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Wan Tiancang spoke through tears, describing how brutally cruel the Ji Family was, how the Wan Family stood on the brink of collapse, and how the Wan and Li families shared both glory and ruin.

Even Li Yesheng, who stood waiting at the side, could not help but be moved. Li Mutian, however, lowered his eyes, calmly took a sip of tea without the slightest reaction, and said,

"So the Wan Family's circumstances have truly become this difficult?"

"Precisely!"

Wan Tiancang looked at Li Mutian and gritted his teeth. He understood that this man would not release the hawk until he saw the hare. Pulling out a roll of beast hide from his robes, he said,

"Before I left, Clan Brother specifically instructed this junior that, since I would trouble the Li Clan in matters of food, clothing, lodging, and travel, I was to bring a formation as repayment for your noble clan's kindness."

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

"This formation is called the Bewildering Mist Array. My grandfather bought it at the marketplace a hundred years ago. With refined array flags, one can set up the formation. Grandfather was most fond of formations, and the mountain array at home was laid down by him."

"He bought this array to verify his own path of formations. After he passed away in meditation, there was no one in the clan proficient in formations anymore."

Wan Tiancang sighed with emotion and reluctantly handed the beast-hide scroll to Li Tongya with both hands.

Only after seeing Li Tongya nod did Li Mutian smile and say, "You are too courteous. The Wan Family and the Li Clan are both Under the Governance of Green Pool; naturally, we should help one another. Now that the Wan Family is in trouble, how could the Li Clan take advantage of your plight? We will take only fifteen percent of the harvest."

What else could Wan Tiancang say? He gave a bitter smile and replied softly, "Thank you, Senior!"

Li Mutian gave a quiet acknowledgment, and Li Tongya led Wan Tiancang, Li Yesheng, and the others out.

The moment they left the courtyard gate, Wan Tiancang looked at Li Tongya and asked hopefully,

"I wonder where your clan has arranged the Spirit Fields. Please take Tiancang to inspect their quality."

"Of course."

Li Tongya nodded. As they walked along the Bluestone Slab Road, he said,

"The Li Clan has two villages along Gu Li Road. One is called Li Daokou, the direction Brother Tiancang came from. The other is called Li Chuankou, beside Moon Gazing Lake."

"The Spirit Fields being rented out are located at Li Chuankou. Tong Ya has already ordered a small courtyard built there. The plots are fairly complete, with an annual yield of around seventy jin."

Wan Tiancang nodded to show that he understood, then turned to appraise the scenery of Li Jing Village along the way.

"This road is built quite well. Mortals come and go, yet the road is still clean and orderly. That is truly rare."

"You praise us too highly, Brother Tiancang."

Li Tongya chuckled, then continued, "I heard there is an immortal marketplace nearby. The Li Clan has only just been established, so we do not know much about it."

"Brother Tong Ya always wants to dig more information out of us!"

Wan Tiancang laughed heartily and teased Li Tongya, then turned serious.

"I have only cultivated the Profound Scene Wheel and have never been to the marketplace. Clan Brother and the family head have gone together before, and they told me quite a few things."

"The marketplace is on a small isle within Moon Gazing Lake, opened by a Rogue Cultivator at Qi Refining Peak. When the moon is full, Large Ships travel to and from the shore, carrying Rogue Cultivators, or immortal cultivators from small families like ours, to that isle."

"According to the family head, it is best to reach the Jade Capital Wheel before going to the isle, lest something happen on the way."

Wan Tiancang feared that the Li Clan would send someone to their death, then blame the Wan Family for it, so he hurriedly advised them.

"We naturally understand."

Li Tongya nodded, committing this important information to memory as he casually continued chatting with Wan Tiancang.

Before long, they arrived at Li Chuankou. When Chen Erniu heard that Li Tongya had brought cultivators from another family to Li Chuankou, he was so frightened that he hurried over with several men to welcome them. He carefully followed behind Li Tongya and spoke quietly with Li Yesheng.

Wan Tiancang estimated the size of the fields and tested their spiritual energy and soil quality. He nodded at Li Tongya to indicate his approval, and Li Tongya smiled and waved his hand.

"Brother Wan must be tired after traveling all this way. Tong Ya still has family matters to handle, so I shall take my leave first."

After saying this, he instructed Li Yesheng and Chen Erniu to make all necessary arrangements with Wan Tiancang, then turned and returned to Li Jing Village.

The Back Mountain of Li Jing Village was now much livelier, and the villagers had begun calling it Li Jing Mountain. Quite a few small courtyards of green brick had appeared amid the dense forests on the mountain, their green bricks and gray tiles scattered among the trees in a pleasing sight.

A winding Stone Slab Road stretched from the foot of the mountain to its summit. Villagers stood watch at the foot, and upon seeing Li Tongya, they respectfully called out, "Welcome, Immortal Master."

He nodded casually and walked up the Stone Slab Road. After the time of One Incense Stick, a small courtyard came into view.

Teacher Han Wenxu was teaching there. The courtyard was filled with half-grown children, perhaps fifty or sixty at a glance, each sitting upright beneath the trees and listening to his lesson.

Children came not only from Li Jing Village and Jingyang Village, but also from the more distant Li Daokou and Li Chuankou to study. Only wealthier households with some savings could afford to support one or two children in school, so naturally they could only send them to Li Jing Village.

Looking at Li Xuanxuan studying among them, Li Tongya pondered to himself, In a few more months, once the child is six or seven and his body has taken shape, we can test his spirit aperture. The Mirror Fragment still has three Mystic Pearl Talisman Seeds left, so there is no need to fear that Xuan'er lacks a spirit aperture.

By my reckoning, Tian Yun's child should be born in a few more months as well.

For some reason, Liu Rouxuan's face suddenly surfaced in Li Tongya's mind. Startled, he shook his head repeatedly, stood rooted in place for several seconds, then continued up the mountain with a bitter smile.

Past the schoolhouse were one hundred and twenty-six steps. A red-lacquered gate stood upon the platform, and an elderly man with half-white hair sat by its entrance.

"Uncle Tian!"

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

"Tong Ya, you're back."

Tian Shoushui smiled and nodded. Somewhat embarrassed, he scratched his head and pointed at the wooden horse in his hands.

"Isn't Yun'er about to give birth? I thought I'd make something for the child to play with."

The old man had suffered many injuries in his youth, and once age caught up with him, he had grown old quickly. Though he was about the same age as Li Mutian, he looked more than ten years older.

"Alright, take your time making it."

Li Tongya held this old man, who was like a father to him, in the highest respect. After greeting him, he entered the courtyard.

Li Xiangping was slowly awakening from Entering Samadhi. He exhaled a breath of turbid air, looked at Li Tongya, and asked,

"Second Brother reached the Circulating Movement Wheel?"

"Yes."

Li Tongya raised an eyebrow and answered with a smile.

"You were still one step ahead of me."

Li Xiangping put on a frustrated expression, but could not help laughing. He rose and stretched lazily.

After explaining Wan Tiancang's matter and placing the formation on the table, Li Tongya picked up the tea bowl on the table and drank from it. Seeing Li Xiangping lower his eyes in thought, Li Tongya asked, "What is it?"

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

Li Xiangping looked up, his expression calm.

Li Tongya gave a faint smile and was about to speak when Tian Shoushui stuck his head in and called out, "Linfeng is here!"

The two exchanged puzzled looks, then saw Liu Linfeng hurry into the courtyard. Wiping away his sweat, he looked at them and said, "An Immortal Master has come to the foot of the mountain, claiming to be from Green Spike Peak."