sizes.
With the tribesmen from Mount Yue working in the mine, the architectural style of the courtyard was that of Mount Yue. Inside — a dozen or so miners, mostly relocated by the Li Family — crouched against the walls with troubled-stricken expressions.
The manager of the courtyard visibly tensed up as Li Qiuyang and Li Xuanfeng approached, instructing the miners to rise and kneel on the ground. They gazed nervously at the yellow soil beneath them.
Placing his hand on the shoulder of the nearest Mount Yue miner, Li Xuanfeng channeled his true essence into him and circulated it through his body a couple of rounds, but found no abnormalities within him.
However... he detected a spiritual orifice in the middle-aged man’s Qihai acupoint.
“Ah... too bad, he has a spiritual orifice in his body.”
Li Xuanfeng’s remark was cold.
His words seem to have struck the middle-aged man like thunder, causing him to let out a startled cry. His face betrayed a mix of emotions and sorrow. Observing the man’s slightly aged appearance and conflicted expression, Li Xuanfeng turned to give an instruction.
“Take this man back and arrange a marriage for him with a suitable daughter from the clan.”
Li Qiuyang nodded obediently, and a few clan soldiers immediately stepped forward to escort the man away. Meanwhile, Li Xuanfeng selected a few more individuals from the group to examine but found nothing unusual.
“Did these people exhibit any abnormalities before losing their ability to speak?” he asked with a frown.
“Never,” Li Qiuyang replied, shaking his head, then continued, “Four of the individuals affected had previously gathered the Ebony Ores though...”
Li Xuanfeng pondered this information for a moment, his gaze lingering on each of the individuals before him. After receiving a sample of greenish-black Ebony Ore from Li Qiuyang and channeling his true essence, he detected a trace of Golden Stone Qi in it.
“It appears that the Ebony Ore may be the root of the issue after all... Clan Uncle, please summon those two over,” he commanded.
Li Qiuyang complied, locating the cultivators from the Lu and An families. They seemed apprehensive as they stood before Li Xuanfeng, anticipating criticism or a reprimand from the Qi Cultivator of the Li Family.
“Are you aware of the speech disorder affecting the miners in this mine?” Li Xuanfeng asked.
The two men were taken aback by the question but nodded.
Why would a Qi Cultivator concern himself with the ailments of mortals? As long as they can work, who cares if they can’t speak...? They wondered.
Li Xuanfeng contemplated and fell silent for a few moments. The Ebony Ore Mine was a spirit mine, and the Golden Stone Qi could be harmful to mortal bodies... losing the ability to speak could just be a minor consequence of such contact. He was concerned that this could potentially lead to exhaustion and even thousands of deaths if left unchecked.
“How is the work schedule of these miners?” he asked.
“There are over four thousand miners, but the mine can only accommodate around a thousand at a time. We’ve been using two shifts, with workers alternating every three days between mining and construction duties.”
Li Xuanfeng waved his hand and instructed, “Split the miners into four shifts, don’t let them stay in the mine for too long. I’ll return to the clan and arrange for additional shifts.”
Upon receiving their agreement to his new command, Li Xuanfeng departed immediately to report to Li Tongya. Meanwhile, Li Qiuyang observed the cultivators from the Lu and An families as they waited respectfully for Li Xuanfeng to leave, his expression darkening in private disapproval.
While the Li Family had thrived, boasting a population of over sixty thousand, the Lu and An families languished with only twenty and thirty thousand members. It was evident to him that these families neglected the welfare of their people, likely failing to oversee farming activities, let alone support their livelihoods. This population — he mused — existed solely to serve the interests of the ruling families.
“Brother Qiuyang!”
The two cultivators approached him with a warm smile.
“We’ll leave the task from the elder of your family to you... we still have important matters to attend to, so we’ll take our leave first.”
Without even waiting for Li Qiuyang’s response, the two departed in a flash with a broad smile on their faces, leaving an irritated Li Qiuyang behind.
“Those two spend their days slacking off on this mountain and indulging in women... they know nothing except for fooling around! What a waste of their cultivation... if they were part of the Li Family, they would surely have already been held accountable for their distasteful actions!”
Returning to his small courtyard, Li Qiuyang shook off his frustration. With a determined smile, he murmured, “Go enjoy yourselves for now... let’s see how both of your families will stop the Li Family in a few years.”
————
After issuing orders for the day, Li Qiuyang returned to his residence and began his meditation.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the compound, the sounds of feasting and music filled the air as cultivators from the Lu and An families indulged in wine and conversation.
“This mine is truly a blessing! With Li Qiuyang from the Li Family taking care of everything, we don’t have to worry about anything back home!”
“Absolutely!” The cultivator from An Family laughed heartily, taking a sip of spirit wine and smacking his lips in satisfaction. His eyes were closed in contentment, savoring the taste of the wine.
“The Li Family rose to prominence too quickly and their Qi Cultivators are still too young and naive to be worried about mortals... Tell me, who among us cultivators on the Guli Road doesn’t see mortals as mere tools? Mortals exist to serve immortal cultivators! No cultivators should care for them!”
His words were loud and arrogant.
The cultivator from the Lu Family nodded in agreement, his expression relaxed as he said, “Indeed.. look at the Li Family. They may be strong, but they’re stuck dealing with Mount Yue to the west, acting as our barrier. Rumor has it that there are over a dozen Qi Cultivators in Mount Yue, with a king at the peak of the Qi Cultivation Realm. It’s not something to be taken lightly!”
Offering some news he had acquired, the cultivator from the Lu Family glanced up, only to be targeted by the cultivator from the An Family.
“Doesn’t your Lu Family have a powerful cultivator within the Azure Pond Sect? That should be a significant backing, no?”
To this, the cultivator from the Lu Family shook his head with a hint of disappointment in his expression.
“Our families have been connected through marriage for many years, so we know each other’s strengths. That person who trained on Moon Lake Peak reached the peak of the Qi Cultivation Realm in his prime, and had passed away over eighty years ago when he failed to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm... besides some residual connections with the master of Moon Lake Peak, they’re hardly any significant backing.”
He then lowered his head and continued, “We can’t possibly compare to that genius in your An Family...”
The cultivator from the An Family sighed.
“That An Jingming is the golden child of our family! He receives all the attention and resources... It's said that he eats Spirit Rice every day! I envy him. If my family devoted such resources to me, perhaps I too could also break through to the Qi Cultivation Realm!” he said indignantly.
The cultivator from the Lu Family sighed deeply, feeling disheartened. Amidst the lively ambiance of the courtyard, his words stood out starkly.
“You and I are already in our fifties... yet we haven’t even condensed the Jade Capital Chakra. What hope is there for us to reach the Qi Cultivation Realm in this lifetime? We should just make the most of the remaining fifty years of our life and enjoy it to the fullest!”
Moved by his words, the cultivator from the An Family drank his wine and began to get choked up in his emotions.
“Life is often filled with disappointment... I’ve already come to accept that fact.”
Together, amidst the melodic sounds of bamboo lutes, the two cultivators shed tears as they toasted to each other’s shared misery.