"Ling Tian Sect has been completely wiped out?"
Li Qingqiu turned his gaze to Shen Yue and continued asking.
Shen Yue nodded and said, "Completely eradicated. Even Ji Wuye, who had been hiding in the shadows, was found by us. It's just that…"
"Just what?"
Li Qingqiu hated this kind of dangling pause the most.
Shen Yue frowned and said, "Before Ji Wuye died, he neither dodged nor resisted. There was even a smile on his face."
Xue Jin added, "I originally wanted to interrogate him, but he didn't give me the chance. He severed his own meridians and died."
After hearing this, Li Qingqiu let out a breath of relief and said indifferently, "As long as he's dead, that's fine. Even if there's someone behind him, we'll deal with it later."
No matter what, only by uprooting Ling Tian Sect completely could this matter truly be put to rest. It was also a proper explanation to the Jiang family.
He looked at Shen Yue and said, "Shen Yue, being able to restrain yourself from killing is indeed admirable. But if someone is traveling with you and your hesitation causes harm to fellow disciples, then your refusal to kill will instead become a weapon for the enemy to kill others."
Shen Yue did not argue. This incident had indeed shaken him and forced him to reflect.
He was not someone who never killed; he simply disdained killing the weak.
"I'm willing to accept punishment," Shen Yue took a deep breath and said seriously.
Li Qingqiu nodded and said, "Your punishment is to stand guard at the mountain gate for three months. Any objections?"
"No objections."
Shen Yue accepted immediately.
Xue Jin hesitated to speak. Without Shen Yue, he likely wouldn't have been able to kill Xiao Wuhui and might even have died at Xiao Wuhui's hands.
However, since the order had been given by Li Qingqiu, he did not dare to disobey.
After that, Li Qingqiu began reattaching Xue Jin's arm. Fortunately, Shen Yue had nourished the severed arm with vital energy, so it had not completely necrotized.
No wonder Shen Yue had insisted on personally carrying the arm back.
When Li Qingqiu pointed this out, Xue Jin looked at Shen Yue with gratitude, while Shen Yue turned his head aside.
After Li Qingqiu finished reattaching Xue Jin's arm and used the Rejuvenation Ghost-Immortal Needles to stimulate blood regeneration, he told Xue Jin to return and rest well, then come back the next day.
Before they left, Li Qingqiu looked at Shen Yue's back and said, "Shen Yue, when carrying out missions, you must execute them according to the mission itself. If you act this way, you must also demand the same of those under you. Only then can unnecessary disasters be avoided."
Shen Yue's steps paused. He responded softly and continued leaving.
After they walked out of Lingxiao Courtyard, Li Qingqiu finally let out a sigh.
Whether Shen Yue would change remained to be seen. If not, then in the future he would either remain stationed in the sect or be assigned other tasks.
Everyone had their own personality and principles. It wasn't right to force Shen Yue too hard.
"Ji Wuye… the Ji clan…"
Li Qingqiu tapped the table with his fingers and muttered to himself.
His intuition told him that Ji Wuye's reliance lay with the Ji clan. This ancient imperial surname seemed to have always existed, lying dormant in the shadows, waiting for the right moment.
He decided that in the future he would have the Shadow Hall investigate the Ji clan. No matter how strong Qingxiao Sect became, it could not simply wait for trouble to come knocking.
"The world is still far too vast."
Li Qingqiu looked at Xiao Wuhui's head on the table and sighed with emotion.
At present, Qingxiao Sect could only dominate the Taikun Mountain Range. Yet the Taikun Mountain Range was merely one part of Guzhou. Beyond Guzhou lay the nine provinces of the world, and beyond those nine provinces were even vaster lands such as the Northern Barbarians and the Western Desert.
Looking south, there was also a boundless ocean. Who knew what lurked at the end of the seas?
One day, the resources of this continent would no longer satisfy Qingxiao Sect. The sect's development would inevitably bring it into conflict with more forces.
This was an unavoidable path with no turning back. Remaining secluded in one corner would only turn them into prey.
…
The year-end passed, and a new year arrived.
Not long after the Spring Festival, Li Qingqiu activated his remaining one Fortune Opportunity.
This time, what he obtained was a blessed land known as the Tianshan Spirit Pool.
