Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 561 Yuan Bin's Request

"Brother Li, will my mother ever come back?"

Shi Fengxue walked on the muddy path, her hands tightly clutching the "Cui Luan" pendant to her chest, her voice slightly anxious yet barely audible.

Li Xiangming turned his head slightly and wondered how Shi Yuan and his wife had raised their child. The child's eyes were as clear as a snow lotus just beginning to bloom in a mountain stream.

The last time I saw such pure eyes was ten years ago with Sun Siyan.

Sun Siyan was precocious, and although she appeared quiet and gentle on the surface, she had already developed a certain composure or sharpness inside.

But this child was different; his innocence almost overflowed from his eyes, making even someone as experienced as him feel pity for him.

Naivety does not equate to stupidity!
Regarding the news involving "Shi Yuan," Shi Fengxue, who should have been the most agitated, remained calm—clearly, she had thought things through more deeply and thoroughly than the woman in the blue dress. She now understood even more clearly that her mother's departure was accompanied by immense risk.

With such a sensitive heart, if she were to gain experience for two years, wouldn't she have shed all her childishness?

He might be able to take charge of Shengyi Sect at that time.

but
The woman in the blue dress refused!

According to her, if Shi Fengxue were to take the Seven Apertures Exquisite Pill in her current state, the probability of her developing a clear and bright mind would be far greater than that of an ordinary person.

Li Xiangming naturally wouldn't interfere, but said gently, "Don't worry, I'll personally select the people and arrange the route. Your mother will be fine. But you, you need to find a way to adapt to life on Danggui Mountain."

"Oh."

Shi Fengxue lowered her head and followed silently behind.

Li Xiangming didn't say much. He knew Shi Fengxue was not very satisfied, but he didn't have time to comfort the child.

"arrive."

After a long and winding journey, Li Xiangming led Shi Fengxue to a dense mountain forest, where a semi-circular light screen emitting a faint white glow appeared before them.

A person was already waiting in front of the light screen.

The man was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, with disheveled hair. He appeared to be only in his early twenties, yet his entire being resembled a half-drawn sword, drawing attention even when standing still. However, his eyes were as still as a dry well, their depths unfathomable, creating an incongruous effect.

Li Xiangming sized up the other person and subconsciously frowned: "You've broken through to a higher realm?"

Yuan Bin nodded without replying.

Li Xiangming pondered for a moment. Yuan Bin was the Tongbei Sect disciple who had surrendered to him.

Although Tongbei Sect disciples can generally reach the mid-stage of Qi Refining in their youth, it is due to the effects of certain secret medicines. The further they progress on their cultivation path, the more the side effects of these medicines become apparent, making it increasingly difficult to advance their cultivation.

Yuan Bin was able to become the "leader's" confidant because he was one of the few cultivators in the sect at the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Even within the Li family, a cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining would hold a certain status.

However, Yuan Bin's background, experience, and immeasurable loyalty destined him to become a pawn to be discarded.

Li Xiangming never intended to use Yuan Bin. It was Yuan Bin who volunteered and promised to help him look after the other captured Tongbei Sect disciples, so he temporarily kept him on.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Bin seemed unaffected by the secret medicine. In less than a year, with the help of pills and spirit stones given by the Li family, he advanced to the eighth level of Qi Refining.

In a few years, wouldn't he have to cultivate all the way to the ninth level of Qi Refining and then the Great Perfection of Qi Refining? Just as he had this thought, Yuan Bin spoke up: "I need Foundation Establishment Pills!"

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming's cheek twitched slightly, and he said irritably, "Do you think Foundation Establishment Pills are as common as cabbage?"

"I can help you, we have thirty people!"

Yuan Bin suddenly stepped forward, his voice hoarse: "Whether it's killing people or slaying demons, we can handle it perfectly."

"Are you teaching me what to do?"

Li Xiangming's expression suddenly turned cold halfway through the conversation.

Yuan Bin's location is near Liangyi Peak in the northwest direction of Danggui Mountain. There is a barrier set up by Ding Xia here, and apart from the Li family, only Yuan Bin can freely enter and exit.

It was thought that Yuan Bin, having escaped with his life, would stay obediently at Liangyi Peak.

Unexpectedly, this person was ambitious—he could utter the word "slay demons" and take the opportunity to demand Foundation Establishment Pills, which clearly showed that he had secretly inquired about the current predicament of the Li family.

"It's just a transaction."

