'Self-created technique?'
Li Qingqiu froze for a moment, genuinely surprised. Who could've managed such a feat?
So far, among those in Qingxiao Sect, only he himself, his junior brothers and sisters, and perhaps Yang Jueding and Xu Ning could truly be considered cultivators.
'Could it be Jiang Zhaoxia or Li Sijin? No, both of them went to the Underground Spiritual Lake today… wait—was it Jiang Zhaoxia?'
Curiosity sparked in his eyes. He leapt from the treetop, his figure cutting through the snow-covered forest like a streak of light. The snow beneath him barely shifted as he passed, leaving not a single footprint behind.
Descending from the mountainside, he made his way back toward the sect. Along the path, he saw disciples busy at work—some practicing martial arts, some carrying water or chopping wood, and others sparring in the courtyards. The sect finally looked and felt like a true martial order.
As soon as he entered the new courtyard below the main gate, Yang Jueding appeared and blocked his path.
"Sect Master, I've got something to report!" Yang Jueding's face was lit with excitement. He grabbed Li Qingqiu's wrist and squeezed tightly without realizing it.
Li Qingqiu blinked in surprise. 'Don't tell me… the one who created the new technique was Yang Jueding?'
That was unexpected. Among everyone in Qingxiao Sect, Yang Jueding had been the latest to step into the path of cultivation.
Without saying more, Li Qingqiu followed him to the grove beside the new courtyard. Yang Jueding looked around to ensure no one was watching, then placed his hands on his hips and grinned with pride. "Sect Master, I've merged the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra with my Nine Heavens Divine Palm! Its power has doubled!"
The Nine Heavens Divine Palm was Yang Jueding's signature technique—the very art that had made him famous throughout the martial world. Its force was fierce, precise, and explosive. A single strike could shatter a man's dantian and break every bone in his body.
Though Yang Jueding had mastered many martial arts, this one he had passed down to only one person—Wu Man'er.
Li Qingqiu's eyes gleamed. He had long theorized about using vital energy to enhance martial techniques, but he himself had never succeeded.
And now, Yang Jueding had done it.
"Show me," Li Qingqiu urged.
Yang Jueding turned, lowering into a steady horse stance. His fists pulled back to his waist. As he began channeling energy, the snow around his feet started to melt, releasing thin wisps of steam that rose into the cold air.
Li Qingqiu raised his brows, impressed by the sheer intensity of Yang Jueding's aura.
'He's only just begun cultivating… how did his power reach this level so quickly?'
Stranger still, his Dao Lineage panel had never shown Yang Jueding's Comprehension as particularly high.
Yet here he was—radiating strength equal to that of Lü Taidou himself, despite still being at the first layer of Nurturing Essence.
Li Qingqiu watched intently.
Yang Jueding didn't keep him waiting. Once his momentum peaked, he suddenly thrust his right palm forward. His upper body leaned slightly with the strike, unleashing a roaring surge of power that crashed through the air like a dragon bursting from the abyss. The shockwave tore across the snowy ground, splitting the earth like a river breaking free of its banks.
Boom!
The energy surged like a living beast, slamming into an ancient tree and toppling it with ease. Just as the shockwave was about to blast further ahead, Yang Jueding suddenly pulled his palm back—forcefully retracting the energy he had released.
The backlash whipped up a blizzard of snow, leaves, and gravel, all drawn toward them in a violent gust.
Li Qingqiu's robe fluttered wildly in the wind. He squinted, watching closely—and couldn't help but think, 'That… was actually pretty damn cool.'
The recoil effect of the palm was ingenious. A wounded opponent wouldn't even have the chance to retreat before being pulled back into the second strike.
Yang Jueding flicked his arm, dispersing the residual energy. The ground around them split open with long, narrow cracks several zhang in length.
He turned toward Li Qingqiu and tilted his chin upward with a proud grin, silently demanding judgment.
Li Qingqiu nodded approvingly. "Impressive. Very impressive. Write down this technique and record it. From now on, it'll be part of the Qingxiao Sect's archives. I won't forget this contribution."
Yang Jueding opened his mouth, ready to object—but then stopped himself.
After all, without the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra, his Nine Heavens Divine Palm would never have evolved to such power.
