On the edge of a cliff, Li Qingqiu stood alone.
Winds howled around him, swirling into visible vortices of vital energy. His eyes snapped open, and he slowly raised his right hand. As his palm unfolded, thin silver sword-shadows spiraled upward, gleaming like threads of lightning.
Soul-Seizing Flying Sword!
After months of refinement, this technique had finally reached a whole new level.
The number of silver blades around his hand grew—tens of swords, buzzing and circling like a swarm of living creatures.
The Soul-Seizing Flying Sword was not merely a sword technique; it was also a soul-based spell. Even Jiang Zhaoxia might not be able to grasp it so quickly.
But Li Qingqiu, with the aid of his fates—Born Sword Maniac, Mortal God and Ghost, and Hundredfold Tempering—had pushed it to near perfection.
He flicked his wrist.
The dozens of sword shadows shot out from his palm, rapidly expanding in size as they streaked across the sky.
Silver arcs of light intertwined, swirling in high air like dozens of luminous rainbows.
The scene was dazzling, fierce, and magnificent.
A faint smile appeared on Li Qingqiu's lips. Though he had not yet cultivated the technique to its absolute peak, what he had achieved already qualified as a supreme skill.
The swords' speed and their soul-piercing power had both evolved. With just a flicker of thought, he could unleash them faster than lightning, piercing through anything in their path and striking his enemies with unstoppable might.
His thoughts drifted to the Ancient God worshipped by the Qi clan.
'I wonder,' he mused, 'if I faced that creature now… could I defeat it?'
The only advantage was that the Ancient God could not move from its place.
That alone was the reason the Qi clan still acted with restraint.
Without the Ancient God, they were nothing to fear.
Li Qingqiu planned to wait for Jiang Zhaoxia, Xu Ning, and the others to return after annihilating the Ling Tian Sect. Until then, he would focus on deepening his cultivation.
"This land is filled with strange things," he murmured. "Blessed omens, monsters, and even ancient gods. I wonder what other abominations will appear next?"
Although the Qingxiao Sect had already grown formidable, it was still not enough. He couldn't afford to relax—not even for a day.
He withdrew the Soul-Seizing Flying Swords with a wave of his hand, then leapt lightly off the cliff.
…
Zhongtian Prefecture, Luo City.
On a long street stained with blood, Jiang Zhaoxia strode forward, his sword dragging by his side.
Behind him lay a trail of corpses. Blood dripped from the tip of his blade, tracing a thin crimson line down the cobblestones.
Farther down the road, Qingxiao Sect disciples could be seen in fierce combat.
Some flew above the rooftops, their swords cutting through the air as spells exploded around them.
Screams echoed through every corner of the city, turning Luo City into a vision of carnage and terror.
Ahead stood a man glaring at Jiang Zhaoxia with burning fury—
the Lord of the Ling Tian Mansion of Luo City.
"You've slaughtered so many! And you still dare call yourselves the righteous path?!" the mansion lord shouted, gripping his blade so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The aura of his blade flared, rippling like mist as it sliced into the street.
Jiang Zhaoxia's expression did not change. The wind brushed against his face, tossing his hair slightly. His gaze was icy cold.
He snorted. "When did Qingxiao Sect ever claim to be righteous?"
"You—!"
The mansion lord's chest heaved violently, his face flushed with rage. "Aren't you afraid of being condemned by the whole martial world?"
"When your Ling Tian Sect slaughtered the Jiang clan," Jiang Zhaoxia said quietly, "did you ever think about that?"
"The Jiang clan? I don't know what you're talking about!"
"When you're dead," Jiang Zhaoxia replied, "you'll understand."
He lost all interest in talking. His pace quickened.
Seeing him approach, the mansion lord's anger gave way to panic. He swung his blade in a frenzy. Dozens of blade auras slashed through the air, curving like crescents of the moon—sharp, fast, and furious like a storm.
But a single flash of sword light tore through them all.
The mansion lord froze mid-swing, his eyes wide with disbelief.
A second later, his head flew from his shoulders. Blood erupted like a fountain, splattering across the street as his body crumpled.
