Chapter 32
Chapter 32: Out of Seclusion, Minor Accomplishment in the Qi-Blood Realm
After returning to Qingfeng Valley, Li Yanzhao went back to the clan to report.
After hearing his account, the faces of the Grand Elder and the others darkened somewhat as well. “It seems some people still do not take our Li Clan seriously.”
“Grand Elder, what should we do now? Mountain-Shaking Tiger has clearly made up his mind not to hand over the murderer. Why not gather the clan’s best men and wipe out the Blackclad Stronghold?”
The Grand Elder shook his head.
“That would be unwise,” he said, rejecting the idea. “Since the medicinal herbs have already been recovered, there is no need to make a major move for now. The Baibo Song Clan is watching our Li Clan like a tiger eyeing its prey, and the Family Head is still in seclusion. We cannot act rashly. Until the Family Head emerges, stability must come first in all things.”
“Fine then. Let Mountain-Shaking Tiger enjoy himself for a few more days.”
Li Yanzhao spoke with obvious unwillingness.
...
Two months later.
Inside the Family Head’s seclusion chamber in Qingfeng Valley.
The dense power of qi and blood filled the entire chamber. A dim oil lamp flickered softly, casting its glow over Li Xingge’s handsome face.
He sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, his hands forming seals, while spiritual light flickered faintly within his narrow eyes.
It seemed he had reached a critical moment. Fine beads of cold sweat seeped out across Li Xingge’s forehead as the power of qi and blood swelled violently through his meridians, stabbing through him like ten thousand needles.
No one knew how much time had passed. Within the seclusion chamber, that crimson qi-and-blood power began to grow violent, churning wildly through the air.
Li Xingge opened his mouth and, like a ravenous Taotie, devoured all of that qi-and-blood power in an instant.
At the same time, his aura began to climb higher and higher, and the pressure radiating from him grew increasingly terrifying.
A short while later, it seemed to reach a critical threshold.
Then, as if a muffled rumble had sounded out, Li Xingge suddenly opened his eyes and let out a long breath of turbid air.
Joy appeared on his face. “After so long in bitter cultivation, I’ve finally succeeded!”
Yes. Just now, he had broken through into Minor Accomplishment in the Qi-Blood Realm.
At this moment, he could feel that the strength within his body had become vastly greater than it had been before he entered seclusion.
If he were to face that old ghost from the Su Clan again now, he could crush him with ease.
So this was the strength of Minor Accomplishment in the Qi-Blood Realm?
Now that he had broken through, he finally possessed the capital to confront the Baibo Song Clan head-on.
It was time for him to leave seclusion.
The stone door of the seclusion chamber slowly opened.
Sensing the disturbance, the two Li Clan cultivators who had been guarding the area outside day and night hurried over at once.
Seeing Li Xingge emerge, they both bowed and cupped their fists. “Welcome out of seclusion, Family Head!”
Li Xingge nodded.
“You’ve worked hard. Notify the elders that I’ll be waiting for them in the council hall.”
“Yes!”
A short while later.
Aside from Fifth Elder Li Xuanqi, who was stationed at the mineral vein, the other elders had all arrived one after another.
After the elders took their seats in order, Li Xingge smiled and said, “You elders have had a hard time during this period of my seclusion.”
The elders hurriedly shook their heads. “It was all part of our duty.”
The Grand Elder, meanwhile, silently observed Li Xingge. Although Li Xingge had concealed his aura very well, the Grand Elder could still sense an extremely dangerous presence from him.
He had a feeling that if Li Xingge wanted to kill him, it would not take much effort.
The Family Head’s strength had advanced again.
Fortunately, such a monstrous genius belonged to the Li Clan. The Grand Elder rejoiced inwardly.
“While I was in seclusion, has everything in the clan remained well?”
Li Xingge asked with a smile.
“Reporting to the Family Head, you remained in seclusion for more than three months. During that time, things were generally stable. Allow this old man to report the clan’s recent development.”
