Autumn faded into winter, and snow blanketed the world.
Li Qingqiu stood at the edge of a cliff, overlooking the vast, magnificent expanse of falling snow. This year had flown by faster than he expected. The development plans he'd made at the beginning of the year were already completed ahead of schedule, which put him in an excellent mood. Today, he had decided to take a rare moment of leisure—to do nothing at all and simply admire the snow.
Unfortunately, even when he wanted peace, someone would always find him.
Zhu Yan approached from behind, wrapped in a thick white fur cloak. Her makeup was flawless, her long hair coiled neatly atop her head, and her hands were folded before her chest in her usual composed and dignified manner.
"Sect Master," she said softly, coming to stand beside him. "My family has gathered some information about Xuan Gong."
Ever since Jiang Zhaoxia and Xu Ning had mentioned that name, Li Qingqiu had taken an interest in the mysterious figure. He had ordered Zhu Yan to use her family's intelligence network to investigate.
Even though she remained within Qingxiao Mountain, Zhu Yan could still observe the world beyond. That was the power of a great clan.
"Let's hear it," Li Qingqiu said, eyes still fixed on the endless snowfall.
Zhu Yan stepped closer, her voice calm but precise. "Xuan Gong is an extremely secretive man. His true name, birthplace, and history are all unknown. Before His Majesty ascended the throne, Xuan Gong already served him. It's said he eliminated many of the Emperor's enemies from the shadows. Most of the martial experts once loyal to the former Crown Prince, Zhao Yan, were quietly killed by him.
"When Zhao Zhi became Emperor, Xuan Gong took on that title and vanished into the dark. The elite of the Martial Enforcement Guard were all trained by him."
"His martial arts are said to be unmatched in the world. Once, he single-handedly stormed the Three Founding Sects of the Empire. Since then, those sects have bowed their heads to the Emperor and now follow his lead."
"When Zhao Zhi first ascended the throne, the Northern Barbarians invaded. The imperial army suffered defeat after defeat until their general was assassinated overnight—rumor says it was Xuan Gong who struck the blow that turned the war around."
As he listened, Li Qingqiu couldn't help but think of Chu Jing.
A man of immense skill. Elderly. Once served in the imperial court.
Even if Chu Jing wasn't Xuan Gong himself, there was almost certainly a deep connection between the two.
And Chu Jing bore the Fate of a Treacherous Minister.
The more Li Qingqiu thought about it, the more it fit. The former Crown Prince Zhao Yan had been the rightful heir, beloved by the people, yet Zhao Zhi had risen out of nowhere to seize the throne. Could that have been orchestrated by Chu Jing from behind the scenes—to plunge the empire into chaos?
Perhaps the Demonic Sect itself had been his creation.
If that were true, Li Qingqiu would have to kill Chu Jing, no matter how loyal he appeared to be.
Not for the sake of the empire's righteousness—but for revenge.
His master. Lin Chuan. His fallen junior brothers and sisters—all turned to orphans and ghosts. He suspected Chu Jing's hands were not clean in those tragedies.
"It sounds like without Xuan Gong, the Emperor's throne would be far from stable," Li Qingqiu murmured. "Could the Emperor's obsession with the elixir of immortality be related to him?"
Zhu Yan shook her head slightly. "That's unclear. But my family learned that Xuan Gong and the Emperor have quarreled several times—specifically over the immortality elixir. The Martial Enforcement Guard secretly executed several alchemists, which greatly angered the Emperor."
Li Qingqiu's expression darkened in thought.
'So perhaps Xuan Gong isn't directly involved in the Emperor's atrocities. He may just be following orders.'
If Xuan Gong truly was Chu Jing, then his rebellion against the throne might not be for chaos—but for the restoration of the former Wei Dynasty.
If the Great Li Dynasty were conquered by foreign tribes, how could he ever reclaim the old empire?
Of course, these were only speculations. He needed solid proof before acting.
