Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 550 Contact with the Cao Family
The morning light shines on the windowsill, making the crabapple blossoms even more radiant.

Li Xiangming was sitting cross-legged on the bed when he suddenly felt a warm sensation behind him. He turned around and looked back.

When he saw Cao Yanjun lazily clinging to him, he couldn't help but laugh and say, "You're only getting up at this hour, you've missed your cultivation."

Cao Yanjun blushed and lowered her head, whispering, "It's all your fault."

Li Xiangming had been meditating for a long time, his mind clear as a mirror, but seeing Cao Yanjun's shy expression, he still had impure thoughts and gently pulled Cao Yanjun's soft hand.

The two lingered tenderly for a while before getting ready and getting up around noon.

Li Xiangming took out a jade bottle from his pocket and handed it to Cao Yanjun: "This is for you."

"what is this?"

Cao Yanjun looked at it curiously.

"Foundation Pill."

Li Xiangming smiled.

"Foundation Pill?"

Cao Yanjun was stunned, and it took him a while to react: "How do you have a Foundation Establishment Pill?"

Li Xiangming patted her head: "I've been in the cultivation world for thirty years. If I couldn't even save up a Foundation Establishment Pill, how could I be qualified to marry you?"

"You're just making fun of me."

Cao Yanjun muttered under his breath, but did not press for the origin of the Foundation Establishment Pill. Instead, he frowned and said, "But I am only at the eighth level of Qi Refining. It is still a long way from taking the Foundation Establishment Pill."

"Therefore you need to practice even harder."

Li Xiangming took Cao Yanjun's small hand again and instructed her, "For us cultivators, cultivation is the foundation. I am often entangled in worldly affairs, yet I still managed to reach the Foundation Establishment stage ahead of others. I hope you can follow in my footsteps, and then we can go to Xiaolan Valley together to see the sea of ​​flowers you planted."

A sea of ​​flowers?

Cao Yanjun murmured, recalling the exotic flowers and herbs he had brought back from Hengyue Sect.

She nodded gently, accepted the jade bottle, and then asked, seemingly casually, "Is there anything else?"

Li Xiangming looked embarrassed. He hadn't actually come to Yuyuan this time for Cao Yanjun. The intelligent and perceptive girl always seemed to be able to see right through him.

"Go ahead, I'll wait for you."

Cao Yanjun's tone remained unchanged as she silently smoothed out the wrinkles on Li Xiangming's clothes.

Li Xiangming sighed softly, then gently kissed her forehead before turning and leaving.

It seems that Yuyuan has expanded again after a long time.

Li Xiangming looked around at the familiar yet unfamiliar scenery, and after many twists and turns, he arrived at an elegant pavilion.

There was already a figure in the pavilion. A middle-aged man with a goatee was burning incense and sipping tea. When he saw Li Xiangming in the distance, he immediately laughed and said, "Xiangming, as the saying goes, those who survive a great calamity are sure to have good fortune in the future. After this ordeal, you're probably going to rise to great heights!"

Li Xiangming smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "I am of limited ability and talent. Even if I have good fortune ahead of me, I may not be able to seize it. I still need the guidance of an elder like Uncle Seventeen."

"Okay!"

Cao Fuyi was overjoyed; he had been communicating with Qingliang Mountain during this period.

The family was actually hesitant about whether to get involved in the Li family's troubles.

It's not that the Cao family looks down on the Li family or is dissatisfied with them, but rather that the two families are too far apart.

Unable to expand their actual interests in Pudong, the Cao family naturally didn't want to go to great lengths, especially since Li Xiangming had already disappeared.

He naturally could not tolerate such an idea.

The fact that the Li family cannot provide feedback to Qingliang Mountain does not mean it is of no benefit to the Cao family. After the marriage between the Cao and Li families, more than 80% of the monsters in Yuyuan Garden came from Puyin Mountain, and the Li family is the main power of Puyin Mountain, the direct source of these monsters.

