Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 478 Win over
Li Xiangming said he would take responsibility for the funeral arrangements of Lin Hao and others, which meant more than just organizing a funeral.

For the next three to five decades, the immediate family members of these people will receive care from the Li family. While they won't be personally protected by Li family cultivators, it's only natural that they receive gifts and support. If any of their descendants possess spiritual roots, the Li family will also guide them onto the path of cultivation and offer guidance free of charge.

In short, the Li family has a standard procedure for providing special compensation to meritorious officials. As long as this procedure is followed, the descendants of those who died in battle will at least be well-off, if not bring glory to their ancestors, and will have the opportunity to return to the cultivation world and rewrite their family's destiny.

Li Xiangming naturally wouldn't go into all the specific details.

The person in charge of the explanation was Li Xiangguang.

After half a day, Lü Mao had heard the gist of the story. He slowly closed his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "On behalf of my brothers, I thank Hall Master Li."

Deep down, he was unwilling to hand over the funeral arrangements for Lin Hao and the others. Especially now that he knew Monkey Valley was a trap set by Li Xiangming against the men in black, and the patrol team was merely a victim of this power struggle.

However, he could not refuse the conditions offered by Li Xiangming.

Although the Li family's offer may seem small, the mere promise to protect Lin Hao and his relatives is something he, a lone individual, could not possibly provide.

In order to protect the interests of his brothers after their deaths, he had no choice but to compromise.

Seeing Lü Mao nod, Li Xiangming gently patted his shoulder: "Brothers, you've all worked hard. Let everyone go and rest. I've prepared a small gift for each of you as a way of expressing my gratitude."

Aside from being a bit slow on the uptake sometimes, Lü Mao is quite capable in many ways. For the past six months, he has worked diligently and conscientiously, living up to his trust and leading the patrol team effectively.

Of course, if only competence is considered, Lü Mao wouldn't rank highly in his eyes.

After all, this former leader of the Mad Lion Demon Hunting Group only had the cultivation level of the seventh level of Qi Refining and had a broken leg, so he was not capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of guarding Monkey Valley.

What makes Lü Mao truly remarkable is his ability to possess a broader perspective that is often lacking in ordinary people.

Take the sudden attack on Monkey Valley as an example. When Lü Mao was completely at a disadvantage, he did not panic or flee in panic. Instead, he organized the patrol team and put up a tenacious resistance.

Li Xiangming was naturally pleased with this. He was also more at ease entrusting the patrol team to them.

But before that, he needs to dispel the patrol team's reservations.

As soon as Li Xiangming finished speaking, Li Xiangguang stepped forward, holding a string of stone keys in his hands, and distributed them one by one to the surviving patrol members.

The patrol members couldn't help but stir as they looked at the stone key in their hands.

Having been stationed in Monkey Valley for many years, they naturally knew very well what these stone keys meant.

Lu Mao's gaze also sharpened; he hadn't expected Li Xiangming to use the cave dwelling of Taibai Restaurant to win people's hearts.

Although these cave dwellings were not equipped with spirit-gathering arrays, they were located in Monkey Valley and could be directly protected by the Li family. This alone was enough to prove their value.

Leaders of famous demon-hunting groups in Puyin Mountain, such as Liu Qingzhou and Xu Buxiu, had long ago purchased cave dwellings and brought their families over to enjoy family time together.

As the captain of the patrol team, Lü Mao could actually afford a cave dwelling—the ordinary cave dwelling offered by Taibai Restaurant cost only 50 spirit stones.

However, he felt it wasn't worth it, which is why he hadn't bought it.

After all, he was all alone, living in the patrol team's barracks inside the valley and also having a private camp outside the valley. Why waste money on buying another cave dwelling that would not benefit his cultivation?
However, while he thought this way, others might not.

The campsites outside the valley offer absolutely no safety. Their only advantage is their seclusion, which makes people feel safe enough to stay there for a while.

To avoid being spied on by outsiders, most demon hunters have to change camps every three to five months, which is quite troublesome. The barracks in the valley are fine for accommodating roughnecks, but their families can never be accommodated.

Having a property under one's own name in the valley would undoubtedly be much more convenient.

