Li Qingqiu spent one full day selecting thirty True Disciples at the third layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm to accompany Xu Ning to Zhongtian Prefecture.
The next day, he chose another thirty disciples—those with high loyalty and cultivation at the second layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm—to follow Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Dongyue to Mount Tianji.
For Qingxiao Sect as it stood now, losing sixty-three disciples didn't affect the overall atmosphere. Every day, new disciples joined the sect, while others went down the mountain to train. Just like the cycles of the mortal world, there were always newcomers rising to shape the storm.
In the days that followed, Li Qingqiu no longer traveled around. He devoted most of his time to cultivation.
The eighth layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm was far from enough for him. He aimed not only to break through the ninth layer but also to explore the higher Awakening Spirit Realm.
While the outside world was filled with war and chaos, within Qingxiao Mountain, its own stories were unfolding. New geniuses appeared one after another, and their tales inspired the disciples to train harder every day.
As midsummer arrived, the weather grew scorching hot.
Covered in sweat, Cheng San returned to his small courtyard. He had just turned fifteen this year, and his body was much sturdier than when he first climbed the mountain. Back then, he had been frail and thinner than others his age.
"Sis, I'm back!" Cheng San shouted.
Clang!
The door opened, and a fair, delicate-looking young woman stepped out—it was Cheng Xiu.
Back then, when Li Sifeng went down the mountain to fight over the Emperor Xuan Sword, he saved this pair of siblings. During their escape, he was gravely injured, yet the siblings never abandoned him. Later, when the Pei clan caught up to them, the Prison Qilin appeared in time to rescue all three. Afterward, Li Sifeng brought them back to Qingxiao Mountain, where they officially became disciples of Qingxiao Sect.
After entering the sect, their relationship with Li Sifeng grew distant. The difference in status made it hard to meet him often. Even so, they relied on their own effort to become Inner Disciples and successfully learned the first level of the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra.
Seeing Cheng San drenched in sweat, Cheng Xiu asked, "What were you doing?"
"The sparring platform's being rebuilt. I helped out a bit. Oh—and Sis, Sword God's going to challenge the Sect Master again! We should go watch!" Cheng San said excitedly.
Cheng Xiu's eyes lit up. "We definitely should."
Since beginning her cultivation path, her temperament had changed. The resilience buried deep in her nature had awakened. She had finally found her purpose—to become a True Disciple of Qingxiao Sect.
Before, she lacked confidence in everything she did and never felt accomplished. But ever since cultivating the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra, others often praised her for her talent. Each day, she could feel her vital energy growing stronger, giving her a sense of fulfillment and renewed drive.
Cheng San walked over to the water well, drawing water as he chatted about the latest gossip.
"The Law Enforcement Hall's got a new prodigy named Lu Qing. He joined the sect only three years ago, and today he reached the fourth layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm. Sis, you should've seen it—he's surrounded by admirers everywhere he goes. Even noble families from the foot of the mountain want to win him over, offering their daughters to him."
His tone was filled with envy. Since joining Qingxiao Sect, his eyes had been opened to a broader world. He also came to understand his own mediocrity.
He used to resent his poor background, but in Qingxiao Sect, everyone had a chance. The differences among disciples became clear only through their cultivation of the Sutra, forcing him to accept his own limits.
Cheng Xiu sighed softly. "The fourth layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm… that feels so far away."
Cheng San grinned. "Sis, you've already reached the second layer. You'll hit the fourth eventually—it's just a matter of time. But speaking of time, Sis… are you really not going to tell Brother Li how you feel? I know there are rumors about him being engaged to the Pei family's young lady, but nothing's settled yet. You still have a chance."
Cheng Xiu glared at him. "What kind of person do you think I am? I'm not that shameless. I know my limits. Even if I liked him, I'd never cling to him knowing I'm unworthy. And besides, I'm older than him—it'd be ridiculous. Don't bring it up again. We owe him our lives and current peace. We shouldn't ask for more. Understand?"
"Alright, alright, I won't say it again," Cheng San said helplessly, muttering under his breath.
He had only been teasing anyway. In reality, they rarely even saw Li Sifeng. And someone like him surely couldn't decide his own marriage.
He'd heard that Li Sifeng's biggest fear was the Sect Master. While Li Qingqiu was gentle toward his disciples, he was unrelenting with this sixth junior brother—if he needed to beat him, he did so without hesitation.
"Sanwa, stop running around all day. Focus on cultivating. That's what matters most," Cheng Xiu reminded him.
"I know," Cheng San replied casually, his tone indifferent.
Cheng Xiu opened her mouth to say more but hesitated, unwilling to scold him further.
The siblings had joined Qingxiao Sect together. She had already reached the second layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm, while Cheng San was still stuck at the first.
She knew it wasn't for lack of effort—it was simply a difference in talent.
Though they shared the same parents, their lives had taken different turns. Back when their family still lived, their parents always told her to look after her brothers, treating her as little more than their helper. But after joining Qingxiao Sect, their roles had reversed.
As silence hung between them, Yuan Qi stepped into the courtyard.
Seeing him, Cheng Xiu immediately bowed. "Sanwa, someone's here," she whispered.
Cheng San turned around, and when he recognized Yuan Qi, his expression changed drastically. He quickly dropped the wooden bucket and bowed deeply.
Though Yuan Qi was only seventeen, everyone in Qingxiao Sect knew he worked directly under the Sect Master. His authority rivaled that of a Hall Master, and no one dared to offend him.
Yuan Qi looked at the siblings and said, "The Sect Master wishes for you two to help construct the Beast Subjugation Hall. Once it's completed, you'll both become disciples of that hall directly. Are you willing?"
Hearing that, Cheng Xiu and Cheng San were both stunned.
