After a brief moment of shock, Li Yang's fury exploded. He gripped his spear tightly and charged forward, sprinting past Li Qingqiu in a blur.
Reaching the Xi River, he leapt high and unleashed his lightness skill, vanishing swiftly into the forest beyond.
Li Qingqiu turned to the craftsmen, who all looked pale with fear. Smiling, he said, "The mountain gate and statue both turned out splendidly. You've done well. You may leave now."
With that, he turned and walked calmly in the direction Li Yang had gone, his steps slow and steady.
Li Yang moved through the forest like a storm. His breath was sharp, his steps powerful, his anger barely contained.
A piercing whistle split the air ahead.
He tilted his head just in time to dodge the arrow, the shaft grazing past his ear. In that same instant, his sharp eyes caught the faint shadow of the shooter.
The man looked like a hunter—simple clothing, quiver slung across his back—but his face was hidden behind a black cloth. He stood balanced on a tree branch, bow drawn. Seeing that his first shot failed, he spun and fled without hesitation, darting through the treetops as swiftly as a monkey leaping from branch to branch.
Li Yang gave chase, his spear glinting in the dim light. He pursued for several li, but the distance between them never closed. Rage burned in his chest.
He stopped suddenly, then hurled his spear with all his might.
The weapon tore through the air with a sharp howl—but the man twisted his body mid-leap and evaded it with uncanny agility. The spear struck a thick trunk and embedded deep into the wood.
As Li Yang passed that same tree, he leapt up, wrenched the spear free in one motion, and resumed pursuit.
But his stamina and vital energy weren't endless. By the time his breathing grew heavy, his fury had cooled slightly.
That was, until he noticed something odd—the fleeing man had slowed down too. The hunter even turned his head mid-run. Though his face was covered, Li Yang could feel the mocking smile beneath the mask.
Grinding his teeth, Li Yang snarled under his breath. He refused to believe he couldn't catch this man.
Locking eyes on his target, he pushed forward for another two li. Then suddenly, the man tumbled from the trees ahead.
Li Yang slowed his steps, caution rising. When he was less than five zhang away, he approached slowly, spear raised.
Through a cluster of leaves, he saw the man lying sprawled in an open clearing. A pool of blood spread beneath him.
"What happened…?"
Li Yang frowned. He didn't believe the man simply tripped.
Before he could think further, a teasing voice echoed through the woods.
"Well, isn't this our Martial Champion? Since when did you start letting people lead you around like a dog?"
Li Yang turned sharply. Three figures emerged from the trees ahead. He recognized the two walking in front.
Jiang Zhaoxia. Li Sifeng.
Memories flickered back—years ago, he had traveled with them to the Martial Gathering, facing countless dangers together. They had built real camaraderie. Later, he'd heard rumors that the two were ambushed by the Heavenly Saber Sect and their fate was unknown. In his anger, he had even stirred the Li clan's forces to seek vengeance.
The one who had mocked him just now was, of course, Li Sifeng.
But Li Yang didn't take offense. Instead, he smiled faintly and asked, "You two killed him?"
"Not killed," Jiang Zhaoxia said coolly. "Just made sure he can't run anymore. Take him back up the mountain."
His tone was calm, but there was an edge of authority in it. He wasn't being dismissive—if anything, it meant he acknowledged Li Yang as a companion.
Li Yang nodded. His gaze shifted toward the plain-clothed woman standing behind them. "And this young lady is…?"
"Not your business," Li Sifeng said with a playful grin.
Li Yang immediately understood and said nothing more. Stepping forward, he lifted the fallen assassin by the collar. He tore away the black mask, studied the face for a moment, then slung the man's limp body over his shoulder.
As they walked together, he asked, "How long have you two been down the mountain?"
"More than half a year," Li Sifeng replied proudly. "You've got no idea what we've been through—blades flashing, fires blazing… it's been like living inside an epic tale."
Li Yang chuckled. "Then I'll be expecting a story when we're back."
