Wan Xiaohua sat at the table, exhaustion he could hardly conceal written across his face. A Jade Capital Wheel cultivator — having already condensed his spiritual wheel at Shengyang Prefecture — could normally stay clear-eyed for three days and nights without sleep. But of late too many troubles had piled up, and Wan Xiaohua himself could feel himself giving way.
"The message the Li family sent by messenger — Yuankai, what do you make of it?"
Rubbing his temples, Wan Xiaohua looked wearily down at the assembled men below.
Before Wan Yuankai could speak, a big thickset fellow beside him spoke up carelessly:
"What's to make of it? This Li family is weak in strength yet dreams of quite something. With only two men of the Li family, their own head can just come charging at us alone and force him to hand over all those spirit fields to us Wan folk!"
That man had heavy brows and bright eyes, a pair of tigerish eyes glaring fiercely up at Wan Xiaohua at the head of the table.
"Fool!" Wan Xiaohua cursed inwardly, but turned the question back on him:
"And if the Li family has a man cultivating in the sect, and word of this reaches them — how then would we acquit ourselves?"
"Well…"
Seeing the brute at a loss for words, Wan Yuankai finally stepped forward and said:
"This Li family demands three parts in ten — then let us give them three parts in ten. Our household's stores dwindle year by year, and soon we fear we cannot pay tribute. Everything must give way before the matter of our survival."
Wan Xiaohua nodded, then said quietly:
"Three parts in ten should still be negotiable. The Ji clan is mighty. Under the dictum that lips will feel the cold when the teeth are lost, the Li family will not press us too hard."
At the very mention of the Ji clan, Wan Xiaohua's face turned grim. He set the letter down gently and continued:
"A few years ago the boundary was still at Yubu Mountain; now it has retreated all the way to the Ancient Li Road. That old villain Ji Dengqi rides roughshod over us too far. Our strength is wanting, and for years we have yielded step by step, without so much as a single chance to catch our breath."
Wan Yuankai nodded with gritted teeth, then sighed long:
"Still, fortune favors those in dire straits. The spirit-vein of Greater Li Mountain's northern slope is slowly recovering, and it grants our Wan clan a thread of hope. A pity that it does not lie in our grasp."
Wan Xiaohua gave a cold laugh instead, and said icily:
"It is already best as things stand. Even if our Wan clan took the northern slope of Greater Li Mountain, we would still need men to guard it. Send you all off, and who would be left to hold our ancestral seat at Huaqian Mountain? But beyond that — this matter is far too grave. If it alarms the Ji clan, can Ji Dengqi sit idly by and watch our Wan clan expand?"
"Ji Dengqi has secretly sent men to sound out the fools among the branch families under our rule, and has drawn everyone into wavering between both sides. Whatever contact we make with the Li family, or whoever we send — it must be done in the utmost secrecy. Ji Dengqi must on no account learn of it!"
Wan Yuankai nodded emphatically and replied:
"I have already had a cousin pretend to die, slipping away to Lidaokou. Ji Dengqi's ears and eyes are nothing but mortals; they will not see through it."
"Tiancang is eloquent and persuasive, cool-headed and cautious. There is no one I would trust more for this task."
So saying, Wan Xiaohua lifted his brush and made a light mark on the map before him, his gaze cold as he murmured:
"A dull knife slices flesh slowly, but I too must be wary lest the Wan clan is bitten back."
---
Li Tongya steadied his breath, feeling the surging magic power within him, and laughed softly in wonder:
"The Orbital Wheel revolves without cease. Nearly four years, and it is at last accomplished."
"Congratulations, Ya-ge, on advancing one step further — on forming the Orbital Wheel!"
Beside him, Liu Rouxuan gathered the loose strands of hair behind her ear with a smile, her dark eyes fixed straight on Li Tongya, offering her congratulations with delight:
"It is but the trifling achievement of a small Embryonic Breathing cultivator. There is nothing to celebrate!"
Li Tongya turned his head slightly aside, quite unperturbed, avoiding Liu Rouxuan's gaze as he answered with a touch of fluster.
"Hee hee."
