Exceptional. Excellent!
A talent on par with Xu Ning!
Li Qingqiu's heart surged with excitement. The True Martial Body Fate was clearly powerful, but the Fragile Destiny aspect required caution. As long as Zhao Zhen survived until he turned sixteen, it would naturally dissolve.
That meant there were eleven years left.
Li Qingqiu couldn't fully judge how troublesome this Fragile Destiny would be, but instinct told him Zhao Zhen's danger would come from struggles involving royal power.
Would keeping him within Qingxiao Sect be enough to avert it?
The problem was, Zhao Zhen might bring trouble upon the sect instead.
Then again, any sect that accepted disciples would inevitably face risk. Every choice carried both advantage and cost. What he needed to decide now was whether Zhao Zhen was worth that risk.
Judging by his current aptitude, Zhao Zhen's talent already rivaled Xu Ning's. Xu Ning, even before reaching adulthood, had already defeated top experts of the martial world with ease.
Once Zhao Zhen reached sixteen, with his Comprehension advancing another grade, he would become Qingxiao Sect's most gifted disciple ever.
That alone was worth the gamble.
Besides, Zhao Zhen had already knelt and bowed to him. How could Li Qingqiu possibly drive him away now?
Smiling, Li Qingqiu personally helped the boy to his feet, then lifted him up and placed him on his lap.
Zhao Zhen looked a bit embarrassed but couldn't bring himself to refuse under Li Qingqiu's warm gaze.
Ku Yi, seeing that the apprenticeship was complete, clasped his hands and bowed deeply. "From now on, we'll be troubling the Sect Master."
The more Li Qingqiu looked at Zhao Zhen, the more he liked him. Turning to Ku Yi, he smiled. "You two should also stay and join our sect. Rest here for now. In a few days, I'll assign you duties. For the moment, live in the same courtyard as Zhao Zhen."
"Thank you, Sect Master," both Ku Yi and Ku Er replied in unison. Ku Er's expression, however, was complicated—no one could tell what he was thinking.
Li Qingqiu didn't press further. He ordered Qin Ye to arrange their lodging and turned his attention back to Zhao Zhen.
Once the three were gone, Li Qingqiu tried to pick Zhao Zhen up again, but this time, the boy firmly refused.
"Master, I don't need to be carried. I'm a man, not some fragile baby."
Zhao Zhen pulled away, standing tall and serious. His childish voice trying to sound mature was so amusing that Li Qingqiu couldn't help but laugh aloud.
"Alright then," he said with a grin. "Master respects your will. Come on, I'll show you something interesting."
He took Zhao Zhen's small hand and led him toward the forest behind the mountain, where Li Sijin was still waiting. He wanted to see how far her talisman-making had progressed.
Though young, Zhao Zhen showed no fear or timidity in this new environment. Holding his master's hand, he chattered endlessly, asking questions about everything he saw. Li Qingqiu answered each one patiently.
He'd already decided—he would keep Zhao Zhen close from now on to prevent any unexpected accidents.
Still, for now, it was best to let the boy live with Ku Yi and Ku Er for a while until they all grew comfortable.
That meant he'd soon have two young attendants by his side—Yuan Li and Zhao Zhen.
"An Indestructible Tyrant Body and a True Martial Body, huh?" Li Qingqiu chuckled inwardly. "Give it twenty years, and these two will shake the world. By then, the disciples' reverence for me will never end."
The very thought filled him with anticipation. A sect could only rise by constantly nurturing pillars strong enough to uphold it. He didn't just want himself and his juniors to grow stronger—he wanted the next generation to carry the legacy forward.
However, there was one lingering question.
Should he copy the True Martial Body Fate?
In his view, its greatest power lay in transforming martial arts into immortal dao methods. It didn't directly enhance one's physical constitution or combat strength like the Heavenly Thunder Spiritual Root.
Li Qingqiu himself didn't need to devote time to martial pursuits or the creation of new techniques—that would only slow his cultivation progress.
And Fate duplication chances weren't as easy to trigger as Dao Lineage Inheritance Rewards. He had to use them wisely.
'Better observe first,' he thought.
Li Qingqiu arrived with Zhao Zhen at the rear mountain forest. When Li Sijin saw the two of them, her eyes immediately fell on the boy, assessing him carefully.
Li Qingqiu had already explained Yan Lan's identity and his entrusted request to his juniors, so Li Sijin knew exactly who Zhao Zhen was.
But she didn't buy Yan Lan's story. She believed he just wanted Qingxiao Sect to protect his son—something that might bring them unnecessary trouble later.
Because of that, her first impression of Zhao Zhen was far from pleasant.
'This little brat looks way too smug. He's just begging for a beating,' she thought with a frown.
When Li Qingqiu and Zhao Zhen approached, the boy looked up at her and said politely, "Sister, you're really beautiful."
Li Sijin froze, momentarily caught off guard, before her expression softened into a bright smile. "Really?" she asked, eyes lighting up.
Not annoying at all. Actually kind of adorable.
Her irritation melted instantly.
Zhao Zhen nodded earnestly. "Really. You're much prettier than the women back home."
Li Qingqiu smiled as well. He didn't think Zhao Zhen was merely flattering Li Sijin. Cultivation truly could refine one's temperament. As Li Sijin grew older, her beauty had become more striking, and she carried an ethereal air few mortal women possessed.
It wasn't just her—Li Dongyue, Xu Ning, and Liu Yan had all begun showing the same transformation. The higher their cultivation, the more profound their changes.
"You've got quite the sweet tongue, kid. From now on, your auntie here will look after you in Qingxiao Sect!"
