Chapter 44 : Brazen Framing
Chapter 44: Brazen Framing
“A sect is an alternative kind of family?”
Hearing this, Li Yunqing fell silent.
She naturally understood the meaning behind Hall Master Liu’s words.
Though the Li Residence was not large, it was still a family. Aside from their main branch, there were three collateral branches.
Those who were useful and talented would receive cultivation, but the main branch was always prioritized.
Even if the main branch’s disciples were less talented than those of the collateral branches, it remained the same.
The useless were almost entirely left to fend for themselves.
Just like the Demon Suppression Guards around her elder brother—half of them were disciples from the other three branches of the Li family.
If they did not attach themselves to other families, the Demon Suppression Division was their only path.
And her own existence—raised in luxury since childhood, trained in Zither, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting—was destined to serve the family through political marriage, to secure benefits for the family.
If a sect was merely another kind of family, then there was not much difference.
“If I don’t join Mingyu Sect, can I still obtain inheritance?”
Li Yunqing asked.
The reason aristocratic families, sects, and royal clans remained prosperous was precisely because they controlled the vast majority of resources and cultivation inheritances.
If she were male, with decent talent, she could venture out, and with a sect or family backing her, might accomplish something.
She might even reach the pinnacle and dominate a region.
But as a woman, with such appearance and figure, joining a sect would only impose greater and harsher restrictions than for men.
After breaking off her engagement, it was highly likely the sect would require her to enter another political marriage.
If the interests were great enough, she might even be forcibly given to some powerful figure as a caged canary or plaything.
This was absolutely not what she wanted.
Unless she could become strong enough to ignore all rules and shatter the constraints this era placed upon women.
To strengthen herself, she could not do without resources and inheritance.
However, if the Medicine King Scripture could truly cultivate Magical Power, then her need for inheritance would not be that great.
Thus, if there was little difference between sects and families, she would rather remain alone.
“Since you have joined the Martial Hall, possess good talent, and are also Ghost Granny’s disciple, you can naturally obtain the Martial Hall’s inheritance.”
“But you cannot obtain the high-grade cultivation methods of Mingyu Sect.”
Hall Master Liu replied, “Aside from the Mingyu Fist, the Martial Hall’s inheritance only includes the Mingyu Divine Art.”
“The Mingyu Fist and Mingyu Divine Art are both derived from the high-grade technique, the Mingyu Scripture.”
“The fist art belongs to the Initial Realm, a low-grade technique, while the Mingyu Divine Art belongs to the Qi Realm, a mid-grade technique.”
“However, if you can cure the Sword Saint, you may obtain his inheritance. Though the Sword Saint’s inheritance lacks some foundation, it is not weak.”
“And it is more compatible with your Innate Sword Bones.”
“Think it over carefully. There’s no rush to decide!”
After speaking, Hall Master Liu rose and walked outward.
He did not wish to delay Li Yunqing’s Innate Sword Bones. The Sword Saint’s inheritance was more suitable for her.
With her medical skill, which might grow even stronger in the future, and with Ghost Granny’s backing, he naturally leaned toward her interests.
As for within the sect, he was merely a minor figure, only capable of recommending talents.
Recommending a qualified genius could earn quite a few rewards, but at his age, such things no longer mattered much.
A grandmaster of the Profound Realm could live at most one hundred fifty years.
Those in the Qi Realm, even nourished by True Qi, reaching one hundred twenty years was already considered long-lived.
As for the Divine Realm above the Profound Realm, though one could live three hundred years, in his understanding, in this remote corner of the Great Yu Imperial Dynasty, such figures were exceedingly rare.
“Mingyu Scripture? A high-grade technique?”
“What grade is the Medicine King Scripture?”
Li Yunqing fell into slight silence.
Her Longevity only meant endless lifespan. If each year lived also increased her strength by a year, then she might consider finding a remote place to live in seclusion.
But without strength, even living in seclusion would leave her uneasy.
After all, living in this world, how could one truly remain completely isolated?
Perhaps the more remote the place, the more likely she would encounter crude and violent people—ones who would take advantage of her the moment they saw her.
“First reach the Qi Realm and gain the ability to protect myself. Everything else can wait!”
Thinking this, Li Yunqing picked up the Profound Yin Sword Art and carefully studied it.
There was not the slightest difficulty. After reading it once, she already grasped the profundities within the sword art.
Aside from her Innate Sword Bones, her comprehension and mind were both exceptional—there was nothing surprising about it.
“Not as good as the Frost Sword Art,” Li Yunqing murmured.
The Frost Sword Art was an immortal path technique. It used hand seals to control the Flying Sword. At the beginning, it relied only on the Flying Sword’s sharpness and speed for lethality.
When Divine Sense and Magical Power grew stronger, one could control the Flying Sword to execute sword techniques—capable of both close combat and long-range attacks.
At full mastery, it could unleash unparalleled killing moves—splitting mountains with a single strike, severing seas with one sword—nothing extraordinary.
As for the Profound Yin Sword Art, though it was a ranked technique, it was still merely a martial path sword art, following a soft, yin-based approach—only ordinary.
“Let’s try it.”
Li Yunqing picked up a wooden stick as a sword and began practicing the Profound Yin Sword Art.
After only two repetitions, she was already extremely proficient. After ten repetitions, all the variations of the sword art were thoroughly understood, almost instinctive.
“Frost Sword Art experience +150.”
“Frost Sword Art (Mastery 813/3000) Trait: Innate Sword Bones.”
“Hm?”
“It actually turned directly into experience and merged into the Frost Sword Art?”
Seeing the words before her, Li Yunqing paused in surprise.
This change far exceeded her expectations.
