Xi Shen would ponder on this some more, and if it was truly impossible to overcome this bottleneck for whatever reason, he would reluctantly enter the Sea Expansion Realm. After all, he couldn’t slow down his cultivation due to his obsessive personality to do everything perfectly.
While these thoughts floated around Xi Shen’s head, he saw the girl in disguise coming to sit beside him as an attendant would.
It was during his seclusion that he sensed her entering their courtyard. He was initially shocked that someone was so daring, but after recognizing the techniques of the Zhi Family he realize it wasn’t the Bai Clan or the other Clan sending someone to spy on him.
He was still in the process of recruiting his six Faction members, and after his display at the Battle Arena, the other Faction within the Sword Pavilion was surely taking note of him.
Directing his attention to the girl, Xi Shen asked, “Did my mother put you up to this.”
Xi Shen wouldn’t be surprised if it was her doing after the news of him getting attacked in the Bai Clan reached her ears. But to Xi Shen’s surprise, the girl shook her head and said, “No second prince, I was just doing a routine check-up on the Li Family members within the Celestial Academy as per orders of the Emperor.”
Xi Shen nodded.
He had seen this piece of information within the secret Archive of the Imperial Palace. The Li Royal Family was huge, and its members were spread across the entire Maple Continent. To keep the Li Family Bloodline in order and make sure it didn’t go astray, the Zhi family was tasked with the responsibility of keeping track of the Family Tree.
It was a small matter, as it wasn’t uncommon for a low member of the Li Family to fall in love with a commoner and have children in the outside world instead of keeping the bloodline between the Noble Families.
The Li Family took their bloodline seriously, but even though they didn’t forbid members from having children outside of wedlock or with a commoner, it was still seen as a disgrace on that person’s part.
So within the Li Family Bloodline, you could find a couple of descendants that were of commoner status, but because of the Zhi Family’s intelligence, they would be taken care of by the Li Family regardless of their status.
Unfortunately because of that, most of them were not of the cultivation world and would grow old and died like a normal mortal. This would cause the Li Family Tree to go through numerous changes each decade or so.
However, this was not the only thing the Zhi Family was tasked with. They were a family made up of highly trained cultivators who specialize in stealth and assassinations, as well as protection of the Royal Family from the shadows. Seeking out, spying on the Li Family enemies, and gathering intelligence. The Zhi Family was likely the most loyal of the Noble Families to the crown, as their entire family was to take a Blood Oath at the age of ten, where their one and only goal was to keep the Li Family in power.
Thinking this, a thought suddenly appeared in Xi Shen’s mind, and he turned to this Zhi Family member and asked, “What’s your name?”
Hearing her second prince question the girl respectfully answered, “Second prince, my name is Lihua.”
Xi Shen's eyes widen a bit at that, and he rose from his comfortable position against the tree to fully turn around to look at Lihua.
“You’re Zhi Lihua? The daughter of the Zhi Family’s Patriarch and number one genius of the Zhi Family?”
Xi Shen saw Lihua puff out her chest and nodded with a proud expression on her face. Though the weirdly big nose on her disguise was extremely distracting.
‘Huh, then this is better than I’d imagine. She was supposed to be in the Imperial Academy, but I didn’t think she would be here in the Celestial Academy instead. It was known that she had a Sky-grade innate talent with a Heaven-grade comprehension. Because of that, she was able to master her family’s secret techniques from a very young age. There was that rumor as well, that says she was a top beauty who was getting harassed by suitors. Her family had used the excuse she was too young to think about marriage, but now that she was sixteen all the outstanding geniuses of the Noble Families were getting antsy.’
Xi Shen then stared directly into Lihua her eyes and bluntly said, “From now on you’ll be a part of my Faction.”
Lihua’s face stiffen upon hearing that and she looked at Xi Shen confused, before she shook her head vehemently and said, “Second prince, I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your offer. I…”
Xi Shen hold up his hand and cut off Lihua before saying, “This isn’t really up for discussion as I was telling you, not asking.”
Fei Yin and Yang Su were glancing over at what was going on, curious that Xi Shen was recruiting someone new to join their Faction.
Lihua frowned at Xi Shen’s statement as she hadn’t expected to be put in this situation. She didn’t want to join a group with a bunch of men, she was really unwilling.
