As the end of the year passed and the Spring Festival arrived, Qingxiao Mountain was filled with color. Lanterns and ribbons stretched from the mountain's base to its peak, brightening the snow-covered landscape with splashes of light.
In a quiet grove, a small medicine garden lay nestled among the trees. It belonged to Li Sijin, and within it grew the spiritual herbs she had cultivated herself.
At this moment, Li Sijin crouched by the edge of a medicinal patch, staring intently at a single sprout of spirit grass. Snow still clung to the soil below. Even though she had people clear it every day, there was always more; the disciples were too afraid of damaging the herbs to remove it completely.
She could feel a faint pulse of spiritual energy inside the grass, her heart tight with nervous excitement.
She had tried this countless times. Many herbs could indeed develop a trace of spiritual energy, but the moment they were uprooted, that energy would disperse almost instantly. She had never managed to preserve it before.
Today, she was ready to try again.
When the time felt right, she took a deep breath and carefully plucked the spirit grass.
She held it flat in her palm and watched it closely, her tension mounting with every passing moment.
"Excuse me, how do I get to Qingxiao Sect?"
The sudden voice behind her nearly made her jump. Li Sijin turned her head slightly and saw a scholar standing outside the fence, watching her from a polite distance.
He looked to be around twenty or thirty years old, wearing clean robes. His complexion was a little sallow, his appearance plain, but his smile carried a certain warmth.
"Follow the mountain path," Li Sijin said curtly. "There are signs along the way."
The scholar didn't leave right away. Instead, he asked curiously, "Miss, what are you doing? Do you need help?"
"No, just go already!"
Her tone carried clear irritation.
The scholar quickly bowed in apology, then turned and hurried up the mountain.
Li Sijin's gaze returned to the herb in her palm. After a while, her lips curled into a smile—but she restrained herself.
"Not yet," she murmured softly. "Don't get too happy too soon."
Her excitement surged nonetheless. Senior Brother had said that spiritual plants were vital to Qingxiao Sect's future—they were the cornerstone of the sect's development.
She lacked Zhang Yuchun's administrative skill and Jiang Zhaoxia's martial talent, but she still wanted to contribute—to make her Senior Brother proud.
Half an hour passed before she finally stood, walking to a nearby wooden table. She placed the herb into a small wooden box she had prepared earlier. Only after sealing it did she finally cheer aloud, hopping up and down in delight.
She had done it!
After several jumps, she grabbed the box and left the medicine garden, hurrying up the mountain path.
As she moved, she couldn't help but activate her Gale Technique, stirring up snow mist behind her as she raced upward.
When she arrived at the Lingxiao Courtyard, Li Qingqiu wasn't there yet. She had to wait.
Since the establishment of the Seven Halls, the courtyard had grown quieter during the day. Even Yuan Li and Zhao Zhen rarely stayed around. Bored, she began practicing the Divine Curse of the Mountain Lord.
She hadn't been interested in the spell at first—after all, she rarely fought—but after seeing Ji Ya cast it, she had been captivated by the majestic image of the Mountain Lord. That had been enough to make her want to learn it herself.
As she cultivated, time slipped by quickly.
By dusk, Li Qingqiu returned to the courtyard with Yuan Li, Zhao Zhen, and Li Yang following behind him.
Li Yang had already reached the first layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm. That day, he had trained under Li Qingqiu's guidance and even sparred with Zhao Zhen.
Li Yang had been shocked by Zhao Zhen's talent—it reshaped his understanding of what "genius" meant—but instead of discouraging him, it motivated him further. His own progress was fast, and he knew it.
Li Qingqiu had taken a special interest in training him—not only because of his Cultivation Aptitude and Fate, but also because his loyalty score was rising quickly, now reaching 96.
He had noticed that loyalty below 90 tended to fluctuate. Once, he'd even seen a disciple's loyalty drop from 89 to 71. But among those above 90, not one had ever fallen.
To put it bluntly, Li Yang could already be treated as a trusted aide.
Li Qingqiu had even decided on his future role—he would become a Protector, responsible for guarding Qingxiao Sect. For now, all he needed to do was train hard and grow stronger.
Li Yang's personality was that of a battle maniac. His future achievements would no doubt be extraordinary. Within the sect, Li Qingqiu believed he had a real chance to rank among Qingxiao's top three strongest disciples.
When talent and comprehension were about equal, the one who trained harder always went farther.
"Senior Brother, you're finally here! Come take a look!" Li Sijin stopped her spell practice and put her hands on her hips, half-scolding, half-smiling, as she motioned him toward the table.
Li Qingqiu chuckled as he walked over. When he saw the wooden box, his brows lifted. "You succeeded?" he asked, anticipation bright in his eyes.
Li Sijin lifted her chin proudly, saying nothing.
Li Qingqiu opened the box—and his smile widened instantly. The faint spiritual energy pulsing within the herb was unmistakable.
It had truly worked.
Though the herb itself was an ordinary plant with no special medicinal property, it was a start—a breakthrough.
In the future, Li Sijin could cultivate herbs into spirit plants, and Chen Huilan could refine them into pills. Ordinary medicine would become spiritual-grade elixirs, bridging the path toward cultivation pills.
Li Qingqiu's praise made Li Sijin beam with pride. Yuan Li, Zhao Zhen, and Li Yang watched curiously from the side, but neither Li Qingqiu nor Li Sijin explained anything.
They could only watch silently, not realizing that what they were witnessing was the first step toward Qingxiao Sect's rise into a realm of gods and ghosts.