The group of four moved together through the woods and soon spotted Li Qingqiu waiting ahead.
"Senior Brother, mission complete!" Li Sifeng shouted, jogging up to him with a grin. He was nearly as tall as Li Qingqiu now, but standing beside him, he still looked like an excited kid.
"Good work," Li Qingqiu said with a smile. "Come on, let's head back. You can all admire the new mountain gate on the way."
He glanced at Jiang Zhaoxia, who responded with a small, respectful nod.
As they walked, Li Qingqiu told Li Sifeng to recount everything that had happened during the last six months.
Li Sifeng hesitated, glancing at Li Yang.
"He's already part of Qingxiao Sect," Li Qingqiu said calmly. "I haven't taken him as a disciple yet, but I intend to train him personally. Trust me—he's worth it."
Li Yang felt a wave of emotion rise in his chest, his throat tight. He didn't know how to thank him.
Taking that as a cue, Li Sifeng began narrating their adventures.
Li Qingqiu had a reason for letting Li Yang hear it all. He suspected that the blood feud of the Alchemy Clan was linked to the imperial court. If Li Yang could learn the truth, he might finally lose his lingering illusions about the Great Li Dynasty and see the world as it truly was.
Li Yang always claimed to be "confused," but in truth, his pain came from clinging to false hope. If that hope shattered, he would focus entirely on his martial path—and perhaps one day, even rise to overthrow the emperor himself.
Li Sifeng continued. "Miss Chen's family was targeted by the Cui clan of Linchuan. Her father refused to bow, so the entire family was slaughtered. She was captured by the Cui clan's hired masters and taken into the mountains. They discovered she was the most talented alchemist of her clan, so they forced her to refine pills for them. Later, we found out the Cui clan originally served the emperor—but they grew greedy and hid Miss Chen away for themselves…"
When Li Sifeng mentioned the emperor, Li Yang's face darkened immediately.
The rest of the tale was simple enough—how they found Miss Chen, how they fought, and how they finally escaped pursuit.
To avoid bringing trouble to Qingxiao Sect, they traveled across three provinces, taking long detours, killing countless pursuers along the way.
Li Qingqiu glanced over his shoulder at Miss Chen and smiled. "Miss Chen, why not join Qingxiao Sect? You and your father won't have a safer place to go. I'll send word to the Qin family and have your father brought here."
The girl looked only sixteen or seventeen, small and thin. She wasn't particularly pretty, her skin slightly tanned, and she walked at the rear of the group, timid and silent.
When she heard Li Qingqiu's offer, she quickly nodded. "Mm." That was all she said.
Li Qingqiu turned away and gestured for Li Sifeng to continue his account. At the same time, he opened the Dao Lineage Interface.
Her full name appeared before him: Chen Huilan, seventeen years old, Cultivation Aptitude—Unranked, Comprehension—Fair, and she possessed a unique Fate.
[ Alchemical Talent: Displays mild aptitude and understanding in the art of alchemy. ]
'Mild aptitude…'
Li Qingqiu wasn't thrilled, but a faint smile touched his lips nonetheless.
At least now, Qingxiao Sect finally had someone capable of opening the path of alchemy.
Before night fell, the group returned to the mountain. Li Sifeng went to arrange lodging for Chen Huilan, while Li Qingqiu carried the captured assassin alone to the rear mountain and cast the Soul-Binding Curse.
That same night, he summoned every Hall Master to a meeting. Even Zhu Yan, the Vice Hall Master of the Heavenly Works Hall, was called in.
Zhu Yan's loyalty to Qingxiao Sect was already proven—her guard, Su Xiling, had once fought side by side with Qingxiao Sect against the Demonic Sect. She had already turned against the emperor, which was why Li Qingqiu decided to trust her with this matter.
First, Li Qingqiu had Zhang Yuchun brief everyone on Chen Huilan's background. The room fell silent afterward. Tragedies like hers were, sadly, no longer rare.