Xi Shen seeing her expression casually commented, “If you won’t join then I’ll just use my authority to assign you as my bodyguard or something. Either way, you're joining my Faction whether you like it or not.”
Lihua glared at this perverted little brat in front of her as she said, “Why are you so insistent that I join? Second prince, if you think you can take advantage of me because of my Family’s circumstances, then my father will…”
“I’ll have to stop you right there!”
Xi Shen held up both of his hands to once again cut her off.
“Yes, it would be rather pleasant to have a female join my Faction, but taking advantage of you is not my intention. I have no interest in your looks, but rather your skills.”
Xi Shen realize recruiting disciples with an affinity for Soul Arts would be quite a difficult task. So right now, he was focusing on getting talented individuals to get the number of his Faction members to six people and form it officially. Only after that would he go about recruiting people with the ability to cultivate Soul Arts.
Lihua upon hearing Xi Shen’s words was taken aback, as she had the impression Xi Shen was trying to get her to join because he was up to something despicable, but from his serious words, she might have been mistaken.
Lihua thought for a moment and was just about to speak, but suddenly a burst of aura erupted from within the mansion. All the Wind Qi in the courtyard then trembled before slowly moving in that direction.
Fei Yin and Yang Su stopped, and then turn to where the burst of aura was coming from.
Yang Su’s ruby red eyes lit up before he said excitedly, “That’s the fourth burst of aura from brother Fang Chen! That means he’s already formed five Qi Seas. That’s amazing, if brother Fang Chen can form one more he could obtain six Qi Seas!”
Along with excitement Yang Su was feeling rather shocked.
He himself had three Qi Seas, and Xi Shen said that it would be best if he formed Qi Seas of all six elements, but even with just these three Yang Su could feel the burden of maintaining them.
Xi Shen had created a simple cultivation method that would allow him to absorb the Six Qi simultaneously but was to only be used in secret while he used the Divine Fire Serpent Absorption Technique on the surface. This was so it could be easier on Yang Su when forming them in the future, but even then it was difficult juggling these three as it wasn't easy to find a balance while using them.
Fang Chen being able to form five going on to his sixth, astounded Yang Su. Especially when he thought about the fact that Fang Chen had only gone into seclusion about two to three weeks ago. With this speed, Fang Chen might form all nine Qi Seas before he even formed another Qi Sea from another element!
This was because of the Tribulation that might occur each time he fully formed one. Xi Shen said he could only form an outline of the other elements but not form them fully or all of them at once, since the Tribulation that will occur would be even more terrifying than the ones before.
However, a sort of fire ignited in Yang Su’s heart when he thought about Fang Chen surpassing him. It was the first time he was experiencing such a feeling, and it was urging him not to be outdone by Fang Chen. Fei Yin was slightly different, he was too much stronger than himself for Yang Su to see him as a rival, but Fang Chen was also in the Sea Expansion Realm and was also forming more than one Qi Sea.
Yang Su didn’t want to lose, he was the first person to be by Xi Shen’s side so it was only right for him as the elder brother of them to be stronger than Fang Chen. He would eventually catch up to Fei Yin as well as this newcomer and surpass them as well.
Yang Su’s eyes then flashed with determination, before he spun around and took a step that land him twenty feet away in front of Fei Yin. His sword move silently and undetected as he used his Swift and Silent Willow Sword Art.
Fei Yin smiled at Yang Su’s sudden attack and easily brought up his training sword to block the blow, resulting in a thud.
Like this, the two continued to spar with each other, while Lihua spoke with Xi Shen about setting boundaries if she were to join his Faction. To which Xi Shen agreed to all of them, as they were mostly requests about not ordering her to do certain indecent acts.
Though strangely enough, she requested Xi Shen tell her what product he used to get his skin so soft. Xi Shen was amused by Lihua’s personality at first, but soon realize she had taken an interest in his skin a little too much. Going as far as to offer to rub his feet and hands once more.
To which Xi Shen found weird, but hey, a beauty willing to give him a foot massage is not something he should complain about!
Unbeknownst to him though, or rather he chose to forget, was that the Zhi Clan had a custom of using human skin instead of a pig’s to better their disguises. Disgusting to outsiders, but effective for the Zhi Clan.
As for Lihua's secret skin fetish, only her mother and father had knowledge of it. Although they didn't want to marry their daughter off too soon, they still wanted her to get married.
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Word Count: 1862
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