Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 468 Responsibilities
Why can't I move?

Wu Xian's face turned pale instantly, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Want me to help you?"

At that moment, a cold voice came from behind.

Wu Xian trembled and couldn't help but shout, "Who?"

"Who's behind this?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of grayish-white mist.

As the gray faded, the scene before my eyes suddenly changed.

He looked down and saw that there wasn't a trace of blood on Tie Tou's temple.

His right hand, which was holding the dagger, was tightly gripped by a wrist as hard as iron.

That's the root cause of his inability to move!
"That was an illusion."

Wu Xian's pupils suddenly contracted, and he subconsciously looked up. A young man in a green robe had somehow appeared beside him, looking down at him.

"Master Li... Master Li?"

Cold sweat slid down Wu Xian's cheeks, soaking his clothes and leaving him completely disheveled.

why?
Why is Li Xiangming here?

"Do you think I should be playing with kids at Tailai Peak?"

Li Xiangming's gaze was deep: "I am quite interested in your intelligence. It seems that the people behind you have planted quite a few spies on Tailai Peak."

Wu Xian swallowed hard, a dry sound coming from his throat.

His gaze involuntarily drifted to the iron head at his feet.

If his dagger had been just a little further forward, Iron Head would have been dead for sure.

However, for Foundation Establishment cultivators, this distance seems like an insurmountable chasm, impossible to cross.

He tilted his head again, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield, his face showing even greater despair.

The sounds of fierce fighting still echoed on the field, but the situation had already reversed.

It was no longer the black-clad men besieging the Crimson Flame Demon Hunters, but a giant of fifteen or sixteen feet tall, who was wreaking havoc on the battlefield.

On the edge of the battlefield, an even larger serpent demon lurked menacingly.

That's Li Xiangming's spirit pet!

He possesses the cultivation level of the Great Perfection of Spirit Awakening!
Wu Xian felt a chill run through his body, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. He asked in a trembling voice, "Your Li family... knew about our actions all along?"

"You should explain your background."

Li Xiangming replied indifferently, "You have three breaths to consider."

Wu Xian gave a bitter laugh, shut his mouth, and said no more.

Soon, three breaths had passed.

Li Xiangming's eyes flashed with anger, and his large hand suddenly covered Wu Xian's face, his five fingers tightening like iron clamps.

"Kaka!"

The sound of a cheekbone breaking rang out, and Wu Xian's eyes almost popped out of their sockets, his face contorted in pain.

"Say or not?"

Li Xiangming's voice remained calm, yet it carried a suffocating sense of oppression.

However, aside from a hint of resentment in his eyes, Wu Xian remained silent, clenching his teeth.

Seeing this, Li Xiangming frowned and let go of his hand.

The "Crimson Flame Demon Hunting Team member," whom he had met several times, collapsed to the ground, like a lump of mud.

"Iron Head, he's in your hands now."

Li Xiangming said calmly.

Without saying a word, Tie Tou suddenly got up from the ground, grabbed a short fork, and stabbed it viciously into Wu Xian's throat.

"Pfft!"

Blood spurted out, staining the soil red.

Ironhead still refused to stop, tirelessly raising and stabbing with his fork.

In no time, Wu Xian's neck was brutally hacked apart, and his body was severed from his head.

The air was filled with a strong, fishy stench.

As if he couldn't stand the smell, Tie Tou knelt down beside Wu Xian's corpse and began to vomit violently.

He vomited and sobbed, showing no pleasure in revenge, but rather appearing extremely distressed.

Li Xiangming stood aside without saying a word.

His gaze swept across the battlefield, finally settling on the fleeing men in black in the distance, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Xiao Hei, don't leave any one behind."

As soon as the words were spoken, the Blackwater Serpent let out a cheer, its huge body crushing all the vegetation along the way into dust. It was extremely fast, and in an instant it rushed behind a man in black, opened its blood-red maw, and swallowed the man and the mud whole.

The man didn't realize what was happening until he was inside the snake's belly.

"Run!"

"Mission failed, retreat!"

The moment the Blackwater Serpent made its move, the man in black collapsed.

They could accept dying in battle, but to be eaten like this was just too tragic.

"Look at me!"

A loud shout suddenly came from the field.

A small giant swung his arm and slammed it down, instantly creating cracks in the ground. Powerful magic surged through the cracks, and another man in black who was fleeing in the opposite direction of the Black Water Serpent was directly hit and turned into a blood mist with a "bang".

The men in black who besieged the Crimson Flame Demon Hunting Group were mostly mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

How could they withstand the methods of the Blackwater Serpent and the Little Giant?

In no time, all the men in black were killed or wounded; not one of them escaped.

However, the Crimson Flame Demon Hunting Group was not spared either.

Of the more than thirty people, fewer than ten survived.

"Uncle Nineteen!"

Li Jihu, limping and staggering, flew over, looking dazed.

"This is the demon-hunting team you led?"

