Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 391 Identification
Li Xiangming's gaze swept coldly over the middle-aged cultivator, a surge of anger rising within him.

Is the Li family holding a Foundation Establishment Ceremony because they want to show off?
Not!
This was simply because it helped the Li family accumulate a great deal of prestige and consolidate their dominant position in Pudong.

However, now, a random person has suddenly barged into the venue and caused trouble, greatly diminishing the prestige of this ceremony.

How could he not be angry?

But unfortunately, he couldn't do anything about it.

Although he could take this person's life and end this farce with a wave of his hand, outsiders would only think that the Li family was incompetent, having to mobilize him, a newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivator, for such a trivial matter.

Just as he frowned, a burly young cultivator rushed over aggressively and shoved the Yellow Turban cultivator who was still shouting to the ground.

"The Li family has committed murder!"

"They've silenced them!"

Even after falling to the ground, the Yellow Turban cultivator continued to call out, even throwing a tantrum like a mortal, completely disregarding his own image.

Li Jihu became even more enraged, grabbed the other man by the collar, and shouted angrily, "Open your dog eyes and see who we are!"

The Yellow Turban cultivator then looked at Li Jihu and was momentarily stunned to see his murderous aura and the other cultivators who were gradually surrounding him, all with grim expressions.

"What are the backgrounds of these people? They don't seem to be cultivators from the Li family."

"It's the Crimson Flame Demon Hunting Team from Puyin Mountain!"

"The Crimson Flame Demon Hunting Group?"

"So he's a demon hunter."

The surrounding chatter grew louder. Seeing that the other person remained silent, Li Jihu abruptly slammed him to the ground. Song Ye, who was beside him, immediately kicked him and asked fiercely, "Could you be a demon hunter? You look unfamiliar. Which demon hunter group are you from?"

The Yellow Turban cultivator winced in pain, but his cultivation level was low, and he dared not resist in front of so many demon-hunting cultivators. He could only grit his teeth and ask, "Which demon-hunting group I belong to is none of your business."

Song Ye sneered: "Can't I be curious? You say the Li family bullies demon hunters, but as everyone knows, the Li family withdrew from Puyin Mountain a long time ago, leaving only a tavern for people to eat, drink and have fun. What, did Taibai Tavern force you to come here and bully you?"

The Yellow Turban monk was speechless and tried to struggle to his feet.

But more people immediately stepped forward and held him down.

Song Ye kicked twice more, cursing as he did so: "Of the more than a thousand people here, how many didn't come to listen to the lecture by a Foundation Establishment cultivator? And you, you go to such lengths to sabotage it. If the Foundation Establishment Ceremony can't be held because of this, can you take responsibility?"

"Furthermore, I can tell at a glance that you're not a demon-hunting cultivator, yet you dare to spout such nonsense here! Tell me, who sent you? What are your intentions?"

Although Song Ye's actions were somewhat barbaric, his words were resounding. The audience, who had been watching the spectacle, suddenly realized what was happening, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

"So he wasn't a demon-hunting cultivator after all!"

"This guy is clearly talking nonsense."

"This person's cultivation is ordinary; how dare he target the Li family? In my opinion, some other force must be jealous of the Li family's growing power and deliberately sent someone to annoy them."

Seeing the tide turn, the Yellow Turban cultivator panicked. He struggled desperately, pushing Song Ye's foot away while shouting, "Who said I'm a demon hunter? I'm a spirit farmer from nearby. I used to work for the Li family. They owe us spirit stones and refuse to pay, oppressing us spirit farmers. They're utterly heartless!"

"Fuck your motherfucker!"

Li Jihu, who was listening nearby, was furious and about to make a move when someone suddenly grabbed him and calmly said, "Let me handle this."

"Xiang Zhen?"

Li Jihu was somewhat surprised, but he didn't say anything more and stepped aside.

Li Xiangzhen first clasped his hands in a fist salute to the crowd of onlookers and said loudly, "I am Li Xiangzhen, and the person on the stage is none other than my elder brother. I am honored to have you all here today, and I thank you all on behalf of my brother."

