Chapter 192: Tribulation Destined by Fate
Night fell.
Li Qingqiu arrived at the Dark Hall and found Mo Jiuhong, issuing the order for Mo Jiuhong to lead disciples to infiltrate Tianxuan Mountain and investigate what plans Tianxuan Mountain had.
In response, Mo Jiuhong was extremely excited—the Dark Hall had finally received a mission.
He had already made up his mind to develop the Dark Hall well.
As long as the merits they established were sufficient, they would become the most reliable hall in Li Qingqiu’s heart.
Mo Jiuhong had an ambition.
That was to let the Dark Hall stand above the Eight Halls and the Sword Sect.
“You all shouldn’t always hide inside the Dark Hall. You must go out and move around often. True concealment is hiding in plain sight. Do you understand?”
Before leaving, Li Qingqiu reminded the Dark Hall disciples.
If people stayed in darkness for too long, their psychology would easily develop problems, and Li Qingqiu also did not wish for the Dark Hall disciples to grow estranged from the sect.
The disciples naturally responded in agreement.
As for what they truly thought in their hearts, only they themselves knew.
After arranging the task, Li Qingqiu departed.
It was rare for him to go down the mountain, so he decided to visit his disciples.
As the cultivation atmosphere of the Clear Sky Sect grew increasingly strong, the disciples’ sense of day and night gradually detached from the secular world.
Even at night, people could be seen moving about all over Clear Sky Mountain, and in every forest one could see the silhouettes of disciples cultivating.
Li Qingqiu made his way to Zhao Zhen’s cave dwelling.
Zhao Zhen was currently cultivating.
At present, the sect had only distributed four cave dwellings, but Ming Guang had already led people to construct ten cave dwellings, just waiting for Li Qingqiu to distribute them.
Li Qingqiu planned to wait until the number of cave dwellings was sufficient before first distributing them to the higher-ups.
In a sect, it was impossible for the treatment of young disciples to surpass that of the higher-ups.
Doing so would inevitably cause trouble, and the higher-ups also needed the sect master to affirm their contributions.
“Master, please sit. I’ll pour you some tea.”
Zhao Zhen rose and saluted, then walked toward the wooden cabinet at the side.
Looking at thirteen-year-old Zhao Zhen, Li Qingqiu realized that he had grown quite a bit taller.
Without realizing it, Zhao Zhen had grown from a child into a youth.
The mischief had faded, and he now carried a somewhat steady temperament, which made Li Qingqiu feel both sentimental and gratified.
Li Qingqiu cherished this disciple deeply and kept the closest watch over him.
From time to time, he would have Yuan Qi go and visit Zhao Zhen, fearing that he might disappear.
The reason for this was that Li Qingqiu had always remembered Zhao Zhen’s fate trait.
【Mandate Easily Broken: A life of hardship. Before the age of sixteen, he would continuously experience tribulations. After sixteen, this fate trait would dissipate, and his comprehension would rise by one level.】
There were only three years left until the age of sixteen.
Zhao Zhi was dead, the world was in chaos, and the forces that could threaten the Clear Sky Sect had already been uprooted cleanly.
Logically speaking, there should be no one capable of threatening Zhao Zhen within the Clear Sky Sect, yet Li Qingqiu still could not feel at ease.
Recently, every time Li Qingqiu faced Zhao Zhen, he felt as though he was resisting fate itself.
In the unseen, it was as if a great hand was reaching toward Zhao Zhen.
Watching Zhao Zhen pour tea for him, Li Qingqiu smiled and asked, “How long has this tea been sitting? Can it still be drunk?”
Zhao Zhen widened his eyes and said, “Of course it can be drunk, Master. I brew fresh tea every day. Even if you don’t come, I still brew tea.”
Li Qingqiu took the teacup from his hand and smiled, saying, “Why did you suddenly start liking tea?”
“I’m learning from Third Senior Brother. I want to calm my temperament. After all, I’m no longer a six- or seven-year-old child.” Zhao Zhen sat down and answered seriously.
These words nearly made Li Qingqiu choke on his tea.