Li Xiangming's expression suddenly turned cold as he stared at Li Jihu.

Li Jihu knelt on the ground like a wilted eggplant, his head bowed: "It was my fault for misjudging people. I harmed Song Ye and others. It's all my fault. I'm willing to be punished."

Li Xiangming lowered his gaze and it fell on Li Jihu.

This trusted confidant, whom he had personally trained, was now disheveled, with a bloody hole in his left leg, and deep cuts that exposed bone on his left arm and right cheek.

Clearly, the man in black had made ample preparations to deal with Li Jihu.

Although their cultivation levels were much lower, they were not afraid of death and had a constant stream of hidden weapons and talismans. Even Li Jihu, who was at the eighth level of Qi Refining, was forced into a desperate situation.

If he hadn't arrived in time, Li Jihu would likely have died here.

Compared to physical pain, mental torment is far more unbearable.

Wu Xian's betrayal was like a sharp knife, piercing the young man's heart. The heavy casualties suffered by the Crimson Flame Demon Hunting Team filled him with self-blame and regret.

"You are the commander, no one can punish you."

Li Xiangming half-squatted in front of Li Jihu and shouted sternly, "Look at me!"

Li Jihu shakily raised his head.

“You are the commander. If you tell them to go east, they will go east; if you tell them to go west, they will go west; if you take Wuxian in, everyone will open their hearts to him.”

Li Xiangming said, enunciating each word clearly, "You are the regimental commander, their backbone, their reliance. Every move you make determines their life or death."

“I’ve repeatedly told you not to underestimate the enemy and act rashly, and to always consider the bigger picture. No matter how bravely you charge into battle, how many people can you save? If you had focused your energy on the internal workings of the Demon Hunting Team, there wouldn’t have been an internal traitor like Wu Xian, and we wouldn’t have suffered such heavy casualties today. But you didn’t listen to me. You were unwilling to shoulder the responsibilities of a team leader, and today is the end you’ve brought upon yourself.” Li Jihu’s lips trembled, and his eyes were bloodshot: “I…I’m sorry everyone, I’m no longer qualified to be the team leader.”

"I have nothing to apologize for!"

Li Xiangming coldly interrupted, "You are the regimental commander. They took the money, so they should risk their lives for you. No matter how many people die, you are still the regimental commander! If anyone is to be sorry, it is they who are sorry to you because they failed to detect the enemy in advance and failed to protect you."

Li Xiangming stood up and let out a soft breath: "But I want to say that you could have done better."

This sentence was like the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Li Jihu lay prostrate on the ground, weeping bitterly.

"Crying is useless; only blood can pay for a blood debt."

Li Xiangming's voice suddenly rose.

This statement was not only addressed to Li Jihu, but also to himself.

On the surface, the men in black were dealing with the Crimson Flame Demon Hunting Group.

But a mere monster-hunting group that makes a living by hunting monsters for materials might have its members replaced every three to five years. What value is there in targeting them?
The Crimson Flame Demon Hunting Team's mission was to escort goods to the frontline cultivators defending against the beast tide in Monkey Valley. These goods included not only pills and talismans, but also important combat supplies such as logs, arrows, and explosive puppets.

Monkey Valley was already difficult to defend, so the only option was to rely on more resources to wear down the numerical advantage of the beast tide.

This is also why he deployed twelve talismanic crossbow carts in Monkey Valley.

Without this shipment, the pressure on the front lines would undoubtedly become enormous.

Therefore, the man in black was actually there because of the battle situation in Monkey Valley.

Some people don't want the Li family to hold onto Monkey Valley, and some even want the Li family to suffer a major blow in Monkey Valley!
If that's the case, cutting off the supply route from Monkey Valley to Qingyang Temple is just the first step.

Li Xiangming was naturally furious at this.

Upon receiving Li Xiangzhen's report about the beast tide sweeping through Monkey Valley, he immediately went to see Li Qianxiong and requested to return to Puyin Mountain.

But Li Qianxiong didn't want him to go; instead, he advised him to stay home and recover from his injuries. Only after he insisted several times did Li Qianxiong say that if he received the support of the clan elders, he would be allowed to come out of seclusion.

The clan elders were already planning to abandon Monkey Valley, consolidate their forces, and defend Angelica Mountain, so why would they support him?

After leaving Changlin House, Li Xiangming thought it over again and again, but decided to act first and inform others later. So he took Gao Can and secretly took a flying boat to Monkey Valley without telling anyone.

It could be said that his rescue of Li Jihu and the others was purely accidental.

Just half a day ago, he was still at the Mingjun Institute!
If he hadn't come, the Crimson Flame Demon Hunting Team would have been ambushed and wiped out, and Monkey Valley would have also suffered an unexpected defeat, falling to the iron hooves of the beast tide. Wouldn't that have been a blood debt for him?

