Sunny Valley Trouble-
.
A portly man with black hair was talking to a frail old man. Memory served the fatty to be an elder of the Clear Jing-fire Family named Jing Ming, one of the nobles in the area that fought against the Dark Tiger-fire Family for ownership. The group was bigger than the decreased Light Lion-ice Family and used that to mess with the family.
The frail old man was the Patriarch of the Light Lion-ice family. By the looks of it, the situation would get worse before it got better. Leroy was happy Spotter was resting in his Internal Space nuzzled between some other Demon Beast eggs they found abandoned.
"Why so hostile, we are all neighbors of Sunny Valley. So why can't my Clear Jing-fire Family pay a visit to our neighbors?" Jing Ming's smirk was a bit greasy. He reeked of being a slimeball and opportunist. Came almost naturally to him.
"If it's just a courtesy call, then our Light Lion-ice Family will of course welcome you. But with today being the Elemental Festival, shouldn't your Clear Jing-fire family be preparing your offerings." The old man's name was Chu Quan, and he was only a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator. A weak one at that. "Surely that is more important." He said smoothly.
Use to matters like this for a long time. About time to retire really. As in 20 years ago to be truthful he should have done so but none of note could take over yet.
Jing Ming chuckled a little. The fat in his neck caused a sickening sweat to drop. Almost as sick as his face itself.
"Of course, we will be busy preparing our Family's Offerings..." His face turned slightly malicious. "..but we're here today to notify you of something, since everyone from your family that matter are here really..."
"Wow, this blowhard really thinks he is top shit. How crazy and stupid." Leroy mumbled. A few of the residents gasped seeing him. He was after all a member of small rising Noble Family. Even without any escort, they moved away after taking notice of the badge on his person. As an Inspector for the Empire, they had to be really careful at what they'd id and said to him. "Shhh, pretend I am not here."
The locals nodded while being shooshed. They wouldn't dare disobey and chalked it up to a noble playing around. Or better yet one that was not about to audit them.
"After this Elemental Festival, the Light Lion-ice Family Herbal Mountain shall be taken over by us!"
"What did you say!?" Old Chu Quan's eyes narrowed. "On whose authority you dare take over our Herbal Mountain!?" His voice was hoarse from the strain as he yelled.
Shaking a little, Leroy thought the man would collapse from the news.
Jing Ming leaned back as he prepared to make his triumphant declaration. He whipped out a document showing proof of who gave the authority.
"The Dark Tiger-fire Family gave us the right to do so!" Jing Ming's shit-eating grin threatens to rip his face apart. Looking at every part of the predator and conniving weasel. "The whole Sunny Valley Town is under the process of leaving the Administration of House Dark Tiger-fire. Do you dare go against the majority owners of us, the Clear Jing-fire Family?"
To distance themself from the problem caused by Chu Xue, the Dark Tiger-Fire Family had started to sell the rights of the land and shops. This alleviated the pressure from the Official investigation but also caused scrutiny of the Clear Jing Ming Family.
The Light Lion-ice Family trembled at the news. The Herbal Mountain was after all their remaining lifeblood. To lose it, was almost a death sentence especially with the Dark Tiger-fire Family getting rid of them.
Which was worse since they paid the taxes and tributes already and would be hard-pressed to make adequate arrangements.
Chu Quan tried to grab the declaration but Jing Ming pulled it away quickly.
"Hehe, if you want to verify this document, you can go look for House Dark Tiger-fire steward Lancelot." Jing Ming looked around the crowd enjoying their trembling looks of fear and worry. His eyes landed on Leroy who look unamused by the events. 'Why is he here!?' Steeling himself quickly, he hoped there would be no interference. 'Since he has not done anything yet, all must be well. I will have to give a little tribute later to make it smoother.'
The locals near Leroy looked back and forth. Some pleaded for him to do something as they noticed the badge he wore signified he could call forth the guards to intervene. It fell on deaf ears as he watched events unfold.
Leroy was waiting to see what they would do before he got involved.
"Patriarch, they are going to far!" A family member of the Light Lion-ice protested.
"Let's fight it out with them!" Another yelled. "Why delay the death sentence at this point?" Not everyone in the Light Lion-ice was wimps.
"Yeah, Patriarch! They are trying to push us to the brink of death!" Another member yelled.
