Chapter 20: The Li Family’s Viper, Li Yaowen
“Gained their trust?”
Li Xiang narrowed his eyes. Sometimes, strategizing required a great deal of time.
But in this game, Li Xiang focused more on the development of the Li family. With the accelerated passage of time, he had no idea what Li Yaowen had been up to, so he had to ask the Purple Thunder Heavenly Python for answers.
“Hiss… sss…”
As the temple guardian beast issued its inquiry, Li Yaowen immediately understood. She respectfully reported, “Ancestor, the town of Tailin has our people stationed. I’ve had them monitor the movements of the four great families. Finally, three months ago, I sent a maidservant stationed in the Chen household to send news: the prodigal young master of the Chen family secretly went to a brothel for pleasure.”
“So I instructed my second sister to prepare a potion that incites desire. On that very night, Hu Wei from the Hu family—who had previously sent men to severely wound my father—was also there. He was utterly drunk.”
“I had someone send him into the room of the lustful young master of the Chen family…”
???
“Bang!”
Li Xiang’s jaw dropped as he slid off his chair, utterly stunned—this was explosive, truly explosive!
What happened that night was too vivid, too beautiful a scene for him to even imagine.
“The next day, Hu Wei woke up and searched the town high and low for Chen Gandang from the Chen family, threatening to kill him no matter what.”
“Later, Chen Gandang fled Tailin Town. Under my arrangements, he encountered danger and came to our Zhi’en Village.”
“The fourth brother of the Chen family head has been secretly contacting me to protect Chen Gandang’s life.”
Li Xiang was full of emotion.
He deeply admired Li Yaowen’s meticulous strategy. At least, he had never thought of such a… unique approach.
And while Li Yaowen described all this, her face remained calm and composed—as if the ends justified the means, and the process no longer mattered.
She even seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the current outcome.
“Ancestor, Yaowen still miscalculated. I thought Hu Wei would sober up earlier and kill Chen Gandang, after which we could have contacted his father proactively. But unexpectedly, Chen Gandang is still alive.”
“……”
Li Xiang was speechless. Silently, he typed—
[The world is ever-changing; observe and adapt.]
As the Purple Thunder Heavenly Python responded, Li Yaowen’s eyes lit up. “I understand now. Ancestor means we can strike again. While the Chen family sends people for the exchange, I will have someone bring Chen Gandang to meet them. At the same time, we will secretly inform the Hu family—Hu Wei is vengeful and will never spare Chen Gandang!”
“Then… this will only escalate the conflict!”
“That is the unpredictable way of the world—an open strategy within an open strategy. Even if the Chen family knows it was us, they have already seen blood. We and they have both become enemies of the Hu family. The enemy of my enemy is my friend!”
Li Xiang drew in a sharp breath.
This second-generation descendant was undoubtedly the most ruthless person he had ever met in his life.
“Proceed with the operation.”
Li Xiang had nothing more to add. Li Yaowen had clearly laid out everything; his interference would only backfire.
His own aim was simple.
To break Tailin Town’s blockade on the Li family and conduct the trade!
If they could completely eliminate the two enemies of the Li family and annex the entire Tailin Town, the Li family’s progress would accelerate dramatically!
...
Soon after,
While examining the map, Li Xiang noticed outside Zhi’en Village that Li Yaozu was returning with two spirit beasts and a group of battered, wounded people.
The Li family now had five spirit beasts. Aside from the one contracted by Xu Cuihua, there were four others.
All were products of the Silver Iron Forest. With the help of the Purple Thunder Heavenly Python and Xu Cuihua’s patient taming over time, these beasts had no choice but to submit.
They were the Hundred-Eyed Demon Spider, the Fierce Wind Winged Tiger, the Morning Sun Beast, and the Eight-Leaf Flower Demon.
At this moment, Li Yaozu was accompanied by the latter two.
The Morning Sun Beast was a bird-like demon beast resembling a crane but covered in red feathers. When flying, its demon aura could ignite into fierce flames; a truly fierce creature. It usually helped Li Yaotie with forging.
The Eight-Leaf Flower Demon was a flower demon beast that had gained intelligence over many years and formed into a beast form. It could walk on roots, take root wherever it landed, and attack with flying leaves that could confuse the mind.
It was also the weakest spirit beast Xu Cuihua had ever seen…
As long as one was not mesmerized or cut by its eight leaves, even a Qi Refinement stage cultivator could burn it to ashes.
At this moment,
Outside a room, pink dust floated from the flower core of the Eight-Leaf Flower Demon.
Unconsciously, inside the room, those being treated by Li Yaoqing wore faces full of sorrow and indignation.
“Hu Wei of the Hu family killed our people. This is a grudge that cannot be left unresolved!”
“If it weren’t for the timely rescue by the eldest young master of the Li family, we would have perished too.”
“Never expected Hu Wei to be so ruthless and insane!”
Seeing the words above the animated characters’ heads, Li Xiang raised an eyebrow.
He knew Li Yaowen’s plan had succeeded—and even better than expected!
