Chapter 13: Guardian Spirit Beast
In the courtyard, all the disciples gathered together.
Even Yang Jueding stood at the back of the crowd, tiptoeing to get a better look inside.
Li Qingqiu squatted in the middle of the group.
In front of him on the ground was a bird’s nest, inside which lay three young eagles and two unhatched eggs.
The three eaglets were covered in dark gray feathers.
From the shape of their beaks, one could already tell they were of the eagle species.
They were still very young, unable to fly, chirping and bumping into each other within the nest.
Beside them were fragments of eggshells they had hatched from.
Zhang Yuchun was explaining where he had found the nest.
It turned out that during his last trip down the mountain, Zhang Yuchun had bought a few herbology books, wanting to learn some medicine.
Following the descriptions in the books, he had gone up a mountain to search for herbs and happened upon the eagle’s nest atop a cliff.
He described the process as incredibly perilous, making the disciples gasp and exclaim from time to time.
Li Qingqiu looked at the eaglets and thought of the Guardian Spirit Beast shown on the Dao Lineage Panel.
He wondered if he could somehow lead these eaglets onto the path of cultivation.
“Master, did you see their parents?”
Zhang Yuchun’s eldest disciple, Huang Shan, asked.
He was the oldest among the seven new disciples, now thirteen years old, and had become the small group’s natural leader.
Though he had yet to cultivate Vital Energy, his talent in martial arts was outstanding, and his skills were the strongest among the seven.
Zhang Yuchun shook his head. “No. If I had, it wouldn’t have been so easy.”
Li Qingqiu stood up, smiling. “Well done. Raise them carefully—especially those two eggs. Try your best to hatch them. In the future, they will become the Guardian Beasts of the Clear Sky Sect. When people in the martial world see eagles in the sky, they’ll know the Clear Sky Sect has arrived and step aside. Wouldn’t that be magnificent?”
At his words, everyone’s eyes lit up. Even Jiang Zhaoxia looked at the eaglets with fiery enthusiasm.
Yang Jueding couldn’t help but pour cold water on their excitement. “Eagles aren’t dogs. They’re not easy to tame. Once they grow up, they’ll surely fly away.”
“That’s why we have to think of ways to make it work. If it does, all the better,” Li Qingqiu said indifferently.
There was little entertainment on the mountain apart from cultivation, so raising some animals wasn’t a bad pastime.
The disciples began discussing enthusiastically based on Li Qingqiu’s suggestion, while he listened and helped broaden their thinking.
The Clear Sky Sect was too monotonous—it needed creativity from its disciples.
Just like Zhang Yuchun, who had taken the initiative to study medicine and even brought back an eagle’s nest.
As they chatted, Li Qingqiu suddenly realized he needed to establish a proper structure for the Clear Sky Sect.
For instance, every month he and his six junior brothers and sisters should hold a formal meeting to plan the sect’s development for the coming month.
They couldn’t be too lazy—this would also help train his disciples to think like leaders.
The martial disciples should be divided into different branches and styles, so that the Clear Sky Sect’s martial path could spread and flourish in the future.
As for the cultivation disciples, they could serve as the sect’s elites—after all, he had already received the Dao Lineage reward for all members becoming cultivators.
The next step was to lay a solid foundation for the Clear Sky Sect.
Internal affairs needed rules.
Finances needed planning!
Resources had to be developed long-term!
They had to start expanding!
The more Li Qingqiu thought, the more he realized time waited for no one.
They had been far too relaxed before.
That very evening, Li Qingqiu called his six junior brothers and sisters to his room for a meeting.
Though Wu Man’er was dull and Li Sifeng and Li Sijin were still young, he included them all.
As the seven talked, their enthusiasm grew. Even Jiang Zhaoxia offered many constructive ideas.
After the meeting, they returned to their own rooms and held smaller discussions with the other disciples.
That night, the entire Clear Sky Sect was abuzz until late, and many appeared the next morning for training with dark circles under their eyes.
Standing on the mountaintop, Yang Jueding stretched his body and looked down at the lively disciples in the courtyard below, feeling deeply moved.
He suddenly had a feeling that ten years from now, the Clear Sky Sect would shake the world, grow strong, and undergo earth-shattering transformation.
Perhaps… he needed to work even harder.
After that realization, Yang Jueding decided to devote himself to training the seven disciples from the mountain village.
They would surely become the future pillars of the Clear Sky Sect.
As for Xu Ning, he couldn’t teach her even if he wanted to—these days, the girl only listened to Li Qingqiu.
In the following days, the disciples expanded their training grounds.
Practicing martial arts only within the three courtyards was no longer enough—they began training in the forests at the foot of the mountain, and Yang Jueding personally instructed them one by one.
Yang Jueding’s changed attitude satisfied Li Qingqiu, who began to see him in a new light.
……
In the blink of an eye, three months passed.
The weather grew hot.
The ever-mischievous Li Sifeng lay resting under a tree, unable to quiet his mind.
This was halfway up the mountain, about two hundred zhang from the sect’s summit.
He trained here alone, following his senior brother’s instruction—not to let Yang Jueding or the others see him practicing the Wind Sprint Technique.
Li Sifeng had been cultivating the Wind Sprint Technique for half a month but still couldn’t grasp its essence. He was on the verge of giving up.
“Not cultivating really feels better.”
