Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 355 Reminiscing about the past
"What a coincidence, Mr. Zhao, the wealthy merchant?"

Li Xiangming glanced at Zhao Jindou on the horizon and asked casually.

Zhao Jindou wiped the sweat from his forehead and explained, "It's no coincidence. I came here specifically for these people. I hope that Hall Master Li will spare them for my sake."

"You think Chairman Zhao can just let this go after attacking my Li family's team?" Li Xiangming's tone remained unchanged, but his gaze turned colder.

Zhao Jindou's expression changed, and he quickly looked at Xu Buxiu, sending a message through his divine sense: "You've attacked the Li family?"

Xu Buxiu shook his head: "We came here only for Qiu Wen. It was Qiu Wen who abducted the Li family's team, which attracted this Foundation Establishment senior. We were just caught in the crossfire."

"Foundation building?"

Zhao Jindou was taken aback upon hearing this.

In just over two years, Li Xiangming has already reached the Foundation Establishment stage?

His expression changed several times before he respectfully cupped his hands to Li Xiangming and said, "It's all a misunderstanding. Xu Buxiu has a life-and-death feud with the cultivators you killed earlier. He's here to take revenge on them, and he's definitely not one of them."

Li Xiangming narrowed his eyes and looked at Xu Jin: "Were these people among those who attacked you?"

Xu Jin flew forward unsteadily, sizing up Xu Buxiu and the others.

The scene suddenly became extremely tense.

Everyone stared intently at Xu Jin, especially Xu Buxiu and his group, fearing that he might utter the word "yes".

Fortunately, after a while, Xu Jin finally shook his head: "I was too nervous just now and couldn't tell clearly. Now it seems that these people did not attack us."

Li Xiangming frowned. It was precisely because of Xu Jin's accusations that he acted without thinking and didn't bother to listen to Xu Buxiu's explanation.

Now Xu Jin is telling him that it was a misunderstanding?

However, he did not blame Xu Jin.

People are prone to making mistakes under high pressure, and it's inevitable that they will speak inappropriately.

Not everyone becomes more resilient in the face of setbacks.

Of course, there is another possibility.

From Xu Jin's perspective, it was Qiu Wen and his gang who attacked the miners.

This group of people were extremely vicious. They not only robbed the miners of their belongings, but also committed indiscriminate killings. Even Xu Jin himself almost lost his life.

How could he not hate?
Now that they have finally found the immortal master Li, they naturally want to take revenge and eliminate evil completely.

Xu Jin did not see Xu Buxiu and others attack the miners.

But honestly, Qiu Wen didn't make a move!

Those who carried out the attack were all his subordinates.

How can we be sure that the people in front of us aren't Qiu Wen's gang?
Filled with grief and indignation, Xu Jin had no intention of verifying the other party's true identity. He decided to go all the way and use someone else to kill them all, thus achieving a quick and painless end.

If Xu Jin truly thought that way, then Li Xiangming held him in higher regard.

If a cultivator acts against the heavens, how can he remove all obstacles on his path if he doesn't even dare to vent his hatred?
Moreover, upon seeing Zhao Jindou appear, Xu Jin immediately changed his attitude and admitted that he had made a mistake in his judgment.

This is because he sensed a turning point.

Li Xiangming looked deeply at the honest-looking middle-aged man in front of him, then released the Weeping Spirit Desolate Sky Rope and released the three people he had captured.

Regardless of the truth, since Xu Jin, representing the victims, is no longer accusing Xu Buxiu, there is no need for him to offend Zhao Jindou.

Although Zhao Jindou was just a traveling merchant, everyone has their own use.

At least in this Dai Mountain, Zhao Jindou's power is greater than that of him, a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

When Zhao Jindou saw Li Xiangming compromise, he immediately beamed with joy.

He knew perfectly well that the person in front of him was the type who wouldn't suffer even the slightest loss.

These days, people are more willing to give him face than if he closes ten deals.

He hurriedly called out to Xu Buxiu, "This is the head of the Li family's Foreign Affairs Hall in Dangui Mountain. Head Li is very magnanimous and doesn't hold grudges. Why don't you thank Head Li?"