Yuan Bin seemed to sense Li Xiangming's dissatisfaction and lowered his head.

Li Xiangming stared at him coldly for a long time before saying, "Only when both parties are of equal status can it be called a transaction! Yuan Bin, I am willing to sponsor your cultivation not because you are so important, but because the Li family is not short of money! Even without you, those Tongbei Sect disciples cannot escape this barrier. Do you think you are qualified to be on equal footing with the Li family? Want Foundation Establishment Pills?"
Sure, the Li family has the ability to get it for you.

But rather than proving your worth, I think you should prove your loyalty!

loyalty?

Yuan Bin paused for a moment: "What do I need to do to..."

"You don't have to do anything."

Li Xiangming stood with his hands behind his back and interrupted again, saying, "Here, I am the one who summons you, not the one who has the right to bargain. If you are not satisfied, you are free to leave Dangui Mountain."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Bin silently lowered his head and clenched the hem of his clothes.

Li Xiangming glanced at him, then looked away.

The disciples of the Tongbei Sect were assassins by trade, so their performance against demonic beasts would certainly not be bad. Yuan Bin offered the bloody battle of thirty Tongbei Sect disciples in exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Did the Li family lose money in this deal?
At least in Li Xiangming's eyes, it was a worthwhile investment.

While Foundation Establishment Pills are indeed precious, they pale in comparison to the stability of Pudong. At this critical juncture, if he is unwilling to offer substantial rewards, how can he salvage the situation?

However, Li Xiangming would not use Yuan Bin, nor would he use any of the brainwashed Tongbei Sect disciples.

The Night Owl Hall's infiltration of the Demon Suppression Camp is still fresh in my mind!

After the defeat at Calabash Valley, Li Xiangming could vaguely sense that the "Earth Collapse and Sky Collapse Formation" that appeared out of nowhere was inextricably linked to the Qin family.

This shows that the Qin family has always been very concerned about the beast tide in Pudong.

The Tongbi Sect is a subordinate force of the Qin family's intelligence agency, the Night Owl Hall.

Even if he had lost his mind, he wouldn't have created such a hidden danger for himself.

Of course, he greatly admired Yuan Bin's resolute character, outstanding talent, and current cultivation level.

Although he was determined not to use Yuan Bin, he still harbored the idea of ​​taming this wolf in the heart, but that time would have to be set for five or ten years later.

If that time comes, Yuan Bin will still be willing to stay in the Li family.

This indicates that he indeed had nowhere else to go, and at the same time, he had developed a certain dependence on the Li family.

Only in this way would Li Xiangming be "willing" to use various means to bind Yuan Bin to the Li family's war machine.

After passing Yuan Bin, Li Xiangming led Shi Fengxue into the barrier. Everywhere they looked, there was a dense jungle.

At this moment, two figures emerged from the shadows. One of them, an ordinary-looking man, greeted Hall Master Li with a forced smile.

Ma He?

Li Xiangming raised an eyebrow.

This guest elder, who was once recruited by the Li family from the Changyang Valley Battle Tournament, was once full of vigor. Now, however, he has a protruding waist and a fawning face. He no longer resembles a sword cultivator at all.

On the contrary, Qiao Shun behind him had gone from being slightly chubby to being as thin as a rake.

"Is Master Qiao not used to living here?" Li Xiangming asked.

Qiao Shun's lips curled into a bitter smile as he clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Thanks to Hall Master Li for taking care of me, it's alright."

Li Xiangming said "Oh". Yuan Bin, Ma He and Qiao Shun were all inextricably linked to the Qin family, and now they had all surrendered to the Li family.

The Li family wanted to use them, but couldn't fully trust them, so they simply placed them together to monitor each other.

However, Yuan Bin and Ma He moved in first and developed close relationships with the Tongbei Sect disciples. Qiao Shun, as a latecomer, remained alone and was clearly ostracized within the barrier.

But if Qiao Shun doesn't say anything, he won't interfere—the greater the pressure this person faces, the more likely he will eventually side with the Li family.

"Feng Xue, come over and say hello."

Li Xiangming waved, and Shi Fengxue timidly walked over from behind him.

Ma He and Qiao Shun both looked at the girl at the same time, with different expressions.

Li Xiangming gently patted Shi Fengxue's head and instructed her, "From now on, you will live here. If anyone dares to bully you, just tell me with a sound transmission talisman, and I'll make them regret it."

(End of this chapter)