novelapdf Chapter 40 Undercurrents
Chapter 40 Undercurrents
"Brother Changsheng, you've arrived!"
Liu Xiaoying stepped in, her voice clear and melodious, carrying a hint of joy. Her light blue silk dress accentuated her fair skin.
More than half a year has passed, and the girl seems to have grown taller and more slender, with curves and a more exquisite figure.
What's most striking is the change in her appearance. Her features were already exquisite, but now her skin is radiant and glowing, with a healthy glow.
Her bright, sparkling eyes, brimming with spiritual energy, already possessed a captivating beauty, and her cultivation had steadily reached the fourth level of Qi Refining perfection.
She was like a lotus flower just beginning to bloom, her beauty beyond compare.
"Fellow Daoist Liu's cultivation has improved significantly, and his demeanor is even more refined than before," Yang Changsheng said sincerely.
A faint blush rose on the girl's face, making her even more radiant and beautiful.
She naturally sat down next to Yang Changsheng, bringing with her a delicate and subtle lotus fragrance.
"Brother Changsheng, Fellow Daoist Liu... you've all arrived!"
Wang Ergou walked in, wrapped in a thick new cotton robe.
He was even more robust and powerful than a year ago, in excellent spirits, with a ruddy complexion, and his Qi Refining Level 2 aura was steady and solid.
With the help of short-term cultivation in the spirit fields, the rewards for driving away demonic beasts, and the five spirit stones given as a gift, he was able to purchase a Marrow Cleansing Pill to improve his cultivation, and his situation was much better than before.
He sat on the other side of Yang Changsheng, smiling憨厚ly, his eyes full of gratitude and affection.
Li Qingshan, who finally entered the private room, still maintained the elegant demeanor of a scion of a prominent family, wearing a brocade robe and jade belt, and holding a gilded folding fan.
He smiled warmly and exchanged pleasantries with everyone. His gaze lingered on Liu Xiaoying for a moment, a fleeting look of amazement flashing across his face, before returning to normal.
His cultivation level remained at the fifth level of Qi Refining. Although his magical power was more abundant than a year ago, he had clearly encountered a bottleneck.
After reaching the middle stage of Qi Refining, each minor level becomes significantly more difficult than before.
Especially since the spiritual root one possesses is only of low-grade sensitivity, even with ample resources, progress is still slow.
The five people sat around a table. Su Wanqing, as the host, raised her hand slightly to signal the waiter to serve the dishes.
The dishes, though not extremely luxurious, were full of spiritual energy and exquisitely delicious. The glistening rice grains steamed from the spirit valley, the silver thread fish soup containing a faint spiritual energy, and the roasted spirit ribs made from the meat of a first-tier demon beast from the Kongyun Mountains...
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the conversation naturally turned to the biggest changes at Biyue Lake in the past six months.
"You've all probably heard about what's been happening lately, haven't you?"
Li Qingshan put down his silver chopsticks, tapped his folding fan lightly in his palm, and spoke with his usual well-informed tone.
Everyone looked over, waiting quietly for what would happen next.
He didn't keep them in suspense, and said in a deep voice, "In the past six months, the Lu family has acted swiftly and decisively. The elite of the Enforcement Hall, together with several affiliated small families, have thoroughly ravaged the area within hundreds of miles of the Azure Lake. They've destroyed no fewer than five large-scale raiding cultivator gangs... I heard they even killed two raiding cultivator leaders who were at the late Qi Refining stage, and their heads are still hanging at the entrance of the market!"
The Lu family has absolute control over the two thousand miles of territory around Biyue Lake, but due to limited energy, they can only ensure the stability of the mortal villages, the immortal cultivation towns, and the surrounding areas of the market.
This area is approximately fifty li (about 25 kilometers), which is the patrol range of the Lu family's Enforcement Hall cultivators. Beyond this distance, cultivators fighting each other are completely ignored.
However, a few months ago, they suddenly changed their decision and began to aggressively attack in all directions.
