[Fortune Opportunity: Will seek out opportunities suitable for the development of your Daoist Legacy within a certain range.]
Li Qingqiu raised an eyebrow at the prompt. The term "Fortune Opportunity" sounded promising—clearly a good thing.
Given the Azure Firmament Sect's current circumstances, developing it would be an uphill battle. To grow into a true immortal cultivation sect, they would inevitably need vast resources.
But any benefit from a Fortune Opportunity might come with conflict attached. With only the seven of them, could they handle the potential dangers?
"Fortune Opportunity" sounded positive; it probably wouldn't lead to total annihilation. Still, even if just one junior brother or sister got hurt, he'd have a hard time bearing it. They were deep in the mountains, and medical help was extremely hard to come by.
After mulling it over, Li Qingqiu decided to wait. He'd activate the Fortune Opportunity once all the disciples had reached the first layer of the Nourishing Origin stage. There was no countdown on it anyway, and different times would bring different opportunities suited to them.
Pushing the thought aside, he picked up a wooden sword he had carved himself and continued practicing.
This sword art was one Lin Xunfeng had left behind, called the Ninefold Extreme Divine Sword. It sounded impressive, but it wasn't actually in the realm of immortality cultivation. The technique was exquisite, and once mastered, it would certainly be effective in combat.
Of course, that depended on having fast enough reactions. Otherwise, the forms could be broken through in a single strike, much like traditional martial arts going up against modern fighting techniques in his past life.
What was worth noting was that the Ninefold Extreme Divine Sword could be powered by internal energy. He wondered if spiritual energy could be used instead.
With the Sword Saint Destiny, Li Qingqiu mastered the Ninefold Extreme Divine Sword after a single practice session. Each repetition improved his skill. After only two days of training, his sword forms were already sharp as the wind, causing Li Sifeng and Li Sijin, watching from nearby, to gape in awe and admiration.
Jiang Zhaoxia emerged from the forest, saw this scene, and his expression flickered. He silently turned and walked back into the trees.
Over the past two days, Li Qingqiu's comprehension of the sword had deeply shaken him.
He had always considered himself a genius, just lacking opportunity. But Li Qingqiu had grasped the technique effortlessly on his first try. Jiang Zhaoxia was certain that in all these years, Li Qingqiu had never actually practiced swordsmanship.
He himself could master the Ninefold Extreme Divine Sword in one go because he had a solid foundation in sword arts from his childhood family training. This meant Li Qingqiu's natural talent for the sword was even greater than his own.
Li Qingqiu had no idea what Jiang Zhaoxia was thinking, but yesterday Jiang Zhaoxia's loyalty toward him had increased by two points, so he wasn't worried.
The Daoist Legacy panel was quite insightful. It could answer some of his questions, like about loyalty.
The maximum loyalty was 100, and Jiang Zhaoxia's had already reached 98—nearly fanatical devotion.
Half an incense stick later, Zhang Yuchun came bustling over excitedly to report his progress. Li Qingqiu was delighted and decided to add an extra dish to dinner to celebrate, making everyone happy.
Zhang Yuchun was deeply moved, feeling that his senior brother truly valued him.
It was only when he got to the kitchen and started cutting the meat that something felt off.
Celebrating for me... so why am I the one cooking?
...
Summer faded into autumn. A gentle, persistent rain began to fall over the Taikun Mountain Range where the Azure Firmament Sect was nestled, shrouding the peaks in mist.
Three months had passed since Lin Xunfeng's departure. Now, with the exception of Wu Man'er, every junior brother and sister had successfully cultivated spiritual energy. Li Qingqiu felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
Around midday, Li Qingqiu lounged on a bench in the courtyard, hands clasped behind his head, enjoying the rainy view. A simple awning sheltered him, and a small table beside him held fruit and flowers. Life was comfortable.
Ever since Li Qingqiu had led the disciples in cultivating spiritual energy, his prestige had soared. Everyone obeyed him without question. Even Jiang Zhaoxia, at most, offered verbal resistance while his body complied.
