Chapter 813: The Second Brother Returns

Li Jiangqian waited for more than a day. Cui Jueyin walked quickly from outside the hall, looking as though his emotions had stabilized. After performing a salute, he resumed a composed demeanor and reported:

"Family Head, the Second Young Master has arrived outside the hall."

"Invite him in."

Li Jiangqian replied. Cui Jueyin withdrew immediately, and after a while, a person ascended from outside the hall.

This man wore simple cloth garments and plain boots. The only thing on his person was a sword at his waist. He was unadorned and simple, already possessing a cultivation base of the late Qi Refining stage. His expression was entirely at ease, as if he were a loose cultivator who had just stepped out of a temple. He bowed before Li Jiangqian and said respectfully:

"Greetings, Family Head!"

Over these years, Li Jianglong had governed Funan into a state of stability and prosperity, never once experiencing a disturbance from loose cultivators or demonic cultivators. He had not only isolated the turbulent situation in Jiangbei from the outside, resolving the Li family's troubles in the north, but the spiritual items collected were also no small sum. It could be said he was extremely competent.

He and his third brother, Li Jiangxia, had stabilized both sides during the period when Li Ximing and Li Zhouwei left home. If not for the three brothers in the family, one could only imagine how many more disasters would have arisen.

Li Jiangqian looked at him with a smile and waved his hand gently. The guards in the courtyard all withdrew, closing the main and side doors of the great hall tightly. The magic lamps flickered brightly, leaving only the two of them inside. Li Jiangqian withdrew his smile, walked quickly down from his seat, and helped Li Jianglong up.

He pondered and said:

"The reason I asked the Second Brother to return this time is that we must abandon the Funan territory."

There was no need to elaborate on how much effort Li Jianglong had invested in the Funan territory. He was nearly undone by this single sentence. After steadying himself slightly, he frowned and asked:

"Family Head, this is..."

Li Jiangqian said:

"A True Person intends to reincarnate in Jiangbei, right in the land of the Three Streams."

Li Jianglong stared at him blankly.

Li Jiangqian shook his head and said:

"It is a True Person from the Northern Upper Sect. Zhang Duanyan of the Jin Yu Sect came personally to issue the decree."

After these three sentences were spoken, Li Jianglong's composure was completely shattered. His pupils dilated, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face. After several breaths, he finally asked:

"Chu Yi from back then?"

"Correct."

Li Jiangqian replied. He led him up, spread a map on the table, and explained the Jin Yu Sect's orders in general. Li Jianglong's expression turned grave as he spoke:

"If this matter is not handled well, it will be a major disaster that implicates millions and leads to the annihilation of our clan."

Li Jiangqian nodded and replied:

"The Second Brother understands Funan the best. What the situation is and how to divide it cleanly—that is the troublesome part."

Li Jianglong pondered for a while, observed the map, and said:

"When the Fuyun Cave was destroyed, the commoners were plundered by the two caves and have yet to recover. Our family's rule in the Fuyun area centers around spirit fields and spirit veins, mostly guarded by outside cultivators. Detaching is not difficult... Once we withdraw, the sparse population on the ground won't be able to produce a few cultivators. Without a village in front or a shop behind, even self-governance will be a problem."

"If our family releases this land, the Dou Immortal Dao will also have to release Midong. The various clans in Midong are intertwined, and many immortal sects from the south and north of the river have planted their people there. With a dense population, they will surely swallow Funan with lightning speed."

The land of Midong is difficult to govern. The fundamental problems are two-fold: first, the clans have huge populations; second, every sect has its own disciples entering the fold, supporting local tyrants to acquire spiritual items in Jiangbei at low prices through force and coercion. Li Jiangqian naturally understood this and asked:

"Based on your understanding of Jiangbei, how will the situation in Midong develop? Can these clans receive the news?"

