"Good! Another one, and still of the bloodline of our Li Family!" <br><br>Hearing the gentle voice of Thomas Li from the stage, Chengfu Ye jumped up as if struck by lightning. His gaze was fixed on the flustered Qiuyang Ye standing on the stage, and he nearly burst into laughter toward the sky. <br><br>"You bear the surname Ye. Who is your father?" <br>Thomas Li asked with a smile. <br><br>"Ye... Chengfu Ye." <br>Qiuyang Ye, glancing nervously at his father Chengfu Ye, who was gesturing wildly below the stage, timidly answered. <br><br>"Congratulations, Brother Chengfu." <br>Thomas Li looked toward Chengfu Ye following the child's gaze and greeted him with a smile. <br><br>"Thank you, Immortal Master!" <br>Chengfu Ye, not daring to appear arrogant, replied with great courtesy. Although his tone was respectful, he couldn't suppress the grin on his face as he cupped his hands in gratitude. <br><br>Thomas Li shook his head with a smile and proceeded to test the remaining individuals one by one. Then, he declared loudly: <br><br>"The rest of you have not passed. All stewards may stay; the others, please return to the village." <br><br>The crowd below rustled with disappointment. Regretful murmurs rose and fell as people dispersed in various directions after lingering for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Thomas Li’s companion, Leo Ye, stepped forward and announced: <br><br>"Three stewards, please follow me to the Li Family courtyard to verify the deeds and accounts." <br><br>The three stewards, including Chen Erniu, immediately agreed and followed Leo Ye toward the Li Family. <br><br>Thomas Li descended from the stage and addressed the overjoyed Chengfu Ye and the elder from Jingyang Village surnamed Liu in a soft voice: <br><br>"Follow me, everyone." <br><br>Chengfu Ye nodded quickly, clutching his child tightly to his chest as they walked. Tears streamed down his face as he murmured repeatedly: <br><br>"Good, good." <br><br>— <br><br>In the ancestral hall, Chengfu Ye and Qiuyang Ye offered incense and then knelt to kowtow respectfully. With the witness of the members of the Li Family, they reclaimed their ancestral surname. <br><br>"Family Head!" <br><br>Matthew Lee, the eldest direct descendant of the Li Family, naturally sat high in the principal seat in the courtyard. According to tradition, the two of them served him tea first and then knelt before him to listen attentively. <br><br>"Qiuyang is of our Li Family. Since he possesses a Spiritual Nexus, it's only natural to pass down a cultivation method to him." <br><br>Matthew Lee accepted a wooden tablet handed to him. In a calm tone, he continued: <br><br>"The clan bestows upon you the Qingyuan Cycle Cultivation Technique. You must cultivate diligently, honor the ancestors, and maintain harmony within the family. Never reveal the secrets of our Immortal arts, for it may attract covetous attention." <br><br>The young Qiuyang Li, now a member of the clan, solemnly knelt and replied with a determined gaze: <br><br>"I will remember the Family Head's teachings." <br><br>"You shall follow Paul Xiang to Jingyang Village's spiritual farmland. Spend your days cultivating with him. Do not venture outside until you have mastered The Wheel of Mystic Horizon." <br><br>Matthew Lee nodded and directed firmly. <br><br>"Understood!" <br><br>Qiuyang Li stood up and accepted the wooden tablet from his hand. Yet, he was still an eight or nine-year-old child. Turning around, his voice caught in his throat as he tearfully said to his father, Chengfu Ye: <br><br>"Father, I will now join the main family to cultivate." <br><br>"Good, good! You need not worry about matters at home. Tomorrow, I shall bring clothes and supplies to the Jingyang cottage for you. Focus on your cultivation, just focus on your cultivation..." <br><br>Chengfu Ye nodded repeatedly, his reddened eyes urging his son. <br><br>"Come, Qiuyang." <br><br>Paul Xiang smiled faintly, taking Qiuyang's small hand in his own. Nodding to Matthew Lee, he then led the boy out of the door. <br><br>"Chengfu, you should also prepare to move your family to the back of the village in a few days." <br><br>Matthew Lee coughed lightly, frowning as he spoke. <br><br>Chengfu Ye complied with urgency, noting their expressions, and hurriedly excused himself. <br><br>Watching Chengfu Ye rush away, Matthew Lee spoke in a grave tone: <br><br>"Keep that girl from the Liu Family with you at the Li Jing cottage for teaching. If she achieves The Wheel of Mystic Horizon someday, there’s no need to teach her the techniques." <br><br>"Father has planned well. Let the Liu Family's cultivators shift to overseeing the Li Jing area while we station Li Family members in Jingyang Village. This will prevent the Liu Family from growing too powerful." <br><br>Thomas Li exclaimed admiringly, his tone filled with respect. <br><br>"It's still early." <br><br>Matthew Lee squinted slightly and took a sip of tea before continuing: <br><br>"These children lack the support of an inspection lens and don’t have any resources or elixirs for cultivation. It will take at least a year for them to master The Wheel of Mystic Horizon, won't it?" <br><br>"Far longer than that!" <br><br>Thomas Li shook his head, explaining: <br><br>"I've studied the Qingyuan Cycle Cultivation Technique. The resulting energy is likely to be feeble, and the cultivation process is cumbersome. It will take no less than three years to form The Wheel of Mystic Horizon." <br><br>"Exactly. Since the Qingyuan Cycle Cultivation Technique is neither efficient nor outstanding, there's little to guard against. However, it’s prudent to keep a reserve plan in hand." <br><br>"Father is absolutely right." <br><br>Thomas Li nodded, placing his teacup down gently. Seeing Matthew Lee staring absentmindedly into the distance, he smiled wryly and excused himself. <br><br>Matthew Lee sat alone in the courtyard's high seat, silently contemplating for a long while before letting out a soft sigh. <br><br>"Not ruthless enough..." <br><br>— <br><br>For over four months, Wen Shan Xu had been managing Li Dao Pass. He had assigned tasks to several underlings and brought the village guards completely under control. <br><br>Wen Shan Xu had experience managing caravans, so running a small village came naturally to him. Although Li Dao Pass was a complex, mixed village, it lacked the influence of major clans, so within a month, he had firmly grasped everything within the village. <br><br>However, with time to spare, Wen Shan Xu began pondering ways to gain merit before the main family, aiming to outshine Chen Erniu. Sitting idly in the village, collecting rent and balancing accounts, he felt it was an underestimation of his abilities. <br><br>As he flipped through a map in boredom, Wen Shan Xu suddenly had an idea. <br><br>"Why don’t I return to my old trade?" <br><br>Slapping his thigh in excitement, he thought: <br><br>"These villages are trapped in Gu Li Path, with no trade routes. Each household farms and weaves for self-sufficiency. I spent over twenty years on the road; can’t I manage it here as well?" <br><br>"Our main family cultivates Immortal arts, rendering these mundane goods irrelevant. Why not open a mountain pass, trade away surplus grain and textiles, and perhaps exchange them for jade or spiritual items? That would truly be beneficial." <br><br>Brimming with enthusiasm, Wen Shan Xu called over his fellow refugees and shared his plan. They all cheered in agreement. <br><br>"I’ll go present this to the main family immediately!" <br><br>Wen Shan Xu laughed heartily and headed out with his companions. )