Watching Liu Rouxuan giggle foolishly to herself, Li Tongya shook his head in resignation, glanced at the sky, and said:
"I have been in seclusion for a full day and night. I will go see Xiangping first."
"Yes."
Liu Rouxuan nodded firmly and smiled.
Li Tongya left the small Li compound and had no sooner reached the front courtyard of the Li household than he caught a faint commotion from the main courtyard ahead and stopped in his tracks.
"Mother! Why does everyone have a father, and only I have none!"
Lady Ren was quietly sewing garments in the courtyard when Li Xuanxuan, his voice trembling with tears, knelt on the ground clutching the hem of Ren Ping'er's skirt, speaking with grievance:
"Even Li Xiewen has a father! Where has mine gone?"
Lady Ren hurriedly crouched down to embrace Li Xuanxuan, and answered with a catch in her throat:
"Your father has gone to a very, very faraway place…"
"Mother lies! Mother lies!"
Li Xuanxuan wrenched himself free of Ren Ping'er's arms, wailing:
"Who would go far away and never send a letter home? They all say Father is dead!"
Ren Ping'er fell silent at once, at a loss before the tearful, wailing Li Xuanxuan.
Li Tongya felt his heart ache to hear it. He gave a long sigh, strode into the main courtyard, and gently lifted Li Xuanxuan into his arms.
At the sight of Li Tongya, Li Xuanxuan wiped his tears and wept:
"Second Uncle, where is my father!"
Li Tongya patted Li Xuanxuan softly on the back, and answered with a pang of sorrow:
"Your father was a good man, a kind and generous elder brother…"
"Waaaaaaaa…"
As he consoled Li Xuanxuan, Li Yesheng knocked and entered the front courtyard. Lady Ren, seeing him, hurriedly led the weeping Li Xuanxuan away, leaving the two men alone in the courtyard.
"What is it?"
Li Tongya reined in his emotions and spoke in a low voice.
"There is a man outside dressed as a hunter, asking to see you. He claims to be the man the Wan clan sent in answer to the appointment."
"Bring him in."
Li Tongya paused a moment, rubbing his chin, and waved at Li Yesheng.
Li Yesheng went to fetch the man in. He had an ordinary face, wore leather armor, a longbow slung across his back, and his eyes were rather bright. He walked straight up to Li Tongya, cupped his hands, and said:
"Wan Tiancang of the Wan clan pays respects to the young clan head!"
Li Tongya raised an eyebrow. Inwardly he judged that this man was far beyond Wan Yuankai — likely no easy mark. He answered with a smile:
"I cannot lay claim to the title of young clan head. I merely manage a few trifling affairs in the village."
With that he waved a hand:
"Please."
Wan Tiancang's brow twitched, and he thought to himself:
"They said that old master Li seldom shows himself, and that these two brothers govern the Li family together, without any distinction of rank. As I see it now, this Li Tongya is cautious in speech. I wonder what sort of man this Li Xiangping might be."
His mind churned with thoughts, but on his lips he only said with a smile:
"You are too kind."
Wan Tiancang entered the main courtyard. The old master sat in the seat of honor, sipping tea, and cast a faint nod at him as he looked down his nose.
As Wan Tiancang took in Li Mutian's imposing bearing, and found him strangely composed, he silently marveled:
"This must be the old master of the Li family. Truly worthy of a senior who once reached Foundation Establishment — an air quite unlike that of ordinary men."
Hastily he knelt in obeisance, and by the time he rose his face was already streaked with tears. Choking up, he said:
"I pay my respects, Senior."
Li Mutian set down his tea bowl and asked in a low voice:
"Whatever has come to such a pass?"
Wan Tiancang wiped at his tears and answered:
"At the sight of your bearing, this junior was reminded of his own father, who met his end at the vicious hands of Ji Dengqi. Together with his death, the clan lost nine hundred jin of spirit rice, and now we can barely pay next year's tribute!"
"Nine hundred jin?"
Li Tongya exchanged a glance with Li Mutian at the head of the table, and understanding dawned in both their eyes. Li Tongya thought to himself:
"This man is after the three-tenths share of our harvest!"