Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 138 - 129: Business Without Capital

Seeing Mu Yalu's expression, Li Jingtian was also shaken and knew she had misunderstood, so he quickly held Li Yuanjiao with one hand and helped her up with the other, repeatedly saying:

"Madam has misunderstood! Madam has misunderstood!"

After seeing Mu Yalu dazed for a moment and her emotions somewhat stabilized, the intelligent Li Jingtian quickly handed Li Yuanjiao to Mu Yalu to show his sincerity, and while helping her up, he apologized:

"It was Jingtian's lack of consideration that led to the misunderstanding. The elders in the family entrusted me to compile our family history, and the lineage and bloodline of each son must be thoroughly investigated. Even if Ganixi truly is descended from the Mu Deer family line, the Li Family would not stoop so low as to hold this debt against one of our own younger members!"

Mu Yalu was still half-convinced, her maternal love making her hesitant to allow such a stain on her Yuanjiao. She persisted in believing that Ganixi was of slave origin and unrelated to the Mu Deer family line. Li Jingtian had no choice but to change the subject, asking some polite questions about whether she was accustomed to life here. After chatting for a while, Mu Yalu gradually relaxed.

After dismissing the attendants, Li Jingtian looked at the increasingly calm Mu Yalu, hesitated for a moment, then looked at her attire and said in a low voice:

"My eldest brother is wholeheartedly devoted to the family and may overlook some things. If Madam and her child encounter any difficulties in the future, please send someone to the mountain to find me."

Mu Yalu was taken aback and hastily nodded, whispering her thanks. Watching Li Jingtian lead people out of the courtyard, she then picked up Li Yuanjiao and entered the house. She kissed her child's cheek and thought to herself:

"In any case, these things must never be acknowledged. Xuanxuan is stubborn, and if he becomes suspicious, he may inevitably harbor resentment towards the child, especially since Ganixi indirectly caused the death of the former Li Family head, Li Xiangping, and his son, Li Xuanfeng, has a high level of cultivation; I cannot take that risk."

"Jingtian does have a good heart, certainly not letting such rumors spread. As long as this doesn't reach the ears of the great lady of the mountain, this matter can be considered resolved."

After placing little Yuanjiao on the bed, Mu Yalu watched him with a beaming smile, the soft moonlight pouring down as she began to pray over the child in a low voice, using ancient witchcraft.

When Li Jingtian left the courtyard, she whispered to the clan soldiers beside her:

"Send someone to inform Ahuilar and tell him to keep his mouth shut. If these rumors reach the mountain, no one can protect him!"

The soldier hurried off to comply, while Li Jingtian walked up the mountain by the stone path. Seeing the courtyard lights on and hearing voices inside, she asked a clan soldier at the door:

"Who is there?"

"Miss, it's heard that Chen Donghe has made a breakthrough in Yujing today. The family head is very pleased and has kept him in the courtyard for a conversation."

"Oh?"

Li Jingtian nodded, slightly surprised. Chen Donghe, two years younger than Li Xuanxuan, had made such progress and reached the Fetal Breathing Fifth Layer of cultivation. Although it meant little in front of Li Xuanfeng, it was still considered excellent among their neighboring families.

Shaking her head, Li Jingtian turned to leave but suddenly stopped in her tracks. Standing in front of her, blocking the way, was a man with a black longbow on his back and a quiver at his waist: Li Xuanfeng.

"Brother."

Seeing her brother, Li Jingtian's expression was complex. Li Xuanfeng, having broken through in Qi Cultivation, looked even younger than Li Jingtian and more like a younger brother.

Li Xuanfeng had started practicing cultivation techniques at the age of seven, often living in the cave mansion on Meichi Mountain to cultivate. Later, he would lurk in the mountains hunting monsters every month, making the siblings' encounters even rarer.

"Why always avoid me?"

Li Xuanfeng furrowed his brow, examining Li Jingtian's expression carefully, feeling that something was amiss. He looked at her warily and said in a morose tone:

"Are you hiding something from me?"

Li Jingtian let out a low sigh and said with a smile:

"In two more months, I will be married to Donghe."

"What?!"

Li Xuanfeng was stunned, quickly piecing together the situation in his mind. He now understood why he had never been informed and had never heard about it. His aura surged as he exclaimed in shock:

"Do you wish for this?! Is Xuanxuan using you to win over Chen Donghe?!"

