In the newly built courtyard, most of the disciples had already dispersed. Seeing the craftsmen still busy carving, Zhang Yuchun quietly pulled Li Qingqiu aside.
"Senior Brother, should we send word for Junior Brother Jiang to come? I've got a bad feeling about this Absolute Saint Sect. They don't seem ordinary—they're trying to provoke us on purpose." Zhang Yuchun frowned deeply as he spoke.
Qingxiao Sect had grown considerably. The number of disciples had surpassed one hundred, and the sect's size was now quite respectable. That was precisely why Zhang Yuchun had become more cautious—he valued the sect's peace far more than before.
Li Qingqiu smiled. "No need. Yang Jueding is no longer the same man he once was. Though he hasn't reached the second layer yet, his strength far exceeds what it used to be. And besides, Ning'er went with them."
What did the fifth layer of the Nurturing Essence realm represent?
Li Qingqiu might not claim it to be unmatched under heaven, but within the martial world of Guzhou, it was more than enough to dominate.
And any opponent Xu Ning couldn't handle wouldn't be easily defeated by Jiang Zhaoxia either—better to preserve Jiang Zhaoxia's reputation than risk it unnecessarily.
"Is that so?"
Zhang Yuchun still looked uneasy. Li Qingqiu patted his shoulder reassuringly and didn't elaborate further. Instead, he returned to the craftsmen to supervise the work.
If they were going to establish a line of worship, it had to be done properly. He wanted to craft an entire mythological system, with the Five Innate Tai as the pinnacle of Qingxiao Sect's pantheon—no detail could be neglected.
He'd already decided to construct temples dedicated to each of the Five Tai, then gradually create additional deities below them—an entire hierarchy of divine halls spreading down the mountain.
Eventually, he planned to build a Path of Enlightenment—a stairway from the foot of the mountain to its summit. It would serve both as a pilgrimage route for devotees and as a trial for new disciples.
For now, though, these ideas remained only in his heart.
As Sect Master, Li Qingqiu had both the authority and the will to make them real.
…
By the time Yang Jueding and his group reached the waterfall where the Absolute Saint Sect had settled, the morning sun had already passed overhead—it was afternoon. Even for skilled martial artists, covering a hundred li of mountain terrain took time.
The closer they got, the angrier Yang Jueding grew. His fury simmered hotter with every step, and he didn't even notice that Su Xiling, who wasn't one of their disciples, had somehow managed to keep pace with ease.
The twenty Qingxiao Sect disciples he had chosen were all veterans, each having trained for over a year. Though sweat drenched their backs after the long trek, none were gasping for breath or bending over from exhaustion.
Their arrival did not go unnoticed. The disciples of the Absolute Saint Sect stopped their work and turned to stare coldly at the approaching group.
"Who's in charge here? Get out here!"
Yang Jueding's roar burst through the mountains like thunder. He looked furious—but inside, he was exhilarated.
Since cultivating the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra, he'd never had a proper chance to test his newfound strength. This was the perfect opportunity.
His voice echoed across the valley like a lion's roar, drowning out even the thunderous rush of the waterfall.
Standing near the back, Su Xiling was inwardly shocked. 'This man's power… it's incredible!'
She had heard tales of the Dragon-Subduing Hero, but to her, most of the so-called "Heaven List" names were mere legends—empty boasts. Now that she'd seen him in person, she realized the title was not undeserved.
Still, while Yang Jueding impressed her, he didn't intimidate her.
She could sense a far more terrifying aura hidden somewhere nearby. Her eyes flicked from side to side, but she couldn't locate its source.
"You lot are from Qingxiao Sect?" a voice called out.
A disciple of the Absolute Saint Sect leapt down from a high wooden platform, blade in hand. He pointed it toward Yang Jueding, his expression dripping with contempt.
The rest of his sect followed suit, sneering as they sized up the Qingxiao disciples like predators eyeing prey.
"Stop talking nonsense! Are you their leader?"
Yang Jueding barked back and stepped forward. His robe flared outward as his internal energy surged, fierce and oppressive like a tiger on the hunt.