Practicing the Profound Yin Sword Art ten times had only taken about half an hour. With the enhancement of her Innate Sword Bones and comprehension, there had been almost no difficulty—it had flowed naturally.
“There’s also the Frost Sword Intent.”
With a thought, Li Yunqing formed a sword with her fingers.
In an instant, a small sword less than an inch long floated at her fingertips, sharp and radiant.
A dense chill spread instantly, the surrounding air freezing into frost, with specks of snow drifting down.
After treating Jiang Jing twice, the cold aura had grown more than twice as strong.
“The Sword Intent has also strengthened.”
“Doesn’t that mean if I have enough sword techniques to stack, I can quickly push the Frost Sword Art to completion?”
“So this is how Innate Sword Bones are used?”
Looking at the increasingly solid small sword, Li Yunqing was greatly surprised.
Each night of cultivating the Frost Sword Art increased her experience by about 150 points.
Yet a single ranked sword technique, in just half an hour, had increased it by the same amount—equivalent to a night of cultivation. If she could draw parallels from one to another—
then mid-grade, high-grade, or even top-grade sword techniques would likely increase it even more.
“In that case, the Sword Saint’s consultation fee should indeed include several sword technique inheritances.”
“If I cultivate the Frost Sword Art to completion, my Sword Intent should reach the Mastery stage, right?”
Li Yunqing dispersed the Sword Intent, her thoughts flowing continuously.
Having never fought a Qi Realm expert, she could only estimate—her current Sword Intent was probably only at the beginner level.
The enhancement from a single sword technique just now had not been much.
But she could sense that with another dozen or so sword techniques to feed into it, relying on her Innate Sword Bones and comprehension to draw connections, her Sword Intent would surely reach minor success.
“This panel should be able to fully display my strength, right?”
The moment this thought arose, the panel before her suddenly changed.
Name: Li Yunqing
Lifespan: 15/∞
Strength: Lower Tier of the Initial Realm (44%)
Frost Sword Intent: Beginner (27%)
Yin Spirit: Minor Success (31%)
Skills: Zither, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting (Perfection) Traits: Undistracted Mind, Vigorous Spirit, Photographic Memory, Naturally Endowed with Spiritual Grace, Eight Tones Enter the Soul, Unparalleled Comprehension
Mingyu Fist (Major Completion 385/1000) Traits: Ice-Like Skin and Jade-Like Bones, Clear Mind
Frost Sword Art (Mastery 813/3000) Trait: Innate Sword Bones
Medicine King Scripture (Minor Success 667/3000) Traits: Identify Medicine by Scent, Immunity to All Poisons
“As expected.”
After glancing at the panel, Li Yunqing tossed aside the wooden stick and began practicing the Mingyu Fist.
The Medicine King Scripture relied on refining medicine and treating illness, so its experience grew quite quickly.
Moreover, as she absorbed the Thousand-Year Cold Poison and medicinal energy, the Medicine King Force grew stronger, and her tempering speed increased.
On the contrary, the Mingyu Fist required repeated practice.
Before confirming whether the Medicine King Scripture could produce Magical Power, she naturally could not abandon the martial path.
Or rather, even if it could produce Magical Power, she still could not abandon martial cultivation.
Once the fact that she could cultivate immortal path techniques was exposed, the demons, monsters, and evil gods of this world would likely all hunt her down to obtain her secret.
By evening—
“Mingyu Fist experience +87.”
“Mingyu Fist (Major Completion 472/1000)”
“In three to five more days, the Mingyu Fist will reach perfection.”
Looking at the text before her, Li Yunqing withdrew her fists in satisfaction, called Xiaolan, left the Martial Hall, and boarded a carriage heading home.
For her now, everything was centered on steadily increasing her strength.
Everything else was insignificant.
“Hm?”
Just as the carriage had traveled less than three li from the Martial Hall, a sudden sense of being watched arose in Li Yunqing’s heart.
Before she could observe further, cries suddenly rang out from afar.
“Miss, save me!”
Along with the shout, a blood-covered figure ran straight toward Li Yunqing’s carriage.
“Whoosh!”
Just as the blood-soaked figure reached the front of the carriage, the sound of something cutting through the air suddenly rang out.
“Pfft!”
In the next moment, a crossbow bolt pierced through the air, directly penetrating the figure’s chest.
Carrying the figure forward several meters, it slammed onto the ground before the carriage.
In the blink of an eye, all signs of life were gone.
Elder Xu yanked the reins sharply, stopping just before the horse’s hooves trampled the corpse.
“Elder Xu, what happened?”
Li Yunqing spoke, her spiritual power instantly spreading. Seeing the bloodied corpse, a sense of foreboding arose in her heart.
Jiang Jing’s earlier words suddenly echoed in her mind.
“Qingzhou City may seem calm, but undercurrents surge.”
“Your engagement with the Jiang Family will inevitably draw you into it.”
“They may even use your identity to drag the Jiang Family into the situation.”
Elder Xu stood as if facing a great enemy. Looking at the bloodied corpse, he said solemnly, “This person looks familiar—seems to be a servant who was expelled from a family for wrongdoing.”
Hearing this, Li Yunqing’s heart tightened, the sense of foreboding growing stronger.
Xiaolan nervously supported Li Yunqing, instinctively looking outside.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed across the surrounding streets.
In the blink of an eye, more than thirty figures in official uniforms appeared, holding sabers and crossbows, surrounding the carriage completely.
The guards around the carriage immediately raised their weapons, protecting it.
A voice sounded from not far away.
“Miss of the Li Residence, you are colluding with members of the God-Worship Sect. Come with us!”
Hearing this, and looking at the bloodied corpse, Li Yunqing’s hand clenched tightly.
Only yesterday she had been engaged—today trouble had already arrived.
“In broad daylight, you dare to frame me so brazenly?”