Generosity, and a Superior Sect?

"Recognize it as our superior sect!"

A flash of surprise appeared in Li Yunjing's eyes.

This was no joke.

Recognizing a superior sect meant the Wang Household would have a master above it from then on.

Like selling themselves into service to a wealthy family, the Wang Household would be selling itself to the Luozhen Sect.

For a small household, that was by no means a good thing.

Li Yunjing also wanted to know what had happened to make the Wang Household come to such a decision.

Unless it was something serious, it would be hard to make the Wang Household decide on this.

"Is that really what the Wang Household wants?"

Li Yunjing looked at Wang Shanming as he asked.

Wang Shanming felt nervous and did not immediately process Li Yunjing's question.

Only after Li Wan reminded him with his Divine Sense did he come back to his senses.

"Ah, in answer to Sect Leader Li, that is indeed what the Wang Household wants!"

Li Yunjing pondered briefly. "What happened to the Wang Household?"

Wang Shanming cupped his hands. "In answer to Sect Leader Li, the Wang Household obtained a beast-taming cultivation method.

"The Wang Household was already known for taming beasts. Obtaining this cultivation method was like adding wings to a tiger.

"It gave the Wang Household the confidence to take Seven Ingenuities Mountain for itself in one fell swoop.

"But even though the Wang Household did not want to do that, it could not stop the other households on Seven Ingenuities Mountain from thinking otherwise.

"The other households joined forces to squeeze out the Wang Household, forcing us either to leave Seven Ingenuities Mountain or share the beast-taming cultivation method.

"The Wang Household wanted neither, so we could only seek outside help."

Li Yunjing nodded lightly.

He weighed the matter.

The households on Seven Ingenuities Mountain were all small, just like the Wang Household.

Li Yunjing knew that besides the Wang Household, which had a cultivator at Qi Refining Completion,

two other households also had cultivators at Qi Refining Completion holding the fort.

As for Foundation Establishment cultivators, not one of the seven small households had one.

Protecting the Wang Household would naturally be effortless for Li Yunjing.

The other six small households would have no objections, either.

They could not afford to provoke a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

What concerned Li Yunjing was whether any promising talents would emerge from the other six small households.

Li Yunjing did not want to end up like certain villains in books,

who accidentally provoked the protagonist favored by fate and lost their lives in the end.

This was something Li Yunjing needed to investigate thoroughly.

Only then would he decide whether to notify the other six small households with a firm hand or a gentle one.

Li Yunjing now looked at Wang Shanming.

The Wang Household knew how to tame beasts, and that tempted Li Yunjing.

Li Yunjing had planned to build a beast pen at the Luozhen Sect

specifically to raise and breed spirit beasts.

Spirit beasts had many uses.

They could serve as helpers in combat,

or assist with pill refinement and artifact crafting.

At the very least, they could be used for travel or food.

Spirit beasts could meet all those needs.

Li Yunjing wanted to earn a large number of Spirit Stones to keep the Luozhen Sect running.

Raising spirit beasts was a good way to do so.

But raising spirit beasts required specialists.

Li Yunjing had originally planned to train his own.

And before the Luozhen Sect trained its own beast tamers,

even if he built the beast pen, it probably would not be very large.

A small operation meant it would not earn many Spirit Stones.

But the Wang Household had come knocking on its own.

Li Yunjing thought that, before he trained his own beast tamers,

using the Wang Household's beast tamers for the time being would not be bad.

Once the Luozhen Sect became the Wang Household's superior sect

and the Wang Household signed a contract with it,

the Wang Household would be unable to betray the Luozhen Sect.

Leaving aside the Luozhen Sect's pursuit of the matter, the Immortal Alliance would not let the Wang Household off either.

After all, the Luozhen Sect was a member of the Immortal Alliance.

Moreover, after the Luozhen Sect became its superior sect,

it could also receive tribute from the Wang Household.

The Wang Household would send the Luozhen Sect a batch of resources at regular intervals.

That was the rule for a subordinate sect dealing with its superior.

For the Luozhen Sect in its current state,

having a subordinate force like the Wang Household

could relieve quite a bit of pressure.

"This matter... it's not impossible for the Luozhen Sect to agree," Li Yunjing said.

Hearing this, Wang Shanming broke into a delighted smile.

However, Li Yunjing continued:

"But I need to investigate the situation thoroughly.

"If it is more or less as you described, the Luozhen Sect will protect the Wang Household.

"But if there is the slightest discrepancy, the Wang Household will bear the consequences."

Wang Shanming's smile froze, but he quickly recovered.