The patrol members who received the stone key were visibly excited. The sadness that had lingered in the tavern seemed to vanish completely.

Seeing this, Lü Mao sighed inwardly.

Although these cave dwellings are not of high value, they have become almost a necessity to some extent. Li Xiangming used them to win over patrol team members who lacked financial resources and longed for stability, and he was very successful in doing so.

As the team leader, how could he spoil everyone's fun?

After a moment of silence, Lü Mao cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you, Hall Master Li."

"Thank you very much, Hall Master Li!!"

Once Lü Maofu made his statement, the others echoed him, clearly not wanting to miss out on what they had.

Li Xiangming smiled and personally saw them out.

Seeing this, Li Xiangguang cautiously reminded him, "Master, isn't giving away six cave dwellings at once, and Wei Fei has promised five more? Isn't that too much?"

One cave dwelling costs 50 spirit stones, so eleven cave dwellings would cost 550 spirit stones.

This isn't for rent, it's a free gift!
Taibai Restaurant is likely to suffer huge losses.

"It doesn't matter."

Li Xiangming waved his hand, his tone indifferent.

During the period when Monkey Valley was closed, the Li family spent a great deal of manpower and resources to open up a total of five hundred cave dwellings. Among them, three hundred were located in the northern area behind Taibai Restaurant, and two hundred were located in the northeastern area where Lingluo Immortal Abode is situated.

However, these cave dwellings failed to win the hearts of the demon-hunting cultivators.

To this day, fewer than fifty seats have been rented out.

Those who directly purchase cave dwellings are even rarer.

This is why Li Xiangming was so happy when the Lingluo Merchant Guild bought a hundred cave dwellings in one go, even going so far as to lower the price to 20 spirit stones, selling them off like cabbages at a clearance sale.

To put it bluntly, these ordinary cave dwellings only consume resources from the mortal world, but they bring back spirit stones that the cultivation world longs for.

Whether it's 50 spirit stones or 20 spirit stones per seat, it's a sure-fire way to make money for Li Xiangming.

Li Xiangguang adhered to the rules and measured gains and losses by book value, which was certainly not wrong.

But rules can be broken. Since these cave dwellings are hard to sell, wouldn't it be a good way to use them to maintain the loyalty of the patrol team members?
Li Xiangming had even considered the Demon Suppression Camp.

Assuming the Demon Suppression Camp decisively defeats the beast tide, the accumulated merits will surely reach an astronomical figure.

The Li family is unlikely to pay for this.

Master Liaoshen suggested using war to sustain war, that is, selling materials captured from monsters to exchange for spirit stones or other resources, in order to implement the merit exchange mechanism.

However, this method is not entirely reliable.

If the shortfall is too large, Li Xiangming plans to use the cave dwellings in Monkey Valley as a reward and forcibly distribute them to the demon-hunting cultivators.

not enough?

Then raise the price of the cave dwelling!
Li Xiangguang was unaware of Li Xiangming's thoughts. When he saw that Li Xiangming was willing to give up his cave dwelling, which was worth more than 500 spirit stones, a look of heartache flashed across his face.

However, he didn't dare say anything, so he changed the subject: "Xiangyang and the others sent word that some prisoners have given some information. Shall we go and take a look?"

The prisoner has spoken?

Li Xiangming's eyes showed surprise.

Shugodo did capture a few prisoners, but they were all captured because they were exhausted. The only reason they didn't die in battle was because they didn't have a good opportunity.

Judging from the behavior of the other men in black, they resembled disciples of the Tongbei Sect.

Li Xiangming never expected them to speak.

"Go and have a look."
-
"Qiao Shun?"

In the dimly lit underground chamber, the flickering candlelight illuminated a pale face.

Li Xiangming stood in front of the other person, carefully examined him, and frowned slightly: "Why do I feel like I've seen him before?"

Beside him, a young man in gray explained in a low voice, "He is a spirit chef recruited by Taibai Restaurant. You should have met him a few times, Hall Master."

After a pause, the gray-clad youth continued, "The gates of Monkey Valley were blown open, and it was this man's doing. After it was done, he boasted that he knew the terrain well and sneaked back to Taibai Tavern, attempting to loot the place. However, we caught him red-handed and captured him alive."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming couldn't help but smile.