Li Sifeng, wearing a straw rain cape, dashed into the courtyard. His small frame made the cape's hem drag through the mud behind him.
He hurried to Li Qingqiu's side. "Senior Brother! Someone's at the mountain gate. He says he's an old friend of Master's. You told me if anyone asks about Master, to say I don't know, so that's what I did. But he still wants to come in and stay the night."
An old friend of Master's?
Li Qingqiu frowned, slowly rising to his feet. "I'll go see him. Don't run around in the rain. Slipping and falling off the mountain would be just plain stupid."
With that, he grabbed an oilpaper umbrella nearby and headed for the courtyard gate.
Li Sifeng made a face at his senior brother's retreating back. Once Li Qingqiu disappeared around the corner outside the courtyard, he immediately reached out a mud-stained little hand and started helping himself to the fruit on the table.
Exiting the courtyard, it was only a short, winding path of several dozen meters to reach the mountain gate. The gate was situated halfway up the mountain, offering a broad view overlooking the surrounding peaks. Li Qingqiu came here every day.
In the distance, he saw a man in a straw cape standing before the gate, his back turned. Judging by his build, he was not someone to be trifled with.
Although Li Qingqiu had already entered the Nourishing Origin stage, he remained cautious. He still couldn't gauge the odds if a first-layer Nourishing Origin cultivator faced a true martial arts master.
He'd always thought Lin Xunfeng's martial arts were amateurish, but from the stories Lin Xunfeng told, martial artists in this world were genuinely powerful. Scaling walls and roofs, subduing tigers and bears—these feats were possible. Combined with the existence of internal energy, they might well be as formidable as the martial arts masters from the wuxia novels of his past life.
Perhaps Lin Xunfeng himself was quite skilled, just never demonstrated it to his disciples.
Without real ability, how could Lin Xunfeng have roamed the land and periodically rescued orphans?
Though Li Qingqiu had never left the mountain in sixteen years, he still had memories from infancy. When he was still in swaddling clothes, the world seemed very chaotic. He remembered Lin Xunfeng clutching him while fighting others. His view had been covered, but he could hear the sounds of horses' hooves and battle cries all around him. It must have been a battlefield.
The man in the straw cape heard the approaching footsteps and turned. Seeing a handsome, simply-dressed youth walking toward him under an oilpaper umbrella, a smile appeared on his face.
Before Li Qingqiu could speak, the man asked first, "Are you Li Qingqiu, or Zhang Yuchun?"
Hearing the man name both him and his second junior brother, Li Qingqiu's wariness lessened somewhat. This suggested the man's friendship with their master was deep enough that they'd talked about the disciples.
"This junior is Li Qingqiu. May I ask how this senior addresses himself, and what relation he bears to my master?" Li Qingqiu stopped, maintaining a distance of about seven paces, and raised his hand in a formal salute.
The man in the straw cape was unkempt, dressed like a wandering hero. Besides the pack on his back, he wore a long flute at his waist. His laughter was hearty and open, giving an impression of great generosity.
"My name is Jiang Kuotian. I've been a sworn brother to your master for sixteen years. I even held you when you were a baby!"
Upon hearing Li Qingqiu state his name, the man calling himself Jiang Kuotian's gaze softened further.
Li Qingqiu did indeed remember the name. Sixteen years ago, when his master was fleeing with him as an infant, they had encountered Jiang Kuotian, who had escorted the two of them all the way to the foot of the Azure Firmament Sect.
"So it's Uncle Jiang! Master often spoke of you!" Li Qingqiu immediately said warmly.
"Uncle? Oh? So your master actually acknowledges me as his elder brother when you're around?"
"Naturally. He often mentioned you. He said there weren't many people in the martial world he truly admired, and you were one of them. He looked up to you in many ways."
Li Qingqiu spoke off the cuff, of course. He was making it all up. Lin Xunfeng had never once mentioned Jiang Kuotian.
