It was another clear and beautiful day.
Li Qingqiu stood with Yuan Li and Zhao Zhen at the mountaintop, facing the rising sun. As the morning light spilled across the sky, strands of purple qi drifted from the east, filling their lungs and minds with calm clarity.
When their morning cultivation ended, Li Qingqiu was just about to stand when Yuan Li suddenly asked, "Master, am I really suited for cultivation?"
His face was full of confusion. Sitting on the other side, Zhao Zhen looked at him but didn't know what to say.
"Of course you are," Li Qingqiu said seriously. "There's no one in this world who's truly unfit to cultivate the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra. I can see your potential clearly. You just need an opportunity—a moment that lets you break your own shackles. When that time comes, you'll soar into the heavens and become the brightest star in all of Qingxiao Sect… perhaps even the entire world."
Inwardly, Li Qingqiu added with amusement, My good disciple, don't give up yet. Your master's still waiting to copy your talent.
He could understand Yuan Li's doubt. The boy had better treatment than most True Disciples—he followed Li Qingqiu personally for cultivation—yet compared to Zhao Zhen's monstrous progress, Yuan Li's advancement was painfully slow.
If not for the fact that he'd already managed to cultivate his vital energy, he might've fallen into despair.
But that was all—Yuan Li still couldn't see a path forward to the second layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm.
Hearing his master's words, Yuan Li wanted to believe, but couldn't. He forced a smile.
Li Qingqiu immediately smacked the back of his head. "Silly disciple! What are you even worrying about? You're only six years old! When we were six, we couldn't even compare to you. Forget us—look at the sect! How many disciples have cultivated for years and still haven't even stepped into the Nurturing Essence Realm?"
That did make Yuan Li feel a little better.
"Shackles, huh…"
He muttered to himself. Sometimes, he really could sense an invisible barrier pressing down on him, trapping his cultivation, keeping him from advancing further.
Li Qingqiu didn't press the matter. He simply took Yuan Li by the hand and led him down the mountain.
Meanwhile, Zhao Zhen asked, "Master, can I go to the Martial Platform to spar?"
He had already reached the second layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm—at six years old. That kind of progress was dazzling.
"Not yet," Li Qingqiu replied gently. "You're still too young. Focus on strengthening your foundation first."
He didn't want the boy getting addicted to the thrill of beating weaker opponents—it would only make him arrogant and complacent.
Li Qingqiu had already realized Zhao Zhen's one big flaw—he liked to show off. That needed to be tempered.
Zhao Zhen pouted. "Then when can I fight?"
"When you're twelve."
"Ah? That's another six years away!"
"Six years later, you can challenge for the number one title in the martial world. Doesn't that sound better?"
Zhao Zhen's eyes brightened. "Hmm… yeah, that actually sounds pretty good."
The three of them laughed as they walked down the mountain together. When they arrived back at Lingxiao Courtyard, Li Qingqiu once again reminded Zhao Zhen to study his cultivation techniques carefully, then set off alone down the mountain.
The new mountain gate and the great eagle statue at its base had been completed the day before. During dinner, Zhang Yuchun had asked him to inspect them one last time before the craftsmen were dismissed.
As he made his way along the mountain road, disciples greeted him one after another. Li Qingqiu smiled and nodded in return, keeping his pace steady.
Partway down, a thought suddenly crossed his mind—he was actually a lot like Zhao Zhen.
He liked showing off too… though he was better at hiding it.
Passing by one of the guest courtyards, Li Qingqiu stopped. Through a half-open door, he saw someone inside practicing spear techniques—Li Yang.
The young Martial Champion had been on the mountain for quite some time now, but the two of them had never spoken directly. Both knew the awkward history between them, yet neither brought it up.
'Looks like losing to Chai Yunshang hit him hard,' Li Qingqiu thought.
Li Yang had already fought alongside Qingxiao Sect twice, and even gave pointers to the disciples occasionally. At this point, he was half a Qingxiao Sect disciple himself.