"You're looking for me?"
A deep, commanding voice rang through the valley. Everyone looked up.
Even Yang Jueding, Xu Ning, and Su Xiling couldn't help but raise their heads along with the others, their eyes widening.
High above the roaring waterfall—more than ten zhang tall—stood a man in a wide black robe, his figure outlined by the cascade behind him. Water sprayed around him as he gazed down at them from above. It was Yan Wujin.
Then, without hesitation, he leapt.
Like a soaring wild goose, his body glided down through the mist, landing at the lakeside below without the faintest tremor. The motion was so smooth, so steady, that the Qingxiao disciples could only stare, stunned.
Qin Ye tightened his grip on his iron staff. Just from that display of lightness skill, he could tell this man was anything but ordinary.
Yang Jueding's expression hardened as well. Jumping from such a height without cushioning the impact—if he tried, his legs would shatter from the pressure alone.
This man's cultivation was unfathomable.
Yan Wujin swept his gaze across the Qingxiao group, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. Then another figure emerged from the forest beside him—Tang Ziqi.
"Dragon-Subduing Hero Yang Jueding," Tang Ziqi said with a smile, walking slowly forward. "Since your duel with the Sword Saint of the Vast Sea, you've vanished from the rivers and lakes. I didn't expect to find you here… as a member of Qingxiao Sect."
Yang Jueding frowned, eyes narrowing. He studied the man for a moment, then recognition dawned. "Tang Ziqi… of the Tang Clan of Linchuan?"
Tang Ziqi smiled politely. "Indeed. It's been five years since we met in Xuandang. I'm surprised you still remember me."
But Yang Jueding didn't smile. Instead, his tone turned wary. "You're a nobleman of a great clan. Weren't you supposed to be traveling the lands of Xuandang for study? Why are you mingling with the martial world now—and what's your role in the Absolute Saint Sect?"
The Qingxiao disciples could feel the tension in the air. Yang Jueding's fierce aura had dissipated, replaced by cold vigilance. Every one of them stiffened, readying themselves for what might come next.
The words "aristocratic clan" alone were enough to weigh heavily on the hearts of the Qingxiao Sect disciples.
They were all from humble origins—born to poor families where their parents had warned them since childhood that great clans must never be offended.
If the Absolute Saint Sect had the support of such a family, then their foundations would be far beyond ordinary.
After all, Qingxiao Sect had changed drastically just with the backing of the declining Qin family, and even they were far from a true noble house.
"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself," Tang Ziqi said with a smile, raising his hand toward the man beside him. "I am now the Deputy Sect Master of the Absolute Saint Sect. This here is our Sect Master—Yan Wujin."
"Yan Wujin?"
Yang Jueding muttered under his breath. He'd roamed the martial world for years, yet had never heard the name before.
Tang Ziqi continued, smiling faintly. "It's not strange that you haven't heard of him. He's been training since childhood and has cultivated hard for thirty years. Earlier this year, he founded the Absolute Saint Sect. At that time, the number-one martial expert of Cangzhou—the Scarlet Flame Palm Master Zhu Wuliang—was defeated by him. Tell me, Brother Yang, do you think yourself stronger than Zhu Wuliang?"
At the mention of Zhu Wuliang, Yang Jueding's face darkened instantly. His gaze fell on Yan Wujin, full of wariness.
From the moment Yan Wujin appeared, an uneasy feeling had gripped him. Hearing this now only confirmed his fears.
Though people called him the Dragon-Subduing Hero, what the martial world respected most was his righteousness—not his martial skill. Compared to a supreme master like Zhu Wuliang, he was hardly worth mentioning.
Seeing Yang Jueding's silence, the Absolute Saint Sect disciples all sneered in disdain. The Qingxiao disciples, meanwhile, grew tense, their faces hardening like men facing death.
Even Su Xiling frowned slightly. She knew who Zhu Wuliang was—a true monster of the martial world. For someone to defeat him, this Yan Wujin was no ordinary man.
'The Qingxiao Sect's luck really ran out this time…' she thought, almost pitying them.
