31: Event updates, crisis looms.

The grandeur of the Li Family Mansion gradually blended into the daily life of Li Family Village.

Dozens of acres of prime paddy fields no longer required Li Dashan and his sons to toil from dawn till dusk themselves.

Madam Zhang took charge, hiring several honest and capable strong laborers from the village to help cultivate the land. The wages were generous, with three square meals a day, always including meat.

Li Dashan only needed to stroll along the field ridges daily, offering a word or two of guidance, which was considered fulfilling his duty.

He spent most of his time drinking tea and playing chess with the old folks in the village, enjoying the leisure of an 'Elder Patriarch'.

After entering the household, Sun Yuee quickly revealed a level of insight uncommon among ordinary village women.

Seeing that her husband, Li Qingshan, possessed great strength but knew very few characters and couldn't even manage an abacus smoothly, she privately advised him gently:

"Qingshan, our family is not what it used to be. Fields, hired hands, social exchanges—everything requires calculation. As the head of the family, you cannot spend your whole life only recognizing the plow and hoe, unable to even read an account book, can you? If word gets out, it will only make people laugh at our Li family."

Li Qingshan was a straightforward man and felt his wife's words were reasonable. He scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed:

"I... I am a bit slow, I learn slowly."

"Slow is fine, as long as you are willing to learn," Sun Yuee encouraged.

Li Qingshan deeply agreed.

The next day after breakfast, he pulled Li Qinglin into the East Wing room that had been tidied up—it was temporarily serving as a study.

On the desk lay brand new brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, along with a copy of the "Thousand Character Classic" used for teaching young children to read.

"Qinglin, come, let's study together, brother! You are younger and learn faster, teach your elder brother!"

Li Qingshan rubbed his hands, feeling a bit awkward, but his eyes were resolute.

Li Qinglin felt somewhat helpless, but seeing his elder brother's serious expression, he still nodded:

"Alright, Big Brother, I will teach you."

Thus, every evening after dinner, a bright oil lamp appeared in the Li family's main hall.

Li Qinglin sat to the side, patiently pointing at the numbers in the account books, teaching his elder brother characters and how to use the abacus.

Li Qingshan studied diligently, but it was still arduous; he often broke out in a sweat from frustration.

Li Dashan and Madam Zhang saw this and were overjoyed.

Madam Zhang especially boasted to everyone she met: "The eldest son's wife is an understanding woman; she knows how to help her man improve!"

In the courtyard, Li Qinghe sat on a stone bench, a piece of deerskin spread before him, meticulously wiping and maintaining his hunting bow with a small piece of soft cloth soaked in oil.

The bow was dark black, its lines smooth, the string taut. He had maintained it until it shone with oil, exuding a restrained sharpness.

Sun Yuee came out carrying a teapot. Seeing this scene, and then looking at the two brothers in the wing room studying characters as if enduring hardship, she couldn't help but say to her mother-in-law, Madam Zhang, who was sorting vegetables:

"Mother, I think Fourth Brother is also clever. Why not let Qinghe study literacy with his two elder brothers? It's better than fiddling with bows and arrows all day. He could help the family in the future..."

Before she finished speaking, the vegetable leaf in Madam Zhang's hand gently dropped with a 'pa' sound, and the smile on her face faded slightly.

Li Dashan, standing nearby, also looked up and glanced at Sun Yuee. He said nothing, but the meaning in his eyes was clear.

"Yuee ah,"

Madam Zhang's voice was gentle, yet carried an unquestionable weight.

"You don't need to worry about Qinghe's affairs. He has his own path. You manage Qingshan well and take care of your own household matters; that is the biggest help you can give the family."

Sun Yuee was momentarily choked by her mother-in-law's words, which were soft yet firm, and felt a bit awkward, but her heart skipped a beat.

It was then she truly realized that this quiet, bow-and-arrow-obsessed Fourth Brother seemed to hold... a very special status in this family.

