After returning to Green Maple Valley, Li Yanzhao went to report to the Li Family.
The First Elder and the others looked grim after hearing his account. "It seems some people still don't take the Li Family seriously."
"First Elder, what should we do? Town Mountain Tiger clearly has no intention of handing over the killer. Why don't we gather our best fighters and wipe out Black Robe Stronghold?"
The First Elder shook his head.
"That would be unwise," he said. "We've recovered the medicinal herbs, so there's no need to mobilize everyone. The Baibo Song Clan is watching the Li Family like a tiger eyeing its prey, and the family head is still in seclusion. We cannot act rashly. Until he emerges, stability comes first."
"Fine. Let Town Mountain Tiger enjoy himself for a few more days."
Li Yanzhao sounded reluctant.
Two months later.
In the family head's seclusion chamber at Green Maple Valley.
Dense Qi and Blood power filled the chamber. A faint oil lamp flickered, illuminating Li Xinge's delicate features.
He sat cross-legged on a cushion, his hands forming a seal. A glimmer of light came and went in his narrow eyes.
At this critical moment, fine beads of cold sweat appeared on Li Xinge's forehead. Qi and Blood power surged through his meridians, bringing pain like ten thousand needles piercing him at once.
After an unknown length of time, the scarlet Qi and Blood power in the chamber turned violent, churning wildly through the air.
Li Xinge opened his mouth and, like a ravenous beast, swallowed it all in an instant.
At the same time, his aura climbed steadily, and the pressure he radiated grew ever more terrifying.
Fifteen minutes later, he seemed to reach a threshold.
A faint boom sounded. Li Xinge's eyes flew open, and he exhaled a long breath of stale air.
Delight spread across his face. "After all that bitter cultivation, I finally did it!"
He had just broken through to the Lesser Qi and Blood Accomplishment Realm.
The strength within his body now felt countless times greater than it had before his seclusion.
If he faced that old ghost from the Su Family again, he could crush him with ease.
So this was the strength of Qi and Blood Minor Accomplishment?
With this breakthrough, he finally had the strength to confront the Baibo Song Clan head-on.
It was time to leave seclusion.
The stone door of the chamber slowly opened.
Hearing the movement, two Li Family cultivators who had guarded the chamber day and night hurried over.
When they saw Li Xinge emerge, they bowed together with clasped fists. "Welcome back, family head!"
Li Xinge nodded.
"Thank you for your efforts. Notify the elders that I'll be waiting for them in the Council Hall."
"Yes!"
Fifteen minutes later.
All the elders had arrived, except for Fifth Elder Li Xuanqi, who was guarding the mine.
Once the elders had taken their seats,
Li Xinge smiled and said, "You elders have worked hard while I was in seclusion."
They quickly shook their heads. "We were only doing our duty."
The First Elder quietly studied Li Xinge. Though Li Xinge had concealed his aura well, the First Elder sensed something extremely dangerous about him.
He had a feeling that Li Xinge would have little trouble killing him if he wished.
The family head had grown stronger again.
Fortunately, this monster belongs to the Li Family, the First Elder thought with relief.
"Has everything been well with the Li Family while I was in seclusion?"
Li Xinge asked with a smile.
"Family head, you were in seclusion for more than three months. Things have been fairly stable overall. Allow this old man to report on the Li Family's recent progress."
The First Elder smiled.
Li Xinge nodded. This was what concerned him most.
The First Elder cleared his throat. "With the increased supply of resources, three more family members have reached the Body Realm. Two others have advanced from the early Body Realm to Minor Accomplishment in Body Cultivation."
Li Xinge clapped his hands in approval.
Every family member in the Body Realm was a pillar of the Li Family.
Each additional one made the family a little stronger.
"Last month, the Li Family had a surplus of two thousand taels of gold."
"And our plan to train a Spiritual Plant Master in the restricted area behind the mountain has produced remarkable results. One family member with a talent for growing spiritual plants has cultivated a Spiritual Rice plant in the Spiritual Field. Production is now being expanded. We won't know its effects until it ripens."
This bombshell stunned the other elders.
Li Xinge was even more delighted. It meant the Li Family finally had hope of training a Spiritual Plant Master.
He knew better than anyone how much a Spiritual Plant Master could strengthen the Li Family.
"Good. That's wonderful!"
Li Xinge applauded again and again. Once the other elders recovered from their shock, they burst out laughing too.
After a moment's thought, Li Xinge said with a smile, "Such a contribution must be rewarded. First Elder, if that family member can truly produce Spiritual Rice of suitable quality, establish a Spiritual Medicine Hall and appoint him the Li Family's seventh elder!"
No one objected to Li Xinge's decision.
After all, a Spiritual Plant Master would be an honored guest of any great family in the commandery city.
"Yes, family head."
The First Elder smiled.
"Family head, there's one more matter that requires your decision."
As though something had suddenly occurred to him, the First Elder's expression grew grave.
"Go ahead."
"Family head, a month after you entered seclusion, a shipment of medicinal herbs meant for the younger family members' body tempering was intercepted. More than ten guards were killed, and a direct descendant was badly wounded. We later confirmed that Black Robe Stronghold was responsible. I sent Sixth Elder there, and although he recovered the herbs, they brushed aside the matter of handing over the killer."
The smile slowly vanished from Li Xinge's face.
"Town Mountain Tiger has some nerve!"
They had stolen from the Li Family, killed its people, and then brushed the matter aside. They clearly had no regard for him.
Li Xinge narrowed his eyes, a cold glint of murderous intent appearing in them.
Deep down, Li Xinge had a domineering streak.
"First Elder, I'll guard the Li Family. I'll have to trouble you to bring back Town Mountain Tiger's head."
Li Xinge spoke as though it were nothing.
In his eyes, the leader of Black Robe Stronghold, who had rampaged across the surrounding hundreds of miles and was feared like a tiger, seemed no more than an ant he could crush at will.
He had sent the First Elder instead of going himself
because the First Elder had reached the early Qi and Blood Realm. He was more than capable of dealing with a Body Realm cultivator, even one at the Great Perfection of Body Realm.
Besides, Li Xinge was the head of the Li Family, not its hired muscle. If he had to handle everything himself, what was the point of having a family?
The First Elder obeyed Li Xinge's order without hesitation.
He had been holding back his anger for two months.
If Li Xinge had not been in seclusion, leaving him to guard the Li Family, he would have gone to Black Robe Stronghold to settle accounts with Town Mountain Tiger long ago.
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