Chapter 112: Something is Off
Translator: Panda_Penn Editor: Chrissy
There was a rule at the Thousand-island Lake, a rule set by the Old Man of the Heaven Prison himself—no force could attack another one two ranks lower.
To put it simply, a Fourth-rank force could not attack a Second-rank one, and a Third-rank force could not assail a First-rank force.
The Liu Family now was a Second-rank force, the God-down Island a Fourth-rank one. The latter could not attack the Liu Family. Of course, the rule was lifeless but people could devise other means. If the God-down Island really wanted the Liu Family out of the picture, they could just say so. Any big shot of the God-down Island giving an order would lead numerous Third-rank forces to overwhelm the Liu Family.
That being said, why would the big shots at the God-down Island want the Liu Family under attack unless the Liu Family tried to provoke the God-down Island and court its own doom? After all, it was not reputable for the God-down Island. A small Second-rank Force was not even qualified to be targeted by the important figures of the God-down Island.
Hence, the real threat of the Liu Family was the Blood Evil Island since the Liu Family had stolen away the business of the Blood Evil Island and cut off their livelihood and lifeline.
The Blood Evil Island relied on the Blood Caterpillar Grasses. Once a huge amount of high-quality Blood Caterpillar Fruits of the Liu Family flew into the market, the revenue for the Blood Evil Island would be diminished greatly. By then, the Blood Evil Island would exhaust their means to probe. One of the days, they were going to find out the secret of the Liu Family.
Once that happened, a war would be inevitable. No matter how generous and righteous Xue Chou might be, the patriarchs of the Blood Evil Brotherhood would not let it go easily…
How could the people mounting to high status at the Thousand-island Lake be kind?
Not even Patriarch Seven believed otherwise. In the world, there were no eternal friends or enemies, only interests. The existence of the Liu Family had deprived the Blood Evil Island of its interest.
To raise powerful warriors and the strength of the Liu Family admitted of no delay!
Patriarch Seven had a discussion with others and soon made up his mind. They would not sell the Blood Caterpillar Fruits for now. When they acquired 10,000 fruits, they would sell them at the Heaven Prison City all at once and buy some Green Dwarfs. As long as the Green Dwarfs were brought back, they wouldn’t be afraid of the Blood Evil Island even if they knew the secret of the Liu Family.
…
In the time followed, the Liu Family continued to grow Blood Caterpillar Fruits. Lu Li kept on training. Patriarch Seven still went to the Blood Evil Island complaining about impoverishment and the lack of resources. Xue Bugui would go to the Blood Dragon Island, seducing Liu Yi…
Xue Bugui’s visits had become more frequent and his intentions were clearer. Obviously, he wanted to seduce Liu Yi and marry her.
Liu Yi was now the Family Patriarch of the Liu Family. If he could marry Liu Yi, the Liu Family naturally would belong to the Blood Evil Brotherhood.
The Liu Family still had more than a dozen warriors of the Spirit Sea Realm, and two of them were at the later stage, which made the Liu Family an able force. The most crucial thing was that the Liu Family once was a Third-rank Family. Being Overlord of the Wu Ling County for so many years, the Liu Family must have some special resources, like high level Xuan Skills, or secret skills. Xue Chou was very interested in those.
To annex the Liu Family was already decided the moment the Liu Family came here to seek shelter.
But it was not a matter that could be rushed. Xue Chou needed his grace and reputation. He was afraid that if he pushed too hard, things would go to the opposite direction. By then, if the Liu Family put up a life and death struggle, it would be troublesome.
That was why Xue Bugui had been visiting so frequently. Every time, he would bring some Mystical Fruits unique to the Thousand-island Lake to suck up to Liu Yi, trying to change her mind.
In the old days, perhaps Liu Yi would consider having some relationship with Xue Bugui for the development of the Liu Family, dealing with him courteously but without sincerity.
The Liu Family was not in want of Xuan Crystals now. They didn’t have to rely on the Blood Evil Island. Liu Yi was resolute. Every time when Xue Bugui was here, Liu Yi would entertain him politely and with a good attitude. Anything could be put on the table except for relationship, no way!
After half a month, the second batch of Blood Evil Fruits was out. The first group of Liu Family disciples relocated out of Wu Ling County was here as well, including the children with the Roaring Flames Bloodline, and relatives of Patriarch Seven and others.
