108 Arrangements

"Li Xintian, are you looking for a beating? You're actually making me guess?" Hu Qiuyan asked, pouting.

"Watch closely."

Li Xintian pulled a cat teaser wand from his sleeve. The Zouwu’s eyes widened, fixated on the wand in his hand. Seeing that the creature wanted to enter the room, Li Xintian quickly walked out into the courtyard. The Zouwu rubbed its body against him, its expression turning comfortable and blissful—a feeling it had never experienced with the Black Emperor.

"I want to play too."

Hu Qiuyan took the wand, but the Zouwu ignored her entirely, turning its head away with an expression of utter disdain. It seemed the Zouwu could clearly perceive her true identity.

"Li Xintian, is this what you tamed? Why won't it pay attention to me?" Hu Qiuyan tossed the wand back into Li Xintian's arms.

"Perhaps the Zouwu sees through your identity. You shouldn't make things difficult for it. We are born of the same root; why must we rush to harm one another?" Li Xintian caught the wand and whispered into Hu Qiuyan’s ear.

"Hey, hey, hey, cousin! Don't treat us like we're invisible. We are holding a family meeting here. Be serious; I can't even stand to watch this anymore." Chen Yuanwen, having been forced to swallow a mouthful of romantic tension for no reason, interrupted the atmosphere.

"Alright, alright. Let's return to the previous issue. The capital is no longer a suitable place to stay. This may sound preposterous, but it has been confirmed as a fact." Li Xintian stopped fooling around and waved his hand, signaling the Zouwu to return to the sky. The creature leaped into the air, its long tail trailing behind it.

"Cousin, do you really know what has happened these past few days?" Chen Yuanwen found it hard to believe. He considered himself lucky to have survived thus far, perhaps protected by some unseen fate.

"Yuanwen makes a good point. Xintian, you haven't been home for days. Where have you been?" Chen Linqing stroked his beard and asked.

"Actually, these past few days, I went to Langya Mountain. It is said that a thousand-year-old spirit fox resides there. I didn't find the fox, but I did encounter the Zouwu and brought it back."

"As for these events, Qiuyan told me about them. I had to abandon the search for the spirit fox and rush back. I was simply worried about the safety of my family." Li Xintian scratched his head, sounding embarrassed. He had to lie to keep Chen Linqing and the others from worrying.

Chen Linqing and the others looked at Li Xintian, while Hu Qiuyan nodded with a subtle smile, helping to cover for him.

"Who’s there?"

Li Xintian suddenly sensed two auras of demonic energy approaching and barked a command, startling Chen Linqing and the others. Hu Qiuyan immediately stood on guard.

"Young Master Li, it is us. We have come to thank you for your help, but there is one more thing we wish to ask of you." Hu Yuji and Hu Xiaocui appeared. Hu Yuji pulled Hu Xiaocui down to kneel on the ground.

"Grandfather, Grandmother, don't be nervous. If you have something to ask of me, please don't frighten my family like that. You already startled them just now." Li Xintian realized his own reaction had been too reckless, not considering whether his family would understand. Chen Yuanwen, at least, seemed a bit more composed.

"Xintian, guests are guests. It is no matter, no matter." Chen Linqing stood up and waved his hand dismissively.

"We ask for everyone's forgiveness. It was reckless of us mother and daughter, but the matter is urgent, and we had no other choice."

"We come today to ask Young Master Li to intercede for us. The Qingling Pearl has been lost." Hu Yuji apologized before explaining.

"Sigh, you may go. Let this matter end here. You are safe now; there is no need to worry about anything." Li Xintian had wondered what the matter was, but since the Thunder God’s primordial spirit had already been destroyed by the Black Emperor, and he felt the Qingling Pearl might have its uses, he had no intention of handing it over to Hu Yuji.

"Many thanks, Young Master Li." Hu Yuji knew the matter was settled and that they no longer needed to live in fear. She pulled Hu Xiaocui away, ready to depart.

"Young Master Li, please help me." Hu Xiaocui refused to stand, having made a firm decision in her heart.

"Young Master Li, my daughter is ignorant. I will take her away now." Hu Yuji had seen Li Xintian effortlessly destroy Yao Shuang; she whispered to Hu Xiaocui, "Do you want to die? Why aren't you following me?"

"It is fine. Do you want me to help you marry back into the Taichang Mansion?" Li Xintian could see that Hu Xiaocui had lost her heart to Wang Yuanfeng. He raised his hand and spoke.

"Yes, please help me, Young Master Li. I do not want to leave the Taichang Mansion." Hu Xiaocui nodded with a smile, her agreement emphatic.

"If you wish to return to the Taichang Mansion, I can help you, but there is a condition. It depends on whether you can bear it." Li Xintian considered it for a moment, having already formed a plan.

"As long as Young Master Li can help me, I will agree, even if it means climbing a mountain of blades or plunging into a sea of fire." Hu Xiaocui agreed, though Hu Yuji could see that Li Xintian’s condition would certainly not be easy.

"Naturally, I won't have you climbing mountains of blades or seas of fire. Instead, I will place a seal upon you. You will be unable to use your demonic powers. If you use them, then the time for you to leave will have come. From that moment on, you must come to help me and can no longer stay in the Taichang Mansion. Are you willing to agree to this?" Li Xintian had already decided that he would definitely need Hu Xiaocui’s help in the future.

