Chapter 320 : Pursuit and Killing
Chapter 320: Pursuit and Killing
After confirming the six True Lords, Li Qingqiu once again devoted himself to cultivation. The closer he got to the Heaven-Reaching Sun Illumination Realm, the more anticipation filled his heart.
While Li Qingqiu immersed himself in cultivation, the sect began preparing for the Grand Dao Tournament.
Because of the Minor Zhou Heavenly Luo Battle Formation, it was no longer as easy as before for outsiders to enter the Clear Sky Sect. As a result, the sect also faced increased pressure in maintaining order and management.
This matter was handled by the Hall of Vast Fate and the Enforcement Hall. The Hall of Vast Fate had always been responsible for diplomacy and organizing sect activities, and its Hall Master, Yang Jueding, took great pleasure in preparing for the Grand Dao Tournament.
Zhang Yuchun’s Free Spirit Hall, together with the Heavenly Works Hall, discussed the matter of building cities. This year, the Clear Sky Sect planned to construct four more cities.
The sect’s immortal cities were not like ordinary mortal cities. They were not large, and were mainly used for disciples to stay and garrison.
The Heavenly Works Hall was also preparing to trial Teleportation Formations, which were equally crucial for the Clear Sky Sect. Without them, the sect would be unable to expand outward or explore new territories.
Li Qingqiu rarely entered secluded cultivation.
Often, he would only leave his Cave Dwelling once every ten days or half a month.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye, and he successfully broke through to the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Perception Realm.
After reaching the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Perception Realm, the Supreme Purity Primordial Unity Scripture transmitted to him the method for breaking through to the Heaven-Reaching Sun Illumination Realm, and also allowed him to understand some information about that realm.
Dharma Form!
It felt similar to a Divine Art, yet also different.
Li Qingqiu felt that he could consult Wei Tianxiong about it later.
He opened his eyes and began absorbing the nearby sword soul.
After a while, he stood up, stretched his body, and prepared to go out for a walk—so that the sect’s disciples would know that their Sect Master was still alive.
Lin Chuan flew over, saying excitedly, “Senior Brother, I also have Spiritual Sense now.”
He was no longer an ordinary ghost. After occupying the Ghost Infant body, both his strength and aptitude had improved.
What was worth noting was that he had not undergone tribulation?
Could it be because he had already acknowledged Li Qingqiu as his master?
Li Qingqiu looked at Lin Chuan, thinking in confusion, but a smile appeared on his face as he praised, “Not bad. You didn’t disappoint me.”
Not far away, Nangong E looked at Lin Chuan with envy. She was currently only at the Ninth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm.
As for his ghost servants, Li Qingqiu naturally hoped they would grow stronger and help him bear more pressure in battle.
He touched the black pattern on the back of his right hand and said with a smile, “You as well—stop sleeping all the time. You need to cultivate on your own.”
The Ghost Flood Dragon was originally at the Spirit Perception Realm. Ever since submitting to Li Qingqiu, it had been sleeping inside his body, extremely lazy.
“Understood, Master.”
The Ghost Flood Dragon’s voice sounded, tinged with drowsiness.
Li Qingqiu shook his head with a laugh, then rose and left.
After leaving the Cave Dwelling, Li Qingqiu passed through Lingxiao Courtyard and walked down the mountain.
As he walked, he brought up the Dao Lineage Panel, checking the new disciples from this period.
During this half month of secluded cultivation, he would check the number of disciples daily to avoid any large decrease, but he did not examine the specific details of new disciples.
In just half a month, the Clear Sky Sect had gained more than six hundred new registered disciples.
Although the entry assessment threshold had been raised, there were still so many new disciples. This clearly demonstrated the sect’s prestige within the Nine Provinces.
Ever since Wei Tianxiong joined, an illusion trial had been added to the entry assessment, mainly testing the physique, temperament, and decision-making of new disciples. As for Spiritual Root aptitude, Li Qingqiu did not value it much—since he could see it directly without testing.
What he cared more about was a disciple’s character and temperament.
