Following the memories extracted from Immortal Master Jiang, Li Qingqiu found the immortal's cave mansion in less than half an hour after entering the mountains. It wasn't well hidden—just isolated, with the nearest village over two hundred li away, making it almost impossible for outsiders to stumble upon.
After navigating the winding tunnels, Li Qingqiu stepped into a stone chamber. He frowned immediately.
The chamber was completely empty.
A wisp of ghostly qi spilled from the Tianhong Sword, forming Chu Jing's phantom. Frowning, he said, "Someone's already been here. No surprise—Immortal Master Jiang stayed inside Zhenyang City for more than twenty years and never returned here, not even once."
Li Qingqiu calmly swept his gaze across the barren chamber. "So be it," he said. "Looks like another cultivator has emerged in this world."
He wasn't disappointed. Immortal Master Jiang had already looted the place long ago. The most valuable item he had taken was the Soul-Refining Banner. The rest—pill recipes, talisman papers, manuals—were mere scraps.
But Jiang had been treacherous to the core. The manuals he left behind were deliberately torn in places. Anyone who tried to cultivate from them would end up like Zhao Zhi—unable to progress, at best, or descending into violent madness, at worst.
"Let's go. Time to head back."
Li Qingqiu turned toward the cave entrance. Chu Jing's spirit sank back into the Tianhong Sword, controlling the blade as it hovered forward. Nangong E and Lin Chuan silently followed.
Outside, Li Qingqiu let out a sharp whistle. A shadow flashed across the sky—the great black eagle, Xiao Ba, descended with a screech.
Li Qingqiu leapt into the air, landed smoothly on its back, and soared out of the forest, heading straight for Qingxiao Sect.
…
Outside the Lingxiao Courtyard, at the cliff where the old mountain gate once stood, Li Sijin stood gazing toward the horizon, brows furrowed in worry.
From within the courtyard came Zhang Yuchun. He had planned to visit the Spirit Management Hall, but when he saw her standing alone at the edge, he walked over.
"Stop worrying," Zhang Yuchun said. "Your senior brother will definitely return today."
Li Sijin turned to him, her eyes uneasy. "And if he doesn't?"
At first, she'd been completely confident in Li Qingqiu. But as the third day dawned, a growing sense of dread gnawed at her. Just the thought that he might have fallen in battle made her panic.
She couldn't imagine what they would do without him.
"There's no 'if,'" Zhang Yuchun said firmly. "He will return."
Something in his tone steadied her heart.
"Think about it," Zhang Yuchun continued. "Since childhood, has Senior Brother ever failed to keep a promise? His martial strength now surpasses comprehension—even the Sword Saint can't match him. How could the emperor or that so-called Immortal Master stand against him? Honestly, if any of us had gone along, we might've only slowed him down."
Li Sijin nodded seriously. "You're right. Senior Brother is the strongest man in the world. He'll come back safely."
A long, piercing cry echoed across the mountains—sharp and powerful enough to make every head in Qingxiao Sect turn skyward.
Everyone under the sun—disciples, visitors, incense-bearers—stopped what they were doing.
A massive black eagle swooped through the clouds. Those who had been on the mountain for years recognized it instantly.
"The Sect Master's back!"
On the dueling platform, a Sword Sect disciple shouted with excitement. His opponent also turned, face alight with joy.
The entire sect erupted in cheers.
Li Sijin spun around, her face breaking into a radiant smile. Zhang Yuchun exhaled in relief—he'd been worried too but hadn't dared show it.
Xiao Ba circled the peaks several times, giving everyone a clear look at the figure on its back. The disciples ran through the halls and courtyards, spreading the news like wildfire.
Within the time it took for one stick of incense to burn, the mountain was in an uproar of celebration.
Zhu Yan hurried into the Lingxiao Courtyard. By the time she arrived, several Hall Masters were already there.
Li Qingqiu sat in his usual seat, chatting and laughing with Li Sijin. Seeing him alive and well, Zhu Yan finally relaxed.
She had staked the rest of her life on Qingxiao Sect—and she had no wish to see its pillar fall.
With a smile, she approached gracefully.
When all the Hall Masters had gathered, Li Qingqiu finally turned serious.
