"Dragon-Subduing Hero?"
Li Qingqiu and Zhang Yuchun exchanged a look. Come to think of it, they had heard that name before—from Jiang Kuatian. Before leaving the mountain, Jiang Kuatian had mentioned that he was heading out early to witness a duel between the Dragon-Subduing Hero and the Sword Saint of the Vast Sea.
That was all he'd said. He hadn't gone into any details about this so-called hero.
There were countless figures of renown in the martial world, so neither of them had paid much attention to the name at the time.
Now, they never would've guessed that the man Jiang Kuatian had spoken of was lying half-dead right at the foot of Qingxiao Sect's mountain.
Li Qingqiu's tone was cautious. "Why are you here?"
Yang Jueding gave a bitter laugh. "It's pretty obvious, isn't it? I was fleeing from my enemies. Don't worry—they've already left. I used my inner strength to hold my breath for seven days and avoided being found."
Hold his breath for seven days?
That strong?
Li Qingqiu and Zhang Yuchun's eyes widened slightly, though they didn't take his words at face value.
Yang Jueding continued weakly, "From the way you two move up and down the mountain, you're not villagers. You must be disciples of Qingxiao Sect. I've met your master, Lin Xunfeng, a few times. I liked his temperament. Why don't you take me back with you? Once I recover, I can teach you a palm technique that can shatter mountains and stir seas—enough to make you famous across the martial world."
Hearing him mention Lin Xunfeng eased their guard slightly.
'So Master really wasn't exaggerating,' Li Qingqiu thought. 'His name is known in the martial world.'
Still, he didn't agree right away. He was already weighing the pros and cons in his mind.
Yang Jueding sighed. "After this wound, I plan to retire from the world. Qingxiao Sect is nice—peaceful, far from the bloodshed. If you'll take me in, I don't mind being a handyman. Just give me food and a mat to sleep on, and I'll be content."
Zhang Yuchun hesitated, visibly tempted, then looked to Li Qingqiu for guidance.
A clever thought crossed Li Qingqiu's mind. "Since you wish to join Qingxiao Sect," he said calmly, "there's a process to follow. Face the direction of our sect and make three vows."
"First—never harm a fellow disciple."
"Second—never betray or endanger the interests of Qingxiao Sect."
"Third—for the growth and future of Qingxiao Sect, you must be willing to give your all."
Zhang Yuchun blinked in confusion. Since when did we have these rules?
But he didn't say a word. He just kept his face straight and waited.
Yang Jueding looked amused but didn't object. The three vows didn't go against his principles anyway. Struggling to his knees, he turned toward the direction Li Qingqiu pointed and began reciting the oaths one by one.
As soon as he finished, Li Qingqiu summoned the Dao Lineage panel. Sure enough, the number of disciples had increased by one. He opened the new profile and saw:
[ Name: Yang Jueding ]
[ Gender: Male ]
[ Age: 35 years old ]
[ Loyalty (Sect Master/Sect): 50/50 (Full: 100 ) ]
[ Cultivation Aptitude: Above Average ]
[ Comprehension: Above Average ]
[ Fate: Chivalrous Heart, Survivor of Desperation ]
[ Chivalrous Heart: Selfless and righteous, guided by moral integrity. Always repays kindness a hundredfold. ]
[ Survivor of Desperation: The closer to death, the stronger the power he can unleash. ]
…
Seeing the words Chivalrous Heart instantly put Li Qingqiu at ease.
Still, the Survivor of Desperation fate piqued his curiosity.
'Could it be that he really escaped from a hopeless situation by sheer strength?'
He closed the Dao Lineage panel and said, "Yuchun, help him up. Let's go."
Zhang Yuchun hesitated for a second but obeyed.
Yang Jueding grinned faintly as they helped him to his feet. "So, what are your names, young brothers?"
"I'm Li Qingqiu, the current Sect Master of Qingxiao Sect. He's my second junior brother, Zhang Yuchun."