"Easy to say, easy to say!"

Those around him responded enthusiastically when they saw the younger brother of the Foundation Establishment cultivator make his appearance.

Li Xiangzhen took a deep breath, and his voice turned heavy: "Someone has accused my Li family of oppressing Lingnong. Those who know our Li family know that this is a complete fabrication. But we will not shirk our responsibility to provide an explanation. Please give us a chance to prove our innocence."

"Of course, we trust the Li family." "That's right, the Li family has a good reputation around here. I even learned the Lesser Cloud Rain Technique this year, planning to find work in Changyang Valley. I heard the Li family has an organization called something like 'Courtyard,' which specifically recruits spirit farmers."

"It's the Logistics Department!"

"Yeah"

Li Xiangzhen looked around and finally smiled: "It seems that everyone is quite familiar with the system of our Li family. That's right, our Li family is different from other families. All recruited spirit farmers must register in the Service Institute. This person said that he used to farm for the Li family. The head of our Li family Service Institute is here!"

As she spoke, Li Xiangzhen turned around, and a middle-aged cultivator strode over. It was Li Qianshi.

Li Qianshi's voice was loud and clear: "Our Service Institute has never recruited this person. This person's claim that our Li family oppressed Lingnong is pure slander. I hope you all will investigate this matter carefully."

Upon hearing this, the crowd below the stage erupted in uproar, glaring angrily at the Yellow Turban cultivator and accusing him of having ulterior motives and delaying the Foundation Establishment Ceremony.

The Yellow Turban monk, his face flushed, pointed at Li Qianshi and shouted, "Nonsense! I worked in the Logistics Department for two months!"

Li Qianshi coldly interrupted, "You say you did it, so you just did it? What if the Logistics Department can't find your record? What are you going to do then?"

"you"

The Yellow Turban monk's face turned red, and he couldn't utter a single word.

The reason why the Service Institute registers the origins, names, etc. of spiritual farmers is to establish a "familiarity system" to reduce the risk of outside cultivators "causing trouble".

However, this matter was handled unilaterally by the Li family.

If the Li family deliberately hides or destroys someone's records, how would outsiders know? If he dares to talk back again, the Logistics Department will immediately produce a list that doesn't even have his name on it.

Even if he talks until the end, he still won't be able to gain the public's trust.

"Dissatisfied?"

Li Qianshi sneered, looked around, and shouted, "Where is Du Peng?"

"Brother Du, they're calling you!"

In a corner of the audience, a young Grenfell nudged a middle-aged man next to him.

The middle-aged man looked bewildered, not expecting that he would be involved in the Foundation Establishment Ceremony. However, since the headmaster had called him, he dared not refuse and quickly squeezed through the crowd.

The young Grenfell followed closely behind.

"Du Peng is here!"

The middle-aged man raised his arm high, and everyone quickly made way for him.

Soon, he arrived in front of Li Qianshi.

Li Qianxiong glanced at him and asked casually, "You've been in the Service Institute for five or six years now, basically one of the earliest Spirit Farmers. Have you ever met this person?"

Du Peng glanced at the Yellow Turban cultivator and scratched his head.

Strictly speaking, the Service Bureau is not an institution, but a bounty platform.

The people inside were less employed by the Li family and more simply accepting tasks from this bounty platform.

Some people, after receiving their assignments, might finish them in a few days, pack up and leave, and the Logistics Department would never stop them.

Of course, the situation was different for Grennon.
Because the tasks that spirit farmers receive are often related to spirit fields, these tasks usually have a long duration, and it is not uncommon for them to take a year or two to complete.

For a trusted old spirit farmer like him, one task after another was assigned, and he would work for several years in a row, which was basically no different from renting spirit fields in Changyang Valley.

Logically speaking, he should know many barons.

But in fact, the Li family's spiritual fields are not only distributed in Changyang Valley. How could he remember so clearly those of his colleagues who farm elsewhere and only occasionally appear in Changyang Valley?

(End of this chapter)