In mid-July, the Heavenly Works Hall began selling storage bags. The first batch consisted of only ten units. There was no prior announcement and no auction. As soon as they were put up for sale, they sold out almost instantly, and news about the storage bags spread rapidly.
Being able to stuff an entire bundle into a bag the size of a palm—who wouldn't want such a treasure?
For a time, the Heavenly Works Hall became extremely lively, even overshadowing the Cultivation Hall.
Some hall masters even went to Li Qingqiu, hoping to place bulk orders for their respective halls.
Yang Jueding proposed that storage bags be designated as strategic materials, to be granted only to disciples who had made outstanding contributions to the sect, but Li Qingqiu rejected the suggestion.
The primary material for storage bags was spirit copper. There was an abundance of spirit copper, making hoarding unnecessary.
Only by rapidly developing Qingxiao Sect could they explore more cultivation resources. The world was vast, and Li Qingqiu's vision had never been limited to the lands of the Nine Provinces alone.
No matter how the upper ranks tried to persuade him, Li Qingqiu remained resolute. He insisted on opening the sale of storage bags to sect disciples. As long as one had sufficient Dao Fate, one could purchase them, and large batches would be listed for sale in the future.
This news spread quickly, causing many disciples to clap in delight.
If distribution were based solely on outstanding contributions, the vast majority of disciples would never get their hands on a storage bag.
As the number of sect disciples continued to grow, the baseline of fairness became increasingly blurred. Sometimes, connections mattered more than aptitude or contributions.
Most importantly, the price of storage bags was not high, tentatively set at 200 Dao Fate plus 200 guan.
This price was not expensive—if anything, it was rather cheap. For current sect disciples, whether Dao Fate or worldly money, there were channels to earn both.
After the Heavenly Works Hall announced the price, Zhang Yuchun brought Chai Yunshang and Han Lang to see Li Qingqiu.
Han Lang was already acting as the deputy head of the Sword Sect, managing matters large and small. At twenty-one years of age, he had reached the fifth layer of the Nurturing Essence realm and was capable of standing on his own.
His Cultivation Aptitude could not be considered top-tier—only Fair—but Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Qingqiu had taken turns pouring resources into him. Jiang Zhaoxia, in particular, spared no effort in nurturing him.
"Senior Brother, if storage bags flow into the hands of outsiders, or if disciples sell them to people outside the sect, how should this be handled?" Zhang Yuchun asked. Bringing Chai Yunshang and Han Lang with him, he wanted to establish new sect rules.
As he spoke, he could not help but glance at the person standing behind Li Qingqiu.
It was Chu Jing.
The name Lord Jing had gradually spread. Many people now knew that there was a masked individual acting on behalf of the sect master.
As more people began acting for the sect master, many realized that beyond the Eight Halls and the Sword Sect, another faction would emerge.
Yuan Qi, Yun Cai, the three Xiao brothers, and Lord Jing—among these four, all possessed top-tier potential. In another ten years, the sect's structure would inevitably change.
Li Qingqiu pondered briefly before saying, "If outsiders obtain a storage bag, investigate first. If it was not acquired through robbery, allow them to return it. If they refuse, handle the matter strictly. If it was obtained through robbery, execute them on the spot."
"As for our own disciples who lose their storage bags, punishment will depend on the circumstances. Minor cases will result in the deduction of some Dao Fate. Severe cases will require serving as menial disciples for a set period. If any disciple sells a storage bag to outsiders, punish them without leniency—at minimum, abolish their cultivation and expel them from the sect; at worst, enslave them for life, permanently confining them within the sect. Those with malicious intent may be sentenced to death."
Wu Xingyue had engraved the two characters "Qingxiao" into the restrictions of the storage bags. When cultivators probed them with vital energy, they could see those characters. Attempting to erase them would easily damage the bag's overall restrictions.
Chai Yunshang and Han Lang nodded. Seeing that the sect master remained decisive and ruthless, they felt reassured.
Zhang Yuchun then asked, "Senior Brother, by the end of the year, you plan to introduce the Qingxiao Sword as well. Isn't that too fast?"
