The Transmigrator’s Cultivation

Arc 25: Tempest Field | Chapter 467: Li Qingyuan

The shen cultivator didn’t ask many questions; they quickly divided the healing balm among themselves and applied it to their wounds.

In just a few breaths, all those injuries healed completely, not leaving a single scar. It was truly miraculous.

Xu Ziqing observed this with a faint smile, then pointed with his finger.

Wood energy burst forth from his fingertip and transformed into a gentle breeze, which swirled around for a moment before dissipating the lingering stench of blood, preventing the nearby wind beasts from being attracted.

Seeing this, the shen cultivator breathed in the fresh air and rejoined the battle.

With both the cultivators and the shen cultivator displaying exceptional bravery, they quickly exterminated all the wind beasts, leaving behind a pile of corpses.

After collecting their kills, the cultivators turned to face the shen cultivator.

The pair who had previously spoken with Xu Ziqing clearly led the group of over ten individuals. They hurried over, expressing their gratitude once more. One of them said, “Brothers, we are members of the Li family from the Chongming Domain. Thank you for saving our lives!”

The young man continued, “I am Li Qingyuan, and this is my younger sister, Qinghe.” He then pointed to another beautiful girl approaching, “This is my cousin, Li Qingchang.”

As for the other nearly ten people, Li Qingyuan did not elaborate, suggesting they were likely subordinates from his family rather than relatives.

Upon hearing Li Qingyuan’s words, Xu Ziqing fell into thought.

The Li family of the Chongming Domain… When he left the Nine Void Battlefield, General Li Xinglong had given him a token, stating it belonged to the Li family. If he ever needed assistance, he could seek them out. At that time, it had been mentioned that the Li family had influence in several major domains, and it would be easy to find them.

After leaving, Xu Ziqing had not seriously considered seeking help from the Li family, so he hadn’t investigated further. Now hearing this young man speak… he wondered if the Li family from the Chongming Domain was indeed the same one.

However, he didn’t dwell on it. With Li Qingyuan’s enthusiasm, Xu Ziqing kept his thoughts to himself and introduced himself and his fellow disciples. Even Xu Liang and Yin Xiu maintained proper etiquette, and although Tu Jin had a peculiar temperament, he still signaled to keep the atmosphere lively.

Seeing this, Li Qingyuan felt increasingly at ease and spoke more warmly with his benefactors.

The few exchanged hurried words, but this was not a place to linger.

While Tu Jin and the others had protective Blood Dance Veils, if Li Qingyuan’s group remained exposed to the wind, their divine power would continue to deplete.

At that moment, Li Qingyuan led the way ahead and said, “If you don’t mind, please follow us to a safe place to rest for a while. How about we get through this night together?”

…A safe place?

The cultivators’ hearts stirred at this suggestion, and they followed him.

Xu Ziqing could tell that this group was quite knowledgeable about the Tempest Field. As they walked, they avoided many areas with strong winds. Once they had passed, they looked back to see how terrifying and treacherous those places were.

After walking for a while, although the winds remained strong, their intensity had calmed down. The wind striking against the Blood Dance Veils rolled the crimson sand grains, which were not as violent as before—this showed that even if the winds were blowing, they didn’t pose much harm.

This was also evident from the shen cultivator’ state.

In the air, golden flecks continued to fall from the sun, but the further they went, the sparser the light became, indicating that their divine power was waning.

After walking over a hundred steps, the group of cultivators suddenly saw a mountain.

The mountain stood about ten zhang high and was wide enough to span several dozen zhang, appearing as if it were forged from steel, steadfast against the wind.

However, Xu Ziqing could tell that this mountain was not a natural formation but rather a man-made structure.

Suddenly, he began to understand the reason for the mountain’s presence.

Indeed, a hint of pride appeared on Li Qingyuan’s face as he said, “The Tempest Field region is indeed perilous. Our Li family’s ancestors, in order to protect their descendants, have placed a meteorite mountain near each of the five entrances to this region. This is the refuge for my family when entering the Tempest Field, allowing us to preserve our lives and avoid being killed by the wicked winds within.”

As he spoke, he summoned his Yang Spirit and quickly projected numerous strange patterns onto the meteorite mountain, each forming part of a larger picture embedded in the mountain’s surface.

Afterward, the meteorite mountain opened, revealing its inner cavity.

Li Qinghe and Li Qingchang, the two women, smiled brightly and said, “Brothers, please come inside the mountain with us!”

The cultivators exchanged glances and followed them in.

Before long, everyone had entered the mountain’s interior. The grand image on the meteorite mountain shifted and quickly closed up, sealing the mountain’s body. Soon after, the mountain glowed brightly, and the grand image vanished, disappearing from sight.

It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Inside the mountain, there appeared to be quite a large cave, capable of accommodating three to five hundred people. With currently less than twenty people inside, it was indeed very spacious.

The walls and ceiling were adorned with large luminous orbs, shining brightly like luminous pearls, making the cave as bright as day and alleviating any discomfort from inadequate visibility.

At this moment, the cultivators withdrew their divine senses and could see clearly with their naked eyes.

Inside the cave, tables, chairs, beds, and other furnishings were all present. Li Qingyuan was very attentive, inviting everyone to take a seat.

Meanwhile, several other shen cultivator began skinning and roasting the wind beasts they had killed. Two of the young women took out some utensils and skillfully prepared the meat, filling the air with a delightful aroma, as they aimed to entertain their guests.

