"How many from the Blood Fiend Sect are here?" Lin Qingyu asked gravely, her hand already resting on her sword hilt.
The disciple who brought the news was pale. "At least fifteen, led by their Grand Elder, Bloodbeard! There are also three unfamiliar figures with auras even more terrifying than his!"
Lin Qingyu's body stiffened. Bloodbeard, a mid-Golden Core cultivator, was already a formidable opponent, one stage above her own early Golden Core cultivation. The three unknown experts were likely reinforcements hired by the Blood Fiend Sect.
"Senior…" She turned to Qi Tian, her eyes seeking guidance.
Qi Tian's expression remained unruffled. "Let's go take a look."
His tone was as calm as if he were suggesting a leisurely stroll, and it inexplicably soothed the tense nerves of the Xuanzong Sect members.
The group arrived at the valley's entrance. Through the mist, they could see over a dozen figures in blood-red robes. At their forefront stood a red-bearded elder—Bloodbeard, the Grand Elder of the Blood Fiend Sect. Beside him were three figures cloaked in black, their faces obscured by a sinister aura.
"Lin Qingyu!" Bloodbeard barked upon seeing them. "Your Xuanzong Sect has some nerve, killing our elders! Hand over the culprit today, or I'll raze your sect to the ground!"
Lin Qingyu steadied herself. "Bloodbeard, it was your Blood Fiend Sect that ambushed my disciple first. Now you dare accuse us? Have you no shame?"
"Enough talk!" Bloodbeard sneered. "Your pathetic sect couldn't possibly kill three of our Foundation Establishment elders without some underhanded trick! Hand over the culprit and the Xuanzong Mirror, or you all die!"
As he spoke, the three black-robed figures stepped forward, releasing an overwhelming pressure. Shockingly, all three were mid-Golden Core cultivators!
Lin Qingyu's face paled. Bloodbeard alone was a challenge, but three additional mid-Golden Core cultivators made this a hopeless battle for the Xuanzong Sect.
"Master…" Liu Hanshuang gripped her sword tightly, her palms slick with sweat. The other disciples were ashen, some trembling so badly they could barely stand.
In the midst of this tense standoff, Qi Tian sighed softly. "Noisy."
He stepped forward, positioning himself at the forefront of the Xuanzong group.
Bloodbeard narrowed his eyes. "Who are you, boy?"
Qi Tian ignored the question, asking calmly, "Why is your Blood Fiend Sect so obsessed with the Xuanzong Mirror?"
"None of your business!" a Foundation Establishment cultivator behind Bloodbeard snapped. "Answer the Grand Elder's question, or kneel!"
Qi Tian's gaze turned cold, flicking toward the man.
Bang!
Without warning, the Foundation Establishment cultivator exploded into a mist of blood, not even given the chance to scream.
The valley fell deathly silent.
Bloodbeard and the three black-robed figures staggered back, their faces etched with horror. They hadn't even seen how Qi Tian acted, yet a Foundation Establishment cultivator was gone in an instant.
"You…" Bloodbeard's voice trembled. "Who are you?"
Qi Tian didn't respond, repeating, "Answer my question. Why are you so fixated on the Xuanzong Mirror?"
Bloodbeard's expression wavered, then twisted into a sneer. "Playing tricks? Kill him!"
The four Golden Core cultivators attacked in unison. Bloodbeard summoned a blood-red saber, wreathed in countless wailing spirits that emitted chilling shrieks. The three black-robed figures each unleashed a beam of corrosive black light, so potent it sizzled through the air.
Faced with this terrifying assault, the Xuanzong Sect members turned pale. Lin Qingyu tried to step forward, but a gentle force restrained her, rendering her immobile.
Qi Tian stood motionless, not even lifting a finger.
As the attacks neared, a faint clear light radiated naturally from his body. The ferocious blood-red saber and corrosive black beams melted like snow under a blazing sun upon touching it, vanishing without a trace.
"Impossible!" Bloodbeard shrieked, his eyes wide with fear.
Qi Tian finally moved, raising his right hand and closing it lightly.
Pop!
