Li Xicheng wandered in the forest for a whole day. The clan soldiers complained endlessly, feigning illness and refusing to move. Li Xicheng continued on his own, with only about forty percent of the troops remaining, until they finally reached the hills bordering the Li Family's territory.
These hills contained a Qi Cultivation Realm spirit jade mine, jointly controlled by five Embryonic Breathing Realm families who mined for the Xiao Family, known as the Five Spirit Jade Families.
A few more li brought them into the territory of the Rui Family, which bordered the Li Family. There, they saw two small fields of Spirit Paddies. The remaining soldiers immediately scattered, jumping into the fields to pull up the paddies, leaving only a hundred or so following behind him.
"These are Spirit Paddies!" one of the soldiers shouted jubilantly.
The four previous groups of clan soldiers had passed by without touching the Spirit Paddies, but now it was being trampled on and destroyed in the blink of an eye. Li Xicheng reined in his horse and shouted a few reprimands.
Although Li Xicheng cherished the talented members of his clan and often provided them with money and food, he had no sympathy for these wastrels who tarnished the family's reputation. He continued riding along the narrow path, thinking to himself, The lazy and foolish ones already ran off on the way here. Now we have gotten rid of a batch of greedy and foolish ones, and what remains are...
As he was contemplating, a group of soldiers came forward, respectfully reporting, "Young Master, the formation has been broken. Please ascend the mountain."
Li Xicheng nodded and surveyed the terrain, then spurred his horse forward, wondering aloud, "With such a large spirit jade mine, why is the local earth vein and spiritual energy so impoverished?"
The spirit fields here were so poor that even the humblest Li Family member would not bother planting them. Yet, the Rui Family used them for growing Spirit Paddies. It was evident that the spiritual energy here was severely lacking. Li Xicheng thought to himself, This land probably takes seven or eight years to mature a single crop... No wonder the Five Spirit Jade Families haven't produced a single Qi Cultivator in all these years!
At Rui Family Peak.
The grand formation on Rui Family Peak had long since collapsed, not even broken by the Li Family. Chen Mufeng had symbolically attacked a few times, shouted out the Li Family's name, and the Rui Family had hastily opened their formation.
Li Xicheng, remembering his family's instructions, first went to check the spirit spring at the mountain's peak.
The spirit spring on Rui Family Peak was a pool of green jade. It was slightly chilly, and the spiritual energy content here was slightly lower than that of the Li Family's Mount Huaqian. He filled a small jade bottle with it to take back for examination.
After handling the most important matter, Li Xicheng finally crunched through the snow and entered the Rui Family's main hall.
Before him stood a young man clad in armor, holding a long halberd—it was Chen Mufeng. After breaking the mountain's defenses, he had been waiting here for Li Xicheng obediently, standing in the main hall with two rows of clan soldiers, their drawn swords glinting coldly.
Chen Mufeng was a junior relative of Chen Donghe and Li Qiuyang's son-in-law and disciple. Although the Chen Family did not have many descendants with spiritual orifices, those who did possessed outstanding talent. At twenty-seven, Chen Mufeng has already condensed the Jade Capital Chakra and reached the fifth stage of Embryonic Breathing Realm.
Though he had only recently broken through and his cultivation was not yet stable, he had a thirty percent chance of reaching the Qi Cultivation Realm in the future. The Li Family valued him highly, and he was considered a rising star within the clan.
As soon as Li Xicheng entered, the Rui Family members scrambled down hastily to kneel before him, some rolling and some crawling. An old man with white hair, holding a jade seal high, bowed his head and said, "The Rui Family respectfully welcomes the great family's commander! We humbly present the Azure Seal, willing to serve as your loyal dogs and horses, forever at your service..."
This old Rui Family Head appeared to be the strongest cultivator in his family, at the fourth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, even lower than Chen Mufeng. They dared not offend the Li Family, which had a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator and many Qi Cultivators, hence they surrendered the jade seal inscribed with Under the Governance of Azure Pond Sect .
Chen Mufeng, who had once served as a servant in the market and later led troops to slaughter the lords of Mount Yue, had become a general. With his rich experience, he watched the Rui Family Head's lip service with disdain, remarking, "Your words are pretty, but..."
Li Xicheng sighed but did not respond to him immediately. He looked around and saw two small piles of Spirit Paddies set aside, presumably as offerings. The amount was pitiful, even less than the Li Family's regular tributes. He glanced at it and moved on.
However, what caught his eye were dozens of small, white, fleshy objects arranged on jade plates, looking quite delicate and lovely, along with five or six jade bottles filled with blood qi.
Having spent a few years in the Eastern Mount Yue, Li Xicheng had learned about various spirit items but had little exposure to the clandestine transactions among cultivators. He asked with some confusion, "What are these?"
The old head of the Rui Family brought them over to him hurriedly. The pinkish, fleshy items looked cute and delicate. He respectfully said, "These are called rice meat , something the Yu Family demanded as tribute in the past."
Li Xicheng stared at them, feeling a vague sense of unease. He waved them away, and Chen Mufeng, who already knew what it was, whispered with a grim expression, "This so-called rice meat was made from those who were fed rice, likely mortals refined through a secret method... Blood slices are just a refined term for blood qi."
Li Xicheng's face turned pale though he maintained his composure. The old head of the Rui Family, seeing their expressions, realized his flattery had backfired. He quickly stammered, "I did not know that your esteemed clan disdains these items! I beg your pardon! My name is Rui Qiongcuo... My ancestors were enlightened by the Xiao Family."
Rui Qiongcuo was trying to align himself with the Xiao Family for protection. Chen Mufeng merely threw him a glance and ignored his existence.
The Rui Family and the other families around the spirit jade mine were early vassals of the Xiao Family, mining for them. Though called vassals, they were more like mining slaves. Hence, surrendering to the Li Family was nothing to be ashamed of.
Even though the Xiao Family had not issued any official certificates, the Li Family would not annex its own supporter's vassals. Chen Mufeng, seeing Li Xicheng remain silent, also stood still.
Rui Qiongcuo was getting nervous. He knew about the attack on the Xiao Family but did not know their current status. He thought to himself, The Li Family is also supported by the Xiao Family... so maybe there won't be any problems?
As he was thinking this, another person arrived outside the hall. Rui Qiongcuo, who had not developed his spiritual sense, heard Chen Mufeng respectfully address the newcomer as Master, indicating the person was likely a Qi Cultivator. He quickly bowed his head in silence.
The newcomer was Li Qiuyang. Since these small families only had Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivators, it was not necessary for a Qi Cultivator from the main family to come, so Li Qiuyang was sent instead.
Li Qiuyang adjusted his robe which was still covered with snow, and appeared deep in thought, holding a light green, diamond-shaped piece of ore. He said softly, "I was ordered by the clan to investigate the spirit jade mine shared by the five families."
"Thank you, Clan Elder," Li Xicheng replied, noting Li Qiuyang's hesitant expression.
Li Qiuyang put the ore away and said sternly, "Since the Rui Family has joined our Li Family, you should adhere to our rules. You must no longer use humans as spirit materials to make rice meat or blood slices . Our family places great importance on this matter, so do not test us."
This matter was not honorable to begin with, and now that Li Xicheng had bluntly pointed it out, Rui Qiongcuo felt deeply embarrassed. He nodded repeatedly, inwardly complaining, How domineering... The Yu Family demanded blood qi as tribute, and now the Li Family bans rice meat. Each clan has its quirks, huh? But this land is so barren; without using the old and infirm as medicine... What else can we do?