Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 453 Investment
The arrival of the Li family's reinforcements in Monkey Valley was a major event. Not only did members of the Li family come out to welcome them, but even the six demon-hunting teams under Li Xiangming's command showed up one after another. With the addition of many others who came to join in the fun, Monkey Valley was suddenly bustling with noise.

Lu Mao and other patrol team members hurriedly stepped forward to clear a path, shouting and cursing at the demon hunters who got too close: "Which one of you is blind? Get out of the way!"

"Get out of the way, get out of the way!"

"Come any closer, and don't blame me for being impolite!"

Even though the patrol team verbally abused and drove them away, it couldn't stop the demon-hunting cultivators from joining in the fun.

Riding on his tall, fiery steed, Li Xianghua had only traveled a short distance when he had already seen countless unfamiliar faces, and couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy at how things had changed.

He also lived in Monkey Valley for a period of time and set up a defensive formation for the animal trapping camp.

But as time went by, Monkey Valley expanded more than tenfold. The former animal trapping camp is now just a corner of the valley, so much so that as far as he looked, all he saw was unfamiliar land.

If he was surprised, Li Qianshi, who was standing next to him, already looked tense.

Monkey Valley has not only expanded its territory, but also has nearly a thousand demon-hunting cultivators roaming here, and what's more, these people have surrounded them.

"When drawing a portrait, pay attention to the following points."

Li Qianshi frowned and reminded him.

He was actually very reluctant to show his face in public like this, because in addition to cultivators, the team also had a lot of supplies, such as building materials like black iron and spirit wood, defensive equipment like crossbows with runes, poisoned arrowheads and ten-thousand-pound logs, as well as a large amount of raw materials for fasting pills and food for spirit pets, etc.

These things cannot be lost.

However, he also understood Li Xiangming's actions.

The demon-hunting cultivators in Monkey Valley were, after all, not one of their own.

To motivate them, self-interest is paramount.

But that's not enough!
We need to give them hope of victory.

Or rather, the Li family's determination!
Only by establishing a central leader can the scattered demon-hunting cultivators be brought together.

Therefore, the grand arrival of the Li family's reinforcements was also an important part of protecting Monkey Valley.

"understood."

Li Xianghua nodded slightly, and just as he was about to say something, a dark shadow suddenly flashed across the corner of his eye.

"Stop him!"

Li Qianshi's loud shout startled the surrounding crowd.

Li Xianghua reacted the fastest, turning around abruptly. His eyes caught sight of a man dressed in ordinary tight-fitting clothes almost instantly.

Although the Li family's team consisted of over a hundred people, the large amount of supplies they were transporting made the team very long, making it difficult to provide constant supervision.

The direction the man in the tight-fitting clothes chose was precisely the weak point in the middle and back of the group.

An unnamed fire rose in Li Xianghua's heart.

He spread out his left hand, and the distinct black and white lines seemed to surge forth, catching up with the man in the tight-fitting clothes with lightning speed.

The latter's eyes instantly became vacant.

The next instant, a white light flashed across Li Xianghua's body. The man in the tight-fitting clothes was struck as if by lightning, unable to take another step forward. His body involuntarily retreated, and Li Xianghua grabbed him by the neck and slammed him heavily to the ground.

"who are you?"

Li Xianghua demanded an explanation in a stern voice.

The man in the tight-fitting clothes actually smiled and gestured with his lips.

Li Xianghua was immediately startled and hurriedly looked in the direction the other party indicated.

A nimble figure suddenly leaped onto one of the four-wheeled wooden cages in the group. The Li family cultivators watching nearby were so engrossed in the man in the tight-fitting clothes that they didn't notice anything amiss.

"presumptuous!"

Li Xiangming witnessed the entire scene at the recruitment point and was furious.

He suddenly stood up, his green robe billowing in the surging magical power. The Weeping Spirit Desolate Sky Rope, like a serpent, tore through the sound barrier and wrapped around the thief almost the instant he touched the black cloth of the wooden cage.

Although the Weeping Spirit Desolate Sky Rope was damaged, the opponent's cultivation level was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining, and he had no power to resist.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the man was lifted into the air with a muffled thud, and blood mist filled the air, much of it landing on the black cloth of the four-wheeled wooden cage, causing a commotion inside.

But perhaps due to the cover of the black cloth, the commotion quickly subsided.

Only the demon-hunting cultivators throughout the valley were filled with trepidation, and all turned their gazes toward Li Xiangming.

"It seems there are some petty people in the valley who can't stand seeing the Li family come over, nor can they stand seeing the Li family resist the beast tide."

Li Xiangming's face was gloomy as he coldly said, "I don't care who you are, but Monkey Valley is the result of the joint efforts of thousands of demon-hunting cultivators outside Puyin Mountain. Protecting this place is protecting the interests of the vast number of demon-hunting cultivators. The Li family will not change its mind, and I advise you not to stand on the side of the demon beasts and do those despicable things!"

