Li Jiman rode to Lijing Town on horseback but returned to Wutu City in a carriage. The Clan Affairs Courtyard's enforcer was an Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivator. Despite Li Jiman's own cultivation, he was still flogged until his skin was torn and flesh lacerated.
Several unsmiling elders of the Clan Affairs Courtyard deliberated amongst themselves for a while before concluding with a judgment of negligence of duty and indulgence of the prominent families . Not only was Li Jiman flogged seventy times, but his reputation was also thoroughly tarnished.
The Tian Family members naturally rushed to the Clan Affairs Courtyard. Tian Zhongqing stepped forward and repeatedly apologized, and Li Jiman accepted it with a smile, but Tian Zhongqing felt a chill down his spine.
Meanwhile, even though the Clan Affairs Courtyard and Li Yuanping's central hall gave no specific instructions to his family, they still broke out in cold sweat.
As the head of the Tian Family in the eye of the storm, Tian Zhongqing felt a lump in his throat, and the joy of advancing to the Qi Cultivation Realm vanished. He drove back to Eastern Mount Yue overnight, smashing the porcelain in the courtyard in anger. He also had to stop his uncle, Tian Youdao, from slapping Tian Rong to death.
"Get out! You wretch!"
With Tian Youdao's roar, Tian Rong slunk away, clutching his swollen cheek. It was only then did Tian Zhongqing release his uncle's hand. Deep down, he did not want to stop Tian Youdao, thinking it would be better if his uncle could end Tian Rong with one slap...
When the old man's slap only made Tian Rong stagger, Tian Zhongqing knew that his uncle still cared for his only son. After finishing the act, he said in a low voice, "Uncle... what should we do now?"
Tian Youdao, an elder of the Li Family, had progressed from the Embryonic Breathing Realm to the Qi Cultivation Realm and held significant seniority in the clan. He sighed deeply and said glumly, "Li Jiman is a petty man who already held a grudge against our family in the first place. Now that this has happened, it has only deepened his grudge..."
The uncle and nephew were both Qi Cultivators and led the largest external force within the Li Family. They had always been cautious. Who could have imagined that while Tian Zhongqing was in seclusion and Tian Youdao was away, Tian Rong would cause such a disaster?
Tian Zhongqing sighed and said softly, "I clearly gave instructions. How did he manage to run off? Now Li Jiman has the support of many Mount Yue lords... If there are any changes in the future..."
Tian Youdao sat at the head, and he was now over seventy years old and well-experienced. Stroking his beard and pondering deeply, he said, "This matter is peculiar... Let me talk to the family head and clarify things. If the clan has any plans, we will cooperate accordingly!"
Since Tian Youdao was Li Xuanfeng's maternal uncle, he held significant seniority in the family, giving him the authority to speak on such matters. Seeing this, Tian Zhongqing could not help but feel a sense of relief.
Only uncle can speak like this in the clan...
"Zhongqing!" Tian Youdao called softly, and Tian Zhongqing quickly looked up. The uncle and nephew exchanged a solemn glance, and Tian Youdao said gravely, "Speaking of this... our family's current power and prestige seem to come from us breaking through to the Qi Cultivation Realm one after another, making the Tian Family a mainstay and earning the trust of the main family to control Mount Yue. But Zhongqing..."
He looked at his nephew and said softly, "You must understand... our family's power and prestige rest solely on me!"
Tian Zhongqing nodded heavily as he understood the gravity of his words. He had established his own family for many years. After fathering many children of his own, he had become much more mature.
He replied in a low voice, "The Ren and Dou Families are tied to the first lineage of the main family... Now that they have Lord Ximing, they eagerly follow him. The Liu Family has declined, and the Xu Family focuses solely on military loyalty, not leaning east or west, so there is nothing for them to worry about. But our Tian Family..."