He exhaled slowly. "The only problem is that I can use it just once. The energy drain is massive."
He smiled bitterly. It was strange—his new inner energy was far greater than before, yet one strike nearly emptied him completely.
Even so, he could feel how far beyond ordinary martial arts this combination had reached. The Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra truly was a divine art worthy of the heavens. If word of this ever spread through the martial world, rivers of blood would surely follow.
As that thought passed, he looked at Li Qingqiu with newfound respect.
This Sect Master had given him such a sacred technique—sincerely, without reservation.
Li Qingqiu smiled faintly. "You've only just begun cultivating the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra. Give it time. In ten years, you'll be one of the greatest masters in the martial world."
"Ten years?" Yang Jueding laughed, voice booming. "Are you underestimating me—or the Sutra? Ten years from now, I'll be the number one under heaven!"
Then he paused, scratching his head and adding with a grin, "Of course, I mean… aside from our own people."
He wasn't foolish enough to challenge the likes of Jiang Zhaoxia, Xu Ning, or even Wu Man'er. Their potential alone was enough to terrify him.
Li Qingqiu didn't argue. Instead, he asked how Yang Jueding had managed to fuse the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra with the Nine Heavens Divine Palm.
Yang Jueding explained the process in detail.
Even after listening carefully, Li Qingqiu couldn't quite grasp the reasoning behind such an idea. He could only attribute it to Yang Jueding's deep experience in martial arts.
That was, after all, the man's true advantage—an instinct for battle that none of the others could replicate in a short time.
Regardless, creating a new technique for Qingxiao Sect was no small feat.
So, before dinner, Li Qingqiu ordered Zhang Yuchun to slaughter a chicken for a small feast and announced the news to the disciples, encouraging them to innovate and create as well.
He didn't, however, reveal exactly what Yang Jueding had created.
Later that evening, after dinner, Jiang Zhaoxia came to Li Qingqiu's room to ask about it.
This time, Li Qingqiu didn't hide the truth.
When Jiang Zhaoxia learned that Yang Jueding had drawn inspiration from the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra to reshape his own martial art and create something even stronger, he fell silent for a long while. In the end, he said nothing and simply excused himself.
Li Qingqiu didn't stop him. In fact, if this pushed Jiang Zhaoxia to seek his own breakthrough, that would only be a good thing. He secretly hoped Jiang Zhaoxia would be the next to create a true cultivation art.
After all, for any sect—whether a cultivation sect or a martial one—the more techniques it possessed, the deeper its foundation.
Late that night, just before midnight, Li Qingqiu arrived at the grove where Qin Ye and Wu Baoyu had agreed to meet. He waited for a short while before Qin Ye appeared.
The young man stood nervously among the trees, visibly uneasy and filled with regret. Still, he had come—because he wanted to become stronger.
He knew full well that training under Yang Jueding would make him just another disciple among many. At best, he would stay average. But this… this was a gamble for a future beyond mediocrity.
Crack—
The sound of a branch breaking snapped him from his thoughts. He turned to see Wu Baoyu walking out of the shadows, holding an oil lamp in one hand.
Neither of them noticed Li Qingqiu quietly hidden among the branches above.
"Even though you're afraid, you still came," Wu Baoyu's low voice echoed through the grove. "That means you've got ambition in your bones."
Qin Ye couldn't see his expression in the dim light, and that made him even more anxious.
Wu Baoyu walked closer, hanging the oil lamp from a low branch. Then he reached over his shoulder, pulled out two wooden staves, and tossed one toward Qin Ye.
Qin Ye barely caught it—almost dropping it completely. Thankfully, the darkness hid his flushed face.
"Do you know why I chose you?" Wu Baoyu asked, his tone calm but firm.
"Because I work hard?"
"No," Wu Baoyu replied coldly. "Because your talent is poor—and your master doesn't value you."
The words stabbed deep, sharper than any blade.
Qin Ye's face stiffened. Deep down, he had known it all along—Li Qingqiu didn't think much of him. Compared to Xu Ning's extraordinary gift, he was painfully ordinary, a shadow under another's brilliance.
From behind the tree, Li Qingqiu nearly cursed aloud. Damn it, that old man is sowing discord!
