Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 116 - 107 Fox Demon Secrets

Looking at the big fox's discontented expression, Li Tongya's mind stirred, and he lightly patted his storage bag, taking out a bag of spirit rice with a beaming smile, he said:

"Big fox, take a look at this item."

The big fox's reddish fur quivered, and it lowered its head to sniff, its eyes blinking slightly, it chuckled:

"It's quite fragrant... this is like spirit valley spirit rice, right? It's rare in these mountains. I've heard that you cultivators are quite fond of this!"

"If you want me to... do some work for you, I'm not willing to lift a paw without at least one hundred and eighty catties!"

Li Tongya smiled softly, quickly estimating the cost in his mind. A hundred and eighty catties would be no more than one spirit stone. If he could exchange it for assistance in Qi training, it would be a huge gain. He immediately became wary and cheerfully said:

"I'll give you this bag of spirit rice if you answer some questions."

The big fox immediately perked up, calling out in agreement. Li Tongya tossed the bag of spirit rice and asked:

"Do you know the specific details about that demon general?"

"Of course I do."

The big fox cried out, eagerly explaining:

"That pig demon has achieved Foundation Establishment cultivation. Under its command are eight minor demons, all with Qi Cultivation levels, who are collecting spiritual objects for it. It resides in a demon cave two hundred miles to the south. All the demonic beings in this boundary who have achieved Qi training have been captured, had a mark of their spirit nature imprinted between their brows, and then sent back to stand guard."

After finishing, it sniffed the bag of rice and, lifting its head cautiously, looked at Li Tongya with increasing fluency, squeaking:

"Can there really be such a good deal? Surely you haven't poisoned it?"

Li Tongya, finding the discussion extremely interesting, quickly asked:

"What use is an imprinted spirit nature? Have you been marked by the pig demon?"

"Hey!"

The big fox lifted its head defiantly, crying out:

"In the six caves of Da Li Mountain, one of the cave masters is a grandma from our fox tribe. How would that pig demon dare to take our spirit nature? That really would be asking for death."

"As for this spirit nature..."

The fox demon heaved a sigh, speaking despondently:

"We demon beings absorb the essence of the sun and moon. Once we condense the Six Wheels, a point of spirit nature naturally forms between our eyebrows. If it's damaged, our cultivation will suffer greatly, our essence qi will dissipate. It is nothing more than leaving a weakness in the hands of that pig demon..."

"So that's how it is."

Li Tongya nodded, gaining some understanding of the demon's methods. Seeing the big fox circling around the spirit rice, he spoke softly:

"Are there any other Qi-training demons in this area that you know of who haven't been captured?"

"There are six more in this area. As for their locations, you'll need to trade with spirit rice!"

The big fox winked slyly, and then saw Li Tongya laugh and say:

"How old are you, you fox?"

"Around three hundred years or so."

The big fox leaned against the base of a large tree, squeaking:

"I was clueless for the first sixty years. I only developed the Fifth Wheel and some memories when I was over sixty. Later, at the age of two hundred seventy-seven, I condensed a breath of spiritual energy in my stomach and broke through Qi training. Only then did I gain a human-like consciousness. After that, I cultivated alone for a hundred years and barely reached the Fifth Layer of Qi Training."

"Nearly four hundred years now?!"

Li Tongya immediately envied, murmuring:

"You demon beings indeed live long. We cultivators only get a lifespan of two hundred years once we break through Qi training."

"What's there to envy about that!"

The big fox chirped incessantly, speaking dejectedly:

"We of the fox tribe only have five hundred years of lifespan when we practice Qi training. Mine is nearly exhausted too. The time with spiritual consciousness is only the last hundred years or so. The previous centuries were all a blur—nothing like you immortals!"

Li Tongya nodded as well, then suddenly had an epiphany and said gravely:

"Do you remember a great battle at the North Foothills three hundred years ago?"

"A great battle?"

The big fox paused, speaking softly:

"There seems to have been a great battle..."

"That night I curled up inside a cave while the ground trembled without end. The voices of those immortals were like thunder, demanding the handover of something..."

Seeing Li Tongya's eager face, the big fox began to stutter, hemming and hawing:

"They said it was some...record...secret orders. I was just a Fetal Breathing little demon at the time. How could I... remember so many things..."

Li Tongya asked carefully for a while but couldn't glean anything substantial, so he had no choice but to give up, shaking his head in disappointment. He then saw the fox looking rather guilty as it lowered its head and replied:

"I have heard a rumor about the North Foothills," said Li Tongya with interest, looking up as the large fox began to speak:

"I once heard a passing big brother fox talk about the ancestral granny from the cave; she was over three hundred years old back in the day, begging for food in the North Foothills. She was fast asleep in the cave when an elderly white-haired immortal suddenly pulled her out of the tree hollow."

"That white-haired immortal had unfathomable cultivation. He directly asked her, 'Have you, little fox, ever eaten a human?'"

