The Xiao Household disciple was named Xiao Lang. His expression was haughty as he held a longsword, pointed at the words "Spiritual Expanse" on the stone stele at the valley entrance, and shouted sternly.
"Have whoever is in charge come out and answer me at once!"
Seeing that the visitor had come with ill intent and a powerful aura, the Xu Household disciples guarding the valley entrance dared not delay.
They immediately sent out an alarm, and a scarlet flare shot into the air.
A moment later, Xu Xuan walked out slowly in a plain hemp robe, accompanied by Xu Qingchan and several lineage elders who had reached the Meridian Opening Realm.
Xu Xuan had drawn his aura entirely inward, looking like an ordinary old man who had never cultivated.
Xu Qingchan stood with a cool bearing, making no attempt to conceal her early Spirit Treasury stage cultivation, with spiritual energy faintly circulating around her.
Xiao Lang saw that those who emerged were actually a seemingly ordinary old man and a young woman.
The woman's cultivation was similar to his own, both at the early Spirit Treasury stage, which put him somewhat at ease.
But their bearing was composed and steady, unlike ordinary rogue cultivators, so he dared not act too brazenly, though his tone remained forceful:
"Who are you?"
"Do you know that Spiritual Expanse Mountain and the mountains and rivers for hundreds of miles around it all fall under the jurisdiction of our Xiao Household of Azure Mist Peak?"
"What is the meaning of establishing your own mountain headquarters and setting up a formation barrier without our household's permission?"
Hearing this, Xu Xuan cupped his hands slightly and spoke as calmly as an ancient well without a ripple:
"I am Xu Xuan. I brought my clansmen here from the distant Kingdom of Wu, seeking only a place to settle and make a living, far from calamity and conflict. We had no intention of offending your lineage's dignity."
"As far as I know, Spiritual Expanse Mountain has always been ownerless land. How can there be any talk of jurisdiction?"
"Ownerless wasteland?"
Xiao Lang scoffed, contempt showing on his face.
"What frogs at the bottom of a well, ignorant of how high the heavens are and how deep the earth is!"
"Within these five hundred miles, which mountain or waterway does not have to watch our Xiao Household's face before acting?"
"Since you have come knocking on our door, the rules here require you to pay a 'settlement fee.'"
"After that, you must offer a hundred low-grade spirit stones and a thousand jin of assorted spiritual herbs every year, just to scrape out a foothold here!"
"Otherwise, do not blame my longsword for showing no mercy!"
At these words, the elders behind Xu Xuan all looked indignant.
A hundred spirit stones and a thousand jin of spiritual herbs!
For the Xu Household, which had only just gained a foothold and needed resources at every turn,
this was no different from draining a pond to catch its fish.
They simply could not afford it, nor could they agree.
Xu Qingchan's brows lifted slightly, and a cold gleam flashed in her eyes. She stepped forward and said icily:
"What arrogance!"
"Our Xu Household poured its blood and sweat into developing Spiritual Expanse Mountain. Why should we pay tribute to your Xiao Household?"
"If you want to seize it by force, first ask whether the sword in my hand agrees!"
Before she finished speaking, she abruptly unleashed the aura of the early Spirit Treasury stage.
A concentrated, razor-sharp surge of Sword Qi pressed straight toward Xiao Lang like formless sword intent.
She possessed exceptional talent and had received Xu Xuan's true teachings, studying all manner of wondrous arts and immortal sect swordsmanship. By now, she had some skills of her own.
Intimidated by this imposing aura, Xiao Lang felt his blood and qi falter slightly.
He involuntarily retreated two steps, and his expression immediately turned ugly.
He had not expected this seemingly young woman to have such a fierce temperament, and her cultivation foundation seemed more solid than his own.
But he was accustomed to throwing his weight around under the protection of his lineage's might.
Having lost face before his subordinates, how could he show weakness?
He immediately blustered, fierce on the outside but weak within:
"Fine! What a sharp-tongued little wild girl!"
"Since you insist on remaining so obstinate, do not blame me for showing no consideration!"
"Let's go!"
With that, he turned and left in resentment with his several attendants.
Before leaving, he shot Xu Xuan and Xu Qingchan a vicious glare.
His gaze was venomous. Clearly, he would not let the matter rest and had gone back to seek reinforcements.
"Grandfather, why did you stop me from acting just now and giving that madman a little punishment?"
Xu Qingchan sheathed her sword, a trace of indignation still lingering on her delicate, beautiful face.
Xu Xuan shook his head. His gaze was deep as he looked in the direction Xiao Lang and the others had left, saying slowly:
"A small punishment would do no good. It would only inflame the conflict."