Li Qingqiu answered evenly, though in his mind, the words Chivalrous Heart made Yang Jueding seem much more trustworthy.
It seemed his heroic reputation wasn't empty talk after all.
The only pity was that he couldn't yet tell how strong the man truly was.
"Sect Master?" Yang Jueding blinked in surprise. "Then where's Lin Xunfeng?"
"My master went to seek immortality," Zhang Yuchun muttered with a hint of bitterness. "He left us behind."
Since the day Lin Xunfeng had brought him to Qingxiao Sect, it had always been Li Qingqiu who cared for him. Lin Xunfeng had barely spoken to him. Now that the man had simply abandoned them, how could Zhang Yuchun not resent it?
"Seeking immortality?"
Yang Jueding clicked his tongue in astonishment but said no more.
They continued their way up the mountain, talking casually as they went.
It took them a full hour before they finally reached Qingxiao Sect.
Li Dongyue, Li Sijin, and Li Sifeng hurried over the moment they saw the three return. When they noticed the stranger beside them, their eyes filled with curiosity.
Li Qingqiu instructed them to clean up their master's old room for Yang Jueding to stay in.
Lin Xunfeng's quarters held no treasures—Li Qingqiu had checked long ago. In fact, it was even barer than his own room. To call it "poor as dirt" wouldn't be an exaggeration at all.
Yang Jueding wasn't shy about making himself at home. Before moving into his room, he asked Zhang Yuchun to prepare two jars of aged wine for him—and, if possible, a chicken.
Zhang Yuchun didn't spoil him. He only brought one jar of wine and nothing else.
For the next half day, Yang Jueding stayed inside, circulating his inner qi to treat his wounds.
Seeing that he could heal himself, Li Qingqiu felt much more at ease. After all, none of them really knew how to tend to the injured.
'If my junior brothers or sisters ever get hurt, having Yang Jueding around could be useful,' he thought. 'This guy might actually be a real asset.'
By dusk, Jiang Zhaoxia emerged from the forest with Wu Man'er beside him. Wu Man'er's robe was torn, his sleeves shredded, and a scratch ran across his cheek.
"What happened?" Li Qingqiu frowned.
Jiang Zhaoxia shrugged carelessly. "How can anyone practice martial arts without getting hurt? It's all surface wounds—nothing serious."
Wu Man'er scratched his head and smiled foolishly.
Li Qingqiu sighed, his expression softening. "If it hurts too much, tell me. I'll ask your third senior brother to go easier on you next time."
Wu Man'er grinned, his eyes shining. "It doesn't hurt. I want to protect Senior Brother, protect my brothers and sisters. I'll get stronger."
Li Qingqiu felt both touched and pained. Wu Man'er was only thirteen years old, despite looking like a full-grown man with his broad shoulders and thick arms.
'Forget it,' he thought. 'I'll give him Jiang Zhaoxia's drumstick later.'
Then he sighed again. 'No, better yet, I'll give him my own. Third Junior means well.'
He invited them to sit at the long table to discuss the day's training.
Jiang Zhaoxia hadn't said what external art Wu Man'er was practicing, only that he was preparing a surprise for everyone. Out of trust, Li Qingqiu hadn't asked further.
When Zhang Yuchun finished cooking, the smell of hot food drifted through the courtyard—drawing Yang Jueding out immediately.
"Who are you?"
Jiang Zhaoxia frowned at the sight of the stranger and asked coldly.
Before things could escalate, Zhang Yuchun hurriedly stepped in to introduce Yang Jueding, fearing Jiang Zhaoxia might actually attack. After all, this was the same person who once dared to argue with Jiang Kuatian.
Yang Jueding narrowed his eyes slightly as he met Jiang Zhaoxia's gaze.
'This boy… he's young, but he gives off an incredibly dangerous aura.'
Li Qingqiu, watching quietly from his seat, felt a flicker of satisfaction.
'Good,' he thought. 'Third Junior isn't just fierce with us—he's got the same edge toward outsiders. Perfect. For a sect to stand tall, someone like him is indispensable. Yuchun's too softhearted sometimes. Having Jiang Zhaoxia around balances things out.'
