The Faction Takes Shape

[Li Yaotie (Second Generation)]

[Profession: Rank 9 Artifact Refiner]

[Realm: Qi Refining Level 5]

[Spirit Root: Five-Element Mixed Spirit Root]

[Cultivation Method: Naqi Technique, Great Strength Hammer Technique]

[Traits: Bone Strengthening, Destined for Iron]

[Destined for Iron: When forging metal weapons, speed +100%, weapon proficiency +100%!]

"Third Young Master, you... you've actually forged a magical artifact?!!"

In the Zhien Village blacksmith shop, facing the sweltering heat from the furnace, the four old blacksmiths of the village cheered and congratulated Li Yaotie.

"What the hell kind of magical artifact is this?"

If Li Yaoqing becoming a pharmacist was a result of him following his own path, then this kid Li Yaotie was relying entirely on luck. He even tossed the newly forged iron sword aside with a hint of disdain. "You guys haven't seen true, powerful treasures; I have!"

"That thing was made entirely of metal, as tall as several houses. Forget about Qi Refining cultivators, even Foundation Establishment experts couldn't break the iron on its body. It could emit blue light to fly through the sky, its body was covered in weapons, its shoulders could fire true qi, and it could even conjure divine swords out of thin air!"

As he spoke to the blacksmiths, Li Yaotie's eyes were filled with envy. He thought back to the War Puppet the ancestor had unleashed that day—that imposing figure that had killed the Third Elder of the Wang Family with a single sword strike!

It was also that day.

He realized that was the true romance of a man!

"My goal isn't to forge these kinds of magical artifacts; they only serve to increase my forging experience at best. Only that kind of powerful puppet is my true objective!"

"Clang!"

As the heavy hammer fell, sparks flew.

Li Yaotie used tongs to grip a steel plate, slowly moving it behind him.

Behind him, there was actually a puppet model made of wood!

Li Yaotie took the steel plate forged from black iron and slowly placed it on the wooden figure's shoulder, securing it with chains.

"Dreaming of forging a War Puppet?"

Watching the dialogue between Li Yaotie and the craftsmen in the game, Li Xiang didn't know how to evaluate it, only hoping that Li Yaotie would one day truly succeed.

Li Xiang also understood.

The characters in this game all had their own thoughts, and each had chosen their own path while growing up. Of the four children of the Li Family's second generation, Li Yaozu was more like Li Dalong, a good successor for a family head.

The reclusive Li Yaoqing chose to become a pharmacist, going further and further down the path of cultivating spirit plants, and had now become the famous miracle doctor of Zhien Village.

Li Yaowen, that girl, dragging her sickly body, walked a very difficult path. As she grew older, her wisdom increased bit by bit; just like when she investigated the case last time, she could easily find the key to the problem.

As for Li Yaotie, he opened a smithy in Zhien Village, leading the four blacksmith masters to forge ironware for the entire faction.

[Li Family Year 28.]

[Li Dalong, accompanied by the villagers of Zhien Village and the Li Family disciples, headed to the Silver Iron Forest. Upon reaching the central region of the Silver Iron Forest, they heard a beast roar from within. The terrifying existence deep in the Silver Iron Forest issued a warning to the Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python: if they ventured any further, it wouldn't mind killing all the humans the Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python was protecting!]

"We cannot go any deeper. The Temple Guardian Beast says the Demon King inside is already angry!"

As Xu Cuihua solemnly translated for the Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python, the group had no choice but to stop their deep exploration of the Silver Iron Forest.

A Demon King, whose strength was no different from a human Golden Core Realm cultivator!

"We can't enter anymore?"

Li Xiang let out a long sigh. Previously, the Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python had told the Li Family about the situation in the Silver Iron Forest.

It seemed the Demon King of the Silver Iron Forest had given the Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python some face, which was why it hadn't attacked the Li Family until now. But now, the Li Family had ventured too deep, and their frequent exploration had threatened the Demon King's habitat.

"But this is enough. We'll just explore the outer perimeter slowly in the future."

Li Xiang didn't mind.

The development over these years had already raised the overall strength of the Li Family by another notch!

The population of Zhien Village had now reached three thousand.

One must know that even Tailin Town only had a population of forty thousand, and that was before the famine; it was estimated that only a fraction remained now.

Look at the current Li Family compound.

The entire Li Family occupied ten thousand square meters, filled with pavilions, towers, flying eaves, and green tiles—exquisite and elegant, yet grand and imposing. The ground was paved with blue bricks, and one could see trees and flowers planted all around, with dragons and phoenixes carved even on the four-meter-high walls.

Further out, it bordered the Spirit Beast Garden where spirit beasts were raised, which had now become the backyard of the Li Family. Looking into the distance, one could see the dense branches and leaves of the Beast Blood Fruit Tree, standing like a giant in the surroundings, with spirit beasts occasionally leaping on the branches and birds chirping.

Beyond the Spirit Beast Garden was the Spirit Herb Garden, along with some simple houses.

The Spirit Herb Garden used to be inside the Spirit Beast Garden, but as another Beast Blood Fruit Tree grew, there was gradually no room for spirit herbs to survive, so Li Yaoqing moved the Spirit Herb Garden.

