Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 320 Welcoming Peak

After leaving Dendrobium Market, Li Xiangming and Cao Yanjun boarded a flying boat, while Li Chenggeng and Li Qianshi sat cross-legged on a flying shuttle, and the four of them flew towards Baoquan Mountain.

After flying for a short while, Li Chenggeng frequently looked at Li Xiangming.

Li Qianshi noticed Li Chenggeng's unusual behavior, and his gaze fell on Li Xiangming. Suddenly, he seemed to freeze in place: "Xiangming, your, your magic power..."

"Xiangming has reached Foundation Establishment!"

At this moment, Cao Yanjun smiled slightly.

Li Chenggeng and Li Qianshi stood up almost simultaneously, causing the shuttle to sway violently and nearly lose its balance. Fortunately, Li Chenggeng reacted quickly and increased his magical power to stabilize the shuttle.

Nevertheless, his face was still filled with astonishment: "When did you reach the Foundation Establishment stage?"

Li Xiangming grasped Cao Yanjun's hand and replied with a smile, "Yesterday was rushed, and I didn't have time to explain in detail to everyone. I established my foundation in Green Cloud Cave a while ago. At that time, my master was worried that I was not capable of taking on the position of sect leader, so he used pills to help me."

In fact, Fairy Green Cloud cared more about Li Xiangming's foundation-building than he did himself.

Not only did they trick Li Xiangming into taking the elixir, but they also prepared a large number of rare and precious medicinal herbs in advance.

Of course, the Green Cloud Fairy's ultimate goal was still for herself.

Since Li Xiangming had concealed Fairy Green Cloud's sinister intentions, he naturally couldn't reveal the entire process of his Foundation Establishment.

However, there's no need to hide the fact that he has reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

Cao Yanjun already knew about this yesterday during their dual cultivation session.

It's just that others couldn't see through the evil green robe to understand Li Xiangming's true nature.

However, Li Xiangming inevitably used his magic power while piloting the flying boat today, and this subtle change was immediately noticed by Li Chenggeng.

"He has truly reached the Foundation Establishment stage?"

Li Chenggeng was somewhat excited. He handed the flying shuttle to Li Qianshi, flew over to Li Xiangming, and personally felt Li Xiangming's magical power.

After a moment, his brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed: "Although the mana is somewhat disordered, it is undoubtedly the mana of a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

Upon receiving confirmation from Li Chenggeng, Li Qianshi trembled with excitement. He laughed loudly, "In just ten years, three Foundation Establishment cultivators have emerged from my Li family. This is a sign of the great prosperity of my Li family!"

Li Xiangming is unlike Li Xiangren and Li Qianxiao.

The first two are from the main branch of the family, while Li Xiangming is a legitimate member of the fourth branch and is currently the only Foundation Establishment cultivator in the fourth branch.

In that brief moment, Li Qianshi's thoughts raced like a runaway horse. Back then, Li Qianxiong's foundation-building had shattered the eldest branch's monopoly on the position of family head. Now, the eldest branch was eyeing the position with predatory intent, attempting to seize it back. But did the fourth branch lack ambition? With Li Xiangming's talent and ability, he might very well be able to rival Li Xiangren.

Li Qianshi became more and more excited as he thought about it, and his gaze toward Li Xiangming was as if he were staring at a rare treasure.

Seeing his two elders so happy made Li Xiangming smile wryly.

While achieving foundational attainment was a desirable outcome, he remained deeply troubled by the fact that he had taken the Human Elixir.

This is also the main reason why he didn't share this good news with everyone immediately.

Compared to Li Xiangren, he felt that his foundation building was not very successful.

The magical power of the elixir still remains in his body, requiring him to use more than half of his magical power to suppress it.

Furthermore, the forced foundation construction caused considerable damage to his foundation.

Having cultivated "yin energy" for many years, he should have had a very high degree of control over his magical power. In the past, when he broke through to a higher realm, the instability of his realm lasted for a very short time. However, now, Li Chenggeng bluntly pointed out that he had a disordered magical power.

To put it bluntly, he's currently a "crippled" Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Furthermore, it would take at least three to five years to recover.

However, Li Qianshi was unaware of all this, and kept chanting "May God bless the Li family." Even the usually serious Li Chenggeng couldn't help but look at Li Xiangming with a touch more kindness.

"Your ability to reach the Foundation Establishment stage is a great joy, and your family will be very happy. But do not be arrogant. Be humble and avoid complacency. Think more about the glory of your ancestors. In the past, our Li family had four Golden Elixir cultivators. How glorious that was! Angelica, Angelica, one day our Li family will return to Tianzhu Mountain to pay homage to our ancestors."

As Li Chenggeng spoke, he drifted off into other topics, but Li Xiangming still listened attentively to these old stories.

The Li family's continued existence to this day is inseparable from ancestor worship.

This was also the key to the rise of the Li family.

