Chapter 17: Martial Legend
Under the sunlight, the rolling mountain ridges were covered in a scorched yellow, as if they had been roasted by fire.
A great river wound its way between two mountain ranges.
Along the river ran an official road, and at that moment, several hundred martial experts were galloping forward on fierce steeds, kicking up clouds of dust behind them.
Some of these martial artists bore tall banners on their backs, upon which the words Seven Peaks were emblazoned, exuding the momentum of a mighty army.
They were all dressed in uniform azure martial robes, with their right sleeves slung over their shoulders and fluttering like flames, while their left shoulders bore brass pauldrons shaped like tiger heads.
Every face was cold and stern, radiating an irrepressible killing intent.
The formation advanced through the mountains like a great azure dragon—unstoppable in its might.
At the very front, a young man turned to the middle-aged man beside him and asked, “Master, aren’t we overreacting a little? Sending so many people— even if Lin Xunfeng hadn’t retired from the martial world, we could still capture him easily.”
The middle-aged man’s name was Yue Zhenchuan, one of the seven leaders of the Seven Peaks Alliance. His martial arts were profound, and his reputation in the martial world was immense.
In response to his disciple’s question, Yue Zhenchuan’s expression remained unchanged as he replied, “Mo Jiujiao has been gone far too long and hasn’t returned—something must have happened to him. Although Mo Jiujiao wasn’t particularly strong, the fact that Clear Sky Sect dared to detain him means they are prepared to face the Seven Peaks Alliance head-on. The tides of the world shift unpredictably, and dark currents stir beneath the surface of the martial world. We cannot afford to be careless. Often, a single small defeat marks the beginning of eternal ruin.”
Hearing this, the young man nodded. Though he didn’t quite agree inwardly, he dared not oppose his master.
“Oh right, Master,” the young man asked again, “just how powerful is Lin Xunfeng? To think he could seize all of the Ancient Great Mountain Range—his territory almost rivals that of our Seven Peaks Alliance.”
The disciples behind also turned their gazes toward Yue Zhenchuan.
“Clear Sky Sect’s control of the Ancient Great Mountain Range was the doing of Lin Xunfeng’s master—the founder of Clear Sky Sect. That man once struck terror throughout the entire martial world. Unfortunately, he fell into madness and vanished without a trace. Lin Xunfeng inherited only a third of his strength, yet it was enough to defend Clear Sky Sect. Back then, even when three of our Seven Peaks leaders joined forces, we still couldn’t defeat him.”
Yue Zhenchuan’s tone was calm; he spoke without any fluctuation of emotion.
The young man asked curiously, “Did you fight Lin Xunfeng personally, Master?”
“I never had the chance to cross blades with him,” Yue Zhenchuan replied. “It is one of the greatest regrets of my life. Hopefully, this time, I can meet him.”
With that said, Yue Zhenchuan swung his whip. His fierce steed neighed and surged forward, and the rest of the Seven Peaks disciples followed suit, urging their mounts to speed up.
——
At noon, under the blazing sun, the disciples of Clear Sky Sect gathered in the courtyard, all eyes on Zhang Yuchun.
At this moment, Zhang Yuchun was dressed in a brand-new sect robe—an azure garment with wide sleeves and a tight waist. Though not luxurious, it gave him a spirited and upright appearance.
For disciples of Clear Sky Sect, such robes were already quite fine, considering they usually wore patched and worn clothing.
Zhang Yuchun waved his sleeve and turned to Li Qingqiu, asking, “Senior Brother, aren’t the sleeves too wide? In a duel, they might restrict our movements.”
Li Qingqiu laughed. “I think they look good. Besides, our Clear Sky Sect isn’t a sect that seeks constant fighting. This is only the first design—our robes will continue to improve and become more refined.”
Though still far from exuding the aura of an immortal cultivator, they already appeared distinct from ordinary martial artists—that was enough for now.
Improvements would come in time.
The tailor beside them sighed in relief upon seeing Li Qingqiu’s satisfaction.
The job had been a massive undertaking, and he already regretted accepting it.
Afterward, Li Qingqiu summoned Yang Jueding and seven disciples from the mountain village to the forest behind the mountain.
Huang Shan, Yu Lin, and the other seven stood in a row, curiously looking at Li Qingqiu, unsure what he was about to announce.
Li Qingqiu swept his gaze over them and spoke, “Since I took over as Sect Master of Clear Sky Sect, we have embarked on an entirely new path. Though we still use the old name, this is already a new sect—its martial arts and its principles are completely different. You are the first disciples of the new Clear Sky Sect. As more disciples join in the future, you will bear greater responsibilities.”
The seven disciples straightened up, faces solemn.
Li Qingqiu smiled with satisfaction. “Regardless of your aptitude or comprehension, the future disciples will always respect you. But I won’t let you rest on empty titles. From today onward, I grant you the title Seven Sons of Clear Sky. Yang Jueding will teach you his profound inner arts and bestow upon you unique martial skills. My goal is for each of you to possess the strength to roam the martial world freely before you reach adulthood.”
Yang Jueding then spoke up. “From now on, I’ll pass down my true martial arts to you—not those flowery techniques of the past. This is a privilege the other disciples will not have.”
Since cultivating the Primordial Unity Scripture, Yang Jueding had been utterly astounded by its profundity.
He felt that his entire martial training couldn’t compare to that scripture’s value, so offering his arts up was no loss.