Bloodbeard and the three black-robed figures froze, then burst apart like crushed melons, their blood and flesh splattering outward—only to be stopped three feet from Qi Tian by an invisible barrier, not a drop touching him.
The remaining Blood Fiend Sect disciples stood dumbfounded, then screamed and fled in all directions.
Qi Tian shook his head. "Since you're here, don't leave."
He snapped his fingers.
Bang! Bang! Bang…
A series of explosions followed, and every fleeing Blood Fiend disciple dissolved into blood mist, their bodies and souls utterly erased.
From start to finish, the battle lasted less than three breaths. Four Golden Core cultivators and over a dozen Foundation Establishment disciples—annihilated.
The valley entrance was silent as a grave.
The Xuanzong members gaped, their eyes nearly popping out. They knew Qi Tian was powerful, but this? Golden Core cultivators were the pinnacle of strength in today's cultivation world, each a regional hegemon. Yet before Qi Tian, they were crushed like ants.
"S-Senior…" Lin Qingyu's voice shook, at a loss for words.
Qi Tian turned, his face as calm as ever. "Where is the Blood Fiend Sect's headquarters?"
Lin Qingyu blinked, realizing his intent, and quickly tried to dissuade him. "Senior, the Blood Fiend Sect is vile, but their Sect Leader, Bloodsoul Ancestor, is at the peak of Golden Core and rumored to have a secret technique that can briefly reach a pseudo-Nascent Soul state. Though your strength is immense, still…"
Her words trailed off as Qi Tian smiled.
That smile carried a mix of amusement and pity, like an adult hearing a child boast, "My dad can beat ten men."
"Lead the way," he said simply.
Lin Qingyu swallowed hard, not daring to argue. "Their headquarters is in Blood Fiend Valley, three hundred miles away. I can—"
"No need for the trouble." Qi Tian cut her off. His divine sense expanded, instantly locking onto a valley three hundred miles away, reeking of blood and malice.
With a wave of his hand, he tore open a rift in space, revealing the scene of Blood Fiend Valley on the other side.
"Spatial translocation?!" Lin Qingyu gasped. Such a technique existed only in ancient texts, said to require at least Great Ascension stage cultivation!
Qi Tian stepped into the rift and vanished. Less than ten breaths later, the rift reappeared, and he emerged, not a speck of dust on him.
"The Blood Fiend Sect no longer exists," he said lightly, as if he'd merely gone for a walk.
Lin Qingyu and the disciples were stunned. A sect that had dominated the region for centuries… gone, just like that?
"Let's head back," Qi Tian said, brushing his hands as if he'd done something trivial. "I have some matters to discuss."
Back in the Xuanzong Sect's main hall, Qi Tian took the seat of honor, while Lin Qingyu and the disciples stood below, barely daring to breathe. Those who had initially doubted his identity now wished they could bury their heads in the ground.
"Sect Leader Lin," Qi Tian began, "since I'm staying here, I won't do so for free. Beyond repairing the protective array and completing your techniques, I can guide your cultivation. However…"
He paused. "I have a few conditions."
Lin Qingyu bowed immediately. "Please name them, Senior. The Xuanzong Sect will obey without question."
"First, my identity stays secret, known only to those present. Second, I require a quiet place and dislike disturbances. Third, the Xuanzong Sect will help me gather certain materials and information."
Lin Qingyu agreed without hesitation. "As you command, Senior."
Qi Tian nodded, his gaze sweeping over the disciples and settling on Liu Hanshuang. "Come here."
Liu Hanshuang's heart skipped a beat as she stepped forward nervously. "What are your orders, Senior?"
Qi Tian touched her forehead lightly. "Your foundation is solid, but your technique is flawed. Practice the Xuanzong Art I gave you diligently, and you'll reach peak Foundation Establishment within three months."
A warm current flowed into Liu Hanshuang's body, loosening the bottleneck at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. Overjoyed, she knelt and kowtowed. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior!"
The other disciples looked on with envy, especially a young disciple named Zhao Hu, who gazed at Qi Tian longingly but hesitated to speak.
Qi Tian noticed and smiled faintly. "You get one too."