Jiang Zhaoxia walked past the corpse without looking back, his sword gleaming red in the sunset. He continued cutting down every Ling Tian Sect martial artist he found.
By the time the sun sank beneath the horizon, fifty True Disciples had gathered before the gates of Ling Tian Mansion. Each of them wiped the blood from their weapons in silence.
"This Ling Tian Sect is too weak," one of them muttered. "How could they ever think they could challenge Qingxiao Sect?"
"Don't forget," another said, "this is what most so-called first-rate sects are like. It's just that our Qingxiao Sect has grown too powerful. Those who haven't witnessed the Sect Master slaying an emperor still don't understand."
"Why did the Ling Tian Sect capture so many people? They were sending them toward Cangzhou, weren't they?"
"Could they be trying to refine an elixir of immortality?"
"Maybe. Either way, I say we distribute the mansion's wealth to the people. The officials here won't do a damn thing."
The True Disciples spoke among themselves in low tones. None seemed burdened by guilt for the slaughter.
The more Ling Tian Mansions they destroyed, the clearer their hatred for that sect became.
They claimed to unite the martial world and bring peace—but in truth, the Ling Tian Sect had merely used power to seize wealth, kidnapping innocents and sending them north for unknown purposes.
As the disciples discussed, Jiang Zhaoxia and Xu Ning descended from the sky, landing at the mansion gates.
"All who needed to die are dead," Xu Ning said calmly. "Those who could be spared have been released."
This mission had been different—she'd followed Jiang Zhaoxia's lead completely.
Jiang Zhaoxia nodded. "Next, we head to Cangzhou. I'm thinking… maybe we should also check on the Qi clan while we're there."
Xu Ning frowned. "Master didn't instruct us to do that. We'd better not act recklessly. You and I have already failed missions together before. If we mess up again, it'll be a disgrace."
Jiang Zhaoxia's face stiffened.
He and Xu Ning ranked among the top four disciples of Qingxiao Sect. If not for Shen Yue, they were second only to Li Qingqiu himself. They were the sect's sharpest blades—its killing edge.
But every time they acted together, things tended to go wrong. The rumors stung, even if no one said them aloud.
"Fine," he muttered. "We'll do it your way."
A sudden gust of wind swept through the street, lifting the robes of every Qingxiao Sect disciple.
Jiang Zhaoxia, Xu Ning, and the fifty True Disciples all turned sharply toward the far end of the street. There, a man with disheveled hair was walking toward them, dragging an enormous blade behind him.
He wore tattered black robes. His feet were bare, and a pair of golden rings hung loosely from his ankles. The blade scraped against the ground with a shrill, grating sound, leaving a deep scar along the stone road.
The man's killing intent was so strong that it couldn't be concealed. Even from dozens of meters away, everyone could feel it pressing on their chests like a tangible weight. Yet none of the Qingxiao disciples were afraid. Instead, they looked at him with curiosity and mockery.
"He doesn't look like someone from Ling Tian Sect," a True Disciple standing behind Jiang Zhaoxia said.
Indeed, Ling Tian Sect disciples always dressed lavishly, flaunting their wealth for all to see.
Jiang Zhaoxia's eyes were cold. He glanced at the approaching man but didn't take him seriously.
Under the disciples' gaze, the man began to quicken his pace. His walk became a jog—then a run. Sparks burst from where the blade ground against the street, trailing behind him like fireflies. His aura erupted in an instant, fierce and unrestrained, like a caged tiger breaking free.
"Don't move!"
Jiang Zhaoxia's voice rang out, stopping the disciples who were about to attack. He stepped forward himself, moving toward the black-robed man.
This opponent wasn't simple. If he let the other disciples handle it, they might get hurt.
…
Under the vast blue sky, Li Qingqiu sat alone at a long table in the Lingxiao Courtyard, brush in hand, writing carefully across a sheet of paper.
He was composing a manual—a new one.
This was a Dao Lineage Inheritance Reward, triggered when Wu Xingyue forged her first magical tool. After unlocking it, Li Qingqiu received the method known as the Heart-Eating Bee Refining Technique.