Along the way, Li Qingqiu multitasked with ease, occasionally nodding and speaking to disciples he passed.
This Sect Master was as approachable as ever. Though he himself had not changed, to the disciples he was completely different. His authority continued to rise, yet he still treated others this way, making them excited and even more respectful toward him.
It was not until nightfall that Li Qingqiu returned to Lingxiao Courtyard.
Zhang Yuchun, Li Dongyue, and Li Sijin were arguing in the courtyard. Facing the combined pressure of the two junior sisters, Zhang Yuchun was clearly struggling, his face flushed red.
Lingxiao Courtyard had special restrictions. Unless Li Qingqiu deliberately listened in, he could not hear anything from outside, so he was quite curious what had caused such a heated argument.
Seeing Li Qingqiu enter the courtyard, Li Sijin quickly waved and said, “Senior Brother, come quickly—help us judge this!”
Zhang Yuchun turned to look at Li Qingqiu, his eyes full of grievance.
Li Qingqiu walked to his exclusive chair and sat down, smiling as he asked, “What happened? Why are you arguing like this?”
Truth be told, he quite missed such a scene—it felt as though they had returned to childhood, with Zhang Yuchun once again becoming the one being bullied.
Now, Zhang Yuchun was the second-in-command of the Clear Sky Sect. Though he was the Hall Master of the Free Spirit Hall, he was essentially equivalent to the Deputy Sect Master. No one dared to disrespect him, and it had been many years since he had looked this embarrassed.
Li Sijin immediately said, “A disciple of the Tempering Hall, Ning Shu, injured a disciple of the Spirit Finance Hall, Ye Nan. Yang Xuan stepped in out of righteousness and severely wounded Ning Shu. The Ning Family refuses to accept this and has come to my senior sister, asking her to uphold justice. The matter has already escalated.”
Li Qingqiu had no impression of Ning Shu, but he did remember Ye Nan.
Ye Nan, who possessed the Fate Traits [Innate Great Hero] and [Sudden Enlightenment in a Single Moment], had certain potential. His cultivation aptitude was also good, though he was not particularly outstanding among the True Transmission Disciples at present.
Of course, the main reason Li Qingqiu remembered Ye Nan was because of his master. His master had once ascended the mountain to seize the Prison Qilin, only to die there. Li Qingqiu had someone bring Ye Nan over, explained the matter clearly, and resolved the grievance.
Judging from Ye Nan’s loyalty, he indeed did not harbor resentment toward Li Qingqiu or the Clear Sky Sect.
After listening, Li Qingqiu asked in surprise, “What does this have to do with Yuchun? Where is Xue Jin?”
Xue Jin was the Hall Master of the Tempering Hall—why was he not involved in this matter?
Li Sijin replied, “Xue Jin doesn’t want to stand up for Ning Shu and even had a falling-out with the Ning Family. So the Ning Family found Second Senior Brother. Second Senior Brother decided to compensate the Ning Family by sending Ning Shu to serve in an immortal city. But that’s not right—the one at fault is Ning Shu, so why should he be compensated? What about Ye Nan’s injuries?”
Li Qingqiu understood. In the end, it all came down to the Ning Family’s influence.
He had not paid attention to the Ning Family before, because there were too many clans within the sect, and the Ning Family did not even rank in the top ten.
Li Qingqiu looked at Zhang Yuchun and asked, “Why did you arrange it this way?”
Zhang Yuchun said helplessly, “Ning Shu is indeed somewhat arrogant and self-important, but he has contributed quite a bit to the Tempering Hall. Moreover, his parents and elder brother died in that calamity at Zhongtian Immortal City. Also, I’ve learned that the conflict between Ning Shu and Ye Nan has lasted for many years. They often fought—sometimes Ye Nan injured him, sometimes he injured Ye Nan. It’s just that this time Yang Xuan intervened and taught Ning Shu a lesson, which changed the nature of the situation.”
