by EkkoTheDemon
Three days later, Li Qingqiu brought Xu Ning and Li Sijin to the subterranean Spirit Lake to practice. Today would be the first time he taught the Great Purity Primordial Scripture to Xu Ning, and she was full of anticipation.
When the two young girls got together, they were always chatting, but Xu Ning was eager to cultivate and soon drew in the flighty Li Sijin.
Sure enough, the speed at which Xu Ning refined Spirit Essence was absurd.
With the aid of the subterranean Spirit Lake, it took her only an hour to refine a wisp of Spirit Essence, which shocked Li Sijin.
Never mind Li Sijin; even though Li Qingqiu was psychologically prepared, he was still startled.
Li Qingqiu turned to Li Sijin and said, "Don't tell anyone about this. If anyone asks, just act like it took her a full day to refine internal qi."
"Why?" Li Sijin asked blankly.
"I'm afraid your third brother might be provoked."
Upon hearing this, Li Sijin thought of Jiang Zhaoxia’s sour face and nodded in deep agreement.
She also felt that the third brother was very petty and easily angered.
Even though Li Qingqiu had given instructions, Xu Ning’s refinement of Spirit Essence within a single day still shocked Zhang Yuchun and the others.
Cultivators’ perception of Spirit Essence was exceptionally keen. Yang Jueding and the other disciples didn't notice, but Li Qingqiu’s junior brothers and sisters discovered it as soon as they saw Xu Ning.
They began to change their opinion of Xu Ning, even Jiang Zhaoxia.
However, Jiang Zhaoxia only changed his mind slightly. In his view, Xu Ning’s success was largely due to the subterranean Spirit Lake; if she were practicing outside, she definitely wouldn't be as fast as him.
Xu Ning’s success made Li Qingqiu even more hopeful for the future of the Clear Firmament Sect.
In the time that followed, the seven disciples recruited from the village still couldn't refine Spirit Essence, so Li Qingqiu could only have them focus on practicing martial arts.
The subterranean Spirit Lake could not be easily exposed, and besides, having too many people would affect his and his siblings' cultivation.
The days passed one by one.
Spring passed and summer came. Li Qingqiu had just passed his seventeenth birthday. His junior brothers and sisters thought his birthday was in the autumn, and he had never corrected them, because he didn't like making a big deal out of celebrating his own birthday.
On this afternoon.
Li Qingqiu sat on the grass before the sect gate with nine swords laid out in front of him. He was building a connection with the swords to practice the Supreme Absolute Sword Art.
Suddenly.
He looked up. Following the mountain path downward, a man emerged from the forest. He wore yellow robes with a belt and carried a sword on his back. His build was tall and strong—clearly a martial artist.
The man in yellow looked up and saw Li Qingqiu before the sect gate. A bright smile appeared on his face as he stepped onto the stone stairs of the path and asked, "May I ask if this is the Clear Firmament Sect?"
Li Qingqiu said irritably, "Can't you see the words above my head?"
The three large characters for 'Clear Firmament Sect' were carved into the gate; such a display of blindness was something he truly could not tolerate.
The man in yellow was not angry and said with a chuckle, "I saw them, but I needed to hear you admit it personally. Allow me to introduce myself—I am the new Sect Leader of the Clear Firmament Sect. My name is Mo Jiujiao."
Hearing Mo Jiujiao’s words, Li Qingqiu was stunned for a moment, quite caught off guard.
The Clear Firmament Sect had only three courtyards and not many disciples; why would anyone be interested in it?
"Who sent you?" Li Qingqiu asked cautiously. If the man was sent by Lin Xunfeng, he would have to handle it diplomatically; if the man had nothing to do with Lin Xunfeng and was here to forcibly take over the sect, then he was sorry.
As he spoke, Li Qingqiu’s right hand swept over the nine swords in front of him, his gaze fixed on Mo Jiujiao.
As Mo Jiujiao walked toward Li Qingqiu, he smiled and said, "Your master, Lin Xunfeng, announced at the Unfettered Martial Assembly in the Unfettered Commandery that he was retiring and withdrawing from the martial world. Since he has withdrawn, it will be difficult for the Clear Firmament Sect to hold onto this fine territory. It's better for me to take over."