The Seven Sons of Clear Sky had already failed in practicing the Primordial Unity Scripture, so switching to martial training was indeed a wise choice—no more wasted years.
Still, as he promised this, Yang Jueding felt a bit nervous.
If he, too, failed to master the Primordial Unity Scripture, it would be truly disheartening.
“Sect Master, we will never disappoint your expectations!”
Huang Shan was the first to speak, voice trembling with excitement.
The other disciples also looked at Li Qingqiu with gratitude.
After their discouraging experience with the Primordial Unity Scripture, they had thought the Sect Master would abandon them—let them linger for ten years before being sent down the mountain.
Unexpectedly, he intended to personally nurture them. How could they not be moved?
After offering a few more words of encouragement, Li Qingqiu turned and departed, leaving the rest to Yang Jueding.
Yang Jueding was no Jiang Zhaoxia; Li Qingqiu wouldn’t allow him to focus solely on cultivation—he had to dedicate half his time to teaching.
Li Qingqiu did not return to the sect afterward.
=Instead, he descended the mountain to continue practicing the Rejuvenation Ghost Immortal Needle.
He had only begun to grasp its rudiments, and there was still a long road ahead before true mastery.
——
The next morning.
Li Sifeng, Li Sijin, and Xu Ning descended the mountain together, heading toward the Subterranean Spiritual Lake to cultivate.
Li Sifeng walked at the front, holding a wooden branch like a sword.
As he walked, he swung it about, muttering sword moves under his breath.
Li Sijin and Xu Ning walked hand in hand behind him, chatting about the Seven Sons of Clear Sky learning martial arts.
As of this morning, the Seven Sons no longer trained alongside them—this was Li Qingqiu’s arrangement.
Aside from Li Sijin, both Li Sifeng and Xu Ning already possessed the ability to defend themselves.
Xu Ning occasionally sparred with Li Qingqiu to gain battle experience, which was why he allowed the three to descend the mountain together.
The Seven Sons’ failure in cultivating the Primordial Unity Scripture had made them all realize its difficulty—and they cherished their cultivation time all the more.
“Sword slays the flood dragon—none in the world can rival me…”
Li Sifeng leapt from a hillside, landing gracefully on the grassy field below.
Kneeling on one knee, he slashed his wooden sword through the air in a stylish pose.
He lowered his head, immersed in the feeling—as if he had truly slain a dragon.
Suddenly.
He sensed something and abruptly looked up—only to see a crowd of people watching him from the forest about ten zhang away.
They wore identical robes and held the reins of their horses, standing eerily still like a host of ghosts, making his heart tremble.
“Why am I running into people again…”
Li Sifeng cursed inwardly.
Last time, he’d encountered Du Xuanfeng and another; now, it was an even larger group of martial artists.
What terrible luck!
From their bearing alone, he could tell they were no ordinary people.
His mind instantly went to the Seven Peaks Alliance—or perhaps the Azure Sect.
He turned toward Li Sijin and Xu Ning, who were just about to descend the slope.
Even before he could signal, Xu Ning had already spotted the hundreds of martial experts of the Seven Peaks Alliance.
They stood in the forest with their horses, the sheer sight of them overwhelming—making it seem as though their numbers were countless.
Li Sifeng hesitated—should he run? But if he did, it would be tantamount to admitting they were disciples of Clear Sky Sect.
If they stayed, perhaps their youth could buy them some information.
Just then, he saw a middle-aged man dismount from his horse and stride toward him, raising a hand to signal the others to remain where they were.
Seeing this, Li Sifeng exhaled in relief.
The other party wasn’t attacking outright—that meant there was still room for negotiation.
If things went awry, he could always seize this leader as a hostage to force their retreat.
Having made up his mind, Li Sifeng steadied himself, though he deliberately kept a nervous look on his face.
“What should we do?” Li Sijin whispered, fear gripping her as she faced such a crowd for the first time.
Expressionless, Xu Ning whispered back, “Stick to the plan—we’re from another place and got separated from our parents while climbing the mountain.”
Li Sijin nodded, instinctively inching closer to Xu Ning and clutching her sleeve.
The middle-aged man approaching was none other than Yue Zhenchuan, one of the Seven Peaks Alliance leaders.
As he neared, Yue Zhenchuan forced a gentle smile and spoke as he walked, “Young one, don’t be afraid. We’re officials passing through. We just want to ask you for directions.”
Officials?
Li Sifeng glanced past him toward the woods and spotted a banner embroidered with the words Seven Peaks.
Even then, his expression didn’t change—still feigning nervousness and unease.
Though he said nothing, the fact that he didn’t flee reassured Yue Zhenchuan.
When he came within seven steps, Yue Zhenchuan stopped and smiled. “Little brother, where are you from? Why are there no adults with you?”
The three were already wearing Clear Sky Sect robes, but Yue Zhenchuan had never seen them before.
With no Clear Sky characters embroidered, he naturally assumed they were children from nearby villages, from families of decent means.
Cautiously, Li Sifeng replied, “We’re from Plum Mountain Town. We came with our uncles to visit relatives, but we got separated and are trying to find them.”
Yue Zhenchuan smiled. “Then let me help you find them. But first—have you seen anyone else in the mountains recently?”
“Someone else? Let me think… actually, there was—”
Before he could finish, Li Sifeng suddenly pounced toward Yue Zhenchuan like a young leopard.