"Sect Master?"
"Beast Subjugation Hall?"
The shock hit Cheng Xiu and Cheng San so hard that their minds went blank.
Cheng Xiu couldn't help but ask, "Why us?"
Standing with one hand behind his back, Yuan Qi maintained a composed and confident air as he smiled faintly. "The Sect Master said you once saved Hall Master Li Sifeng. He's never forgotten that kindness. But since you've only been in the sect for a short time, promoting you directly would've caused dissatisfaction among other disciples. That's why he waited until now."
The siblings exchanged a look, both seeing the same excitement burning in each other's eyes. They immediately agreed without hesitation.
Yuan Qi told them to first go to the Spirit Management Hall to register their new status, then turned and left.
As soon as he was gone, Cheng San couldn't hold back and shouted with joy, his voice echoing across the courtyard.
Cheng Xiu was equally thrilled. Though she had already reached the second layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm, it was still difficult to become a hall disciple—and even harder to do so together with her younger brother.
Later, Yuan Qi visited other disciples' courtyards as well, and the same excitement erupted again and again wherever he went.
News of the soon-to-be-established Beast Subjugation Hall spread quickly throughout the sect.
The name "Beast Subjugation" itself stirred up intense discussions among the disciples. Even the visitors and pilgrims staying on the mountain caught wind of it.
"What's Qingxiao Sect up to now?"
"Beasts? What beasts? Where in the world are there beasts to subjugate?"
…
Zhenyang Imperial City, inside the Imperial Palace, within the Qianwu Hall.
Emperor Zhao Zhi sat cross-legged upon the dragon throne. His hair was unkempt, and he wore only his sleep robes—there was not a trace of imperial dignity about him.
A figure entered the great hall. It was Xuan Gong.
He walked up to the steps and dropped to one knee, his voice heavy. "Your Majesty, please punish your servant."
Zhao Zhi opened his eyes, his gaze landing sharply on Xuan Gong. His hoarse voice echoed through the hall. "What? You failed? And you're the only one who came back?"
Xuan Gong replied, "We fell into Qingxiao Sect's ambush. Someone must have leaked information to them. I was the only one lucky enough to escape. The Sect Master of Qingxiao Sect possesses unfathomable strength—far beyond what I could handle. And with Shen Yue, Jiang Zhaoxia, and Xu Ning joining in, even with the Martial God Pills and Yin Ghost Pills, we were completely overpowered…"
Zhao Zhi frowned, a cold, terrifying light flickering in his eyes.
The great hall fell silent.
After a long pause, Zhao Zhi asked, "Then why did it take you so long to return?"
Xuan Gong took a deep breath. "I was gravely injured. I had to spend time recovering, or I would've died before reaching the capital."
Zhao Zhi closed his eyes again.
Xuan Gong didn't dare rise. He knew well that the emperor's calm exterior hid a storm.
"Qingxiao Sect… what a fine Qingxiao Sect…"
Zhao Zhi murmured darkly. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked at Xuan Gong. "If I recall correctly, isn't there someone in the Heavenly Prison also named Qingxiao?"
Xuan Gong nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. True Person Qingxiao, the founding ancestor of the Qingxiao Sect, is imprisoned in the deepest level of the Heavenly Prison. However, when he was captured, the current Sect Master Li Qingqiu hadn't yet been born, and the second Sect Master Lin Xunfeng had already retired from the martial world. It would be difficult to use True Person Qingxiao as leverage against them. In fact, doing so might provoke disaster."
Zhao Zhi sneered. "Oh? You think if Li Qingqiu found out, he'd dare come personally to kill me?"
"Your Majesty," Xuan Gong said gravely, "Li Qingqiu's strength at such a young age already surpasses the legends of old. I beg Your Majesty to reconsider how you view him."
Zhao Zhi's frown deepened. "Are you joking with me? Do you think I, the Emperor, can't deal with him?" His cold gaze pierced into Xuan Gong like a blade.
Xuan Gong replied steadily, "Your Majesty has taken countless pills and even absorbed the inner core of a martial legend. Naturally, your martial power is unmatched. But the problem before us isn't only Qingxiao Sect. I urge Your Majesty to first suppress the Seven Provinces' rebel armies and stabilize the realm. Once that's done, we can annihilate Qingxiao Sect in one decisive strike. Wei King's army will soon reach Zhenyang City's gates—he is the true threat we must eliminate first, not Li Qingqiu, who is thousands of miles away."
At that moment, a Martial Enforcement Guard rushed into the hall, dropping to one knee beside Xuan Gong. "Your Majesty! Urgent report—Taiwu Sect and Liyin Sect have been attacked by Qingxiao Sect! Their disciples were slaughtered to the last. Only a few guests managed to escape!"
Zhao Zhi shot to his feet. A terrifying pressure erupted from his body, his hair and robes billowing violently as if stirred by an invisible storm. He looked like a vengeful ghost rising from the shadows.
"Qingxiao Sect dares retaliate against me? Was it Li Qingqiu himself who led the attack?" Zhao Zhi roared.
"No, Your Majesty. It was Li Qingqiu's senior disciple, Xu Ning."
"Good! Very good!" Zhao Zhi's laughter grew darker, his voice laced with venom. "The so-called Three Imperial Sects of the world—none of them could even handle a single woman!"
He laughed again, low and cold, echoing through the hall.
Xuan Gong then said, "Your Majesty, though the Three Imperial Sects lie within Zhongtian Prefecture, they're several hundred miles from Zhenyang City. It's not convenient to retaliate just yet. We must focus our strength on destroying the rebel armies outside the city. This time, Your Majesty and I must both act. The Great Plan to Mend Heaven must be set in motion—it can't be delayed any longer."