Mount Tianshan was located in Yuzhou. It was one of the most renowned high mountains among the nine provinces, spanning thousands of miles. It was a place unreachable by ordinary people.
Li Qingqiu led a team there once more and ultimately left behind fifty disciples, placing Huang Shan, the foremost of the Seven Sons of Qingxiao, in charge of the area.
Li Qingqiu did not leave immediately. He stayed at the Tianshan Spirit Pool for two days.
Though called a spirit pool, the Tianshan Spirit Pool was actually vast beyond measure. When Huang Shan and the others first saw it, they thought they were seeing the sea atop a high mountain—a deep blue expanse, unfathomably deep.
Li Qingqiu cultivated by the side of the Tianshan Spirit Pool and felt little difference himself. However, the other disciples all said that cultivation here was much easier. Not only was the spiritual energy abundant, but their thinking also became more active. Whether cultivating techniques or spells, their comprehension became clearer and more transparent.
This meant that the Tianshan Spirit Pool was truly a sacred cultivation ground. It possessed vast spiritual energy and could even enhance insight. Li Qingqiu was greatly delighted.
Not only that, he also discovered that beneath the Tianshan Spirit Pool lay strange spirit stones, and there were even some extremely fast-moving tiny fish.
Some disciples wanted to enter the water, but fortunately Li Qingqiu's eyes were sharp. He noticed those fish and stopped them in time.
No wonder this blessed land had only been discovered now. Based on Li Qingqiu's observations, even a cultivator at the seventh layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm would likely suffer severe injuries or even die if they went down.
It was worth mentioning that Li Qingqiu personally caught one of those fish. The moment it left the spirit pool, it died rapidly.
As long as those fish couldn't come ashore, that was good.
Li Qingqiu instructed Huang Shan and the disciples to remain on guard against unknown ferocious beasts emerging from the depths of the spirit pool. After witnessing the speed of the spirit fish, all the disciples developed a sense of awe toward the Tianshan Spirit Pool.
The Tianshan Spirit Pool was far removed from the secular world and sat at an extremely high elevation. Ordinary people would die violently just from traveling there. In all directions were endless expanses of snow-white mountain ranges, stretching beyond sight. Anyone who could reach this place was without exception a cultivator. Therefore, Li Qingqiu warned them that if they encountered anyone not from Qingxiao Sect, they must exercise extreme caution.
After staying for two days, Li Qingqiu led one disciple down the mountain, planning to have this disciple act as a guide in the future.
This disciple experienced the Sect Master's speed for the first time.
After entering the Awakening Spirit Realm, Li Qingqiu's vital energy far surpassed what it had been before. Even if he flew at full speed around the entire land of the nine provinces, his vital energy would not be exhausted.
After returning to Qingxiao Sect, Li Qingqiu immediately had someone strike the great bell of the Mystic Heart Hall to convene a council.
All elders and those of higher authority entered the hall. Li Qingqiu directly revealed the discovery of the Tianshan Spirit Pool. He held nothing back and was not afraid of ill intent. Once everyone knew, it would instead be harder for anyone to make covert moves, because everyone would be watching.
Upon hearing that the Tianshan Spirit Pool could aid comprehension, everyone was extremely excited.
"This is a true cultivation blessed land!"
"Truly, heaven favors our Qingxiao Sect."
"Such a blessed land, and it was never discovered by past dynasties?"
"Nonsense. Is Mount Tianshan a place humans can reach? Only cultivators like us can go there."
"Hahaha, we are the only cultivation sect under heaven. The resources of the nine provinces are ours to gather at will."
Listening to the discussions echoing through the hall, Li Qingqiu wore a smile on his face, though inwardly he was calculating.
As more and more scions of noble families entered Qingxiao Sect to cultivate, there would inevitably be cases of them giving back to their clans. Those people might not dare touch Qingxiao Sect's resources, but they might very well go excavate resources that had yet to be discovered, since their horizons had broadened within the sect.
Such matters could not be completely prevented. In fact, greed had already begun to appear within the sect.
Toward sect disciples, there were sect rules. Toward the outside world, there was no need to speak of sect rules.
After the council ended, Li Qingqiu summoned Zhang Yuchun to Lingxiao Courtyard for a private discussion and explained his concerns.