There were several thousand of elders, the invalid, women and children of the Liu Family. The first group had five or six hundreds of them. When they arrived, the Blood Dragon Island became quite lively. Many children with good cultivation qualities were sent here which had given people hope. These children were the core of the future Liu Family.
When the Liu Family members arrived, the Blood Evil Island was delighted. With so many family members, the Liu Family couldn’t get away even if they wanted to. There being so many people to support, wouldn’t the Liu Family surrender to the Blood Evil Island obediently?
Lu Li didn’t mind the outside affairs. He just went to the valley every couple of days, and threw the animal tooth pendant in the blood pond. He cultivated with his heart and soul and went through the Heaven Xuan Pellets as if they were just water.
Cultivation with advanced pellets was so smooth. Lu Li had been cultivating for nearly a month. The air whirl inside his Spirit Sea had expanded by a large margin, about to fulfill the entire Spirit Sea. After that, Lu Li could try to make it to the middle stage of the Spirit Sea Realm.
The only thing bothering Lu Li was Little White.
Little White had eaten many Fire Jade Spars, but its size remained unchanged. Its spirit was uplifted lately though. It quit sleeping all day.
Since it was not sleeping, it had to play. Lu Li forbid it to leave the castle for fear that it might get hurt.
Little White was bored. It had to find Lu Li to hang out since it had nothing else to do. It would scratch him here and there, disabling him from focusing on his cultivation. Lu Li would scold it when annoyed. Little White would then crouch in the corner, feeling wronged, looking pathetic…
After some thoughts, Lu Li decided to move.
He had someone to build him a small log cabin inside a hill called the "Bamboo Hill" more than three miles to the north of the farm. He lived inside the cabin by himself.
There were many Bamboo Rats in the Bamboo Hill. It was spacious with a river that had some fish and shrimps in it. Usually, Lu Li prohibited anyone to get any closer. He could let Little White out and run about, catch some Bamboo Rats, some fish or shrimps for fun so it could leave him alone.
Lu Li normally only cultivated in the castle. Nobody could see him. He didn’t engage in chitchat with the Liu Family people. For the Liu Family, where he cultivated made no difference. Anyway, someone would get him every couple of days to go to the valley.
For the secret prescription to treat blood, Patriarch Seven and Patriarch Nine once tried to find Liu Yi on many occasions and asked her to devise some means to get it.
After all, to the Liu Family, the secret prescription was their lifeline. It was safer if they could have it in their hands. What if someday Lu Li just took off?
Liu Yi was clear that there was no secret prescription. That was the animal tooth pendant on Lu Li’s neck, his ace card in hand. How would Lu Li ever give that to the Liu Family?
After Little White got to the Bamboo Hill, it looked more delighted. Even though Lu Li had ordered it not to leave the Bamboo Hill and to return as soon as it saw someone, it was excited all the same. It wandered around the hill from day to night, chasing up the Bamboo Rats till they didn’t have any place to hide…
Another half a month had passed. The air whirl in Lu Li’s Spirit Sea had reached its maximum state. He could make a go at the middle stage of the Spirit Sea Realm anytime now.
He came out of the closed-door cultivation. The Liu Family had abundant Xuan Crystals and could afford many pellets. Naturally, he wouldn’t idiotically endure the pain to reach the middle stage of the Spirit Sea Realm like in the old days.
Lu Li walked towards the Liu Family Castle after he found Little White. He planned to ask for some pellets from Liu Yi so he could cultivate the next stage.
He couldn’t find Liu Yi at the Liu Family Castle. He learned that Xue Bugui had come again after he asked around. Liu Yi had accompanied Xue Bugui to the Plenilune Pond in the south.
Lu Li was embarrassed to ask Patriarch Seven for the pellets. He knew where the Plenilune Pond was, just more than six miles to the south of the Liu Family Castle. With his speed, he could get there in the time it took for a couple of incense sticks to burn.
Lu Li strode towards the Plenilune Pond, planning to talk to Liu Yi and went back to cultivation in his small hill.
After Lu Li walked for the time it took for two incense sticks to burn, he was not far from the Plenilune Pond. Suddenly, a person ran towards him madly. When he saw Lu Li, he shouted.
That was a Liu Family disciple. Lu Li knew him and remembered his name as Liu Xia. Lu Li asked with a frown, "Liu Xia, what is happening?"
That man had been running at the top of his speed. He was gasping for breaths. Only after he took a few deep breaths did he say, "Lord Lu, go to the Plenilune Pond quickly. Xue Bugui may want to… rape our Family Patriarch. Go save her!"
…