Li Qingyuan himself then approached the cultivators to chat.

Among them, Xu Ziqing was the youngest and had the most gentle temperament, so he initiated a conversation with Li Qingyuan, while the others occasionally chimed in, creating a pleasant atmosphere and sparing Li Qingyuan any awkwardness.

At that moment, Xu Ziqing inquired about the troubles faced by Li Qingyuan and the others.

Li Qingyuan was momentarily at a loss for words. After a sigh, he replied, “To be honest with you, this misfortune is truly due to my family’s unfortunate circumstances.”

Xu Ziqing turned to listen attentively.

Li Qingyuan shook his head and said seriously, “This needs to be explained from the origins of my Li family.”

Xu Ziqing’s guess was correct. The Li family in the Chongming Domain, where Li Qingyuan resided, was indeed the same Li family as that of Li Xinglong. The only difference was that Li Xinglong belonged to the main lineage of the direct line, being the true lineage of the family in the Chongyang Domain, while Li Qingyuan was one of several branch lineages, overseeing business in the Chongming Domain. He also managed the trade of wind beast meat and fur.

Li Xinglong, a demon-slaying general and one of the leaders of the five major legions in the Nine Void Battlefield, needed to support a hundred thousand soldiers. Thus, he had to rely on a large family and abundant resources. Because members of the Li family and the other four major families had been guarding the battlefield for generations, many lucrative businesses in the Nine Void Realm gradually fell into their hands over time. This resulted in a monopoly, leading to ever-increasing prosperity.

The Li family controlled the trade of wind beast meat, a delicacy beneficial to cultivators, while many other unique items from various smaller domains fell into the hands of the other major families. To ensure a continuous flow of business and maintain control, these enterprises were divided among each family’s branch lineages across generations.

Of course, this was not an intentional division between the main and branch lineages; only the bloodlines of the direct descendants could potentially transform their Yang Spirit into true physical forms capable of battling demons. Meanwhile, the branch lineages, no matter how numerous, had no chance of achieving such transformation and could only depend on the main lineages to avoid severing the ties that linked them to the battlefield’s leaders.

This structure was not exclusive to the Li family; the Song family, Qin family, and the other four major families operated in a similar manner.

Generally speaking, family rules were strict, and betrayal among family members was absolutely forbidden. Even if the distinctions between the main and branch lineages were clear, the branch lineages were often wealthier than the main lineages of ordinary families.

As long as the branch lineages could support the main lineages, they often enjoyed considerable status. Since the number of direct descendants was limited, the main lineages occasionally relied on the branch lineages, preventing any abuse of power. Ideally, such families would unite and continuously support the five major legions on the battlefield.

However, no matter how united a family may be, there would always be those who were discontent, perhaps due to jealousy arising from a disagreement, leading to deeper inner demons. This could result in committing wrongful acts that violated family rules.

Take the current situation with Li Qingyuan and the others: although they managed the trade of wind beast meat, they could not afford to feel completely at ease. While it was common for branch lineage members to form teams and hunt wind beasts in the Tempest Field to supply the family’s restaurants and taverns, the direct descendants still had to go with the outstanding members of the branch lineages every few months. This was not only to hone their skills but also to gain a better understanding of the family business, preventing any rash decisions that could harm the family’s interests.

This time was not Li Qingyuan’s first visit to the Tempest Field, but it was the first for his younger sister and cousin.

Among the direct descendants of their lineage, besides Li Qingyuan, there were a few of his younger brothers. However, those brothers were still young and were being raised at home to comprehend the world. If nothing unexpected occurred, the family business would pass into Li Qingyuan’s hands after their father’s passing.

Therefore, Li Qingyuan had been making almost monthly trips to the Tempest Field to get accustomed to the operations, ensuring he would not make mistakes in the future.

However, Li Qingyuan never expected that some of the brothers from the branch lineages who accompanied them would harbor intentions of betrayal.

—It was understandable that he did not think of it, as his father was still alive and he was not the only son. Even if the branch lineages plotted to usurp power, how could they succeed?

Yet, the situation unfolded unexpectedly, catching him off guard.

That day, the group of cultivators was diligently hunting. Because the members of the team were often familiar with the routes in the Tempest Field, they were performing exceptionally well. However, without realizing it, Li Qingyuan was led by them to a desolate area close to a vicious wind.

In this desolate area, the wind beasts were initially few in number. But during the fierce battle, members from the branch lineage suddenly released a large quantity of enticing powder, which wafted in the wind! Then, others swiftly ambushed the group, inflicting wounds on them and spilling their blood, which attracted the rushing wind beasts to their side! Meanwhile, the members of the branch lineage fled.

Li Qingyuan and his group were caught off guard and could only engage in a desperate struggle. If not for Xun Liang hearing their angry shouts and other cultivators, like Tu Jin, coming to their rescue, they would have undoubtedly fallen victim to the branch lineage’s scheme, losing their lives there.

After hearing this, the expressions of the cultivators varied.

Xu Ziqing sighed lightly and said, “This is truly strange. If Brother Li hadn’t made it out, wouldn’t those people face punishment when they returned to the clan?”

Li Qingyuan frowned, “I also found it puzzling. However…” He gave a slight bitter smile, “The one with the highest realm among them has already reached the Entering Tribulation Stage. They may face punishment, but it likely won’t cost them their lives. Perhaps that’s why they dared to act.”

Translator: Lynn

Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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