Upon hearing this, Wang Ergou immediately nodded vigorously and said in a deep voice, "Yes, yes, yes! When I went to the market to buy supplies, I saw it with my own eyes. There were several rows of them hanging up. Now I feel much more at ease walking on the road outside. Before, I would never have dared to leave Biyue Lake casually."
He was still shaken, clearly recalling his ordeal at Black Wind Pass.
"Everyone in the market is praising it. The wandering cultivators say it's much safer now, and business is even better. I heard that two new shops have opened near the dock, and the rent for the shops has increased quite a bit."
Liu Xiaoying chimed in, her voice soft, and as she spoke, her eyes would occasionally glancing unintentionally at the handsome young man beside her.
That period happened shortly after Lingzhifu's short-term job ended. Considering the beauty pills Yang Changsheng gave him and his mention of some fortuitous encounter, it's hard to say there was no connection between them.
However, she wouldn't reveal this speculation, as it could very well cause trouble.
"On the surface, people applauded, but in reality, undercurrents were surging. The Lu family's high-profile purge certainly gained them fame and reassured the people, but it was also too ostentatious. I heard Master Chen mention some time ago that the Chixiao Wang family in the upper reaches of the Chishui River reacted quite strongly to this."
Su Wanqing's cool voice rang out. She picked up the white porcelain cup, took a sip of tea, and her delicate brows furrowed slightly.
Biyue Lake is currently thriving, but we don't want the situation to become unstable, causing us to lose the peaceful environment for cultivation and the study of alchemy.
"The Crimson Sky Royal Family?"
Yang Changsheng revealed a perfectly timed hint of doubt, while simultaneously wondering if this matter might be related to him.
Because the Lu family launched the purge around the same time he returned.
Li Qingshan unfolded his folding fan, took over the conversation, lowered his voice, and said, "The Wang family is also an old Foundation Establishment family. They occupy the earth fire resources near the Chishui River and have opened several weapon refining workshops. They are very powerful. They have a grudge against our Lu family of Biyue Lake because of a dispute over a small spirit stone mine in the early years. They have been fighting openly and secretly for more than a hundred years, and their relationship has always been strained."
"In recent years, the Lu family has prospered thanks to the port market of Biyue Lake, and with the emergence of a genius like Lu Qianxue, they are riding high. The Wang family feels that their territory and business are being squeezed, and they have long regarded the Lu family as a thorn in their side. This time, the Lu family has launched a large-scale crackdown on the robbers and cultivators, eliminating many strongholds. There are rumors that some of these hideouts have the Wang family's secret support behind them... This is cutting off their source of income and slapping them in the face. How can the Wang family let this go?"
He spoke slowly and clearly, explaining the complex web of forces behind the scenes.
A moment of silence fell over the private room, and the cold wind outside seemed to pick up even more.
"This is the hidden danger. The Lu family has risen too quickly and the purge has been so forceful. The Chixiao Royal Family will not sit idly by. The other Foundation Establishment forces that have only a moderate relationship with the Lu family... it is hard to guarantee that they will not band together out of fear. In the next few years, the area around Biyue Lake will probably not be peaceful."
Su Wanqing put down her teacup, sighed softly, and her beautiful face showed a hint of worry that was not easily detected.
These people all depend on the Lu family for survival, so if they are targeted by external forces, they will inevitably be affected.
If a war of cultivation were to break out, they might be conscripted into it and easily become cannon fodder.
Wang Ergou seemed to understand but not quite, but he felt the atmosphere was a bit heavy, so he scratched his head.
Liu Xiaoying frowned slightly. She was quick-witted and naturally understood the implications, but she would soon be leaving the Biyue Lake area, so she didn't know how to comment.
Yang Changsheng, however, kept his eyes down and silently picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and ate it.
He knew that his foundation was still shallow, and that such infighting and power struggles between foundation-building families were far beyond the reach of a mere fisherman at the third level of Qi Refining.
Stability is the foundation for success.
While the Lu family's purge of the plundering cultivators was commendable, he had to be wary of the higher-level vortex it would unleash and keep his distance.
The topic was touched upon briefly, and everyone tacitly agreed not to delve deeper.