Night had fallen. The moon was bright, the stars sparse.
Li Qingqiu returned to his room and found it clean and tidy. Fresh bedding and a pillow lay on the bed—the Qin family's investment had clearly arrived, and life at the Azure Firmament Sect was improving.
He had handed control of the sect's finances to Zhang Yuchun. In his view, money was a worldly matter. His focus was on the spirit stones in the underground lake.
Those stones could aid cultivation; they were sure to be hard currency in the immortal cultivation world, like petroleum in his past life. That was the Azure Firmament Sect's true foundation.
Li Qingqiu sat cross-legged on his bed and summoned the Daoist Legacy panel. He hadn't yet opened the inheritance reward from escaping the Seven Peaks Alliance. In the wild, he hadn't dared attempt it. Only now, safe at home, did he feel secure enough.
[Claim Inheritance Reward.]
[Initiating Daoist Legacy Inheritance.]
[You have obtained a spell: Soul-Capturing Curse.]
[Accept Inheritance?]
Soul-Capturing Curse?
The name alone didn't sound like righteous doctrine.
So the Daoist Legacy panel didn't dictate whether he walked the path of righteousness or demonic arts.
Good. I like that!
Li Qingqiu didn't want to be bound by too many rules. Even these unorthodox methods were worth understanding.
With that thought, he immediately began the inheritance.
The familiar sensation flooded back, and he quickly immersed himself in the inherited memories.
A long while later.
He opened his eyes. Having inherited spells before, he wasn't surprised this time. Instead, his brow furrowed.
This Soul-Capturing Curse was vicious!
It could seize a person's soul. Even while they still lived, the process inflicted indescribable suffering. Afterward, the soul would be forever under the caster's control, until the caster's death.
Once successfully implemented, the captured ghost could never disobey the spellcaster. It was a suppression rooted in the very soul.
But the curse carried risks. If used across cultivation realms against a superior, backlash was highly likely.
After memorizing the Soul-Capturing Curse, Li Qingqiu didn't immediately begin practicing it.
He still had the Resurrection Ghost Immortal Needle to master. He would reach a certain proficiency with that first.
He adjusted his state and soon entered meditation to absorb energy.
The moon set, the sun rose. A night passed.
The next morning, all the disciples woke. Those practicing martial arts went to train; those cultivating immortality sat together to absorb the essence of sun and moon.
Li Qingqiu assigned Yuan Qi to train under Yang Jueding, along with the six Qin family children.
From now on, not everyone could cultivate the Supreme Purity Chaos Genesis Scripture—only those with exceptional aptitude or outstanding merit.
After the golden hour of cultivation passed, Li Qingqiu and Zhang Yuchun returned indoors to discuss future development.
"First, organize a group of disciples to start building houses in the forest below the mountain gate. You can enlist Yang Jueding—he's an adult. Second, recruit ten more disciples. Age limit: no higher than twenty. We can't keep only taking children."
Li Qingqiu sipped tea as he spoke. This tea was also a gift from the Qin family, fragrant and full-bodied. He'd developed a taste for it after one cup last night.
Zhang Yuchun smiled. "I've been wanting to do exactly that. Now that we have funds, it's time to really spread our wings. Oh, should we hire a teacher? Dongyue mentioned you were considering it."
"Yes, hire one. Arrange these matters. You don't have to handle everything personally. Choose disciples to train as assistants. As the Azure Firmament Sect grows, responsibilities will become more specialized." Li Qingqiu nodded.
Zhang Yuchun agreed. "Huang Shan and Yu Lin are promising—rough on the outside but thoughtful. I'll cultivate them properly."
"From now on, only true disciples can cultivate the Chaos Genesis Scripture. For now, Xu Ning is the sole true disciple. Huang Shan and the other six can also enjoy the title of true disciple, but their focus remains martial arts."
Li Qingqiu continued. Zhang Yuchun took notes.
Li Qingqiu had many ideas about disciple rankings, but now wasn't the time to implement them—especially since disciple treatment couldn't yet be refined. The Azure Firmament Sect hadn't established its own systems.
To this day, the sect still had no stable source of income.
Li Qingqiu and Zhang Yuchun focused their discussion on this point. They couldn't rely solely on the Qin family. Jiang Zhaoxia's observations during his mountain descent were worth considering.
Escorting nobles or valuables, accepting government bounties—these tasks could eventually be handled by disciples. It would serve three purposes: training, income, and building the sect's reputation.
Without reputation, attracting disciples was difficult. Recruitment would be limited to villages.
Such disciples, leaving aside natural talent, were often illiterate. Teaching them martial arts required greater investment.
Of course, Li Qingqiu intended for the Azure Firmament Sect to have its own curriculum. He just didn't want recruitment channels confined to rural areas.
They talked for a full hour. Afterward, Zhang Yuchun, brimming with enthusiasm, immediately set to work.
Li Qingqiu lingered a moment longer, then left his room and called Li Dongyue to accompany him to the back mountain forest to practice the Resurrection Ghost Immortal Needle.
They trained until nearly noon, then headed back to the sect.
"Senior Brother, don't forget to choose one of the Qin family children as your disciple. You promised the Qin family. The children are waiting." Li Dongyue walked beside him, reminding him softly.
Li Qingqiu nodded and smiled. "Don't worry. I haven't forgotten. Yuchun reminded me too."
Qin Jue had already designated his own son as Li Qingqiu's disciple, so there was no decision to make. But once Li Qingqiu formally confirmed it, the six Qin children could finally stop worrying.