Li Jianglong pondered and said:

"They definitely won't be able to. The various sects will all withdraw. The reason local tyrants are local tyrants is that their sect lineages are huge, extending inside and out, and their clan lineages are limitless and never decline, leading to a mix of good and bad. While they are certainly difficult to eradicate, they will also be unable to extricate themselves. Even if they have clansmen cultivating in immortal sects... the light punishment is to have their cultivation crippled, and the heavy punishment is to be convicted and killed..."

Li Jiangqian pondered:

"I see that governing to death also has its evils. If this clan declines from now on, and the mandate of heaven happens to fall here, it will cause trouble instead. Since it was said to head toward Qilu, then head toward Qilu. What we should fear most is the power in the north. The various immortal sects will cut ties cleanly, but they won't be too ruthless; they will always leave a path for retreat."

Li Jianglong looked at his elder brother's expression and replied:

"I considered it poorly. Then there is no need to convict them; just let someone harm them. When trouble arises one day, just push out a scapegoat. Since we aren't heading south, it's easy to make excuses."

"That is the logic."

The two brothers stared at the map. Li Jianglong pondered:

"Funan doesn't involve much, but there are still a few local clan cultivators who are hard to deal with. However, excuses are easy to find. Bestow spiritual items and release them. After a period of time, tell them in advance that our family is withdrawing and the Dou Immortal will arrive. They will naturally take their whole family and flee for their lives."

"There are also a few cultivators living locally who have had children. Count these people among the loose cultivators of Jiangbei and take the entire village with us. Don't leave behind a single dog or duck."

The Li family had many cultivators of Jiangbei origin. Fortunately, most were loose cultivators and easy to resolve. Li Jiangqian nodded secretly, but then a soft sound came from the hall door. He stopped speaking. Below, Qu Bushi reported with a face full of suspicion and shock:

"Reporting to the Family Head, that shameless Dou Immortal Dao... has sent a demonic guest elder to pay a visit!"

Li Jiangqian frowned and asked:

"So early? That shouldn't be... How many people did Daoist Guan bring? It hasn't spread, has it?"

Qu Bushi looked as if he had seen a ghost, nearly biting his tongue. He said hesitantly:

"That demon... um... the Dou Immortal person... came alone. He appeared outside the continent... and asked someone to convey the message secretly... This old servant understands that this matter is of great importance and did not let anyone see him."

Li Jiangqian felt relieved and replied:

"Invite him up from the side hall. Do not let anyone see him."

Qu Bushi hurried to withdraw. After half a stick of incense, he saw a middle-aged man enter from outside the hall. Originally, he was dashing in white clothes, but as soon as he stepped into the hall, his appearance changed. He had high eyebrows and deep eyes, wore black Daoist robes, and had a silk ribbon tied around his waist. When he reached the center of the hall, his face was full of bitterness, and he sighed:

"Greetings, Family Head!"

Li Jiangqian nodded slightly and said indifferently:

"So it is the Dou Immortal Sect Master."

It was actually the Dou Immortal Sect Master, Guan Gongxiao, who had come personally!

Guan Gongxiao had no temper left at the moment. He was originally a good-tempered person, so how could he say anything more? He shook his head and replied:

"Now that this matter is imminent, there is no prejudice to speak of between our two families. Our family arrived hastily from overseas and has never seen such a thing. I just received the order and came to see the Family Head immediately."

The territory of the Dou Immortal Dao was even further north of the Three Streams. Compared to the Li family, their situation was incomparably more embarrassing. Guan Gongxiao was naturally burning with anxiety. He was not the only one; I fear the Xuanmiao Temple and the Chengyun Sect were no better off.

Li Jiangqian did not haggle with him at this moment, only asking:

"Does the True Person have any orders?"

Guan Gongxiao shook his head silently. After a moment of silence, he replied:

"Our True Person has been in seclusion for many years and is not in Jiangbei."

It was not a matter that needed covering up that Ye Huai was not in Jiangbei. All sects had Zifu cultivators outside all year round. Especially those without the reputation of the Sun Daoist lineage, the fewer Zifu cultivators, the less likely they were to be stationed in one place. The Xiao family's True Person Xiao had not returned to the south of the river for many years, yet the Xiao family remained as stable as Mount Tai.

