Chapter 317 : Minor Zhou Heavenly Luo Battle Formation
Chapter 317: Minor Zhou Heavenly Luo Battle Formation
As autumn passed and winter arrived, the once-a-year heavy snow once again blanketed the Ancient Great Mountain Range.
Li Qingqiu stood atop Clear Sky Mountain, gazing into the distance. Among the mountain ranges, many disciples rode their swords through the air, flying in all directions, creating a scene of utter disorder.
Today was the day the sect-protecting grand formation would be established. All disciples of the sect were excited and wished to witness this historic moment, which was why the scene appeared so chaotic.
This sect-protecting grand formation had been prepared for over a decade, and with the support of Wei Tianxiong, it was finally completed today.
One figure after another arrived, appearing beside Li Qingqiu. On his right stood Jiang Zhaoxia, and on his left stood Zhang Yuchun. Li Dongyue, Wu Man’er, Li Sifeng, and Li Sijin lined up on both sides.
The seven of them gazed into the distance where mist surged, resembling groups of dragons twisting and coiling. Their hearts were filled with excitement and emotion.
“Twenty-eight years have passed. Without realizing it, Master has been gone for so long,” Li Dongyue said with a sigh.
Zhang Yuchun spoke softly, “Master left in search of immortality, yet he did not know that immortality lies within Clear Sky Mountain. If he knew what the Clear Sky Sect has become today, I wonder what he would think.”
The snow grew heavier. Snowflakes fell upon the seven of them, rapidly melting into vapor. Wisps of mist coiled around their bodies, making them appear like immortals standing atop the mountain peak.
“So many years have passed, and there has still been no news of him. Could it be that he…” Li Sijin asked worriedly.
When Lin Xunfeng left, she had still been young. She was already beginning to forget what he looked like.
Li Sifeng said, “Even if he died, there should at least be remains. The Tempering Hall has kept the task of searching for him posted all this time, yet there hasn’t been the slightest news. That means he has already left the Nine Provinces.”
Li Sijin turned her head to look at him, wanting to ask whether their Master might have died outside the Nine Provinces, but she could not bring herself to say such words.
Li Qingqiu looked toward the horizon and said, “Everyone has their own fate. If we can meet him again in this life, we will repay his nurturing grace. If we cannot, then we will remember him in our hearts.”
He was already forty-four years old. Regarding Lin Xunfeng’s departure, he no longer held any resentment—only longing and concern remained.
Without Lin Xunfeng, he would have long since died. He would never have been able to activate the Dao Lineage Panel. He was the one who owed Lin Xunfeng—Lin Xunfeng owed him nothing.
If Lin Xunfeng were to return, Li Qingqiu would not return the position of Sect Master to him, but he would treat him with the same respect he gave to Clear Sky Daoist.
Although Clear Sky Daoist held no great authority, everyone knew of his relationship with Li Qingqiu and the others. His status was lofty, and neither Hall Masters nor noble families dared to slight him.
He served as Deputy Hall Master in the Enforcement Hall and had provided great assistance to Chai Yunshang.
“I think he may have already found the path to immortality. We must cultivate diligently—otherwise, when he returns, he might have to teach us how to cultivate immortality,” Jiang Zhaoxia said, his tone carrying a trace of coldness.
Ever since being defeated by Yuan Li, Jiang Zhaoxia had been deeply stimulated. He had undergone long periods of secluded cultivation, and his cultivation had now reached the Fourth Layer of the Spirit Perception Realm, on par with Xu Ning.
His strength had undergone a tremendous leap, yet he had not gone to challenge Yuan Li again—because he felt it was still not enough.
Wu Man’er chuckled foolishly and said, “No matter how powerful Master is, he can’t be more powerful than Senior Brother.”
No one could refute those words.
No matter how monstrous the geniuses the sect produced, no matter how powerful the experts who arrived, no one had ever been able to shake Li Qingqiu’s position.
Absolute authority was built upon absolute strength.
