27: A storm is brewing

Zhou Kaiding traveled between Jade Moon Peak and Lake Heart Island Market, while Lin Muwan managed the Family affairs, with Zhou Licheng assisting.

Zhou Liyue usually spent her time Cultivating, occasionally helping to look after the Family's spirit fields and star origin fruit trees.

Zhou Liye couldn't help much, but he Cultivated with increasing diligence, which made Lin Muwan's heart ache, yet she couldn't persuade him otherwise.

As for Mo Xuan, he spent his days at Feiyue Peak Summit absorbing Spiritual Qi and recuperating, occasionally devouring the food Zhou Kaiding brought him, living a life of utter contentment.

This carefree and leisurely existence made Zhou Kaiding quite envious.

Mo Xuan secretly thought to himself: If you didn't get married and have children, you could live like this too.

During this period, he had frequent interactions with Yang Huaiyuan of Qizhi Peak, exchanging some Talismans and qingling rice, making the two Families quite close.

Zhou Kaiding had also visited Qizhi Peak several times, thus becoming familiar with the way.

The Yang Family had a small population, which was similar to the Zhou Family in this regard.

After several interactions, Zhou Kaiding and Lin Muwan had a good understanding of the Yang Family, and all its members were of good character.

And Yang Huaiyuan also had a good impression of Zhou Kaiding and his wife, so their interactions became much closer over time.

Thus, a year passed, and the reputation of the qingling rice sold at Green Spirit Pavilion in Lake Heart Island Market also spread.

It helped Green Spirit Pavilion establish a firm foothold in the market.

Beyond the Qingyuan Town area, even Cultivators from neighboring towns would specifically come to purchase some; whether they bought it for personal use or for resale was unknown.

On this day, Zhou Kaiding was stationed at Green Spirit Pavilion.

Zhou Kaiding was somewhat puzzled; something seemed to have happened in the market these past few days, and the atmosphere was strange.

However, when Zhou Kaiding tried to discreetly inquire, he couldn't find anything unusual.

He felt very uneasy, but there was nothing he could do.

The Zhou Family temporarily lacked its own intelligence channels, and many pieces of news came to them belatedly.

This was also due to the Zhou Family's small population and the fact that Zhou Licheng and others had not yet fully matured.

Moreover, their interactions with other Families were not very close.

If it was a minor, harmless matter, he could easily inquire about it, but if it involved something more secretive, he could only rely on guesswork.

Seeing that he couldn't get any useful information, Zhou Kaiding closed Green Spirit Pavilion and headed towards Qizhi Peak.

As a Talisman Master, Yang Huaiyuan was much better informed than Zhou Kaiding through his interactions.

However, Zhou Kaiding was only trying his luck and couldn't guarantee that Yang Huaiyuan would know.

Qizhi Peak, Yang Family living room.

Yang Huaiyuan poured spirit tea and asked:

"Brother Zhou, have you come for something?"

"I do have some doubts, but I wonder if Brother Yang knows?" Zhou Kaiding pondered before speaking, not hiding his intention.

He then continued:

"Recently, this market seems a bit unusual, and the atmosphere is strange. That's why I came to ask Brother Yang about the situation, has anything out of the ordinary happened?"

"Doesn't Brother Zhou know?"

Yang Huaiyuan was slightly surprised.

"I thought Brother Zhou, being in the market, would be well-informed and already know about this matter."

Yang Huaiyuan expressed his surprise, without any intention of mockery.

Zhou Kaiding smiled bitterly and shook his head; this was indeed his oversight.

Seeing Zhou Kaiding shake his head, Yang Huaiyuan no longer dwelled on the matter, took a sip of spirit tea, and then spoke in a deep voice.

"It is rumored that about a month ago, the Liu Family's Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Old Ancestor Liu Minzhao, returned severely injured, and I'm afraid..."

Yang Huaiyuan had not finished speaking.

Zhou Kaiding's expression changed drastically, and he stood up, his mind unsettled.

After a long while, he calmed down, sat back down, and drank a mouthful of spirit tea.

"I was rude just now; I've made Brother Yang laugh."

Zhou Kaiding apologized.

Yang Huaiyuan waved his hand, indicating it was fine, and said: "When I first heard this news, I wasn't much better off than Brother Zhou."

"Such a secret piece of news, how could the Liu Family have let it spread?"

Zhou Kaiding thought for a long time before asking the doubt in his heart.

"It's not that the Liu Family didn't want to hide it, but when Old Ancestor Liu returned, he could no longer conceal his figure and aura, and he was noticed by those with ulterior motives, which is how the news spread."

"To be so severely injured..."

Zhou Kaiding pondered in his mind.

The Liu Family originally had two Foundation Establishment Cultivators in charge, making their power stable and their rule over the entire Qingyuan Town area absolute.

However, now that Liu Minzhao, a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, was suddenly severely injured, if he were to perish, the remaining Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivator, Liu Wenyan, might not be able to control the situation.

"Trouble is brewing..."

Zhou Kaiding sighed, feeling helpless. He had finally enjoyed so many years of peace, thinking he could develop steadily, but alas, things did not go as planned.

Yang Huaiyuan also looked worried.

Aside from the Liu Family, Qingyuan Town also had five other powerful Families. Although they didn't have Foundation Establishment Cultivators in charge, each Clan had several Late Qi Refining Cultivators.

Over so many years, they had probably long been plotting to achieve Foundation Establishment.

Now that such a change had occurred, it was likely that no Family would miss such a good opportunity.

Normally, even if someone successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, the Liu Family, with two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, one of whom was in the Middle Stage, would be fine and able to stabilize the situation.

However, if the Liu Family's strength were to be greatly diminished now, this enormous benefit would certainly attract covetous eyes.

This would inevitably lead to turmoil throughout Qingyuan Town, and how could the Zhou Family, caught in this situation, remain aloof?

Zhou Kaiding was worried, his expression changing, losing his mood. He had intended to take his leave and return home to discuss countermeasures with Lin Muwan.

"Brother Zhou, don't rush. I have a suggestion; I wonder what Brother Zhou thinks?"

Yang Huaiyuan saw that Zhou Kaiding was about to leave and spoke up.

"I see that Licheng is a mature and steady child, with much of Brother Zhou's demeanor."

"Brother Zhou has also met my Linxi; her character and appearance are both excellent, and they are of similar age. How about our two Families form a marital alliance? What do you think?"

Zhou Kaiding was stunned upon hearing this, then said:

"I have naturally met Linxi; she is intelligent and elegant, and I like her very much."

Zhou Kaiding paused after speaking.

"However, they are still young, and such a lifelong matter must also take their opinions into account."

Yang Huaiyuan listened and smiled, explaining:

"Naturally so. I merely have this idea; the specifics will depend on whether the two of them have a destined connection."

"Next time I visit Jade Moon Peak, I will bring Linxi along. Then we can let them meet. If it doesn't work out, it won't affect the relationship between our two Families."

Zhou Kaiding nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

Yang Huaiyuan also had his own considerations. The Zhou Family had not been established for long, its members were simple, and it lacked the petty squabbles of large Families. If Yang Linxi were to marry into it, she would not suffer any disadvantages.

Moreover, with the current changing situation, Zhou Kaiding's strength was not weak, and an alliance between the two Families would be beneficial to both sides.

On his way back, Zhou Kaiding thought about Yang Huaiyuan's suggestion. Although he was tempted, he still needed to discuss it with Lin Muwan, and also consider Zhou Licheng's own wishes.

It could not be forced.