"Have your people investigate the connection between Xuan Gong and the Demonic Sect," Li Qingqiu said after a pause.
"Yes." Zhu Yan nodded firmly.
Li Qingqiu turned his gaze back to the snow, the white world stretching endlessly before them. Zhu Yan, however, did not leave.
"What is it?" he asked, glancing at her. "You and I have worked together long enough. There's no need for formality."
Zhu Yan's service in the Heavenly Works Hall had always been impeccable—diligent, precise, and effective. Her family's intelligence network had also been invaluable to Qingxiao Sect, even Zhang Yuchun often sought her help with operations. Li Qingqiu appreciated her greatly and had no qualms about granting her the occasional favor.
And most importantly—her loyalty level had already exceeded 90.
Curiously, despite their limited personal interactions, her loyalty had continued to rise steadily. Li Qingqiu didn't know why—but it was a good sign.
Zhu Yan bit her lip lightly, her eyes conflicted. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke. "My father has a request. He wants to send a group of our Zhu family's younger members to train in Qingxiao Sect. Sect Master, please think carefully about this. I can't fully control my family's internal affairs. There will always be factions within a noble clan. I've told you this so I can be honest—whether you agree or not, the decision is yours."
Li Qingqiu smiled faintly. "Let him send them. We can't expect the Zhu family to keep helping us for nothing. Gathering intelligence in the capital about Xuan Gong isn't without risk."
He agreed easily. There were already plenty of noble-born disciples in Qingxiao Sect—it was impossible to block them all. He couldn't fill his sect with only commoners and orphans.
And great clans had their uses. Families like the Qin and Zhu clans could accomplish things that ordinary disciples never could.
Zhu Yan blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected him to agree so readily. A smile touched her lips. "Then how many spots will you grant us?"
"Let's start with thirty," Li Qingqiu said. "You'll handle the selection yourself. I only care about two things—aptitude and character. As long as one of those stands out, they'll do."
Zhu Yan nodded quickly. "Understood. I'll make sure the selection is strict."
"Good. You may go."
Zhu Yan bowed respectfully, then turned and departed, her white cloak blending seamlessly into the falling snow.
Li Qingqiu's thoughts drifted as he continued to ponder the matter of Xuan Gong.
He couldn't deny that he coveted Chu Jing's talent and Fate. He had long wanted to bring the man completely under his control.
But if Chu Jing truly was Xuan Gong—and if he had direct ties to the Demonic Sect—then Li Qingqiu would have no choice but to kill him. He would never allow a tiger to remain in his courtyard.
He stood on the cliff watching the snow for a full one hour before leaving. Then he headed to the Spirit Management Hall to chat with Zhang Yuchun. From him, he learned that Chu Jing still hadn't returned—he'd already been gone from the mountain for more than one month.
Li Qingqiu shared the intelligence Zhu Yan had gathered. Zhang Yuchun listened closely, and his conclusion matched Li Qingqiu's.
Chu Jing was very likely Xuan Gong.
"Judging by his behavior in the sect, he doesn't seem like a bloodthirsty man," Zhang Yuchun said thoughtfully.
Li Qingqiu, seated across from him, replied, "Everyone has more than one side. He does, and so do we. Don't judge so easily."
"You're right," Zhang Yuchun nodded. He had to admit that made sense.
Then Li Qingqiu asked about Zhang Ping.
"That kid is careful with his work, but a bit timid," Zhang Yuchun said. "Senior Brother, you seem to value him a lot. You personally recommended him for the Spirit Management Hall and even check on him often. Why don't you let me tell him you've been paying attention to his progress?"
Li Qingqiu smiled. "I just find him pleasing to the eye. I've got a feeling he'll surprise Qingxiao Sect one day."
Of course, he didn't want Zhang Ping to know that.
If that timid boy thought the Sect Master was plotting something against him, he'd probably run away in terror.
"In the future, maybe," Zhang Yuchun said. "But right now, do we have anyone else like Zhao Zhen, Li Yang, or Ji Ya—real geniuses who can rise fast if given the chance?"