Just then, a small figure stepped forward. She was slim, and her presence almost disappeared amid the crowd—it was Xu Ning.
Passing by Yang Jueding, she drew her sword. The clear clang echoed like thunder in the quiet mountains.
Yang Jueding blinked and snapped back to himself.
'What am I afraid of?' he scolded himself.
Xu Ning walked forward with steady steps, her blade angled down toward the ground.
The Qingxiao disciples exchanged startled looks—they hadn't expected her to be the first to challenge.
Yan Wujin and Tang Ziqi both looked puzzled. That little girl dared to draw her sword at them?
Xu Ning was not yet thirteen, but three years of cultivation had refined her presence. With her sword drawn, she seemed like the blade itself—sharp and unwavering.
"Girl, who are you?" Tang Ziqi asked, his brows furrowing.
Why had Jiang Zhaoxia shaken the martial world?
Because of his youth. His age alone had shocked every great master under heaven.
With someone like him as precedent, another young prodigy emerging from Qingxiao Sect was not impossible.
Expressionless, Xu Ning replied softly, "Disciple of Li Qingqiu, Sect Master of Qingxiao Sect. Xu Ning."
Her voice was still childish, yet her killing intent was cold and real enough to make everyone feel it.
She's killed before.
Both Yan Wujin and Tang Ziqi immediately came to the same conclusion.
A young girl daring to provoke him?
Yan Wujin's eyes turned to ice. He stepped forward, the ground beneath his boots cracking faintly as he approached Xu Ning.
…
By dusk, Li Qingqiu sat quietly in his courtyard, waiting for dinner.
Li Dongyue approached carrying a food tray, with little Yuan Li toddling behind her unsteadily. Li Qingqiu turned and looked at the two-year-old boy, eyes full of expectation.
"Come on, grow faster," he murmured to himself. "Your master's getting impatient waiting."
Yuan Li's Indestructible Tyrant Body hadn't awakened yet, and without that, Li Qingqiu couldn't copy it.
He still didn't know exactly what effect that fate possessed—but while waiting, he could observe to see if the boy manifested any other powerful destiny.
Li Dongyue sat beside him and asked, "Aren't you worried about them?"
Li Qingqiu smiled. "Don't worry. They'll be fine."
"Do you trust Elder Yang that much? Or your disciple?" she pressed.
"Both," he said lightly. "There aren't that many peerless experts in the world. They're probably just far away. It'll take time to go and return."
In truth, he wasn't nearly as calm as he appeared. All day, he had been opening the Dao Lineage panel repeatedly, checking again and again that the disciple count hadn't changed. Only then could he relax.
Li Dongyue muttered, "I still think this Absolute Saint Sect isn't simple. No sect has ever dared to seize our territory before."
Just then, a message appeared before Li Qingqiu's eyes.
[Due to Qingxiao Sect's first creation of divine stone statues, opening the path of incense inheritance, you have gained 1 Fortune Opportunity.]
Li Qingqiu froze for a second. For a moment, he thought Xu Ning had triggered it—but it was from the statues?
'That counts as a Dao Lineage reward?'
He suddenly realized his understanding of the Dao Lineage system had been far too narrow.
With a quiet sigh, excitement stirred within him again.
The first Fortune Opportunity had led him to discover the Underground Spiritual Lake, accelerating his cultivation enormously. What would this second one reveal?
Just then, Zhang Yuchun came jogging into the courtyard, smiling. "Senior Brother, the statue of Taiyi Dao Deity is finished. Want to see it after dinner?"
Li Qingqiu shook his head. "No need. You handle the supervision from now on. Since we're establishing incense worship, we mustn't slack off. Guard those five statues carefully—no rain, no damage. Once their temples are complete, move them inside."
Zhang Yuchun nodded, then glanced at Yuan Li curiously. "What's with this little guy? Still can't talk?"
Li Dongyue sighed. "Exactly. I've checked—his meridians and acupoints are all normal. I'm even considering taking him down the mountain to find a physician."
Yuan Li stood beside the table, tilting his head up at the three adults. His big round eyes shone with childlike innocence and wonder.