Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 78 Hua Lun
"I heard that you recommended Qian Shi to the Logistics Department?"

Li Chenglu's voice was calm and still, revealing no emotion.

Li Xiangming had no choice but to answer truthfully, "That's right."

"What exactly are you and the head of the family up to?"

"Xiangming is foolish and does not understand what Uncle Liu is referring to?"

"Don't play dumb."

Li Chenglu snorted coldly, "Do you think the patriarch's little tricks can fool me?"

"All you're doing is trying to get the fourth branch of the family to side with you."

"Sixth Uncle has also seen the Beast Taming Peak. Don't you think it's the perfect time to develop the art of beast taming?"

"My Li family has always been known for its magical abilities."

"Why did the family develop alchemy and weapon crafting over the past few decades? Wasn't Sixth Uncle also a talisman master? In my opinion, developing beast taming does not conflict with inheriting the family's magic."

"It is precisely because our family made the wrong investment in alchemy and artifact crafting in the past that we have ended up in this mediocre situation."

"Sixth Uncle is mistaken."

Li Xiangming shook his head: "Now that Grand Master Taibo is in seclusion in the Ambrosia Cave, there is hope that he can achieve the Golden Elixir."

"My second and third uncles are both cultivators in the mid-to-late Foundation Establishment stage. In terms of age, only the uncles of the Qian generation are slightly inferior, but they also have a family head in charge. The Xiang generation has produced outstanding disciples such as Xiang Ren and Xiang Yu. Even if the family had not focused its resources on alchemy and weapon crafting decades ago, would my sixth uncle dare to assert that the family's development would be better than it is now?"

Upon hearing this, Li Chenglu remained silent for a long while before finally speaking: "I won't argue with you about these things. Even if the Li family is unaffected by the past, the Li family has never truly been involved in the art of beast taming. How do you know you can achieve anything?"

"What Uncle Liu is worried about is that the animal breeding house will not produce any results in the future, rather than that he thinks that the art of animal taming is bad?"

In my opinion, they are the same.

"In that case, please hear me out, Uncle Liu."

Li Xiangming cupped his hands in greeting, then raised his head: "Sixth Uncle dared not say whether the Li family's development today is better than the original trajectory."

"I dare to assert that even if the Li family does not choose the path of beast taming today, twenty or thirty years from now, no, even a decade or more from now, the Li family will still choose this path. At that time, the Li family will inevitably suffer a crushing defeat."

Li Xiangming's words were resounding and powerful.

Li Chenglu, sitting opposite him, couldn't help but frown: "Xiangming, don't exaggerate."

"Don't dare."

Li Xiangming bowed again to apologize for his earlier disrespect, and then said, "The Cao family of Qingliang Mountain, backed by Wumu Mountain, has tamed a four-eyed Suanni. I wonder if Sixth Uncle has heard of it?"

I think I've heard about it.

"The Cao family doesn't have a Golden Core either, but they gained the protection of the Seven Mysteries Sect and even the Pure Heart Sword Sect by virtue of their Beast Taming Inheritance. Isn't that something the Li family should emulate?"

At this point, Li Xiangming took out a letter and handed it to Li Chenglu.

"This was written to me by Geng Shiheng, a member of the Geng family. I once accompanied him on his journey and we became friends. Geng Shiheng invited me to hunt a Ghost-faced Dry God Moth at Puyin Mountain."

"The Geng family of Meiling?"

"That's right, it's the Geng family of Meiling."

"The Geng family has always been proud of its Five Ghosts lineage, and now they are setting their sights on Puyin Mountain."

"Furthermore, Dahuang Town has only been open for two years, yet a large number of independent cultivators have already flocked to Pu County. Where will these people gather in the future?"

"Only Puyin Mountain. If the Li family cannot establish a foothold in Puyin Mountain first, it will be as difficult as climbing to heaven to squeeze in later."

Li Xiangming's voice was steady and his tone was firm. Li Chenglu gave him a deep look and finally became conflicted.

“Even if I agree to march into Puyin Mountain, the first and second wives will not agree.”

The eldest branch of the family has a considerable number of weapon refiners, while the second branch has all the alchemists.

Once a family chooses to develop the path of beast taming, the resources available to these individuals will be infinitely reduced.

How could the first and second wives be willing to accept this?
"It is precisely because they disagree now that we, the fourth branch of the family, need to hurry up and move forward."