"The Xiao Household has entrenched itself here for many years and has deep roots. We do not yet know its strength or reserves."
"We have only just arrived, and our foothold is not secure. We should not clash with them head-on."
"But judging by this man's conduct, this matter will likely be difficult to settle peacefully. We must make thorough preparations early."
He turned and gave the elders instructions in a grave voice:
"From this moment on, strengthen the protection of the Metal and Stone Bulwark Formation at the valley entrance, and stockpile more crossbow bolts, talismans, and other supplies."
"Also, send alert disciples out separately to keep a close watch on the movements of the Xiao Household of Azure Mist Peak and the Black Tooth Tribe."
"If anything unusual happens, report to me at once."
Returning to the recently built council hall, Xu Xuan sat alone in the principal seat, pondering in silence.
With the Xiao Household demanding tribute and the Blacktooth Tribe watching covetously, the first signs of external danger had already appeared.
At present, the Xu Household's strongest fighters were himself and Xu Qingchan, both in the Spirit Treasury Realm.
Though Xu Qingchan was suspected to possess an earth-grade spiritual root and was extraordinarily gifted, she had cultivated for only a short time.
He himself was seasoned and experienced, with powerful divine sense, but his cultivation progressed slowly in this life, and he was still a little short of opening his life palace.
Against an ordinary early Qi Refining stage cultivator, there might still be room to maneuver.
But if the Xiao Household's middle Qi Refining stage head acted personally, or if the Black Tooth Tribe came attacking with its entire force, they would likely struggle to resist.
In the end, my own strength is still insufficient, Xu Xuan thought.
In this cultivation world where the weak were meat for the strong, one's own strength was the foundation.
I must borrow influence, and I must also strengthen myself.
He took out the Azure Wood Sect inspector's token.
The Azure Wood Sect had already been expanding into the Southern Wilds for more than ten years and had outposts in many places.
There were likewise sect Qi Refining practitioners along the Yue Kingdom's frontier.
This item might have some deterrent effect on them, allowing him to borrow the sect's influence.
He ordered people to make several replicas of the token and hang them in conspicuous places at the valley entrance.
He also deliberately had clansmen going out "inadvertently" reveal that the Lingyan Xu Lineage was a subordinate branch of the Azure Wood Sect, ordered to establish an outpost here.
At the same time, he accelerated the development and use of Spiritual Expanse Mountain's resources.
He organized the clansmen to gather the "ironwood" and "red copper ore" unique to the mountain.
He also ordered clansmen well versed in the Primer on the Hundred Herbs to identify and gather local spiritual herbs, attempting to refine higher-grade pills and prepare poisons to improve the clansmen's overall strength and means of self-defense.
In addition, he devoted most of his energy to improving the rudimentary Metal and Stone Bulwark Formation.
Drawing on his understanding of formations from his previous life and his powerful divine sense, far beyond others at the same level, he incorporated a few offensive variations into this basic defensive formation.
After several rounds of deduction and testing, it could gather the power of earth and stone to form a protective wall.
At critical moments, it could also turn that power into more than a dozen millstone-sized rocks that hurtled toward attacking enemies like falling stars.
Though their power fell short of true spells, they could catch enemies off guard.
Time slipped by, and three months passed in a blink.
Having suffered humiliation, the Xiao Household indeed refused to let the matter rest.
One day, dust rose in every direction outside Spiritual Expanse Mountain. Dozens of streaks of flying light and sword qi surrounded a man as they approached menacingly, heading straight for the valley entrance.
The newcomer was none other than Xiao Yuanshan, head of the Xiao Household of Azure Mist Peak, a middle Qi Refining stage cultivator!
His face was dark and still as water, his eyes filled with killing intent, and two early Qi Refining stage elders followed behind him.
There were also more than thirty elite Xiao Household disciples, each holding a sharp blade and brimming with murderous intent.
"People of the Xu Household, come out and die!"
Xiao Yuanshan's voice boomed like startling thunder, imbued with the mighty spiritual power of a Qi Refining cultivator.
Rolling waves of sound made the valley hum and the trees rustle, their force far beyond anything Xiao Lang could muster.
Hearing the commotion, Xu Xuan's expression darkened.
What was bound to come would come.
He immediately led the clansmen streaming out.
Dressed in fitted martial attire, Xu Qingchan followed closely beside him with sword in hand, her delicate, beautiful face cold as frost.
Behind them were Xu Ziyu, the elders, and the elite disciples.
All held weapons and talismans, relying on the lineage's formation as they stood ready for battle.
Though they faced a powerful enemy, not one of them showed fear.