"Emperor Zhao Zhi. Immortal Master Jiang. Grand Director Xuan Gong…"
He listed the names one by one, his voice calm, but the weight of each name made everyone tense.
"All of them," he said, "have been slain by my sword. The Martial Enforcement Guard and the Demonic Army no longer exist."
Boom!
The courtyard erupted instantly. The Hall Masters jumped to their feet, their voices bursting with excitement.
"Sect Master, you really did it! Tell us, how did you kill them?"
"Wait, did you really wipe out the entire Martial Enforcement Guard and all the Demonic soldiers?"
"So the dark cloud over the Great Li Dynasty has finally lifted?"
"Sect Master's strength is unmatched—he truly is number one under heaven!"
"Hahaha! Excellent! That demon emperor's finally dead!"
Their excitement filled the courtyard, though one man—Shen Yue—remained calm. He wasn't surprised. He, more than anyone, understood Li Qingqiu's true strength.
Still, even he found himself wondering—was there anyone left in this world who could possibly rival Li Qingqiu?
The myths of the martial world seemed pale by comparison.
At Li Sijin's urging, Li Qingqiu recounted what had happened.
Everyone sat down again, eager to listen.
He kept the story simple, leaving out the finer details—the Soul-Refining Banner and Chu Jing were not mentioned.
As he described how he had declared war openly, cut his way from the southern gate to the heart of the imperial city, and beheaded the Demon Emperor before the imperial guards and soldiers, the Hall Masters were awestruck.
Even Shen Yue, normally composed, felt his blood surge with pride. His respect for Li Qingqiu deepened.
They had always known their Sect Master was strong—but they had rarely seen this side of him, so direct, so unrestrained.
"Well done!" Yang Jueding slapped the table, eyes blazing. "That's how a true hero fights—righteous, open, crushing evil head-on! Let those monsters die in despair!"
Then he leaned forward eagerly. "Sect Master! Next time something like this happens, take me with you!"
Li Dongyue snorted. "Please, if Senior Brother took you along, he wouldn't have had nearly as much fun. He'd be too busy protecting you."
Yang Jueding glared at Li Dongyue but couldn't refute her words.
Zhang Yuchun, however, was already thinking further ahead. Excitement gleamed in his eyes as he said, "According to the Sect Master, this trip saved countless lives. Once the news spreads, everyone under heaven will know of Qingxiao Sect's astonishing achievement. It won't be long before Qingxiao Sect becomes the number one sect in the world!"
Zhang Yuchun nodded in agreement, his expression brimming with pride and anticipation.
Li Qingqiu's tone turned serious. "With this matter settled, Qingxiao Sect won't face trouble for a while. Our main focus remains the same—growth and development."
Everyone gradually calmed down, but their eyes shone with admiration and reverence. After accomplishing something that shook the heavens, Li Qingqiu still carried himself with the same composure as always. His calm, unshakable heart was something they could only look up to.
"The emperor is dead," Li Qingqiu continued. "This world will soon descend into chaos. Chaos means danger, but it also means opportunity. From now on, there will be no limit to disciple recruitment. As long as they pass the entrance examination, all can join our sect—the more, the better. However, the standards for advancement must not drop. Especially for True Disciples, the requirements must rise even higher."
"I want Qingxiao Sect to stand above all dynasties. If another emperor dares to sit idle while the world suffers, Qingxiao Sect's sword will strike once more. From this day forth, we are the heavens of this land. Do you understand?"
By the end, his voice carried a domineering force that shook the courtyard.
It was the first time anyone had seen him speak with such absolute authority. None dared to oppose him—nor did they wish to. Instead, excitement filled their hearts.
Zhu Yan silently sighed. 'So it's true… I sensed long ago that Li Qingqiu harbored great ambition. He only held back because he was still cautious.'
'But now, with even the emperor slain, who can possibly stop Qingxiao Sect's rise?'
Her only prayer was that Li Qingqiu would never become a tyrant—that he would always keep justice in his heart.
Li Qingqiu discussed a few more matters before dismissing the meeting.
He didn't rest. Instead, he took the Tianhong Sword and walked into the forest behind the mountain.