Jiang Kuotian laughed heartily. The more he looked at Li Qingqiu, the more he liked him. Any lingering resentment he held toward Lin Xunfeng dissipated.
After some polite conversation, Li Qingqiu invited him into the courtyard.
Li Sifeng, seeing them coming, quickly snatched a couple of fruits and scurried into his own room.
Li Qingqiu was long used to his youngest junior brother's antics. He pretended not to notice and guided Jiang Kuotian to sit under the tree, pouring him a cup of water.
As Jiang Kuotian drank, he surveyed the Azure Firmament Sect.
This place was just as rundown as ever. That fellow Lin Xunfeng had never put any real effort into developing the sect.
Jiang Kuotian set down his bowl and looked directly at Li Qingqiu. "I know all about your master. A month ago, I ran into him in Gu Prefecture. He said he was going to seek immortality and wanted to entrust you all to my care. Come back to White Emperor Hall with me. White Emperor Hall is one of the seven great sects in Gu Prefecture's martial world. Our reputation is formidable. It'll be far better than you staying up here on this mountain."
White Emperor Hall!
Li Qingqiu had indeed heard Lin Xunfeng mention this sect. White Emperor Hall was one of the few martial factions with connections to the imperial court. The elder brother of its Lord was a high-ranking official at court.
Joining White Emperor Hall would genuinely be a good thing for Li Qingqiu and the others.
Unfortunately, Li Qingqiu had already awakened the Daoist Legacy panel. He had to remain a Sect Master to continue selecting Destinies and receiving inheritance rewards.
If he went to White Emperor Hall, he'd just be a menial laborer. It definitely wouldn't be as free as this, nor would it offer the same future prospects.
Li Qingqiu pretended to hesitate, then finally spoke with apparent resolve. "Uncle Jiang, thank you for your kindness. But my junior brothers and sisters and I don't want to get tangled up in more martial world conflicts. Life on the mountain may be simple, but it's peaceful and free. We've decided not to go down."
Jiang Kuotian looked at Li Qingqiu in surprise.
Lin Xunfeng had specifically mentioned that his eldest disciple, Li Qingqiu, had always dreamed of roaming the world with his sword. Once they were settled in White Emperor Hall, and when Li Qingqiu came of age, Lin Xunfeng hoped Jiang Kuotian would give him the freedom to do so.
He hadn't expected Li Qingqiu to make this choice.
A flicker of sympathy for the boy stirred in Jiang Kuotian's heart.
Was this child giving up his own life's aspirations for the sake of his junior siblings?
"If you're worried about them, don't be. White Emperor Hall will take good care of them. You can go wherever you want, whenever you want." Jiang Kuotian spoke earnestly.
Li Qingqiu was about to respond when he heard rustling from the nearby room. The little ones were pressed against the door, eavesdropping.
He immediately changed tack, speaking seriously. "Uncle, I prefer to hold my own destiny in my hands. I'll feel more at ease taking care of my junior brothers and sisters myself."
He didn't speak loudly—in fact, his voice was quite soft, as if afraid of being overheard. But he was confident his junior siblings could hear him.
Thinking of the power struggles within White Emperor Hall, Jiang Kuotian reconsidered. Perhaps Li Qingqiu's choice wasn't a bad one after all.
After a moment's thought, Jiang Kuotian removed the pack from his back and placed it on the table. He opened it, revealing clothes, manuals, hidden weapons, and a few miscellaneous trinkets scattered inside.
Jiang Kuotian picked up one of the manuals. "Your master asked me to look after you, so I can't just do nothing. This manual—I went to great lengths to obtain it. Practice it in secret. Don't let it get out."
But Li Qingqiu wasn't looking at the manual in his hand. His gaze was fixed on a small willow-leaf dagger inside the pack. Its blade was covered in rust, as if it had been buried in the earth for a thousand years.
He could actually sense spiritual energy emanating from this dagger.