Yet, a twinge of guilt struck him too. He had been neglecting Qin Ye. Even if Qin Ye had joined Qingxiao Sect through a deal of convenience, he was still his disciple.
Li Qingqiu made a silent decision—he would pay more attention to the boy from now on. Qin Ye was hardworking and never acted spoiled, unlike the arrogant sons of noble families.
"I couldn't reach Xu Ning," Wu Baoyu continued, his voice low and even. "So I chose you instead. I want you to inherit this staff technique. If it goes to others, it might be lost. But if it's passed to you, it'll stay within Qingxiao Sect's legacy. Besides, your Qin family walks the official path. This staff art will serve you well in the military someday. Once you master it, you'll be an army-slaying warrior—a match for ten thousand men."
His tone was calm, almost detached.
Qin Ye hesitated, frowning. "Senior… after all you've been through, you'd still let me use your staff technique in the army?"
Wu Baoyu's face remained expressionless. "The emperor may be corrupt, and the court filled with traitors—but such things don't last forever. We were born on this land. Protecting it is the duty of every martial man."
Those words struck straight to Qin Ye's heart. His chest burned with renewed resolve, and respect for Wu Baoyu welled up inside him.
"Let's begin," Wu Baoyu said. "This technique is called Ten Thousand Armies Demon-Subduing Staff. The man who taught it to me was a mysterious master—I never learned his name. If you ever meet him in the future, thank him for me. This is, without question, the number one staff technique under heaven."
He raised his staff and held it horizontally before him.
From the treetops, Li Qingqiu finally relaxed. He had been worried at first but quickly realized that this was a fortunate encounter for Qin Ye—a personal opportunity. The Demon-Subduing Staff Technique wasn't something he himself desired, and it was best not to interfere.
In the days that followed, whenever Wu Baoyu had spare time, he continued teaching Qin Ye the staff technique.
After seven days, Zhang Yuchun came to report that Wu Baoyu had left the mountain.
He had gone quietly, leaving a message saying he didn't want to bring trouble to Qingxiao Sect.
Li Qingqiu didn't send anyone after him. Wu Baoyu had already left behind his legacy—his teachings were gift enough.
"Sect Master," Zhang Yuchun sighed, "it looks like we won't reach fifty disciples before the end of the year."
Without fame, recruiting was nearly impossible.
Unless they took in refugees—but refugees were often orphans, the elderly, or the sick. What the sect needed now were strong, able youths.
Li Qingqiu chuckled. "I only said that casually. What matters most isn't numbers—it's foundation. Growing too fast without strength is meaningless."
Zhang Yuchun nodded but still looked a bit downcast. After chatting a while longer, he left, and Li Qingqiu resumed cultivating quietly inside his room.
That winter passed uneventfully. Feng Dai and his men never returned, nor did any visitors arrive seeking shelter.
Two months slipped by in the blink of an eye. Xu Ning successfully broke through to the third layer of Nurturing Essence, while no one else in Qingxiao Sect had even reached the second layer. It was clear proof of how difficult cultivation truly was.
As the Spring Festival approached, a visitor finally came—Qin Ye's father, Qin Jue. He brought more than ten servants, each carrying large wooden chests filled with grain, fine wine, and bedding. His sincerity was obvious.
Li Qingqiu, Zhang Yuchun, and Yang Jueding accompanied him for tea, chatting casually, while Qin Ye swept the courtyard, quietly listening from afar.
After a while, Qin Jue set down his cup and said, "By the way, something big happened last month. A demonic sect expert who had been in hiding for over ten years reappeared. He stormed the imperial palace wielding an iron staff, killed over a hundred royal guards, and nearly captured the emperor himself. In the end, he was surrounded and killed by the elite of the Imperial Guardian Corps. His head now hangs above the capital gate as a warning to all."
"This man wasn't ordinary—he was the Demonic Sect's Northern Guardian, named Wu Baoyu. A vicious butcher who killed without mercy. They say his death was horrific—his eyes were gouged out, apparently because the emperor couldn't stand his gaze."
Clatter!
The broom slipped from Qin Ye's hand, hitting the ground with a dull sound.
He stood frozen in place, staring blankly at his father, his expression pale and stunned.