As winter drew near, the Sword Sect's courtyard was finally completed. Though called a courtyard, it really consisted of just a single grand hall surrounded by long walls. Within lay a massive training ground, stretching nearly 100 zhang in both length and width—making it the largest martial field on Qingxiao Mountain.
Shen Yue stood atop the steps before the main hall, gazing over the vast grounds with a faint smile as he stroked his beard.
Ever since he began cultivating the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra, it felt as though a brand-new world had opened before him. He now truly believed Li Qingqiu could extend his life by 50 years.
This sutra was unlike anything he had ever encountered—it absorbed the vital spiritual energy of heaven and earth, nurturing one's essence from within. The resulting vital energy could not only be wielded in battle but also refine the body's very flesh, bones, and blood. As someone of advanced age, Shen Yue could feel its miraculous effects more keenly than anyone.
From that moment, he completely let go of his obsession with the Emperor Xuan Sword and devoted himself wholly to the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra.
Unfortunately, Li Qingqiu had only passed him the first layer of the heart method, leaving Shen Yue restless and eager for more.
He suspected Li Qingqiu was doing it deliberately—testing his loyalty, urging him to dedicate himself further to the sect.
Today marked the Sword Sect's opening day. As one of its appointed elders, Shen Yue had arrived early, determined to take his new duty seriously.
The courtyard might appear simple, but the training field's scale and majesty pleased him greatly.
As he looked toward the gate at the edge of the cliffside, a figure appeared—someone walking toward him.
The Sword Sect was perched on a cliff with only one entrance. From there, a short uphill path led directly to the Mystic Heart Hall, the most solemn place in Qingxiao Sect—the seat of leadership.
But when Shen Yue saw who it was, his expression darkened. He didn't like this person at all.
The newcomer was none other than Li Sifeng.
Li Sifeng strode into the courtyard, holding the Emperor Xuan Sword in its scabbard, arrogance written all over his face.
Just the sight of him made Shen Yue's temper flare.
That day, when he had first handled the Emperor Xuan Sword, this brat had hovered nearby like a spirit-obsessed fool, constantly warning him to "be gentle," completely ruining his mood.
As Li Sifeng approached, Shen Yue couldn't help but ask coldly, "Even you've come to join the Sword Sect?"
Li Sifeng snorted. "What do you mean, 'even me'? Watch your tone. I'm the Sword Master of the Emperor Xuan Sword, the greatest divine blade of all ages. You'd better address me properly—as the Emperor Xuan Sword Master."
"In your hands, that sword will turn demonic sooner or later," Shen Yue sneered.
"You old man—jealous, are you?" Li Sifeng snapped back.
"Since you obtained that sword, have you even practiced with it properly? Have you reflected on its sword intent? I doubt it. You parade around every day, showing it off like a child with a toy. You think wielding the Emperor Xuan Sword alone makes you invincible in the martial world?" Shen Yue's tone was sharp. "You're far from it. You're not even close to Jiang Zhaoxia, much less Xu Ning or the Sect Master."
Li Sifeng's face twisted with anger. He wanted to argue, but the words wouldn't come. Deep down, he knew Shen Yue was right.
Looking down at him from the steps, Shen Yue continued, "Li Sifeng, your senior brothers and sisters have all surpassed you. You, holding such a divine weapon—what do you actually intend to achieve? Don't you have any ambition?"
Li Sifeng fell silent.
Just then, a group of disciples entered the Sword Sect courtyard. Among them was Han Lang, Jiang Zhaoxia's young disciple. The group varied in age—some over 20, others not yet 10. All of them looked around curiously, whispering to each other with excitement.
Shen Yue's gaze softened as he looked over the new faces. Though they appeared ordinary, their youthful energy filled him with an unexpected warmth.
To think he would be spending his days teaching these bright-eyed youths—it stirred old memories of his own training alongside his senior brothers long ago.
Behind him, Li Sifeng hesitated, then placed the Emperor Xuan Sword against his hip instead of clutching it to his chest like before.