What concerned Li Xiangming even more was that the men in black possessed a strong special operations advantage, and their intelligence gathering, spies planting, and assassination were all carried out with professionalism and efficiency.

These people can even extend their reach to Mount Tailai!

It should be noted that Tailai Peak is the foundation of the Li family. In the eyes of the Li family members, including Li Xiangming, Tailai Peak has always been the safest place.

Especially in the central courtyard where the clan members' daily lives are arranged, the Li family members cannot even release their divine senses, so as not to disturb others.

Just now, Wu Xian said he was playing with children, which undoubtedly refers to his tutoring of Li Jiye in cultivation.

How could Li Xiangming not feel a chill run down his spine when the man in black knew even such a secret?

When he captured Wu Xian, he originally intended to use illusion magic to pry Wu Xian's mouth open.

Unfortunately, his illusion was a bit lacking, and Wu Xian immediately noticed it.

It can't be said that he was noticed; at least before he dispelled the illusion, Wu Xian didn't know that he was under an illusion.

According to Li Xiangming's plan, Wuxian should have successfully withdrawn his arm after killing Tietou. However, after a series of events, he ended up revealing everything he knew without any warning.

But we don't know which part of the process went wrong.

Even though Wu Xian hadn't realized he was under an illusion, he still felt a strange sensation in his senses regarding reality.

Therefore, he did not pull his arm back.

This may be the fundamental reason why illusion has become a heretical or unorthodox practice.

This thing, when used on ordinary people, is a sure-fire hit.

However, its effectiveness is greatly reduced when used against cultivators with divine consciousness.

Divine senses are still too sensitive to magical power!

As Li Xiangming pondered, a flicker of emotion also flashed in Li Jihu's eyes.

He clenched his fists tightly, digging his nails deep into his palms.

"Uncle Nineteen, what... what should I do?"

Li Xiangming extended his palm to him, his voice deep and powerful: "If you don't want to betray their trust, take responsibility. Don't repent here, but stand up and seek justice for them!"

"The Li family and I will help you."

Li Jihu took a deep breath and stood up with the help of Li Xiangming.

His body was still swaying, but his eyes had finally regained some sharpness.

"I will be a good leader of this regiment."

After saying that, he walked towards Tie Tou.

Upon seeing Li Jihu, Tie Tou seemed to find an outlet for his emotions, suddenly grabbing the man's leg and bursting into tears: "Commander, so many of us have died."

Li Jihu paused, then comforted him, "It's alright, Tie Tou, I'm here for you!"

"I am still alive, and you are still alive. The living avenge the dead."

"We must take revenge."

"Ah."
-
Monkey Valley.

The wooden and stone city gate was covered in blood.

A young man with a missing arm walked up to the ramparts and shouted, "Hurry up and clear out the monster corpses! Zhou Miao, are you slacking off? There's still a huge pile to the northeast!"

"And you, the one surnamed Yin, can you hurry up?"

"Damn it, I can't take it anymore!"

Yin Feng abruptly threw down the corpse in his hand, turned around, and wanted to demand an explanation from the other party.

Zhou Miao, who was standing nearby, quickly pulled him back: "Brother Yin, why bother arguing with that pitiful one-armed wretch? These monster corpses are all merits. Carrying ten back will earn you one merit. These are all tangible benefits. I'm too lazy to waste my time on him."

"I just can't get enough of it!"

Yin Feng said angrily, "We're the ones guarding the valley, and we're also the ones collecting the monster corpses and extracting materials. What did he do?"

Zhou Miao chuckled and said, "They're Li Tangzhu's old subordinates; they've seen him countless times before. We're newcomers, it's different!"

I'm still the sect leader's junior brother!
Yin Feng muttered something under his breath, but he didn't say it aloud.

As instructed by Zhang Min, the disciples of Green Cloud Cave will join the Demon Suppression Camp as ordinary demon-hunting cultivators.

Their relationship with the sect leader must be kept strictly confidential.

As for why, he didn't know, and he was too lazy to think about it.

The two walked together, and being both young, they had plenty to talk about.

Especially when they talked about Master Li, their speaking speed even increased.

They looked at each other afterwards and felt a deep mutual respect.

Just then, Zhou Miao suddenly sensed something and instinctively lay down on the ground, listening intently.

"Brother Zhou, what's wrong?"

Shh! A monster is coming!

"Tide of beasts?"

Yin Feng's expression suddenly changed, and he threw down the monster's corpse again.

Seeing this, Zhou Miao quickly reminded him, "Don't panic, it doesn't seem like a beast tide!"

"Then you say it's a demon beast."

Yin Feng breathed a sigh of relief: "We can't have just one monster charging at us, can we?"

"It really is!"

Zhou Miao stood up, his face serious: "There's only one. Judging from the footsteps, it's huge, and it's very likely a Bone Fusion Demon Cultivator!"

Upon hearing this, the monster corpse that Yin Feng had just picked up was thrown back down.

(End of this chapter)