Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 552 Order
Knowing that she had misunderstood his intentions, and not wanting to mention the Wind Escape technique in public, Li Xiangming could only gently stroke her head and say softly, "I have already established my foundation, while you are still practicing Qi Refining. I really can't rest easy without a good defensive magic weapon by my side."

How dare you say that?

Cao Yanjun suddenly raised her voice, her eyebrows furrowing: "Even the Fish-Dragon Wall Shadow shattered into such a state on you, clearly your situation is more dangerous!"

Seeing her so agitated, Li Xiangming had no choice but to awkwardly undo his green robe and put on his light, weightless gauze dress.

Guan Dongqing had Guan Tianyou test it on the spot. As long as there was danger, the floating scales on the surface of the gauze would immediately solidify and form armor, which had a pretty good defensive capability.

After handing over the magical artifacts, Li Xiangming did not leave, but instead started discussing business with Guan Dongqing.

"Silver-plated Sky-Splitting Arrow?"

Upon hearing that Li Xiangming had ordered 4000 special crossbow bolts in one go, Guan Dongqing was immediately surprised: "According to the blueprints and craftsmanship provided by Hall Master Li, even if my Hundred Weapons Hall only charges one spirit stone per bolt, that would still be four thousand spirit stones."

Much more than that!
Although the silver-plated Sky-Splitting Arrow can withstand the pressure exerted by the Li family's unique rune-inscribed crossbow—the Breaking Army Sky-Splitting Crossbow—to maximize its power, it must be inscribed with corresponding runes.

Runes are the most expensive!

Li Xiangming conservatively estimated that the cost of each silver-plated Sky-Splitting Arrow should be around four spirit stones, so 4000 arrows would cost 16,000 spirit stones, not including additional costs such as procurement and transportation.

Such a large expenditure must have placed a considerable burden on Danggui Mountain.

Before Li Qianxiong left home, the Li family had no relevant purchasing plans at all.

but!

Li Xiangming had personally witnessed the power of the rune-inscribed crossbow cart; this thing was actually not very effective against agile Foundation Establishment cultivators.

However, when it comes to shooting down "dumb" monsters, especially when facing a dense horde of beasts, each Breaking Army Sky-Splitting Crossbow is equivalent to a Foundation Establishment cultivator who can't catch his breath.

Moreover, the Li family has quite a few Breaking Army Sky-Splitting Crossbows!

Even though fifteen vehicles were lost at the front line of Calabash Valley, the five vehicles used to defend Monkey Valley were taken back to Angelica Mountain by the fleeing demon-suppressing camp cultivators.

In addition, Dangui Mountain itself has forty brand-new Breaking Army Sky-Splitting Crossbows!
If we include the third, second, and first generation versions of the Breaking Army Sky-Splitting Crossbow, the Li family currently has nearly two hundred rune-patterned crossbow carts, which is quite a considerable number!

However, in the past thirty years, the Li family has only made one large-scale purchase of silver-plated Sky-Splitting Arrows, and those were basically for the fourth-generation Sky-Splitting Crossbow.

The other rune-patterned crossbows lacked maintenance and corresponding "ammunition," making them merely decorative and useless.

Can the remaining forty-five fourth-generation rune crossbow carts protect the Li family?
Hard to say.

Because the Li family only had less than two thousand silver-plated Sky-Splitting Arrows in stock.

Whether it was to sweep away the beast tide or to maintain the deterrent effect of the rune-patterned crossbows, Li Xiangming felt it was necessary to replenish a certain number of silver-plated sky-splitting arrows.

Seeing that Li Xiangming was determined to place the order, Guan Dongqing no longer hesitated.

Who wouldn't do business if there's an opportunity?

His initial hesitation stemmed from his concern that Li Xiangming was too young to make the decision regarding the four thousand spirit stones—if the Li family suddenly backed out, the Hundred Weapons Hall would be left with thousands of special crossbow bolts that couldn't be converted into cash, resulting in a huge loss!
But then I thought about it again. The last time Baiqitang cooperated with the Li family on materials related to demon beasts, it was Li Xiangming who was in charge.

Li Xiangming not only holds a high position in the Li family, but judging from the two magical artifacts, the Weeping Spirit Desolate Sky Rope and the Mysterious Scale Cloud Soul Armor, he is also well aware of Li Qianxiong's high regard for him. Presumably, the Li family will not allow this newly rising prodigy to have his reputation tarnished for a mere four thousand spirit stones.

Seeing that he had verbally agreed, Li Xiangming immediately said, "Master Guan, I can pay 1000 spirit stones as a deposit first, but Baiqi Hall must forge 2000 silver-plated Sky-Splitting Arrows for my Li family within thirty days."

"This"

Guan Dongqing frowned instantly.

Currently, Baiqitang's orders are fully booked, including but not limited to those from Bailumen, Fuhuguan, the Wang family of Qingjushan, and other forces, keeping them extremely busy.

