A Mortal’s Journey to Immortality: Wang Yu’s Rebirth as the Reincarnation Dao Ancestor - Chapter 84

Chapter 84 We urge the sect to give the Qin family an explanation.

After much deliberation, Han Li decided to stop selling Foundation Establishment Pills.

This stuff needed to be stopped.

Walking the dark side too often could lead to trouble.

Therefore, after careful consideration, he decided to visit the Ye family in Qin Ye Ridge and then go to the Tianxing Sect market in Yuanwu Kingdom.

“Actually, there are two other ways to make money, but the risks are too great.”

There are many cultivation families that need Foundation Establishment Pills; Yue Kingdom has one such family: the Yan family of Yanling Fortress. The Yan family entered Yue Kingdom hundreds of years ago and has always wanted to integrate, but they’ve never received any share of the pie. After all, the seven sects of Yue Kingdom are barely surviving themselves; where would they find any resources to give to the Yan family?

The Yan family has only been able to survive these past years through the market run by Yanling Fortress and by living off their past achievements.

A few years ago, the Yan family produced a female cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, Yan Ruyan. It was through this genius that they gained entry into the Hidden Moon Sect, and thus began their true integration into the Yue Kingdom’s cultivation world.

In the subsequent Yan Family Fortress martial arts competition, using the “Qiankun Tower” talisman as a prize was also a means of proving themselves.

“Unfortunately, my strength is too weak. Cooperating with the Yan family is like seeking help from a tiger; I’d likely be devoured without a trace.”

Auctioning it in the markets of Yuanwu Kingdom or other nearby major countries also carried considerable risk.

Alas.

Cultivation is difficult, so very difficult.

Therefore, he could only try to extort some money from the Ye family of Qin Ye Ridge to tide him over.

“The Ye family also has several Foundation Establishment stage managers in Huangfeng Valley. I wonder how many spirit stones the Ye family is willing to pay for the seizure of the Qin family’s foundation back then?”

After deciding on this matter, Han Li began the relevant actions.

He possessed the Qin family genealogy, and the name “Qin Li” had been imprinted on it many years ago. Therefore, he didn’t need to concern himself with the Golden Light Master, nor did it matter whether the Qin family dwarf served as a witness. The Qin family genealogy was the best evidence.

And with his current status, physical evidence was sufficient.

Speaking of which, when he emerged from the Crimson Forbidden Land a year ago, he wondered if Fairy Hongfu and Li Huayuan had “accidentally” seen the Qin family genealogy he had “accidentally” placed in his storage bag?

If their divine sense had detected it…

“When I moved out of Red Tassel Mountain a few months ago, was Master’s intention behind those words?”

Suddenly, Han Li thought of something and raised an eyebrow.

That day,

seeing that his mind was made up to leave, Master Hongfu had said, “Child, if you encounter difficulties, sometimes you don’t need to force yourself. You can seek my help. As long as we are in the right and not abusing our power, I will definitely uphold justice for you.” He had

n’t thought much of it then.

Thinking back now, it was a revelation.

Master Hongfu had probably already noticed his other identity.

The so-called Han Li was merely an alias.

His real name was Qin Li.

“I, Qin Li, should also seek justice for the Qin family of Qinye Ridge.”

…

Back to Sect Leader Zhong, Han Li asked him to help find the Qin family’s records from back then. They actually found them, and they even recorded matters related to the Ascension Order.

This was undoubtedly a reassurance, truly allowing him to gain a foothold.

…

In the Yue Kingdom, in Jingzhou, southwest of Jianzhou, within the Qinye Ridge territory, a young man of average appearance arrived on a sword. Qinye Ridge truly lived up to its

reputation as a land of spiritual veins. Although far less spiritually abundant than the hundreds of miles of spiritual veins of Taiyue Mountain, it still boasted green mountains and clear waters, surrounded by clouds and mist—a scene of celestial beauty. Pavilions and towers dotted

the mountainside and summit, while two fortified villages stood at the foot of the mountain. One to the east and one to the west, they echoed each other, built against the mountainside, almost hollowing out the top and bottom of the mountain. Strangely, the architectural styles of the eastern fortress and the western fortress were completely different—one round, the other square. The square fortress was mainly built up the mountainside, layer upon layer. The round fortress was mainly rammed down the ground, with a spiral structure. The two fortresses were like two distinct systems, each building its own work of art.

Yet, the people living inside, in terms of clothing and other details of their lives, were exactly the same.

“The Qin family, the Ye family, which one was the former Qin family?”

Han Li paused his sword light, curiously examining the fortresses.

The difference between the two fortresses was because one was built by the Qin family, a former cultivation family, while the other was built by the Ye family later.