Li Xiangming was implying that the fourth branch of the family would take the lead in training beast tamers, as they would gain the greatest benefits in the future.

Wouldn't it be great if each of the four sons of the family had a spirit pet?
Li Chenglu was unimpressed by Li Xiangming's grand promises.

If spirit pets were so easy to raise, the animal breeding center wouldn't have only managed to tame four in over a year.

However, when he thought of Xiangcheng's short-tailed golden-winged eagle, Li Chenglu wavered again.

Are you sure this will work out?

"The trend is inevitable, there is no other choice. As long as the Li family is based in Danggui Mountain, they cannot leave Puyin Mountain, nor should they leave Puyin Mountain. This is the essence of the saying 'living off the mountain.'"

"Living off the land?" Li Chenglu fell silent again.
-
Pushui Market.

Li Qianhe was leisurely sipping the spiritual tea he had bought from Bailu Gate.

Suddenly, Li Xiangqing walked in and whispered, "Master, Elder Hua is here."

"Elder Hua?"

Li Qianhe exclaimed in surprise, quickly packed his things, and hurriedly walked out of the tea room.

Upon seeing a middle-aged man with a full, round face and well-maintained skin, Li Qianhe laughed loudly: "Elder Hua, it is an honor to have you here. Please forgive me for not greeting you properly!"

"You're too kind, Manager Li."

Hua Lun smiled reservedly.

"It's been three months since I last saw Elder Hua. He looks radiant with joy. I wonder if any good news has come his way?"

Li Qianhe hinted indirectly.

"Not at all, my good news is still waiting for Steward Li to announce it."

Hua Lun's eyes gleamed with shrewdness.

"Hahaha, absolutely, absolutely, this way please."

Li Qianhe, with an expression that spoke volumes, invited Hua Lun into the tea room.

He then rummaged around somewhere and took out an account book.

"This is the income and expenditure of Baicaofang for the past three months. Elder Hua is free to review it."

After saying that, Li Qianhe took out another storage bag, placed it on the table, and pushed it to Hua Lun.

"As the number of cultivators in Puxian County increases, several larger alchemy workshops in Pushui Market have increased their supply of pills, and the sales and business situation of our Baicao Workshop have also improved further."

"Thank you for your hard work, Manager Li."

Hua Lun nodded and carefully examined the ledger.

The tea room fell silent.

Li Qianhe didn't make a sound to disturb him, and sipped the tea he had just brewed.

Hua Lun is one of the inner elders of the Bailu Sect, with a cultivation level of mid-Foundation Establishment.

Three years ago, in order to strengthen ties with Bailumen, the Li family secretly ordered Li Qianhe to win over Hua Lun.

But Li Qianhe, a mere Qi Refining Level 6 character, was naturally beneath Hua Lun's notice.

Fortunately, money can move people's hearts. Following his family's instructions, Li Qianhe offered a shop in Pushui Market to cooperate with Hua Lun.

Hua Lun had long coveted the increasingly prosperous Pushui market, but as a native of Zhangning Prefecture, he had no roots in Pu County and could not get involved.

They were overjoyed to receive the support of the Li family at this time.

The two partnered to open a herbal shop specializing in medicinal herbs.

Hua Lun provided all kinds of spiritual herbs, while the Li family was responsible for finding sales channels and selling the herbs.

The revenue is divided into three parts: 70% for income, 0.5% for costs, and 0.6% for profit

Hua Lun owns 70%, and the Li family owns 30%.

This distribution of benefits is actually unreasonable.

Without Li Qianhe's significant investment of time and energy, Baicaofang would never have been able to grow so large in Pushuifang City.

However, the Li family's ultimate goal was to win over Hua Lun, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, and the Bailu Sect.

The gains are actually a minor matter.

It was also because the Li family took the initiative to make concessions that Hua Lun's belt became looser and looser over the past two years.

After reviewing the ledger, I was overjoyed.

"The saying 'everyone has their own expertise' is perfectly exemplified by Manager Li."

Hua Lun was overjoyed; Bai Cao Fang was thriving, exceeding his expectations.

When he picked up the storage bag and scanned it with his divine sense, he saw the white spirit stones radiating a precious light, and he was even more satisfied.

"These are the spiritual herbs I recently collected. They were hard to come by, so thank you for your trouble, Manager Li."

(End of this chapter)