Li Qinghong fell silent for a moment before nodding in agreement.
"Brother, you have a point... but I still have one more question," she said solemnly.
Seeing Li Yuanjiao raise his eyebrows, Li Qinghong's expression turned sorrowful as she said softly, "But our eldest brother... he excelled in every way, yet he met such a tragic end..."
Li Yuanjiao closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, answering, "Excelling in everything only means you have barely managed to get on the chessboard to become a pawn in this great contest—a plaything for the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators."
Li Qinghong was momentarily speechless. She harbored dreams of pursuing immortality and longevity, but despised the behavior of the Purple Mansion Realm and Golden Core Realm cultivators. She remained silent, watching Li Yuanjiao drink his wine before he laughed and said, "Regardless, the future depends on us."
Li Qinghong nodded and smiled, "Alright, let me tell you, brother... I am about to condense the final chakra."
Li Yuanjiao froze, then slammed his cup down heavily and said angrily, "Damn it! Why are you still drinking here...? Go back to your cultivation!"
Li Qinghong laughed lightly before excusing herself and then left the courtyard. As she walked a few steps in the clear breeze, seeing the bustling scene at the foot of the mountain, she gripped her spear tightly and thought, Among all my siblings, I'm the most talented. In the future, I must be the shield for our family. I cannot afford to slack even one bit!
————
The Xiao Family was now a Purple Mansion Immortal Clan. The Azure Pond Sect had gifted them nearly half of Lixia Prefecture, and the northern Golden Tang Gate had ceded six towns to them.
Although the territory was not small, the population had significantly decreased due to the Azure Pond Sect's past practices of overexploitation. However, it was still sufficient to support the mundane members of the Xiao Family.
The terrain of Mount Xianyou was gentle and its spiritual energy was abundant. Since Xiao Chuting's breakthrough to the Purple Mansion Realm, the highest peak, Xianyou Peak, had been designated for his exclusive use.
The Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators had moved to other peaks, yet the spiritual energy of Mount Xianyou remained ample, easily sustaining the cultivators of this region.
Amidst the undulating mountains, a low peak was illuminated by the moonlight, casting a bright glow over the courtyard. The surroundings were intricately decorated with glimmering lights, giving an air of opulence.
In the main courtyard sat a young woman in green. She was without makeup, her brows like willow leaves and her phoenix eyes sparkling with life. Her slender, white hand held an ink brush, gently sketching on the cloth in front of her. In a soft voice, she asked, "All the gifts for my husband's family are prepared... Is there any portion left from the family's allocation?"
A servant nearby bowed and replied, "Aside from the nine chests of dowry, there are just over ten Spirit Stones left, my lady. I am not sure if that will be enough."
The young woman in green, Xiao Guiluan, brushed her hair back and counted, "The Li Family heavily utilizes external clans... Tian, Liu, Ren, Xu, Chen, and even Madam Dou—these minor clans all need to be properly attended to. Just over ten Spirit Stones are indeed insufficient..."
The dowry provided by the Xiao Family was actually quite generous, but after all the necessary preparations for the wedding, there wasn't much remaining. Xiao Guilan furrowed her delicate eyebrows as she asked gently, "Have you asked my father about this? Is he really unwilling to provide more?"
The servant hesitated before nodding, then shook her head with a hint of frustration. She lowered her voice as she answered, "No, my lady. There have been several occasions now where the people sent to the foot of the mountain could not even get past the front gate."
"I guess I can't blame him..." Xiao Guiluan mumbled softly. After all, she was about to be married to the west. She simply shook her head quietly and said, "A married daughter is like spilled water; he is naturally displeased."
"But... the Li Family is, after all, a prestigious clan... It is not a poor match at all! The old master's action is rather harsh," the servant said, visibly upset.
Xiao Guiluan smiled gently, explaining, "If I followed his wishes obediently and brought in a cultivator as a live-in son-in-law, it would add significant support to him. Now that I am marrying into another family, I might be flourishing, but considering how he has no affection for me, he would only feel that he is losing out greatly and is naturally unhappy."
The servant quickly fell silent, not daring to speak further. Xiao Guiluan placed her brush down and removed a jade bracelet from her wrist that glimmered with mana light.
She instructed, "This jade bracelet, which I have used since condensing my Profound Scenery Chakra, helps to calm the mind and absorb spiritual energy. It is a fine treasure. Take it down the mountain, find someone trustworthy to pawn it, and we can make up for the shortfall in Spirit Stones."
The servant was visibly uneasy and responded, "My lady... is this really necessary? It is just a few minor clans, they should be the ones flattering you instead of the other way round..."
Placing the jade bracelet into the servant's hand, Xiao Guiluan explained, "The Li Family has four branches, but there is only one family head. This requires long-term planning. You need not doubt my decision."
She paused for a moment after speaking and glanced at the cloth on the table, then added, "Make sure not to let anyone in the family know about this! The dowry that the family provides should indeed include a portion from Father, hence this shortfall. If he is unwilling to contribute, then so be it. But if the family finds out, he will be blamed, and it will stir up unnecessary trouble."
She squeezed the servant's hand and whispered, "The opportunity to marry into a prestigious clan is rare. We are at a critical juncture now, so let us avoid any incidents that could embarrass me."
Although Xiao Guiluan was of legitimate descent, she was born of a concubine. If she were to marry an external cultivator chosen by the family, the best she could hope for would be a Qi Cultivator, who would most likely be over fifty years old. At only seventeen or eighteen, Xiao Guiluan found that prospect unbearable.
She had seen the portrait of Li Yuanjiao. He was quite handsome, young, and at the fifth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, with the potential to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. Moreover, marrying into the Li Family as a daughter of the Xiao Family meant that she would be treated with utmost respect. The differences were stark, and Xiao Guiluan cherished this opportunity.
"Yes..." the servant responded softly.
Xiao Guiluan nodded, picking up the brush to record this amount of Spirit Stones as her father's contribution. Just then, there was a light knock on the door of the courtyard. Xiao Guiluan frowned and called out, "Who is it?"
"A servant of Master Xiao Jiuqing, delivering gifts from Mount Yu!" came the answer from beyond the door.
"Xiao Jiuqing..." Xiao Guiluan signaled to the servant, who quickly went to open the door.
A young servant kneeled outside the courtyard, not daring to enter, holding up a small embroidered pouch.
"A gift for the young lady!"
The servant took it and handed it over to Xiao Guiluan. She weighed the small pouch and estimated it to contain about five or six Spirit Stones to her delight. She responded, "Tell your master that I appreciate the generous gift. His contribution is very much appreciated!"
The young servant repeatedly acknowledged her, not daring to look up at Xiao Guiluan, and then retreated. The servant girl closed the door and asked curiously, "My lady, we have never had any dealings with Xiao Jiuqing from Mount Yu... Why is he being so kind?"
Xiao Guiluan covered her mouth with a smile and drew a circle on the cloth, answering, "He is trying to curry favor! He sees potential in the Li Family... or specifically, in Li Yuanjiao."
Despite her intelligence and wit, Xiao Guiluan was ultimately just a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl. Seeing her future husband being so highly regarded brought her a bit of joy.
She picked up the brush again and wrote the letter Jiao on the cloth, murmuring, "Whether he is gentle or fierce, let us hope he is not a fool."