However, with the passage of time, the Qin family gradually declined, and the Ye family, a family related to the Qin family by marriage for generations, took advantage of the situation and usurped the throne.

“Which fellow Daoist has graced my Ye family’s territory?”

Han Li only paused for a few breaths when a streak of light shot towards him from the mountainside two miles away. A surge of Foundation Establishment stage cultivation power emanated from him, and his cultivation was far superior to Han Li’s, indicating he was a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Not one to be presumptuous, he immediately clasped his hands in greeting:

“Han Li, the fourth disciple of the Red-Robed Fairy of Huangfeng Valley in Taiyue Mountain, greets fellow Daoist.”

“Fellow Daoist of Huangfeng Valley? A rare guest indeed! Please, come in, please come in.”

The newcomer dispelled his radiant aura, revealing himself to be an elderly man.

He was invited into the house, and a tea ceremony was held in the living room.

Before his identity was revealed, Han Li was treated as a distinguished guest, and the Ye family elders were all smiles, engaging in pleasant conversation.

After being invited to tour Qin Ye Ridge, learning about the current scale of the Ye family, and estimating their approximate wealth, Han Li smiled even more warmly at the elderly man who had entertained him: The Ye family, a moderately wealthy family, a fine family indeed.

The clan has five Foundation Establishment stage members. Two of them serve as managers in Huangfeng Valley, while the remaining three are divided: one resides in the Qinye Ridge clan territory, and the other two, in conjunction with other families, run two small markets within Jingzhou, similar to those in Tainan Valley. Business has been slow in recent years, but it’s better than nothing.

The thirty or so Qi Refining stage disciples who joined Huangfeng Valley all possess three spiritual roots, ranging from the ninth to the thirteenth level of Qi Refining. Fortunately, there are no geniuses with dual spiritual roots or special physiques—in other words, no potential Core Formation seeds—otherwise, things would be more complicated.

The clan also has dozens of disciples at the seventh level or higher of Qi Refining, distributed between the clan territory and the markets. The remaining clan members with shallower cultivation levels are not considered.

Those with slightly weaker spiritual roots and lower cultivation levels are not valued by the sect.

“Five Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, each producing over a thousand spirit stones shouldn’t be difficult…”

“Dozens of Qi Refining stage cultivators, each producing fifty to a hundred spirit stones wouldn’t be a life-threatening situation…” The family has supported those people for so long; how could they not repay the family in this crucial moment?

“And then there’s the legacy left by the Qin family and other valuable possessions…”

Considering that the Ye family could use low-grade pills to cultivate disciples at the eleventh level of Qi Refining to compete for a spot in the Ascension Conference, their wealth must be considerable after absorbing everything from the Qin family a decade or two ago.

Taking everything into account, Han Li estimated a price for the Ye family: 12,000 spirit stones!

They must compensate him 12,000 spirit stones!

Anything less than that would not end the matter.

“Fellow Daoist Han, are you satisfied with my Ye family’s spirit tea?”

“Of course I am. It truly lives up to its reputation as tea from a four-hundred-year-old spirit tea tree; it’s fragrant and has an unforgettable aftertaste.” Han Li highly praised the spirit tea.

However, this only strengthened his resolve to fleece the Ye family.

He had already discovered that the Ye family’s true ancestral lands were in the west, while the Qin family’s ancestral lands were in the east. And this spirit tea originated from the east, many years before the Ye family moved to Qin Ye Ridge.

This spirit tea was clearly a treasure left by the Qin family’s ancestors.

A pound of tea could sell for two spirit stones.

The small tea garden to the east, formed by the spirit tea trees, produces hundreds of kilograms of spirit tea leaves annually. Since it fell into the hands of the Ye family, it has earned them countless spirit stones.

The Qin family’s possessions all belong to Qin Li.

“Fellow Daoist Ye, I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t bother you any longer. Thank you for the spirit tea; I’ll definitely come back for a few more cups later.” Han Li smiled and clasped his hands in farewell. The

Ye family elder also smiled happily: “Good, good, good. Fellow Daoist Han, please come often when you have time; the spirit tea will certainly be plentiful.”

Having befriended such a powerful Foundation Establishment cultivator from Huangfeng Valley will undoubtedly pave a smoother path for the Ye family in the future.

…

However…

The Ye family elder never dreamed of this.

No sooner had Han Li left than he returned to his sect. He immediately changed his demeanor, inviting several familiar Foundation Establishment cultivators and influential Foundation Establishment managers to the sect leader’s council hall:

“Gentlemen, please seek justice for the meritorious family of Huangfeng Valley.”

