The initial small goal was to establish a martial arts school.
Over the years, everyone in the Li family had been working toward this direction.
Li Pingfu sought reputation through generous deeds and chivalry, and the underground underground boxing reputation of “Tiger Tyrant” attracted many young admirers to join.
His six brothers, except for Li Yuan and Li Chao, were all acquaintances from the martial world with shared interests.
Of course, Li Pingfu was cautious in selection; he preferred brothers with average talent rather than those with corrupt minds and vicious temperaments.
With this core team and their father’s “Blood Qi peak,” Li Pingfu could gather the force to establish a “martial arts school” at any time.
Li Ping’an’s success in passing the imperial examination also added much glory to the Li family.
There was a good chance for a “dual path of legality and underworld”!
Though martial world figures seemed disdainful of the court, if given an official “position,” there would definitely be people willing to join.
That was a chance for redemption!Li Pingcan felt a faint thrill in his heart. Once momentum was gained, gathering strength like sand forming a tower, their influence would roll like tumbleweed, growing bigger and bigger!
“Actually, to open the martial arts school, the current money and influence are enough. But having the Divine Execution Realm backing makes it more solid and reliable.”
He understood their father’s thoughts. Would the other martial arts schools in Flat Peach Town allow the Li family to grab a piece of the pie?
The cake was limited, and most of the school owners were Divine Execution Realm experts.
It would be another fierce battle without sword flashes!
“Father, I plan to take the brothers to escort with the Weiyuan Escort Agency and go to Dragon Spring Town.”
After pondering, Li Pingfu said, “Only by going out to train and facing situations without panic can success be achieved.”
To open a martial arts school, the backbone must be as strong as possible. Martial skills come second; calmness and composure are more important.
Coincidentally, the leader of Weiyuan Escort Agency was a close friend of Zhou Enxian, and Li Pingfu had gotten to know this Uncle Zhao through interactions.
They could not escort alone, but following the escort leader to gain experience was acceptable.
Dragon Spring Town, Dragon Spring Lake, was rumored to be a place with water spirit energy.
Two years ago, Li Pingcan had surveyed it with Li Pingfu during their training but had found nothing. At that time, they were puzzled and thought Grandpa Peach Tree’s information was wrong. Later, after visiting locals, they learned that only in the leap year’s second month did the “White Dragon” phenomenon appear.
This year was a leap year.
Now that the eldest brother suddenly brought this up, it was probably not just for training but to make things easier for himself to succeed.
This was the tacit understanding among brothers.
Li Pingcan felt touched; his brother’s care was always like silent moisture nurturing growth.
He looked up and said, “Father, I want to go escort with eldest brother.”
………
“Father, I want to go escort with Brother Pingfu!” Li Yuan shouted.
Flat Peach Town, Li Fang’s residence.
Li Fang’s face was still full of wrinkles, dense and deep. He sat on a rosewood square chair, covered in silver fox fur. The expensive incense smoke curled gently, drifting into the wrinkles, making them look profound and majestic.
“Nonsense!”
Li Fang threw down his cane, scaring the maid into silence. He shouted angrily, “Escorting is dangerous! How can your old man support you? Do you want to risk your life? Stay home properly. I have arranged a marriage for you!”
Li Yuan’s scalp tingled immediately. He did not want to stay home; one big reason was to avoid arranged marriage.
The elders of those women looked at him not as a son-in-law but as a commodity waiting to be traded!
“Is that relying on yourself? That’s relying on Qianqian!”
Li Yuan tore apart his father’s veil of shame without hesitation, angering Li Fang, who cursed his son as unfilial and threw a teacup at him!
Sensing danger, Li Yuan nimbly dodged and escaped from the house.
“For whose sake am I doing this, if not for his good!”
Li Fang breathed heavily in distress, complaining to his wife and concubine, “Ah, I regret making my son learn martial arts; it turned out uncontrollable. I hold no grudge against Brother Rongzhou, but why must Pingfu cling to Yuan so tightly?”
Now their social interactions were with respectable figures, countless silver and land deeds flew into the family. Family alliances, marrying a gentle and beautiful lady, having children, was the proper way.
Martial men were rough and crude. He, a descendant of immortals, still maintained ties with Li Rongzhou out of old affection.
……
Li Yuan rushed out of the house, his expression confused.
It was clearly good that his sister was chosen by immortals, with better finances and higher status, so why did he feel unsettled?
It was as if everything was a castle in the air, ready to vanish at any moment.
“Why has Father become like this now?”
Although during festivals they still had exchanges with Brother Pingfu’s family, and the gifts each year grew more precious, and to thank Uncle Li for saving their life, Father once gifted rare Blood Qi medicinal herbs.
But the sincerity from before quietly slipped away like flowing water amidst these increasingly valuable but unreciprocated gifts.
He thought of Li Qian’s innocent and radiant smile.
“Sister, five years apart, why have you not sent any letters home? Are you encountering difficulties?”
Unease and confusion enveloped the young man. He looked toward the vast sky, feeling the world like a cage. Then he glanced at the dazzling “Li Residence” plaque, pressed his lips tightly, and plunged into the misty rain, heading to Brother Pingfu’s home.
………
“Brother Pingfu, did I do something wrong?”
Li Yuan was soaked through, face full of grievance, like a homeless stray dog.
Li Pingfu quickly found a clean cotton handkerchief to dry his brother’s hair, “It’s not a big deal, why are you sulking?”
He did not know how to comfort Li Yuan. Since Li Qian ascended to immortality and Uncle Li Fang moved to town, the relationship between the two families was no longer as close.
Perhaps due to different living environments, their views had changed. Maybe distance created a rift.
As the younger generation, and in front of Li Yuan, Li Pingfu naturally could not “argue with their father,” so he just comforted his brother’s feelings.
Maybe Uncle Li Fang really changed, but what did that have to do with their family?
Relationships between people were never unchanging.
As long as appearances were maintained, that was enough!
………
Listening to Li Yuan’s full frustration, Li Pingcan frowned.
“Five years, and Li Qian hasn’t sent any letters home?”
He originally thought his relationship with Li Qian was insufficient, so the girl never sent letters.
Now hearing Li Yuan’s complaints, he felt inexplicably uneasy. Could it be that something happened to Li Qian?
But the Seven Stars Sect immortal took her away; what could go wrong?
The more he thought about it, the more dangerous it felt. It seemed this world hid many abnormalities in secret!
………
The next morning.
It rained yesterday, so the road was a bit muddy. The grass by the roadside was covered in sparkling dewdrops.
The Weiyuan Escort Agency flag fluttered and swayed in the wind.
Under it, about a dozen escorts gathered. They wore uniform brown uniforms with the “Weiyuan” emblem embroidered on their chests. Short knives hung at their waists, showing a sharp and decisive posture. Each maintained a fixed distance from one another, standing upright.
But the group of young men led by Li Pingfu could not match this meticulousness; their standing posture was noticeably sloppy.
“Brother Fang!” Li Pingfu cupped his hands in salute.
Fang Lin was the escort leader this time. He was short, with thick knuckles and a cold expression.
He nodded at Li Pingfu and scanned the youths with hawk-like eyes. Only after all the youths instinctively straightened their backs did he speak in a deep voice:
“To escort with Weiyuan, you must obey Weiyuan’s rules!”