Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

Chapter 1385: Chapter 1161: Means_2

If the elected Clan Leader cannot take advantage of this golden opportunity to further the family, but instead wastes it, the ones to suffer will ultimately be the clansmen.

Therefore, this clan leader election is receiving exceptional attention from the clansmen, who hope to select an outstanding leader to guide the family towards a better and more promising future for the next two hundred years.

Ultimately, more clansmen chose Li Xingcheng as the successor.

During the previous clan cleansing, he contributed greatly, and his methods for handling certain matters were the main reasons he gained the majority of the clansmen’s support.

Li Xingcheng’s model was none other than Li Xinde, the previous clan leader with a highly polarized reputation.

Of course, he wasn’t the only one imitating; it’s just that others only copied without grasping the essence, and thus were not accepted by the clansmen.

When Li Xingcheng took office, Li Zhirui didn’t make an appearance but let Da Qing handle it, showing his support for the new clan leader. Only then did he hand over the Clan Leader’s Dharma Seal, Jade Tome, and other exclusive magical treasures.

It’s not that Li Zhirui didn’t want to appear, but he happened to be in cultivation and had no choice but to let Da Qing stand in for him, anyway, the clansmen all knew Da Qing.

Li Xingcheng was also known for his boldness, not fearing to offend people. Upon taking office, he continued to implement Li Xinde’s methods to inspect the clan, causing some clansmen to grumble.

They even tried to frame him in hopes of ruining his reputation, aiming to make him the first clan leader ousted before completing his term, serving as a warning to others.

However, Li Xingcheng always maintained strict self-discipline, leaving no room for personal attacks, so they could only resort to slander, which instead exposed themselves.

Fortunately, Li Xingcheng knew that maintaining constant suppression was not conducive to the family’s development, so he took this chance to consolidate the power dispersed among various elders into his own hands due to the clan leader transition.

Thus, it shows the sophistication and decisiveness of his tactics.

Afterwards, Li Xingcheng withdrew those methods and instead established explicit legal rules and strict laws, specifying various reward and punishment measures.

Among them, the punishment for embezzling family interests was the most severe, akin to being enslaved, stripped of freedom, and forced to follow the family’s orders.

Meanwhile, Li Xingcheng also established an intermediary position called Steward between elders and stewards.

Though the increase in executors might lead to more embezzlement of spiritual objects, the more people involved, the easier it is to reveal traces.

”Never thought that Li Xingcheng, previously known for his rigid seriousness, would have these kinds of methods. It’s truly surprising.”

In a hidden courtyard corner of an Immortal City, many cultivators of the Li family gathered.

If familiar with them, one would realize these were the leaders of various factions within the Li family.

The reason for their presence here was simple: they were under tremendous pressure, losing many of their benefits.

”What should we do now? After two clan leader purges, it’s scarcely possible to gain benefits from the family anymore.”

”What’s the hurry! It’s just momentary loss; as the saying goes, know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat. We have enough patience and will eventually find a way to integrate.”

Some were nonchalant and not very concerned.

They were like vines parasitizing on the great tree of the Li family, rising and falling over many years, having built countless hidden pathways and methods.

What was discovered now was just part of them, and once this wave passed, they could explore other routes.

”Alas! Thinking of the benefits lost over the years and those clansmen detained, Li Xinde and Li Xingcheng are truly detestable!”

For a time, voices of agreement echoed endlessly.

”Is that so?”

A familiar voice filled with chill suddenly sounded, making everyone present tremble and incredulously look towards the source of the voice.

It was none other than Li Xingcheng they were just discussing, along with the two Individual Immortal Spirit Ancestors, Qingxuan and Qingpeng!

A profound sense of despair swept over them instantly.

Their cultivation levels were not low, but in front of the two Individual Immortal Spirit Ancestors, if they dared to make a move, it would be courting death.

”Don’t worry, your lives aren’t in danger, it’s just you won’t be able to appear before others for a short time.” Li Xingcheng said softly.

With a casual gesture, he bound everyone, took them back to Mount Wanxian, temporarily detained them, and would deal with these true masterminds once affairs were settled.

They were captured in one sweep because they forgot this was a world of divine powers and great strength, yet they still used mortal means.

Back in the family, Li Xingcheng immediately took action to confiscate all the spiritual objects embezzled by various factions within, returning them to the treasury.

However, due to involving too many clansmen, he couldn’t deal with everyone, so he selected a few main culprits to punish severely for warning other clansmen.

Thus, these affairs were truly concluded for the time being.

Due to the turmoil during this period, the stability and development of the family took quite a hit, so it was time to change strategy and focus on production and accelerating development.

Of course, there was another reason.

Recently, several Individual Immortal Realm loose cultivators have been roaming around, wreaking havoc on the family’s dominion, attacking various Immortal Cities and marketplaces, causing loose cultivators to feel Shanhai State is no longer safe, even initiating small-scale escapes.

Yet unfortunately, the Li family couldn’t stop the loose cultivators from leaving.

If this continued for a while longer, four to five tenths of the loose cultivators in Shanhai State might flee, with those remaining not staying out of desire, but due to constraints such as leasing spirit fields for cultivation, thus unable to leave.

For this issue, Li Xingcheng had no good solution other than requesting the ancestors to take action, exterminating those roaming loose cultivators with thunderous means to deter others.

Resolving them wasn’t too difficult; the challenge lay in finding them.

Because their movements were so erratic and without pattern, there was no way to lie in wait, and even upon receiving information and rushing over, the moment they appeared, the other side immediately escaped.

Clearly, they weren’t opposing the Li family head-on, merely disturbing and looting in various ways.

”Damn it!”

Li Xingcheng was extremely furious, his face darkened, brows furrowed tightly, and he said, ”Those loose cultivators must be instigated by someone, or how would they dare to offend the family!?”

”But the current issue is, we have no means to capture them; all we can do is let them wreak havoc, causing anxiety among local clansmen and loose cultivators, fearing that disaster might suddenly befall them.” A certain elder said helplessly.

Up until now, the Li family’s ancestors had fought them several times without a single defeat, yet had not succeeded in killing even one.

”Now, we can only choose some marketplaces and Immortal Cities for covert garrison. When those loose cultivators appear, as long as we surround them without aiming to kill them immediately, the surrounding clansmen can arrive first to join forces and slay them!”

This method was too clumsy and lacked initiative, highly reliant on luck, hence it wasn’t favored by many.

But since no better options were available, they had to use this one.

So, that night, the Li family ancestors quietly left Mount Wanxian, each choosing an Immortal City or marketplace to ambush.

Not sure if due to bad luck, over the next few days, they didn’t encounter a loose cultivator attack once.

Drip!

Until the eighth day, the agreed signal finally echoed within a hundred-mile radius for the first time.

Drip drip drip!

The few Individual Immortal Realm ancestors who received the signal spread the news further away, then rushed as fast as possible towards the Immortal City where a loose cultivator was being held.

Facing the besiege of several Individual Immortal Realm experts from the Li family, that