Han Li bowed deeply to

everyone present, leaving them utterly bewildered.

“What’s wrong, Junior Brother?”

Dong Xuan’er frowned.

Sect Leader Zhong, Senior Brother Wang, and Chen Qiaotian, standing nearby, were also completely confused.

“Gentlemen, please look at this family genealogy!”

With that, Han Li produced the Qin family’s genealogy.

Then, he began to recount the Qin family’s origins:

“Fellow senior brothers and sisters, the Qin family has a history spanning hundreds of years. Centuries ago, they were a family that made significant contributions to Huangfeng Valley. The Ascension Token I brought earlier came from this family. A family that can obtain an Ascension Token from Huangfeng Valley must have a very distinguished lineage; I don’t need to elaborate, do I?”

“This family tree is at least several hundred years old; it can’t be fake.” Someone examined the family tree and, seeing Qin Li’s name at the end, was secretly amazed. They looked at Han Li with a strange expression, but didn’t ask a single question.

Since Junior Brother Han himself hadn’t proactively acknowledged this identity, they shouldn’t pry and reopen old wounds.

“Hmm? Using a magical artifact as a family tree, they must have wanted to pass it down for thousands of years. It’s a pity the family tree still exists, but the family is gone.” Others sighed.

“This Junior Brother Han, if he were the person at the end of the family tree, tsk tsk, he could even achieve such cultivation?” To achieve such success under such harsh conditions was truly an epic, legendary comeback.

Han Li then continued recounting a story, a poignant past:

“The Qin family treated the Ye family well in the past, yet they also let a wolf into the house, leading to the deaths of many male members of the family in various accidents, causing the family to dwindle further. Outsiders gradually only knew of the Ye family in Qin Ye Ridge, but not the Qin family that founded it. A decade or so ago, the Qin family’s territory was finally seized by the Ye family. Seeing the situation was dire, the sole heir of the Qin family fled, placing all the family’s hopes for resurgence on a seven or eight-year-old child with a pseudo-spiritual root.”

“Losing their inherited foundation, and with the Ye family’s overt and covert pursuit, the Qin family members were forced to hide their identities, living a life of constant hiding and homelessness, wandering the world.”

Han Li vividly described the Qin family’s tragic past, their relentless pursuit and attempts to exterminate them by the Ye family.

He didn’t elaborate on his own identity, but everyone instinctively looked towards the end of the family genealogy, at Qin Li’s name.

Han Li?

Perhaps he should be called Qin Li!

“My elder uncle, due to his poor spiritual root aptitude, poured all his cultivation resources into a younger, more promising child who also possessed a pseudo-spiritual root. This led him onto the arduous path of cultivation.”

Qin Li, having endured hardship and persevered in his cultivation in the mortal realm for over twenty years, finally achieved Foundation Establishment, earning the right to demand an explanation from the Ye family.

“Fellow senior brothers and sisters, I am but a humble and powerless junior brother; in contrast, the Ye family is deeply rooted and possesses numerous experts. With my own strength, it is truly difficult to seek justice for the Qin family, a meritorious clan. I can only request the sect to uphold justice.”

He brought the family genealogy to testify for the Qin family, demanding an explanation from the Ye family.

“

Here, I have also taken a picture of the current state of Qin Ye Ridge, please take a look…”

As he spoke, Han Li took out several recording stones.

Once this little gadget is refined into a magical artifact, it can capture images within it for a period of time. After that time, the images disappear, and can be captured again. The images displayed at this moment are scenes from the Ye family.

“Sect Leader, please produce the Qin family’s records within the sect…”

Han Li bowed to Zhong Lingdao.

This bow left the Sect Leader, who had been lost in thought, deeply moved. He thought to himself

how terrifying Junior Brother Han—no, this Junior Brother Qin—was: this junior brother had undoubtedly come prepared, he had come with a plan. He hadn’t understood why he had been asked to help find the Qin family’s records in Qin Ye Ridge before, but now he understood.

Wasn’t this going to push the Ye family, which had been passed down for hundreds of years, into an abyss?

But it was understandable; if you’re going to make a move, you have to go all out.

No cultivator doesn’t understand the principle of “if you don’t kill the snake, you’ll suffer the consequences.”

“Everyone,” Zhong Lingdao said, “I’ve checked the sect’s records and found that the sect did indeed issue an Ascension Token over four hundred years ago. The recipient was Qin Yun, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Qin family of Qin Ye Ridge. He risked his life to complete a crucial mission that greatly benefited the sect, which is why he received the Ascension Token that Junior Brother Han retrieved earlier. Furthermore, Qin Ye Ridge has always been the Qin family’s ancestral land; the Ye family only later stole that spiritual land…”

Zhong Lingdao then calmly unearthed another piece of irrefutable evidence from among countless records.

