After meditating for an hour at the mountain gate, Li Qingqiu slowly opened his eyes just as Yang Jueding walked out from the sect grounds.
After several months of recovery, Yang Jueding's injuries had completely healed. His vitality had returned to its peak—his spirit sharp, his gaze like lightning, and his stride firm and powerful, each step exuding the dominance of a dragon or tiger.
He came to sit beside Li Qingqiu, his eyes sweeping up and down, carefully studying him.
Without opening his eyes, Li Qingqiu asked calmly, "What is it?"
Yang Jueding chuckled, clicking his tongue in admiration. "You people have some strange cultivation method. The movement of the world's qi around you is huge, and what's even stranger—the qi you absorb feels… different from the natural energy I know. I've studied martial arts for decades, and among all the internal techniques I've seen, I've never encountered one that produces results this fast."
Even if Li Qingqiu and his disciples practiced cultivation right in front of him, Yang Jueding still wouldn't have been able to fully understand it.
Martial arts practitioners also absorbed heaven and earth's energy, nurturing inner qi—but that was vastly different from true cultivation.
Martial inner qi came from stimulating acupuncture points and the dantian, with external qi acting as a mere catalyst. Cultivators, on the other hand, used their entire body as a vessel—refining the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into vital energy through a process akin to alchemy.
The world was filled with countless types of qi, but spiritual energy was the essence of creation—the source of all life. It was omnipresent yet also the hardest for mortals to perceive or harness.
"Why? You want to learn?" Li Qingqiu opened one eye slightly, glancing sideways at him.
Yang Jueding grinned. "Can I?"
In truth, he had long been tempted. He had been reluctant to abandon the inner strength he had built up over twenty years, but after seeing how rapidly the disciples of Qingxiao Sect were progressing, he could no longer resist the urge.
After all, his martial foundation had already reached its limit. If he wanted to break through, he needed a new path.
"Of course. I'll teach you later," Li Qingqiu replied without hesitation.
He had been pleased with Yang Jueding's performance these past months—the man had taken his role as instructor of the second-generation disciples seriously and had shown great patience and diligence. That alone was enough for Li Qingqiu to reward him.
Yang Jueding's face lit up. Clearly, Li Qingqiu wasn't a cold or stingy leader—he valued effort and repaid loyalty in kind.
Encouraged, Yang Jueding's expression turned solemn as he finally voiced the matter he'd been considering for the past few days. "Sect Master, don't you think Qingxiao Sect's growth has been a bit too slow?"
Li Qingqiu turned to look at him. "What are your thoughts?"
Yang Jueding clasped his hands behind his back. "I noticed Jiang Zhaoxia and Zhang Yuchun both went down the mountain again. That means we're short on money. With enough silver, we could buy more food, forge more weapons, and build more houses. Then, naturally, the sect would grow much faster."
He paused briefly, gauging Li Qingqiu's reaction before continuing.
"Have you ever considered working with noble families or wealthy merchants? We could get funding and manpower in exchange for teaching them martial arts or granting them limited influence within the sect."
He stopped there, watching Li Qingqiu carefully. If the young Sect Master disapproved, pressing further would be overstepping.
Li Qingqiu raised an eyebrow. "You already have someone in mind?"
He had long considered this himself. He wasn't opposed to cooperation with powerful clans or merchants. In this world, much like ancient Huaxia, the great families controlled most of the wealth and knowledge—especially books and scholars.
If he could partner with one, Qingxiao Sect would gain access to a wider range of talents.
Even an immortal sect couldn't rely solely on disciples cultivating all day. Specialists were essential—smiths to forge weapons, doctors to treat injuries, scholars to handle accounts, and even tailors for robes. It would be absurd if they had to go down the mountain every time they needed new clothes.
One day, he wanted Qingxiao Sect to develop into a self-sufficient city of its own, with a complete system and industry—but that would take time.
Yang Jueding straightened up, visibly energized. "I've traveled the jianghu for many years and made plenty of friends. If you don't mind, I'd like to make a bold suggestion."