"Protect Monkey Valley!"

Just then, Xu Jin suddenly stood up and shouted.

The demon-hunting cultivators around them, who were still signing up to join the demon-suppressing camp, looked at each other in bewilderment.

Someone chimed in, and then a few others joined in, shouting, "Protect Monkey Valley!" as if the crowd had caught the chant.

"Protect Monkey Valley!"

The commotion was initially confined to the vicinity of the trading house, but it quickly spread like wildfire.

In no time, the entire Monkey Valley was engulfed in a deafening roar.

"Protect Monkey Valley!"

"Protect Monkey Valley!!"

"Let's protect Monkey Valley together!!"
-
"Master!"

In a corner of the crowd, Lei Meng whispered to Fairy Lingluo, "This Hall Master Li's prestige is terrifying. With just a few words, he turned the situation around. Should we leave?"

Lingluo Fairy licked her lips, her gaze fixed on Li Xiangming, without uttering a word.

"My boss?"

Lei Meng didn't dare to look up, and whispered a few words of advice.

Fairy Lingluo glanced at him but didn't reply. Instead, she turned to the one-eyed old man beside her and asked, "Uncle Fan, the Li family has sent two Foundation Establishment cultivators. Adding you and that old Taoist from Qingyang Temple, that makes four of you. Is there any chance of holding Monkey Valley?"

The one-eyed old man pondered for a moment, then slowly replied, "Four Foundation Establishment cultivators, plus over a hundred skilled Qi Refining experts from the Li family, should be able to defend if they coordinate with the formation."

He shook his head again, saying, "But Monkey Valley has no formations. If a massive beast tide were to occur, even if Foundation Establishment cultivators used all their skills, they could only handle a few Bone Fusion demon cultivators of the same level. What about the tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of demon beasts remaining? Once they swarm in, they could destroy Monkey Valley in a few rounds. The cultivators guarding the valley would be caught in the melee and wouldn't be able to use their abilities at all, forced to rely on their physical strength to withstand the demon beasts. At that point, even if we Foundation Establishment cultivators defeated the leading Bone Fusion demon cultivator, all we would gain would be a shattered Monkey Valley and a mountain of casualties. What would be the point?"

“A wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall. In my opinion, the master should retreat first. If the Li family holds Monkey Valley, our business will still be there, and we can come back to continue doing business at any time. If the Li family cannot hold Monkey Valley, we will certainly suffer some losses, but at least we will not suffer any casualties. Compared to the Li family, we are a hundred or a thousand times better off.”

"Uncle Fan is right." Fairy Lingluo nodded, then fell into a long silence.

The one-eyed old man frowned and asked, "What other concerns does the master have?"

Lingluo Fairy's gaze was blank when she suddenly said, "Yesterday, Li Xiangming summoned the members of the Puyin Mountain Guild Hall and asked them to donate spirit stones to help him resist the beast tide."

"Donating spirit stones?"

The one-eyed old man was slightly surprised, but upon reflection, he didn't find it strange.

If the Li family wants to resist the beast tide, relying solely on their own people is definitely not enough; recruiting demon-hunting cultivators is an essential step.

Judging from the recruitment points set up in the valley, the Li family has already begun preparations.

But if you want to hire people, you have to pay them; otherwise, why would anyone work hard for you?
Without a doubt, the Li family was poor.

Or rather, they didn't have enough spirit stones.

That's why Master Li created the merit system.

On the surface, every 10 merit points can be exchanged for one spirit stone. Joining the Demon Suppression Camp immediately grants 500 merit points, which is equivalent to 50 spirit stones.

It sounds good, but merit is just a number.

Once a cultivator in the camp dies in the beast tide, no matter how many merits they have, they will all be wiped out.

If the Li family had been more ruthless, and had sent more demon-hunting cultivators to their deaths while there was hope of defending Monkey Valley, the merit they would have gained would have been only a small fraction of what was expected.

This small portion can be recovered by exploiting the corpses of monsters.

It can be said that the Li family's strategy of getting something for nothing was mastered to perfection.

Yet, even the lowest-level demon-hunting cultivators flock to it.

After all, the living can truly reap huge benefits, and even have the chance to obtain Foundation Establishment Pills. What more could they ask for?

As for the risks... no one who dares to stay in Monkey Valley believes they will be the unfortunate victim.

After they died, no one cared anymore.

"How much does the Li family want? Have many people already paid?"

The one-eyed old man asked in a low voice.

Although in his view, the Li family had already decided to get something for nothing, it was normal for those in power to think things through and prepare spirit stones for unforeseen needs.

The merchants at the Puyinshan Guild Hall happen to be wealthy. If the Li family doesn't seize this opportunity to make a fortune, when will they?
"You think you can make money off those itinerant vendors in just one day?"

