"Stop right there. This is Tianxuan Mountain. Outsiders are not allowed to enter at will!"
A resounding voice echoed across the mountain plain. Li Yang and the others, who were walking toward the mountain, focused their gazes and saw a young man in a Daoist robe standing on a cliff face, glaring at them.
Li Yang shouted back, "We are disciples of Qingxiao Sect, merely passing by Tianxuan Mountain and wishing to borrow lodging for a few days. Brother, could you trouble yourself to report this to your superiors?"
Qingxiao Sect was renowned across the land. Wherever they went, as long as they reported their origins, no one dared to neglect them. This spared them from many unnecessary conflicts.
When the Daoist-robed man heard this, his expression changed slightly, and he said, "Then wait where you are. You are not allowed to force your way up the mountain."
"Of course. Don't worry."
Li Yang replied casually. He was in no hurry to go up the mountain. After responding to the Daoist-robed man, he turned around and instructed the disciples to find a place to rest.
Seeing this, the Daoist-robed man turned and went back up the mountain.
Zhang Ping found a place to sit. He raised his head and looked up. Tianxuan Mountain towered into the heavens, its massif majestic and vast, extending endlessly on both sides. At mid-mountain, there was a stretch of great white rock. At first glance, it looked as though it were empty, as if a mountain were suspended in midair. Even standing at the foot of the mountain, one would still be awed by such a spectacular sight.
Bai Ning'er came to his side and asked, "You've been frowning the entire way. What exactly are you worried about? Senior Brother Li Yang is leading the team, and we have so many at the fourth layer of the Nurturing Essence realm. Even if we ran into an army of a million, we could still carve our way out."
Zhang Ping's gaze remained fixed on Tianxuan Mountain as he said, "But in this world, there are existences far more terrifying than a million-strong army."
Bai Ning'er felt that he had truly been possessed by something. How had he become even more timid than last time?
He decided he couldn't bring him out again next time, lest he get scared to death halfway.
Bai Ning'er stopped paying attention to him, stood up, and went to sit beside Li Yang.
Time passed slowly.
A full hour later, the Daoist-robed man finally reappeared in their field of vision and waved to them.
Li Yang stood up and said, "Let's go. Up the mountain. Remember what I said earlier—no matter what we see, even if we encounter the auspicious beast, do not act rashly."
All the disciples responded in unison.
Zhang Ping desperately wanted to slip away quietly, but he felt that doing so would betray the sect's cultivation of him. Left with no choice, he hardened his resolve and followed them up the mountain.
…
High summer arrived.
Sunlight filtered into the forest. Li Qingqiu stood at the entrance of his cave dwelling, looking at Chu Jing with a satisfied expression.
After several months of research, he had finally created a spell that allowed ghosts to condense into a solid form. Chu Jing was now wearing a black sect robe, his face covered with an opera mask, a bamboo hat on his head, his hands wrapped in white cloth, with even his neck concealed. The Tianhong Sword hung at his waist.
At this moment, Chu Jing looked both mysterious and powerful, making Li Qingqiu nod repeatedly in approval.
Nangong E and Lin Chuan also floated out, gazing at Chu Jing with envy.
Chu Jing was attached to the Tianhong Sword. As long as the sword stayed with him, he could remain active for long periods. Nangong E and Lin Chuan, however, could not—they were unable to leave Li Qingqiu for extended durations.
"Master, what should I be called from now on?" Chu Jing asked curiously.
Li Qingqiu smiled and said, "Just call yourself Lord Jing."
Hearing this, joy flashed in Chu Jing's eyes beneath the mask. The title "Lord Jing" made him recall the feeling he had when he was once known as Lord Xuan, filling him with renewed excitement.
Soon, a figure ran over from Lingxiao Courtyard—it was Yuan Qi.
From afar, Yuan Qi spotted Chu Jing and couldn't help frowning. Chu Jing's attire was far too mysterious and sinister, instinctively making him uneasy. Fortunately, the Sect Master was present.
He walked all the way over and bowed to Li Qingqiu.
