The Clan Affairs Courtyard was situated at the foot of Mount Lijing, directly adjacent to the mountain itself. It was once the Li Family's main residence when they still lived at the foot of the mountain, which was flanked by two other courtyards. The entire estate was rectangular, facing north to south.
The front courtyard was an open area, constructed by the four Li Brothers themselves in earlier days that had already gone by. Li Changhu and Li Tongya were responsible for laying the bricks, while Li Xiangping and Li Chejing mortared them in place.
Looking closely at the seams, one might still find the small fingerprints of the young Sword Immortal. The work done by family members was meticulous and tightly sealed, enduring through wind and rain with no problem at all.
Li Xiewen, now in his thirties and a stern middle-aged man, stood in traditional attire in the front courtyard. With Li Xuanxuan in seclusion and Li Yuanxiu managing the household affairs, Li Xiewen naturally delegated the town's duties to his eldest son, Li Pingyi, and came to the Clan Affairs Courtyard to work.
Just like the night Li Yesheng handed over Lijing Town to him, Li Xiewen took Li Pingyi's hand and talked all night by candlelight, discussing from the days Grandfather Li Yesheng used to herd ducks at Meiche River to the present prominence of Li Xiewen's lineage.
Holding Li Pingyi's hand solemnly, he said, "Our lineage has governed Lijing Town for generations... Your grandfather and Uncle Xiangping both perished in the lands of Mount Yue, and I, along with your grandfather, have controlled the various families and disciplined the descendants here for eighteen years. You must understand that the rise and fall of our lineage rests solely on the Young Family Head. Make sure you tread cautiously!"
Li Pingyi, always astute, had observed these matters since he was young. He had heeded his father's efforts in creating chances for him to stick close to Li Yuanxiu. Now aiding Li Yuanxiu in managing household affairs for just over a year, he had shown no signs of negligence.
Li Xiewen stood in the yard, and as clan soldiers passed by, they bowed and he responded in kind. After waiting about half an hour, he saw his son, Li Pingyi, exit the courtyard and approach him while cupping his fist.
"The Clan Leader has descended the mountain... please follow me, inspector."
In the Clan Affairs Courtyard, each of them had their own duties. With all eyes in the clan on them, they naturally could not address each other as father and son in court.
Li Pingyi referred to his father by his official title, and Li Xiewen responded respectfully, "Thank you."
Li Xiewen followed Li Pingyi into the central hall where many clan soldiers stood silently. Below, two men were kneeling—stripped to the waist and whipped with thorned whips. Blood splattered the floor.
They bit down on their lips with their teeth, not daring to make a sound. Gray wooden plaques were stuck in their necks labeling their crimes: "bullying a woman" and "extortion". Seeing they were not from his direct family, Li Xiewen breathed a sigh of relief.
Beyond the dim central hall, the rear hall was much brighter. It had windows on both sides letting in streams of sunlight and was lit by lamps that seemed to be ignited by mana, producing no soot.
A young man, about sixteen or seventeen, was seated at the desk at the front. His black hair was neatly combed and he wore a jade crown. His eyebrows were smooth and his face was chiseled.
His gray eyes looked up and smiled.
"I heard Uncle Xiewen was looking for me so I rushed down from the mountain. Sorry to have kept you waiting."
"Please, no need to apologize!" Li Xiewen responded, warmed by his sincerity but careful not to presume as much. He continued gravely, "As the appointed inspector, I'm tasked with overseeing the cultivators from the minor sect and branches... I've recently received some news that I have to report urgently."
"Please continue, Clan Uncle," Li Yuanxiu instructed as he nodded slightly.
Li Xiewen then cupped his fist and continued, "The son of the Chen Family has become a disciple of Li Qiuyang and is betrothed to his sixth daughter, thus aligning the Chen Family with Qiuyang's lineage."
"I have already discussed this matter with Uncle Donghe," Li Yuanxiu interjected, waving his hand dismissively.
"Uncle Donghe and Clan Uncle Qiuyang are pillars of our family. This matter is of no concern," he added with a smile.
Li Xiewen could tell that Li Yuanxiu did not want to delve deeper and had deliberately interrupted him. Aware that further discussion could offend him, he quickly moved on.
"Currently, the Ye branch of our Li Family consists of over six thousand five hundred people, with twelve hundred in minor sects, including eight cultivators. The disciples involved in the strife with the three external cultivators have been identified—over six hundred mortals and... three cultivators among them."
"Hmm."
Li Yuanxiu frowned slightly, pondering for a moment before speaking softly.
"These mortals are mostly married into families of external cultivators... Entanglements are inevitable. As for the family's cultivators, the minor sects aren't isolated; they have their own family ties and emotional preferences, and the intertwined interests are complicated to manage."
After glancing at Li Xiewen, Li Yuanxiu suggested quietly, "If Clan Uncle identifies any disciple with exceptional talent, relocate them to Mount Huaqian to cultivate with Uncle Donghe, away from these conflicts. The rest will merely mire in their current cultivation realms for life... Let them fight it out. As long as it's not too unsightly, let them be."
"Understood," Li Xiewen replied gravely, then shared some additional minor details before bowing and excusing himself.
Li Pingyi then turned to Li Yuanxiu and asked softly, "Do we continue to let our people stir the pot, Clan Leader..?"
"No need. Withdraw them," Li Yuanxiu instructed, putting away some documents and taking a sip from his tea bowl.
"If it escalates further, it could become ugly. The current level of conflict is just right, letting them fiercely compete while remaining impotent. The number of cultivators in our household is increasing daily, and although cultivators aren't truly detached from worldly needs—competing fiercely over Spirit Paddies and Spirit Stones—the struggle is inevitable. This push now makes clear who the cunning and sly ones are, along with who the steady and honest ones are. Should a real problem arise, we'll have a reference."
Li Pingyi nodded in agreement.
Li Yuanxiu, holding a brush, drew on the fabric in front of him. He raised his eyebrows and said in a low voice, "However... With most of the senior members in seclusion, we must proceed with caution and not disturb the elders. Assign some people to keep a close watch, and if a real problem occurs, issue a warning beforehand. It would be unsightly if it resulted in a loss of life."
"Understood," Li Pingyi responded, cupping his fist.
He recalled the recent reports and a look of concern appeared as he spoke.
"Clan Leader, that one from the Tian branch has condensed the Jade Capital Chakra and broken through to the fifth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, thus awakening his spiritual sense. He's become sharply aware of everything around him. Our young ones have almost been exposed several times... I had to pull them back to avoid detection."
"Cultivators at the fifth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm are considered to have truly transcended the secular world and are not easily managed. I've thought about this too," Li Yuanxiu remarked, setting down his brush.
He added, "Once a cultivator reaches the fifth stage or the peak of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, their powers elevate them beyond humanly possible—even beyond the jurisdiction of the Clan Affairs Courtyard. I'm considering writing to Meiche Peak, proposing that cultivators at the fifth stage and above be separated from the others. Having them continue to farm with spiritual sense is a waste... They could better serve by hunting demons in the mountains or crafting talismans, without being under the direct control of the mountain's administration."
Li Yuanxiu paused and mulled over his thoughts for a while before continuing, "The problem is, we still have too few cultivators with awakened spiritual sense to form a separate group... Eventually, as the external cultivators in our family grow, this issue will need to be addressed openly."
"You are right, Young Clan Head," Li Pingyi agreed.