Tian Youdao was Li Xuanfeng's maternal uncle, and the Tian Family had always been led by the third lineage of the main family. However, Li Xuanfeng had gone to Yi Mountain City in the southern border and had no heirs, leaving the Tian Family without support.
Li Xuanfeng said he was going to guard Yi Mountain City, but few who went there ever returned. Hence, everyone had silently assumed that he would never come back. The other prominent families were indifferent to this, but the Tian Family was secretly worried.
"Indeed..." Tian Youdao shook his head and replied, "I fear that one day if something were to happen to me, the Tian Family will be dismembered like the Liu Family."
Tian Zhongqing hesitated for a moment and asked softly, "Uncle, what do you think of the eldest son?"
Among the Xi and Yue generation of the Li Family, Li Xicheng was the eldest. Li Xizhi was the third, Li Ximing and Li Xijun were the seventh and eighth respectively, and the rest included one daughter and three sons who were all mortals and were sent down the mountain.
Li Xicheng was currently managing affairs in Mount Yue, making him the only son of the Li Family to work outside the mountain. He was from the second lineage of the main family—Li Tongya's line.
Tian Zhongqing, who had frequent interactions with him, explained, "The eldest son is very magnanimous, generous, and kind. If the Tian Family were to marry a daughter to him as a concubine and I sincerely foster a relationship with him, aligning ourselves with the secondary lineage, we might find great support..."
"The second lineage had once declined, lacking support from the maternal family, making him an excellent choice!" Tian Youdao nodded as he took a sip of tea and replied, "Go ahead and give it a try. Establish a good relationship first. I see that he has more than enough magnanimity but lacks firmness, making him easy to rely on. If you gain his trust, the family will be secure for generations."
In the grand hall with many guards, Li Yuanping sat cross-legged in a brocade robe. The meditation cushion beneath him emitted white light, helping him concentrate and avoid distractions.
"Family Head! A letter has arrived from the western road..." a clan guard at the lower seat quietly announced, seeing that Li Yuanping was cultivating in the hall and dared not approach.
Li Yuanping had rare moments of leisure in recent days, which allowed him to cultivate. Although the gains were minimal, it was better than nothing.
"Bring it up."
Li Yuanping exhaled as he reached out to take the letter, using a specific spell to open the secret letter. He unfolded it and read, "Donghe has reached the western desert, a place called the Smoke Valley Desert. The two followers are respectful and without issue. There are many passes here and we are staying as guests at the Smoke Valley Temple under the jurisdiction of the Golden Feather Sect. The three of us will work together, and in seven years we can return with the qi."
"Excellent!"
Seeing that there was a way to collect the Golden Yang Radiant Origin qi in the west, Li Yuanping was overjoyed. He looked at the small letter in his hand and asked, "Where did this come from?"
"Reporting to Family Head, it was carried by an unrefined Qi Cultivator merchant on the road," the clan guard replied.
Li Yuanping nodded in understanding before taking a brush and wrote a large Excellent, along with some words of encouragement and language to express his gratitude. He sealed it with his own dharma seal and handed it to Dou Yi with a single command.
"Reward him with some Spirit Paddies and let him take it back."
In this world, communication was not supposed to be so troublesome. This was without mentioning ancient times where it was said that a thousand years ago, there were communication talismans and similar items. But later, for unknown reasons, these talismans either lost their effectiveness or became prohibitively expensive, and not many used them anymore.
Collecting his thoughts, Li Yuanping refocused his attention on family affairs.
"Mount Yue is easy to handle."
A few days ago, Li Yuanjiao mentioned this matter and had discussed it in detail with Li Yuanping before returning to the mountain for cultivation. Now, Li Yuanping focused his concentration on figuring out how to solve these two issues.
Li Yuanping had long been dissatisfied with Mount Yue and had secretly made arrangements. However, he found that dealing with the clan's many disciples was a headache.
"If it really comes to what Big Brother said... where would we find another place..."
Li Yuanping sorted the letters on the table, gathering intelligence from nearby families.