In the crowd, the five companions of Ji Ya were chatting enthusiastically about the Sword Sect. Among them, a petite girl darted her eyes around as though searching for someone.
That girl was Yang Lin, the same one Ji Ya had once recommended for work in the Medicine Garden.
Though she hadn't yet met the Sect Master, she carried great hope—after all, the Sword Sect was personally overseen by him. Surely she would have the chance to meet him someday.
Each of the dozens of Sword Sect disciples had been handpicked by Li Qingqiu himself, all boasting loyalty above 90. When Li Qingqiu's men approached them asking if they were willing to join, every single one of them had accepted with excitement and pride.
Meanwhile—
In the Lingxiao Courtyard, Li Qingqiu sat with brush in hand, still writing down names for Sword Sect disciples. Once a name was written, he would have Yuan Qi summon them personally.
Though Yuan Qi's role seemed minor—merely running errands—he had gathered a small following of junior disciples around him, all eager to help him with such tasks.
This selection process was also a test for Yuan Qi. Tomorrow, Li Qingqiu planned to visit the Sword Sect in person to verify the chosen members. If there were any mistakes, he would give Yuan Qi a proper scolding—and perhaps teach him how to pick competent subordinates.
Li Qingqiu held Yuan Qi in high regard—not only because of his brother Yuan Li's Indestructible Tyrant Body, but also because of their years of shared loyalty and trust.
The boy had sharp instincts and wasn't afraid of hardship. Even if his Cultivation Aptitude was poor, he still had great potential in administration and leadership.
Just then, Yuan Qi entered, leading a weary traveler into the room.
Li Qingqiu glanced up—it was Ma Yu, the martial wanderer who often delivered messages on behalf of Feng Dai.
Ma Yu was covered in dust, his pace hurried. Without warning, he rushed straight toward Li Qingqiu.
Yuan Qi's expression changed instantly. He leaped forward, vaulting over Ma Yu's head and landing between them with a thud, blocking the path.
"What are you doing?" he barked coldly.
Panic and anger flashed across his face. He regretted his carelessness—he remembered Ma Yu clearly. Every time the man came, Li Qingqiu had seen him, so this time he'd brought him up directly without question.
But he hadn't expected Ma Yu to suddenly charge toward the Sect Master, looking for all the world like an assassin.
Though Yuan Qi knew Ma Yu could never actually harm Li Qingqiu, fury still boiled in his chest. He felt deceived, humiliated—and guilty for failing his duty.
Ma Yu halted abruptly, his eyes fixed on Li Qingqiu. "Sect Master Li, chaos has erupted in the imperial city! The winds shift unpredictably! If you and my lord are truly friends, please—urge him to flee at once!"
Li Qingqiu set his brush down and turned toward Ma Yu. "What kind of chaos?"
Yuan Qi glanced back at Li Qingqiu, then silently stepped aside.
Ma Yu did not approach any closer. He spoke quickly, his tone urgent. "The Crown Prince is rebelling! The court officials and noble clans have already chosen sides. The Heaven-Guardian Division has aligned itself with the Crown Prince, and a palace coup could break out any moment! No matter who wins, blood will flood the streets. My lord… he—he's supporting the Crown Prince! It's madness!"
Li Qingqiu frowned slightly. Yan Lan, that frail Crown Prince with a weak body—did he really dare raise his sword against his own father?
"There's no such thing as a prince rebelling against his emperor," Li Qingqiu said flatly. "You want me to persuade Feng Dai to leave—because you believe the Crown Prince will lose, don't you?"
Ma Yu clenched his teeth. "I have a friend in the martial world who got into trouble in the capital. He saw a secret imperial unit—an elite corps known as the Martial Prohibition Guard. Every one of them is a master. One among them is said to be the strongest martial expert in all Beiliang Province. The Guard is large in number, and they were hunting someone when my friend saw them. But the ordinary people of the capital have never even heard of this unit. What does that tell you?"
