Chapter 135 Informal Alliance

Two days later, Chen Li went to report to the Golden Core Yang Family. From now on, the Chen Family would be directly under the jurisdiction of the Golden Core Yang Family, and tribute would also be paid to the Golden Core Yang Family.

As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator of the Chen Family, he entered the Taihu Mountain Range and the Yang Family's ancestral grounds, only to discover many female Cultivators coming and going.

These female Cultivators were all stunningly beautiful. He had previously heard many rumors that after Yang Jing left his sect to establish this Golden Core Family, he spent his days and nights indulging in music and beauty. It seemed the rumors were not groundless.

He wondered how much strength this degenerate Golden Core Cultivator still possessed.

After the stationed Non-Clan Cultivators announced his arrival, Chen Li entered the outer hall of the Yang Family and met the Yang Family's Grand Steward, Yuan Biao.

He had also heard many rumors about this man; after joining the Golden Core Yang Family, he had advanced from the Early Foundation Establishment Stage to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage in just over a dozen years. It was said that he was Yang Jing's spokesperson for external affairs.

Chen Li also recognized this person. Wasn't this the Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had been probing around with something during the days he retrieved the Great Sun Seed Jade? He wondered what state that lake had been ruined into.

Seeing Chen Li enter, Yuan Biao, who was sitting at a slightly elevated main table, looked up and said: "Fellow Daoist, leave a sample of your Qi for registration; we will record it here!"

Yuan Biao took out a spherical cyan Magical Artifact, which was used to store and retrieve Qi. It was required for every Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan to register their Qi for authentication purposes.

Three Flowers had stored the Qi of many people. Chen Li mixed several types of Qi together, creating a new, blended Qi.

Chen Li applied a small Spell to himself using this mixed Qi, using a Golden Core Spell to prevent the Qi from dissipating, so this aura was a disguise.

Chen Li put this mixed Qi into the cyan container Magical Artifact. After checking, Yuan Biao found it matched the Qi radiating from Chen Li.

With Chen Li currently at the Early Stage Golden Core, it was impossible for Yuan Biao to detect any anomalies; Chen Li's surface cultivation aura was currently that of the Early Foundation Establishment Stage.

"Verification complete, Fellow Daoist. Next is the payment of the tax tribute."

He had inquired with Zhu Zelin and Lu Xilou; this Yuan Biao liked to rake in Spirit Stones, and as long as one offered a little tribute, he generally wouldn't make things difficult.

Chen Li smiled and said: "Steward Yuan, here is one thousand Spirit Stones as a handling fee for you."

Seeing that Chen Li was so sensible, Yuan Biao beamed with joy. He took the Spirit Stones and smiled: "You are from Yuanwu Prefecture. I recall there are Foundation Establishment families from the Lu and Zhu families in the prefecture. Your tax tribute can be the same as theirs."

Chen Li cupped his hands and replied: "Very well, thank you, Steward Yuan!"

Chen Li successfully registered without any malicious difficulty or humiliation. Steward Yuan's goal was simple: to use Yang Jing's Golden Core status to rake in Spirit Stones and benefits.

As long as money was given, everything was negotiable. If no money was given, then things would be handled strictly according to the rules, and the amount would be exactly what it should be.

The Lu Family and Zhu Family of Yuanwu Prefecture paid tribute to the Golden Core Yang Family once every three years, offering items worth a little over three thousand, or simply paying over three thousand Spirit Stones.

If handled strictly by the rules, it would cost over five thousand Spirit Stones; giving Steward Yuan a benefit could save about one thousand Spirit Stones.

Chen Li left the Yang Family's outer hall and slowly released his Divine Sense toward the inner hall, discovering that the inner hall had a Formation for isolation at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage level. Chen Li retracted his Divine Sense; that inner hall must be where Yang Jing resided.

After leaving the Yang Family territory, Chen Li went to take a look at Beiguang West Lake. The scene was like a massive construction site—messy, with clods of earth everywhere and a grey, hazy atmosphere.