If, after several hundred years, the Li family has not risen to prominence and this sense of identity has weakened, the Li family will also come to an end and disappear into the long river of history.
-
Baoquan Mountain is located in the northern mountain range of Hao County, and is somewhat far from Dendrobium Market.

Li Xiangming and his group traveled at breakneck speed, and it took them three days to barely arrive.

Similar to Danggui Mountain, Baoquan Mountain is more of a mountain range than a mountain itself. In addition to the main peak, there are hundreds of large and small branches and ridges.

However, Danggui Mountain is distributed in the north and south, while Baoquan Mountain is shaped like a dumpling.

One of the outer rings of mountains was connected by the Hengyue Sect, forming a super-large formation called the Nine Heavens Cloud Concealment Formation.

This Nine Heavens Cloud Concealment Formation is not an offensive formation, but its coverage area exceeds a thousand miles. When one is inside it, surrounded by clouds and mist, even with one's divine sense by one's side, one will still lose one's sense of direction.

It would be almost impossible for an ordinary cultivator to pass through this formation and reach the core of Baoquan Mountain—Xuan Nu Peak.

"The Hengyue Sect really has a grand scale."

Li Xiangming was deeply moved, realizing that the Lesser Mysterious Yin Spirit Array of Green Cloud Cave could only protect the mountain gate.

The Li family's protective mountain formation—the Nanming Li Huo Formation—only covers the main body of Tailai Peak.

Hengyue Gate, with just one maze, covers a thousand miles.

Only those with ill intentions who have passed through the Nine Heavens Hidden Cloud Formation are qualified to see the core formations that Hengyue Sect has set up in various important locations.

This one move alone eliminated eight or nine out of ten troubles.

However, this formation also isolated the Li family members.

"Let's go check out Welcoming Peak first."

Li Chenggeng gave an instruction.

As a former vassal of the Hengyue Sect, he was quite familiar with the sect's system and easily led the others to an unremarkable mountain peak.

Two boys, a boy and a girl, guarded the mountain gate. They seemed to have received professional training. When they saw the visitors, they kept their eyes down and showed no curiosity. The girl took the visiting card from the Li family and strode up the mountain.

Li Xiangming noticed that although the girl was walking, her steps were light, clearly indicating that she possessed magical power, and that the power was not weak, probably around the third level of Qi Refining.

Keep in mind that the other person looks to be no more than eight or nine years old.

"Those who can guard the mountain gate here are no ordinary people."

Li Qianshi explained, "This is a tradition of Hengyue Sect. All inner disciples must come here for two months of training."

"I see."

Li Xiangming seemed to be deep in thought. A moment later, an old Taoist priest with gray hair and beard arrived on a cloud and laughed loudly: "Brother Li, it is an honor to have you here. I, Yuan, have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me!"

"Elder Yuan, you're too kind."

Li Chenggeng returned the greeting. The two were clearly old acquaintances. Instead of going up the mountain immediately, they chatted for a while.

Soon, the topic turned to the purpose of the Li family's group.

Elder Yuan laughed heartily: "So you want to see Elder Min? That's no problem at all. I'll write you a travel permit."

After saying that, Elder Yuan took out a jade token, tapped it a few times with his fingers, handed it to a middle-aged man beside him, and said with a smile, "Brother Li, you can set off after choosing your mount with Junior Nephew Pan."

At the opportune moment, Junior Nephew Pan stepped forward and respectfully cupped his hands to Li Chenggeng: "I am Pan Chen, a disciple of the Welcoming Guest Peak of Hengyue Sect. I greet Senior Li."

Li Chenggeng nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, Fellow Daoist Pan."

The group of several people walked further and further away, following Pan Chen's footsteps.

At this moment, the boy suddenly asked, "Elder Yuan, didn't the Li family just come last time? Why are they here again this time?"

Elder Yuan glanced at him: "They have a very close relationship with Elder Min, why are you bothering with them so much?"

The boy scratched his head: "If they are here to attend the Qingfeng Dharma Assembly, I would like to ask them to pass on a message to Sister Zhao."

"Don't break the rules."

Elder Yuan sternly rebuked them, then said, "The Li family has been absent from the Qingfeng Dharma Assembly for many years, and this time should be no exception, otherwise they wouldn't have arrived at this time. You want to send a message? Isn't there a 'Water and Fire Welcoming the Crane' on the mountain? That's the signature of our Hengyue Sect."

The boy looked miserable: "So what if it's a signboard? It's not free, how can I afford to use it?"

Elder Yuan laughed heartily: "Then you'd better just stay here and guard the gate. If I'm in a good mood, I might reward you with a spirit stone or two."

"Pooh!"

After Elder Yuan left, the boy pouted and said, "Relying on you is like hoping the sun rises in the west. I'd be lucky if you didn't withhold my spirit stones."

(End of this chapter)