199: Chapter 199 Integration

The Li Family was different from the Liu Family and the Zhou Family. After all, these two families were still attached under the Chen Family's command; as long as the Chen Family needed them, these two families would naturally follow.

Yet the Chen Family had no control over the Li Family whatsoever. Merely stating the reasons within a communication talisman would still not make the Li Family obey the Chen Family.

Even though the Chen Family was currently the strongest, and even had Chen Changqing, a Purple Mansion Master, only they themselves knew about it right now, while everyone else was completely unaware. Thus, they wouldn't submit to the Chen Family.

Therefore, Chen Yuanwen needed him to go. With his current strength and his Level 3 Foundation Establishment cultivation, it was enough to make the Li Family look at him with astonishment, not to mention that the Chen Family of Qinghe County did not have just him as a single Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

The current Chen Family, just on the surface, was a powerful Foundation Establishment Family possessing seven Foundation Establishment members.

After several hours, Chen Changyue finally arrived at the Li Family's territory.

As soon as he arrived, Li Qingying sensed it and immediately came out of seclusion.

"So it's Cousin Changyue." Li Qingying smiled faintly.

"Cousin." Chen Changyue smiled calmly.

Li Qingying welcomed Chen Changyue in, and the two walked all the way to the Li Family's ancestral hall.

"Cousin Changyue, is there some major matter you've come to our Li Family to tell me this time?" Li Qingying's eyes flashed with a hint of guesswork, but she calmed her composure and waited for Chen Changyue to inform her.

"Cousin, I indeed have a matter, and this matter concerns our two families, the Chens and the Lis, as well as all the major forces in the entire Qinghe County," Chen Changyue explained.

"Could Cousin's visit here be because of the bandit cultivators stirring up trouble everywhere during this period? To be frank with Cousin, several Qi Refining families under my Li Family's command have also been completely looted, and some even had most of their clan members slaughtered."

"Yes, my Chen Family is willing to personally bridge the gap and fully integrate all the families in Qinghe County to jointly resist the external bandit cultivators." Chen Changyue went straight to the point, casually picking up his teacup and taking a leisurely sip.

"The Chen Family wants to integrate the forces of the entire Qinghe County? Then who will lead?"

At this moment, Li Chengyan, the Li Family Clan Chief standing to the side, couldn't help asking.

Chen Changyue did not answer directly, but everyone present was shrewd and understood who would control Qinghe County after the integration.

Li Qingying and Li Chengyan looked at each other, both speechless.

Although the two families had a close relationship, asking them to take orders from the Chen Family, which was also a Foundation Establishment Family, was something nobody would be happy about.

"Cousin Changyue, it probably won't be simple for your Chen Family to control the entire Qinghe County," Li Qingying said with hidden meaning.

"That's why I've come." Chen Changyue's tone was filled with confidence, leaving no room for refusal.

Li Qingying furrowed her brows slightly. He really felt he had their Li Family in the bag.

"Since I came here today, I naturally have absolute certainty, because—" Chen Changyue said indifferently, and at the end, he directly sent a voice transmission to Li Qingying.

Hearing this, Li Qingying's pupils dilated, as if she had heard some incredible secret.

"Are you serious?" She still found it hard to believe and asked once more.

Chen Changyue merely nodded, his gaze as calm as usual.

"Cousin Changyue, apologies, allow me to ponder on this a bit more."

Li Qingying fell silent for a moment, dismissed Li Chengyan, and then spoke again. She had lost her composure just now, but she couldn't be blamed—who would have thought that Chen Changqing had quietly stepped into the Zifu Stage?

"Our Li Family is willing to join the Chen Family, but I have a question: since Chen Changqing is unwilling to expose himself until now, there must be some misgivings, right?"

Even if they were to join the Chen Family, she needed to know what trouble the Chen Family had. After all, she didn't want to drag the Li Family into all sorts of troubles.

However, once they truly joined the Chen Family, it would no longer be up to them. Therefore, she wanted to ask clearly; if the trouble was big enough, she would rather lead the Family to leave this place than join the Chen Family.

"To be frank with Cousin, there is. However, the object of our Chen Family's misgivings is the same as the object of your Li Family's misgivings."

After listening, Li Qingying understood who that object Chen Changyue spoke of was, and thus stopped pressing further.

"Then what do you plan to do, Cousin?"

"Naturally, it's to have a spar with you to pull the wool over people's eyes. When the time comes, you can simply lose and directly announce your agreement to my Chen Family's demands."

Li Qingying nodded, feeling this proposal was not bad either. Since Chen Changqing was still hiding behind the scenes, it was impossible for them to let Chen Changqing be exposed right now.

And since they couldn't let Chen Changqing expose his cultivation, the Li Family joining the Chen Family needed a reason.

This reason would naturally be her losing to Chen Changyue, leaving her with no choice but to take orders from the Chen Family.

The two hit it off immediately and headed straight to the Li Family's martial arts arena.

Li Chengyan felt a bit strange, wondering why Li Qingying suddenly didn't resist joining the Chen Family anymore. However, he was ultimately not a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, so he couldn't ask about it directly to their faces.

"Cousin Changyue, if I, Li Qingying, lose, I am willing to take the entire Li Family and cooperate with your Chen Family to integrate the forces of Qinghe County.

Of course, if you lose, today's matter ends here. How about it?" Li Qingying's voice spread throughout the entire Li Family.

"Certainly." Chen Changyue nodded.

Since the two were putting on a show, they naturally had to do it completely. It wasn't that Li Qingying didn't trust the Li Family members, but rather to use them to send a signal to the outside world: her Li Family agreed to integrate the forces of Qinghe County with the Chen Family because they lost the spell duel.

And not because of any other reason.

Hearing this, all the Li Family members were somewhat shocked and puzzled. They didn't know why Li Qingying wanted to have a spell duel with a member of the Chen Family, nor did they know why they were making a wager.

However, apart from a few Li Family members, the rest looked at Li Qingying expectantly. If Li Qingying could defeat the Chen Family's Foundation Establishment member, then their Li Family would naturally share in the glory.

But if she lost the spar, they would feel somewhat disappointed.

Because the person who came from the Chen Family was not the strongest among all the Chen Family's Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and it was even uncertain whether he could enter the top three.

Li Chengyan stared blankly at the two people confronting each other in mid-air. He had only gone out for a short while, yet how did these two seem to have reached an agreement?

Just what on earth did that Chen Changyue say earlier? It made even Qingying compromise.

"Cousin Changyue, please," Li Qingying invited.

"Please." Chen Changyue also raised his hand to make a gesture of invitation.

The two looked at each other, their Aura abruptly changing as the atmosphere immediately became tense with swords drawn.

Beside the martial arts arena, a group of Li Family youths were discussing.

"Who do you think is stronger, Fifth Sister or that Foundation Establishment member from the Chen Family?"

"Needless to say, of course our Fifth Sister is stronger. If you don't believe it, just watch in a moment."

"I simply don't believe that this Foundation Establishment Senior from the Chen Family can win against Fifth Sister. After all, Fifth Sister is our Li Family's strongest Genius of the current generation."

"Alright, all of you shut up. Foundation Establishment Seniors are communicating, what are you interrupting for?" an old man rebuked angrily, immediately cutting off the Juniors' disrespectful words.

Then he turned around, cupping his fists and apologizing to Chen Changyue.