The lake and the ten mu of High Grade spirit fields had all been ruined, and the two mountains on either side of the lake had been flattened.

When Chen Li had retrieved the Great Sun Seed Jade, he had observed a pulling force carrying the Great Sun Seed Jade as it moved. Chen Li now sneaked into the mountain; the patrolling Qi Refining Cultivators were completely unable to detect him.

Chen Li began to release his Divine Sense for thirty li, observing the terrain here and the mountain veins to see if there were any discoveries.

However, whether it was because his cultivation was insufficient or something else, Chen Li did not find anything special.

Chen Li thought about it and felt relieved; if there were anything special, the Golden Core of the Luo Family would have discovered it long before they sold it to the Yang Family.

However, that pulling force had indeed existed; he had certainly felt it when retrieving the Great Sun Seed Jade. As for what it actually was, he would explore it again after reaching a higher Realm.

One day later, Chen Li, Lu Xilou, and Zhu Zelin met in the Lu Family's main hall to discuss the division of territories.

Lu Xilou looked at Chen Li and noticed the composed temperament in Chen Li's bones, finding that this temperament had become increasingly substantial.

Zhu Zelin also looked at Chen Li and realized that Chen Li's temperament had indeed changed quite a bit after his Foundation Establishment.

Lu Xilou said to Chen Li in a gentle tone: "Patriarch Chen, what are your requirements for the territory? Let us discuss it together."

Chen Li had already thought it through: "Let Liangxi County belong to my Chen Family. As for the rest, just allocate one or two Qi Refining Immortal Clans to me."

Upon hearing Chen Li's request, Lu Xilou and Zhu Zelin exchanged glances. Over the past dozen years, three or four more families had come to Yuanwu Prefecture to establish Immortal Clans, but none were in Liangxi County.

There were currently twelve Qi Refining Immortal Clans across the four counties in the prefecture, divided equally between the Lu Family and the Zhu Family. They also had some Qi Refining Immortal Clans in Maan Prefecture that paid tribute to them, as well as some other territories.

The Zhu Family previously controlled Lingchuan County, as well as the Chen Family and Yun Family in Liangxi County. Now that Chen Li had taken Liangxi County, it was only right and proper. It was also reasonable for the remaining Qi Refining Immortal Clans to be allocated from the Zhu Family and the Lu Family to pay tribute to the Chen Family.

At this moment, Lu Xilou and Zhu Zelin, who seemed to have discussed this beforehand, said: "Patriarch Chen, you must have heard about our situation with Maan Prefecture. If Patriarch Chen is willing to join us in suppressing those two newly promoted Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans, my Lu Family is willing to provide two Qi Refining Immortal Clans to the Chen Family!"

Zhu Zelin also stated: "My Zhu Family is also willing to provide two Qi Refining Immortal Clans to Nephew Chen."

Chen Li heard the terms and felt they were quite good; suppressing them together meant it wouldn't be a one-man show.

He just needed to contribute one Foundation Establishment battle force when the time came, which presumably wouldn't attract too much attention.

The three families were intermarried and all had some connections; sometimes being proactive was normal.

Not competing for anything was not a long-term strategy. Within the framework of Foundation Establishment battle power, showing a bit of competitive spirit was normal. You had already reached Foundation Establishment; why not compete in such a favorable situation? Why not compete in a winning game? It would inevitably attract the attention of those with ulterior motives.

Therefore, the Dao of keeping a low profile also developed along with one's own progress; it was not immutable. Keeping a low profile flexibly was the only way to do so more steadily, for longer, and more comfortably.

Chen Li had made up his mind and replied: "Very well, let us suppress them together!"

Lu Xilou and Zhu Zelin were overjoyed. The informal alliance of the three families was established. Although the three families had not signed any agreement, in the eyes of outsiders, they were an alliance.

The corners of Chen Li's mouth curled into a smile; he was looking forward to his "Foundation Establishment debut" in Nanwu Kingdom.