With a flick of his finger, golden lights shot into each disciple's forehead, imparting tailored insights from the Xuanzong Art suited to their cultivation and physique.
"Thank you for your boundless grace, Senior!" The disciples knelt, their eyes filled with reverence.
Lin Qingyu watched, her eyes glistening. The Xuanzong Sect had languished for years—when had it ever seen such promise? This senior's arrival was a heaven-sent blessing!
"Senior," she ventured after a moment's hesitation, "you mentioned needing materials and information. What specifically do you require? I'll arrange for it immediately."
Qi Tian thought briefly. "First, any records of anomalies in the heavens, no matter how minor. Second, these materials…"
He flicked his finger, and a golden light formed a list of dozens of material names in the air. Some, Lin Qingyu recognized as rare crafting materials; others were utterly unfamiliar, likely relics of ancient times.
"I'll do my utmost to gather them," Lin Qingyu pledged, "though some may be extinct…"
"No matter. Collect what you can," Qi Tian said, unconcerned. "Also, from today, the Xuanzong Sect will close its gates. All disciples are to focus on cultivation. In three months, I expect to see your progress."
"Yes!" the group responded in unison.
In the days that followed, the Xuanzong Sect transformed. The fully restored protective array revitalized the valley's spiritual energy. With complete techniques, the disciples' cultivation soared, and even the barren spiritual fields sprouted new life, yielding various herbs.
Qi Tian took residence in a newly built cave abode at the rear of the mountain, rarely emerging. Only Liu Hanshuang, delivering spiritual tea daily, occasionally received his brief guidance.
One day, as she brought tea and prepared to leave, Qi Tian spoke. "How's your cultivation progressing?"
Liu Hanshuang answered promptly, "Senior, I've broken through to the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment."
"Too slow," Qi Tian said, shaking his head. "Extend your hand."
She obediently offered her wrist. Qi Tian pressed two fingers to her pulse, sending a wisp of spiritual energy through her meridians.
"Your spiritual flow lacks harmony, with blockages at the third and seventh meridian nodes," he diagnosed sharply. "The Xuanzong Art emphasizes the 'mystery within mystery.' You're too fixated on the energy's path, losing its true essence."
He tapped her wrist lightly, and a warm current surged through her, flowing in a profound, natural rhythm—far smoother than her previous halting practice.
"Remember this sensation," Qi Tian said, withdrawing his hand. "Go and refine it."
Liu Hanshuang nodded eagerly. "Thank you, Senior!"
As she turned to leave, she hesitated. "Senior, there's something I'm unsure if I should mention…"
"Speak."
"Recently, we've noticed unfamiliar cultivators lurking near the sect, as if spying on us," Liu Hanshuang said worriedly. "Master suspects other sects are investigating after hearing of the Blood Fiend Sect's destruction."
Qi Tian wasn't surprised. "Let them watch. The protective array is restored; unless a Nascent Soul cultivator comes in person, they can't touch you."
Liu Hanshuang hesitated again. "But…"
"What else?" Qi Tian noticed her reluctance.
"Lingxiao Pavilion has announced a 'Cultivation Conference,' inviting all sects in the Eastern Continent," she said softly. "Master is torn about whether to attend."
Qi Tian's eyes glinted with interest. "A Cultivation Conference? When?"
"Three months from now, coinciding with the end of your mandated seclusion period."
Qi Tian tapped the table thoughtfully. "Tell Lin Qingyu I'll accompany you to the conference."
Liu Hanshuang's face lit up. "With Senior joining us, we have nothing to fear!"
After she left, Qi Tian walked to the window, gazing into the distance. His eyes pierced the clouds, settling once more on the imperceptible crack in the heavens.
"Lingxiao Pavilion…" he murmured. "I hope you have something useful for me."
Meanwhile, the sudden annihilation of the Blood Fiend Sect sent shockwaves through the Eastern Continent's sects. Reports of the Xuanzong Sect's restored array and resurgent spiritual energy sparked speculation and covetous glances.
A hidden undercurrent was stirring in the Eastern Continent's cultivation world…