Back then the North Foothills had just experienced a great battle and were devoid of human habitation. The ancestral granny replied, 'I have not.'

The large fox was so engrossed in the story that Li Tongya listened with fascination, with the fox imitating the voices perfectly: the immortal's voice ethereal and otherworldly, and the fox's voice hesitant and stuttering. Li Tongya was almost ready to applaud for its performance.

"The white-haired immortal said, 'There is a group of villagers at the foot of this mountain. You keep a good watch over them, protect them for two hundred years, and I will grant you a great fortune.'

The ancestral granny nodded again and again, and the white-haired immortal then touched her forehead, leaving behind a great fortune before drifting away."

Li Tongya quickly asked:

"What fortune?"

"How would I know!"

The large fox rolled its eyes and continued:

"Therefore, the fox tribe of Da Li Mountain never eats humans. Although the two hundred years have passed, the ancestral granny still holds sway over the demon clans of Da Li Mountain. A few years ago, a large bird ate a person at the mountain base and incurred the granny's wrath. She expelled it and forbade it from approaching within a thousand li of Da Li Mountain, otherwise, she would eat it."

"Wow."

Li Tongya nodded, contemplating:

"The Li Family has also been farming here in the North Foothills for three hundred years, and I've never heard of any of our ancestors being immortals. Whether this tale is true or false, I might as well just listen."

Looking at the fox, Li Tongya inquired:

"Taoist fellow, do you have a name?"

The large fox curled its lip and squeaked:

"I usually live under this White Banyan Tree, so they all call me the White Banyan Fox. As for a surname, we spirits don't care much for that."

Li Tongya nodded and bowed his hands, saying:

"I am Li Tongya. Your teaching today has greatly benefited me. I shall pay another visit in a few months."

Watching Li Tongya ride the winds away, the large fox let out a sigh of relief, slumped to the ground with a thud, picked up a grain of spirit rice, and put it in its mouth, licking it cautiously and murmuring to itself:

"Truly delicious…"

————

Li Xuanxuan succeeded to the position of Family Head, and a year had blinked by. Although the Li Family's senior members were still dressed in white, they had gradually become accustomed to the days under Li Xuanxuan's reign.

Li Tongya spent most of his time in secluded cultivation upon returning to the mountain, while Li Xuanfeng buried himself in demon slaying and cultivation. Li Xuanxuan, just over twenty, was now the nominal and actual controller of the Li Family. He handled affairs prudently and kept everything in the family running smoothly.

Sitting at the head of the courtyard, with Li Xiewen standing by his side, Li Xuanxuan looked towards Chen Donghe at the lower end and asked softly:

"How have you considered it?"

Frowning, Chen Donghe clasped his fists and said solemnly:

"The matter of marrying into the family is of great importance. Donghe cannot hastily decide. I need to return home and discuss it with my father before we talk further."

Li Xuanxuan put down his teacup and spoke warmly:

"It should indeed be so. Donghe, please do not have any concerns. After all, according to the family rules, only the senior branch of the Li Family can cultivate the 'River Qi Decision.' It was through earnest pleading with my uncle that I obtained this opportunity…"

Chen Donghe hurriedly nodded, thanking him profusely before bowing and taking his leave. Li Xiewen summoned someone to clear the tea from his table and spoke respectfully:

"Family Head, Xuanfeng is also fourteen now; it's time to consider his marriage arrangements."

"Indeed."

Li Xuanxuan nodded slightly, opened the wooden slip in his hand, and after a few breaths, inquired:

"How many talismans has uncle sent down the mountain this month?"

"Returning to the Family Head, five," answered Li Xiewen.

"The stock of talisman ink and talisman paper in the family is running low. Xuanfeng will need to make a trip to the market this month," instructed Li Xuanxuan, as the workforce within the clan slowly increased and the cultivation of the spiritual fields on their territory was basically complete. Each year, after offering tributes to the Green Pond Sect and sustaining the family's cultivators, there was still a good surplus.

"Each year, the yield of spirit rice, after tributes, can produce three hundred catties. Senior branch cultivators receive ten catties each as family stipend, juniors receive five, and collateral branches one, totaling eighty-six catties, leaving a surplus of two spirit stones."

Originally, the Li Family did not have so many main family cultivators, but now, those born with spirit apertures from the four towns were frequently integrating into the Li Family through marriage and other means, becoming junior branch cultivators, which led to the distribution of spirit rice rewards.

"Uncle can produce around sixty talismans a year, selling for about twenty spirit stones. After deducting costs, it's possible to make an extra two or three stones. Adding to that the demons and beasts that Xuanfeng and Donghe slay in the mountains, the annual income can reach seven spirit stones, which is essentially the price of a set of fetal breathing magical instruments."

With over seventy spirit stones in storage, the Li Family was saving up to lay a great formation around Lijing Mountain. Every spirit stone earned brought joy to Li Xuanxuan.