Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 226 Marriage
Before leaving, Li Xiangming couldn't help but ask.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangren burst into laughter: "You, you, who are usually so clever, are so muddle-headed today."

Li Xiangming was completely bewildered and hurriedly asked for the deeper meaning.

Li Xiangren shook his head and pointed to the house where Cao Yanjun lived, saying, "When people build houses, they always know to build them bigger so that more people can live there. Don't you think you and Miss Cao are a good match?"

Li Xiangming froze, and the fleeting glimpse of Cao Yanjun's true face when he first saw her flashed through his mind.
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The next day.

The Li family warmly welcomed Cao Yanjun, and Li Qianxiong personally led several clan elders to show her great care and concern.

The grandeur of the scene made Li Xiangming feel uncomfortable, and he even got goosebumps.

Cao Yanjun was clearly taken aback by this sudden enthusiasm and seemed at a loss for what to do.

Li Xiangming could only try to comfort her, saying that the Li family has always been hospitable.

After the banquet, Li Qianxiong summoned Li Xiangming to the Changlin Room, his expression grave: "Xiangming, what is your impression of Yanjun?"

Li Xiangming hesitated for a moment and asked, "Does my family really intend to arrange a marriage between me and the Cao family?"

"What, you don't like it?"

Li Qianxiong calmly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Whether it's appearance, temperament, personality, speech, or qualifications and cultivation, Yanjun is the best choice. It would be even harder for someone else to meet your expectations."

"It's not that I dislike it, it's just that I find it very unexpected."

Li Xiangming shook his head. He invited Cao Yanjun to Dangui Mountain purely for the Blackwater Serpent.

However, just a few months later, his family suddenly tried to match him up with Cao Yanjun, catching him off guard.

Before this, he had never imagined that he and Cao Yanjun would become Daoist partners.

"Unexpected events are normal. Don't say you're surprised, I'm surprised too."

Li Qianxiong muttered something to himself, then explained, "Actually, your family has already picked out a partner for you. Do you remember your trip to Fengmo Island last time?"

Li Xiangming nodded. He remembered vividly the Shen family on Fengmo Island where he had inscribed the Guixu runes.

“The Shen family and our Li family have a century-long history of kinship. Since Xiang Yu’s father, the two families need a new marriage alliance to maintain our relationship.”

Li Qianxiong slowly explained: "It just so happens that your marriage was still undecided, so three years ago, your second uncle made an agreement with the Shen family."

"The reason we haven't arranged a marriage right away is because your family is considering that you are in the process of advancing your cultivation. Getting married too early would delay your cultivation."

It was agreed upon three years ago?
Wasn't it the trip I took to Fengmo Island?

Li Xiangming couldn't help but ask, "Who is the person my family has arranged for me to marry?"

"Didn't you know? The Shen family said they arranged for you to meet."

A hint of amusement flickered in Li Qianxiong's eyes.

The image of Shen Ruqing flashed through Li Xiangming's mind instantly.

"It's Shen Rube."

However, what Li Qianxiong said next completely stunned Li Xiangming.

The marriage arranged by the Shen family was actually with that little girl, Shen Rubei?
"What about Shen Ruqing?"

Li Xiangming exclaimed in surprise, because at that time, it was Shen Ruqing who had been in contact with him.

"Ruqing is the same, as is Shen Qiushui. She's always been like this."

Li Qianxiong shook his head. "Back then, Xiangyu's father also met two women from the Shen family. One of them was Xiangyu's mother. The two fell in love at first sight, but Shen Qiushui chose to arrange a marriage between the other woman and our Li family."

"In the end, hehe, our Li family paid a considerable price to help the two of them get married. However, Xiangyu's father died in the process of searching for the Crimson Flame Spirit Fire. Shen Qiushui, on the other hand, immediately tricked her daughter back to the Shen family and even tried to take Xiangyu away."

"This old guy's actions are the most disgusting."

Li Qianxiong had a lot of complaints about Shen Qiushui and kept cursing at her.

When the Li family came to demand someone back then, Li Qianxiong was one of them. He was not only turned away but also humiliated.

He was so angry that he kept yelling.

However, since the old man Li Huinan was still alive, although the two families had a conflict, it did not escalate completely, and in the end, the Li family swallowed their anger.

It wasn't until Lee Sang-yu grew up that the relationship between the two families returned to normal.

They also had the idea of ​​another marriage alliance.

"Whether it's Ruqing or Rubei, the original plan was for you to marry into the Shen family, and this matter was supported by several elders of the Shen family."

Li Qianxiong continued, "But the Shen family, without our consent, carved curse symbols for Xiang Yu three years ago."