"Whatever fame you had in the martial world doesn't matter," Jiang Zhaoxia said evenly. "Here in Qingxiao Sect, if you dare make trouble, I'll make sure you regret it."
Yang Jueding didn't get angry. Instead, he smiled, his eyes gleaming with appreciation.
He had been worried when he first heard Li Qingqiu was the sect master—how could a group of kids run a sect? But now, seeing Jiang Zhaoxia's attitude, he was beginning to think Qingxiao Sect might not be so simple after all.
He took a seat and, without hesitation, picked up his chopsticks to start eating while quietly observing the disciples around the table.
Soon, his eyes fell on Wu Man'er.
That boy's presence was overwhelming—his build, his energy, the way he held himself.
'This one's a martial prodigy,' Yang Jueding thought immediately.
Li Qingqiu noticed the man's gaze and said, "Yang Jueding, once you've recovered, you'll help Yuchun manage sect affairs and start teaching the disciples. You can pass on that palm technique you mentioned."
Yang Jueding's brows lifted slightly. "Can Wu Man'er train under me too?"
"No need. He trains with me," Jiang Zhaoxia cut in coldly before Li Qingqiu could respond.
Yang Jueding chuckled, amused. "Kid, the palm technique I'm talking about is a world-renowned martial art."
Jiang Zhaoxia snorted. "Then when you're healed, let's spar. You can show off your world-renowned martial art."
Even Yang Jueding's patience had its limits. His smile turned sharp. "Fine. I'll be happy to see what kind of ability you have—enough to make a child beat twenty years of my hard-earned skill?"
Li Dongyue shot Li Qingqiu a worried glance, but seeing the sect master's calm, almost amused expression, she bit back her words.
Meanwhile, Li Sifeng and Li Sijin were too young to understand the tension, and their excited chatter turned the dinner table into a lively mess.
That night, the younger disciples were restless and uneasy, keeping an eye on Yang Jueding's room just in case.
Li Qingqiu, however, was completely at ease. He no longer needed to sleep; every night, he spent his time cultivating instead.
The next morning, he took Jiang Zhaoxia down the mountain again.
Zhang Yuchun was anxious about being left alone to watch over Yang Jueding—it made him feel an unbearable weight of responsibility.
But Li Qingqiu didn't listen. He only told him not to worry.
At the Underground Spiritual Lake, Jiang Zhaoxia was thrilled. The two spent half a day cultivating there before Li Qingqiu urged him to stop and return to the sect.
"Tomorrow," Li Qingqiu said, "you'll bring Li Dongyue here to train."
And so, time passed quickly.
Half a month later, all seven disciples of Qingxiao Sect had trained by the lake—each of them sworn to secrecy about its existence.
Yang Jueding remained clueless. He assumed they went out hunting or gathering supplies.
Then came the day that struck Li Qingqiu's pride.
Jiang Zhaoxia broke through first—stepping into the second layer of Nurturing Essence.
He had expected it, but when it really happened, Li Qingqiu still felt a sting of jealousy. Not resentment—just the frustration of being left behind.
In his excitement, he hugged Jiang Zhaoxia so tightly that the latter's hair ended up a tangled mess. Jiang Zhaoxia was too overjoyed to notice his senior brother's complicated feelings.
That night, back in his room, Li Qingqiu sat on his bed, still thinking about Jiang Zhaoxia's breakthrough.
He chuckled softly to himself. "I worry my brothers will suffer, but I also can't stand it when they get ahead of me. Typical."
It was just self-mockery. He'd already accepted it and was truly happy for Jiang Zhaoxia's progress.
Suddenly—
A loud, booming voice echoed through the night outside his window. It carried clearly across the mountain, sharp and commanding.
"Yang Jueding! You call yourself the Dragon-Subduing Hero, and yet you hide behind a bunch of children? Come out and face death! If you don't, I'll slaughter everyone in Qingxiao Sect!"