Lu Sisi hesitated, his forced smile frozen on his face. He struggled to find words as he glanced meekly at the two figures behind the young man who were glaring at him.
Finally, he nodded reluctantly, knowing he had no other choice.
"The Lu Family will comply as instructed..."
Young Master Yu nodded in acknowledgment and looked at him in sly satisfaction. Lu Sisi immediately understood the silent demand and retrieved several Spirit Stones from the pouch at his waist.
One of the men behind Young Master Yu came forward to receive them as Lu Sisi forced out his words once more. "I appreciate the trouble you've gone through to inform us. Hopefully, these Spirit Stones suffice as a small token of gratitude..." he said as politely as he could, trying his best to stay on the Young Master Yu's good side.
"Humph."
Young Master Yu just grunted in response, then swung his sleeve arrogantly and turned away.
"Three days from now, my Yu Family will host a banquet on the island at the heart of the lake. Do remember to come, old man," he huffed.
"Yes, of course!" Lu Sisi replied hastily.
With that, the three men soared into the sky and left, leaving Lu Sisi alone at the peak of the mountain. The old man sat down on the stairs, his lips trembling with despair as he struggled to find his voice for the longest time.
Meanwhile, as Young Master Yu's group flew away from Mount Huaqian, his chubby companion laughed heartily. "Clan Brother, this is truly a lucrative deal! In just a week, we'll each have nearly ten Spirit Stones... That's worth years of clan salary!" he exclaimed greedily.
However, the tall and thin man beside him wore a more somber expression.
"Brother, the Lu Family seems to be on its last legs. Most of their descendants are old cultivators of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, and the younger generation seems hopeless—with only one of them being a Qi Cultivator. Lu Sisi looked as good as dead."
Young Master Yu nodded in agreement and gave him an approving look. He then patted the chubby man's shoulder and commended, "You should learn from him."
He then turned his head to the tall man and replied, "You're right, their only hope is their ties to Moon Lake Peak... There's no need for concern though. With that idiot leading the Lu Family, their fortunes have already declined. They won't amount to anything in the next two hundred years!"
As they entered the Li Family's territory, Young Master Yu's demeanor turned serious.
"Stay vigilant and watch your mouth when we're in the Li Family's presence! They're different from the other families. They have a profound background, we can't afford to offend them!" he warned.
"It's just a Qingsui Sword Immortal! Do we have to be this alarmed?" the chubby man spat, shrugging skeptically.
Young Master Yu shot a glare at him and scolded, "What do you mean by 'just'? Do you know who the Sword Immortal is? Swords are the deadliest dharma weapon and he has even successfully mastered sword intent! He can probably defeat my father within ten moves. Even our family's ancestors can barely save their own lives against him!"
"Moreover, Li Chejing has already attained the Foundation Establishment in his thirties, with high hopes of reaching the Purple Mansion Realm in the future. With the backing of a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator in the immortal sect, the Li Family will soon overshadow our Yu Family at Moongaze Lake!"
The tall and thin man scrutinized their surroundings and murmured, "Qingsui Sword Immortal huh...? The Li Family's territory seems highly populated. Looks like they've invested considerable effort in governing mortals here..."
"It doesn't look particularly impressive," the chubby man chimed in after scanning the area for a moment before chuckling once more.
"Looks like a poor rural setting, nothing compared to our Yu Family's Milin Prefecture. How can such a backwater place raise a Sword Immortal?" he asked.
"Quiet!" Young Master Yu snapped, silencing the fat man.
After flying for a while, they eventually encountered a transparent grand formation shimmering with a faint golden light. Young Master Yu channeled his mana and spoke softly, "The Yu Family from the Milin Prefecture has come to pay our respects. We request an audience with the elders of the Li Family!"
Unlike their brash and brazen approach with the Lu Family, the Yu Family demonstrated great respect when it came to interacting with the Li Family.
As they waited outside the formation, a youth carrying a pitch-black longbow on his back rose to meet them.
It was Li Xuanfeng.
"I am Li Xuanfeng of the Li Family. May I inquire about the purpose of your visit to our family's elders?"
Young Master Yu's demeanor instantly shifted, adopting a more genial expression rather than the arrogance when he was speaking with the Lu Family.
Cupping his fist toward Li Xuanfeng, he introduced himself with a smile.
"Pleased to meet you, Brother Xuanfeng! I am Yu Mugao of the Yu Family, we would like to bring good news to Senior Tongya and discuss some matters with him. Please lead us to him!"
Li Xuanfeng scanned the three men before him with his spiritual sense and discerned that all of them were Qi Cultivators. One had attained the third heavenly layer, while the other two were at the second heavenly layer.
Since they hardly posed any threat to Li Tongya and himself, Li Xuanfeng cupped his fist and said, "You're being too courteous, fellow Daoists. Please follow me this way!"