Knowing her brother's fierce nature and fearing what he might do, Li Jingtian quickly replied with a smile:

"Brother! If I were unwilling, who in the family would dare to order me around? Don't overthink it!"

Li Xuanfeng calmed down, still looking at her with suspicion and gritted his teeth:

"Really?"

"Really!"

"No matter what, that person took away my sister without a sound, and I need to give him a beating to relieve my anger!"

After speaking, he twisted his head to enter the house, and there was suddenly a clattering noise. Li Jingtian chuckled, feeling much of the worry in his heart dissipate, and went lightheartedly towards the side courtyard.

———

Lu Sisi flew to Lijing Mountain on the wind, activated his mana around his eyes, and saw before him a splendid golden light. His heart shook, and he murmured,

"What a brilliant formation."

At once, he felt envious and thought to himself,

"This formation must be quite valuable. It's probably using the famed White Feather Purple Zither Banners from the past. But where did Li Tongya find such a masterful array master? He really is loaded…"

While stirring his mana, he sent a message,

"I am Lu Sisi from the prestigious Lu Family of Taoyun Sect, here to visit Taoist Fellow Li Tongya. Please, Taoist Fellow, open the Great Formation."

Soon, the formation opened a gap just large enough for one person, and Lu Sisi passed through the Sun Rites Xuan Guang Great Formation. Li Tongya was already waiting for him in the mountains, dressed in white.

"Tongya Brother."

Lu Sisi greeted with a bow, and Li Tongya quickly welcomed him into the courtyard, but was utterly astonished as he looked at Lu Sisi, who seemed like a different person. He asked with some complexity,

"Predecessor Lu! How did you end up like this?"

Lu Sisi's once snow-white hair was no longer gleaming like snow but revealed strands of deathly gray. The wrinkles on his face had deepened, his eyes were dull and lifeless, and his left hand was occasionally trembling. He wore a bitter smile.

"Life is tough! Making Tongya Brother laugh at me!"

Over the past two years, Lu Sisi had been running around nonstop, unable to find peace. He had been roaming the Mushroom Forest Plain in the east, visiting personally every cultivator he had even a slight acquaintance with when he was younger to find a way out for the Lu Family. At nearly two hundred years old, he often had to go, cap in hand, to younger cultivators not even as old as his grandchildren, enduring great humiliation. He had aged more in the last two years than in the previous twenty.

"Sigh."

Li Tongya shook his head, knowing that the man before him likely didn't have many years left. Sitting in the seat of honor, he said warmly,

"Does the senior have any advice?"

Although he felt somber, Li Tongya had no intention of going easy on him. Once Lu Sisi died, the Lu Family could kiss the mining shares goodbye, and most of Huaqian Mountain would likely fall into the hands of the Li Family.

"Not at all, not at all!"

Lu Sisi quickly gestured with his hands, replying,

"Brother Li, do you remember the market by Wangyue Lake?"

"Of course, I remember!"

Wangyue Lake had become ruins after that battle. The Forbidden Formation was still running atop Lake Zhongzhou, and even Foundation Establishment Cultivators had to give way when they saw it.

Their families coveted the land in Lake Zhongzhou, rich with spiritual energy, but they had nothing like the Thunderstrike Array-breaking Wedge to deal with the formation full of thunder fire. They were helpless. Any valuables in the market had already been scavenged by those Foundation Establishment Cultivators. With no further attractions, they left it abandoned in the heart of the lake, ignored by all.

"I passed by the lake center a few days ago and saw quite the ship, filled with mortals, salvaging goods on Lake Zhongzhou!"

"Mortals?"

Li Tongya immediately became filled with doubts, and Lu Sisi didn't dare to beat around the bush, replying,

"These loose cultivators went to the counties and, through a mix of deception and persuasion, gathered a group of mortals, luring them with promises of wealth and immortal cultivation. Then they used a big ship to transport them to the shores of the continent, letting them salvage from Lake Zhongzhou."

"This Forbidden Formation was inherently designed by sacrificing stability and integrity for power, so it has many shortcomings. If you throw a thousand or so mortals at the formation, there might be one who gets through to retrieve the spiritual objects from the ruins. As the Forbidden Formation is outwardly directed and not internally, these objects can be carried out quite openly."

After hearing this, Li Tongya was silent for a moment before responding,

"What are you implying, senior?"

Lu Sisi slapped his thigh and replied with an ingratiating smile,

"How can we let them do such a thing!"