Xu Buxiu's expression was not good, feeling that he had suffered an undeserved disaster.

But his fearlessness did not mean he was stupid. Now that the situation was beyond his control, and he had barely escaped with his life, he naturally could not give it away again. So he immediately led the others to respectfully bow to Li Xiangming: "Thank you for your forgiveness, Hall Master Li."

"Easy to say."

The group landed on the ground, and Zhao Jindou took out a lot of wooden scraps from his storage bag and instructed his guards to assemble them. In no time, they actually managed to make a sedan chair.

"Please, Master Li!"

Li Xiangming was greatly surprised. He entered the sedan chair and immediately discovered that there was a hidden world inside.

It doesn't feel cramped at all; on the contrary, it's quite spacious, like an antique wooden pavilion.

Zhao Jindou said with a smug look, "This is a rare treasure. It's said that the wood here came from a Cangshen Wood flying boat that was inscribed with a spatial magic array. However, the flying boat was severely damaged and beyond repair. A puppeteer picked up the better parts and combined them with other materials to create this secret chamber... Later, it fell into my hands. I thought it was too conspicuous, so I had someone modify it into what it is now. Don't be fooled by its appearance; it's just a sedan chair. The space inside can easily accommodate ten people, and it can also isolate divine sense. It's perfect for discussing matters and doctrines."

After listening for a while, Li Xiangming said, "President Zhao has a good opportunity."

From a monk's perspective, the sedan chair was worthless.

It can neither increase one's cultivation level, nor can it be used for combat or to protect oneself.

But at least it has a certain level of sophistication.

However, there don't seem to be many sedan chairs that exude such high-class style.

Li Xiangming still found it somewhat difficult to understand.

I don't understand why Zhao Jindou is willing to spend so much money on these fancy things, and why he seems so proud of himself, talking endlessly about the history of this sedan chair.

But when he thought that the flower's spirit stone had nothing to do with him, he felt relieved.

"Chairman Zhao said he came for people from outside?" Li Xiangming interrupted his casual conversation with Zhao Jindou.

Zhao Jindou smacked his lips, seemingly still savoring the memory, before finally realizing what he meant and nodding, "That's right, speaking of which, these people have some connection with you."

"I?"

Li Xiangming was puzzled.

Zhao Jindou explained, "They are the demon-hunting group from Puyin Mountain. The leader is named Xu Buxiu, who was once a member of the demon-hunting guild you founded. However, later, when the situation in Dai Mountain became tense, Xu Buxiu wanted to earn spirit stones, so he led his team into Dai Mountain. As for the group you killed, they were also originally members of the demon-hunting group, and their leader was named Qiu Wen. However, they were a local demon-hunting group from Dai Mountain."

"In preparation for war, the two sects forcibly conscripted rogue cultivators from Daishan, and the demon-hunting team was also part of their plan. As a result, members of the Daishan demon-hunting team either fled to Puyin Mountain early on, joined the war between the two sects, or fled in all directions and became calamity cultivators."

"Qiu Wen and his group were among the first demon-hunting teams to join the two wars, and they had been living quite comfortably until the past six months. However, with the fierce fighting, Qiu Wen had long harbored thoughts of leaving the battlefield. During the Battle of Xiaoping Mountain, he spread false intelligence, harming Xu Buxiu's demon-hunting team, while successfully escaping himself and becoming Xu Buxiu's mortal enemy. Just half a month later, Xu Buxiu also defected, seeking revenge against Qiu Wen. After all, they are from Dai Mountain, and I was worried that their remnants were no match for Qiu Wen, which is why I chased after them all the way here."

After some explanation, Li Xiangming finally understood the cause and effect.

Although Zhao Jindou spoke very vaguely, he still guessed that both Qiu Wen and Xu Buxiu initially served the Zhenhun Sect, and Zhao Jindou was able to know these things so clearly because he sided with the Zhenhun Sect.

Or rather, it was precisely because his stance leaned towards the Soul Suppressing Sect that Xu Buxiu entered Mount Dai.

This guy is recruiting soldiers for the Soul Suppressing Sect!

A few years ago, Li Xiangming would have had some reservations about this.

