Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 548 Responsibilities
At the beginning of his cultivation journey, Li Xiangren was designated by Li Huinan as the future prodigy of the Li family for the next hundred years, and all kinds of cultivation materials were readily available.

However, Li Xiangren never chose to stay at home and practice his cultivation in peace.

During the Battle of Nanbin, Li Xiangren had just finished his haircut when he rushed to Pushui to guard the area with Li Huinan.

How much of a role did Lee Sang-in play?

not necessarily.

But he always stood at the forefront of the family, making the Xiang generation and even the Qian generation look up to him.

Because of such a role model, after the Li family moved to Puxian County, all members, regardless of age, worked tirelessly and unitedly. In just a few years, they made Tailai Peak as solid as a rock, turning it into a pure land for spiritual cultivation.

Li Xiangming returned home late and did not have a comprehensive understanding of Li Xiangren's many deeds.

But there was one thing he remembered vividly.

Many years ago, he had a chance encounter with Li Xiangren outside the Li family's warehouse.

At that time, Li Xiangren had already reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, and was only one step away from Foundation Establishment. Normal clansmen should have been eager to prepare and focused on seclusion, hoping to embark on a new journey on the path of cultivation as soon as possible.

Li Xiangren, however, chose to travel and seek opportunities to establish his foundation.

This practice, common among independent cultivators, was actually being used by a prodigy of the Li family. How surprised Li Xiangming was! Upon asking, he learned that Li Xiangren wanted to save a Foundation Establishment Pill for the family.

Given Li Xiangren's status and position at the time, only a few people, such as Li Xiangru and Li Xiangyu, were frequently seen around him.

These people are all geniuses that the family is focusing on cultivating. Foundation Establishment Pills are indeed precious, but the elders of the first and second branches of the family began planning for them as early as ten years ago.

Who will receive the one that Li Xiangren saved?

Lee Sang-in himself probably didn't know.

However, his willingness to give up this Foundation Establishment Pill, which could change his path, for a clansman he was not so familiar with was partly due to Li Xiangren's absolute confidence in his own talent, and partly due to the family responsibility that was engraved in his bones.

To be honest, Li Xiangming felt somewhat ashamed of himself.

In terms of loyalty to his family alone, he is far inferior to Lee Sang-in.

That is why his gaze toward Li Xiangren was one of admiration, respect, and genuine sincerity. Only Li Xiangren could inspire him to willingly follow him, regardless of his own cultivation or status; this was a unique personal charm belonging to Li Xiangren.

But now, Lee Sang-in has fallen.

The sun of the Li family has fallen!
Li Xiangming was momentarily dazed, and his eyes began to lose focus.

After a long while, he came to his senses and looked at Li Qianxiong: "I remember that my sister-in-law took Jimin out. Now that my brother and sister-in-law have been found, where is Jimin?"

Li Qianxiong was somewhat taken aback, seemingly not expecting that Li Xiangming's primary concern would be Li Jimin's whereabouts.

He paused for a moment, then slowly said, "Your second uncle searched the area several times but couldn't find Jimin, so he rushed back to report to me. I also sent Qian Gao to search for her, but Luomajian is located in the vast mountains and forests on the south bank of the Pu River, and Qian Gao wasn't familiar with the terrain, so it was all in vain."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming felt a surge of anger.

Although Li Qiangao had the cultivation level of the seventh level of Qi Refining and was considered an elite member of the family, in such a turbulent situation, it would be good enough if he could protect himself when he went out, let alone find someone.

At least one Foundation Establishment cultivator and three to five Qi Refining stage experts should be sent to search for hundreds of miles in all directions, centered on Pushui Market, to make the best of their ability.

However, as soon as this thought arose, Li Xiangming himself showed a dejected expression.

The Li family has produced four Foundation Establishment cultivators in Pu County, seemingly enjoying boundless glory.

Of these four, Li Xiangren was dead, Li Qianxiao was still recovering from serious injuries, Li Xiangyu was far away in Hulu Valley and suffered a major defeat, and he himself simply disappeared.

Then look at the two old men of the Cheng generation. Due to the strategy of guarding against the Qin family, they were transferred to the south long ago.

Li Qianxiong's hasty order for Li Chengkang to return home already threw him into disarray. If he were to send Li Chengkang to search for Li Jimin as well, the already precarious situation of the Li family would be further exacerbated.

In fact, the Li family didn't even bother to notice his disappearance.

Li Qianhe's appearance in Daishan was less a result of his family's orders and more a result of his own insistence.

Li Qianxiong seemed to sense Li Xiangming's resentment and shook his head, saying, "The family is already too weak to care about anything else! Xiangren's death has had a huge impact. Now the family has already declared war on the Qin family. Your great-uncle, second great-uncle, and third great-uncle have all gone to the Yunhuang mines ahead of time."

Has war broken out?

Li Xiangming looked up instantly, a blush spreading across his face: "Please give the order, Patriarch. I am willing to go to the Yunhuang mine to avenge my elder brother and to protect the foundation of my Li family."

The defeat of the Demon Suppression Camp left him seething with anger.

