Chapter 636: Coercion and Determination

"This time the superior sect has issued a mandate; our Li Family must provide one Foundation Establishment cultivator, two at Qi Refining Perfection, and eight other cultivators, for a total of eleven people, to head to Sanshan Market and await orders!"

Head of the Family Li Zitong stepped forward and coughed once, saying.

"This..."

"This is simply demanding our lives."

"The Ancestor is of advanced age and high virtue, yet is actually being forced to go out and fight! This... the superior sect is being too..."

"You cannot say such things!"

All the Li Family members looked at Li Ruyu; if not for the fact that the other party was the family Ancestor, they would have collectively denounced them long ago.

All the Li Family cultivators looked at the Guest Elders, especially staring at Aaron.

"Ancestor, are you worried that once something happens to you, even if we exchange battle merits for a Foundation Establishment Pill, we would be unable to safely deliver it to the family, so you are having Qingjing follow along to undergo Foundation Establishment directly before the front lines?"

People cannot live in a vacuum, and neither can cultivators.

Adding up everyone in the Li Family, there are not even a hundred Immortal Cultivators, and most are old, weak, sick, or disabled.

Seeing this, the heads of each branch of the Li Family immediately kept their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, all remaining silent.

Li Qinglan lowered her head, closed her eyes, and said.

Aaron understood it was time for them to exit, so he cupped his hands to take his leave.

Great Perfection experts are extremely rare; in fact, besides the Head of the Family Li Zitong, there is only one left, and that is 'Li Qingjing' of the Qing generation, who has always been kept hidden by the family. He is only in his forties this year and is a highly valued Foundation Establishment seed; it is impossible for him to go to the battlefield.

Regardless of potential, strength, or age, Li Zitong is not as good as Li Qingjing.

"This concubine is willing."

The Li Family has a large estate; with such a massive Xiaoyue Mountain, there is simply nowhere to run!

"Good! In the past, whenever those forces purchased a Foundation Establishment Pill, which time was their return not fraught with extreme danger? This time, let Qingjing undergo Foundation Establishment directly before the front lines! With the Qingding Sect and the Sanshan Association pressing down, the danger will actually be slightly less... As for the front lines being a place of military peril? I will personally do my best to watch over him. If one wants to establish a foundation, how can one not take risks?" Li Ruyu's voice was cold and piercing: "This time, for the sake of Qingjing's foundation, everyone else in the team can be sacrificed, including this old man!"

The elders of an Immortal Cultivation family have nearly finished their lives, and at this time, they only think of using their last bit of remaining heat to light the path for their descendants.

"That..." Aaron touched his nose: "This humble one is not skilled in combat..."

Yangliu Courtyard.

"This person is our Li Family's own immortal-cultivating clansman..." Li Ziqian sighed with emotion: "Old Huang, you must treat her well."

"Young people should experience more; jade must be carved to become a tool... For this expedition, let Li Qingjing go."

After the outsiders had all left, Li Ruyu spoke slowly: "Regarding the matter of the Foundation Establishment spiritual item... although our family has tried our best to scrape together, we can only mobilize a little over 7,500 Spirit Stones... Relying on this to purchase resources to assist Qingjing in his Foundation Establishment, the hope is truly slim."

"Wait!"

Seeing this scene, Li Zitong felt as if he had swallowed a reassurance pill, knowing that Old Huang had already yielded. What followed was merely a matter of continuing to appease him, which was also simple; this person was lecherous... sending a few more mortal women would do.

"Ahem..."

'Besides... a Qi Refining cultivator contradicting a Foundation Establishment expert is very suspicious... Forget it, I'll act out the whole play; at worst, I'll be a deserter before the big battle...'

Behind Li Ziqian, a group of stunning women bowed gracefully, every one of them more beautiful than Yihong and Yicui.

Because family cultivators have blood ties, their cohesion is sometimes indeed a notch higher than that of a sect.

After Li Ziqian also left, Aaron looked at Li Qinglan: "She is quite a little beauty... Do you regret following Old Huang? If you do not agree, this old man will send you away immediately, without a single word of objection!"

"Ancestor!"

"First, take one hundred Spirit Stones and one Mid-grade Magical Tool... there will be a heavy reward upon your return." Li Ruyu spoke, and an invisible pressure fell upon Aaron: "Fellow Daoist, as a Guest Elder of our Li Family, if you are willing to take action this time, our Li Family will definitely reward you heavily!"

Her cultivation was low, yet she had parents, brothers, and sisters who were all cared for by the family; this was the time to repay the family's great kindness!

Aaron rolled his eyes in his heart.

'However... I was just thinking that after the limelight dies down in these few years, I would find an opportunity to return to Sanshan Market to retrieve my things...'

"Greetings, Master!"

"Ancestor..." Li Zitong's eyes turned red, knowing that the Ancestor was harboring a death wish.

Even...

'If I don't agree, are you going to take action? Even if your reputation drops later, it's still better than having your own family members die now?'

Aaron watched coldly from the sidelines, discovering that although the Li Family was filled with righteous indignation, there were truly few who dared to refuse the order.

Li Qingjing stepped out; he was a middle-aged man with ordinary features, and at this moment, he knelt down with tears streaming down his face.

"This old man's brittle bones, dying on the battlefield is nothing..."

"Li Qinglan greets Master."

In the Lin Kingdom, the Qingding Sect is the heaven of the Immortal Cultivation World!

Although this female cultivator had low strength, only at the first or second level of cultivation, and was likely a Four or Five Spirit Root, her appearance was not bad; she must have had many suitors within the Li Family. The fact that the Li Family actually sent her directly to his side this time really meant they had spent a fortune!

To put it bluntly, female cultivator Cauldrons at an auction house are also worth quite a few Spirit Stones, and are by no means comparable to mortal women!

But in Aaron's heart, there was only one thought:

'Is this a last meal before the execution?'

Li Ruyu waved his hand, stopping the argument below: "Next... let us discuss the candidates to accompany us."

Not long after Aaron returned, Li Ziqian brought a group of beauties to visit: "Old Huang... look at what reward the Head of the Family has given you?"

"Since the Ancestor has matters to attend to, we shall take our leave first."

At this moment, Li Ruyu suddenly spoke.

As soon as Li Ruyu spoke, it was earth-shattering.

Thinking of this, his face turned pale, as if he wanted to argue, yet did not quite dare to.

Aaron nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining.

"Li Ruyue?" Li Zitong looked at Li Ruyu in confusion.

The heads of the family also realized what was happening.

"Mm-hmm."

But now, to actually have the Foundation Establishment seeds go into battle?

Aaron looked at one of the women, who had the appearance of a girl from a humble family: "Are you... a cultivator?"

"Then... the candidates for Qi Refining Perfection will be Elder Huang and myself," Li Zitong said. "After I am gone, the family affairs will be handled by..."

'That's not right... besides that, I'm afraid there's also the intention of monitoring me, for fear that I might run away secretly?'

Li Ruyu did not speak, but merely looked at the Guest Elders, including Aaron.

This female cultivator's face turned slightly red, and she bowed.

"However, there is opportunity amidst the great chaos... After the war, the Qingding Sect will surely release a batch of precious resources to reward those with merit... This time, even if I have to risk this old life of mine, I must exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill for the family!" Li Ruyue said with a stern voice and expression.

This time, it was not just a matter of one person at Qi Refining Great Perfection, but a matter concerning the Foundation Establishment grand undertaking of her cousin, and the family's inheritance for the next two hundred years; everything depended on this one gamble.

Therefore, even if 'Huang San' wanted her to serve as a Cauldron, Li Qinglan might have no choice but to gladly comply...

(End of this chapter)