"Fight it out with us? Do you even qualify for that?" Jing Ming felt bold as slung mud their way "You ignore the fact that you don't have any experts here! Not even a real cultivator to lead you all after the rebel sympathizer left! You don't even qualify as a real family anymore!
Throwing Chu Xue out there was a bit of a powder keg. After all, he only made a few appearances back at the family and they had little idea what he was up to besides dropping off funds and resources last to keep them afloat.
But word had gotten around what he did but the patriarch didn't have the chance to ask him about it yet.
Jing Ming's accusations were pretty true as the Dark Tiger-fire Family had already questioned them about the young cultivator who was currently missing. To talk about their strength was pretty dismal. Considering they had a few Qi Refining Realm Cultivators at the Peak who never broke through in all these years, it was enough for them to survive but not flourish.
"I wouldn't mind killing off all your men, and selling off your women to the local whorehouse," Jing Ming was a rightful bastard. The Light Lion-ice members felt a knot grow in their stomachs of pure dread. "and wipe the name of the Light Lion-ice Family from the face of the Earth!"
The Family members started to back away a little. Their luster and anger were all gone after hearing that. The locals near Leroy started to beg him to do something. He shushed them once more as he already had gotten pissed about the matter altogether once that was mentioned.
"Shush, settle down. I need to see if they are worth helping more than a little bit." Leroy chastised. They gave him odd looks. Some of utter disgust. "You don't like what I am doing, go on and do something yourself."
They immediately piped down at that.
*Woom!* A pulse of energy swirled in the crowd by the patriarch. Chu Xue's main character Halo was in full effect as he walked out creating a confident atmosphere. Removing his cowl the look of innocent he always had disappeared a little.
"Elder Jing Ming, if our Light Lion-ice Family were to really fight it out with you all, your Clear Jing-Family would find out that things aren't that easy!" His words pumped up his clansmen. Finding their backbone again, they stood firm. "I don't dare to do more than this, but we can at least cause a few hundred casualties!"
The Clear Jing members didn't like the sound of that at all. Especially the weaker ones. The stun look of Jing Ming made Chu Xue press harder.
"When that happens, we'll see if your Clear Jing Family remains the lead Family of Sunny Valley!"
"Oh my god, he really just said that." Leroy facepalmed. "In what way would this go well considering his family's weakness. Descendant from one of the Emperors my ass!" Those near him started pleading for him to do something after thinking over the matters and how it would cause the town to backslide. "Settle down, I will do something soon."
They were quite persistent. But Leroy wondered if there was something that would cause the Light Lion-ice Family to side with the Rebels or the Emperor due to blood ties. They were outed so maybe something record-wise would be around their home.
Leroy wanted a blood bath to help his cultivation a little of the useless ones, but not like this. After all, just makes it easier for the rebels to manipulate things and the Demonic Beasts to gain more territory. Considering the number of kids he picked up with Spatial Sense, something just set bad with that.
'Fuk dem kids dammit.' Leroy felt a pounding headache. Something was off but not enough to get him to leave. 'Have the rebels caused enough damaged that the number of homeless has increased?'
"Hahahaha! Kill a few hundred of our Clear Jing Family members? Your Light Lion-ice people sure think too highly of yourselves!" Jing Ming ridiculed. "Brat, what makes you think you can speak in the presence of adults?"
"Father..." A very grease ball looking guy stepped forward. His sandy brown hair and green eyes full on emitting creepiness. Nothing about this guy seemed normal. "..this guy is that Chu Xue I was telling you about before."
"Ah, my niece mentioned someone like this a little." Jing Ming was smiling as he thought to use this to his advantage. It was good to put a face to the tales.
"Yes, the little traitor's sworn brother from what I remember." Jing Yan's smug look was close to his father's in copying. "He managed to get into the Heavenly Theocracy Akademy and become the vice-principals 3rd disciple but ended up getting expelled. Many people have all kind of theory's on how he managed that and think it was the reason he has stayed away from home."
"Oh, he survived the Test at the Akademy mostly unscathed to afterward. That sounds very fishy!" The members of the Clear Jing Family who also participated in the Test started to speak out.
"Ok ok, that is enough of this noise." Leroy walked out frowning. If they start questioning Chu Xue's attainment in the test, then the same might be said for himself. Then he would lose the little protection he had so far. As well as the bait to be attacked by people for fear of his potential. "Jing Ming, let me see that declaration, now." He demanded.
