Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 1228 - 1225_1

The aged figure with the bearing of a Taoist immortal listened, and raised a fist in salute to Shangguan Xuanyi and Xi’er, saying: "I, wish to kill Gu Xuan. If Prince Rui is willing to lend a hand, the people of the Li Clan will pledge not to participate in the war between your kingdom and the Nangong Country! Li County also willingly falls within the territory of Minze Country! In the future, if Prince Rui has something he needs assistance with, the people of the Li Clan are willing to give their all!" The Li Clan elder made a solemn promise.

At this point, Shangguan Xuanyi also stood up: "Very well, it’s settled!"

He had intended to kill Gu Xuan from the start. To gain the support of the Li Clan made this trip worthwhile!

The esteemed elder assured him, and then took out two tokens: "These are the tokens of the Li Clan elder. The disciples of the Li Clan are scattered all over the continent. If there is anything you need help with, just have a person hold onto this token, go to the dispensary in Baicao Valley and look for the shopkeeper there."

Baicao Valley was a pharmacy that was widespread across this continent’s various kingdoms and the owner of that pharmacy had always been mysterious. It turned out that the pharmacy was owned by the Li Clan!

No wonder!

"So, Baicao Valley is yours, I shouldn’t have judged a book by its cover! Then I will not stand on ceremony! Thanks a lot, sir!" Xi’er accepted them without any hesitation.

With Shangguan Xuanyi’s commitment, the aged figure dropped his worries. He jocularly asked, "Now that you know, are you willing to marry my son? If one Li Valley isn’t enough, how about the addition of Baicao Valley as a bride price? Also, my name is Li Guzi, there is no need to call me a gentleman, just call me uncle!"

"Hey, how can you offer such a presumptuous proposal out of nowhere? Didn’t I say earlier that Xi’er is already promised to someone else? Uncle indeed, you are taking advantage!" Shangguan Xuanyao cried loudly in protest.

Uncle? Such a cunning plan!

"The people of the Li Clan have always been straying from normalcy, how would we be otherwise?" Li Guzi responded defiantly.

Shangguan Xuanyao: "..."

Li Guzi ignored the young lad’s tirade, and turned his head to Shangguan Xuanyi, warning: "Gu Xuan holds a lot of power, and his influences are all abnormal deviations. It’s very strange!"

Shangguan Xuanyao: "Deviant, isn’t that like you? Can’t you deal with him?"

Li Guzi: "..."

It somewhat felt like he was unwittingly shooting himself in the foot.

"Gu Xuan is highly proficient in magic, and follows unconventional practices,..."

Li Guzi shared some information he knew about Gu Xuan. Gu Xuan had influence in many kingdoms. These influences were not nurtured by normal means. He controlled them using magic; or by helping them with issues using his magic, rendering them in awe and filled with fear, and hence unable to disobey him.

"If he did not engage in these dealings of the so-called side door, he would not have been banished from his sect!" Xiao’er found this perfectly plausible upon hearing it.

Who dares to not listen to a person who could control souls!

"In the past, Gu Xuan come to me, asking me to develop a potion that could make people obey commands. I refused! Because potions are not omnipotent, how could there possibly be a potion that makes people listen to commands! And to tame a man, all should rely on the heart and strength, not drug control!"

One could make a potion that causes physical discomfort, mental disorders, even death. But as for a potion that makes people obey commands, he couldn’t make one.

Presumably, he must be offended by his refusal, hence his daughter’s soul was being controlled now!

"So, what does Gu Xuan actually want to do? Does he want to rule the world too?" Xi’er couldn’t understand after hearing all this.

Why would he want to manipulate people?

"I only know that he desires to live eternally! Hence, that’s the reason for his magical pursuits!" Li Guzi said.

"That’s what most cultivators desire!" Xiao’er said.

"Indeed! It’s rather fanciful! Birth, aging, disease and death are natural laws! No one can transgress this!" Li Guzi nodded in agreement.

"The Li Clan has more influence in Nangong Country. The whereabouts of Master Gu Xuan and the extent of his influence will be left to you. Inform me as soon as you find out! If there is nothing else, we will take our leave." Shanguan Xuanyi was the one to say it this time.

He was not interested in whatever Gu Xun wanted to do; he only needed to locate him, identify his cronies and know their whereabouts.

Xiao’er was also thinking of leaving. She still needed to go back and feed the children in her space.

...

Eventually, when Xiao’er and her party left Li Valley, they had basically reached an agreement with Li Guzi.

As for Gu Xuan’s whereabouts, Li Guzi would keep an eye on it through the Li Clan folks scattered everywhere.

Shangguan Xuanyi handed the portrait of Gu Xuan, drawn by Xiao’er, to Li Guzi. At first glance, Li Guzi praised it, saying it looked so realistic, that his subordinates wouldn’t misidentify the person!

Xiao’er and her three companions descended the mountain, boarded the carriage and headed for the rented courtyard where they came from.

Only after Xiao’er’s carriage went far off did the man in blue ride his horse out of the forest by the roadside.

He had been trailing behind Xiao’er’s carriage all along.

Seeing that Xiao’er’s carriage stopped at a certain courtyard, he immediately rode his horse and left.

When dusk was approaching, the man in blue arrived outside a magnificent mansion and halted.

He dismounted from the horse and knocked on the gate.

Shortly after, the gatekeeper opened the gate and allowed him in on recognition.

Gong Zixuan was standing in a pavilion in the garden, looking at the bright moon in the sky.

The man in blue knelt on one knee at a distance of a meter from him: "My lord!"

"What about the contest results?"

"I am undeserving, my lord. I have failed to accomplish your task." The man in blue lowered his head after saying that.

"Didn’t you manage to achieve the position of Clan Elder of the Li Clan? And Heisa?"

"During the poison test, Heisa was killed by a despicable man!" The moment the man in blue thought of those two people, his teeth ached with anger.

"Useless!" Gong Zixuan could not help but curse!

Both of them had promised him earlier that they would definitely secure the position of Li Clan elder!

The man in blue dare not say a word, he lowered his head.

"Who won the position of Clan elder then?" Gong Zixuan asked again.

"My Lord, it was a man named Shen Riyao and another named Shen Xi! Both of them and two other princes have excellent poison skills. They all passed the first three rounds with full marks. I had tried to win them over with Heisa, but we were rejected! I suspect that they were sent by the Minze Country, their accents are similar to those of Minze Country."

People from Minze Country?

Surname Shen? Riyao? Xi? Xiao’er?

Gong Zixuan suddenly remembered how Shangguan Wanru kept calling the Princess of Minze Country as Xiao’er.

"What do these four people look like? Describe them to me."