Li Qingqiu said helplessly, “Does your Third Senior Brother drink tea?”
“Third Senior Brother’s temperament is naturally calm. I can’t compare to him. I can only find external things to suppress my temperament.” Zhao Zhen replied.
“Then don’t participate in the next Grand Dao Tournament.”
“Don’t! Master! You can’t do this!”
Zhao Zhen immediately grew anxious, springing to his feet, his face instantly turning red.
Li Qingqiu enjoyed teasing him and continued to banter, saying, “You’re already so powerful. Why must you still participate?”
“When I participated before, I was too young. It wasn’t fair to me.” Zhao Zhen said aggrievedly.
He merely wanted to prove that he possessed the strength to contend for the strongest disciple.
“Alright. Then I hope you’ll be strong enough by then—ideally even stronger than your Senior Sister’s previous performance. That way, you can set an example for the junior disciples and let everyone know what posture the strongest disciple of the Clear Sky Sect should have.”
Li Qingqiu restrained his smile and said softly.
Zhao Zhen nodded and said, “Master, I’ll soon reach the Sixth Layer realm. My goal is to reach the Eighth Layer realm before the next Grand Dao Tournament arrives.”
Li Qingqiu did not doubt him.
Zhao Zhen’s diligence was no less than Xu Ning’s.
Qin Ye had already gone down the mountain, busy striving for his family.
Ji Ya, though possessing the Hundred-Refinement Demonic Body, had an unstable temperament and was always hovering around his companions.
Zhao Zhen was different.
He was a pure cultivation maniac.
If he did not have to spare time to create secret techniques, he would already be at the Sixth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm.
“In the next three years, you may encounter a tribulation. You’d best stay on Clear Sky Mountain and go nowhere. If anyone approaches you and says things to entice you down the mountain, you must inform me immediately. You cannot trust others lightly.”
Li Qingqiu stared at Zhao Zhen and said with a solemn expression.
After much thought, he decided to reveal some heavenly secrets to Zhao Zhen.
No matter what, he had to let this boy endure until sixteen.
After hearing this, Zhao Zhen thought of the letter sent by his mother.
His expression became unnatural as he asked, “Master, what are you worried about?”
Li Qingqiu deliberately put on an unfathomable air and said, “This master understands some fortune-telling arts and occasionally sees certain future events. You have one tribulation destined in your fate. As long as you stay on Clear Sky Mountain, you can pass through it.”
The cave dwelling Zhao Zhen obtained at the Grand Dao Tournament was on another mountain.
For his safety, Li Qingqiu had specially had Ming Guang build a new cave dwelling on Clear Sky Mountain and let him move over.
Fortunately, he was quite obedient and never went down the mountain.
“A tribulation destined by fate…”
Zhao Zhen’s expression sank as he fell into silence.
Li Qingqiu could understand him.
Anyone suddenly facing such a matter would feel unsettled.
Three years were neither short nor long.
As long as he endured it, it would be fine.
Afterward, Li Qingqiu continued to ask about his cultivation.
Zhao Zhen answered truthfully.
Next, Zhao Zhen prepared to focus primarily on improving his cultivation.
As his age increased, his cultivation speed also grew faster and faster.
In cultivation, he had only one goal—to cross tribulation as early as possible, just like Li Qingqiu.
After staying in Zhao Zhen’s cave dwelling for half an hour, Li Qingqiu finally left.
Zhao Zhen returned from the entrance of the cave dwelling to the stone table and sat down.
His expression was ugly, his gaze flickering.
He had not told his Master about the letter from his mother.
He was afraid that his Master would deal with his mother.
Yet his Master’s words made it difficult for him to pretend ignorance.
Could it be that he truly had a tribulation in his fate?
Was Tianxuan Mountain going to deal with him, or was his mother plotting against him?
Zhao Zhen suddenly felt some envy toward the three Xiao brothers.
When facing familial bonds that were unfavorable to themselves, they were able to make decisions.
Only when truly facing such a situation did he realize how difficult it was to sever familial affection.
