Wan Tiancang

Wan Tiancang

Wan Xiaohua sat before the table, unable to hide the exhaustion on his face. A Jade Capital Wheel cultivator had already condensed a spirit wheel in Shengyang Prefecture; by rights, he could go three days and three nights without sleep and remain full of vigor. Yet there had been too many vexing matters lately, and even Wan Xiaohua felt he could no longer hold on.

"What did you think of the letter the Li Clan sent over, Yuankai?"

Rubbing his temples, Wan Xiaohua looked wearily toward the people seated below.

Before Wan Yuankai could speak, a burly man beside him blurted out carelessly:

"What is there to think? The Li Clan is not strong, yet they dream big. With only those two from the Li Clan, if the Clan Head went to their door alone, he could force them to hand over all those Spirit Fields to our Wan Family!"

The man had thick brows and large eyes, his tiger gaze fixed boldly upon Wan Xiaohua at the head of the room.

Idiot! Wan Xiaohua cursed inwardly before asking, "Someone from the Li Clan cultivates in the sect. If they come demanding answers, how are we supposed to handle it?"

"This..."

Seeing that the burly man was at a loss for words, Wan Yuankai finally stepped forward and said:

"The Li Clan wants thirty percent, so we give them thirty percent. Our family's reserves are dwindling year by year, and we are about to fail to pay our tribute. Survival must take priority over all else."

Wan Xiaohua nodded and added softly, "Thirty percent should still be negotiable. The Ji Family is powerful; with lips gone, teeth grow cold. The Li Clan will not press us too harshly."

At the mention of the Ji Family, Wan Xiaohua's expression darkened. He gently set down the letter in his hand and continued:

"A few years ago, Yu Bu Mountain was still the boundary. Now we have retreated until Gu Li Road is the boundary. That old thief Ji Dengqi has gone too far in bullying us. We lack strength and have yielded time and again these past years, yet we have not been given even a moment to catch our breath."

Wan Yuankai nodded through gritted teeth and sighed. "Fortunately, life sprouts from the brink of death. The spiritual veins at the northern foot of Great Li Mountain are gradually recovering, giving our Wan Family a thread of hope. It is a pity they are not in our hands."

Wan Xiaohua merely gave a cold laugh. "The present arrangement is already for the best. If our Wan Family occupied the northern foot of Great Li Mountain, we would need men to guard it. If we sent you all there, who would guard the Huaqian Mountain main house? Besides, this matter is of great importance. If it alarms the Ji Family, would Ji Dengqi simply watch our Wan Family expand?"

"Ji Dengqi has secretly sent people to contact the fools among the collateral branches under our rule, causing everyone to sit on the fence like rats and snakes. Whether we contact the Li Clan or send someone there, it must be done in secret. Ji Dengqi must never learn of it!"

Wan Yuankai nodded heavily. "I have already had my clansman fake his death and slip away to Li Daokou. Ji Dengqi's eyes and ears are merely mortals; they will see nothing."

"Tiancang is eloquent, calm, and cautious. I am most at ease leaving this matter to him."

Having said this, Wan Xiaohua lifted his brush and lightly traced a line across the map before him. His gaze turned icy as he murmured:

"A dull knife cuts flesh slowly, but we must also beware the Wan Family biting back."

Li Tongya had finished regulating his aura. Feeling the ceaselessly surging spiritual power within his body, he gave a soft laugh and sighed. "The Circulating Path never ceases. Nearly four years—it is done at last."

"Congratulations, Brother Ya, on advancing another step and forming the Circulating Movement Wheel!"

Beside him, Liu Rouxuan smilingly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her dark eyes looked straight at Li Tongya as she offered her congratulations with a smile.

"It is only minor cultivation in the Fetal Breath Realm. Nothing worth celebrating!"

Li Tongya gently turned his head aside, avoiding Liu Rouxuan's gaze without betraying it. He answered with a trace of fluster.

"Hehe."

Watching Liu Rouxuan grin foolishly to herself at the side, Li Tongya shook his head helplessly. He glanced at the sky and said:

"I have been in seclusion for a day and a night. I will go see Xiang Ping first."