Fairy Lingluo scoffed, "Even a great immortal descending to earth couldn't do this. Less than 10% are truly willing to donate spirit stones, including Zhang Zhi'ang and Jiang Liang, who are Li Xiangming's cronies."

"What is the employer's attitude?"

The one-eyed old man asked again.

"Of course I refused."

Fairy Lingluo replied calmly, "However, I didn't take the lead openly, but instead instigated Madam Feng to be the one to stick her neck out. With Lei Meng's help, Madam Feng gathered a lot of traveling merchants around her, and last night she gave Master Li some embarrassment."

"It wasn't a big deal originally. Although Hall Master Li was angry, he always followed the rules and wouldn't cause trouble for the merchants in the guild. But I didn't expect someone to ram into the Li family's reinforcements today. I can almost say that Li Xiangming will definitely take advantage of this tonight and put pressure on the merchants in the guild in a fit of rage."

"If our Lingluo Merchant Guild leaves at this critical juncture, it might leave us with a handle against us, and we'll be accused of having ulterior motives. Even if we come back later, will we still be able to do business smoothly?"

The one-eyed old man paused for a moment, carefully sorted through his master's words, and finally understood the situation, which made him frown.

During his time in Monkey Valley, he heard about Li Xiangming's various deeds.

Given his age and experience, it's naturally neither yes nor no.

But there's no denying that this kid is capable enough to become the head of the Li family's branch.

The fact that his few words resonated with all the demon-hunting cultivators in the valley shows just how adept this kid is at stirring up emotions and creating atmosphere.

Such a person is bound to be adept at finding excuses and labeling others.

Someone has disrupted the Li family's group; this matter could be serious or minor.

Li Xiangming clearly intended to escalate the situation, leaving no survivors from the outset and directly labeling the other party as a "monster traitor" who opposed protecting Monkey Valley and resisting the beast tide.

The enemy is inside!
Within half a day, the news would spread throughout the entire Monkey Valley.

In this atmosphere, should the itinerant merchants at Puyin Mountain Guild Hall donate spirit stones or not?
The more you donate and the more actively you donate, the more you can prove your innocence.

If they don't donate, the Li family doesn't have to do anything. They just need to publish the list of those who donated spirit stones, and those who didn't donate will immediately become thorns in the side of the vast number of demon-hunting cultivators.

We risked our lives to protect Monkey Valley, and you merchants who make money while lying down didn't donate a single spirit stone. Do you want to watch Monkey Valley fall under the iron hooves of monsters?
Who can say that such a person isn't colluding with the "enemy"?
Once these thoughts are born, they become uncontrollable.

The Lingluo Trading Company, which has no intention of donating money or staying, will undoubtedly become the target of public criticism.

Even if they return to Monkey Valley after the beast tide recedes, they will be infamous.

Want to continue doing business here?
It's nothing more than a fool's dream.

The one-eyed old man grew angrier the more he thought about it, and couldn't help but shout, "If Li Xiangming really uses this move, it will be killing ten thousand enemies while losing eight thousand of your own! Without our merchant guilds and caravans, Monkey Valley could never have developed by relying solely on itinerant merchants."

"But he targeted us as his enemies and united a group of loyal demon-hunting cultivators. Can you say he suffered a loss?"

Fairy Lingluo sighed softly: "Judging from my observations these past few days, Li Xiangming is not easy to deal with. He also single-handedly built the Puyin Mountain Guild Hall. In my opinion, we have to donate these spirit stones whether we want to or not."

She paused, looked at the one-eyed old man, and said in a deep voice, "It would be a huge loss if we just left after donating the spirit stones. Uncle Fan, I want to take a gamble."

"Are you going to stay and help him guard the valley?"

The one-eyed old man was taken aback.

"Consider it an investment."

Lingluo Fairy's gaze became complicated: "Although it's a bit risky, if we can help the Li family defend Monkey Valley, the Lingluo Chamber of Commerce's status at the Puyin Mountain Guild Hall will rise dramatically. Coupled with our funds, squeezing out the likes of Madam Feng will be a piece of cake."

"You still want to start with the Puyinshan Guild Hall?"

The one-eyed old man's tone was somewhat uncertain.

Fairy Lingluo nodded: "Given the situation in Pudong, if we don't join the guild, we'll have to fight against the Li family and dozens of traveling merchants, caravans, and small business associations all by ourselves, which will be a thankless task. On the contrary, if we establish a foothold in the guild, we can completely open up the Pudong market."

The one-eyed old man hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded: "You're the boss, you're in charge."

Seeing that the old man agreed, Fairy Lingluo pondered for a moment, then instructed, "Lei Meng, go see Madam Feng and tell her to resist the fundraising for spirit stones tonight."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)