Qin Yun’s name happened to be at the very top of the Qin family genealogy.

The Qin family of Qin Ye Ridge was founded by him.

The history of Qin Ye Ridge was also recorded.

Everyone glanced at the top of the Qin family genealogy, then at the record found in the sect’s archives:

“That’s really true!”

Now, with witnesses and evidence on hand, even if the Ye family collectively jumped into the Grand Canal of Xianglu, they still couldn’t clear their name. Besides, the Ye family’s past was never clean; they were truly the mastermind behind the destruction of the Qin family, who had made great contributions to Huangfeng Valley back then.

“That’s definitely it. The Ye family is truly inhuman; how could they treat the Qin family like this?”

Everyone immediately agreed with Han Li’s earlier statement.

Han Li smiled faintly and nodded to Sect Leader Zhong.

As for Sect Leader Zhong, he was naturally helpless.

Previously, this Junior Brother Han had asked him to check the sect’s records, and the people he arranged had indeed found information about the Qin family’s past. From that moment on, the entire Ye family had likely fallen into a huge scheme orchestrated by this Junior Brother Han.

A dangerous situation indeed.

“Fellow senior brothers and sisters, the Qin family’s ancestors rendered immense service to Huangfeng Valley, which earned them the Ascension Token and the establishment of their own cultivation family. However, this meritorious family, these staunch supporters of Huangfeng Valley, were betrayed and weakened within a few hundred years, swallowed up by the Ye family, once a marginalized force. I implore you all to seek justice for the Qin family,” Han Li earnestly pleaded. “

Junior Brother Han, the Ye family has at least put in considerable effort over the years, even if they haven’t achieved great merit. Couldn’t we show them some leniency?” a representative from another cultivation family asked, not wanting to push things too far.

Han Li didn’t refute them, but simply stared at them, then said simply, “If the Nie family were to encounter a similar situation, wouldn’t the sect also show leniency towards those who steal the Nie family’s legacy?”

Upon hearing this, the expressions of many of the stewards present changed.

Indeed, the Qin family’s misfortune might very well befall any of them.

If it didn’t concern them personally, they could remain indifferent,

but when it concerned their own families, they had to be extremely cautious.

No one can guarantee their family’s continued prosperity.

Once the rules are broken, and the vicious cycle of the big fish eating the small fish takes hold, how will ordinary families face the powerful clans? The sect will be in chaos, and their current days of arrogance will be over.

This sense of shared fate inevitably breeds worry.

“I’m thinking, if we can’t get justice for the Qin family today, who will risk their lives for the sect in the future? Even meritorious families are treated like this; who would be crazy enough to shed blood for the sect…”

Zhong Lingdao’s expression changed upon hearing this.

Junior Brother Han, what are you doing?

But he could understand Junior Brother Han’s predicament: the hatred of a clan’s extermination is irreconcilable. Furthermore, if they don’t eliminate the root of the problem, there will be endless trouble. If Junior Brother Han Li can rise to power, perhaps the Ye family will also have a Ye Li who can rise to power and take revenge?

Meanwhile…

This matter, on a grand scale, concerns the sect’s reputation. If handled poorly, morale will crumble. The sect’s prestige could even suffer a major blow under Zhong Lingdao’s leadership.

At that point, he would be a sinner to the sect.

Furthermore, mishandling it would severely offend this Junior Brother Han.

This young man is now the junior brother of the Red Tassel Mountain lineage, the disciple of the first Core Formation cultivator under Elder Linghu of Yellow Maple Valley, and a highly regarded disciple of the top Core Formation female cultivator of Yue Kingdom. If he angers the Red Tassel Mountain Hongfu lineage, the impact won’t be limited to just him. At that point, his position as sect leader will certainly be in jeopardy, and more importantly, the Zhong family will likely be affected as well.

He can accept being criticized, but he cannot accept his family, which he built up from scratch, being implicated and plunged into decline.

Fine.

He has to choose sides.

“Everyone, I also have the Ye family’s files here…”

Zhong Lingdao reluctantly handed over another intelligence document.

Everyone glanced at it, their thoughts varying.

“Just as Junior Brother Han said, the Ye family moved to Qinye Ridge over three hundred years ago through marriage. Later, they separated from the Qin family and settled on the east and west peaks respectively. The Ye family has never been a direct descendant of my Yellow Maple Valley.”

“Moreover, the Ye family has been getting closer and closer to the Giant Sword Sect in recent years, and some of their members have even joined the Giant Sword Sect at the Qi Refining stage. At the last Ascension Conference, I witnessed a Ye family member choose to challenge the Giant Sword Sect’s arena and ultimately win an Ascension spot…”

Han Li’s eyes lit up when he heard this.

