Chapter 32: The Li Family, the Power Behind Tailin Town

"Shocking news: according to internal sources, the Research and Excavation Center for Human Spiritual Energy Recovery History has uncovered a vast set of ruins. It is highly likely that this site was once home to an unprecedentedly powerful ancient clan!"

"Beyond the eight planets, the Magic Civilization continues to provoke our nation, attempting to return to Earth and reclaim the civilization. A war between the two civilizations may be imminent."

"California’s Lee Pharmaceuticals went bankrupt overnight, and all personnel have withdrawn. Rumor has it they discovered their ancestral site off-planet. Galaxy Corporation will replace the Lee Group as the wealthiest entity in California."

"..."

Li Xiang had been playing the game for several days without realizing it, especially the conquest of Tailin Town, which had taken up most of his day. Now, he was eating lunch while scrolling through the news on his phone.

"Found another ruin, have they?"

Li Xiang looked at the first headline with interest. This was no longer a rare occurrence; as humanity explored Earth and the cosmos, they had long discovered that human civilization had passed through many eras. As for the other news, he didn't care much.

With human development came both cooperation and conflict with extraterrestrial civilizations. The neighboring Magic Civilization, it was said, had also migrated from Earth after the spiritual energy there was exhausted. Now that Earth’s masters had expanded countless light-years away, they were coming back to clamor for control.

And as for Lee Pharmaceuticals... he was the only remaining descendant of the Lee family on Earth.

"Master, your teacher called. He asked you to return to school. Old Chen, the security guard, said your teacher even came to Zhixian Manor once, but was chased away," Yue Xian’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

Only then did Li Xiang remember the calls from the school. He had been so busy with the war that he had blacklisted his teacher.

"If you don't go back to school, your teacher will get anxious," Yue Xian said with a smile. "The California Inter-School League Championship is only a week away, and the school’s strongest contender—a master at the False Core stage—has already been defeated outside the tournament. They say his opponent is a dark horse from the Second Academy, possessing a mutated Lightning Spirit Root. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a child of heaven."

"So he lost, let him lose," Li Xiang shrugged indifferently. "Besides, what good would it do me to help them win? I really don't care for what the school can offer me. Let him go play elsewhere."

Glancing at Yue Xian’s hesitant expression, Li Xiang laughed. "As for the spirit stones, don't worry. Boss Qi owes the family a sum of money and will be sending it over. Alright, I’m going back to my game."

Yue Xian sighed in relief, watching Li Xiang’s back as she whispered to herself.

"Fine, as long as Master doesn't starve to death."

...

[37th Year of the Li Family.]

[Bai Rourou, after ten months of pregnancy, gives birth to a pair of twins, Li Yunzhe and Li Yunjie!]

[Gained +20 Incense!]

"Ancestor, my wife has given birth again! Hahaha, twins!"

As soon as he logged in, Li Xiang’s eyes widened. In the ancestral hall, Li Yaotie was holding one infant in each arm, both of them remarkably sturdy.

"Blessings of the Ancestor, the family line is flourishing; this life has been worth it. Ancestor, look at these two children, aren't they strong? They’ll surely be great hunters in the future."

"Darling, look at what you're saying. Our family is wealthy now; we don't need to hunt."

"Hunt, we must hunt! The children of the Li family must not lose my craft!"

Little text bubbles hovered over everyone's heads. Li Xiang could feel the family's joy, and he felt it too. Without realizing it, a family that once consisted only of Li Dalong had grown into a large, thriving clan.

He smiled and bestowed a "Love from the Ancestor" upon all the members. Amidst the joy, Li Xiang looked at the increasingly prosperous Zhien Village.

"Let’s see how the Li family has developed during this time."

He quickly scrolled to the member list. Li Yaozu was still in seclusion, searching for the opportunity to break through the Foundation Establishment stage. Li Xiang hoped his seclusion would last longer; the saying "a hundred days of foundation building" implies that the longer the process, the better the transformation. Of course, there were rare geniuses who achieved it instantly, but those were exceptions.

Li Yaoqing and Li Yaotie had also reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, but they planned to finish teaching their apprentices before entering seclusion themselves.

At the same time, Li Xiang noticed something different in the list: a new column for positions!

[Your family has developed over the years and, under Li Yaowen’s planning, has established special family factions.]

Li Dalong, Patriarch.

Xu Cuihua, Head of the Spirit Beast Institute, 30 caretakers.

Li Yaozu, Hall Master of the Black Blood Hall, 150 family guards.

Li Yaoqing, Master of the Spirit Herb Garden, 15 apprentices.

Li Yaotie, Forging Pavilion, 20 apprentices.