The calamity of Zhongtian Immortal City…
At the mention of this, the smile on Li Qingqiu’s face disappeared. That disaster had been the most devastating in the sect’s history. All the fallen disciples had their names engraved on monuments for future generations to remember.
Li Dongyue frowned and said, “Second Senior Brother, that’s not right. Did Yang Xuan do anything wrong by helping his junior brother?”
Li Sijin added, “Is it because your disciple happens to have the surname Ning?”
As the sect grew, they had all taken in disciples—especially Zhang Yuchun, as many clans sought to align themselves with him.
Zhang Yuchun wanted to argue, but seeing Li Qingqiu staring at him, he chose to remain silent.
Deep down, he knew it was indeed because one of his disciples had pleaded that he stepped in.
In his view, the matter was not that serious. Ning Shu’s injuries were even worse than Ye Nan’s, and it should not have escalated like this. He neither wanted to oppress Ye Nan for the Ning Family, nor did he want Ning Shu to be severely punished.
After hearing everything, Li Qingqiu did not become angry. To him, such matters were far too common.
People had emotions, and with so many clans and factions within the sect, many would use grievances to pursue their own interests.
If he tried to personally handle every such matter, he would be exhausted to death.
“Enough. After Ning Shu recovers, have him apologize to Ye Nan. After that, send him to serve in an immortal city. If anyone has objections, tell them it was my decision,” Li Qingqiu said, settling the matter with a single statement.
Zhang Yuchun smiled and nodded in agreement.
Though Li Sijin was still somewhat dissatisfied, Li Dongyue pulled her, and she had no choice but to drop it.
Li Qingqiu looked at them and said, “In the future, if there’s anything difficult to handle, come directly to me. I’ll bear it for you.”
In the past, he had hoped his junior brothers and sisters would grow. Now, he was willing to shoulder more for them—after all, without their hard work, he would not be able to cultivate in peace.
He was willing to take hatred upon himself. If anyone was dissatisfied, they could come find trouble with him.
Li Sijin then asked, “Senior Brother, shouldn’t Ye Nan and Yang Xuan also be promoted?”
Li Qingqiu shot her a glance and said, “Isn’t that for your Fourth Senior Sister to decide? What, do you want to place them under me?”
Li Sijin immediately beamed. “Senior Brother truly understands reason.”
With Li Qingqiu’s words, Li Dongyue no longer had to fear pressure from the Ning Family when promoting Ye Nan and Yang Xuan.
Li Qingqiu changed the topic. “Since we’re free, let’s talk about your disciples. Each of you, tell me about them.”
Previously, he had not paid attention to his junior brothers’ and sisters’ disciples. Now he felt he should at least ask, to prevent them from being taken advantage of.
Zhang Yuchun began introducing his disciples first. While he spoke, Li Qingqiu brought up the Dao Lineage Panel, searching for Ning Shu—and also Zhang Yuchun’s profile.
When he found Ning Shu, he discovered that this playboy of the Ning Family had a loyalty far higher than expected.
Ning Shu’s loyalty to Li Qingqiu was 98, and his loyalty to the sect was 97.
Why was it so high?
Li Qingqiu did not even remember whether he had ever spoken to Ning Shu.
As for Zhang Yuchun’s disciples, their loyalty ranged between eighty and ninety-one—acceptable. There should be no spies.
After Zhang Yuchun finished introducing the fifteen disciples he had taken in over the years, Li Sijin began introducing her own disciples.
[Since this is the first time a disciple of your Dao Lineage has been hunted down by another Immortal Cultivation Dao Lineage, you have obtained one Fortuitous Fate Chance]
A prompt suddenly appeared before Li Qingqiu’s eyes, causing him to pause.
Hunted by another Immortal Cultivation sect?
For it to be defined as a Dao Lineage, it certainly was not a small sect within the Nine Provinces.
Was it Shen Yue, who had gone west, or Qin Ye, who had gone south?
His intuition told him it was Shen Yue. Only Shen Yue could be hunted down—if it were Qin Ye encountering another Immortal Cultivation sect, he would likely already be dead.