He continued, his tone earnest. "For a sect like ours, we must never partner with families tied to government power—they'd only swallow us whole. We also can't join hands with clans deeply entrenched in the martial world; future conflicts would be inevitable. What we need is a newly risen noble house or a wealthy merchant family—people with no martial backing but who need protection. Our presence would be their shield, and their lack of force would ensure they wouldn't dare betray us."
Li Qingqiu regarded him with newfound respect. He had thought Yang Jueding was just a brawny fighter, but the man clearly had a sharp, strategic mind.
Yang Jueding offered a concrete proposal. "There's a family like that in Meishan Village, near the Taikun Mountain Range—the Qin family. Their ancestors once produced a top scholar, but when the dynasty changed thirty years ago, they went into hiding to avoid the chaos. A few years ago, I passed through there and met their patriarch. We got along well. The Qin family's been doing business ever since, with plenty of people and resources. They'd be a perfect match for us."
Li Qingqiu narrowed his eyes. "They might also bring trouble. Even if Qingxiao Sect grows strong, we can't stand against the imperial army if the court labels them rebels from the previous dynasty."
There was a reason the Qin family had hidden themselves. If they were ever accused of being remnants of the fallen regime, it would bring disaster to anyone connected to them.
Yang Jueding nodded gravely. "It's true there's risk—but it's the closest and best option we have. The others are either too far away or too tangled in jianghu politics. The area around the Taikun Range is already crawling with sects and mercenaries. It's a gamble, but all progress carries risk. It's up to you whether to take it."
Li Qingqiu thought for a while, eyes fixed on the distant mountains. Yang Jueding said nothing more, content to wait and admire the sweeping landscape before them.
After a long silence, Li Qingqiu spoke. "All right. Go invite their patriarch to the mountain. I'll speak with him personally."
Yang Jueding's face broke into a broad grin. He clapped his hands together. "Of course! No problem at all!"
He looked genuinely delighted—because once again, the young Sect Master had proven he was no ordinary youth.
What pleased Yang Jueding wasn't merely that Li Qingqiu had agreed to his proposal. What truly made him happy was that the young Sect Master, despite his age, dared to engage in diplomatic dealings with outside powers. That kind of vision and courage meant the future of Qingxiao Sect would be extraordinary.
After chatting for a while longer, Yang Jueding went off to pack his things. He would head down the mountain that very day.
If all went well, within five days at most, he'd return with guests.
Once Yang Jueding departed, Li Qingqiu remained seated in meditation at the mountain gate, his posture unmoving as the sun dipped lower in the sky.
Just as the horizon began to turn gold, he saw several familiar figures walking out from the forest—Zhang Yuchun, Li Dongyue, Li Sijin, and Xu Ning. Each carried a large bamboo basket, filled to the brim with supplies.
Zhang Yuchun even led three small pigs, squealing all the way up the path.
A faint smile tugged at Li Qingqiu's lips. He thought to himself that his second junior brother was surprisingly capable—managing to collect so many goods from the villagers. That was no small feat, especially now that Guzhou was in turmoil, with uprisings and refugees spreading chaos across the land.
He waited for them to reach the gate before walking with them back into the sect, chatting along the way.
Only then did he learn that most of the supplies came from the families of disciples Huang Shan and Yu Lin. That realization softened his view of those two—it seemed their families still cared deeply for Qingxiao Sect.
'Good,' he thought, nodding to himself. 'They understand loyalty and gratitude. I'll make sure to nurture them more in the future.'
That very night, Li Qingqiu assigned two disciples to take care of the pigs. He gave them this job together since all the disciples were still young—tasks like these had to be done in pairs to avoid accidents.
For now, Qingxiao Sect was still very much a children's sect. Most chores had to be handled in teams.
…
Five days later, before Jiang Zhaoxia and his group had returned, Yang Jueding arrived at the mountain—bringing with him a man from the Qin family.
The visitor was the Qin family's young master, Qin Jue. He looked every bit the refined son of a wealthy household, about twenty-five years old, courteous and generous in demeanor. He came alone, as his father was busy with other matters.