Because the Zhenhun Sect is in the north, while the Shengyi Sect is in the south.

From a geopolitical perspective, maintaining good relations with Sheng Yimen is essential to better protect the Maojing mine.

Not to mention, the Li family had previously had unpleasant experiences with the Soul Suppressing Sect and the Mountain Moving Sect.

Zhao Jindou's assistance to the Zhenhun Sect undoubtedly harms the interests of the Shengyi Sect. Indirectly, it is also detrimental to the development of the Li family.

However, as the Maojing Mine officially fell into the hands of the Li family, the Li family reconciled with the Zhenhun Sect.

The Soul Suppressing Sect is now also a major client of Mao Jing of the Li family.

Li Xiangming naturally turned a blind eye to this.

Moreover, he didn't believe that Zhao Jindou, a mere businessman, would devote himself so much effort to the Zhenhun Sect.

It's nothing more than creating another title to gain greater benefits for oneself.

As for Zhao Jindou's desire to save Xu Buxiu and the others, it was definitely not because of their friendship, but rather to win people's hearts.

Back then, Zhao Jindou was the first to take a liking to Lü Mao's Mad Lion Demon Hunting Team.

However, due to insufficient financial resources and energy, Zhao Jindou did not choose to bring him under his command, but instead introduced him to Li Xiangming.

With the support of Li Xiangming, the Mad Lion Demon Hunting Group has grown rapidly and gradually become a well-known large demon hunting group in Puyin Mountain.

The Mad Lion Demon Hunting Team was responsible for resolving many of the troubles at the Puyin Mountain Guild Hall.

Seeing the once almost-used Mad Lion Demon Hunting Group now at its peak, how could Zhao Jindou not feel regret?
To this end, he also secretly contacted Lü Mao, attempting to regain control of the Mad Lion Demon Hunting Group.

But doesn't Lü Mao already know which of the Li family and Zhao Jindou will choose?
Without the slightest hesitation, Lü Mao reported Zhao Jindou's plan to Li Xiangfeng, who then relayed it to Li Xiangming.

However, Li Xiangming felt that this was only human nature.

Just because Zhao Jindou has won over the Mad Lion Demon Hunting Group, does that mean the Li family should take action against Zhao Jindou?

In the end, the matter was dropped.

When Zhao Jindou received no response from Lü Mao, he wisely turned to contact other demon-hunting groups.

This relentless pack of vicious dog hunters might be one of them.

This group of people were not only helpers that Zhao Jindou hired for the Zhenhun Sect, but also external supporters that Zhao Jindou had found for himself.

Thinking of this, Li Xiangming's eyes flickered.

Unlike the Puyin Mountain Guild Hall, the Demon Hunter Guild operates on an invitation-only basis; entry is not simply a matter of paying money.

All the demon-hunting teams inside had been selected by Li Xiangfeng and others; they were either exceptionally strong or close to the Li family.

The fact that Xu Buxiu's vicious dog demon-hunting team was able to squeeze in at least shows that they passed Li Xiangfeng's test.

Furthermore, the fact that he was able to injure the Black Water Serpent demonstrates that his cultivation at the eighth level of Qi Refining is genuine.

Based on these points alone, Xu Buxiu has a high value in winning people over.

No wonder Zhao Jindou took it so seriously.

Putting aside everything else, this guy has a pretty good eye for talent.

"Why would Hall Master Li be appearing in Dai Mountain?"

After explaining his situation, Zhao Jindou inquired about Li Xiangming's purpose in coming.

Unlike before, the Li family now owns a Maojing (a type of mineral) mine in Daishan.

They could also be considered part of Dai Shan's forces.

The Li family also has several Foundation Establishment cultivators, which is enough to influence the situation in Dai Mountain.

Zhao Jindou was naturally very concerned about the Li family's position.

Li Xiangming pondered for a moment and said, "I'm here for revenge. A rogue cultivator with a unique wind spiritual root wreaked havoc on a small stronghold near the Maojing Mine. The mine sent word home that the other party is exceptionally powerful."

"A unique wind spirit root?"

