"It's Brother Qiuyang, Father," Li Xuanling answered.0
Li Tongya calculated the time, saying gravely, "Li Qiuyang should be around forty-five by now, and I heard he had just recently broken through to the fifth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm... Shamoli is an outsider after all. Although these spirit items are for acquiring the territory of Eastern Mountain Yue, we can't explicitly say so. Qiuyang has never requested anything from the family aside from the usual allowance of Spirit Paddies and Spirit Stones over the years. I fear he might perceive this situation as unfair... Call him over."4
Li Xuanling quickly nodded and left. Not long after, there was a gentle knock at the stone door of the cave, and Li Qiuyang's respectful voice came from outside the door.0
"Greetings from Li Qiuyang, Clan Uncle!"0
"Come in."0
Li Tongya put down the jade slip he was holding, glanced at the white hair at Li Qiuyang's sideburns, and said warmly, "In my memory, you're still that little boy on the platform, getting tested for a spiritual orifice. Time really flies, and in the blink of an eye, you have your own large family and have become one of the elders! Your diligent and earnest effort over the years has not gone unnoticed by me."0
Li Qiuyang slightly bowed his head, his eyes moist. He then replied apprehensively, "If not for the family, I would just be an old farmer tending the fields today… I am grateful for the family's kindness and dare not be negligent."1
Li Tongya nodded approvingly, flipping his hand to reveal a small brocade pouch. His expression turned warm.0
"You're a cultivator at the Jade Capital Stage now, yet you don't even have a storage pouch. This is an old one that I used in my youth. It doesn't have a very large capacity, but you can use it for now."0
"Absolutely not!" Li Qiuyang was shocked, knowing the storage pouch was worth a dozen or two Spirit Stones, far beyond what he could afford.0
His usual allowance went to cultivation, and he could not even produce half a Spirit Stone from his pockets. He repeatedly protested, "I can't possibly accept this!"0
Li Tongya waved his hand dismissively and tied the brocade pouch around Li Qiuyang's waist. He clapped his own storage pouch and took out a small jade bottle.0
"This is a Snake Essence Pill, refined by our family. Take it for now. If you can't break through to the Qi Cultivation Realm, come back up the mountain to find me," he said softly.0
Li Qiuyang was stunned, his eyes reddening but he found himself unable to refuse such a tempting offer that could potentially let him live for another hundred years.0
He stammered in gratitude, "Thank you… for this kindness that I do not deserve!"0
Li Tongya said sternly, "Nonsense! You deserve this more than the younger generations in the family! Over the past thirty years, you have taken care of our spirit fields, guarded the mine, and eliminated demon beasts. There's no one more dedicated in our family than you!"4
Tears welled up in Li Qiuyang's eyes as he continuously thanked him. Li Tongya comforted him with kind words before sending him off from the cave dwelling.0
————0
Meanwhile in An Residence on Mount Huazhong…0
An Jingming stopped in front of the grand and luxurious hall. Today, his father, An Zheyan, was again feasting in the hall. This hall began construction the day An Zheyan became the family head and was completed on the day of An Jingming's birth. However…underneath its splendor lay the bones of countless craftsmen.0
An Jingming sighed softly, his eyes filled with confusion which quickly turned to anger as he looked at the lively scene.0
With the Yu Family in the north coveting our lands, the Li Family in the south rising like the sun, and even the Ding Family we brought here growing ambitiously bold, our family still feels no sense of crisis and indulges in luxury!1
An Jingming strode forward angrily, only to encounter several mortals bowing their heads as they passed, carrying a large basket dripping with blood. The fear on their faces was palpable, and they dared not meet his gaze.0
"What's going on?!" An Jingming roared as he blocked their path, his voice cold. The mortals had no choice but to drop the basket and kneel, revealing several fingers that rolled out toward An Jingming's feet.0
"The... the bear paw the Family Head ate today..."0
An Jingming closed his eyes, already understanding the situation. An Zheyan was not lustful or greedy, but had an insatiable appetite and was brutally cruel. Any dissatisfaction with the cooks' work led to executions; a poorly stewed bear paw resulted in chopping off the chef's fingers, and an undercooked pork shoulder meant cutting off the chef's legs. Daily, cries could be heard from the mountain hall.0
"Never mind, I get it already."0
An Jingming shook his head, feeling powerless as he could reprimand anyone in the family except his father.0
Stepping into the grand hall, he found An Zheyan drinking with a stern face but smiling upon seeing An Jingming. He called out to him, "My family's pride and hope has arrived!"0
"Father," An Jingming greeted him respectfully and then said, "I have something to tell you."0
"What is it?" An Zheyan frowned, distracted by the stewed bear paw, not expecting An Jingming to solemnly say, "The day of our death and the annihilation of the An family is imminent!"