Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 584 Inspecting the Formation
The next day.

Li Xiangming led Ding Xia and Xu Qingchi away from Xiaolan Valley.

Ding Xia remained silent throughout, but her emotions were no longer as agitated as before.

Xu Qingchi, following closely beside Li Xiangming, was full of excitement, asking all sorts of questions: "Master, what does Changning City look like? Is it as big as Pucheng?"

Li Xiangming patted his head and laughed, "You'll see when you get there."

Changning City is not only an important part of the Li family's defense against the Qin family, but also a manifestation of their ambition—the Li family hopes that this city can radiate to more areas in Pudong and expand the Li family's actual control.

Therefore, the scale of Changning City was even greater than that of Pu City.

To this day, not even one-tenth of it has been completed.

However, Changning City is located on Qianmu Ridge, not on a vast plain.

The Li family adapted to local conditions and divided the city into ten interconnected sections, temporarily naming them according to the Heavenly Stems. Among them, Jia City, as the main urban area, was already almost completely completed.

"Deputy Chief Steward!"

The green cloud flying boat returned to Changning City, and several people immediately flew out of the city, led by a middle-aged man with a beard.

"Uncle Qianbo".

Li Xiangming returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

After becoming deputy chief, he focused his main efforts on suppressing the beast tide.

However, the suppression of the beast tide is a process, not the goal.

The task Li Qianxiong assigned him was to ensure the stability of Danggui Mountain and to be able to support the front line of the Yunhuang Mine at any time.

Changning City, as a transit point connecting Danggui Mountain and Meiling, is undoubtedly of paramount importance.

Li Xiangming had long ago transferred Li Qianbai to Changning City to continue the city's construction—Li Qianbai had previously overseen the construction of Xixiang City and was very experienced.

Moreover, Li Xianghua was also in Changning City.

It should be noted that the rebuilt Demon Suppression Camp has a cultivation structure that resembles a narrow-mouthed, wide-bellied jade pot rather than the common pyramid. Li Xianghua is now only one step away from Foundation Establishment, making him a much-needed backbone of the Demon Suppression Camp.

However, Li Xiangming ultimately did not allow Li Xianghua to join the Demon Suppression Camp, but instead sent him to Changning City to assist Ding Xia in setting up the Xuanji Yin-Yang Formation.

This shows how much he valued Changning City.

When it came to relocating the headquarters of the Gushe Alliance and the Demon Suppression Camp, Li Xiangming immediately thought of Changning City.

Since the Demon Suppression Camp was established to eliminate demons and monsters, it didn't matter where they fought. Why not first open up the transportation route to the south and solve the Li family's urgent problem?
Of course, only he knew about these plans.

The Xu family, the Immortal Ape Manor, and even the Luo family and Lingwu Sect, who are close to the Li family, are still unaware that the Li family has actually already marched on the Yunhuang Mine and is at war with the Qin family.

Li Xiangming, Li Qianbai, Li Xianghua, and others exchanged greetings, their eyes slightly shifting.

Li Qianbai noticed this scene and immediately introduced the man to a middle-aged cultivator with a fierce face: "This is Pang Lin, the Lord of Pang Fortress; next to him is the Lord of Pang Fortress's second son, Pang Youjie; and this is young friend Jiang Cheng, the Lord of Pang Fortress's nephew."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lord Pang smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "I, Pang, have met with Vice Steward Li. I hope you will take good care of me in the future."

"You're welcome."

Li Xiangming smiled and said, "Qianmu Ridge is Pangjiabao's territory. My family built Changning City here, and we owe a great deal to your esteemed fortress's assistance. I must thank Fortress Master Pang on behalf of my family head."

Pangjiabao was indeed the owner of Qianmu Ridge, but that's all in the past.

After the Li family took a liking to this place and planned to build Changning City, Pangjiabao was forced to submit to the Li family.

At first, Pangjiabao naturally had all sorts of rebellious feelings.

However, when the Li family promised to set up a large-scale spirit-gathering array like the Mother-Child Linking Array in the city, the fortress lord Pang Lin's attitude made a complete 180-degree turn, and he began to get closer to the Li family.

The Li family was able to build Jia City in just one year, thanks not only to the all-out efforts of the construction team but also to the support of Pangjiabao.