Turning his head, he wanted to see which senior brother was helping him. He saw it was Senior Brother Wang.

He immediately recalled the scene at the Ascension Assembly where the Ye family members participated in the Giant Sword Sect’s arena competition.

He hadn’t thought of this before, and it was an unexpected bonus that Senior Brother Wang mentioned it.

“What a Ye family! So fickle!”

“Holding two horses? The Ye family dares to do that?”

“…”

A barrage of criticism followed.

Jingzhou was within the jurisdiction of both Huangfeng Valley and the Giant Sword Sect. The Ye family, caught between the two sects, was understandably trying to please both and appease both, which is why they sent their members to both sects.

This behavior was fine when the Ye family had a clean record.

But if the Ye family’s record wasn’t clean, then the problem was much bigger.

“Junior Brother Han, before the Ye family seized the Qin family’s territory, they must have known the Qin family’s background, right?” Chen Qiaotian suddenly asked Han Li.

“Yes, according to that uncle from the Qin family, the Qin family and the Ye family were related by marriage over a hundred years ago. It was through the Qin family that the Ye family gradually integrated into Huangfeng Valley,” Han Li nodded.

“Ha, what an ingratitude! What a usurper! Knowing that the Qin family possesses Huangfeng Valley’s Ascension Token and is a great contributor to our sect, they still dare to commit such despicable acts. Their hearts deserve to be punished.”

Chen Qiaotian felt absolutely no goodwill towards the Ye family at this moment.

There was zero tolerance for the Ye family’s actions.

Over the years, the Ye family had seemingly contributed nothing to the sect, but in reality, they had only been sucking blood from Huangfeng Valley, never making any contributions. On the contrary, they destroyed the Qin family, who had made great contributions to Huangfeng Valley in the past.

For this alone, the Ye family deserved to be destroyed.

Let alone anything else.

After all, their act of seizing everything from the Qin family was, to some extent, digging up the foundation of Huangfeng Valley. The Qin family, whom the Ye family had single-handedly wiped out, were absolutely loyal to Huangfeng Valley. Yet, the Ye family, by eliminating the Qin family, who were so devoted to Huangfeng Valley, simultaneously maneuvered between the Giant Sword Sect and Huangfeng Valley, reaping benefits and strengthening their own family. How could the Chen family, one of the three foundational families of Huangfeng Valley, possibly view this? This

was the source of Chen Qiaotian’s anger.

“In that case, justice must be served for the Qin family. Hmph, daring to bully my junior brother, the Ye family has some nerve!” Dong Xuan’er slammed her hand on the table.

She was genuinely furious.

Thinking of the suffering her junior brother endured years ago when he changed his name and went into hiding as a rogue cultivator, she felt a pang of pity and sorrow. No wonder her junior brother had always been so cautious and timid; this was the root of his plight.

Moreover, this concerned the reputation of the Hongying Mountain lineage. If they were to let it go lightly, what would outsiders think?

A dignified Core Formation stage lineage, failing to stand up for their own disciple who was entirely in the right? “

So easily bullied?

Besides, the sect’s prestige is unshakeable. The Ye family’s actions against the Qin family, a major contributor to the sect, are tantamount to undermining the foundation of Yellow Maple Valley. The entire Ye family deserves to be executed.

” “Indeed, the Ye family’s actions are truly despicable. This behavior cannot be tolerated, otherwise, wouldn’t our sect be thrown into chaos? They must be severely punished.” The former Uncle-Master Wang, now Senior Brother Wang, was extremely resolute.

Years ago, at the Ascension Conference, he recognized the connection between Han Li and Hong Fu, helping Han Li and indirectly befriending him. Later, during the Blood Trial, at Han Li’s suggestion, he participated in the Foundation Establishment stage’s betting competition, winning over a thousand spirit stones and making a fortune. His huge profit that time made several of the fellow managers envious.

Their relationship warmed up as a result.

When Han Li reached Foundation Establishment, their relationship naturally improved even further.

Now was the perfect time to exchange a few words.

“Fellow senior brothers and sisters, I beg you, please uphold justice for the Qin family and bring honor to our sect.” Han Li attempted to bow deeply to the assembled crowd, but they were unable to accept his gesture. They were held back by waves of Foundation Establishment cultivation power.

“Junior brother, what are you saying? This is the proper thing to do. Rest assured, we will definitely seek justice for the Qin family (and for you).”

Some said this, but their true thoughts remained unknown.

The downfall of the Ye family was a kind of shared sorrow.

