Under the blazing sunlight, the rolling mountains stretched endlessly, the earth scorched and yellowed as if roasted by fire.
Between two mountain ranges flowed a vast river, and along its banks ran an official road. At this very moment, hundreds of martial experts galloped along it on fierce warhorses, kicking up a storm of dust. Some of them carried tall banners on their backs, each emblazoned with the two bold characters "Seven Peaks," exuding the aura of a thousand-strong army.
They wore identical azure robes. The right sleeve hung loosely and fluttered like flame, while the left shoulder bore a brass pauldron shaped like a tiger's head. Every face was cold and unyielding, and their murderous intent rolled like thunder. From afar, their formation resembled a giant azure dragon winding through the mountains, unstoppable in its momentum.
At the front rode a young man. He turned to glance at the middle-aged man beside him and asked, "Master, aren't we overreacting? We're sending this many people— even if Lin Xunfeng hadn't retired, we could still capture him easily."
The middle-aged man was named Yue Zhenchuan, one of the seven leaders of the Seven Peaks Alliance—renowned throughout the martial world for his immense power and prestige.
At his disciple's question, Yue Zhenchuan's expression remained unchanged. "Mo Jiujiao has been gone far too long without returning. That can only mean something went wrong," he said calmly. "Though Mo Jiujiao isn't particularly formidable, the fact that Qingxiao Sect dared to capture him means they're prepared to defy the Seven Peaks Alliance. The world is shifting, and the undercurrents of the martial world are growing turbulent. We cannot afford to be careless. Sometimes, an irreversible downfall begins with one small defeat."
Hearing this, the young man nodded reluctantly. He didn't fully agree, but he dared not contradict his master.
"Master," he asked after a moment, "just how powerful is this Lin Xunfeng anyway? He managed to dominate the entire Taikun Mountain Range— their territory is almost as large as our alliance's."
The other Seven Peaks disciples behind them turned their attention toward Yue Zhenchuan as well.
"Qingxiao Sect's hold over Taikun Mountain Range isn't Lin Xunfeng's doing," Yue Zhenchuan explained. "It's the work of his master—Qingxiao Sect's founder. Back then, that man was a nightmare to the entire martial world. But in the end, he fell into madness and vanished without a trace. Lin Xunfeng inherited only a third of his strength—yet even that was enough to hold the sect. At the time, even when three of our Seven Peaks leaders joined forces, they couldn't bring him down."
His tone was calm, utterly devoid of emotion, as if he were merely recounting history.
The young man's eyes widened. "Master, did you fight him too?"
Yue Zhenchuan shook his head slightly. "No. Not being able to cross blades with Lin Xunfeng is one of my greatest regrets. I hope I get the chance this time."
He snapped his whip, and the stallion beneath him neighed loudly, surging forward with renewed vigor. The rest of the riders followed suit, raising their whips as the entire formation accelerated, shaking the mountain road with their charge.
…
At noon, the sun blazed high above. In Qingxiao Sect's courtyard, the disciples had gathered in a circle, their eyes fixed on Zhang Yuchun.
He was wearing a brand-new sect robe—an azure garment with wide sleeves and a tightly bound waist. Though not extravagant, it made him appear upright and spirited, brimming with youthful energy.
For the Qingxiao Sect disciples, this was already a luxury. Their usual clothes were old and patched.
Zhang Yuchun twirled his sleeves and looked at Li Qingqiu. "Senior Brother, aren't these sleeves a bit too wide? It might get in the way during combat."
Li Qingqiu smiled. "I think it looks great. Besides, Qingxiao Sect isn't a sect of brutes that only loves fighting. This is just the first design. We'll gradually improve and refine the robes as time goes on."
Though still far from the elegance of immortal cultivators, the robes clearly set them apart from ordinary martial artists—and that was enough for now. The rest could be perfected later.
Standing nearby, the tailor finally let out a sigh of relief after seeing Li Qingqiu's satisfaction. The workload for this commission had been enormous, and he had already started regretting taking it.
Soon after, Li Qingqiu gathered Yang Jueding and the seven disciples from the mountain village—Huang Shan, Yu Lin, and the others—and led them deep into the back mountain forest.
The seven stood in a line, faces filled with curiosity, unsure of what the Sect Master intended.
Li Qingqiu surveyed them one by one before speaking. "Since I took over as Sect Master, Qingxiao Sect has walked a new path. We may still carry the old name, but in truth, this is an entirely new sect. Whether in martial arts or in conduct, everything is different. You seven are the first disciples of the new Qingxiao Sect. As our numbers grow, greater responsibilities will fall upon you."
The seven disciples straightened their backs immediately, their expressions solemn.
Li Qingqiu smiled in approval. "Regardless of your cultivation aptitude or comprehension, the disciples who come after you will always look up to you. But I won't let you live on reputation alone. From today onward, I grant you titles—you shall be known as the Seven Sons of Qingxiao. Yang Jueding will teach you his core inner art and bestow upon each of you a unique martial skill. My goal is that before you reach adulthood, each of you will possess the strength to roam freely across the martial world."
Yang Jueding stepped forward. "From today, I'll pass on my true martial techniques to you—not the flashy moves from before, but the genuine essence of my art. This is something no other disciple will receive."
Since cultivating the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra, he had been deeply humbled. He realized that all his past martial prowess was worth less than this single scripture. Offering his skills to train others no longer felt like a loss.
The Seven Sons of Qingxiao had already tried cultivating the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra, but to no avail. Guiding them back onto the martial path might actually be a better choice—it would save years of wasted time.
