Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 238 Three Families
After bidding farewell to Qingyang Daoist, Li Xiangming glanced around and walked toward the two young men in black robes.

"Fellow Daoist Geng, it's been a long time."

Li Xiangming was the first to greet him, and Geng Shiheng turned around and replied with a smile, "It's been a long time since we last met. Fellow Daoist Li, you've already settled down and started a family. Congratulations!"

"Brother Geng, are you perhaps not yet married?"

Li Xiangming asked curiously.

"Hehe, we ghost cultivators are feared by ordinary people, so it's not easy to find a cultivation partner."

Geng Shiheng sighed, then turned to the man beside him and said with a smile, "Shizhe is eight years older than me, and he is still unmarried."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming couldn't help but glance at Geng Shizhe.

The other party's face stiffened, clearly somewhat embarrassed. He turned to look at Li Xiangming, cupped his hands, and said, "Fellow Daoist Li, your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds, and today you have formed a marriage alliance with the Cao family. I congratulate you."

Geng Shizhe was arrogant and had been resentful of Li Xiangming ever since their fight at Puyin Mountain.

But as the two companies have worked together for many years, these grievances have all faded away.

Li Xiangming smiled and nodded, but a look of caution flashed in his eyes.

After several years, Geng Shiheng had already reached the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Geng Shizhe had already reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, and was only one step away from Foundation Establishment.

According to intelligence from the family, Geng Shiheng's talent is superior to Geng Shizhe's.

However, in actual contact, Geng Shizhe was clearly superior to Geng Shiheng in both cultivation level and fighting skills.

This person is not simple.

However, neither of these two individuals were the most outstanding geniuses in the Geng family.

It is said that there is another Geng Shipei in the Geng family, whose strength far surpasses his peers, and who is known as a prodigy along with Li Xiangren.

Although the Geng family's foundation was not as strong as the Qin family's, they were able to withstand the Qin family's attacks for several years. This was not only due to the unity and concerted efforts of the family members who had built their foundations, but also inseparable from the elite members of the "Shi" generation.

Geng Shizhe's purpose in coming to Changyang Valley was not simple. In addition to delivering gifts on behalf of the Geng family, he also mentioned the Cao family.

Clearly, he wanted to find out about the cooperation between the Li and Cao families.

"We are dissatisfied with Fellow Daoist Li. Several months ago, we cleared out Puyin Mountain and harvested a lot of demonic beasts. We have come today to ask if the Li family can handle this batch of demonic beasts?"

"how many?"

Li Xiangming asked in a low voice.

"No less than two hundred."

Geng Shiheng chimed in from the side.

"Two hundred?"

Li Xiangming was stunned, and subconsciously asked, "How many people did you send?"

It's worth noting that the beast-catching facility only captures a little over two hundred monsters a year.

Of course, directly hunting and sending the animals back to the Spirit Kitchen doesn't count.

"About half a family, seven were injured and one died along the way."

Geng Shiheng was somewhat saddened, as the Geng family had suffered many casualties in the battle between the Geng and Qin families.

Every single cultivator in the Geng family today is extremely precious.

Li Xiangming frowned slightly; he couldn't understand the Geng family's large-scale extermination of demonic beasts.

Indeed, monsters roam freely in Puyin Mountain, but they pose little threat to Danggui Mountain and Meiling outside the mountain.

After all, there's a wilderness in between.

The Li family also suppressed monsters, and even built a special beast-catching house for this purpose.

But surely it wouldn't warrant mobilizing half the family?
Moreover, the Geng family suffered casualties, which means they must have sent juniors in the early and middle stages of Qi Refining to take action.

Although he didn't understand, Li Xiangming didn't inquire further as it was an internal matter for the Geng family.

He welcomes cooperation.

He immediately said he would inform the head of the family and would try to facilitate the cooperation.

While at Qingliang Mountain, Cao Fuyi subtly expressed that the Cao family was not satisfied with a collaboration limited to Yuyuan.

They hoped that the Li family could sell more monsters and transport them back to Qingliang Mountain from Yuyuan, so that the Cao family could tame them locally.

Li Qianxiong did not reject the proposal, so it was inevitable that the Beast-Catching House would increase its efforts in hunting demons.

Now that the Geng family is willing to sell a batch of monsters, the beast-catching station can take a breather and make more thorough preparations.

