Green Maple Valley, the family head's residence.
The four elders who had led teams out to carry out the extermination missions had now returned to Green Maple Valley one after another.
When they came back, every elder wore a broad smile.
Clearly, they had reaped a bountiful harvest on this expedition.
After tallying everything up, they found that wiping out the Four Great Powers had yielded five thousand five hundred taels of gold. Including all the deeds, shops, weapons, pills, cultivation resources, and other spoils, the total value came to nearly eleven thousand taels.
Even Li Xinge had shown a hint of a smile when he learned how much they had gained.
The usually composed First Elder was grinning so broadly, his mouth nearly reached his ears.
The Li Family had been operating in Baihe County for over two hundred years, yet its total assets amounted to only a little over twenty thousand taels of gold.
This haul was almost half the value of the Li Family's assets. They had truly made a killing.
"Elders, judging by the situation, the crisis facing our Li Family has been temporarily resolved."
Li Xinge looked at the gathered elders and spoke with a smile from his seat of honor.
"We owe everything to the family head's divine might. Without you stepping in, our Li Family would have been in grave danger."
The elders clasped their hands repeatedly, their voices full of respect.
"However, we cannot let our guard down."
Li Xinge's tone shifted, turning serious.
"Although the crisis facing our Li Family has temporarily passed, we killed Su Yun, the Su Family's First Elder, this time. We have completely fallen out with the Mangshan Su Clan. From what I know of them, it won't be long before the Green Maple Li Clan and the Mangshan Su Clan fight a bloody battle!"
At his words, the smiles vanished from everyone's faces, replaced by solemn expressions.
The Mangshan Su Clan was in no way comparable to the Four Great Powers they had wiped out today. It was a truly powerful clan with a Qi and Blood Realm Cultivator in its ranks.
It was full of experts. If they fought the clan to the death, the Li Family might suffer grievous losses even if they won.
What was more, the Mangshan Su Clan's Qi and Blood Realm ancestor had spent many years consolidating his cultivation in that realm.
Rumor had it he was only a step away from Minor Accomplishment of Qi and Blood Realm.
Their own family head, though monstrously talented, had only just entered the Qi and Blood Realm.
"Family head, we should make preparations now and guard against the Mangshan Su Clan," the First Elder said.
Li Xinge nodded.
"Starting today, the clan's cultivation resources will be doubled."
The elders' faces brightened at his words.
"We thank the family head."
"First Elder, if you were to attempt a breakthrough to the Qi and Blood Realm now, how confident would you be?"
Li Xinge looked at the First Elder's aged face.
The First Elder's body trembled, and he sighed.
"Less than one chance in ten. If I were ten years younger, I'd have a fifty percent chance."
Li Xinge stroked his chin, deep in thought.
After a long while, he finally asked, "What if you had a Qi and Blood Pill?"
The First Elder's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope, but soon dimmed again. "With a Qi and Blood Pill, I'd have a forty percent chance."
"Forty percent is enough," Li Xinge said.
He looked at everyone, rose to his feet, and spoke slowly. "Elders, I've received word from the prefectural city. In three days, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion there will hold an auction. Rumor has it a Qi and Blood Pill will be available. We reaped a bountiful harvest in our campaign against the rebels, so I intend to go to the prefectural city and bid on a Qi and Blood Pill to help the First Elder break through to the Qi and Blood Realm."
The moment he finished speaking, the others had yet to respond when the First Elder shot to his feet.
He waved his hands repeatedly. "Family head, you mustn't! Qi and Blood Pills are worth a fortune, often costing ten thousand taels of gold. This old man is already advanced in years. Even if I were lucky enough to break through after taking one, I could protect the family for only twenty more years at most. It would be a terrible waste. I beg you to think this over."
It would have been a lie to say he wasn't tempted.
After all, no cultivator could resist the temptation of advancing further.
If the Li Family were large and prosperous, the First Elder would have accepted without hesitation.
But given the Li Family's current means, one Qi and Blood Pill would drain all its available funds.
That was something the First Elder did not want to see.
The other elders looked at him, unable to hide the respect in their eyes.
Li Xinge was taken aback by his words.
Then he smiled and said, "First Elder, don't rush to refuse. Hear me out. Although our Li Family has temporarily escaped its predicament, we've also completely fallen out with the Mangshan Su Clan. A battle is sure to come soon."
"If we don't improve our strength in time, our Li Family will suffer heavy casualties."
"If you can advance to the Qi and Blood Realm as soon as possible, the threat from the Mangshan Su Clan will no longer be a concern. Right now, you're the only one in our Li Family qualified to attempt a breakthrough to the Qi and Blood Realm. I hope you won't refuse again!"
The other elders were also eager for a Qi and Blood Pill.
But they had only reached Body Realm Great Accomplishment, and still had a long way to go before advancing to the Qi and Blood Realm.
So, after a brief moment of envy, they all began urging the First Elder to accept.
"The family head is right. You're the only one in the clan qualified to attempt a breakthrough to the Qi and Blood Realm. Please accept for the sake of the family."
"First Elder, think this through!"
"Please don't let this chance slip by. If you break through to the Qi and Blood Realm, our Li Family will have two Qi and Blood Realm Cultivators guarding it, and our strength will rise to another level."
"Exactly. First Elder, accept!"
"..."
Faced with everyone urging him from all sides, the First Elder finally nodded.
At some point, his eyes had grown damp.
A thousand words ultimately became just one sentence:
"This old man will not disappoint the family."
Seeing the First Elder finally agree, Li Xinge breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew all too well how stubborn and hidebound the First Elder could be.
"Since the First Elder has agreed, have the clan prepare twelve thousand taels of gold. I'll set out for the prefectural city tomorrow," Li Xinge ordered.
Ordinarily, a Qi and Blood Pill was worth around ten thousand taels of gold.
But because Qi and Blood Pills were so rare, they were almost impossible to buy even at that price.
So Li Xinge had prepared an extra two thousand taels to cover any unexpected circumstances.
"Sixth Elder, you handle the family's business in the prefectural city, so you know the place well. You'll come with me."
Li Xinge looked at the Sixth Elder, Li Yanzhao, who wore a short beard and had a refined air.
Li Yanzhao was the only elder in the Li Family Elders from the Yan Generation. He was very young, only thirty-seven years old.
When the family head called on him, Li Yanzhao accepted without hesitation.
"While the Sixth Elder and I are in the prefectural city, the First Elder will decide all family matters. Then spread the word that I've gone into seclusion to consolidate my cultivation, lest opportunists take advantage of my absence."
Everyone nodded to show they understood.
After arranging everything, Li Xinge dismissed the elders and began making preparations for the journey.
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