Li Qingqiu could see the loyalty of the sect's disciples, allowing him to steer the sect's direction. As such, he did not think it was fast.
"It will only get faster in the future. That's why you need to make time for cultivation. Cultivation is the top priority. Our Qingxiao Sect is an immortal cultivation sect, not a secular martial sect—let alone a court. Managing the sect is important, but it can never compare to one's own cultivation."
Li Qingqiu spoke earnestly. As the sect grew larger, it could continue operating without any single individual. The Spirit Management Hall, in particular, was brimming with talent. As long as Zhang Yuchun distributed his tasks among different disciples, he could free up more time to cultivate.
Zhang Yuchun's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, thinking his senior brother was admonishing him.
"What we are striving for is longevity. If you cultivate diligently, you can hold authority for hundreds, even thousands, of years. If you abandon cultivation, you will only enjoy a few decades of life," Li Qingqiu said, also looking at Chai Yunshang and Han Lang as he spoke.
A thousand years?
All three of them felt their hearts tremble.
Li Qingqiu stopped persuading them further, rose, and returned to his cave dwelling.
Lord Jing walked over to Zhang Yuchun and said, "I'll go with you. The sect master has already explained the specific rules to me. I'll help you revise the sect regulations."
Zhang Yuchun noticed the Tianhong Sword hanging at his waist and was secretly astonished, instantly guessing Lord Jing's true identity.
He stood up and nodded to Lord Jing, then turned and left, with Lord Jing following closely behind.
Chai Yunshang and Han Lang, meanwhile, were extremely curious about Lord Jing's true identity. Someone entrusted with such importance by the sect master clearly had profound credentials—so why wear a mask?
The moon set and the sun rose.
Early the next morning, the new sect rules regarding storage bags were posted across all peaks and courtyards. Rather than being intimidated, the disciples grew excited. This meant storage bags would be listed in large quantities—how could they not be happy?
At noon, Yuan Qi's voice entered Li Qingqiu's cave dwelling: "Reporting to the Sect Master, Elder Shen Yue has returned with others."
"Good. Have them wait in the courtyard."
"Yes!"
Li Qingqiu opened his eyes. He could already sense a not-weak current of inner qi. Amid the vital energy filling the mountain, that inner qi stood out with striking clarity.
This was the first time he had ever sensed such powerful inner qi. Back then, even Shen Yue's inner qi had not been this formidable.
Could it be that Shen Yue had really brought Yan Daozong back?
Reliable!
Earlier, he had been worried that Shen Yue might stumble. The facts proved that Number One Under Heaven was still Number One Under Heaven—he had not been weakened simply because he had submitted to him.
The corners of Li Qingqiu's mouth lifted slightly. He then rose and walked out of his cave dwelling.
Within the Lingxiao Courtyard.
Shen Yue, Li Yang, Yan Daozong, and Yuan Qi stood before a long table. Yuan Qi was openly sizing up Yan Daozong with curiosity.
Yan Daozong was still dressed in pure white robes, a sword at his waist. His white hair was gathered beneath a hair crown, his bearing elegant and refined.
From the moment he came up the mountain, everyone who passed by could not help but look at him. His presence was simply too outstanding.
Along the way, Yan Daozong's mood had been filled with emotion.
Qingxiao Sect was far stronger than he had imagined. He felt that if Tianxuan Mountain were to oppose Qingxiao Sect, it would certainly be reduced to ashes. At the same time, his resolve strengthened—Qingxiao Sect truly would not deliberately suppress Tianxuan Mountain, because the gap between them was simply too vast.
An hour earlier, he had watched a duel between two Qingxiao Sect disciples at the martial platform halfway up the mountain. The sight had left him silent.
Experts like Li Yang and Yang Dong—Qingxiao Sect actually had two of them. And after further inquiry, he learned that there were still two peerless experts not weaker than Shen Yue, not even counting the sect master himself.
By the time he arrived at the Lingxiao Courtyard, Yan Daozong had already adjusted his mindset.