"Miss Chen hails from a family of alchemists," Li Qingqiu said evenly. "She'll join the Heavenly Works Hall from now on."
His eyes turned toward Zhu Yan.
Though she held only the title of Vice Hall Master, she wielded the authority of a full one. She nodded slightly. "Understood."
"This matter must not spread beyond this room," Li Qingqiu continued, his tone firm. "You will all help protect Miss Chen. If anyone strange approaches her, you are to watch carefully."
He swept his gaze around the table. Every Hall Master nodded solemnly.
Zhu Yan couldn't tell whether Li Qingqiu brought her into this meeting to test her loyalty or because he truly trusted her. But regardless of the reason, she felt something change—she was finally becoming part of Qingxiao Sect.
"The second matter," Li Qingqiu said, "is that someone tried to assassinate me today. Had my martial skills been weaker, his arrow would have gone straight through my skull."
The words struck the room like thunder. Zhang Yuchun, Li Dongyue, Li Sijin, and Yang Jueding all leapt to their feet, furious and alarmed, each asking about his condition at once.
Li Qingqiu raised his hand, motioning them to calm down. "You all know my strength. What matters now is how we handle this."
Yang Jueding leaned forward. "Should I interrogate him? I'll make him reveal who sent him."
Li Qingqiu smiled faintly. "I already know. The man serves the Nine Absolutes Sect, one of the three great sects of Dongling Prefecture. He acted under direct orders from their sect master—but he doesn't know why the Nine Absolutes Sect wants to target us."
Yang Jueding frowned. "The Nine Absolutes Sect is considered a righteous sect. They have deep ties with the orthodox factions."
Li Qingqiu looked to Zhu Yan. "Hall Master Zhu, you're more familiar with the world beyond the sect than most of us. What do you think we should do?"
Everyone turned their eyes toward her.
Behind her veil, Zhu Yan's expression didn't waver. "Even if we drag the assassin to confront the Nine Absolutes Sect, it's pointless. They'll have already prepared excuses—and backup plans. What we need is defense… or offense. If you require it, Sect Master, the Zhu family can investigate and uncover their motives."
Her calm composure left a deep impression on everyone. They were reminded just how valuable it was to have scholars and tacticians within the sect.
But Li Qingqiu simply shook his head. "Too troublesome. My thought is simpler—destroy the Nine Absolutes Sect."
The room went silent. Even Zhu Yan's eyes flickered slightly, and everyone else looked stunned. Only Li Sifeng's face lit up with excitement.
Yang Jueding hesitated. "To attack without full investigation might be… reckless."
Li Qingqiu's face remained unreadable. He couldn't tell them about the Soul-Binding Curse or how it forced truth from the assassin's memories. "We don't need to wipe them out completely," he said coldly. "But they must be broken—so that they can no longer stand. Kill their sect master first. If anyone tries to stop us, kill them too. I don't care why they targeted us. Since they dared make the first move, they must pay the price."
He paused, his voice like steel. "Even if someone else is using them as pawns, I'll make sure the one behind it learns to fear Qingxiao Sect."
Yang Jueding's mouth opened, but no words came out.
Li Sijin frowned. "Senior Brother, if the truth never comes to light, and the martial world doesn't know the reason behind the conflict… won't they brand us as a demonic sect?"
Li Qingqiu chuckled softly. "When did I ever say Qingxiao Sect was a righteous one? We can do good—but only if we first protect our own. If that assassin had targeted one of our disciples instead of me, what then?"
Silence fell over the hall. The thought of a disciple dying right below their mountain gate chilled everyone.
"I'll go," Jiang Zhaoxia said simply, his tone curt as always.
Li Qingqiu shook his head. "Not this time. I'll have others handle it. Xue Jin will lead, with twelve True Disciples accompanying him—personally chosen by me."
He straightened, his voice low and final. "Before the end of this year, I want the Nine Absolutes Sect erased from the martial world."
"What do you all say?"