"Yes."

Liu Rouxuan nodded vigorously with a smile.

Li Tongya left Li Jing Small Courtyard and had only just reached the Li Clan's front courtyard when he vaguely heard sounds from the main courtyard. He stopped in his tracks.

"Mother! Why does everyone else have a father, but I alone do not?"

Ren Shi was quietly sewing clothes in the courtyard. With a tremor in his voice, Li Xuanxuan knelt on the ground, clutching Ren Ping'er's skirts as he asked in grievance:

"Even Li Xiewen has a father! Where has my father gone?"

Hearing this, Ren Shi hastily crouched down and embraced Li Xuanxuan. Choking up, she answered:

"Your father has gone to a very, very distant place..."

"Mother is lying to me! Mother is lying to me!"

Li Xuanxuan forcefully broke free of Ren Ping'er's embrace and cried, "Who goes somewhere far away without sending letters home? They all say Father is dead!"

Ren Ping'er was struck speechless. At a loss, she looked at the crying, fussing Li Xuanxuan.

Li Tongya's heart ached as he listened. With a long sigh, he walked into the main courtyard and gently picked Li Xuanxuan up.

The moment Li Xuanxuan saw Li Tongya, he wiped his tears and sobbed, "Second Uncle, where is my father?"

Li Tongya gently patted Li Xuanxuan's back and answered with bitterness in his heart:

"Your father was a good man, a generous elder brother..."

"Wuwuwu..."

Just as he was comforting Li Xuanxuan, Li Yesheng knocked and entered the front courtyard. When Ren Shi saw him, she hurriedly led the weeping Li Xuanxuan away, leaving only the two men in the courtyard.

"What is it?"

Li Tongya composed himself and asked in a low voice. "A man dressed like a hunter is seeking an audience In Front of the Gate. He claims to be someone the Wan Family sent in accordance with the agreement."

"Let him in."

Li Tongya froze briefly, then stroked his chin and waved his hand at Li Yesheng.

Li Yesheng brought the man in. He was ordinary-looking and wore leather armor, with a longbow slung across his back. His eyes, however, were quite bright. As soon as he approached, he cupped his hands toward Li Tongya. "Wan Tiancang of the Wan Family greets the Young Clan Leader!"

Li Tongya raised an eyebrow. He secretly felt that this man far surpassed Wan Yuankai and would likely not be easy to deal with. Smiling, he replied:

"I cannot bear the title of Young Clan Leader. I merely handle some trivial affairs in the village."

With that, he waved his hand. "Please."

Wan Tiancang immediately raised his brows and thought to himself:

I heard that Old Man Li rarely shows himself, and that these two brothers jointly govern the Li Clan with no distinction between superior and inferior. Yet this Li Tongya speaks cautiously. I wonder what sort of person Li Xiangping is.

Thoughts churned in his mind, but he smiled as he said:

"You are too courteous."

Wan Tiancang entered the main courtyard. Old Man Li sat in the seat of honor, drinking tea. He lowered his eyes toward Wan Tiancang and merely gave a faint nod.

Seeing Li Mutian's extraordinary bearing and unusual composure, Wan Tiancang secretly marveled, This must be Old Man Li of the Li Clan. As expected of a senior who once reached Foundation Establishment—his bearing is unlike ordinary men.

He hurriedly bowed down. Yet when he rose, his face was already streaked with tears. Choking with emotion, he said, "This junior greets Senior."

Li Mutian set down his teacup and said in a deep voice, "Why go so far?"

Wan Tiancang wiped his tears and replied, "Seeing Senior's bearing reminded this junior of my own father. That old man fell victim to Ji Dengqi's poisonous hand, and we lost nine hundred jin of spirit rice from the clan as well. We can barely pay the tribute due the year after next!"

"Nine hundred jin?"

Li Tongya exchanged a look with Li Mutian in the seat of honor. Understanding appeared in both their eyes, and Li Tongya thought to himself:

This man wants to lay his hands on the thirty percent share of our harvest!

Thank you for the monthly tickets~ I had a lot to do today; there will be another update later.