In exchange, the Li family allowed the Pangjiabao cultivators to reside in Jia City and entrusted them with the important city defenses, as a sign of trust and high regard.

Now, Li Xiangming's emphasis on Pangjiabao's sovereignty over Qianmuling is a clear indication of his intention to win over Pangjiabao.

Pang Lin was overjoyed and repeatedly praised Li Xiangming for his superb cultivation and promising young talent, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

Only the tall, thin cultivator named Jiang Cheng looked at Ding Xia beside Li Xiangming with a somber expression. However, no one paid him any attention.

Li Xiangming gave Li Qianbai a few brief instructions and then escorted Ding Xia back to her residence in the city.

As they parted, Li Xiangming looked at Ding Xia, wanting to ask her about her attitude, but ultimately didn't say it.

After he turned around, Ding Xia suddenly asked, "Will you come again?"

"of course."

Li Xiangming paused, then added, "If you don't want to go back to Hao County, I will always protect you and take care of you."

Ding Xia remained silent.

Li Xiangming waited a while before stepping out of the room.

He didn't know Ding Xia's feelings, but he knew that he carried the lives of hundreds of cultivators on his shoulders, and that these people had gathered around him because they trusted him.

Everyone can be obsessed with romantic love, but he can't.

He hoped that Ding Xia could also calmly see this clearly.

After Li Xiangming left, he immediately found Li Xianghua and inspected the formation of Changning City with him while inquiring about the progress of the formation deployment.

Li Xianghua replied, "The family's original plan was to first set up the Spirit Gathering Array to establish the foundation of the city, and then set up the defensive array. However, after my elder brother Qin family launched their attack, the family head instructed that the defensive array should be set up in Changning City first. Now the arrays in the city are quite chaotic. Parts of the Mother-Child Connection Array and the Mysterious Yin-Yang Array have been deployed, but none of them have been successful."

Li Xiangming frowned.

Which is more important, a spirit-gathering array or a defensive array?

In theory, the latter is more important—the value of the word "security" is self-evident.

However, setting up an array can take months or even years, and it is inevitable that cultivators will be dispatched to be stationed there to ensure the array is completed smoothly.

Initially, the Li family demanded that Li Chengkang personally garrison Changning City.

What is Li Chengkang's status and position?
The Li family would never allow him to suffer for several years in a place without spiritual veins.

Setting up a spirit-gathering array in advance will not only ensure Li Chengkang's cultivation, but also attract local cultivators, such as those from Pangjiabao, to serve the Li family.

As for safety, Changning City is, after all, the third line of defense, far from the Qin family's stronghold—Red Stone Valley.

No one expected that the Qin family would take swift and decisive action against the Li family first.

Having suffered a setback, the Li family had no choice but to consider the safety of Changning City.

"Prioritize the Mysterious Yin-Yang Array."

Li Xiangming set the tone again, then looked at Li Xianghua and asked hesitantly, "Thirteen, are you capable of independently overseeing the deployment of the Mysterious Yin-Yang Array?"

Li Xianghua paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "The patriarch spoke with me before, asking me to focus all my efforts on advancing to the Foundation Establishment realm. I haven't touched arrays for over a year. I was quite adept at assisting Miss Ding Xia in setting up the Xuanji Yin-Yang Array. But I'm afraid I'm not up to the task of handling such a profound second-tier defensive array on my own."

Li Xiangming's expression was thoughtful.

He was still unaware of Ding Xia's attitude. If Ding Xia chose to leave, Li Xianghua would not be able to take over the remaining array formations, and the family would inevitably have to recruit a new second-tier array master.

This is undoubtedly a heavy burden on the Li family's finances.

But there is nothing that can be done about it.

Surely the Li family can't control Ding Xia? Even if the Li family had that idea, he wouldn't allow it.

Li Xiangming quickly put aside his distracting thoughts and continued to ask, "Thirteen, you have already reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refining. Do you have any plans to try Foundation Establishment?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xianghua remained silent for a long time.

Li Xiangming frowned: "Didn't your family allocate you any Foundation Establishment Pills?"

"It's just that I'm not good enough."

Li Xianghua sighed, "Back in the Tihu Cave, I tried to build my foundation, but I failed."

Li Xiangming was slightly taken aback before he realized what was happening.

Li Xianghua failed in his foundation building attempt!
(End of this chapter)