That evening at dinner, Li Qingqiu had Li Sijin sit right beside him, personally serving her food again and again. Everyone could see how pleased he was. He didn't hide the news about her success in cultivating spiritual herbs from the senior members of the sect, and their excitement was obvious.
Li Qingqiu had already explained the potential of spirit plants—anything that could enhance cultivation was enough to make even the calmest elder's heart stir.
When the meal ended, the festival night gave way to dawn, marking the start of the New Year. For once, Li Qingqiu didn't spend the morning cultivating. Instead, he took Li Dongyue and Li Sijin to walk around the sect.
He didn't bring Yuan Li or Zhao Zhen—today was for his two junior sisters.
It had been a long time since Li Sijin had strolled through Qingxiao Mountain with her senior brother. Her heart was light, and she clung to Li Qingqiu's arm with a bright smile, refusing to let go. Li Dongyue was her usual composed self, quietly walking on his other side, graceful and calm.
The three chatted endlessly, recalling moments from their childhood.
When they passed a small courtyard, Li Sijin suddenly stopped. At the gate stood the scholar from the day before, sweeping the snow.
"You're the one who asked me for directions yesterday, right?" she asked.
The scholar looked up and smiled warmly. "Yes, that was me."
When his eyes fell on Li Qingqiu and Li Dongyue, his expression flickered with hesitation, as if guessing at their identities.
"Did you pass the entry assessment?" Li Sijin asked cheerfully.
"No," he replied. "I'm just a labor disciple for now."
"Yesterday you witnessed my success, and I'm in a good mood today. I'll allow you to become a registered disciple!"
Li Sijin waved her hand grandly as she declared it, then turned to Li Qingqiu, half teasing, half pleading.
Li Qingqiu studied the scholar closely, his eyes flashing with something unreadable. He could sense faint internal energy hidden deep within the man's body. This fellow had definitely cultivated some secret technique that concealed his qi.
"Alright," Li Qingqiu said with a smile. "We'll do it your way."
Li Sijin cheered happily, while Li Dongyue covered her mouth to hide a laugh. Her junior sister, it seemed, would never grow up.
Li Sijin turned back toward the scholar. "My senior brother agreed. He's the Sect Master. What's your name?"
"Sect Master?"
The scholar froze for a moment, then quickly bowed. "I am Chu Jing. I greet the Sect Master."
Li Qingqiu nodded. "Since Hall Master Li has spoken, you'll be listed as a registered disciple from now on. Work hard and strive for advancement."
"Thank you, Hall Master Li," Chu Jing said respectfully.
But his overly proper tone immediately cooled Li Sijin's interest.
She tugged on Li Qingqiu's arm again. "Let's go!"
Li Dongyue paused just long enough to tell Chu Jing, "Go to the Spirit Management Hall and speak to Hall Master Zhang about your registration."
"Yes."
Chu Jing bowed again to her, then returned to his sweeping as they walked away. He didn't hurry to report as instructed.
As they rounded the path, Li Dongyue asked softly, "Junior Sister, how do you know that man?"
Li Sijin told her everything.
"I was thinking about how rude I was to him yesterday," she said. "I didn't want a new recruit to form a bad impression of Qingxiao Sect, so I decided to make it up to him."
Li Dongyue shook her head gently. "Junior Sister, it's better not to make such decisions lightly. Actions like that can affect the sect's reputation if word spreads."
Li Sijin stuck out her tongue playfully. "Got it. Next time, I'll think before I act."
While they chatted, Li Qingqiu silently opened his Dao Lineage panel and found Chu Jing's profile.
[Name: Chu Jing]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 192 years old]
[Loyalty (Sect Master / Sect): 24 / 51 (Full value: 100)]
[Cultivation Aptitude: Exceptional]
[Comprehension: Exceptional]
[Fate: Thousand-Year Longevity, Treacherous Minister, Mortal God and Ghost]
[Thousand-Year Longevity]: After consuming an immortal elixir, lifespan extended by 1,000 years, appearance eternally youthful.
[Treacherous Minister]: For the sake of restoring a fallen kingdom, he misled the new Emperor, showing no mercy even if the people suffered or rivers of blood flowed. A master of manipulation and deceit.
[Mortal God and Ghost]: Immune to all soul-based attacks, unpossessable, and cannot be harmed by demonic or spiritual techniques. Possesses extremely high comprehension toward any soul-based arts or divine abilities.
Li Qingqiu almost stopped walking.
This… was the most luxurious disciple panel he had ever seen.
Dual Exceptional attributes—unmatched in the entire sect—and three unique Fates!
And the man was 192 years old!
The Thousand-Year Longevity explained his past. That ageless body alone made Li Qingqiu envious.
The Treacherous Minister revealed a dangerous temperament—his gift for influencing others was no small matter.
But the most terrifying was Mortal God and Ghost!
It completely broke the balance. Just reading it made Li Qingqiu want to copy the trait immediately.
Not only did it change one's very constitution, but it also boosted comprehension of soul-related techniques far beyond normal limits. It was even stronger than Born Sword Maniac or Heavenly Thunder Spiritual Root.
'Who is this man?'
Li Qingqiu couldn't treat Chu Jing as an ordinary disciple anymore. Someone who had lived for nearly two centuries was no novice—he was a monster in human skin.
A person like that wouldn't climb Qingxiao Mountain without purpose.
And that Treacherous Minister Fate—its description hinted at a past among the imperial court, someone at least of high rank, and an enemy of the Emperor himself.
Or worse… perhaps the Emperor didn't even realize Chu Jing was his enemy, still thinking of him as a trusted official.
'Could he have been sent by the Emperor to spy on Qingxiao Sect?'
The thought lingered like frost in Li Qingqiu's mind.