Li Xuanfeng led the three men through the formation and descended into the courtyard. Shortly after, Li Tongya emerged from his cave dwelling and stepped into their presence.
Upon seeing Li Tongya, Yu Mugao stood up right away, cupping his fist respectfully.
"Pleased to meet you, Senior Tongya! I am Yu Mugao."
Li Tongya appeared to be taken aback by Yu Mugao's courteous demeanor as he responded, "You're being too formal, Young Master Yu!"
"Of course, the Li Family of Mount Lijing is where the Sword Immortal is born. I've heard that Senior Tongya is also a formidable swordsman... Mugao is extremely impressed!" he exclaimed.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Yu Mugao finally delved into the purpose of his visit.
With a smile, he explained, "When my Yu Family initially joined the Azure Pond Sect a few years ago, we were still unfamiliar with the protocols... Now, the younger generations of our family have gained entry to Yuanwu Peak of the sect. My father has grown concerned with the turmoil plaguing the families surrounding Wangyue Lake. It's disheartening to see such a valuable place like Wangyue Lake frequented by violence with disciples from various families falling victim to senseless killings..."
"That's why he thought of proposing a gathering of all the families around the lake. With a cultivator of the Foundation Establishment Realm from the Yu Family leading the initiative, we aim to integrate resources and spearhead efforts to rebuild the marketplace."
Yu Mugao spoke for a while, skillfully emphasizing the Yu Family's intentions while subtly alluding to their status and strength.
Li Tongya listened attentively, picking up on the Yu Family's ambition to be the leader in Moongaze Lake.
With two cultivators of the Foundation Establishment Realm... the Yu Family undeniably wields considerable strength, making their bid to oversee Moongaze Lake understandable. Their courteous demeanor toward my Li Family is merely in consideration of Jing'er's presence.
We can probably still cover up Jing'er's death for several decades. With the protection of a Sword Immortal, no ordinary family would dare to offend the Li Family...
With a knowing smile, Li Tongya nodded.
"It's indeed commendable for the Yu Family to take the lead in this matter, and the Li Family fully supports it."
Upon hearing these words, Yu Mugao's expression brightened with satisfaction. However, Li Tongya paused slightly indicating that he had more to say. He lowered his head to take a sip of his tea.
Yu Mugao watched him carefully and said, "Given the Yu Family's role in this initiative, it's only fair that they receive a portion of the profits from the newly established marketplace. After all, the benefits should be shared among those who contribute!"
Li Tongya furrowed his brow at the implication of Yu Mugao's words. Placing his tea bowl down, he responded, "With all the families following the Yu Family's leadership, I'm sure your family has already received enough compensation through tributes and other forms of benefits!"
Caught off guard by Li Tongya's response, Yu Mugao's smile faltered momentarily as he chuckled awkwardly to mask his discomfort.
"Ah... yes, of course. But those are merely the families voluntarily expressing their gratitude and showing their appreciation to the Yu Family for their protection."
Casting a glance at Li Tongya, Yu Mugao hurriedly added, "Of course, there's no need for the Li Family to concern themselves with this matter! As the leader of Moongaze Lake, the Yu Family naturally assumes the primary position, with the Li Family being second. My father holds Qingsui Sword Immortal in high regard, and the Yu Family harbors no ulterior motives toward the Li Family."
Li Tongya shook his head in response.
"There's no need to consider the Li Family as the second leader. Our strength is modest, and even if we were to occupy that position, it would be in name only. The Yu Family's initiative to lead the establishment of the marketplace is commendable, and the Li Family fully supports it. There's no need for further deliberation on this matter."
Yu Mugao took note of Li Tongya's decisive statement, interpreting it as a favorable outcome.
Feeling relieved, he could not help but smile at his achievement of successfully overcoming even the most challenging obstacle—the Li Family.
As Li Tongya prepared to see him off, Yu Mugao quickly interjected, "Three days from now, the Yu Family will host a gathering on the island in the heart of the lake to meet with all the families. Please do grace us with your presence, Senior Tongya!"
After saying that, he took out an invitation card, and Li Xuanfeng came forward and accepted it. They exchanged a few more words politely before Yu Mugao finally bid his farewell.
Li Tongya saw the three men off and then returned to the courtyard.
Li Xuanfeng descended into the courtyard as well, then shook his sleeves and lifted his head with a gentle smile.
"It seems the Yu Family is courteous toward us, likely because of Fourth Uncle. Otherwise... they wouldn't have been so accommodating, and might even expect tributes from us like the neighboring families," he said with a shake of his head.
However, Li Tongya remained unimpressed, offering an explanation to Li Xuanfeng.
"While the Yu Family certainly possesses strength, their family head is being too hasty and domineering. The families surrounding Moongaze Lake have cultivated deep-rooted relationships with each other over many years... It's unreasonable for them to establish a marketplace on the lake and demand tributes from all families. Their reckless actions have already provoked discontent among the rest. We'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out!"