"Yuan Qi, from now on, you'll take him with you and let him familiarize himself with the sect," Li Qingqiu instructed.
Yuan Qi couldn't help looking at Chu Jing and asked, "How should I address this brother?"
Li Qingqiu answered on Chu Jing's behalf, "Address him as Lord Jing. His identity is special—no one is allowed to force him to remove his mask."
This instruction only deepened Yuan Qi's curiosity about Chu Jing, but he didn't dare ask more. He immediately led Chu Jing away.
Li Qingqiu turned and walked to the edge of the cliff, stretching lazily.
As Li Shouzheng and Li Shoumin grew older month by month, Li Qingqiu's interest in them waned somewhat. He arranged for his disciples to take turns caring for the two little ones. At the moment, they were staying in Ji Ya's courtyard.
Through his Awakening Spirit, Li Qingqiu could peer into that courtyard.
Ji Ya liked children very much, and his companions were there as well. Laughter and cheerful voices filled the courtyard.
Li Qingqiu noticed that Ji Ya was becoming increasingly lax, but he didn't admonish him. After all, not everyone could cultivate diligently. As long as Ji Ya didn't completely abandon cultivation, it was fine.
Relying on the Hundred-Refined Demon Body and his dual Excellent aptitudes, even without diligent cultivation, Ji Ya had still reached the fifth layer of the Nurturing Essence realm and was already very close to the sixth layer.
Countless disciples cultivated day and night, yet were forever unable to cross the threshold of the third layer of the Nurturing Essence realm.
Just as Li Qingqiu was lamenting the differences between people, Yun Cai rode her sword up from the forest below, hovering in the air before him.
"Sect Master, my Soul-Stealing Flying Sword has advanced another step. Could you take a look?" Yun Cai asked expectantly.
Li Qingqiu said helplessly, "I know you're a genius, but do you really need to come find me every time you make a bit of progress? Aren't you tired?"
With Hundredfold Tempering, Yun Cai was destined to gain results as long as she worked hard. Coupled with her own diligence—no less than Xu Ning or Zhao Zhen—Li Qingqiu had never worried about her cultivation.
The problem was that this girl came to look for him every few days, almost more frequently than Yuan Qi.
After spending so much time together, Yun Cai was no longer reserved around Li Qingqiu. She smiled and said, "I'm just afraid of going down the wrong path. The Soul-Stealing Flying Sword is too complex. Every time I cultivate it, I can't help but marvel at how amazing you are for creating such a sword art. In my opinion, Senior Shen may not be the Sword God—you are the true Sword God."
"Don't spout nonsense. How could I be that formidable?"
Li Qingqiu said sternly, though the corners of his mouth rose uncontrollably.
By now, Yun Cai had more or less figured out his temperament. Hearing this, she knew she had successfully flattered him once again.
She immediately began to demonstrate her Soul-Stealing Flying Sword. Her right palm opened, and sword after sword flew out, circling her body—only 12 in total.
Li Qingqiu was surprised. He hadn't expected her to have mastered the Soul-Stealing Flying Sword to such a degree.
Just condensing a single Soul-Stealing Flying Sword and controlling it freely was already difficult enough, let alone controlling 12 at the same time.
The Soul-Stealing Flying Sword was indestructible and could also suppress the soul.
Coupled with Yun Cai's Myriad-Law Spirit Eyes, Li Qingqiu could not think of anyone in the same realm who could defeat her.
Ji Ya did have potential—using brute force to break all techniques, his vast vital energy crashing toward Yun Cai like waves. Even she would find it difficult to locate a flaw.
Unfortunately, Ji Ya's combat talent was not high. Once a fight began, he would likely be struck by Yun Cai's Soul-Stealing Flying Sword before he even had time to make a move.
For the next incense-stick's worth of time, Yun Cai displayed her Soul-Stealing Flying Sword in ever-changing ways.
Li Qingqiu noticed that her vital energy was abnormal among cultivators of the same realm.
Could this be another effect of Hundredfold Tempering?
She cultivated the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra daily. Her understanding of the sutra was certainly far beyond that of other disciples.