Besides trading demonic beasts, Geng Shiheng also mentioned many other collaborations, such as selling Purple Cicada Cloud Sand and the Geng family's unique Five Yin Pills.

The Geng family also had their own requests, namely elixirs, talismans, and magical artifacts.

After listening to the whole thing, Li Xiangming's expression turned serious.

The pills the Geng family wanted to buy were mainly healing pills.

The talismans I want to buy are mainly combat talismans.

Finally, they also made a request to send the damaged ritual implements to Li Jiadan's equipment room for repair.

The previous cooperation was understandable; even in peacetime, there would be a need to stockpile healing pills and combat talismans.

But this final collaboration on repairing the ritual implements was clearly preparation for wartime.

Although the Geng family is a family of ghost cultivators, they also have their own weapon refiners.

They can handle some of the damaged magical artifacts themselves.

The fact that they've approached the Li family now undoubtedly indicates that they've concluded the family's weapon refiners are incapable of handling future emergencies.

Under what circumstances would a large number of damaged magical artifacts appear?

Only war.

Li Xiangming hesitated, but Geng Shizhe said in a deep voice, "The Geng family has undoubtedly started this dispute without authorization, but if someone has ill intentions, the Geng family will not sit idly by and wait for their doom."

Li Xiangming naturally understood who Geng Shizhe was referring to as the ill-intentioned person.

It seems that the Liu family's persuasion did not lead to a complete reconciliation between the Qin and Geng families.

The brief pause between the two sides was merely a way to conserve energy for a more intense next clash.

When it came to war, Li Xiangming's attitude became much more cautious.

However, he still promised to convey the Geng family's request to Li Qianxiong.

After having a couple of drinks, Li Xiangming went to see Liu Xianyi and Qin Zhengru.

He didn't like the two of them; he still vividly remembered how they had tricked him before.

However, behind the two stand the Liu family of Jimu Rock and the Qin family of Red Stone Valley, both of which are more powerful than the current Li family.

Li Xiangming must not act impulsively.

Besides, the two of them came today to congratulate me—at least on the surface.

"Brother Li married a celestial beauty; I am so envious!"

Liu Xianyi spoke with a smile.

Li Xiangming smiled as well: "Fellow Daoist Liu, what are you saying? If we're talking about celestial beauties, Miss Qin's appearance is the most outstanding among all the fairies in the world. Brother Liu is also handsome. The two of you are a perfect match, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, which is why others envy you."

After Li Xiangming's praise, Liu Xianyi and Qin Zhengru looked somewhat embarrassed.

Although the two were engaged, they had no affection for each other whatsoever.

Li Xiangming pretended to be completely unaware, and went on to arrange a marriage between the two, even planning out all the children they would have.

Qin Zhengru's expression grew increasingly grim as she listened. Not wanting to offend the groom who was offering a toast, she made an excuse to leave, glaring fiercely at Liu Xianyi before she did.

Seeing this, Liu Xianyi said with a wry smile, "Brother Li, you've really put me in a difficult position."

"Brother Liu, you've misunderstood me. You two are childhood sweethearts and have the expectations of both families. You'll be together sooner or later. It's better for everyone if you admit it sooner, isn't it?"

Li Xiangming smirked, gave a few perfunctory replies, and then began to inquire about the relationship between the Qin and Geng families.

However, Liu Xianyi had already noticed that Li Xiangming came from the Geng brothers' place, and his words were more evasive, and he was much tighter in his tone than when they last met.

Li Xiangming had no choice but to give up. Today was a special day, and he didn't have time to waste here.

However, although he didn't get any information, judging from Liu Xianyi's attitude of trying his best to conceal it, he was almost certain that the relationship between the Qin and Geng families was indeed not as good as it was three years ago.

The reason for this is the increasingly close relationship between the Liu and Qin families.

The Qin family originally wanted to annex the Geng family, but the Geng family was a tough nut to crack, so they relented a little with the intervention of the Liu family.

Now, the Qin family has likely gained the support of the Liu family.

It was only a matter of time before they set their sights on the Geng family.

Prior to this, the Geng family had been gathering supplies and preparing for a long-term battle; their concerns were not unfounded.

While pondering this, Li Xiangming suddenly spotted a familiar figure and, startled, immediately walked over.

(End of this chapter)