Li Qingqiu didn't dislike him; he simply didn't want too many ties with the Li clan. But seeing Li Yang so determined, he felt it was time to let go of the past.
Whatever else could be said, Li Yang had once been the Martial Champion—his talent was undeniable. He probably possessed a rare Fate. His shortcomings weren't due to lack of talent, but because the techniques he practiced were far inferior to the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra.
After a moment's thought, Li Qingqiu called out, "Li Yang."
The young man froze mid-strike. He turned his head, startled, and saw Li Qingqiu standing at the gate watching him. Panic flickered across his face.
"Lord Li…" he stammered, suddenly unsure how to act.
He had been here for months, yet this was the first time Li Qingqiu had spoken to him.
When he first came to Qingxiao Sect, he still saw Li Qingqiu as a younger clansman. But that had long since changed. Now, he believed what all the disciples said—this man was no ordinary mortal.
The Sect Master was like an immortal descended to earth. Otherwise, how could he be so powerful?
Looking back, Li Yang realized something. Perhaps it wasn't that Li Qingqiu was cursed by ill fate—it was that his destiny burned too brightly. The Li clan had been blind and let the greatest fortune of their bloodline slip away.
Li Qingqiu gestured for him to come over. "Walk with me down the mountain," he said with a smile.
Li Yang hesitated, then instinctively replied, "Alright."
As they descended together, Li Yang followed a few steps behind, watching the man's calm, steady back. His emotions churned—excitement, unease, and a faint sense of guilt.
"You seem… lost," Li Qingqiu said casually, without turning around.
Li Yang took a deep breath. "I am," he admitted. "I've practiced martial arts since childhood. I wanted to serve the Great Li Dynasty, to drive back our enemies and become a general respected by all. But now, I see that the dynasty I swore to protect isn't what I thought it was. I don't know if I should keep serving it. My cousin told me I should try to change it… but how could that even be possible?"
"Lord Li, how do you see the world today?"
Li Yang's voice trembled slightly. Somewhere in his heart, the thought of joining Qingxiao Sect had already taken root—so strong that he no longer wished to return to his family.
Li Qingqiu replied calmly, "The world is indeed dark now. Everyone lives in fear. I don't have a solution either. But I believe in one thing—evil people will eventually be taken by Heaven. I can't tell you what you should do or which path to walk. That's something you must decide for yourself; that's your life's question."
He smiled faintly. "The only advice I can give is this—if you can't see through it, then stop thinking about it. Focus on your martial path. Your spear will one day give you the answer."
Li Yang's face dimmed. His voice sank with frustration. "Work hard on martial arts… I've never been lazy. But I…"
"Then tell me," Li Qingqiu interrupted, "do you want to join Qingxiao Sect?"
"Join… Qingxiao Sect?"
Li Yang froze, his heartbeat suddenly quickening.
Qingxiao Sect was no longer what it once was. Countless noble families now begged to send their sons and daughters into its ranks. He knew he was qualified—but to be personally invited by Li Qingqiu himself? That, he never dared to imagine.
Ever since losing to Chai Yunshang, he had stopped calling himself a genius.
He knew how sharp Li Qingqiu's eye for talent was. Just look at Xue Jin—if Li Qingqiu hadn't personally named him for the Thirteen Swords of Qingxiao's Might, even Jiang Zhaoxia wouldn't have noticed him.
"You can still go down the mountain to pursue your ambitions in the future," Li Qingqiu said softly. "Whenever you want to return, the gates will be open. Just don't forget where you belong."
As he spoke, he smiled and nodded toward two disciples greeting him respectfully from the nearby woods.
Li Yang stopped walking. Then, with sudden resolve, he lifted his robe and knelt on the stone steps. Looking at Li Qingqiu's back, he said solemnly, "Disciple Li Yang wishes to join Qingxiao Sect! Thank you, Sect Master, for your trust!"
Li Qingqiu turned slightly, then chuckled and shook his head. "Get up already. I'm not taking you as a disciple."