Li Yaowen, Inner Affairs Office, 3 deputies, maids... grooms... coachmen...

"More and more organized."

In the real world, many small-time merchants didn't have specific roles. When a family has such specific planning, it signifies that the family has moved to a higher level.

Just as he was feeling pleased that the Li family was on the right track, Li Yaowen began reporting the family's progress in the ancestral hall.

"Ancestor, in the year you haven't manifested, Yaowen has not failed your trust. We have completely taken control of Tailin Town!"

Li Xiang tapped his head. With time accelerated to the maximum, one year in the game world was only one hour in reality. His descendants had grown accustomed to his occasional disappearances and manifestations.

"In their hearts, I must seem very mysterious," Li Xiang thought mischievously.

He listened patiently to the report. After their last long conversation, Li Dalong had effectively delegated the family business to Li Yaowen, who possessed great wisdom. In the years since, after seizing the resources of the two major families in Tailin Town, Li Yaowen had begun laying out his strategy.

The Li family had not taken over the dozen or so mines in Tailin Town. Li Xiang’s plan was to remain firmly in Zhien Village, developing silently through Tailin Town—a strategy of staying behind the scenes. These mines were left entirely to the Chen and Su families to manage, and in exchange, the Li family received 50% of the output.

The Li family had become secret allies with the other families in Tailin Town, looking out for one another. In reality, however, the Su and Chen families both understood that the Li family was the true master of Tailin Town. Now, the Li family could earn 20,000 to 50,000 low-grade spirit stones annually after meeting their internal needs.

"Ancestor, we have also recruited a Talisman Master and an Alchemist."

When Li Yaowen said this, his face showed no joy, only a frown. "Both are ninth-grade, but seeing our family is just rising, they demanded high prices. I agreed. I intended to have apprentices learn from them, but they are both old foxes—our apprentices haven't learned a thing!"

"I am prepared to capture them. If they won't train alchemists and talisman masters for us, I will kill them!"

"..."

Looking at the text above Li Yaoqing’s head, Li Xiang rubbed his forehead. If they did that, what would the Li family become? If word got out, no other retainers would ever join them. He finally let the Purple Lightning Sun Python speak on his behalf.

"The Ancestor has finally responded!"

As the Purple Lightning Sun Python, which had recovered from its injuries over the years, opened its eyes and hissed, Li Yaoqing said happily: "The Ancestor is indeed far-sighted. I will go find the apprentices they brought with them. They cannot all be old foxes; there will surely be someone who cannot resist the temptation and will work for us!"

Li Xiang nodded slightly.

The current Li family could turn anyone who wasn't rootless into a Qi Refining master within three to five years, thanks to Beast Blood Fruit and the potions refined by Li Yaoqing. As for equipment, the Forging Pavilion possessed seven "Blood Altars" crafted by Li Yaotie. After forty-nine days of "enchanting" and several days of hammering, they could forge a set of low-grade magical artifacts, meeting their equipment needs.

To progress further, however, an alchemist was essential. Especially for those at the Foundation Establishment stage, who needed to compress their spiritual energy while absorbing it. Li Dalong had been at the Foundation Establishment stage for years, but his progress was slow. The Li family currently bought pills from outside to help him, which was very expensive. As the family gained more Foundation Establishment masters, having their own talent to refine pills would be crucial.

Besides that, Li Xiang knew there were many other things to handle to push the family further. Especially regarding Xu Cuihua.

When she came to the ancestral hall to pay her respects, Li Xiang had asked her how to advance, as she was the most powerful member of the family. The result was that as a Beast Tamer, her path was different. Beyond massive amounts of spiritual energy, she needed to evolve her bloodline.

[Li Dalong’s wife learned the evolution conditions of the Heavenly Moon Fox from its bloodline.]

[Condition 1: Demon King Blood Pill]

[Condition 2: Veneration of Ten Thousand Foxes]

[Condition 3...]

The list of conditions made Li Xiang dizzy. A Demon King Blood Pill was naturally the source of power from a Golden Core stage Demon King. As for the "Veneration of Ten Thousand Foxes"... Li Xiang had no idea what kind of condition that was.

The same went for the temple guardian, the Purple Lightning Sun Python. It also required a Demon King Blood Pill, as well as being tempered by heavenly lightning and earthly fire simultaneously.

"Ah, what a headache. Who knew developing a family would be this difficult?" Li Xiang scratched his head.

However, he had no better solution for now and could only wait for the right opportunities. As he watched the family grow, he pondered how to take the next step.

[As your descendant Li Yaoqing was planting new Beast Blood Fruit trees and clearing land for the spirit herb garden, he pried open an old boulder and discovered an empty coffin...]