He took a deep breath and decided to focus wholeheartedly on cultivation.
As long as he was strong enough, he would not fear any so-called tribulation.
……
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, it was early June.
Spring passed and summer arrived, and the temperature between heaven and earth was steadily rising.
On this day, Li Qingqiu brought Jin Lang to Source Iron Harbor Town.
After a year of construction, this harbor town had been initially established, with over a hundred pavilions, the vast majority of which were warehouses used to store ancient Geng Metal Source Iron.
Li Qingqiu had already opened the Source Iron Blessed Land.
At present, more than a hundred True Transmission Disciples were cultivating inside.
In their spare time, these disciples would come to Source Iron Harbor Town to rest.
Upon hearing that Li Qingqiu had arrived, Yu Lin immediately came to meet him.
As the second among the Seven Sons of Clear Sky, Yu Lin had already become the authority in charge of Source Iron Harbor Town and the Source Iron Blessed Land.
Relying on his seniority, the disciples were very convinced by him, and for the time being, no disturbances had occurred.
When Yu Lin arrived, Li Qingqiu was standing inside a grand hall.
Before him was a pool, within which there was a whirlpool.
This residence was located on a shallow beach, perfectly covering this whirlpool.
Back when this harbor was established, it was precisely to conceal this whirlpool.
Over the past year, strange fish would emerge from the whirlpool from time to time, and it had even once damaged this residence, forcing Yu Lin to dispatch disciples to take turns guarding this place.
“Sect Master, for what matter have you come today?”
After saluting, Yu Lin asked.
In terms of relationship, Li Qingqiu was his Eldest Martial Uncle, but he could only address him as such in private.
Li Qingqiu spoke, “I’m preparing to investigate what lies beneath the whirlpool. Leaving it unattended like this isn’t very good.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Lin immediately grew nervous and hurriedly said, “Sect Master, you must not personally go down. This whirlpool is extremely sinister. Previously, a fish emerged, and we simply couldn’t catch it. We watched it wreak havoc before drilling back in. We suspect it has already gained intelligence.”
Li Qingqiu smiled and said, “I naturally won’t go down rashly. I have methods to investigate it clearly.”
“What method might that be?” Yu Lin asked curiously.
Li Qingqiu glanced at him and smiled, saying, “I keep three ghost servants. I’ve already had them go down to investigate the situation.”
Ghost servants?
Yu Lin froze, his spine involuntarily turning cold.
Having cultivated to this day, he could vaguely sense the existence of souls, yet he had never personally seen a ghost.
Moreover, the words “ghost servant” sounded extremely sinister.
The Sect Master actually kept ghost servants…
Yu Lin felt somewhat uneasy.
However, based on his trust in the Sect Master, he felt that the Sect Master must have his reasons for doing so.
Just like now—having ghost servants probe the situation truly was better.
“Sect Master, can ghost servants attack living beings?” Yu Lin asked curiously.
Li Qingqiu replied, “Of course they can. Not to mention ghost servants—even some fierce ghosts, if encountered by living people, will injure them.”
Yu Lin fell silent.
A thought suddenly arose in his heart.
Should he also keep a ghost servant?
His aptitude was average, and his cultivation had already encountered a bottleneck.
He was also thinking about how to make himself stronger.
It was just that he did not know how to bring this up to the Sect Master.
Just as Yu Lin was troubled by this, the whirlpool in the pool began to intensify its fluctuations.
Under Li Qingqiu’s control, Lin Chuan revealed his ghostly form.
Seeing this little ghost radiating sinister energy all over his body, Yu Lin widened his eyes.
Lin Chuan was frighteningly pale at a glance, clearly abnormal.
Lin Chuan ignored Yu Lin, looked at Li Qingqiu, and said, “Senior Brother, below is a bottomless sea with many enormous fish. I saw a water snake—bigger than Bai Zhi!”
Li Qingqiu raised an eyebrow.
The surroundings were all shallow beaches, with no access to the deep sea at all.
As expected, this whirlpool possessed a certain spacetime teleportation effect.