Seek Worthy Consorts and Carry On the Family Line
The households along the middle reaches of the Lesser Cold River were finally dumbfounded. At last, they saw the situation for what it was.
The Li Household was serious!
Today, they had learned what it meant to try to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it. They had thought they had the Li Household firmly in their grasp and could exploit its troubles, both natural and man-made, to swindle it. Instead, not only had the deal fallen through, but it had also collapsed completely.
The eight households' Frozen Water spiritual resources added up to no small quantity. In the vast Chu Kingdom, no other household besides the Li Household had the capacity to take them all.
The reason was simple: no other household had an inherited Cultivation Method for the Frozen Water Dao Path. Even if they bought the resources, they would have no use for them. No one would pay good spiritual crystals for a heap of junk that could only gather dust in a storeroom.
Everyone who left the Li Household's mountain gate looked as though they had lost their parents. They had arrived with their heads held high, only to leave with them hanging low.
Spirit cranes danced on either side of the mountain path, and rosy clouds billowed overhead. The scenery was fit for an immortal realm, but to them, it looked desolate.
Chen Po abandoned his earlier composure, and the anger he had suppressed for so long burst out all at once:
"Why did you have to bring up the Radiant Bright Blessed Land?! Huh? The Li Household has no one ready to carry on after its older generation. It's counting on that grotto-heaven and blessed land to gain some fortuitous opportunities and give its promising youngsters a sliver of a chance at the Purple Mansion. That's the Li Household's sorest spot right now! Even my old ancestor was mindful of appearances and couldn't openly make an issue of it, but you just had to throw the matter of their share right in their faces! Were you afraid Li Zhengchen wasn't angry enough?"
Luo Yongying's guts had already turned green with regret. Being scolded in public like this made him lose even more face, and he gritted his teeth as he retorted:
"Wasn't this what we agreed on before we came? How has it all become my fault now? I'm no immortal. Who could have guessed that Li Zhengchen would turn hostile at the drop of a hat and show us no consideration at all?"
Chen Po raised a hand and rubbed his forehead, saying through clenched teeth:
"Blaming each other won't help now. Given the situation, there are only two possibilities. Either the Li Household still has the means to back up its position, and its spiritual storehouse really does have Frozen Water spiritual resources in stock, so it wasn't bluffing. Or the Li Household would rather suffer a heavy loss and tough it out to preserve its dignity. We both understand that if they let us open the door to looting a burning house today, the Li Household would be unable to take a single step in the Chu Kingdom from then on. The various powers would devour it until not even its bones remained."
The more he spoke, the more agitated he became, and he quickened his pace considerably:
"Whichever it is, the deal has fallen through. That's an indisputable fact, and we can't avoid getting reprimanded when we return. For now, we should give the True Person a full and accurate account of the Li Household's attitude today. The Li Household's Frozen Water Dao Path is probably much more secure than we expected. Reporting that information might make up for some of our fault."
Luo Yongying hurried along, his expression dark.
He hadn't taken in half a word Chen Po had said. His mind was full not of reflection on his own household's insatiable greed, but of gnashing resentment toward the Li Household.
Returning in defeat like this, not only had his chance at becoming Peak Master gone up in smoke, but he had also utterly lost face within his clan.
"That's all we can do. Hmph! Don't be impatient, everyone. We'll keep the Frozen Water spiritual resources for the Li Household for now. I refuse to believe they can keep holding out forever! The spiritual atmosphere is already showing signs of change. The yearly decline of Frozen Water spiritual resources in the Lesser Cold River is an irreversible trend, beyond any human power to stop. The Li Household has so many Frozen Water cultivators that even if it has some stock in its spiritual storehouse, it can last at most until the end of the year. They're probably acting so tough today because they plan to seek a way out in the Radiant Bright Blessed Land. But how many Frozen Water spiritual resources can there be in the blessed land? When their supplies run short next year, they'll come knocking on our doors themselves!"
Chen Po clearly agreed, saying:
"That's true enough. By then, the Li Household won't be in the same position it is today. When they beg us to sell, we'll collect everything back with interest."
He and Luo Yongying understood each other without a word, another scheme taking shape in their minds.
The Li Household's hard stance today had to be described as a trapped beast putting up a desperate fight, while their own misstep had to be dressed up as a strategic retreat.
More importantly, they had to settle one matter before the True Person: on the expedition to the Radiant Bright Blessed Land, they must join forces to encircle and wipe out the Li Household's descendants.
When the time came, never mind letting the Li Household find Frozen Water spiritual resources—if its people walked out of the blessed land with all their limbs intact, Luo Yongying and Chen Po would have lived their lives in vain!
The two hurriedly took their leave, leaving only the cultivators from a few minor sects and schools to sigh.
Chen Po and Luo Yongying still had True Persons backing them, but the other six households did not.
