Chapter 32

Wan Tiancang spoke with tears in his eyes, describing how cruel the Ji family was and how precarious the Wan family's situation was, saying that the Wan and Li families would prosper or suffer together.

He spoke so movingly that even Li Yesheng, who was serving on the side, was moved. Li Mutian, however, lowered his brows and, unmoved, took a light sip of tea before speaking.

"Has the Wan family's situation truly become so difficult?"

"Exactly!"

Wan Tiancang looked at Li Mutian and gritted his teeth, understanding that the person before him was one who would not scatter the eagle until he saw the rabbit. He took a scroll of animal skin from his bosom and said:

"Before leaving, my clan brother specifically instructed me that since I would be troubling the Li family for food, clothing, housing, and transportation in the future, I should bring a scroll of formation techniques to repay the kindness of your noble clan."

Li Mutian waved his hand, and Li Tongya stepped forward to receive it, listening as Wan Tiancang explained:

"This formation is called the Obstruction Formation. My grandfather bought it at the marketplace a hundred years ago. One can set up the formation by using the refined formation flags. My grandfather loved formations the most, and the mountain formation at home was set up by him."

"He originally bought this formation to verify his own formation Dao. After he passed away, there was no one left in the clan who was proficient in formations."

Wan Tiancang sighed endlessly, handing the animal skin scroll in his hand to Li Tongya with both hands, reluctant to part with it.

Seeing Li Tongya nod, Li Mutian then smiled and said:

"You are too polite. The Wan family and the Li family are both under the rule of Qingchi, so naturally, we should help each other. Now that the Wan family is in trouble, how could the Li family take advantage of others' misfortune? As for that harvest, our Li family will only take fifteen percent!"

What else could Wan Tiancang say? He gave a low, bitter laugh and replied:

"Thank you, predecessor!"

Li Mutian gave a light response, and Li Tongya led Wan Tiancang, Li Yesheng, and the others out.

Just after leaving the courtyard gate, Wan Tiancang looked at Li Tongya and asked with some hope:

"I wonder where your noble clan has arranged the spirit fields; please take Tiancang to see their quality."

"That is only natural."

Li Tongya nodded. As he walked along the bluestone road, he said:

"Our Li family has two villages along the Ancient Li Road. One is called Lidaokou, which is the direction Brother Tiancang came from, and the second is called Lichuankou, located by the side of Wangyue Lake."

"And these rented spirit fields are located at Lichuankou. Tongya has already ordered people to build a small courtyard, and the fields are quite complete, with an annual yield of about seventy catties."

Wan Tiancang nodded to indicate he understood, then turned his head to comment on the scenery of Lijing Village along the way:

"This road is built quite well. With mortals coming and going, the road is actually quite clean and tidy; it is truly rare."

"Brother Tiancang is too kind."

Li Tongya gave a low laugh and continued:

"I heard there is an immortal marketplace in the vicinity, but our Li family was just founded and does not know much about it."

"Brother Tongya is always trying to dig more information out of us!"

Wan Tiancang laughed heartily, teased Li Tongya, and then said seriously:

"I have only cultivated to the Xuanjing Wheel and have never been to the marketplace. My clan brother and the clan head have been there together, and they did say quite a few things."

"That marketplace is located on a small islet in Wangyue Lake. It was opened by a loose cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining. During the full moon, large boats travel to and from the shore to receive loose cultivators or immortal cultivators from small families like us to go to that islet."

"According to the clan head, it is best to reach the Yujing Wheel before heading to that islet to prevent accidents on the way."

Wan Tiancang was afraid that the Li family would send people to their deaths and then blame the Wan family, so he hurriedly advised.

"We naturally understand."

Li Tongya nodded, kept this important information in his heart, and chatted casually with Wan Tiancang.

Before long, they arrived at Lichuankou. Chen Erniu heard that Li Tongya had brought a cultivator from another family to Lichuankou, so he was scared and hurriedly brought people to welcome them, following carefully behind Li Tongya and whispering to Li Yesheng.

Wan Tiancang estimated the size of the fields and measured the spiritual energy and soil quality. He nodded toward Li Tongya to indicate he was satisfied. Li Tongya smiled and waved his hand:

"Brother Wan must be tired after the journey. Tongya still has family matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first."

After speaking, he gave instructions to Li Yesheng and Chen Erniu to arrange all matters with Wan Tiancang, then turned and returned to Lijing Village.

————

The back mountain of Lijing Village is now much livelier. The villagers also call this mountain Lijing Mountain. Among the dense forests on the mountain, there are many more small courtyards made of green bricks, with green bricks and gray tiles dotted among them, which is quite beautiful.

A winding stone road stretches from the foot of the mountain to the top. There are villagers watching at the foot of the mountain. Seeing Li Tongya, they said respectfully one after another:

"Welcome, Immortal Master."

He nodded casually and walked up the stone road for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense. A small courtyard came into view.

Mr. Han Wenxu was teaching here. The courtyard was full of half-grown children, roughly fifty or sixty of them, sitting upright under the trees listening to his lecture.

Not only children from Lijing Village and Jingyang Village, but also children from the more distant Lidaokou and Lichuankou came to study. Only wealthy families with some savings would provide for one or two children to study, so naturally, they could only be sent to Lijing Village.

Looking at Li Xuanxuan sitting inside studying, Li Tongya thought to himself:

"In a few more months, when the child is six or seven years old and his body is fully formed, we can test his spiritual apertures. There are still three talisman seeds of the mysterious pearl of the mirror, so I don't have to worry about Xuan'er having no spiritual apertures."

For some reason, the image of Liu Rouxuan suddenly appeared in Li Tongya's mind, scaring him into shaking his head repeatedly. He stood there stunned for a few seconds, then gave a bitter laugh and continued walking up the mountain.

Past the schoolhouse was a staircase of one hundred and twenty-six steps. A large gate painted with red lacquer stood on the platform, and an old man with half-white hair sat at the entrance.

"Uncle Tian!"

Li Tongya greeted him and saw Tian Shoushui happily holding a small hammer, with a half-finished wooden horse in his hand.

"Tongya is back."

Tian Shoushui smiled and nodded, scratching his head with some embarrassment, and pointed to the wooden horse in his hand.

"It's not that Yun'er is about to give birth, so I was thinking of making something for the child to play with."

The old man suffered many injuries when he was young, and as he aged, he grew old quickly. At the same age as Li Mutian, he looked more than ten years older.

"Alright, take your time making it."

For this old man who was like a father, Li Tongya respected him very much. He greeted him and then entered the courtyard.

Li Xiangping was slowly waking up from meditation. He spat out a breath of turbid air and looked at Li Tongya, saying:

"Second Brother has reached the Zhou Xing Wheel?"

"Yes."

Li Tongya raised his eyebrows and answered with a smile.

"Still one step faster than me."

Li Xiangping pretended to be depressed, but he couldn't help laughing, stood up, and stretched.

After telling him about Wan Tiancang's matter and placing the formation on the table, Li Tongya picked up the teacup on the table and drank. Seeing Li Xiangping in a state of deep thought with his brows lowered, Li Tongya asked in return:

"What is it?"

"Wan Tiancang is much harder to deal with than that Wan Yuankai."

Li Xiangping raised his head and said with a calm expression.

Li Tongya gave a light smile and was about to speak when he saw Tian Shoushui poke his head out and call out:

"Lin Feng is here!"

The two looked at each other in confusion, seeing Liu Linfeng walk into the courtyard in a hurry. He wiped his sweat and looked at the two, saying:

"An Immortal Master has come down the mountain, claiming to be from Qingsui Peak."