“Junior brother Chen, what do you think should be done with the Ye family?” Zhong Lingdao gave Chen Qiaotian as much of the speaking opportunity as possible.

This sect leader was a seasoned veteran. He

knew how to pass the buck when things were difficult to handle.

Chen Qiaotian gave Sect Leader Zhong a serious look, almost causing him to lose his smile:

“The Ye family arranged for their members to join the Giant Sword Sect and then destroyed the Qin family. This matter is of great importance, and I must consult with the Ancestor on how to handle it…”

He then glanced at Han Li meaningfully:

“However, regardless of the Ye family’s ultimate fate, Qin Ye Ridge was ultimately the foundation laid by the Qin family. The Qin family is a meritorious family of my Yellow Maple Valley. Therefore, Qin Ye Ridge should naturally be returned to its rightful owner, and the aggrieved party should be compensated with at least 20,000 spirit stones and all the ancestral legacies that were previously taken from them. Junior Brother Han, what do you think?”

“Thank you, Senior Brother Chen,”

Han Li replied.

Admittedly, he had only wanted to extort a sum of spirit stones from the Ye family by using his Qin family identity, but doing so would be tantamount to making enemies. Since he was going to offend them anyway, why not be even more ruthless and cunning?

Now that he had become Qin Li and wanted to inherit the Qin family’s legacy, he should bear the karmic consequences between the Ye and Qin families. And the simplest and most brutal way to end the cause and effect is to be ruthless and eliminate the root of the problem, right?

The Ye family shouldn’t even think about making a comeback.

Speaking of which, that elder of their clan was quite polite in inviting him to drink spiritual tea!

Of course, the Ye family was only polite to him on the surface; they were definitely not benevolent behind the scenes.

…

“Senior Brother Chen, why bother with all that? If your Chen family won’t take action against the mere Ye family, my Red Tassel Mountain lineage will.”

Why make those elders in the sect worry about such a small matter?

What are you all good for?

“Junior Sister Dong… never mind, let my Chen family handle the Ye family matter. After all, as one of the three major families of Yellow Maple Valley, my Chen family has an obligation to clean up the parasites within the sect.” Chen Qiaotian argued after thinking for a moment.

“Alright, if the Chen family can seek justice for the Qin family, I, your junior brother, will bestow the Qin Ye Ridge estate upon the Chen family on behalf of the Qin family’s sole heir.” Han Li said solemnly.

He was going to do a favor for the benefits he couldn’t take away.

“Hey, we can’t fall behind! How can we let the Ye family break the rules? Junior Brother Han, we have a part to play too!” Representatives from the Foundation Establishment stages of cultivation families like the Wang, Nie, and Murong families quickly chimed in.

Han Li knew why these people were suddenly so enthusiastic.

The reason was simple: everyone in the world is driven by profit.

The vast Qin Ye Ridge allowed the Ye family to grow stronger year by year, at one point nurturing several Foundation Establishment cultivators and over a hundred Qi Refining clansmen. Clearly, there was considerable profit to be made there. The Qin family hadn’t capitalized on this, allowing the Ye family to exploit the situation. These shrewd individuals would surely seize the opportunity to get a share.

If they could use the spiritual veins there to create another spirit fruit orchard or spirit plant garden, wealth would flow steadily into the pockets of many families. Moreover, the Ye family also had interests in two markets.

The Chen family took the lion’s share, but these families also wanted a piece of the pie.

Even if they only used the wealth there to support one more Foundation Establishment cultivator, it would still be a profit for them.

“Then I’ll leave it to you all.”

Han Li truly entrusted the subsequent matters to the Chen family and the other families.

He didn’t care much whether any members of the Ye family escaped; he wasn’t afraid of making the Ye family an enemy now. With the invasion of the six demonic sects imminent, a small fry like the Ye family was simply not worth mentioning. He even dared to plot against the second and third generations of the demonic path; what is the Ye family compared to him?

Moreover, he wasn’t the only one making underhanded moves; other cultivation families in Huangfeng Valley were also being targeted, as everyone was turning against them. Even if some escaped and sought revenge later, they would have to shake Huangfeng Valley first.

His identity had been kept perfectly secret, ensuring that his old friends from the Seven Mysteries Sect in Jingzhou and the Han family of Wuligou wouldn’t be implicated.

That was enough.

As for whether he was actually Qin Li, no one asked. It was an open

secret.

Because of the Chen family’s involvement, this matter didn’t escalate significantly, as, strictly speaking, it was an internal scandal for Huangfeng Valley. If it had blown up, it would have truly damaged Huangfeng Valley’s reputation. Imagine, a sect that couldn’t even protect its most loyal younger brother, allowing a villain to usurp its position—what had Huangfeng Valley and the major cultivation families that maintained its operations been doing all these years?