She quickly replied, "Yes," daring not to say more, and returned to her room after setting down the teapot.

Li Qinghe seemed not to have heard the conversation, still concentrating on wiping the bow's limb, his fingertips feeling every grain and resilience of the wood.

Sunlight fell upon his lowered eyes, casting an air of stillness.

However, this stillness was abruptly shattered in the next moment!

Just as Li Qinghe's finger brushed across the cold arrowhead, his mind buzzed without warning!

His vision was instantly overwhelmed by lines of glaring scarlet text, and a warning aura carrying the scent of blood and fierce hostility rushed straight into his heart!

[Today's Intel (Event Type): The Tribulation of the Vicious Tiger Transforming into a Demon]

[Location: Western foothills of Black Wind Ridge, deep within Poisonous Miasma Valley (approximately thirty li from Li Family Village).]

[Target: Adult male Vicious Tiger (body length of 12 chi, shallow golden markings on its forehead).]

[Event: Three days ago, this tiger accidentally consumed a 'Blood Fiend Grass' mutated by the resurgence of spiritual energy. Its internal Qi and blood have become violent, and it is undergoing its final transformation. The transformation will complete in 36 hours (i.e., at midnight three days from now), at which point it will officially become a First Grade Low Grade Yao Beast, the 'Blood-Patterned Demon Tiger'.]

[Karma: The transformation process consumes immense energy, leaving the newly formed demon beast in a state of extreme hunger, developing an uncontrollable, frantic craving for things containing Qi and blood (especially Mortal flesh and blood). Its ferocity and strength will double, and because its nascent demonic power is unstable, its movements will be unpredictable. There is a very high probability that immediately after the transformation is complete, it will charge out of Black Wind Ridge towards the nearest human settlement—Li Family Village!]

[Recommendation: Slay it before it completes its transformation and fully masters its demonic power! This is the only chance of survival! Once its transformation into a demon is successful, Mortal weapons will be unable to harm it, and Li Family Village risks being massacred!]

[Countdown: 35 hours 59 minutes... (The scarlet numbers continuously flicker)]

The scarlet information was like ice water poured over his head, instantly dispelling the warmth in Li Qinghe's heart! A chilling killing intent erupted from the depths of his eyes!

A Vicious Tiger transforming into a demon! A village massacre!

He only had three days!

He stood up abruptly, his movement so fast it stirred up a gust of wind, startling Madam Zhang and Li Dashan who were sorting vegetables nearby.

"Father, Mother!"

Li Qinghe's voice was unusually calm, carrying a sharpness that was normally absent.

"I just remembered I found a patch of good medicinal herbs in the back mountains a few days ago. Seeing the sky, it might rain tonight, so I must hurry to collect them before they spoil. I'll be right back!"

Madam Zhang paused:

"Go now? It's nearly noon, after we eat..."

"There's no time, Mother, the herbs are important!"

Li Qinghe spoke quickly, but his gaze was firm.

"I'll take dry rations and be back in two or three days at most! If Big Brother or Second Brother ask, tell them I went into the mountains to gather medicine!"

Li Dashan looked at his youngest son's suddenly sharp, eagle-like eyes and vaguely understood something in his heart.

He was silent for a moment, then nodded heavily: "Go! Be careful! Don't worry about things at home...!"

"En!"

Li Qinghe stopped talking, quickly returned to his room to grab his bow and arrows, checked the fine steel arrowheads in his quiver, and tucked a razor-sharp hunting knife at his waist.

His movements were clean and decisive, carrying the precision and lethality of a predator.

He strode out of the brand new blue-brick courtyard gate, not even glancing back at the fluttering red silk and warm domestic atmosphere inside the yard.

The sunlight stretched his shadow long, casting it towards the direction of the vast, imposing Black Wind Ridge outside the village.

Time was pressing; the tiger's roar was imminent.

He had to reach the den in the Poisonous Miasma Valley and annihilate this threat to the village before that beast completed its transformation into a demon!