The fatty trembled a bit. Not wanting to have him involved. as he stepped back.
"Ah, young.. Official Leroy, what a surprise." Jing Ming was not liking that tone of his. If denied the command it would not go over well for him. To many witnesses around to attack now but the other shouldn't be strong enough to oppose their Family if push came to shove. "Are you here by yourself?"
"I am in Imperial territory, I am never by myself." His hand was outstretched as lighting danced in his eyes.
Daring them to dismiss his command as an Official. Receiving it, it was looked over and really had some stipulation in it about the matter with the Herbal Mountain. Overall it was only supposed to be taken over in a supervisor capacity into the Empire sent someone to investigate.
The Dark Tiger-fire was covering tracks to relieve the suspicion that they allowed traitors to develop in the territory and using certain resources. So they included that the owner of the mountain had to be able to defend it against outside forces. Which led to the Elemental Festival itself being used.
"Makes sense with the fine detail and all leading to more. Stop trying to make it another matter. Consider this a warning that will go on record."
Chu Quan was called over and sworn to not speak a word over what is read. The old man looked back at Chu Xue trembling. But to keep a united front, he said nothing right now. He just gave a deep sigh in disappointment at the rashness of youth.
"I understand." Chu Quan looked at his clansmen and then to the Clear Jing family. "How about a wager?" Leroy did not like the sound of this at all. The old man was a little too crafty for his liking. "A half of a month from now would have been the Annual Competition as well as other matters that do not concern us for the Clear Jing Family. If the Clear Jing wishes for our Herbal Mountain, they must prove they are worth it."
"Whew, thought it was about to be something crazy." Leroy sighed to quickly.
"If the Clear Jing Family does not take the top spot they are unworthy of having our Herbal Mountain and must pay a years worth of taxes to make up for it." Old Chu Quan gripped his walking cane tightly. "If a member of the Light Lion-ice Family scores the top spot, it is proof we deserve it and the Clear Jing must make payments for the matter of this slight even further by passing the land ownership!"
"Humph!" Jing Ming saw this as the dying gamble of an old man who had nothing to lose. But he rather have more assurances. His eyes landed on Leroy as a quick plan formed. "With so many members of your Family most likely participating to reduce our fighting power, you have the upper hand. I propose young master Leroy participate as well."
As long as the Clear Jing didn't win, and the Light Lion-ice Family didn't win, the matter of the Herbal Mountain could be checked over with a little bribing to whatever Official was in the area.
"Umm, how about.." Leroy was slightly unwilling. He wanted to go search real soon and this was cutting into his timetable. Plus, the Dark Tiger-fire Family should be sending members to the area soon. He needed to get a counter reward quickly. ".. for the right incentive, sure."
"That sounds like a great idea!" Jing Yan said heatedly. The young man was a bit of a hothead and to sure of himself. "Perfect chance to prove Chu Xue didn't cheat or yourself in the tests at the Akademy!"
"We are in agreement then!" Jing Ming stated before turning around to depart. His son may have made a bad impression on Leroy. They needed to leave before matters spun more out of their control. "What is this incentive for you to participate?" He asked before they dispersed.
"I get to take a walk around the Herbal Mountain of all the families as an Inspector first." Leroy smirked. "That way you all can participate with a clear heart on some matters."
No one argued it and most of the families were happy an outsider was doing this instead of the usual Official. The Light Lion-ice Family really couldn't protest and the Clear Jing Family had nothing to lose since their businesses were almost barren which was why they sought to acquire the entire Town.
Once the Clear Jing Family departed under whispers, the Light Lion-ice Family paid respects to Leroy as an Official and Noble.
"This old man thanks you, young Official." Old Chu Quan bowed with respect. The Light Lion-ice members doing the same. "As for the Herbal Mountain.."
"You can take me a few days from now. Right now, I need to search your estate." Leroy would get something out of this situation later and right now. Considering the command that was issued that the old man read, a little persuasion was all that he needed. "A quick walk around to make sure nothing bad is happening there. Sounds good, doesn't it?"
"I understand." Old Chu Quan nodded. The Family had nothing to hide despite the rumors, so Leroy just saying they were clear, went a long way actually on paper. "Follow me."