After the Chen family’s Core Formation stage ancestor confirmed the matter’s authenticity through the Ye family’s two Foundation Establishment managers in Huangfeng Valley, he immediately declared: “The Ye family must be destroyed, destroyed swiftly.”

With the Chen family leading the way and the other families assisting, the operation was swift and decisive.

Then, within just seven or eight days, good news arrived for Han Li.

One was that he had accumulated over 20,000 spirit stones.

The other was the development plan for Qin Ye Ridge,

which involved the disposal of spirit tea leaves, several kinds of spirit fruits, and the spirit vein. It was understood that the spirit tea garden and spirit fruit forest within Qin Ye Ridge were a considerable fortune; even sold individually, they would be worth at least 30,000 spirit stones. After all, these were

over a hundred spirit plants passed down from the Qin family’s ancestor for over four hundred years. Initially, they might not have been worth much, but four hundred years later, each spirit tree was over four hundred years old, and those that survived were extremely valuable. And it wasn’t just the Qin family’s tea, but also a large tract of spirit wood from the Ye family, plus a small spirit vein that couldn’t be taken away, and some other inheritances from the Qin family.

Then there were the Ye family’s related storefront assets in two markets.

All of this was profit.

Han Li, with a wave of his hand, sold the Qin Ye Ridge spirit vein and the spirit tea and fruits left by the Qin family ancestors to the Chen family and other sect families for a rock-bottom price of 23,000 spirit stones, as a way of thanking the sects for helping the Qin family get justice

. As for the Ye family’s profits in the markets? He had no intention of getting involved in the slightest, decisively stating that it had nothing to do with the Qin family, and even less to do with him, Han Li. He completely distanced himself from the situation.

This approach greatly satisfied the participants from the sects.

“Tsk tsk, 24,000 plus 23,000, a total of over 47,000 spirit stones… How could the mere Ye family squeeze so much profit out of them?”

No, that’s not quite right.

The Ye family in the past probably couldn’t have amassed this much wealth, but their annexation of the Qin family was essentially a merger of two Foundation Establishment stage families with hundreds of years of history. The Qin family lost control of its wealth for various reasons, while the Ye family seized the opportunity to rise.

If left unchecked for a few more decades, the Ye family might produce a sixth, seventh, or even eighth Foundation Establishment cultivator.

In other words, it wasn’t that the Ye family of Qin Yeling was too small, but rather that he had underestimated the Ye family that had annexed the Qin family.

“Satisfied now?”

Dong Xuan’er was annoyed that Han Li was too foolish:

“You sold everything in Qin Yeling and the Ye family for just a few spirit stones? Junior brother, what were you thinking? Master said you were honest, but also shrewd. But today, I see you’re clever in small matters, but utterly foolish in big ones.”

“Senior sister, I made a quick buck. The major families divided the pie and are all happy. And those people are even more optimistic about future returns, so why wouldn’t I? In any case, everyone got what they wanted. It’s a win-win situation,”

Han Li laughed.

“You…” Dong Xuan’er was speechless with anger.

“Alright, Senior Sister, I have my reasons. Believe me, I haven’t suffered a loss.”

Qin Yeling’s foundation was indeed far more than just these spirit stones; otherwise, the Ye family wouldn’t have become so wealthy.

But the problem was, he couldn’t possibly go to Qin Yeling to establish a branch and take root.

Besides, the righteous and demonic forces were about to cause trouble. At that time, small and medium-sized countries like Yue, Yuanwu, Zijin, Tianlu, Jiang, Cheqi, and Shayun would all fall. The immortal sects in these countries simply couldn’t withstand the combined forces of the righteous and demonic paths.

How incomprehensible must he be to occupy Qin Yeling now?

If he offered too high a price and no one was willing to take it, it would be a huge loss.

Even if a family offered a high price, they would offend those petty people in the future because of the high price he offered at the moment. Why should he put himself in opposition to those families who were destined to suffer a loss? It was best to let these families only suffer a small loss and not damage their relationship.

Therefore, he was more than satisfied with making a quick buck of tens of thousands of spirit stones by using the Qin family’s name. It

was practically free money.

Everyone said he was foolish, that he couldn’t see the future and only cared about immediate gains? But in terms of the future trends, which of the many families in Huangfeng Valley truly saw things more accurately and further than him?

Others laugh at my foolishness, but I laugh at their lack of insight.

…

Han Li ignored all that nonsense and went straight back to his herb garden cave, resuming his peaceful and stable alchemy life.