He did not mind Yuan Qi's gaze. He was already prepared to be humiliated—after all, he had lost.
Even now, when he recalled Shen Yue's sword strike, he still found it exquisitely profound.
However, Shen Yue had told him that the strike was merely created by imitating the sect master's Soul-Stealing Flying Sword. This made him curious about what kind of splendor Qingxiao Sect's sect master's Soul-Stealing Flying Sword truly possessed.
Just as Yan Daozong's thoughts wandered, he caught sight of Li Qingqiu approaching from the small path behind the courtyard. Immediately after, he saw Yuan Qi, Shen Yue, and Li Yang bow toward Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu was younger than Yan Daozong had imagined. A gentle smile hung on his face, making people feel as though they were bathed in spring sunlight.
At the first glance of Li Qingqiu, Yan Daozong inexplicably felt goodwill toward him, sensing that he was not an overbearing person.
"Why are you all standing? Sit and talk. Yuan Qi, why haven't you poured tea? Isn't this neglecting our guest?"
Li Qingqiu asked with a smile. Yuan Qi hurried off to the kitchen to brew tea.
Only after Li Qingqiu sat down did the three others take their seats.
"Sect Master, this is Yan Daozong, the sect master of Tianxuan Mountain. We made a wager. After losing, he agreed to join Qingxiao Sect, so he came with us."
Shen Yue introduced him first. Hearing this, Yan Daozong smiled helplessly and clasped his fists toward Li Qingqiu.
So good at putting on an act!
Li Qingqiu sighed inwardly, then praised him graciously. "Worthy of being the Sword God—you didn't disappoint me. If you act independently, your mission completion rate can be said to be 100 percent."
At the first half of the sentence, Shen Yue felt immensely pleased. But the latter half caused his smile to stiffen. Xue Jin's severed arm still weighed heavily on his mind.
Li Qingqiu looked at Yan Daozong and said, "I wonder whether Sect Master Yan truly intends to join Qingxiao Sect, or whether you plan to stay for a few years and then return?"
Yan Daozong was surprised and asked in astonishment, "I still have a choice?"
Li Qingqiu smiled. "Tianxuan Mountain is, after all, one of the Two Saints of the Martial World. Qingxiao Sect should naturally show respect."
That made Shen Yue unhappy. "What? Respecting Tianxuan Mountain means not respecting me, the Sword God? Back when you made a wager with me, why didn't you give me a choice?"
"You chose already. Isn't this your choice right now?" Li Qingqiu shrugged.
Shen Yue opened his mouth, but found himself unable to refute it.
Watching them bicker, Yan Daozong grew even more curious. At Tianxuan Mountain, this kind of banter would never happen. Even between him and his junior brother, they could not joke like this. Serious discussions often turned into arguments, let alone mutual teasing.
Yan Daozong took a deep breath and said, "A wager is a wager, and I accept my loss. As long as Qingxiao Sect has use for me, I will stay. However, I must make one thing clear, Sect Master—I only practice Martial Dao. I do not cultivate the Immortal Dao."
Li Yang laughed upon hearing this. "Once you cultivate the Immortal Dao, you might change your mind."
Yan Daozong remained unmoved, his gaze fixed firmly on Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu did not get angry. Instead, he smiled. "That's perfectly fine. Qingxiao Sect also has martial arts. My disciple Zhao Zhen seeks the integration of Martial Dao and Immortal Dao. You can exchange insights more often in the future. How about this—I will establish a Martial Sect branch for you. You will serve as its Martial Elder. Although the Martial Sect cannot stand on equal footing with the Eight Halls, it can still contribute its share to the sect."
At these words, both Shen Yue and Li Yang were surprised. Yan Daozong raised his brows, clearly taken aback.
Li Qingqiu continued, "The path of cultivating immortality is a path of contending with heaven. Not all disciples possess the aptitude for immortal cultivation. I also want to find more paths and hope for them. If they cannot cultivate immortality, then they can practice martial arts. Qingxiao Sect cannot abandon contributing disciples simply because of aptitude issues."