If this man had blew open the city gates and left under the cover of night, no one could have done anything to him. But his eagerness for merit led him headlong into the trap set by Li Xiangyang and his men, resulting in his current predicament. He must be filled with deep regret.

Li Xiangyang was about the same age as him and initially joined the police force as a probationary member.

Later, when the police station was disbanded, Li Xiangyang went to the beast-catching unit and became his subordinate. After the beast-catching unit was reformed, Li Xiangyang and Li Xiangguang stayed in the Tianzhu Demon Hunting Team.

Thanks to the successful reform of the beast-hunting house, the Li family established a firm foothold in Puyin Mountain as a demon-hunting group, and their interests gradually became more secure, so there was no longer a need for many Li family members to stay.

Therefore, Li Qianxiong recalled the dispensable beast-catching houses to Tailai Peak. The Tianzhu Demon Hunting Team, which was originally used to maintain the existence of the beast-catching houses, was also disbanded.

Lee Sang-yang returned to his family and soon entered the Shouyu Hall.

The disciples of the Guardian Hall bear the heavy responsibility of protecting Danggui Mountain and have always been regarded as the elite by the family. After the results were achieved in the Beast Breeding Room, Li Qianxiong also gave priority to distributing the spirit pets to the disciples of the Guardian Hall.

From then on, Li Xiangyang became a beast-taming cultivator.

Being able to join the police department is proof of Li Xiangyang's talent.

Having honed his skills in the Beast Taming Chamber and refined his abilities in the Guardian Hall, Li Xiangyang, now over thirty, possesses the cultivation level of the eighth level of Qi Refining. Coupled with a toad demon at the late stage of Spirit Summoning, his combat strength is not to be underestimated.

Qiao Shun, who was only at the fifth level of Qi Refining, was rendered powerless and became a prisoner after being sprayed with a mouthful of poisonous mist by the toad demon.

Seeing Li Xiangyang recounting the details of his capture in detail, Qiao Shun's face turned bright red, and he couldn't help but shout, "A scholar can be killed but not humiliated! If you have the guts, then kill me!"

Li Xiangming looked at him, his gaze revealing a strange look: "Uncle Qian Su has mentioned to me many times that Chef Qiao's cooking skills are the best in Taibai Restaurant. It's a pity that he was used by thieves! Since Chef Qiao is determined to die, it saves me the trouble. Xiangyang, take him out and bury him."

Li Xiangyang was slightly taken aback, then nodded and replied, "Yes!"

"Wait a moment!"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Shun immediately became anxious.

He had imagined many scenarios of meeting Li Xiangming, but he never expected that the other party would bury him alive as soon as they met.

"Oh?"

Li Xiangming raised the candlestick and approached Qiao Shun. In the firelight, his face appeared exceptionally gentle: "Master Qiao, do you perhaps have any last words?"

"I……"

Qiao Shun swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

He knew that if he spoke, Qin Hai and the others who were lurking in the Demon Suppression Camp would all die a horrible death.

No, more than that!

If the Ninth Prince is implicated, the entire Pu County will be thrown into turmoil.

He can't bear this responsibility!

Seeing this, Li Xiangming showed a hint of regret and waved his hand gently.

Li Xiangyang immediately stepped forward, unlocked the chains on the wooden pillar, and pulled Qiao Shun out.

Qiao Shun's face was ashen, and he followed behind Li Xiangyang as if resigned to his fate. However, his expression changed rapidly, and by the time he reached the top of the stairs, his feet felt like lead and he could not move an inch.

Li Xiangming had long seen through the other party's strong will to survive, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly: "As the saying goes, a wise man submits to circumstances. With Master Qiao's skills, where can't he make a living? Why risk his life for some petty scoundrels?"

Qiao Shun remained silent for a long time before speaking bitterly, "If I say anything more, my family will surely die."

"Does keeping quiet mean that Master Qiao's family will be safe?"

Li Xiangming revealed a hint of sarcasm: "It's clear that you have a powerful backer. Powerful forces act cautiously. From the moment you were arrested, you were already dead. Even if you manage to escape today, you'll only become a wandering ghost."