But when Li Jiangqian heard this, he pondered in his heart:

'No wonder this guy was in such a hurry to find me... It turns out the True Person is out in seclusion, and who knows how many years it has been. This matter is not simple. It's hard to say if Ye Huai will be in seclusion for ten years. When he comes out and looks, there won't be a single person surnamed Guan left in the Bai Ye area.'

'Looking at it this way, Jin Yu can be considered to have saved the Dou Immortal lineage.'

He then turned sideways, let him sit on the side, and introduced:

"This is Jianglong, my younger brother."

Guan Gongxiao shook his head and said:

"I have heard of your younger brother's reputation long ago. Wang He governed Midong earlier, and he came to complain every three days, later causing such a scene that he couldn't step down."

Neither brother took this bait. Guan Gongxiao stood up and said:

"I came here first to make something clear to your noble clan."

His expression was solemn, and he said righteously:

"Our True Person has never had any malice toward your noble clan. Regarding the Senior Chang Xiao matter, he tried his best to mediate and secretly helped, only hoping to preserve your noble clan as much as possible... Perhaps the Family Head thinks it is absurd, but let me say something unpleasant..."

"Even if it makes your noble clan resent us for no reason, our True Person still hopes that Senior Chang Xiao will have one more blood feud, and he least wishes to see your esteemed father harmed... Even if the fatal point was held in someone else's hands at the time, he had to risk secretly reminding you. That is the reason."

He whispered:

"Regardless of the relationship between the two families, regarding the Senior Chang Xiao Sect matter, our True Person hopes that the two families will have the same stance."

Li Jiangqian was silent for a moment. He was not Li Ximing himself and had no understanding of the situation at the time. The best way was to have no stance at all, only saying:

"This matter is not something I can mention. We can only wait for the True Person to communicate. The matter at hand is the most important."

Guan Gongxiao sat down and nodded. Li Jiangqian said:

"Your noble sect in Midong must yield, but having too many mountain heads is ultimately not good. First, there must be a leader, and in the end, everything will be settled by him. Second, there must be some demons or monsters to let the adults play happily, saving them from making up for it elsewhere. Third... there must be a reason for both of us to withdraw from this place so that the beginning and end can be cleaned up without making others suspicious."

Guan Gongxiao nodded and replied:

"Demons are not urgent. As long as a territory is vacated for a year or two, they will naturally appear. There are still several demon generals in the Fanyun territory that need to be cleaned up. A leader is also easy to find; the most common thing in the world is greed. As for the third point, it is indeed a problem. The clans in Midong are not fools. If both sides withdraw together, they will have smelled something wrong long ago."

Li Jiangqian pondered slightly and whispered:

"This matter is not without a path; it just needs an excuse."

He used a formation to send an order, and Qu Bushi immediately came up from outside. Seeing Guan Gongxiao sitting on the side, the three of them looked harmonious and had smiles on their faces. He felt shocked in his heart and bowed:

"Greetings, Family Head, Young Master, Sect Master."

Guan Gongxiao sipped his tea and replied:

"What Sect Master? I am Gong Xiao of Jiangbei."

Guan Gongxiao hadn't even changed his Sect Master attire, but Qu Bushi saw the three of them laughing and nodding repeatedly, apologizing. Li Jiangqian paused slightly and said:

"Daoist Gong brought news. There is a Midong Direct Decree in Jiangbei, which is rumored to have the favor of a high-level cultivator. The holder of the decree can establish a Daoist lineage here, and it even involves a Zifu spiritual treasury. Even we and the Dou Immortal Dao cannot stop it. You immediately send people to find it. Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, you must find this thing."

