Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 558 Seeing Shi Fengxue Again

Five cultivators?

Fifty fine horses and ten ritual implements?
Is this some kind of way to fob off a beggar?
Lee Sang-jeong, who had been listening for a long time, suddenly glared angrily, her arms, which were pressed against the back of the chair, bulging with veins.

Just as he was about to get up in anger, Li Xiangming's gaze swept over him.

Seeing that his elder brother remained calm, Li Xiangzhen realized that he had lost his composure, and quickly lowered his head, no longer making a scene.

How could Li Xiangming not be annoyed?

Even though he had anticipated that the Luo family and the Lingwu Sect would fight over every little thing, he never expected the two families to be so shameless. On one hand, they spoke with righteous indignation, but on the other hand, they wanted the Li family to face the beast tide alone while they themselves reaped the benefits.

This was even after he concealed the fact that he was from the Demon Suppression Camp and subtly hinted that he was unwilling to send troops.

If he had been proactive from the start, the two sides would probably have lost even this small amount of money.

Thinking of this, Li Xiangming's face involuntarily darkened. He originally thought that the demonic calamity in Pudong was so serious that it was only natural to form an allied army, but he still underestimated the determination of each family and faction to protect their lives.

If the Luo family and Lingwu Sect are like this, what about the Pudong forces that are relatively less close to and trust the Li family?
Does this mean the Li family has no choice but to rely on themselves?
Luo Wanlin was a shrewd man; he immediately noticed the displeasure on Li Xiangming and Li Xiangzhen's faces. He quickly cupped his hands in greeting and explained, "Deputy Steward Li, please don't take offense. The Luo family is truly facing difficulties and needs to go to Qingyuan."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Xiangming took a sip of tea and interrupted, "Xiangzhen, the two envoys have come from afar and must be tired. Let's send them down to rest."

"Yes!"

Lee Sang-jeong immediately stood up, extending her arm with an unfriendly look, her previous cheerful demeanor completely gone.

Luo Wanlin felt a little embarrassed and glanced at Xie Jun.

Xie Jun coughed twice and left first.
-
"Brother, those two have gone too far!"

Just a moment later, Li Xiangzhen returned to Hechenxuan, expressing his extreme dissatisfaction.

Li Xiangming frowned: "I was going to praise you for your excellent hospitality earlier."

Lee Sang-jeong was slightly taken aback, then lowered her head in shame.

"Those in positions of authority should fulfill their duties!"

Li Xiangming's tone turned somber: "I can ignore them, or I can turn on them and reprimand them, simply because my status is higher than theirs. Even if they are dissatisfied, the negotiations with the Li family will not end. You, however, are a member of the guesthouse staff, and it is your duty to entertain envoys. They are your equals, so why are you throwing a tantrum? A few unpleasant conditions have thrown you into such a state of confusion? If you were sent to Bailu Gate and faced with all sorts of difficulties, how would you react? Would you also throw a tantrum on the spot?"

Li Xiangming's barrage of questions made Li Xiangzhen blush deeply, and she actually knelt down on the ground, timidly saying, "I know I was wrong."

"Get up."

Li Xiangming helped his half-brother to his feet and comforted him, saying, "I'm not blaming you. This negotiation is still a long way off. It's not easy to get the Luo family and Lingwu Sect to willingly follow the Li family. It's just that the situation in Puxian is turbulent. What can one person or one clan do in this chaotic situation? The head of the diplomatic affairs department will become increasingly important in the future. I hope you can become a pillar of the Li family as soon as possible."

"Brother, I will try my best."

Lee Sang-jeong's eyes were slightly red, and she nodded heavily.

Li Xiangming patted his shoulder lightly and continued, "Learn more from Uncle Qianfu. Don't underestimate him just because he's a branch cultivator, understand?"

"know."

Li Xiangzhen was always obedient, so Li Xiangming said no more and turned to leave.

As soon as I stepped out of Hechen Pavilion, Li Xiangguang walked up to me and said, "Deputy Steward, something has happened!"

"what's up?"

Li Xiangming followed Li Xiangguang while asking questions.