Zhang Yuchun said seriously, "This is indeed something that is bound to happen. I had such concerns long ago, so I've been keeping an eye on the noble families that have settled within the sect. I have an idea that I've been wanting to mention."
Li Qingqiu poured him a cup of tea and said, "Let's hear it."
"This is actually a good thing. It saves us the process of exploration and excavation," Zhang Yuchun said, his tone carrying deeper meaning.
Li Qingqiu neither affirmed nor denied it.
Zhang Yuchun continued, "It's just that we can't do things too ruthlessly. We must think through strategies to pacify matters afterward."
"Senior Brother, the world should be stabilized. Establish imperial authority as early as possible and instill the concept of divine mandate bestowed by immortals into the people. That way, everything in the nine provinces will have an owner, and we will hold moral legitimacy. Reclaiming what belongs to us would then be only natural and justified."
Li Qingqiu nodded. Toward the common people and toward individuals, one could speak of good and evil, benevolence and righteousness. But in matters of the world, the line between righteous and evil was sometimes very blurry. As long as Qingxiao Sect allowed the people under heaven to live in peace, that would be enough. If it could also ensure that everyone had enough to eat, that would be even better.
Ensuring that the people of the world were well-fed and clothed was one of Li Qingqiu's long-term plans.
First, it satisfied his goodwill, as he himself had once been an ordinary person.
Second, such an era of peace and prosperity might give birth to more geniuses. No matter how one looked at it, if the people favored Qingxiao Sect, then Qingxiao Sect would flourish.
This was also the core of the concept of divine mandate bestowed by immortals.
Only by aligning the interests of the people with those of the immortal sect could Qingxiao Sect unite as one and adhere to its principles.
"Go ahead and do it, but don't make things look too ugly," Li Qingqiu said after some thought.
Zhang Yuchun smiled and said, "Rest assured. I won't use the sect's power to forcibly suppress the world's structure. I'm also waiting for the emergence of a benevolent ruler who loves the people."
Li Qingqiu asked, "How is Li Sifeng doing?"
"That kid is doing quite well. In just half a year, he's already gained momentum. However, there are currently three major warlords under heaven—Cai, Liu, and Pei. These three great lords are contending for half the realm. The other minor lords are still fighting among themselves and cannot shake the overall situation."
Zhang Yuchun looked pleased. Then his tone shifted as he joked, "Sixth Junior Brother wanting to become emperor—he's probably too late now. That's fine too; it'll let him return early to cultivate. With his temperament, could he really be an emperor? Don't let him end up tossing aside state affairs and becoming a carefree emperor. Honestly, I don't think he truly wants to be the Son of Heaven. He just finds it exciting and thinks it'd be prestigious. If he really became emperor, he'd get bored of it within a few years."
Li Qingqiu had no objection. He understood Li Sifeng's temperament all too well.
That kid talked big, but his sense of responsibility was too small, and he lacked patience in doing things.
Moreover, even if Li Sifeng truly wanted to become emperor, unless he demonstrated sufficient ability, Qingxiao Sect would not support him. Supreme authority over the realm was no trifling matter. It concerned not only the safety of the people under heaven but also the development of Qingxiao Sect. It could not be entrusted lightly.
Even if Li Sifeng possessed the fates of Ruthless Means and Wolfish Ambition, Li Qingqiu still had ways to keep him in check.
Li Qingqiu and Zhang Yuchun discussed matters of the realm for a full half an hour. It was not about scheming against anyone; Li Qingqiu simply wanted to understand the character and conduct of the various warlords.
After Zhang Yuchun left, Xiao Wuqing entered the courtyard and came before Li Qingqiu to pay his respects.
Li Qingqiu looked at him, waiting for him to speak, but saw that he seemed hesitant.
"Why are you being so indecisive? How can you accomplish great things like this?" Li Qingqiu frowned.
Xiao Wuqing possessed the fates Insightful Eye for Talent and Right-Hand Man. Starting this year, Li Qingqiu had planned to cultivate him, molding him into a talent like Zhang Yuchun, someone who would serve him directly and help shoulder the sect's major affairs in the future.
The twenty-year-old Xiao Wuqing took a deep breath, looked at Li Qingqiu, and said, "Sect Master, didn't you have me examine the sect? I discovered a disciple. Although he is only a registered disciple, I believe he has the potential to change the sect. He could even become the sect's strongest disciple."