"Please rest assured, Sect Leader Li. I did not embellish anything I said."

Li Yunjing waved his hand, then looked at Li Wan.

"Fellow Daoist, I don't know whether you've given me a gift or handed me a difficult problem."

It seemed that, besides those earlier gifts of apology,

the Wang Household was also part of the apology.

Li Wan intended to give the entire Wang Household to the Luozhen Sect.

Li Wan smiled. "With your strength, Sect Leader Li, this is naturally a gift."

Li Yunjing smiled as well but said nothing.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Li Wan,

Li Wan took Li Qiuchen and left the Luozhen Sect.

Wang Shanming stayed behind at the Luozhen Sect.

Li Yunjing and Wang Shanming walked out of Luozhen Hall together.

Li Yunjing then summoned Lü Hong.

"Sect Leader." Lü Hong bowed respectfully.

"Lü Hong, this is the eldest young master of the Wang Household of Seven Ingenuities Mountain.

"I order you to escort Young Master Wang back to Seven Ingenuities Mountain," Li Yunjing said.

Lü Hong accepted the order.

Wang Shanming then took his leave of Li Yunjing.

Lü Hong immediately followed Wang Shanming, and at that moment Li Yunjing's voice rang in his ear.

"Once you reach Seven Ingenuities Mountain, stay there and investigate its current situation thoroughly, especially the details of its seven households."

Lü Hong was momentarily startled. This was a Divine Sense transmission.

Once he realized what was happening, Lü Hong kept his expression neutral and followed Wang Shanming out of the Luozhen Sect.

Li Yunjing stood where he was, watching the two leave.

He had sent Lü Hong to handle this for two reasons.

First, Lü Hong was at mid-stage Qi refining and had the highest cultivation in the Luozhen Sect, giving him some ability to protect himself.

Second, Lü Hong had come from a rogue cultivator background, after all.

He would presumably be adept at gathering information about cultivators.

Putting the matter out of his mind, Li Yunjing turned and headed for the Scripture Pavilion.

The treasures Li Wan had sent had all been placed in the Scripture Pavilion.

I'll have to find time to build a treasury.

Li Yunjing thought to himself as he entered the Scripture Pavilion.

Buildings like treasuries and talisman rooms

required professional craftsmen.

After all, it was not just a matter of building a structure; formations also had to be inscribed.

Buildings like training grounds and disciples' quarters, on the other hand,

needed no formations. They only had to look the part.

There was no problem leaving them to the Luozhen Sect's disciples.

He came to the two large red wooden chests.

Li Yunjing first picked up the Yin-Yang Primordial Magnet Stone.

I'll find time to ask him to forge me a Law Artifact that suits my hand.

Li Yunjing put the Yin-Yang Primordial Magnet Stone into his Storage Bag.

The person Li Yunjing meant was an artifact crafter he knew.

He was a decent person and highly skilled at artifact crafting.

His master was a second-grade artifact crafter.

As it happened, Li Yunjing did not have a Law Artifact that suited his hand.

Buying one would not be cost-effective.

He might as well find someone to make one to order.

He opened the two large red wooden chests.

One held a large pile of Spirit Stones.

There were several thousand at least.

Li Yunjing swept his Divine Sense over them and determined the number.

There were exactly three thousand Spirit Stones in total.

"So generous?" Li Yunjing felt uneasy.

The Li Household had brought out three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones just to apologize?

Could there be some scheme behind it?

Li Yunjing had to think of danger even in times of peace.

For an apology, seven or eight hundred Spirit Stones would have been about right.

Huo Junrui, for instance, had given him notes worth five hundred Spirit Stones.

Why would the Li Household bring out a full three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones?

Closing the large chest, Li Yunjing decided not to make any rash moves with this batch of Spirit Stones for the time being.

The other large chest contained nothing but spirit materials.

There were fifteen spirit materials in all.

Ten were first-grade spirit materials, and two were second-grade spirit materials.

These spirit materials were not low in value either.

Li Yunjing closed the chest. For now, he would leave the contents of both large chests where they were.

On a small path, Li Wan and Li Qiuchen were leisurely making their way toward the Li Household.

"Grandfather, why did you give away so many things?" Li Qiuchen was puzzled.

Li Wan glanced at Li Qiuchen.

"What, you can't accept it? I'm telling you, even if you can't, you'll have to swallow it!

"Li Yunjing has great potential and the Immortal Alliance backing him. Sooner or later, the Li Household will be beneath him.

"By offending Li Yunjing, are you trying to get the Li Household wiped out?"