Giving the Li family the green light not only breaks principles, but also means he will face pressure from those major sects and aristocratic families.

"father"

Just then, Guan Tianyou softly uttered a sentence. Guan Dongqing glanced at the expectation on the other's face and sighed inwardly. His son was now preoccupied with how to perform in front of Li Xiangping and the Li family, completely losing the responsibility of the young master of Baiqi Hall.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't disappointed.

However, as a father, how could he sit idly by and watch his son miss out on a good match?
"I understand, please rest assured, Master Li."
-
After leaving Baiqitang, Li Xiangming went straight to the Li family's property in Pushuifang City—Ziqi Donglai.

A simply dressed young cultivator had been waiting in the private room for a long time. Upon seeing Li Xiangming, he immediately stood up and said with a complicated expression, "If you hadn't shown up, I would have disbanded the Spirit Serpent Merchant Guild."

Li Xiangming raised an eyebrow: "Could it be that the Spirit Serpent Merchant Guild is suffering serious losses?"

"That's not it."

Jiang Liang sat down again and sighed, "If the Spirit Serpent Merchant Guild didn't have you, I don't know how much effort it would have to put in to establish itself in Pushui Market. I don't have the time for that."

Li Xiangming was speechless.

He only invested a few spirit stones in the Spirit Serpent Merchant Guild, and all affairs were handled by Jiang Liang.

In just two or three months, Jiang Liangneng negotiated and conducted on-site investigations with Hua Lun, not only extracting the Thousand-Jun Grass but also successfully acquiring various healing herbs worth thousands of spirit stones for him.

With such skills, he could easily run a small chamber of commerce. It's just that Jiang Liang's surname isn't Li; otherwise, he would have at least helped him to the position of hall master to share the burden with him.

"What is the current situation of the Spirit Serpent Merchant Guild?"

Li Xiangming quickly got to the point.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang sighed slightly: "The losses were heavy! We originally had two caravans, totaling 107 people. After moving to Monkey Valley, we escorted spiritual herbs for Shengyi Sect in Daishan. Unfortunately, we lost more than ten people. Later, when the beast tide attacked Monkey Valley, everyone fled in panic. By the time we reached Danggui Mountain, only about thirty people remained."

Li Xiangming's brows furrowed immediately.

Under Yu Liu's matchmaking, he had reached a deal with Shengyi Sect for a spiritual herb. However, just as the cooperation began, a beast tide broke out in Daishan, and the Spirit Serpent Merchant Guild, which was in charge of the matter, was naturally affected.

But afterwards, he withdrew from the Serpent Merchant Guild.

Throughout the preparation and combat phases of the Demon Suppression Camp, the Spirit Serpent Merchant Guild was mainly between Danggui Mountain and Monkey Valley, assisting the Li family in transporting supplies. Jiang Liang himself stayed at the Puyin Mountain Guild Hall, purchasing pills and talismans from itinerant merchants while calling on them and demon hunters to donate spirit stones to the Demon Suppression Camp.

Jiang Liang handled all these matters very well.

However, when the beast tide of Lingyue Peak broke through the defenses of the Demon Suppression Camp and swept southward, the Ling She Merchant Guild withdrew first, but still lost two-thirds of its manpower.

This was something he never expected.

Jiang Liang seemed to see Li Xiangming's confusion and said with a wry smile, "When the news of the Demon Suppression Camp's great defeat came, everyone lost their courage. Most of them did not die at the hands of the demon beasts, but after they were scattered, they did not dare to come back at all."

Li Xiangming fell silent.

He couldn't help but recall Li Xiangguang's report—even the ordinary people in the caravans who didn't have to go to the front lines were terrified, let alone the cultivators of the Demon Suppression Camp who had just been withdrawn from the front lines.
No wonder Xu Buxiu, Zhang Min, and the others fled.

Just then, Jiang Liang suddenly remembered something, took out a jade slip and handed it over: "By the way, the Lingluo Merchant Guild has also withdrawn from Pushui Market. This was given to me by Lei Meng, who said to pass it on to the Li family cultivators."

Li Xiangming took the jade slip, examined it, and his gaze became complicated.

This is a telepathic message from Fairy Lingluo, hoping to obtain his whereabouts from the Li family, and she has promised a reward of fifty spirit stones.

After a moment's thought, Li Xiangming instructed, "Don't tell her I'm back yet."

Jiang Liang was somewhat surprised, but did not ask any further questions.

Li Xiangming continued, “The Spirit Serpent Merchant Guild has suffered a severe blow. Not only are they short of staff, but they have also lost their business. This cannot continue in the long run! The Li family slaughters demonic beasts in Changyang Valley every month and sends them to Ziqi Donglai. I will take on this job for you. You can also look into which avenues you can make money in Pushui Market.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang immediately looked up and said, "I've just discovered a business opportunity."

(End of this chapter)