The Grand Elder smiled as he spoke.
Li Xingge nodded. This was what concerned him most.
The Grand Elder cleared his throat and slowly said, “With the increase in resource supply, our Li Clan gained three new clan members in the Physical Body Realm during this period, and two clan members advanced from initial entry into the Physical Body Realm to Minor Accomplishment in the Physical Body Realm.”
Li Xingge clapped his hands in approval.
Every clan member in the Physical Body Realm could be called one of the clan’s pillars.
With each additional one, the clan’s strength increased by another measure.
“Last month, the clan recorded a surplus of two thousand taels of gold.”
“And in the forbidden area at the back mountain, our plan to cultivate a spirit planter has also produced remarkable results. One clan member with considerable talent in Spirit Planting has already cultivated a stalk of spirit rice in the spirit field, and it has now entered mass cultivation. As for the spirit rice’s effects, we will only know once it matures.”
That piece of news hit the elders like a thunderbolt, leaving them stunned.
As for Li Xingge, hearing it made him incomparably delighted. It meant that their Li Clan finally had hope of nurturing a spirit planter.
No one understood better than Li Xingge how great an improvement a spirit planter could bring to a clan.
“Good! This is truly excellent!”
Li Xingge applauded again and again. The other elders recovered from their shock and also burst into hearty laughter.
After a brief moment of thought, Li Xingge smiled and said, “Such a great merit must be rewarded. Grand Elder, if that clan member truly succeeds in cultivating qualified spirit rice, then establish a Spirit Medicine Hall and promote him to become the clan’s Seventh Elder.”
No one objected to Li Xingge’s arrangement.
What a joke. Even in the commandery city, a spirit planter would be treated as an honored guest by the great clans there.
“Yes, Family Head.”
The Grand Elder answered with a smile.
“Oh, right, Family Head. There is one more matter that requires your decision.”
As if suddenly remembering something, the Grand Elder’s expression turned solemn.
“Speak.”
“Family Head, one month after you entered seclusion, a batch of medicinal herbs meant for the clan’s juniors’ Body Tempering was intercepted. More than ten guards were killed, and one direct-line clan member was gravely wounded. Later investigation confirmed that it was the work of the Blackclad Stronghold. I sent the Sixth Elder there once. Although he recovered the medicinal herbs, the Blackclad Stronghold was perfunctory in dealing with the matter of the culprit.”
After hearing this, the smile on Li Xingge’s face gradually disappeared.
“That Mountain-Shaking Tiger has some nerve!”
He had robbed the Li Clan’s goods, killed the Li Clan’s people, and then tried to brush the matter aside. He clearly had not taken Li Xingge seriously at all.
Li Xingge narrowed his eyes, and a cold killing intent surfaced within them.
In truth, there was a domineering streak in Li Xingge’s bones as well.
“Grand Elder, with me here guarding the clan, I’ll trouble you to make a trip and bring back Mountain-Shaking Tiger’s head.”
Li Xingge said it lightly, as if the great leader of the Blackclad Stronghold—whom everyone within hundreds of miles feared like a tiger—were nothing more than an ant he could crush at will.
The reason he sent the Grand Elder instead of acting personally
was naturally because the Grand Elder already possessed the strength of initial entry into the Qi-Blood Realm. Dealing with a cultivator in the Physical Body Realm was more than enough for him, even if that cultivator had reached Great Perfection in that realm.
Secondly, he was the Family Head of the Li Clan, not the Li Clan’s hired thug. If every matter required the Family Head to handle personally, then what was the clan even for?
The Grand Elder, of course, carried out Li Xingge’s order without the slightest hesitation.
He had been holding this anger in for two whole months.
If Li Xingge had not still been in seclusion, requiring him to remain behind and guard the clan, he would have gone to the Blackclad Stronghold long ago to settle accounts with Mountain-Shaking Tiger.