With great interest, Li Xiang watched as a maidservant pushed the frail and sickly Li Yaowen into the room.
“This is…”
Four people had been rescued from the Chen family on this trip. The leader was a middle-aged man, known to Li Xiang as the third brother of the Chen family head, with a cultivation level at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, named Chen Chuang.
As for Chen Gandang… that brat had been killed on the road by Hu Wei in a trap set together with his father.
Li Yaozu and the Chen family had already met on the road. When the group inquired, he smiled and said, “Friends of the Chen family, this is my younger sister Li Yaowen.”
After introductions,
Li Yaowen furrowed her brows and said solemnly, “Uncle Chen Chuang, may I ask if your Chen family has an old grudge with the Hu family?”
“An old grudge? Why would you say that, niece Yaowen?”
Chen Chuang pondered for a moment. “If we speak of grudges, there are many. To be honest, you may have heard that the four great families of Tailin are united in enmity, but that’s only how outsiders see it. Twenty years ago, our Chen family and the Hu family fought over a stone mine, causing many casualties. Hu Wei’s uncle also died in that accident.”
“So it’s as I thought.”
Li Yaowen sighed deeply.
Seeing her reaction, Chen Chuang was puzzled. “Why the sigh, niece?”
Li Yaowen said, “To be honest, when Chen brother fled to our Li family, he said he was dizzy that night and didn’t know what happened. The next day, Hu Wei wanted to kill him, and Hu Wei was in the right.”
“But Hu Wei hunted Chen brother all over the city, yet Chen brother still escaped Tailin Town. Coincidence, don’t you think?”
Chen Chuang’s expression changed. “What are you implying?”
“I mean this might have been a trap set up by the Hu family!” Li Yaowen’s expression showed some relief.
“A trap?” Chen Chuang seemed to have realized something.
“Yes, a trap!”
Li Yaowen spoke confidently, “Over the years, our Li family and the Hu family have blood feud. Uncle Chen Chuang knows that well, but your relationship with the Hu family is also poor. The Hu family has been secretly plotting to wipe us all out.”
“They deliberately incited conflict between Hu Wei and Chen brother, purposely let Chen brother escape, all for today!”
“Uncle Chen, think carefully. If everyone from the Chen family died on the way to meet Chen brother at our Li family, what would you think?”
This time Chen Chuang’s face turned pale.
“We Chen family would think it was your Li family’s doing, especially since you previously tricked the Wang family into coming here to be killed.”
“Exactly.” Li Yaowen shuddered. “This way, the Hu family can kill your people and sow discord between us and your Chen family. Then they can incite you to be our enemy!”
She smiled bitterly. “If that happens and we face the three great families of Tailin at once, our Li family might meet great disaster.”
“How ruthless!”
Chen Chuang gritted his teeth. Even with a broken leg, he struggled to rise. “I will return immediately to inform our ancestors and make the Hu family pay!”
But Li Yaowen shook her head. “Uncle Chen, wait. Do you think Hu Wei would let you return alive after attacking you? The road to Tailin Town is probably already riddled with Hu family traps.”
“This…” Chen Chuang finally calmed down.
Li Yaowen continued, “Recover well here in our Li family. Let’s continue our business talks. As for making the Hu family pay, that must be carefully planned. After all, family feuds concern survival. You should seriously consider if it’s worth risking your Chen and Hu families’ lives over this.”
“Ah…”
Chen Chuang sighed deeply. “These days, both the Hu and Wang families say your Li family is cruel. Rumors are terrifying.”
Just you, huh!
Watching the scene in the game, Li Xiang felt a touch of admiration.
At such an age, Li Yaowen was almost cunning as a demon!
She had grasped every detail, step by step plunging the Hu and Chen families into deep enmity, even shaping the Li family’s image before Chen Chuang as a benevolent and charitable house.
After Li Yaowen was pushed out of the room, Li Xiang immediately sent her a ‘gift from the ancestor.’
“Thank you, ancestor, for your blessing!” Li Yaowen beamed with joy at the ancestor’s reward. She had lost count of how many times she had received this. Frail and often ill, prone to colds and fevers, each time the ancestor’s grace would dispel her ailments.
Otherwise, she wasn’t sure she could have survived to this age.
This was also why Li Yaowen dared to persist in pursuing the arduous path of literary cultivation, believing the ancestor would protect everyone in the family. The ancestor’s spirit was in heaven and cared for her more than her own parents.
At this moment, in front of the screen,
Li Xiang watched Li Yaozu and the Chen family discuss trade inside the house. The Li family had abundant herbs, demon beast materials, food supplies, and even demon beast pups.
The Chen family possessed various resources, even owning a guild in the county town.
The Li family would soon gain a wealth of resources for developing their clan through this trade!
Before long,
The deal was sealed. Chen Chuang recuperated at the Li family’s home. As snowflakes drifted down, all Li family members gathered in the ancestral hall.
Even Li Dalong, who was in seclusion, temporarily emerged with a scruffy beard.
The once-in-a-decade grand sacrificial ceremony began!
[Your family has offered you a vast array of sacrifices!]