Li Qingqiu had a sudden realization.
It was true; the Taikun Mountain Range was vast and rich in resources, yet there was only one sect. This was clearly because of the fearsome reputation Lin Xunfeng had carved out before. Now that Lin Xunfeng was gone, other sects would naturally set their sights on this area.
He felt a bit resentful. 'Master, if you were going to search for immortals, why did you have to make such a big commotion?'
But on second thought, Lin Xunfeng might have been afraid that enemies would come looking for him.
If Lin Xunfeng’s enemies came, they wouldn't waste so many words; they would just start a slaughter.
Right now, Mo Jiujiao only wanted to occupy the Clear Firmament Sect.
Li Qingqiu asked, "If you become the Sect Leader, what benefits will we disciples get?"
Mo Jiujiao said with a beaming smile, "Naturally, you will become my disciples. To be honest, I come from the Seven Peaks Alliance. Once I become the Sect Leader of the Clear Firmament Sect, the sect will also be incorporated into the Seven Peaks Alliance. In the future, you will receive protection. This is a rare and fortunate event for you. You must know that in the martial world, fighting for territory always involves bloodshed."
After hearing this, Li Qingqiu nodded slightly, feeling that the man had a point.
"Yes, fighting for territory involves bloodshed. In that case, can I refuse?" Li Qingqiu asked calmly. He hadn't even stood up, still sitting cross-legged on the grass.
Upon hearing this, Mo Jiujiao asked with a half-smile, "Shouldn't you ask your Sect Leader?"
"I am the Sect Leader."
Li Qingqiu’s answer caused Mo Jiujiao to stop in his tracks. Mo Jiujiao looked him up and down, his expression becoming strange.
"The rumors said that after the bloodbath twenty years ago, only Lin Xunfeng was left in the Clear Firmament Sect. It turns out to be true—to think a child was left to succeed as Sect Leader."
Mo Jiujiao muttered, and he couldn't help but shake his head and laugh.
If he had known this earlier, he wouldn't have bothered wasting so many words.
"Since that's the case, you have no choice but to obey. You will either submit to me or have your tongue pulled out and your eyes gouged out to serve as a slave for the rest of your life."
Mo Jiujiao’s face became predatory. He stepped forward again, closing in on Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu narrowed his eyes, preparing to strike, when his ears twitched, and his whole body relaxed again.
"Presumptuous!"
An explosive shout rang out. Yang Jueding kicked off the mountain wall and leaped over the sect gate, landing on the stairs of the mountain path like a swan. he intercepted the space between Li Qingqiu and Mo Jiujiao.
Mo Jiujiao stared at Yang Jueding, his brow furrowing as he asked, "And who might you be?"
He secretly cursed Li Qingqiu. 'This kid actually dared to deceive me!'
No matter how eccentric Lin Xunfeng’s behavior was, he wouldn't let a child be the Sect Leader!
"Yang Jueding. Have you heard of me?" Yang Jueding’s voice was as loud as a great bell, echoing across the ridges with an overwhelming presence.
Mo Jiujiao’s face instantly turned ugly. He gritted his teeth and said, "Dragon-Subduing Hero... I have never heard of you having any connection with the Clear Firmament Sect."
"Now you've seen it. Get lost!"
Yang Jueding said in a deep voice. His internal qi surged, causing his robes to flutter as he looked down on Mo Jiujiao like a fierce tiger.
Mo Jiujiao’s expression shifted rapidly. Compared to Yang Jueding's, his own reputation was not even worth mentioning. He instinctively felt a sense of dread toward an expert whose name shook the world.
But he had traveled so far; was he just going to retreat like this?
After a moment of silence, Mo Jiujiao took a deep breath, raised his hands to salute Yang Jueding, and said, "I take my leave!"
After saying that, he turned and left.
"Yang Jueding, beat him to death."
Li Qingqiu’s voice suddenly came from behind. At these words, Mo Jiujiao’s expression changed drastically, and he immediately quickened his pace.
Yang Jueding was also caught off guard. He turned his head to look at Li Qingqiu, only to see that the boy’s face was ice-cold, making his heart tremble.