After the midday meal, Li Qingqiu called Qin Ye over and told him to follow.
Qin Ye shot up excitedly, face flushed. The other five Qin children were also thrilled—they'd come bearing their family's expectations.
...
After formally accepting Qin Ye as his disciple, Li Qingqiu handed him off to Yang Jueding. Qin Ye's aptitude was too poor to achieve much in immortality cultivation. If he performed well in the future, Li Qingqiu might help him cultivate, but for now, martial arts was his path.
The underground spirit lake could compensate somewhat for deficiencies in cultivation talent.
Yang Jueding thus gained an official title: Martial Arts Transmission Elder of the Azure Firmament Sect.
Half a month passed quickly. Since Li Qingqiu had concealed his activities at the Seven Peaks Alliance, Jiang Zhaoxia continued training halfway down the mountain. Li Qingqiu didn't stop him—aside from the Alliance, there was still the potential threat of the Azure Cult.
Until one day, Zhang Yuchun brought news.
He called Jiang Zhaoxia, Li Dongyue, Wu Man'er, Li Sifeng, and Li Sijin to Li Qingqiu's room.
"Something huge happened at the Seven Peaks Alliance! First Alliance Master Lü Dou is dead! The Alliance is in chaos—no wonder they haven't come after us!" Zhang Yuchun was excited.
Li Qingqiu asked curiously, "Where did you hear this?"
This was Zhang Yuchun's third trip down the mountain in half a month. Li Qingqiu hadn't expected him to gather martial world intelligence.
Zhang Yuchun grinned. "This time, we ran into bandits attacking a caravan on the road. I stepped in with Huang Shan and Yu Lin, and made some friends in the process. They told me about this earth-shattering news that's rocking Gu Prefecture's martial world."
Li Sifeng's eyes went wide. He stared at Li Qingqiu. "Senior Brother, was it you?"
The other junior brothers and sisters looked at him with a mixture of tension and hope. After all, Li Qingqiu had been gone for half a month not long ago.
Li Qingqiu rolled his eyes. "Do I have that kind of ability? Ask your third senior brother—do you think the Seven Peaks Alliance is that easy to deal with?"
Jiang Zhaoxia nodded. "Killing their strongest within their own stronghold? That's incredibly difficult. One-on-one is one thing. Facing a hundred, or a thousand, is entirely different."
Everyone thought back to Jiang Zhaoxia's recent injuries and understood.
Li Sifeng started babbling, waving his arms as he recounted how formidable the Seven Peaks masters were.
But Jiang Zhaoxia fixed Li Qingqiu with a complex stare that made him feel exposed.
Unable to withstand that gaze, Li Qingqiu fake-coughed, cutting off Li Sifeng's performance. "Regardless, the Seven Peaks Alliance probably won't trouble us for a while. But we can't be careless. From now on, no slacking. Either train or help build the sect."
The expansion plan was already underway, with the second-generation boys doing most of the heavy lifting.
Except for Li Sijin, Li Qingqiu had assigned tasks to all his junior siblings.
After the meeting broke up, Zhang Yuchun lingered. He grabbed Li Qingqiu. "Senior Brother, I hired a teacher from down the mountain. He claims to be proficient in physiognomy and the eight trigrams. He insists on meeting you."
"Did we pay him?"
"Yes, but he says he'll decide how much effort to put in based on your facial features."
"Fine. Let's see what game he's playing."
Li Qingqiu agreed, and the two went out together.
Outside, he spotted a white-robed scholar standing behind two disciples, watching them do carpentry work.
The scholar appeared to be in his twenties or thirties, with a bookcase on his back and a refined, scholarly bearing. Clearly a man of learning.
"Mr. Zhang, my senior brother is here."
Zhang Yuchun called out. The scholar, Zhang Yu, immediately turned and walked toward them.
Zhang Yu's gaze fixed directly on Li Qingqiu. As they drew closer, his eyes lit up. Before Li Qingqiu could speak, he stepped forward and grasped Li Qingqiu's hand.
Li Qingqiu had meant to avoid it, but sensing no internal energy whatsoever, he allowed it.
"Sect Master Li, your physiognomy is extraordinary! Born to a family of kings and ministers, a troubled childhood—but destined for greatness. The Purple Star shines upon you. One day, you will become a true dragon!" Zhang Yu was visibly moved, almost dropping to his knees.
Charlatan!
Smooth talker!
Li Qingqiu mentally assigned him two Destiny tags on the spot. Complete nonsense.
His birth father was nothing so grand.
Expression unchanged, Li Qingqiu withdrew his hand. "Thank you for the kind words, sir. Might I ask where you studied physiognomy?"
Zhang Yu composed himself, stepped back, and raised his hands in salute. "My master was the Nine Veins Elder. You may not have heard of him—he lives in seclusion, having lived a hundred and thirty years, and now wishes to enjoy his remaining days in peace."
Li Qingqiu didn't challenge him. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Do you think you can handle teaching my disciples alone?"
"No pressure at all. Your sect may be small, but it's hiding dragons and crouching tigers, brilliant in both civil and martial arts. It has the look of a place about to soar. I, Zhang Yu, am willing to contribute to the Azure Firmament Sect. Of course, if the Sect Master could add thirty copper coins to my monthly pay, that would be even better."
Zhang Yu's words were clear and forceful, his demeanor that of a worthy talent.