It can be said that without the Li family, Yuyuan would not be as prosperous as it is today. Doesn't Yuyuan belong to the Cao family?

After his reasoned analysis and Cao Yanjun's imploring letter written in blood, the Cao family finally agreed to help the Li family.

However, the specifics of how to provide assistance are not up to the Cao family to decide.

What if the Cao family excitedly sends people over, only to be turned away by the Li family? Wouldn't that be embarrassing?

Therefore, he had been waiting for someone from the Li family to come.

Unexpectedly, it was Li Xiangming who came.

Li Xiangming's safe return was certainly a good thing, as the Cao family no longer needed to assist in the search, but they also lost their legitimate reason to intervene in the Li family's affairs. His efforts these past few days seemed somewhat incongruous.

Fortunately, as soon as Li Xiangming spoke, he knew that the Li family still needed the Cao family.

Yuyuan still has the opportunity to grow further!

Thinking of this, Cao Fuyi's eyebrows relaxed, and the teacup that was already at his lips paused slightly. He raised his hand to indicate to Li Xiangming to go first: "Come, nephew, try the 'Thousand-Leaf Snow' that I planted myself. This tea is the best for calming the mind and spirit."

"Thank you, Uncle Seventeen."

Li Xiangming thanked him verbally, but a sense of caution arose in his heart.

Currently, the Li family has formulated a policy to quell the beast tide, and it is urgent to prepare forces to subdue the monsters. As the deputy chief steward of the Imperial Household Department, he is extremely busy.

The reason he appeared at Yuyuan was not only to bring Cao Yanjun back, but also to have an important mission: to invite the Cao family to Danggui Mountain to take charge, so as to alleviate the predicament of the Li family's unstable foundation.

He had thought that only his personal involvement could settle the matter quickly. But Cao Fuyi was far more enthusiastic than he had imagined; anyone who didn't know better would think that the Cao family needed his help.

Such an unusual scene naturally made him very concerned.

After exchanging pleasantries, Li Xiangming tentatively asked, "How many members of the Cao family can Seventeenth Uncle persuade?"

"That depends on how many people you need, my dear nephew."

Cao Fuyi was all smiles.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming fell silent for a moment.

From his perspective, the more the better, ideally to help the Li family deal with the beast tide.

However, there are no free lunches.

How could the Cao family be expected to be treated like slaves simply because of their marriage ties?
Everyone he wants now will take a piece of flesh from the Li family.

Seeing that Li Xiangming remained silent, Cao Fuyi chuckled and said, "You're still too young. Some deals aren't that hard to decide. Since you won't speak, I'll decide for you: three Foundation Establishment cultivators and fifty mid-to-late Qi Refining cultivators, do you think that's enough?"

"Three Foundation Establishment cultivators?"

Li Xiangming gasped.

His original expectation was simply to invite a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Cao family, and then he would shamelessly go to see Master Qingyang. In this way, the Li family would barely have the ability to protect themselves after he and Li Xiangyu left.

Who would have thought that Cao Fuyi would open his mouth with three Foundation Establishment cultivators?
Cao Fuyi noticed Li Xiangming's surprise, and his expression gradually became serious: "Now that you are in charge of the family affairs, your status is even higher than before. Don't you want to take another step forward?"

The Cao family is willing to help you because they hope you will bring more benefits to the Cao family and Yuyuan in the future. Therefore, if you want to borrow people from the Cao family, you must be determined. We will help you clear all obstacles. If you don't have this intention, the Cao family won't lend you a single person.

Sweep away all obstacles?
Li Xiangming's expression changed instantly.

Does the Cao family want to kill the elders of the first and second branches of the family because they don't want him to become the head of the family?

Is it possible that Li Qianxiong is determined to remain the head of the family and refuse to step down, and that the Cao family is also going to take action against him?

So what am I?
A wolf in sheep's clothing who colludes with outsiders to seize power and profit?

He stood up abruptly and said, word by word, "The affairs of the Li family shall be decided by the Li family."

(End of this chapter)