Zhang Yuchun looked at Li Qingqiu and asked curiously, “Senior Brother, just how high has your cultivation reached? You can tell us, right?”
The others all looked toward Li Qingqiu as well.
Facing the gazes of his junior brothers and sisters, Li Qingqiu smiled slightly and said, “Within three years, I will attempt to break through to a major realm above the Spirit Perception Realm.”
As soon as these words were spoken, all of them looked at him in shock.
Among them, only Jiang Zhaoxia had reached the Spirit Perception Realm. The others were still struggling to enter it—yet Li Qingqiu was already aiming to surpass it?
They all knew that Li Qingqiu had not cultivated for much longer than they had.
Jiang Zhaoxia felt even more stimulated. From his perspective, he could better sense just how terrifying Li Qingqiu truly was.
There were countless geniuses within the sect, yet no matter who it was, they amounted to nothing when compared to Li Qingqiu.
The most terrifying genius was, in fact, Senior Brother!
Li Sifeng was likewise shaken. He had not expected the gap between himself and Senior Brother to have grown so vast.
Li Qingqiu glanced left and right and said, “What kind of expressions are those? The stronger I become, shouldn’t you be happier? When I reach a higher realm, the more I’ll be able to help you. You must never give up on cultivation. I will do everything I can to push you forward on the path of immortality. The seven of us—none can be missing.”
These words deeply moved everyone, including Jiang Zhaoxia.
No matter how many people there were in the sect, in Senior Brother’s heart, they were still the most important.
Li Dongyue smiled and said, “Senior Brother, don’t worry. We will never give up on cultivating immortality. We still want to see you become an immortal.”
Li Qingqiu looked at her and said, “We will become immortals together.”
“Mm, together.”
Li Dongyue’s smile was gentle, yet within that gentleness lay unwavering determination.
The others echoed in agreement, their words filled with longing for the future.
Especially Li Sijin and Wu Man’er—they truly believed Li Qingqiu’s words and had no worries about their own cultivation.
Rumble—
A massive roar resounded between heaven and earth, and even Clear Sky Mountain trembled slightly.
The seven of them all looked forward. The snowy mist covering the Ancient Great Mountain Range began to churn, forming a spectacular sight.
“This Minor Zhou Heavenly Luo Battle Formation is truly majestic. The key point is that such a grand formation can only be called ‘Minor Zhou.’ Wei Tianxiong is no simple man!” Zhang Yuchun exclaimed.
Li Qingqiu merely smiled without speaking.
As the Minor Zhou Heavenly Luo Battle Formation rose, the Clear Sky Sect finally possessed true self-protection. It would no longer be easily ambushed at its core.
There was only one inconvenience—disciples could no longer freely enter and exit, and could only pass through the eighteen formation gates. However, this was something that could be overcome.
……
Ziyang Peak, atop a cliff, stood a courtyard.
A three- or four-year-old boy sat on a small stool, curiously watching the churning clouds in the distance.
A woman in green robes walked out from the house, carrying a wooden basin. Looking at her grandson, she smiled and asked, “Lin’er, what are you looking at?”
The young Jia Lin raised his hand and pointed toward the horizon, asking, “Grandmother, what is that?”
The woman in green raised her eyes, smiled, and said, “That is the sect’s protective grand formation. Once it is formed, we will no longer have to worry about demons and evil spirits invading our sect.”
After hearing this, Jia Lin’s eyes filled with longing. He turned his head to look at her and asked, “Grandmother, will I be able to cultivate immortality in the future?”
“Of course. Your father and mother are both disciples of the Clear Sky Sect, and your grandfather was as well. In the future, you will be too. Your children will be as well. Our Jia family will forever follow the Clear Sky Sect,” the woman said gently as she carried the basin to the well and began drawing water.
Jia Lin looked at her and asked, “Grandmother, what kind of person was my grandfather? I heard he knew the Sect Master?”