Upon hearing the news of Li Xiangren's death, the frustration he felt was beyond words. Now that the Qin and Li families had officially gone to war, he, as a foundation-building warrior of his family, could not remain indifferent.

Li Qianxiong nodded with relief, but then shook his head and said, "You can't go! I've already lost Xiangren, I can't lose you too."

Li Xiangming hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

What he really wanted to say was that after mastering Wind Escape, unless he himself was willing to risk his life, there were very few Foundation Establishment cultivators who could threaten him.

This can be seen from Liu Xiongyu's "glorious" resume in Daishan.

Of course, it's better to be safe than sorry!

Liu Xiongyu had also suffered a great defeat at the hands of that red-robed elder of the Soul Suppressing Sect.

His wind escape technique is not as good as Liu Xiong Yu's. If he were to encounter an opponent of the level of the Red-Clothed Elder, the Black-Robed Protector of the Mang Sect, or Qin Li Chuan, the Great Elder of the Qin Family, he would probably be easily bullied.

Even so, he didn't want to stay at home peacefully.

The value of Wind Release lies not only in combat and escape, but also in building a unique tactical system. His appearance will surely surprise the Qin family.

However, Li Qianxiong spoke first, asking, "What do you think the outcome of this battle between our family and the Qin family will be?"

Li Xiangming paused for a moment, then did not answer.

Li Qianxiong said to himself, "The most likely scenario is that the Battle of Daishan will be repeated. It's not that the family is unwilling to fight to the bitter end, but the Qin family is in Punan, which is far away. Once a battle breaks out, we will find it difficult to coordinate our efforts and our strength will never be able to unite as one."

The Qin family has been attacking Meiling for over ten years and still hasn't achieved any significant victory. My family has divided its forces to fight far away. Even if we join forces with the Geng family, do you think we can conquer Red Stone Valley? I doubt it. It would already be difficult enough to drive the Qin family out of the Yunhuang mining area.

If we press them too hard, the Liu family will have to take their place. At that time, Qin and Liu will have the advantage of home ground and high morale, making our situation even more difficult.

Therefore, this battle was never intended to destroy the Qin family or to seize the land, but rather to annihilate the Qin family's remaining forces. The Qin family, thinking themselves cautious, gathered four Foundation Establishment cultivators to besiege Xiang Ren, but they underestimated Xiang Ren's strength, ultimately losing three of them, with only one escaping in panic.

Taking advantage of their growing pains, my Li family will launch a sudden attack, cooperating with the Geng family's elite forces, and we may achieve a great victory at the Yunhuang mine.

Of course, one or two victories are not enough to comfort Xiang Ren's spirit in heaven.

Our ultimate goal is to eradicate the Qin family completely. However, this process will be very long. Just like the two sects of Dai Mountain, we will wear each other down, and it will depend on who can't hold on first, or which side will suffer a sudden change.

If things were to develop into that situation, Danggui Mountain, as the rear area, would be of paramount importance!

Unfortunately, Puxian County is not peaceful right now!
The Daishan Incident caused a rift between the Bailu Sect and the Zhenhun Sect. Now, the Bailu Sect is threatening us, demanding both our help in suppressing the Mangjiao heretics and our military intervention at Daishan. They threaten us with severe consequences if we refuse both. The Zhenhun Sect, on the other hand, hopes to form an alliance with us. But we both know that the Zhenhun Sect's ambitions surpass even those of the Qin family; once they stabilize their situation, they will immediately turn their attention to us.

Furthermore, the threat of the beast tide is imminent. You should have seen the situation in Pudong when you returned. If the beast tide cannot be eliminated, Danggui Mountain will not be able to stabilize and will be unable to support the front line where the Yunhuang mine is located.

Every single one of them is a crucial matter!

The family cannot devote all its energy to fighting the Qin family.

However, I cannot say these words to the other members of my tribe.

As Li Qianxiong spoke, his eyes were filled with weariness: "Xiang Ren not only carried the high hopes of three generations of the Li family, but also enjoyed the deep respect and following of his fellow cultivators. His fall was a tremendous change for the Li family."

Even though your great-uncle agreed to come out of seclusion to avenge Xiangren, the number of clansmen volunteering for battle continues to grow. I cannot control the clan's anger, and before you returned, I promised everyone at the clan meeting that I would personally lead the troops to support your great-uncle.”

"what?"

Li Xiangming looked astonished: "The patriarch is going to personally lead the battle?"

Li Qianxiong nodded: "If I don't go, those bastards of the Xiang generation will secretly head to the Yunhuang mine. Without anyone to organize them, they'll be sent to their deaths if they face the Qin family."

Li Xiangming was still somewhat stunned. He never expected that the Li family's situation had reached such a difficult point that even the family head, who was the pillar of the family, could not sit still.

Li Qianxiong ignored his expression and continued, "These past few days I've been consolidating the family's strength. Actually, we could have headed south long ago. The reason we've delayed until now is partly because I'm afraid that after I leave, the family won't be able to withstand the pressure from the Bailu Sect, and partly because I'm afraid that the beast tide from Pudong will sweep through Dangui Mountain and no one will be able to stop it."