He now had three Dao Lineage Inheritance Rewards to claim—and he couldn't wait any longer.
More than spells or techniques, what he truly desired were inheritances like the Earth Talisman Codex or the Foundational Array Compendium, ones that could expand Qingxiao Sect's branches of Dao cultivation.
Meanwhile, word of Li Qingqiu's return spread rapidly across the mountain. Disciples flooded upward, eager to confirm whether their Sect Master had truly succeeded in Zhenyang City.
Zhang Yuchun, back at the Spirit Management Hall, immediately ordered an announcement to be written and posted across every major hall and courtyard in Qingxiao Sect.
"The Emperor and the Immortal Warlock have been slain by the Sect Master's sword!"
The message spread through the sect like wildfire. Aristocratic families and visitors were stunned.
Three days. Only three days! How could he possibly have done it?
Could he truly have flown all the way to Zhenyang City?
Families and travelers descended the mountain in haste, desperate to confirm the truth.
An unprecedented storm was brewing—a tempest that would sweep across all Nine Provinces.
And at the eye of that storm stood Li Qingqiu and Qingxiao Sect, soon to become names known across the entire world.
…
In Guzhou's provincial capital, within the Qin family residence.
Qin Jue sat in the grand hall, drinking tea, his brows tightly furrowed. Since the Seven Provinces Allied Army's crushing defeat, he had lived in constant unease.
The Qin family had moved into the Guzhou Prefecture, seized the authority of the regional governor, and openly opposed the imperial court. If the court's army marched on Guzhou, the Qin family would be doomed.
He couldn't help but imagine the worst possible outcome.
Suddenly—
A man in purple robes rushed into the hall, so hastily that Qin Jue's frown deepened.
"Master! The emperor is dead!"
The man came to a stop before Qin Jue, his voice trembling with excitement. He was shaking all over, barely able to contain himself.
Qin Jue froze. "What? Say that again!"
"The emperor is dead!" the purple-robed man repeated. "Not just the emperor—every last member of the Martial Enforcement Guard and the Divine Armored Soldiers has been wiped out! The imperial troops in Zhenyang City are in total chaos, leaderless! The Great Li Dynasty is now without a ruler. The court ministers have all fled the capital—no one dares to take power!"
He spoke rapidly, his face flushed with exhilaration.
A thrill shot through Qin Jue's chest. He fought to keep his composure as he asked, "Who did this? What power?"
"It wasn't a power," the purple-robed man said, voice trembling. "It was one man! Li Qingqiu, Sect Master of Qingxiao Sect! He stormed into Zhenyang City alone, beheaded the emperor, destroyed the Immortal Warlock, and slaughtered every Martial Enforcement Guard and Divine Armored Soldier! He's no mortal—he's a sword immortal, the true Number One Under Heaven! It's unbelievable! One man alone—how could anyone be so powerful?"
His voice quivered with awe and reverence.
Qin Jue was stunned speechless.
'One man… did all that?'
'Li Qingqiu… is really that strong?'
It wasn't just Guzhou. Across every province of the realm, the same shocking news exploded like thunder.
The name "Li Qingqiu" spread across the world at a speed that defied imagination.
While the world trembled in awe, Li Qingqiu himself remained calm.
Back in Qingxiao Sect, his life continued as usual—cultivation, meditation, teaching his disciples.
Half a month later, around noon, while cultivating beside the Underground Spiritual Lake, a new message suddenly appeared before his eyes:
[Since you have earned the title of Number One Under Heaven and made Qingxiao Sect famous across the world, greatly advancing the Dao Lineage's rise, you have gained one Fate Selection Opportunity.]
'Finally,' Li Qingqiu thought, a faint smile curving his lips.
He had guessed this would happen. Such a feat—earning fame that shook the heavens—was bound to trigger a Dao Lineage reward.
Of all rewards, this was the one he most anticipated: the chance to choose a new Fate.
Not every cultivator at the eighth layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm was as strong as Li Qingqiu. His overwhelming power came from the unique Fates he possessed.
Now, he hoped to gain more powerful Fates—to stay forever unrivaled within Qingxiao Sect and maintain his position as its strongest pillar.