Still, deep down, Yang Jueding felt a hint of unease.
If even he failed to master the Sutra… that would be difficult to accept.
" Sect Master, we won't let you down!"
Huang Shan was the first to speak, his voice full of passion. The other six nodded vigorously, gratitude shining in their eyes.
After their disappointment with the Sutra, they had thought the Sect Master would give up on them, perhaps even send them down the mountain in ten years. Yet instead, he intended to personally cultivate them. How could they not be moved?
Li Qingqiu encouraged them a few more words, then turned and left the forest, leaving the training in Yang Jueding's hands.
Unlike Jiang Zhaoxia, Yang Jueding wouldn't be allowed to focus solely on his own cultivation. Half of his time would now belong to teaching.
Li Qingqiu didn't return to the sect immediately. He continued walking down the mountain path, determined to keep refining his Rejuvenation Ghost-Immortal Needles.
He had barely scratched the surface of the technique, and there was still a long way to go before he could truly wield it in battle.
…
Early the next morning.
Li Sifeng, Li Sijin, and Xu Ning set off together down the mountain. Their destination was the Underground Spiritual Lake to cultivate.
Li Sifeng walked ahead, holding a wooden branch he used as a makeshift sword. As he went, he swung it with practiced motions, muttering the names of sword techniques under his breath.
Behind him, Li Sijin and Xu Ning walked hand in hand, chatting about the Seven Sons of Qingxiao's martial training. From that morning onward, the Seven Sons would no longer practice together with them—this was Li Qingqiu's new arrangement.
Aside from Li Sijin, both Li Sifeng and Xu Ning already had the strength to defend themselves. Xu Ning occasionally sparred with Li Qingqiu to gain more experience in actual combat. That was also why Li Qingqiu felt confident allowing the three of them to descend the mountain on their own.
The Seven Sons' failure to cultivate the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra had made everyone realize just how difficult it truly was. As a result, they all treasured their cultivation time even more.
"Slash the dragon with the sword—none in the world are like me!"
Li Sifeng leapt from the top of the slope, landing gracefully on the grassy field below. He half-kneeled, swung his "sword" in a dramatic arc, and struck a dashing pose.
He lowered his head, lost in the moment, imagining himself slaying a dragon.
Then suddenly—
He felt something strange. Snapping his head up, he froze. Just ten zhang (≈33 meters) away in the forest stood a group of people staring at him. They all wore the same style of robes and held their horses by the reins. From afar, they looked like silent ghosts—watching him with eyes that made his heart tighten.
'Not again…'
Li Sifeng cursed inwardly. The last time he had run into outsiders, it had been Du Xuanfeng and his companion. And now—another group, even larger. His luck was truly terrible.
Just one glance told him these weren't ordinary travelers.
His mind immediately jumped to two names: the Seven Peaks Alliance and the Qing Sect.
He turned slightly toward the slope behind him, where Li Sijin and Xu Ning were making their way down. Even before he could signal, Xu Ning had already spotted them—the hundreds of warriors gathered among the trees.
Each of them held their horses still. The sheer presence of that many fighters clustered in the woods was overwhelming. It felt like far more than just a few hundred.
Li Sifeng hesitated. If they ran, it would only confirm their identity as disciples of Qingxiao Sect.
But if they stayed… they might be able to use their youth as cover, maybe even gather some information.
Just then, a middle-aged man dismounted his horse and started walking toward them. He raised his hand slightly, signaling for the rest to remain where they were.
Li Sifeng's heart eased a little. The man hadn't ordered an advance. That meant there was room for words.
If things went wrong, he might even seize the man as a hostage to force the others to retreat.
Having made up his mind, he steadied his breathing, though he deliberately kept his expression nervous and uneasy.
"What do we do now?" Li Sijin whispered, her voice trembling. It was her first time facing such a large group, and fear came instinctively.
Xu Ning's face remained calm as she replied in a low tone, "Stick to the story we agreed on. We're travelers from another place who got separated from our parents while climbing the mountain."
Li Sijin nodded, though she edged closer to Xu Ning, gripping her sleeve tightly.
The man approaching them was none other than Yue Zhenchuan, one of the Seven Peaks Alliance's seven leaders.
As he came closer, he forced a gentle smile and said, "Little one, don't be afraid. We're from the government. We just happened to pass through and wanted to ask you for directions."
Government officials?
Li Sifeng's eyes flicked toward the woods behind him—and there he saw it: a banner embroidered with two bold characters, "Seven Peaks."
Even after recognizing it, he didn't let his expression change. He kept up his nervous, awkward act, fidgeting as if frightened.
He didn't speak, but he didn't flee either. That, at least, made Yue Zhenchuan relax a little.
Stopping about seven paces away, Yue Zhenchuan smiled kindly. "Little brother, where are you from? And where are the adults who should be with you?"
Li Sifeng and his companions were wearing Qingxiao Sect robes, but Yue Zhenchuan had never seen them before. Since the robes bore no insignia, he assumed the three children were from a nearby village—perhaps from a family of some means.
Li Sifeng answered carefully, "We're from Meishan Village. We went up the mountain with our uncles to visit relatives, but we got separated. We're still looking for them."
Yue Zhenchuan nodded with a friendly chuckle. "Then let me help you find them. But before that—could you tell me if you've seen anyone else on the mountain recently?"
"Someone else? Let me think, I might've seen—"
Li Sifeng pretended to ponder for a moment, then, in a sudden blur of motion, lunged at Yue Zhenchuan like a young leopard, striking without hesitation.