The young Li Sifeng rested his head on his hands and sighed sincerely. He crossed one leg over the other, his small foot swinging idly.
He felt his current life was great—carefree, with plenty of fun things to do every day.
Today, he wanted to dig out a rat’s nest. That big rat he’d seen before had escaped, and he hadn’t forgotten about it.
From the distance came voices. Li Sifeng sat up, peering ahead. He saw two figures walking toward him from afar—one old, one young—dusty from travel, brushing aside the grass along the path.
“Eh? There’s a child over there!”
The youth in coarse clothes pointed at Li Sifeng in surprise.
The old man behind him was tall and broad, carrying a pack on his back.
Though his hair was white, his bearing was still sturdy and vigorous.
The old man raised his eyes and immediately spotted Li Sifeng, frowning slightly.
This place was far from the village below—no ordinary child could have made it up here.
Seeming to realize something, he asked, “Child, are you a disciple of the Clear Sky Sect?”
Li Sifeng didn’t run. Sitting on the ground, he answered, “That’s right. Who are you two?”
Upon hearing that he was from the Clear Sky Sect, the youth immediately quickened his pace, running toward him.
“Young master, slow down!”
The old man sighed helplessly as he followed.
The youth stopped in front of Li Sifeng, beaming. “My name’s Jiang Nian. I’m thirteen this year. What about you? What’s your name? How old are you?”
Li Sifeng stood up and replied, “My name’s Li Sifeng. I’m also thirteen.”
He compared their heights and found that he was shorter than Jiang Nian, which made him a bit upset.
Then, the white-haired old man came over and asked, “Little brother, is your master Lin Xunfeng here?”
Li Sifeng looked at him and said, “My master left long ago. Didn’t he announce his retirement from the martial world during that Free Martial Gathering? Haven’t you heard?”
Since Lin Xunfeng had publicly retired from the martial world, Li Qingqiu no longer told the disciples to hide that fact.
The old man didn’t seem disappointed. Instead, he smiled. “Then is Jiang Zhaoxia still in the sect?”
“You know my Third Senior Brother?” Li Sifeng asked warily.
They were both surnamed Jiang!
Something was off!
Though Li Sifeng usually feared Jiang Zhaoxia, their bond as brothers was deep. They were all orphans, yet none of them knew each other’s true origins.
Could it be that his Third Senior Brother had family down below?
If Jiang Zhaoxia left, what would happen to the Clear Sky Sect?
Despite his childish appearance, Li Sifeng’s mind ran deep.
In that instant, countless bad outcomes flashed through his thoughts.
The Clear Sky Sect couldn’t afford to lose Jiang Zhaoxia!
“He’s my brother. We’ve come to find him and take him home.”
Jiang Nian smiled.
He was handsome, with fair skin and a sunny, charming grin.
But in Li Sifeng’s eyes, that smile was utterly detestable.
“My Third Senior Brother went down the mountain with my master earlier. You came for nothing.”
Li Sifeng spread his hands, feigning helplessness and sympathy.
The old man frowned slightly and said, “Then let us stay for one night. It’s too late to descend the mountain.”
Li Sifeng shook his head. “There are already guests in the sect. No room for you.”
“We’ll just take a look.” The old man refused to give up.
Li Sifeng was still too young—his nervousness was obvious to the old man.
Without another word, the old man grabbed Jiang Nian and started heading uphill.
Li Sifeng panicked and rushed to block their way. “You can’t go up the mountain!”
The old man’s expression turned slightly displeased, though he kept his tone patient. “Little brother, why are you stopping us from finding Young Master Jiang?”
Li Sifeng glared. “You abandoned my Third Senior Brother, and now you want to take him back? What right do you have to control him like that?”
The old man sighed. “There were many reasons for what happened back then. You’re too young to understand. Now, if your Third Senior Brother comes home, he’ll live well—much better than suffering on this mountain. If you’re that attached to him, you can come with us too.”
Jiang Nian, clearly intrigued by Li Sifeng, added cheerfully, “Yeah, come with us! My father’s a high official now. Life’s great!”
But Li Sifeng wasn’t swayed.
In fact, his fear deepened. It felt as though Jiang Zhaoxia was slipping away from him.
“No! Absolutely not! You’re not going up that mountain!”
Li Sifeng clenched his small fists, shouting angrily.
As he spoke, he pulled out a dagger from his waist, its blade flashing in the sunlight.
Seeing the weapon, the old man merely chuckled.
Stroking his beard, he said, “Child, do you even know who I am? If this were the martial world, drawing a blade against me—no immortal could save you.”
“Save your boasting for your father!”
Li Sifeng snapped back, his neck stiff with defiance—a line he had learned from his senior brother.
The old man didn’t understand the words but could tell from his tone that the boy was insulting him.
His face darkened as he coldly snorted. “So be it. I’ll teach you, on Lin Xunfeng’s behalf, how to speak to your elders!”
He raised his hand to grab Li Sifeng.
Suddenly—
Li Sifeng moved.
His left hand shot up like lightning, gripping the old man’s right wrist and yanking hard.
The old man, caught off guard, lost his balance and stumbled forward.
Li Sifeng had prepared a follow-up.
As he pulled the old man in, his right hand drove the dagger straight toward the man’s chest.
The old man’s pupils dilated, disbelief flashing in his eyes.