Though he was only four years old, he spoke clearly. In the mortal world, he would be considered a prodigy, but within the Clear Sky Sect, he was nothing extraordinary.
Many disciples had children within the sect. For twenty years, the Clear Sky Sect had implemented education—regardless of whether one was registered or not, anyone living within the Ancient Great Mountain Range could attend school for free.
Of course, more importantly, children born to Immortal Cultivators awakened earlier.
“Your grandfather… he wasn’t a good man in the past. Fortunately, he met the Sect Master and turned back from the wrong path. He treated me poorly, and he treated your father and the others poorly as well. But he died for our sake…”
The woman spoke softly. As she recalled the past, she did not appear sorrowful—there was only a faint smile on her face.
Jia Lin listened attentively. He had previously heard that his grandfather had died in a battle defending the sect, which was why the Sect Master allowed their family to live within the Clear Sky Sect for generations.
He was extremely curious about the Jia family’s past. Though young, he already harbored ambitions of reviving his family.
After hearing the story of his grandfather Jia Yi, Jia Lin felt somewhat disappointed.
In his view, if Jia Yi had not died in that demonic calamity, the Jia family would never have been allowed to remain in the sect.
“Grandmother, when I turn six, can I participate in the entrance assessment?” Jia Lin asked expectantly.
The woman smiled and said, “Yes. Cherish these two years. Once you become a disciple of the Clear Sky Sect, life will no longer be so leisurely.”
Jia Lin turned to look at the horizon again. The grand scene stirring the heavens filled his heart with boundless anticipation.
……
After the Minor Zhou Heavenly Luo Battle Formation was completed, a faint white light screen appeared along the edges of the Ancient Great Mountain Range.
Some disciples, curious about its strength, went to test it. They discovered that the white light screen was extremely sturdy and even rebounded their Vital Energy, causing their blood and qi to churn.
As the strength of the Minor Zhou Heavenly Luo Battle Formation was verified, the disciples all cheered.
In front of the Profound Heart Hall, another monument was erected along the Forging Path, recording Wei Tianxiong’s contributions to the sect.
More and more disciples learned that the Minor Zhou Heavenly Luo Battle Formation had been created by Elder Wei Tianxiong of the Heavenly Works Hall, causing his name to spread rapidly.
Wei Tianxiong also learned of this matter. On the surface, he did not care, but Li Qingqiu noticed that his loyalty to the Sect Master had increased by a full three points.
The grandeur and power of the Minor Zhou Heavenly Luo Battle Formation also made the approaching New Year even more lively.
As the year drew to its end, the eighteen formation gates of the Ancient Great Mountain Range became crowded. Whether pilgrims, nobles, or Clear Sky Sect disciples, all had to line up to enter the mountain.
No one dared to complain—there was only awe toward this formation.
Standing before the formation’s light screen, what they felt was magnificence. The white light connecting to the heavens filled them with reverence, while also making them curious about how such a formation had been established.
Within Lingxiao Courtyard,
Li Qingqiu was listening to Chu Jing’s report on the situation of each hall.
The Immortal Protection Guard, led by Chu Jing, had already expanded to fifty members. Their loyalty to Li Qingqiu was extremely high, and the lowest cultivation among them was at the Seventh Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm.
The Immortal Protection Guard was responsible for supervising all levels of authority within the sect, including the noble families.
Though the sect appeared harmonious on the surface, it still concealed many issues. After all, people were selfish and would always seek benefits for themselves.
Fortunately, for now, none of the Hall Masters had caused problems, so no major disturbances had arisen.
After Chu Jing finished reporting, Li Qingqiu suddenly thought of something and asked, “How many children has Jia Ming had?”
Chu Jing remembered Jia Ming. He even remembered Jia Ming’s father, Jia Yi. However, he did not understand why Li Qingqiu paid so much attention to Jia Yi’s descendants, even secretly instructing him to take extra care of them.
“So far, he has only had one son,” Chu Jing answered truthfully.