Recently, he'd been managing several important affairs and was increasingly aware that manpower was running short.
If the Sword Sect weren't outside his authority, he'd have gone there to borrow disciples already.
He knew his senior brother had founded the Sword Sect for a reason, so he restrained himself and never overstepped.
The Sword Sect existed to protect Qingxiao Sect—not to serve as a weapon for its ambitions.
"Geniuses like that are rare and can't be forced," Li Qingqiu said with a grin. "How about I lend you Ji Ya for a while? He can follow you and broaden his horizons."
"Really?" Zhang Yuchun's eyes lit up.
He wasn't like Jiang Zhaoxia, who wanted his disciple to surpass Li Qingqiu's. To Zhang Yuchun, all disciples were Qingxiao Sect's disciples. He cared about the sect's growth, not his personal pride.
"Of course," Li Qingqiu said. "Tomorrow, I'll have Ji Ya come to you."
"That's perfect!" Zhang Yuchun said excitedly. "That kid's already reached the fourth layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm. His cultivation speed is unbelievable. I'd say in half a year at most, he'll break through to the fifth layer. When that happens, even though he's still young, he'll be able to take on real responsibilities."
"Well, he's my disciple," Li Qingqiu said with a teasing smile. "How could his progress be slow?"
"Haha! Fair point. But what about Yuan Li? All these years, he still hasn't reached the second layer of Nurturing Essence. The resources you've given him would've pushed any other mediocre disciple to the third layer by now."
Li Qingqiu chuckled. "That's because you're looking with mortal eyes. Did it ever occur to you that the worse he seems, the more extraordinary he might actually be?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just wait," Li Qingqiu said calmly. "One day, Yuan Li will become Qingxiao Sect's greatest pride. No one will outshine him."
"You really believe that, Senior Brother?"
"You'll see."
With that, Li Qingqiu stood up, turned, and left.
Zhang Yuchun sat in silence, lost in thought. The more he mulled over his senior brother's words, the more convinced he became that he should strengthen his relationship with Yuan Li. Especially now, when Yuan Li was struggling—showing him support would be like offering warmth in the snow.
It was rare for his senior brother to speak with such conviction. He couldn't afford to waste this chance.
Yes, Zhang Yuchun decided, his senior brother must have mentioned Yuan Li's name intentionally—to prompt him to take the initiative and build rapport.
For that, he was deeply grateful.
Qingxiao Sect was no longer the small sect where senior brothers could make decisions as they pleased. It was growing fast, and winning hearts mattered more than ever—especially for Zhang Yuchun, as the Spirit Management Hall Master.
…
News spread quickly. The assassination of Governor Fan Xi and the rebellion in Guzhou Prefecture soon reached Qingxiao Sect, sparking heated discussions among disciples and guests alike.
As the end of the year approached, seven of the nine provinces were now openly rebelling against the Emperor. They gathered their armies, preparing to march toward Zhenyang City, the imperial capital, to force the Emperor to abdicate.
After being away for half a year, Li Sifeng finally returned.
The seven true disciples who followed him were all safe, which brought great relief to Zhang Yuchun. Each true disciple in the third layer of Nurturing Essence was a precious asset—losing even one would have pained him deeply.
Li Sifeng waited in Lingxiao Courtyard for Li Qingqiu's return. He waited until evening.
Finally, Li Qingqiu arrived, accompanied by Xu Ning. Earlier that day, he had sparred with her—a session that had benefited her greatly but also shaken her confidence.
"Senior Brother! Come quick, I've got to report the Pei family situation!" Li Sifeng called out eagerly, waving him over.
Seeing this, Xu Ning smiled faintly and slipped away to her room, not wishing to interrupt their discussion.
Li Qingqiu sat down and gestured for Li Sifeng to pour him a drink first. After taking a full bowl of wine and downing it in one go, he finally nodded.
"Alright," he said. "Let's hear it."