Your return is perfectly timed. Staying on Danggui Mountain will allow you to utilize your greatest value, rather than fighting on the front lines. I hope that you and Xiang Yu, one skilled in literature and the other in martial arts, will work together to protect the family's foundation and await our victorious return.

After hearing this, Li Xiangming let out a heavy sigh.

In Li Qianxiong's view, Danggui Mountain is the most important foundation of the Li family.

At this moment, the Mang Sect, Bailu Sect, Zhenhun Sect, and the rampant beast tide all threaten the safety of Danggui Mountain. The Li family should tighten its grip on this unprecedented upheaval.

However, the death of Li Xiangren led the Li family astray.

Li Qianxiong had no choice but to succumb to the anger of his clan and choose to take revenge on the Qin family, making it his top priority.

However, can the other crises facing the Li family be ignored?
Obviously not.

These crises must be handled by someone.

This is equally arduous a task, perhaps even more important than a victory or defeat on the battlefield. Besides Li Qianxiong, who else in the Li family possesses this ability?
It seems like I'm all alone.

Li Xiangming pondered for only a moment before saying in a deep voice, "Whether it's going to the Yunhuang mine or staying at home, as long as the patriarch gives the order, Xiangming will spare no effort."

Li Qianxiong finally showed a long-lost smile, as if he wanted to say something more, but in the end he just patted Li Xiangming on the shoulder and turned to leave.

Li Xiangming suddenly felt a little sad.

It was still the same familiar back view, but for some reason, he felt that Li Qianxiong had aged a lot, and even his walking posture was slightly hunched.
-
The next day.

The news of Li Xiangming's return spread far and wide.

Meanwhile, news of Li Qianxiong's departure for the expedition spread like wildfire.

Thousands of people gathered in the central courtyard, including Li family cultivators and their relatives. Everyone had a solemn expression, and the atmosphere was very tense.

Li Qianxiong stood on a makeshift platform, shouting something.

The audience responded frequently, their shouts echoing throughout the entire Tailai Peak.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Qianxiong finally lowered his arm and flew into the air. Behind him, as many as two hundred carefully selected cultivators from the Li family followed closely, leaving Tailai Peak in a grand procession.

"May the patriarch achieve a resounding victory!"

"Avenge Xiangren!"

"Down with the Qin family traitors!!"

Li Xiangming watched this scene from afar, his thoughts racing.

Li Qianhe whispered, "Xiangming, Yanjun contacted the Cao family, originally intending to use their help to find you. However, you have already returned and have been successfully promoted to deputy steward. If you can get the Cao family's help again, you may have a chance to become the head of the family."

"The head of the family?"

Li Xiangming murmured something; he had actually thought about this issue when he became the head of the Foreign Affairs Hall.

After all, the position of Hall Master is the highest rank among the Li family's cultivators; above that, there is only the position of Family Head. Li Chenglu also had the idea of ​​supporting him in competing for the position of Family Head, and had discussed it with Li Qianhe many times in private.

However, he remained silent because he knew that Li Qianxiong's chosen and cultivated head of the household had never changed.

But now, change is unavoidable.

Within the family, unrest is inevitable. Li Qianhe mentioning this matter to me suggests he received instructions from the fourth branch of the family.

In the past, Li Xiangming might have been happy, because it meant that his abilities had been recognized by the family, and at least the fourth branch of the family was willing to follow him.

But now, my heart feels heavy.

The position of head of the family not only means power and prestige, but also responsibility, which is fully reflected in Li Qianxiong.

Can I take on this heavy responsibility?

Li Xiangming didn't know that; all he knew was that if his family needed him, he was willing to step forward.

Thinking of this, Li Xiangming gradually made up his mind. He turned to look at his father and asked softly, "Is Yanjun still in Yuyuan?"

Li Qianhe's face lit up with joy: "Yes, she has been staying at Yuyuan these past few days in order to gain the support of the Cao family."

Li Xiangming recalled Cao Yanjun's voice and smile, and felt a pang of sadness. He knew he was always making Cao Yanjun worry, and he wondered how she was doing at Yuyuan.

Suddenly, he had a strong urge to see Cao Yanjun.

But in the end, he suppressed his desires and eventually arrived at Li Qianxiao's address.

Before leaving, Li Qianxiong convened a meeting of clan elders and created two new positions for the Imperial Household Department: the Chief Steward and the Deputy Chief Steward, which did not exist previously. These positions were to coordinate the five departments of the Imperial Household Department.

The chief steward was Li Qianxiao.

Logically speaking, Li Qianxiao should be the one in charge of the overall situation.

However, Li Qianxiao remains bedridden to this day.

In reality, all matters concerning the Li family were decided by him, the deputy steward, and the clan elders.

Nevertheless, Li Xiangming still felt it necessary to meet with Li Qianxiao to see if they could come up with a plan to deal with the current crisis facing the Li family—especially the beast tide that was about to spread to Danggui Mountain.

(End of this chapter)