“I’ve never heard of the Shen family being good at curse runes. Their actions are undoubtedly using Xiang Yu as an experiment.” Li Qianxiong’s tone was full of anger. “Xiang Yu is also stubborn. The Shen family told him not to say anything, and he really didn’t. If it weren’t for the battle at Maojing Mine, we would still be in the dark.”

"In short, after your second uncle found out, he went to the Shen family and made a scene. Now the relationship between the two families is very strained. Shen Qiushui announced that she would never associate with us again, and we also look down on them. We have already ordered Xiang Yu not to go to Fengmo Island."

Li Qianxiong sighed and looked at Li Xiangming with a complicated expression: "However, your marriage is now off the table."

Li Xiangming was stunned.

During the battle at Maojing Mine, Li Xiangyu displayed extraordinary prowess, single-handedly defeating more than thirty disciples of the Moving Mountain Sect, with the curse runes playing a crucial role in the victory.

I used to be quite envious of it.

But when Li Xiangren saw this, he was extremely angry.

Now, the Li family has fallen out with the Shen family over the matter of the cursed talisman.

It should be noted that the Shen family took Xiangyu's mother away.

Neither of the two sides directly broke off relations.

Clearly, the curse runes must have hidden dangers.

This potential threat, placed on a talented disciple like Li Xiangyu who carries the hopes of the family, has crossed the Li family's bottom line.

However, it was the Shen family that first broke down and severed ties with the Li family.

It seems that Li Chengkang has caused quite a stir at the Shen family.

"So the family turned to the Cao family as a potential marriage partner?"

Li Xiangming continued to ask. Although he was quite concerned about Li Xiangyu's condition, he had no idea what the cursed runes on Li Xiangyu's body were or what harm they caused.

Even Foundation Establishment cultivators like Li Qianxiong were deeply wary of discussing it and were unwilling to elaborate.

Therefore, it would be better for him to focus on his own affairs.

"It's not that we've taken a liking to the Cao family."

Li Qianxiong glanced at Li Xiangming: "Although Xiangren mentioned it a few times, the one who really wants a marriage alliance is not us, but the Cao family."

"Cao family?"

Li Xiangming was greatly puzzled.

"Cao Qiang and Li Ruo have been staying at Danggui Mountain for more than four months. Besides verbally urging them, what else has the Cao family done?"

Li Qianxiong countered with a question.

"Cao Fuyi has been here before."

Li Xiangming said in a low voice.
Li Qianxiong laughed and scolded, "Cao Fuyi looks at you like you're his son-in-law. He'd love for Yanjun to stay on Danggui Mountain for a few more days."

Li Xiangming scratched his head, unsure how to answer.

"Do you remember when we asked you to escort the demonic beast to Yuyuan? That was also at the request of the Cao family."

Li Qianxiong added, his tone carrying a hint of ambiguity.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming immediately thought of Cao Minghui.

Cao Minghui risked coming to Pu County, ostensibly to inspect Yuyuan Garden.

Yet he asked to see me, and we only talked about everyday things.
Li Xiangming finally realized that the Cao family did indeed have the idea of ​​a marriage alliance with the Li family, and the person they had chosen was none other than himself.

There were signs of this all along, but I had been ignoring the details.

"When Cao Fuyi first visited Danggui Mountain, he expressed his intention to arrange a marriage alliance. However, at that time, he did not have the final say, and the Cao family did not make any further moves, so the matter was dropped."

"Later, the Cao family expressed their intentions on several occasions and designated you as their marriage partner."

Li Qianxiong put down his teacup and said calmly, "But you already had a verbal engagement with the Shen family at that time, and the Cao family was far away in Qingshui County, and behind them was the Suxin Sword Sect, which was hostile to Hengyue Sect, so we never expressed our opinion."

"By now, the Shen family's proposal has fallen through, and the cooperation between the Li family and Yuyuan has become increasingly close. There are many voices in the family supporting a marriage alliance with the Cao family."

A glint of light flashed in Li Qianxiong's eyes: "And the fact that you brought Yan Jun here has intensified the emergence of these voices."

"The elders and I hesitated because we were considering whether there was any possibility of reconciliation with the Shen family. After all, the Shen family has been linked to us for two generations through marriage and has a century-long friendship with us, while the Cao family is a complete stranger."

"But since Yanjun can tame the Blackwater Serpent, we have nothing to say."

"Her value has exceeded our expectations. A marriage alliance with the Cao family would also be more in line with the family's current strategy of developing the Beast Taming Dao. So I've come to ask you, are you willing to become Daoist partners with Yan Jun?"

(End of this chapter)