Li Qingqiu's own vital energy had always been increasing, making it difficult for him to distinguish whether the growth came from improved cultivation or from Hundredfold Tempering. Moreover, he had no second Awakening Spirit realm cultivator for comparison.
But judging from Yun Cai, Hundredfold Tempering clearly enhanced cultivation techniques as well.
Although Yun Cai was not as exaggerated as Ji Ya, her vital energy was already twice that of ordinary fourth-layer disciples.
Li Qingqiu suddenly realized that he had underestimated Yun Cai.
This Hundredfold Tempering was a bit outrageous!
However, no matter how much Yun Cai cultivated, she probably wouldn't reach the effect of the Hundred-Refined Demon Body. After all, Hundredfold Tempering only enhanced comprehension—unless a cultivation method that strengthened physical aptitude appeared in the future.
Wait.
Should he also teach her the Heavenly Firmament Golden Body Art?
Previously, Li Qingqiu had felt she was too slender and unsuitable for a fierce, domineering path. Now that he thought about it, that might not be the case. She might even go further with the Heavenly Firmament Golden Body Art than the other disciples.
As Li Qingqiu was pondering this, three more people approached from behind—it was the Xiao clan's three brothers.
Seeing them appear, Yun Cai immediately drew the Soul-Stealing Flying Sword back into her body.
She had never shown the Soul-Stealing Flying Sword to other disciples. Her current battle record relied on other techniques. She had followed Li Qingqiu's advice, treating the Soul-Stealing Flying Sword as her trump card and killing move.
Throughout the entire Qingxiao Sect, the ones who made her feel the most competitive pressure were not Zhao Zhen, nor the lofty Xu Ning, but the Xiao clan's three brothers. Both sides were secretly competing, and neither wanted to fall behind.
"Sect Master, please allow the three of us brothers to go to Tianxuan Mountain!"
Xiao Wudi stepped behind Li Qingqiu, cupped his fists, and spoke with barely concealed anger.
Li Qingqiu turned to look at them and found that Xiao Wuqing and Xiao Wuming's faces were also filled with fury.
He asked in surprise, "Did Tianxuan Mountain provoke you?"
Xiao Wudi replied, "That's right. They also provoked the entire Qingxiao Sect. Senior Brother Li Yang and Senior Brother Yang Dong were both defeated by Yan Daozong of Tianxuan Mountain. The news has already spread throughout the martial world. There are even rumors claiming Yan Daozong has strength not inferior to yours, calling him the contemporary martial world myth. That's utter nonsense!"
Xiao Wuqing continued, "This matter is very suspicious. The news spread far too quickly, and some remarks are clearly meant to sow discord between Qingxiao Sect and Tianxuan Mountain. But no matter what, since it has already happened, someone must defeat Yan Daozong and restore the sect's reputation."
Li Qingqiu said irritably, "Li Yang and Yang Dong are no match for him. What use would the three of you be if you went?"
Li Yang was at the fifth layer of the Nurturing Essence realm!
Li Yang's defeat by Yan Daozong did not surprise Li Qingqiu. What surprised him was how Li Yang had even gone to Tianxuan Mountain in the first place.
"Sect Master, although I am only at the fourth layer of the Nurturing Essence realm, my Heavenly Firmament Golden Body Art wasn't cultivated in vain. To be honest, if I were to spar with Senior Brother Li Yang, I don't think I would necessarily lose."
Xiao Wudi spoke seriously.
He possessed the Born Body Cultivator fate, which made his cultivation of the Heavenly Firmament Golden Body Art smooth sailing—one could even say unstoppable. He had tremendous confidence in his own strength.
Xiao Wuqing and Xiao Wuming did not refute him. They trusted Xiao Wudi just as much, believing that their eldest brother merely lacked an opportunity—an opportunity to prove that he was not inferior to Li Yang, Ji Ya, Han Lang, and the others.
"I'm going too!" Yun Cai said.
When Xiao Wudi heard her speak, he frowned slightly, opened his mouth, but did not dare boast in front of her.