Qu Bushi nodded while wiping sweat. Guan Gongxiao smiled slightly and instructed:

"I heard that this rumor spread like the wind. It was revealed by a direct descendant of the Dou Immortal Dao after getting drunk. That direct descendant has now been locked up. There is no one in the Three Streams territory who doesn't know. Now, the Lake has already learned of it late. Hurry up."

Qu Bushi was also an old hand in Jiangbei and had never heard of this thing. Combining it with Li Jiangqian's previous meaning, he understood and replied:

"This old servant will definitely handle this matter well!"

He hurried to withdraw. Li Jiangqian then said:

"Your noble sect will first fight with our family in Funan. We will withdraw our people, vacate the territory, and fight across the river on the other side, forcing your clan's manpower to reinforce from that side. The two sides will confront each other, pretending to be in a great battle."

"At this time, Funan has been abandoned by our family. This side only needs an ambitious East Sea Foundation Establishment cultivator. Give him some kind of Midong Sect Master token. With the Zifu path ahead, how could he not be tempted?"

"As long as he dares to try... our family will immediately send a congratulatory gift, and your noble sect will send the Midong clans south to offer land. It will be a perfect match."

Guan Gongxiao nodded repeatedly and replied:

"Good idea, good idea! Our family has many connections in the East Sea, and it is convenient to inquire about news. Among the candidates alone, there are several."

Li Jiangqian nodded with a smile, finding him much more pleasing to the eye, and replied:

"Luring the ambitious over will depend on your noble sect."

As for spreading rumors and the Dou Immortal direct descendant being locked up, these things didn't need to be mentioned. Guan Gongxiao would naturally handle them well. Li Jianglong pondered for a while, but was ultimately a bit worried. He looked at his elder brother and asked:

"It's just that the True Person is not here, and things may not go as we expect... If he gets the token and is slightly cautious, the time will be dragged out and troublesome."

Li Jiangqian shook his head and said gloomily:

"We don't need to consider this matter... There will naturally be people to facilitate it. The rumors will definitely be truer than the truth. Everyone loves to see one, two, or even more scapegoats."

The two nodded one after another. Guan Gongxiao said:

"In any case, in my humble opinion, I am afraid we still need to find the North Jin River King."

Mentioning this supporter of the dragon species, both frowned. Li Jiangqian had a thoughtful look and said:

"I am afraid he also has the intention to mobilize. It is absolutely inappropriate to stay in this place. Leave the matter of this demon king to us."

"Good!"

Guan Gongxiao was all smiles and raised his cup to the two. The two Daoist lineages, which were mortal enemies in the eyes of the outside world, actually drank tea like old friends of many years. Guan Gongxiao whispered:

"We must communicate often about this matter in the future. I may not be able to come often, and it is easy to expose myself. I will send disciples to disguise themselves, come with the token, and convey my words. The Lake is also the same."

Li Jiangqian nodded. The two didn't care about the polite etiquette of seeing off guests, only cupping their hands to him. Guan Gongxiao stepped out of the door, his appearance had already changed completely, and he was sent out by his subordinates.

Li Jianglong watched him leave, his expression uncertain. Li Jiangqian also became suspicious:

'During the turmoil on the East Bank back then, the Dou Immortal Dao's restraint was indeed very obvious... Later, they also sent people to take the initiative to ease the situation and returned Protector An. I don't know how much of this is true and how much is false.'

He stared at the map on the shore and suddenly recalled:

"Zhang Duanyan hid a bit when he spoke. When mentioning the subordinate relationship, he seemed not to have mentioned the Dou Immortal Dao... He mentioned them in order, but bypassed this one. The Dou Immortal lineage is also not headed by the Xuan character..."

Characters appearing in this chapter

————

Li Jiangqian 'Dali Book' 【Early Foundation Establishment】

Cui Jueyin 'Changming Step' 【Late Foundation Establishment】

Guan Gongxiao 'Nanchou Water' 【Peak Foundation Establishment】 【Dou Immortal Direct Lineage】

Qu Bushi 'Cangna Palace' 【Mid Foundation Establishment】