"Xiaocui, do not agree! We cannot participate in Young Master Li’s affairs. You must think carefully; you will die." Hu Yuji was experienced and could naturally guess that the task Li Xintian required would likely be fatal.

"That is correct. Helping me will likely involve life-threatening risks. Of course, it will also be a stroke of fortune; it just depends on whether you can seize it." Li Xintian would not deceive Hu Xiaocui.

"Very well, I agree. Please, Young Master Li, assist me." Hu Xiaocui had made up her mind; even if it cost her her life, she would not turn back.

"Grand Historian Zhong’s daughter looks exactly like you. You can transform into her. I will handle the rest. Go to the Grand Historian’s residence and wait for news." Li Xintian had reflected on the fact that he had once seen the Grand Historian’s daughter, and she was the spitting image of Hu Xiaocui.

"Very well, thank you, Young Master Li. We shall take our leave." Hu Xiaocui was overjoyed and nodded with a smile.

"Wait. Give me something—something that Wang Yuanfeng knows. That way, he will understand." Li Xintian called out to stop her.

"This is the red silk handkerchief I embroidered." Hu Xiaocui pulled a red handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to Li Xintian.

Li Xintian unfolded the handkerchief and saw a piece of jade pendant tied to it.

"Once Yuanfeng sees the jade pendant on the handkerchief, he will naturally understand the meaning," Hu Xiaocui said as she watched Li Xintian unfold it.

"Good. I will handle the rest," Li Xintian said with a nod.

"Now, let us return to the previous topic—moving. If anyone has opinions, feel free to speak. I can give you all a few days to consider, as I still have matters to attend to."

"So, everyone must think it over carefully. Of course, there may be strange occurrences on the road, but there is no need to worry; just treat it like a journey." Li Xintian still needed to make arrangements. Once Hu Yuji and Hu Xiaocui had left, he spoke, wanting to prepare Chen Linqing and the others mentally for the journey.

"Cousin, your cousin here naturally supports you. I will definitely follow you to Shuiwen County."

Chen Yuanwen was the first to show his support, winking at Li Xintian.

"Of course, if any family members remain here, I will naturally look after them. But there is a prerequisite: they must follow the instructions I leave behind and keep the items I provide with them at all times. I will write inscriptions within the walls of the Chen residence, so there is no need to worry." Li Xintian knew that asking Chen Linqing and the others to leave the place they had lived in for so long—their ancestral home, where they had grown from children to heads of households—was not something to be done lightly.

"I will give you all these next few days to consider. In a few days, I will convene another family meeting. I need to go handle some matters now." Li Xintian would not force them. Seeing them silent, he knew they needed to deliberate.

"Qiuyan, come with me." Li Xintian didn't forget to call for Hu Qiuyan as he left.

"What is it? I see that your grandfather and grandmother seem unwilling to leave. Are you still worrying about that?" Hu Qiuyan followed Li Xintian out of the Chen residence.

"It is not that. The underworld has collapsed. The world today is like purgatory; there are no more deities, only spirits, ghosts, and monsters. If there are deities, they are false. The future will certainly be extremely dangerous. All I am doing is trying to ensure my family does not suffer harm or danger."

"Now, I must make a trip to the Fengxing Tower. I need to set everything in place." As he spoke, Li Xintian arrived at the Fengxing Tower.

"Young Master, what orders do you have for us this time?" Feng Ziqi asked, bowing with cupped hands upon seeing Li Xintian.

"I am here today to hear about the things you have been keeping an eye on all these years. Once I have heard them, I will give you instructions for the future." Li Xintian nodded.

"Young Master, you asked me to keep watch for strange occurrences. There is one place where we lost several of our men, and there are legends surrounding it." Feng Ziqi remembered this place most clearly.

"What kind of legend?" Li Xintian became interested.

"On the coast of the East Sea, there were originally no mountains. One day, suddenly, mountain ranges appeared, overlapping and stretching for miles. The villagers of East Sea Village were astonished. Then, one day, the mountains suddenly migrated elsewhere, and the coastline returned to its original state, with not a trace of the mountains left."

"Since then, East Sea Village began performing sacrifices. After the mountains vanished, the sea became turbulent, and every fishing boat that set out would capsize. After the sacrifices began, the seas became calm, but unfortunately, there was no catch. Then, they began to offer human sacrifices, and only then did they have a harvest."

"The men we sent there also died in the East Sea. We received news for the first few days, but after they died, I stopped sending anyone else." Feng Ziqi recounted everything he knew.

"You were right not to send anyone else. Let's set this matter aside for now. I will go there myself in time. Is there anything else?" Li Xintian nodded, agreeing with Feng Ziqi's decision.

"Everything else is mostly trivial; there doesn't seem to be anything important." Feng Ziqi thought for a moment before replying.

"Very well. From now on, I want you to send people to every region to supervise. If there are any strange occurrences, use carrier pigeons to contact me. The safety of the people sent out must always come first." Li Xintian needed to grasp the movements in every region to prepare. The Black Emperor had begun targeting him, and he looked at Feng Ziqi with a stern expression.

"Young Master, I will issue the orders immediately." Feng Ziqi nodded firmly.