Li Qingqiu welcomed him into the courtyard, with Yang Jueding accompanying them.
After sitting down, Qin Jue watched curiously as Yang Jueding personally poured tea for Li Qingqiu.
It surprised him greatly. How could the famous Dragon-Subduing Hero, Yang Jueding, act so humbly toward such a young Sect Master?
While they exchanged polite greetings, Qin Jue's sharp eyes swept over the courtyard. He saw Wu Man'er practicing fists with three young disciples, while Li Sifeng stood atop the roof's edge, practicing his sword technique with precision.
Especially Li Sifeng—his strikes were sharp, fierce, and refined far beyond his age. His footing was steady, his movements disciplined. Clearly, this was no ordinary child.
After the pleasantries, Qin Jue finally got to the main point. He asked directly about the strength of Qingxiao Sect—and what kind of protection it could provide for the Qin family.
"If the Qin family encounters trouble," Li Qingqiu replied with a calm smile, "I can send at least three experts of Yang Jueding's level to assist. And beyond that, we can train your family's younger generation in martial arts. The teachings of Qingxiao Sect aren't simple tricks."
Qin Jue turned toward Yang Jueding for confirmation.
Yang Jueding nodded firmly. "I've already joined Qingxiao Sect myself. As long as the Sect Master commands it, I'll face fire and water without hesitation."
Then he glanced at Li Sifeng on the rooftop and shouted, "Sifeng! Show them what you've got!"
At once, Li Sifeng spun around. Without a word, he raised his sword and hurled it straight through the air.
He had practiced this move beforehand, channeling his vital energy into the blade. The sword shot forward like a thunderbolt, aimed directly between Qin Jue's eyes.
The distance between them was less than five zhang—barely fifteen meters. In the blink of an eye, the blade was already upon him.
Too fast!
Though Qin Jue was trained in martial arts, there was no time to react. His body froze in place, eyes wide in terror.
Then, just as the sword was about to strike, a hand appeared beside his head—two fingers snapping shut around the incoming blade. The sword quivered violently, letting out a clear, ringing hum.
Qin Jue turned his head stiffly—and saw that it wasn't Yang Jueding who had intervened. It was Li Qingqiu.
His heart trembled. The young Sect Master who looked so harmless had just caught a flying sword barehanded.
Yang Jueding, too, was stunned. Li Sifeng's throw had been so fast and fierce that even he'd been startled. He had only meant for the boy to demonstrate a sword form, not unleash such a lethal strike.
But what truly shocked him was Li Qingqiu's speed.
That reaction—faster than lightning!
Faster than him!
'Could it be,' he thought, 'that Li Qingqiu's strength isn't weaker than Jiang Zhaoxia's?'
Li Qingqiu tossed the sword aside. It landed upright in the dirt, the blade still trembling. He glared coldly at Li Sifeng.
"Impudent! I said show your skill, not attack recklessly! Get over here and apologize!"
Li Sifeng leapt down from the roof and ran over, bowing deeply to Qin Jue in apology.
Qin Jue forced a smile, waving it off. "It's fine, no harm done."
But inside, his emotions swirled—first fear, then awe, and finally excitement.
This Qingxiao Sect truly had strength!
After giving Li Sifeng a light kick for punishment, Li Qingqiu continued his discussion with Qin Jue. From there, negotiations went smoothly. They discussed the Qin family's needs, the sect's conditions, and quickly reached a fair agreement.
An hour later, Qin Jue prepared to leave. Yang Jueding would escort him back down the mountain.
From now on, the Qin family would send Qingxiao Sect a generous annual tribute of silver and supplies. In return, Qingxiao Sect would accept six Qin children under the age of twelve as martial disciples, with Li Qingqiu personally selecting one to take as his direct disciple.
Li Qingqiu walked them to the gate, watching as they disappeared down the winding path.
Then, in the air before his eyes, a faint golden line of text appeared—
[Due to Qingxiao Sect's first successful alliance with an external force while retaining full independence, you have earned 1 Dao Lineage Inheritance Reward Opportunity.]