Li Yang blinked, then laughed awkwardly and quickly stood, following after him.
From that moment, his spirit completely reignited. Nothing could have lifted him higher than being personally invited into Qingxiao Sect—it was proof that he still had value, that his talent hadn't faded.
As they continued down the mountain, Li Qingqiu silently brought up his Dao Lineage Interface, locating Li Yang's profile.
[ Name: Li Yang ]
[ Gender: Male ]
[ Age: 23 years ]
[ Loyalty (to Sect Master / Sect): 91 / 86 (max 100) ]
[ Cultivation Aptitude: Excellent ]
[ Comprehension: Excellent ]
[ Fate: Dragon Soul Protection, Peerless Loyalty and Courage ]
[ Dragon Soul Protection: An ancestor once consumed the flesh of a true dragon, binding the dragon's soul to his bloodline. The spirit of the dragon passes down through generations. Once this person steps onto the immortal path, the dragon soul will gradually awaken. With every major realm breakthrough, he will gain more of the dragon's power. ]
[ Peerless Loyalty and Courage: Toward those who show him grace, his loyalty is absolute. Once he commits to something, he will never retreat, no matter the danger or the strength of his enemy. ]
...
'Good heavens!'
Is it too late to make him my disciple now?
Li Qingqiu had long suspected that the Martial Champion's panel wouldn't be ordinary, but seeing it for himself still stunned him.
Both his Cultivation Aptitude and Comprehension were Excellent—the same level as Ji Ya. Across the entire Qingxiao Sect, only Jiang Zhaoxia, Xu Ning, and Zhao Zhen surpassed him, and even then, only by a single grade.
But what truly drew Li Qingqiu's attention was the Dragon Soul Protection.
That Fate alone changed everything. The description suggested that as Li Yang grew stronger, he would continually draw upon the dragon soul's power, meaning his combat strength couldn't be measured by normal standards.
Li Qingqiu's impression of him flipped completely.
'Forget letting him go down the mountain—he's staying here for good.'
He almost blurted that out right then.
He wasn't some selfless saint. When he cultivated disciples, he naturally wanted the talented ones to stay and grow the sect's strength. Only those with mediocre aptitude or no hope of the immortal path would he eventually release.
Once Li Yang officially joined Qingxiao Sect, his entire demeanor changed. The despair and dullness vanished; the confident Martial Champion of the past returned in full spirit.
When he heard that Li Qingqiu planned to teach him the sect's supreme technique, he was so moved he nearly teared up.
"I just joined, yet you'd pass such a technique to me? How can you trust me so easily?" he asked nervously.
Li Qingqiu replied casually, "Just joined? You've been on this mountain how long now? Besides, I trust my own judgment. Passing the supreme art to you will only make Qingxiao Sect stronger."
The calmness in his tone made Li Yang's chest tighten with gratitude.
As they walked, Li Yang couldn't seem to stop talking. It was as if all the words he'd bottled up over the past year came pouring out. Li Qingqiu felt like he was walking beside Li Sifeng all over again.
An hour passed.
Even at a quick pace, it took them that long to reach the foot of the mountain.
In front of the mountain gate, eight craftsmen from the Chai family were resting. When they saw Li Qingqiu and Li Yang approaching, they quickly stood and bowed.
The mountain gate stood tall at the end of the stone path. Behind it, the forest stretched endlessly; ahead lay an open plain with the Xi River flowing gently nearby, its waters murmuring softly.
A massive stone eagle—nearly two zhang high—stood before the gate, its wings spread wide in a proud, imposing stance.
Li Qingqiu walked up to the statue, observing it from the front. The proportions were perfect, the carving powerful yet elegant. He nodded in satisfaction. The craftsmen's skills were truly impressive.
Li Yang stepped closer to say something—but his eyes suddenly locked on a distant point, sharp as a blade.
"Mas—" he began.
Before he could finish the word, Li Qingqiu lifted his hand. With two fingers, he effortlessly caught a whistling arrow that shot from behind them, as though he had foreseen its path long before it was released.