"It means the emperor stopped trusting the Heaven-Guardian Division long ago," Ma Yu continued bitterly. "He's been building a new force in secret! The current emperor gained his throne through ruthless struggle. The Crown Prince is frail, young, and inexperienced—how could he possibly win?"
Li Qingqiu asked calmly, "And you didn't tell Feng Dai this?"
"I did! But he said this was his only chance. Even if the Crown Prince loses, he wants to gamble everything on him. He's planning to help the prince—he's gone insane! What can a minor official like him even do?"
Ma Yu's voice rose in anger, frustration twisting his face.
Li Qingqiu slowly shook his head. "You rode here from the capital. Even if you pushed your horse to its limit, it's been at least half a month. It's too late to warn him now. He must have sent you with a letter, didn't he? Show me."
Ma Yu steadied his breathing, then hurriedly pulled a letter from his chest and handed it over.
Li Qingqiu broke the seal and unfolded the parchment, reading carefully. His brows furrowed deeper the further he read.
When he was done, he slipped the letter back into its envelope and looked up sharply. "You'll stay here tonight. Leave at dawn." His tone brooked no argument.
Ma Yu instinctively opened his mouth to protest, but when he met Li Qingqiu's gaze, a chill ran through him. He swallowed hard and nodded obediently.
Li Qingqiu turned to Yuan Qi. "Take Ma Yu down and arrange a room for him. Then summon all the Hall Masters to meet me tonight—including Xu Ning."
"Yes, Sect Master!" Yuan Qi replied, immediately leading Ma Yu out.
Once they were gone, Li Qingqiu placed the letter to the side and resumed writing down names for the Sword Sect selection.
…
Night fell.
Inside the Lingxiao Courtyard, all seven Hall Masters had gathered around the long table.
Li Qingqiu's gaze swept over them before settling on Zhu Yan. "Hall Master Zhu, have you received any recent intelligence?"
Zhu Yan frowned slightly. "What kind of intelligence does the Sect Master mean?"
"Regarding the imperial city," Li Qingqiu replied.
Zhu Yan shook her head. "No. Aside from my last investigation of that imperial army, I rarely discuss capital affairs with my family."
Li Qingqiu nodded faintly, then looked around the table. "The emperor has forced the Crown Prince into rebellion. I've also received word that the emperor has swallowed the inner core of the Martial Legend—his martial power now unfathomable. I want to ask all of you… should we save the Crown Prince?"
The entire hall fell silent. Faces turned pale—even Jiang Zhaoxia's.
Li Sifeng gaped. "The emperor wants to be the Number One Under Heaven too?"
Zhu Yan frowned. "Sect Master, where did this information come from? This isn't some minor affair. A rebellion in the imperial city affects the entire realm. No matter who wins, the world will change forever."
Zhang Yuchun spoke quickly. "Senior Brother, we can't act recklessly! Even though the Crown Prince is Zhao Zhen's father, Qingxiao Sect cannot take such a massive risk for personal sentiment. The sect's founding had nothing to do with the Crown Prince. We've never wronged Zhao Zhen in any way. If the prince falls, we can simply ensure Zhao Zhen's safety—that's enough."
Yang Jueding suddenly stood up, his voice thunderous. "No! We must save him! If the Crown Prince dies, the emperor will continue to rule for decades more. He'll become an aged tyrant—a dragon drunk on power and obsessed with longevity. He'll stop at nothing, sacrificing the people for his own immortality. And when he turns his eyes toward the martial world, where will we hide then?"
Jiang Zhaoxia spoke evenly. "Senior Brother, if you decide to save the Crown Prince, I'll go in your place. You must stay and guard Qingxiao Sect."
Zhang Yuchun countered sharply, "Hall Master Yang, you're exaggerating. Qingxiao Sect has no duty to sacrifice itself for the common people. The struggle for the throne is a matter of fate—whoever wins is Heaven's choice. The martial world has no right to interfere. We're not the small sect we once were. We now have over 1,000 disciples. We can't let our impulses bring ruin to them—or to their families!"