They had offended the Li Household, and those two households certainly would not help them either. Now the cultivators of all six households regretted making the trip.
"We're finished... The Li Household's power is still intact!"
"It's all over. We're bound to have hard days ahead. Sigh!"
Without this deal, they had lost the vast majority of their spiritual crystal income. They were bound to have no easy way to survive.
"As I see it, we can only pin our hopes on the Radiant Bright Blessed Land now. When it opens, we'll send the youngsters in to pick up the scraps the immortal clans and sects look down on. Maybe that'll barely keep us going until next year..."
"Sigh! If only we'd known!"
No one spoke again. Like dogs that had lost their homes, they wrapped their robes tightly around themselves against the cold mountain wind and dispersed in dejection.
After witnessing this, Li Zhengjun gained a deeper understanding of the importance of spiritual resources.
A single supply line for Frozen Water spiritual resources had been enough to force a Purple Mansion immortal clan to swallow its anger for years.
And it was precisely because the Li Household controlled a spiritual site that it could boldly overturn the table while surrounded by wolves.
That was the helpless reality of the Great Scarlet Realm: spiritual resources were vitally important.
While there was still time before his departure, Li Zhengchen hurried to teach Li Zhengjun how to identify Frozen Water spiritual resources, the essentials of gathering them, and the secret Method Formula for harvesting Frozen Water Primordial Qi.
Most cultivators on the Li Household's Frozen Water Dao Path practiced the lower fourth-tier Cold Abyss Wave-Guiding Instruction.
Upon reaching Qi Ingestion, they had to ingest a mouthful of Azure Wave Condensed Primordial Qi to stabilize their foundations and open their meridians.
The Qi-gathering method Li Zhengchen taught this time included only the technique for gathering Qi, not the method for combining it. This was also a precaution against cultivators harboring selfish intentions.
Crucial resources had to be kept firmly in the hands of the Li Household's core members.
In this way, Li Zhengjun could spread the method widely in the Great Scarlet Realm. Any cultivator could gather Qi, but they would have no way to turn it to their own use and could only trade it to the Li Household.
At Chongming Hall.
Only a day had passed when Li Zhengjun returned, but there were already more than twenty people in the hall.
When the newly arrived cultivators saw Li Zhengjun, they all bowed, their faces filled with excitement.
"Greetings, my lord!"
Li Zhengjun nodded, offered a few words of encouragement, and told them to return to their tasks.
"The clan elders are really efficient. They found so many people in just one day."
There was no need to doubt their loyalty or anything of the sort. Every one of them had been vetted by at least five clan elders.
Moreover, once brought to Chongming Hall, they would have no chance of returning.
Even if these people did not go to the Great Scarlet Realm, they would still have to sever all contact with the outside world. They could only live here under assumed names and do their utmost to assist Li Zhengjun until he attained the Purple Mansion.
Before long, Li Chenbin came forward and presented a Jade Slip.
"My lord, your time in the Great Scarlet Realm is precious. Not a moment can be wasted. This is an outline we drafted overnight, covering the clan's founding system, the management of spiritual resources, rules for selecting children with Spirit Roots, regulations for rewards and punishments based on merit, and other matters. You may choose what to implement according to the actual conditions in the Ning Kingdom. As for the detailed provisions, there are many matters involved, and they will need some more time to complete."
Li Zhengjun accepted it and said:
"Thank you all for your hard work."
He put away the Jade Slip and was about to turn and leave when True Person Yuhong arrived in a hurry and called him back.
"Zhengjun, wait a moment."
Li Zhengjun stopped and said respectfully:
"What are your instructions, True Person?"
Yuhong took out some pills and several manuals and said solemnly:
"These are pills and Cultivation Methods from the clan for boosting fertility. Take them and use them for now. I've already spoken to True Person Dayu, and she's refining pills for you. Next time you return, come with me to Heart-Destroying Mountain. She'll help you refine your physique and vital essence."
He paused, a trace of eagerness appearing in his eyes:
"True Person Dayu also has a high-grade Cultivation Method called the Rhapsody of Great Bliss in Yin-Yang Coupling. It's an excellent method for producing offspring and harmonizing yin and yang. I've already reached an agreement with her. Once I gather the few spiritual resources she still needs, I'll trade for it for you as well."
Li Zhengjun listened in bewilderment. He looked down at the bottles of pills in his hands, then up at his grandfather's earnest expression, and made sure he wasn't joking.
"True Person, what is this...?"
True Person Yuhong's expression became stern, and his tone was serious enough to sound almost like a reprimand:
"When you go back this time, besides cultivating and collecting Frozen Water spiritual resources, you have an even more important task: seek out worthy consorts and carry on the family line."
He seemed afraid that Li Zhengjun would not take the matter to heart, and his wording abruptly grew several degrees harsher:
"This is not a discussion. It's an order, and you must carry it out!"