Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 109 Welcoming Guests
In Xixiang City.

Li Xiangming waited anxiously for news.

After a while, Li Qianbai and several monks from the Service Institute entered.

"How was it? Did it work?"

"It works. We found a large number of locust carcasses in a river valley."

Where are the eggs?

"The quantity is very small, at least much less than expected."

"That's good."

Li Xiangming breathed a sigh of relief. Ever since the animal breeding center developed the locust plague, he immediately began experimenting, releasing a batch of locusts infected with the plague.

It seems to be working very well; both the infectivity and mortality rate have met expectations.

Most importantly, this locust plague helps suppress the locusts' reproductive capacity.

"Every ten days or so, we release a new batch of locusts to prevent new swarms from coming in."

Li Xiangming gave his instructions.

As long as the Imperial Household Department controls this level, the locust plague will not disappear.

Locusts have no minds, but the locust demons inside are intelligent.

He refused to believe that these disgusting things could keep sneaking into the two villages.

Of course, even if they insist on burrowing, their threat level is greatly reduced after infection, and their scale may be less than one-tenth of what it used to be.

"So, does that mean we can withdraw from the two villages?"

A middle-aged cultivator asked slowly. This person was a cultivator sent by the Ji family of Qingfeng Ridge to serve.

"Evacuate half of the people first, and observe the rest for a month."

Although he trusted Li Xianghong, as the person in charge, Li Xiangming could not make such a hasty decision.

"Yes."

After sending these people away, Li Xiangming felt much more at ease.

Without the locust plague, the two townships can quickly resume production. Regardless of soaring prices outside, the area under the jurisdiction of Danggui Mountain can still achieve self-sufficiency.

With this in mind, Li Xiangming began to focus on his cultivation.
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Upstream of the Dai River, there is a town named Yuanmen Town because the mountains on both sides stretch as far as the eye can see and the cries of monkeys can be heard from time to time.

Ape Gate Town is much smaller than Great Wilderness Town, with less land and fewer resources. Fortunately, there is a ferry crossing, and one can easily reach Pucheng by going down the river. Normally, there is no shortage of supplies.

However, since the locust plague, Pucheng has been under control, and the number of ships traveling between the two places has decreased significantly.

The town of Yuanmen has become noticeably desolate.

Without the aid of the Daishan Immortal Sect, most of the townspeople looked pale and sickly.

However, today, Yuanmen Town is unusually lively.

Dozens of huge sailboats sailed upstream and docked at the ferry crossing in Yuanmen Town.

"Elder Hua, Elder Ma!"

Bai Shuheng and Liu Lingzhou, who had been waiting for a long time, bowed respectfully.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Ma Houchen nodded, then waved his hand, and the Bailu Sect disciples at the ferry guided the mortals off the boat.

These mortals were extremely numerous, with over five thousand people on each ship.

It took Bailumen two days and two nights to settle everyone down.

Ma Houchen held the list: "Shuheng, take these people to Zhenhun Sect; Lingzhou, transport these to Shengyi Sect."

"Yes."

The two answered in response, while looking at the list with some confusion.

"What about the rest?"

"I will send the rest to Angelica Mountain with Elder Hua."

"This"

Is it necessary for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to personally escort mortals?
As if sensing their confusion, Ma Houchen explained, "We have other tasks to complete. You should hurry up and come back sooner. Dahuang Town still needs you."

"Yes!"

Bai Shuheng and Liu Lingzhou turned and left.

Meanwhile, the Li family also learned of Bai Lumen's arrival in Pudong. "Xiangming, how are the preparations going at the accounting office?"

Li Qianxiong asked.

"Preparations are almost complete, and accommodating 50,000 households should not be a problem."

In the past few months, the Shangji Office has mobilized laborers and supplies from the two townships to build a refugee camp 400 li south of Changyang Valley.

These campsites are rudimentary, but they provide adequate shelter from the wind and rain.

"Come with me to meet the people from Bailu Gate."

"Yes."

Although Li Qianxiong did not want these people, Bailumen's status was such that even if the Li family had grievances in their hearts, they could not express them, let alone openly resist.

On the contrary, the Li family had to put on a smiling face.

The Li family sent four people to welcome Bai Lumen: Li Qianxiong, Li Chengkang, Li Xiangyu, and Li Xiangming.

Of the four, Li Qianxiong is the head of the family and will definitely have to step forward.

As for Li Chengkang, according to intelligence, two Foundation Establishment cultivators have arrived at Bailu Sect.

Therefore, the Li family also sent two Foundation Establishment cultivators to save face.

As for Li Xiangyu and Li Xiangming, one was responsible for protecting Danggui Mountain from outsiders, and the other was responsible for resettling the people; both were simply fulfilling their duties.

Soon, the Li family and their group met the procession from Bailu Gate.

As far as the eye could see, there were two long lines, which were covered with countless tiny black dots.

"But the Li family cultivators were in front?"

Among the group, some cultivators noticed the newcomers and flew into the air.

"Indeed, we came here to welcome the arrival of the White Dew Sect, but we did not expect to find Elder Hua and Elder Ma here in person."

Li Qianxiong cupped his hands in greeting, smiling broadly, but a hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes.

These two individuals have been very active in Puxian County recently.

In particular, Ma Houchen set up a trap in Dahuang Town some time ago, luring the members of the Mang Sect into the trap, and then destroyed the Mang Sect's stronghold in Pubei in one fell swoop. It is said that he killed more than ten cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refining, and the heads rolled.

These are more than a dozen late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry.

If so many people in the Li family die, they will never recover.

The Mang Cult was no exception; it suffered a severe blow and completely disappeared in the last two or three months.

Not to mention Pu County, even Zhangning Prefecture can no longer hear their voices.

Hua Lun was no less capable. Half a month ago, in cooperation with the Fuhu Temple in Zhanggongling, he destroyed several dens of iniquity of the Mang Sect and rescued hundreds of children with spiritual roots.

The two men's intervention completely revitalized the "dejected" Bailu Sect.

It should be noted that in the past four or five years, the Mang Sect operated in the shadows, while the Bailu Sect operated in the open.

The Mangjiao sect has always been the one to harass the Bailumen sect; there has never been a case of the Bailumen sect retaliating.

Unexpectedly, in just a few months, the Bailu Sect turned the tide, greatly increasing its prestige by cracking down on the Mang Sect, and began to show signs of becoming the overlord of Pu County.

Why did Ma Houchen and Hua Lun, the instigators, personally come to the Li family?
Li Qianxiong naturally didn't believe they had come to escort ordinary people.

Therefore, his complexion was not very good.

Ma Houchen was alright, but Hua Lun immediately noticed Li Qianxiong's unease.

He had a business relationship with the Li family, and said with a smile, "Master Li, you are too kind. There is no need for you to personally receive us. We are just passing by and have a more important mission."

"Oh?"

Li Qianxiong asked curiously, "What important mission is it that warrants your personal involvement?"

"We came here because of the locust demon."

"Locust demon?"

“That’s right. Based on our assessment, the locust demon is most likely hiding in Puyin Mountain, so the two of us came to investigate.”

It turns out it was all because of the locust demon!
The members of the Li family looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Xiangming, in particular, is now afraid that Bailumen will change its mind and, with the help of Ma Houchen and Hua Lun, force more people to come over, and the Li family's refusal will be useless.

"The locust infestation in Puxian County is severe; this monster truly must be eliminated."

Li Qianxiong spoke slowly.

(End of this chapter)