Those houses were home to over a dozen teenagers who had been brought from Zhien Village to help plant medicinal herbs, which also gave Li Yaoqing more time to cultivate spirit herbs, while also seeing if they could train a few pharmacists for Zhien Village.

And in front of the entire Li Family, lay Zhien Village.

They were distributed in every corner of the Li Family, as if guarding the entire estate.

The houses in Zhien Village were arranged neatly, the streets were paved with bricks and tiles, and a unique trading system had even formed, with vendors hawking their wares on the street. However, there were more farmers carrying water buckets toward the farmland outside the village; almost every household cultivated land. Having experienced the hardships of the great drought, the villagers of Zhien Village understood better than anyone how important grain was.

"Hup! Ha!"

In the center of Zhien Village, a group of teenagers could be seen practicing martial arts, while nearby, young people were practicing archery.

The instructor training the teenagers shouted, "When we were in Tailin Town, those aristocratic families always hid their cultivation methods. But now that we are in Zhien Village, Master Li has shown great kindness and grace by teaching you the method of Qi absorption."

"Now the opportunity is right before your eyes. As long as you cultivate diligently and strive to lift a three-hundred-jin stone, draw a three-stone bow, and hit a target thirty zhang away within this year, you will have the chance to join the Eldest Young Master's guard!"

"From then on, you will be able to obtain spiritual medicine, and even sacred fruit, from the Second Young Miss!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the teenagers worked even harder.

At this moment, atop a tall tower in the Li Family.

Li Yaozu, now 23 years old, was looking at the teenagers training in the distance with satisfaction. "My guard unit can add another thirty people this year."

"Big Brother, we cannot add any more."

Beside Li Yaozu, a maid pushed a wheelchair on which sat a stunningly beautiful woman. She held a book in her hands, gazing at the text as she spoke, "The family guard unit requires salaries every season."

"Each person receives ten portions of the 'Body Forging Powder' developed by Second Sister, plus tax exemptions. The rest relies entirely on personal favors to keep things running here."

"You have a guard unit of one hundred and fifty people, which is already enough to maintain order in Zhien Village. If you continue to expand, it will only cause a shortage of our resources."

"Besides, there are fifty female servants in the house who also require us to pay their salaries..."

Li Yaozu scratched his head in frustration. "Ah, I know! Then tell me, what should we do now? We can't enter the Silver Iron Forest, and Father has gone into seclusion to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. I only just realized how difficult it is to manage a family! I've managed the family for half a year, and aside from training soldiers, I haven't done a single useful thing!"

"Does Big Brother want to achieve results? Perhaps... we should go ask the Ancestor."

Li Yaowen revealed a beautiful smile.

At this time, Li Xiang was still watching the development of the Li Family. He was filled with pride; the entire Li Family had already begun to take shape.

Even though they could not continue to develop the Silver Iron Forest, it was still developing in an orderly manner.

Among the Li Family guards, there were already over a dozen cultivators.

In particular, that fellow Li Yaotie, although he always wanted to refine War Puppets, had never delayed forging weapons for the Li Family!

He led the blacksmiths of Zhien Village, forging equipment day and night, and even the tailors were working overtime.

Now, the Li Family guards were basically all wearing chainmail forged from black iron. Under the reflection of the sun, the guards wearing black iron chainmail looked very imposing. They also held long sabers forged from black iron in their hands, and each of them carried a three-stone bow made of black iron and animal tendons on their backs.

If a hundred guards fired their three-stone bows in unison, even a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator would have to weigh whether they could block all those arrows.

Just as he was observing the family's development.

A box appeared on the screen—

[Your descendant has something to consult with you.]

The Family Cultivation Simulator game was becoming more and more user-friendly. Every time the Li family members looked for him in the Ancestral Hall, time would automatically slow down, and the game would provide a notification.

He quickly switched his perspective.

"Yaozu and Yaowen?"

Currently, Li Dalong had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining and had begun a death-seclusion, vowing not to come out until he broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. Li Yaoqing and Li Yaotie were pure workaholics, spending almost all their time on alchemy and artifact refining; they would only appear in the Li Family if there was something they truly couldn't solve.

As for Xu Cuihua, that woman was currently in the Spirit Beast Garden, taming a spirit beast.

"Hiss~ Sha~"

The Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python sleeping in the Ancestral Hall opened its eyes and let out a hiss.

The brother and sister hurriedly knelt toward the spirit tablet. "Greetings, Ancestor!"

Li Yaowen said, "Reporting to the Ancestor, this child has a bold idea and would like to seek the Ancestor's guidance."

"Oh? You have an idea?" Li Xiang raised an eyebrow. For so long, he had always been the one directing the Li family on what to do; this was the first time someone had proposed an idea to him.

He typed into the computer, "Speak."

As the Temple Guardian Beast hissed, Li Yaowen said:

"Since we cannot continue to develop the Silver Iron Forest, perhaps we should change our direction. Doing business with Tailin Town would not be bad. After all, over these years, we have hoarded a large amount of animal hides and picked many useless spiritual herbs in the Silver Iron Forest, all of which have filled our warehouses."

"Ah?"

Li Yaozu widened his eyes, looking at his sister in disbelief. "Sister, we've already tricked them once; it's impossible for Tailin Town to fall for it again, right?"