Li Sijin bent down and patted Zhao Zhen's head, smiling playfully.
In the Great Li Dynasty, even a master's junior sister was addressed as "aunt."
"So you're my aunt, no wonder you're so pretty," Zhao Zhen said innocently, making Li Sijin beam with delight.
Li Qingqiu cleared his throat deliberately. "Alright, enough sweet talk. Show me your talisman skills."
At his words, Li Sijin stood and walked aside. From her waist pouch, she took out a yellow talisman slip, pinching it delicately between her fingers. She glanced smugly at Li Qingqiu and Zhao Zhen. "Watch carefully, little nephew. Try not to get scared."
Zhao Zhen widened his eyes, unsure what she was about to do, but he obediently kept his gaze fixed on her.
Without wasting another moment, Li Sijin tossed the yellow talisman into the air, then flicked her finger. A spark of vital energy shot from her fingertip, piercing the talisman and igniting it instantly.
A sharp, echoing cry split the air. From the burning talisman burst a silver eagle shadow, its wings spreading wider as it soared upward. Within moments, its wingspan stretched over 10 feet, gleaming like lightning under the sun.
Li Qingqiu's eyes lit up, genuinely impressed.
He had expected a simple spell like a fireball or wind blade, but this was clearly a much higher-level creation.
The silver eagle's form was modeled after Xiao Jiu. Instead of fading quickly like most talismans, it circled high above the forest canopy, casting a shimmering reflection through the leaves. Zhao Zhen stared, his mouth hanging open in shock.
Li Sijin waved her finger, and the silver eagle immediately followed her motion, twisting and diving through the air. Smiling proudly, she said, "I call it the Spirit Eagle Talisman. You can only use each one once, but it can kill an enemy at a critical moment."
As her words fell, she sharply swung her arm downward. The silver eagle plunged like a bolt of thunder, slicing through branches as it crashed into the ground. Dust exploded everywhere, and when it cleared, there was a crater the size of a water jar in the grass.
"Lightning attribute?" Li Qingqiu raised his eyebrows, surprised.
Li Sijin coughed lightly and turned her head away. "Fine, I admit it—I asked Ning'er for some advice. She really is a genius. Her suggestions helped a lot."
"How much internal energy did it take to make one Spirit Eagle Talisman?" Li Qingqiu asked curiously.
At that, Li Sijin looked helpless and shrugged. "It took all my internal energy. But it's fine—I can always store up energy in advance. I don't fight much anyway, so it's better than letting it sit unused."
All her vital energy at the second layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm—no wonder it was so powerful.
"Very good," Li Qingqiu praised. "This is a real achievement. Your Spirit Eagle Talisman might save lives one day. Write down the method for crafting it, and we'll record it in the Scripture Pavilion."
"Really? Then that makes me a genius who created a sect technique!" Li Sijin's face lit up with excitement.
Jiang Zhaoxia, Xu Ning, and Yang Jueding had all created unique martial arts that were now preserved in the pavilion, and she had long envied them.
The Scripture Pavilion wasn't fully built yet, but the sect had already begun cataloguing their original techniques. Having one's own creation included there was the highest form of honor.
"Of course," Li Qingqiu said with a grin. "Your Spirit Eagle Talisman is even more meaningful than Third Brother's sword technique."
Li Sijin couldn't contain her joy—she actually jumped in place, eyes sparkling with pride.
Meanwhile, Zhao Zhen just stood there, staring at the crater in the dirt. His young mind was shaken to the core.
He had already started practicing martial arts and had seen the power of the Heaven-Guardian Division's experts, but he couldn't comprehend how a mere sheet of paper could summon such a terrifying eagle.
Li Qingqiu continued to question Li Sijin about the talisman's details, and she answered truthfully.
It turned out the Spirit Eagle Talisman wasn't as versatile as he hoped. It could only be used freely by its creator—others could activate it, but without fine control, it would merely explode on command.
Still, Li Qingqiu wasn't disappointed. He knew she would refine it in time. This was only the beginning.
That day brought him double joy—Zhao Zhen represented Qingxiao Sect's future strength, while Li Sijin's Spirit Eagle Talisman brought them one step closer to becoming a true cultivation sect.
In the days that followed, word spread among the disciples that the Sect Master had taken a new disciple. Everyone became curious about Zhao Zhen—after all, Li Qingqiu rarely accepted apprentices.
Five days later, Li Qingqiu personally taught Zhao Zhen the Great Sun Pure Yang Art.
With the True Martial Body Fate, Zhao Zhen was destined to walk the martial path. Li Qingqiu hoped he would one day evolve that martial technique into a cultivation art—an achievement that would mean everything for the sect.
And Zhao Zhen didn't disappoint. Despite his age, he could already read, and after studying the manual twice, he memorized it perfectly. That same day, he managed to generate his own distinct internal energy of the Great Sun Pure Yang Art.
From that day on, whether going up or down the mountain, Li Qingqiu always brought Yuan Li and Zhao Zhen with him. Before long, every disciple in Qingxiao Sect had memorized Zhao Zhen's face.
His martial talent far exceeded Li Qingqiu's expectations. His progress was astounding—each day brought visible improvement.
When Li Qingqiu asked Yang Jueding to test Zhao Zhen's abilities, the seasoned elder couldn't believe his eyes.
He exclaimed, "A reincarnated demon child!"
In Yang Jueding's eyes, Wu Man'er was already a once-in-a-million genius, while Xu Ning's talent defied comprehension.
But Zhao Zhen's appearance shattered everything he thought he knew about genius.