The Heart-Eating Bee was a highly venomous demonic insect capable of burrowing into an enemy's heart, awaiting its master's command to inflict unbearable torment from within.
This was the first time Li Qingqiu had ever inherited something like this. It wasn't a martial technique or a spell—it was more like a cultivation and breeding method for demonic creatures.
He wasn't particularly interested in it, so he decided to write it down and later place it in the sect's library. Perhaps some disciple fated with such arts might find use for it.
Once finished, he set the brush down and admired his calligraphy.
After years of practice, his handwriting had become refined and elegant—at least, he thought so himself.
A while later, Li Sijin entered the courtyard and approached the table.
Li Qingqiu handed her the freshly written manual. She glanced at it curiously and asked, "Is this an immortal technique or a secret art?"
"It's a secret art," Li Qingqiu replied. "Its power depends entirely on how the Heart-Eating Bees are cultivated. Place it on the fourth floor of the Scripture Pavilion."
Li Sijin smiled. "Another manual for the fourth floor, huh? That'll surely draw a lot of attention."
Over time, disciples had begun to notice that the manuals on the fourth floor of the Scripture Pavilion were far superior to those on the first three. Many had stopped exchanging Dao Fate for martial arts manuals altogether, choosing instead to save their Dao Fate points in hopes of redeeming a true cultivation technique from the top floor.
Li Qingqiu said nothing to that, only changed the subject. "How's Jing Ziling doing in the Cultivation Hall?"
Jing Ziling was the Qi clan's divine child whom Xue Jin had brought back. Li Qingqiu had assigned him to the Cultivation Hall for training.
Thinking of that boy, Li Qingqiu couldn't help but summon the sect's internal Dao Lineage panel to check his disciple's information.
[ Name: Jing Ziling ]
[ Gender: Male ]
[ Age: 13 ]
[ Loyalty (Sect Master/Sect): 79/66 (Max: 100) ]
[ Cultivation Aptitude: Fair ]
[ Comprehension: Mediocre ]
[ Fates: Wood Spirit Body, Demonic Soul and Monstrous Fetus ]
[ Wood Spirit Body: Exceptional understanding of wood-element Dao arts and keen sensitivity to wood-element spiritual energy. ]
[ Demonic Soul and Monstrous Fetus: A mysterious demonic soul has planted a seed within his body. It cannot be removed. In the future, either the demonic soul will devour him and take over, or he will consume the demonic soul and become a half-demon, half-devil being. ]
…
It was precisely because of his Wood Spirit Body that Li Qingqiu had placed Jing Ziling in the Cultivation Hall, where he could work alongside Li Sijin in nurturing spiritual plants.
However, the Demonic Soul and Monstrous Fetus worried him deeply.
If Jing Ziling were ever possessed by that demonic soul, it could spell disaster for the entire Qingxiao Sect. And no one knew when—or if—that takeover might happen.
Yet, if the boy managed to overcome it and devour the demonic soul instead, Qingxiao Sect might gain a rare genius.
And while the sect already had many talented disciples blessed with special fates, Li Qingqiu never believed one could have too many.
"He's doing well," Li Sijin said with a gentle smile. "He's got a good temper—doesn't act like most boys his age. Honestly, he's more like a girl. The other disciples adore him. He's careful, thoughtful, and diligent. I think his talent's not bad either. He might stand out in the next Dao Combat Tournament."
Li Qingqiu nodded faintly. Jing Ziling wasn't as monstrously gifted as Yun Cai, but compared to most disciples, his potential was still impressive. The Cultivation Hall needed students like him to strengthen its foundation.
Just as Li Qingqiu was about to reply, a golden notification flashed before his eyes—
[ Due to the Qingxiao Sect's first disciple establishing a harbor and opening new paths for sect expansion, you have received a Dao Lineage Inheritance Reward. ]
A harbor?
Li Qingqiu blinked. His expression turned strange. The Xi River below Qingxiao Mountain didn't require any harbor construction.
'Could this be the work of disciples outside the sect?' he wondered.
'No… this harbor must be special. I've built countless structures before, but none ever triggered a Dao Lineage reward.'
He leaned back, deep in thought as the breeze rustled the papers on his desk.