Chengfu

Tonight, Li Jing Village was ablaze with lights. Every household rang with laughter and cheer, while the children ran through the village as if celebrating the New Year, playing and scuffling.

Liu Linfeng had led people in piling up a roaring bonfire in the village clearing. Everyone gathered around it, chatting and laughing as they discussed that ferocious serpent. The men boasted proudly, their faces flushed red in the firelight.

That evening, Li Yesheng had needed a full ten men to drag the serpent down the mountain. After great effort, they stripped away its scales. The village women sliced the snake meat into fine pieces and filled three large basins, marinating it with scallions, ginger, and cooking wine before setting it beside the bonfire. Every household brought their own meat and vegetables, chatting by the fire.

Li Mutian had never liked such lively affairs and could not be bothered to leave his courtyard. Thus, Li Xiangping and Li Tongya had someone watch over the Spirit Root before coming down the mountain first.

"Our knowledge is shallow, and we do not recognize this Spirit Root. We do not know its effects or taboos, so we should leave it alone for now. In a few days, we can find a marketplace and discreetly make inquiries."

Li Xiangping sat before the bonfire and turned to his brother.

"Of course."

Li Tongya nodded. Looking up at the three wooden basins, he picked up a slice of snake meat with his fingers. It had been cut as thin as cicada wings, seeming almost to gleam white. He immediately smiled. "The Li Xia Secret Note says: 'Scaled beasts, birds, and insects that become demons draw in the essence of sun and moon. Spiritual energy grows within their blood and flesh; eating them strengthens the body, benefits the physique, and replenishes one's blood and qi.' Father should eat more of it."

"It was sent to the courtyard long ago."

Li Xiangping skewered a slice of snake meat and roasted it over the fire until it sizzled, then continued:

"The snake gall was as large as two fists. It was sent to the courtyard to be soaked in wine."

As the two talked, Li Yesheng approached with Xu Wenshan. Li Tongya looked up and raised an eyebrow, signaling for them to speak.

"You wish to establish trade along Gu Li Road and sell the surplus goods of the various villages?"

After listening to Xu Wenshan's confident account, Li Xiangping and Li Tongya exchanged a glance. Both fell into thought. What Xu Wenshan had planned happened to align perfectly with their own intentions.

Li Tongya pondered for a few breaths before speaking:

"Very well. You and Liu Linfeng will be jointly responsible for this matter. Aside from your own men, the remaining manpower will be drawn from the Liu Family for now."

Seeing Xu Wenshan overjoyed, Li Xiangping said gravely, "There are several immortal families along Gu Li Road. If we wish to open trade, we must ask them first. Send people to cautiously probe and make contact. Mark every inhabited place along Gu Li Road first, then make a map."

"This subordinate understands!"

Xu Wenshan listened carefully before lifting his head and thumping his chest in assurance.

"Rest assured, Master. I, Old Xu, have traveled Li Xia Road for more than ten years. I know all the tricks of the road by heart. If I had come to Gu Li Road before, I could draw this map on the spot."

Xu Wenshan hurried off to find his men. As Li Tongya ate snake meat, he said quietly to Li Yesheng:

"Uncle is bored at home too. He might as well come out and do something. That Xu Wenshan is sly as a ghost. Though we have placed more than half the Liu Family people among them, Ye Sheng, you must still keep an eye on him. Do not let Xu Wenshan gain too much power."

"I understand!"

Li Yesheng answered at once. Having followed the two brothers for so long, he had gradually become familiar with handling affairs, and he silently began to guard against Xu Wenshan.

"Tomorrow, find some reliable One of Us and go up the mountain to enclose that banyan tree with a small courtyard, lest someone spy on it..."

After Li Xiangping spoke, he waved his hand. Li Yesheng knowingly withdrew. Li Tongya let out a soft sigh and said in a deep voice, "If the Li Clan were not truly unable to produce enough people to hold the field, we would not need to calculate and guard against everything like this."

Li Xiangping ate his snake meat with his head lowered, silently tightening his grip around the skewer. "We should have gone to that marketplace. Buying a map would have been easy enough, but our cultivation is too low. We do not know how deep those waters run, so we cannot risk danger."

"Do not worry!"

Seeing Li Xiangping's gloomy expression, Li Tongya laughed heartily.

"Jing Er has now entered a sect, the spiritual seedlings at home are growing well, the clan has produced a disciple with a spiritual aperture, and we have discovered this Spirit Root. The Li Clan is flourishing in every way. If we are too dissatisfied, we may instead invite calamity."

Li Xiangping was startled by those words. After some thought, he nodded and smiled.

"I will remember Elder Brother's teachings!"

Li Chengfu had now moved near the main family, and his life had changed completely. Not only had he returned to the clan surname, but whenever anyone in all of Li Jing Village mentioned Li Chengfu, they had to say that he was truly blessed!

When he walked through the village, he did not exactly swagger like a tyrant, but he at least cut a respectable figure. Whoever saw Li Chengfu had to greet him respectfully. Those Ye Clan elders were surely green with envy, and even Liu Linfeng, who once would not spare him a glance, now had to greet him with a smile and call him Chengfu.

That said, although Li Chengfu was immensely pleased with himself, he still did not dare put on airs before Liu Linfeng. After all, Liu Linfeng was the direct-line uncle by blood. Though he had fallen on hard times, who knew whether he might rise again someday? Sure enough, Liu Linfeng had been downcast for only a few months before an order from the main family put dozens of people under his command in the blink of an eye. He ran all over the village, front and back, drawing some damned map. The smile on Liu Linfeng's face was practically about to drip into the ground!

Sitting in the small village tavern, Li Chengfu savored his wine as he watched Liu Linfeng spin busily day after day like a top set loose, then gave a chuckle.

"Looks like your task is not easy either, Liu Linfeng. How could you possibly live as comfortably as I, Li Chengfu?"

"Brother Fu, Brother Fu, tell us! What miraculous methods do immortals have? Why do you all keep running up the mountain every day?"

Watching the idle men around him eagerly pry for gossip, Li Chengfu snorted, flicked his sleeve, and shouted, "Shut up! All of you, move aside!"

Li Chengfu was no fool. The Li Clan had few members, and as a son born of a concubine, he was considered one of their trusted people. He and his two children had helped build that small courtyard on the mountain. Li Yesheng had ordered them not to leak anything. Could Li Chengfu be stupid enough to sell out his own family just to draw attention?

This middle-aged man had calculated things clearly in his heart. His child possessed a spiritual aperture and carried Li blood. Aside from the three currently in charge—Li Tongya, Li Xiangping, and Li Yesheng—the fourth seat was his for certain! Liu Rouxuan bore an Outside Surname; how could she meddle in this? Now he and his three children, one immortal and two ordinary, had all changed their surnames to Li. The Li Clan's interests were Li Qiuyang's interests, and therefore Li Chengfu's interests. Could he sell out his own family? "Off to work!"

Li Chengfu waved his hand, drained the clear wine from his bowl, and swaggered out from among the idle men.

The courtyard on the mountain was large and the construction period short. Li Chengfu did not have much time to waste here.