"Want to go back? That's wishful thinking!"

Qiao Shun's face turned deathly pale, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Li Xiangming's voice continued, as cold as ice: "Master Qiao, don't forget, you are a secret agent infiltrating Monkey Valley. Unlike those men in black who are in charge of the operation, they attacked Monkey Valley based on your intelligence. To put it bluntly, you lured them into the trap I set."

"Now that you are dead, not in battle, but burdened by the reputation of incompetence that has been passed down through the forces behind you, do you think they will still support your family?"

"shut up!"

Qiao Shun's face contorted with rage as he roared, "Impossible! I may not have done anything special, but I've certainly put in the effort. My family wouldn't treat me like this!"

Home?

Li Xiangming's heart stirred, but he sneered repeatedly: "Master Qiao, do you know the ways of those powerful forces better than I do? In our eyes, you are nothing but the lowest pawn. You have no merit, and even your existence is a sin!"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Shun felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and his whole body trembled.

"Master Qiao, you don't need to be too disappointed."

Li Xiangming smiled slightly: "A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on, and a wise minister chooses a good lord to serve. Since you have nowhere to stay, why should you bear the name of loyalty? You should know that the world is vast and you can make your home anywhere. If Master Qiao is willing, the Li family's door can also be opened for you."

Qiao Shun remained as if she had lost her parents.

Li Xiangming then clapped his hands.

Before long, Li Xiangguang led in a woman dressed in fine clothes. The woman moved with light steps, and her clothes fluttered, carrying a faint fragrance, like a blooming peony, beautiful yet elegant.

Li Xiangming held the candlestick up to the woman, instantly illuminating a stunningly beautiful face: "Her name is Xia Wan'er, Miss Xia, famous throughout Pushui Market. I wonder if Master Qiao has ever heard of her?"

Qiao Shun suddenly looked up.

Xia Wan'er was recruited by the Li family to Chunyi Tower and made several appearances in Monkey Valley. How could he not know? In Monkey Valley, many people even called her "the most beautiful woman in Pushui".

Qiao Shun took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "If Hall Master Li wants to use a honey trap to make me submit, that's too old-fashioned."

"is it?"

Li Xiangming chuckled lightly: "Master Qiao, you'd better think it over. As long as you ask, Miss Xia is yours to choose. In the future, once you've saved up enough spirit stones, it's not impossible to marry her. What you had in the past, you will have now... If you're stubborn and inflexible, then you'll only be able to sleep in the ground forever."

"you!"

Upon hearing the word "underground," Qiao Shun seemed enraged and shouted, "It's better for one of me to die than for blood to flow like a river!"

Before she finished speaking, Xia Wan'er's soft hand gently touched Qiao Shun's chest, her fingertips carrying a warm sensation that seemed to instantly spread throughout his body like an electric current.

Qiao Shun was startled, his body stiffening involuntarily. He quickly interrupted, "Miss Xia, I..."

Xia Wan'er ignored him, snuggling closer and whispering in his ear, "Young Master Qiao, you should stop talking, for your own sake and for mine."

With the beauty in his arms, Qiao Shun felt completely weak in the knees.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single defiant word.

Upon seeing this, the image of Fairy Lingluo flashed through Li Xiangming's mind.

In terms of appearance and temperament, Madam Zhen was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman he had ever met.

However, he felt almost nothing in front of Madam Zhen.

At first, Li Xiangming thought he was unaffected by beauty, but when Fairy Lingluo deliberately created an enchanting atmosphere, he couldn't help but react.

This is instinct, and no one can resist it, not even those who cultivate the Tao.

He didn't believe Qiao Shun's resolve was stronger than his; if that were true, he wouldn't have given in.

"Go check on the others."

Li Xiangming gave an order and then turned to leave the basement.

Although Li Xiangyang reported that Qiao Shun had confessed some things, it was clear that the man in black had something on him, and the truly useful information was still buried deep in his heart.

After offering Xia Wan'er, a sweet-coated bullet, to Qiao Shun, he also wanted to try his luck with other tough opponents.

(End of this chapter)