Meeting

"Got it. Isn't it just Qi Refining Fifth Layer? I'll reach it soon enough."

Li Qianyin seemed to have been spurred on by Li Qianqing reaching Qi Refining Fifth Layer ahead of her.

When advancing from Qi Refining Third Layer to Qi Refining Fourth Layer, Li Qianqing had been faster than her. Now, in advancing from Qi Refining Fourth Layer to Qi Refining Fifth Layer, it was the same again.

If this continued, others would start thinking her Qianqing-ge was the one with the Dual Spiritual Root, not her.

"Yinyin, you'll have no problem breaking through this year, right?"

"Of course." Li Qianyin was very confident in herself.

Li Qianqing was also confident in her breakthrough.

For cultivators with Dual Spiritual Roots, breakthroughs during the Qi Refining stage were relatively easy. Only when going from Qi Refining Sixth Layer to Qi Refining Seventh Layer might they get stuck for a while.

About Half an Hour later, Li Qianyin returned to her cultivation.

Li Qianqing also continued cultivating.

So long as Li Cunlan had not Passed Away, all he needed to do was keep up with his daily routine.

Within Small Hill, three hundred li from Changle Mountain.

On a snowy day, Li Qianbao arrived at this place.

When he reached the central area of Small Hill and was looking around, two people jumped down from the trees.

"Kid, you really dared to come. Aren't you afraid we'll kill you?"

Two Mid-Stage Qi Refining cultivators could kill an Early-Stage Qi Refining cultivator as easily as turning over their hands, not to mention that these two were Loose Cultivators.

In the Cultivation World, Loose Cultivators generally did not engage in production. Instead, they plundered other cultivators' resources to strengthen themselves. Naturally, everyone condemned such cultivators.

Besides Loose Cultivators, Demonic Cultivators generally practiced bloodthirsty techniques and required vast numbers of living beings to increase their cultivation.

Generally speaking, Demonic Cultivators were always Loose Cultivators, but Loose Cultivators were not necessarily Demonic Cultivators.

"If you wanted to make a move, you would have done so long ago." Li Qianbao smiled dismissively. "Besides, I have value to you. I can help you take revenge on the Li Family and seize their resources."

The two Loose Cultivators exchanged a glance upon hearing this, then looked at Li Qianbao with considerable interest.

That was right. They had been sent to meet Li Qianbao precisely for this reason.

Li Qianbao had a clear understanding of his own position.

"I'm curious. Why do you want to betray the Li Family? No matter what, the Li Family is one of Xiangshui Prefecture's three great Foundation Establishment Clans. Your Patriarch still has seventy or eighty years left to live—perhaps you won't even outlive him."

Foundation Establishment Clans were fundamentally different from Qi Refining families.

In Xiangshui Prefecture, Foundation Establishment Clans represented safety and stability.

Take their band of Loose Cultivators, for example. So long as the timing was right, they could directly wipe out most Qi Refining families in Xiangshui Prefecture. Of course, they could also seize the resources and leave, waiting for the next harvest.

But if it was a Foundation Establishment Clan, unless the opportunity was exceptionally good, they would not even dare touch them. Even if they did act, they could only inflict partial losses. So long as the Foundation Establishment Patriarch did not die, a Foundation Establishment Clan would basically never be destroyed.

"When there's no hope of advancing my cultivation, it's the same in any family. Cultivators with talent like mine rarely get time to cultivate. I might as well become a Loose Cultivator. When the time is ripe, I'll hand over my Token of Allegiance."

Li Qianbao felt that by becoming a Loose Cultivator, he would at least have plenty of time to cultivate every day. Unlike now, when he had to do everything and could only find some cultivation time after finishing his daily tasks.

"The reasons for becoming a Loose Cultivator are all much the same. I'm sure there are people among you in the same situation as me. Our reasons are all alike."

The two Loose Cultivators nodded. One of them said, "Your answer is not bad. Given your current standing in the Li Family, joining us Loose Cultivators is your best choice. Your Token of Allegiance had better be what we think it is."

As they spoke, both Loose Cultivators smiled.

"It will be. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come here to meet you."

Over the next Quarter of an Hour, the three exchanged information. Finally, they placed ordinary spiritual power marks on one another, allowing them to use Sound Transmission Talismans to locate each other and conveniently pass along information later.

After Li Qianbao left, the two Loose Cultivators did not depart immediately, instead remaining where they were.

"Do you think this could be a trap? Everything seems to have gone a little too smoothly—like someone handing you a pillow the moment you feel sleepy."

He felt that neither this formal meeting nor the private contacts between their superior and Li Qianbao beforehand had revealed anything unusual.

"No. If there really were a problem, this meeting wouldn't have happened. That Fei Xiangqing is far more shrewd than we are. If there were truly an issue like that, he would bear full responsibility."

The fact that this formal meeting had taken place meant that Li Qianbao of the Li Family had passed Fei Xiangqing's test and was believed to truly want to join the Loose Cultivators.

When family cultivators like these wished to join Loose Cultivators, they had to present a Token of Allegiance.

A Token of Allegiance usually meant harming the family's interests and becoming an out-and-out traitor. That way, aside from becoming a Loose Cultivator, they would have no other choice.

"Other than how smoothly things went, the reason I thought of it was entirely because of that kid's attitude. It felt as though we were begging him to join us."

"He's a cultivator from a Foundation Establishment Clan, after all. It's understandable for him to have some pride. Besides, he's at the bottom of his family and usually receives no attention. Now that he has an opportunity, did you expect him to bow and scrape before you?"

"That's true. You really do see things more clearly."

"No." He shook his head. "Once we get back, I'll report on his situation—especially his attitude. We'll see whether the boss wants to take him in."

"Oh~~ Use him, then kick him away? I like that..."

The two exchanged smiles. If Li Qianbao had shown them even a little more respect, things would not have ended this way.

A man about to betray his family still acted so confident. He was only at Early-Stage Qi Refining, yet he was already like this. Once he reached Mid-Stage Qi Refining and rendered meritorious service to the organization, wouldn't that be unbearable? For all they knew, he might end up shitting on their heads.

The two did not linger where they were for long before leaving.

After returning to Changle Mountain, Li Qianbao resumed his usual manner and behaved entirely normally.

He knew that Li Cunlan, who guarded Changle Mountain, did not have much time left. The moment Li Cunlan Passed Away would be Changle Mountain's weakest moment.

At that time, he would present his Token of Allegiance and truly join the Loose Cultivators.

"Seventh Uncle." After going up the mountain, Li Qianbao saw the approaching man and called out respectfully.

"Why didn't I see hide nor hair of you just now? Where did you go?"

"Reporting to Seventh Uncle, I went down the mountain to visit my family, to see how they were doing. Now that I'm a cultivator, I can give them more things."

"Mm, you're quite filial. Have you finished the task at hand?"

"Not yet."

"Then hurry up and finish it."

"Yes, Seventh Uncle."

Li Lihe gave Li Qianbao a glance, yawned, and left.

Once he was gone, Li Qianbao also put away the respectful look on his face and returned to normal.

Li Lihe was Li Cunlan's grandson. If Li Cunlan Passed Away, he would definitely be among the first to receive the news.

Among the younger generation with "Qian" in their names, he was one of Li Lihe's closest juniors. Getting firsthand news would be easy.

That was also why he currried favor with Li Lihe.