Li Xiangguang did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked around and, seeing that no one was around, cautiously transmitted his voice, saying, "The widow of Sect Leader Shi wants to force her way through."

Sect Leader Shi?
Widow?

Li Xiangming's mind raced, and he instantly thought of the well-behaved Shi Fengxue and her mother in the blue dress. He couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Are they at the Li family's house?" "Yes, they moved in about two months ago."

Li Xiangguang replied.

Two months?
Li Xiangming pondered for a moment. This was the time when he was organizing the Demon Suppression Camp in Monkey Valley to resist the beast tide. It seemed that Li Qianxiong had listened to his advice and sent people to find Shi Fengxue and her daughter who had been stranded near Danggui Mountain.

But weren't they going to Qingju Mountain?
Why would they stay at the Li family's house?
When Li Xiangguang heard the question, he scratched his head and said, "I only returned home a month earlier than you, so I don't know many things! The woman initially said she would wait for you, but later she wanted to leave instead, and was then placed under house arrest by the head of the family."

She must have been unable to bear it any longer to injure the maid who brought her food and try to force her way out. Of course, she wasted her time, but the head of the household had ordered that no one else be allowed to inquire about their whereabouts, and I was afraid things would escalate, so I came to inform you immediately.”

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming immediately quickened his pace.

Before long, the two arrived at a secluded courtyard in the central courtyard, where a young guard monk was even standing guard outside the gate.

"Deputy Chief Steward!"

Upon seeing Li Xiangming, the young cultivator immediately bowed and stepped aside.

Li Xiangming grunted in agreement and stepped into the courtyard.

He seemed to have arrived a little late; the "upheaval" that Li Xiangguang had mentioned had already subsided.

However, judging from some collapsed stone benches and torn turf, a brief conflict had broken out here.

Several side rooms were arranged around the courtyard. Considering that the residents were women, Li Xiangming stopped and did not go any further. Li Xiangguang, observing the situation, immediately called out, "Madam Shi, please come out and meet us!"

"squeak!"

The sound of the door being pushed open, accompanied by an angry shout, echoed throughout the courtyard: "Haven't you Li family humiliated us, an orphan and a widow, enough?"

humiliation?

Li Xiangming glanced at Li Xiangguang beside him.

Li Xiangguang immediately broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly waved his hands, saying, "Absolutely not, we have always treated our guests with courtesy."

"Is this what you call politeness?"

Before he could finish speaking, a plump woman in a blue dress rushed forward angrily, pointing to the bruise on her right cheek near her eyebrow.

Li Xiangguang was stunned for a moment, then looked innocently at Li Xiangming. He had gone to report the news immediately, so how could he have known what would happen next?

Besides, the woman in the blue dress was injured, and he didn't do it.
Unexpectedly, Li Xiangming did not react, so Li Xiangguang had no choice but to apologize to the woman in the blue dress, saying, "It must be a misunderstanding, Madam Shi, please don't be angry. I will go and arrange for a doctor right away."

"It's you!"

The woman in the blue dress stared wide-eyed, completely ignoring Li Xiangguang, and instead fixed her gaze on Li Xiangming, her eyes filled with a mixture of excitement and grievance. After a long while, she finally let out a sigh of relief: "You're finally back, Li Xiangming! You've caused Fengxue and me so much suffering."

"Madam Shi has no worries about food or clothing in the Li family, and doesn't seem to be suffering."

Li Xiangming remained expressionless, simply responding calmly.

"If it weren't for you, if it weren't for your Li family, I would have gone to Qingju Mountain long ago!"

The woman in the blue dress first shouted excitedly, then her face turned bitter, and her voice weakened: "In this way, Shengyi Sect can also get reinforcements and won't end up like this."

After saying this, she collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

The door slammed shut behind her again. Shi Fengxue rushed forward, knelt down, and pulled the woman's trembling body into her arms, intending to comfort her, but in the end, her voice broke into a sob: "Mother!"

Upon seeing this, Li Xiangming immediately understood that the mother and daughter both knew about the destruction of Shengyi Sect and that they would be homeless from now on!

(End of this chapter)