Zhao Jindou exclaimed in surprise: "Is the one that Hall Master Li is talking about Liu Xiong Yu, the chieftain of Huanyun Village?"

Li Xiangming remained expressionless: "I don't know any Huanyun Village, but my family told me that this person is skilled in escape techniques, is extremely mysterious, and always appears in Daishan."

"That must be Liu Xiong Yu without a doubt."

Zhao Jindou stared intently at Li Xiangming, as if trying to see through Li Xiangming's thoughts.

After observing for a long time, he still couldn't figure out Li Xiangming's intentions, so he could only whisper, "At this critical moment, regardless of any grudges or affections, it's best for the Li family not to have any contact with this person."

"Oh? Why is that?"

Li Xiangming pretended not to understand.

Zhao Jindou sighed, "This man schemed and plotted to incite war between the two sects. Now that he's been exposed, everyone is against him. Both the Zhenhun Sect and the Shengyi Sect have listed him as the number one wanted criminal. But he has succeeded in the end. The hatred between the two sects has penetrated to the bone. Once war breaks out, how can it be allowed to end?"

"Daishan will not have peace for the next five to ten years. And all of this is due to Liu Xiong Yu. So unless necessary, Hall Master Li should not seek him out, lest he be misunderstood by the two sects and bring about his own death."

But then he remembered that Li Xiangming had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and Zhao Jindou couldn't help but smile bitterly.

The ordinary disciples of the two sects really couldn't do anything to Li Xiangming.

Only if an elder or a true disciple who has already established their foundation is involved can there be any chance of victory.

However, when Foundation Establishment cultivators are fighting, it is difficult to conceal the news.

Li Xiangming has not directly harmed the interests of the two factions. Even if the two factions discover that Li Xiangming is in private contact with Liu Xiongyu, would they risk taking action and causing a war with the Li family?
It doesn’t seem so.

Many of the rules and regulations are even considered "ironclad" constraints.

From the perspective of those with higher cultivation levels, it seems to be nothing more than a formality.

Thinking of this, Zhao Jindou became even more respectful and no longer as secretive as before, revealing several of the Soul Suppressing Sect's actions specifically against Liu Xiong Yu.

Among them are many successful ambush cases.

However, Liu Xiongyu is extremely cunning and has an unusually rich array of methods. In addition, his magical power and escape techniques are extraordinary, so the Zhenhun Sect has been unable to do anything about him and has not been able to harm a hair on his head so far.

Li Xiangming was deeply moved after hearing this.

The Li family had already tested it for the Soul Suppressing Sect and concluded that Liu Xiong Yu was a slippery eel that couldn't be caught at all.

But this loach also acts as a stirrer, frantically stirring things up on both heads.

"If you really want to find him, you can try your luck at Xiaoping Mountain."

Zhao Jindou continued, "This Chief Liu, relying on his escape techniques, has always been highly skilled and daring. Even when facing pursuit from two factions, he still occasionally comes out to stir things up. The battle at Xiaoping Mountain was extremely fierce and has just come to an end. Based on my understanding of him, this person might appear at this time to provoke the fragile nerves of the two factions."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming nodded slightly; this was indeed something Liu Xiong Yu was capable of doing.

Indeed, those who know you best are not your relatives and friends, but your rivals.

However, even Zhao Jindou could think of this, so it's impossible that the Zhenhun Sect was unprepared.

It's just unknown whether Liu Xiongyu will show up again.

After thinking for a moment, Li Xiangming decided to go and take a look at Xiaoping Mountain.

After all, he couldn't possibly find a needle in a haystack.

Moreover, he doesn't have much time; he'll soon have to return to Dangui Mountain to participate in the Foundation Building Ceremony.

If they fail to find Liu Xiong Yu this time, Gao Can's illness will have to be delayed further. Wasting some cultivation time is not a big deal, but the fear is that Gao Can's foundation will be completely destroyed, and he will lose the qualification to cultivate altogether.

Suddenly, Zhao Jindou seemed to remember something and said in a low voice, "By the way, it's a rare opportunity to meet Hall Master Li in person. I have a favor to ask of you. I wonder if Hall Master Li would be willing to grant it?"

(End of this chapter)