With 47,000 spirit stones, plus the several thousand spirit stones he obtained from selling a large number of low-grade pills and the “last Foundation Establishment Pill” he had mentioned, he had enough of this wealth. He kept 8,000 spirit stones as a reserve for emergencies, and the remaining 40,000 were enough for him to continue to purchase nearly a hundred sets of auxiliary materials for refining Foundation Establishment Pills at low prices.

Time flew by, and several months passed.

He used his reserve spirit stones to buy some scattered Foundation Establishment-appropriate pills from different cultivators in the sect to ensure his cultivation progress, and devoted the rest of his time to the Dao of Alchemy. The success rate of refining Foundation Establishment Pills increased dramatically, rising from 30-40% to over 50% and eventually reaching over 60%.

However, looking at the neatly arranged seventy-three Foundation Establishment Pills before him, he became increasingly troubled.

The number of Foundation Establishment Pills in his hand kept piling up, a

situation that truly brought him both pain and joy.

So, he still brought out the five spirit beasts—the Jade Mantis, the Ice-Fire Wolf, the Rhinoceros Boar, the Spirit-Sniffing Rat, and the Howling Wind Eagle—and took them with him.

Then, he started feeding them Foundation Establishment Pills. Since they

were just sitting there unused, he figured he might as well put some to good use. Having one or two more level-two spirit pets as henchmen would be great, giving him more self-defense capabilities when he was out and about.

“Based on my current alchemy skills, I should be able to somewhat rival those veterans who have been refining Foundation Establishment Pills for the Seven Sects for years,” Han Li thought with some pride.

Although he was still not as good as those great alchemists,

his alchemy skills definitely surpassed the vast majority of ordinary alchemists.

After all, which sect would be willing to give so many Foundation Establishment Pill refining materials to a newcomer for practice?

He had spent eighty or ninety thousand spirit stones in total.

This didn’t even include the three main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills: Heavenly Spirit Fruit, Jade Marrow Mushroom, and Purple Monkey Flower.

These three were even more valuable.

One of these pills is equivalent to seven or eight of the other thirty-one.

The reason the Foundation Establishment Pill is so expensive is due to the scarcity of the three main ingredients.

In other words, he spent over ten thousand spirit stones to improve his alchemy skills. If word got out, how many alchemists would be astonished?

“At this stage, I should also try to refine those ancient pills suitable for the Foundation Establishment stage,” Han Li pondered, stroking his chin.

The Snowflake Pill and Yin Pill given to him by Gan Rushuang, as well as the bottle of ten Qi Harmony Pills given to him by his master Hong Fu, were all consumed and refined completely while he was improving his alchemy skills.

A total of more than twenty pills saved him nearly ten years of arduous cultivation in less than a year.

The power of pills is terrifying.

However, his cultivation is still far from the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and even some distance from the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage. If he continues to cultivate without taking pills, the days ahead will be a slow and wasteful pace.

“To rapidly increase my cultivation, I still need to take pills,” Han Li murmured.

To be precise, he still needed to refine his own

pills. He would refine them himself and consume them himself.

Buying pills from others was far too expensive, costing six or seven hundred spirit stones per pill. Refining them himself would be much cheaper.

Anyway, he happened to have the medicinal herbs. During the last forbidden area trial, he had specifically collected at least four kinds of ancient pill formulas and related spiritual herbs from the golden treasure chest. However, the quantity of each kind of herb varied, and some herbs were scarce, so the amount that could be used to make finished pills was very limited, leaving him no room for reckless experimentation.

It would be irresponsible to rush into starting without a solid foundation in pill refining

. That’s why he had been holding onto them and hadn’t rushed to start.

Now, in the year he had been taking pills, he had not only mastered the basics of pill refining by refining a large number of low-level pills, but also significantly improved his pill refining skills by continuously refining Foundation Establishment Pills and repeatedly seeking insights from his master, Hong Fu.

With his current alchemy skills, he could begin refining pills suitable for the Foundation Establishment stage.

“If I could obtain the Great Evolution Technique and master the first level, thereby increasing my spiritual strength, the chances of successfully refining the pills would be much greater.”

But now was not the time to alert the enemy.

Approaching Young Master Lin would only scare him away.

It was more practical to refine pills first and use their power to level up.

…

“Little ones, it’s time for your medicine.”

Time flew by.

Half a year later, the Ice-Fire Wolf, having consumed three Foundation Establishment Pills, began to transform. Its aura surged, and its fur became increasingly snow-white.

Its body, once over ten feet long, grew to over twenty feet.   　”

Awoo…”

“Roar…”

Even more surprisingly, its original head had split into two.   (End of Chapter)