It was the first time he had seen Li Qingqiu with such a gaze.
"This is an order. Execute it immediately."
Li Qingqiu spoke again. Yang Jueding gritted his teeth and immediately rushed down the mountain, while Mo Jiujiao had already darted into the forest.
Li Qingqiu shook his head at Yang Jueding’s hesitation.
If this man weren't so highly skilled in martial arts, he would have been swallowed up by the martial world long ago, leaving not even a trace of bone behind.
Having lived two lives, coupled with his experiences in early childhood during this life, Li Qingqiu had long recognized the nature of this world. He was already prepared to face the challenges of the martial world.
Killing was unavoidable.
He would not kill innocent people, but if anyone dared to provoke him, he would show no mercy. This was why he hadn't blamed Jiang Zhaoxia at all after he killed Luo Lie; he even admired the third brother’s ruthlessness.
He waited patiently where he was, not worried that Yang Jueding would let Mo Jiujiao go. This was his test for Yang Jueding.
If he couldn't pass it, then he could just practice martial arts until he grew old; the Clear Firmament Sect would keep him to guard the gate.
As for that Seven Peaks Alliance—if they couldn't avoid it, they would just have to face it head-on.
How could an immortal sect be scared away by a martial sect?
Judging from the Supreme Absolute Sword Art Yang Jueding had found, there were other cultivators in this world. If there were cultivators, there would be cultivation sects; they were just hidden from the world or perhaps not within the Great Li Dynasty.
Li Qingqiu was already imagining his hypothetical enemies in the world of cultivation.
An hour later.
Yang Jueding emerged from the forest below, carrying Mo Jiujiao on his shoulder.
Mo Jiujiao’s limbs hung limp, and his body was like a pile of mud, with shocking bloodstains on his back.
Yang Jueding’s hair was slightly disheveled. He walked all the way to Li Qingqiu’s side and tossed Mo Jiujiao onto the ground.
Li Qingqiu noticed that Mo Jiujiao was not yet dead, only unconscious.
"What would be the consequences of letting him go?" Li Qingqiu asked.
Yang Jueding’s face looked troubled, and he gritted his teeth. "He would call more people."
"He said he was from the Seven Peaks Alliance and wanted to take the Clear Firmament Sect by force."
Li Qingqiu continued, his tone carrying dissatisfaction directed at Yang Jueding.
'My words as Sect Leader don't carry any weight!'
'I said beat him to death!'
When Yang Jueding heard the name Seven Peaks Alliance, his gaze changed.
He had practiced his arts for twenty years and had exceptional hearing, but earlier he had only heard Mo Jiujiao’s threats to Li Qingqiu and hadn't known Mo Jiujiao’s background.
Yang Jueding took a deep breath, raised his right foot, and slammed it down onto Mo Jiujiao’s back. Mo Jiujiao’s eyes snapped open, and a large amount of blood erupted from his mouth as he died.
Li Qingqiu glanced at the body. Once he was sure Mo Jiujiao was truly dead, he put away the nine swords in front of him and stood up. He left one sentence before turning away:
"Bury the body and wash the ground."
Yang Jueding watched Li Qingqiu leave, his heart full of complex emotions.
He had actually been intimidated by a youth.
This kid was not simple!
No wonder he could keep that kid Jiang Zhaoxia in line.
Yang Jueding sighed in his heart, but then a thought struck him, and he suddenly felt that something was wrong.
'I'm the one who came out to help, so why do I feel like I'm the one who did something wrong? Now I have to bury a body and wash the ground?'
Although resentful, he still obediently picked up Mo Jiujiao’s body.
At that moment, he saw Jiang Zhaoxia and Wu Man’er emerge from the forest below. He was momentarily stunned as a terrifying thought occurred to him.
If he hadn't caught Mo Jiujiao earlier and Mo Jiujiao had run into Jiang Zhaoxia, he would have been dead anyway. If that had happened, then he really would have failed by not following the Sect Leader's orders.
Yang Jueding’s mood became subtle as he realized that Li Qingqiu’s depth was even greater than he had imagined.
The most terrifying thing was that with Jiang Zhaoxia there, he had no way to resist any punishment Li Qingqiu might give him.