Chapter 199: Contemporary Martial Legend
“Stop right there, this is Tianxuan Mountain, outsiders are not allowed to enter without permission!”
A loud voice echoed across the mountain plain. Li Yang and the others who were walking toward the mountain looked over and saw a young man in a Daoist robe standing on a cliff wall, glaring at them.
Li Yang shouted loudly, “We are disciples of the Clear Sky Sect. We are passing by Tianxuan Mountain and wish to borrow lodging for a few days. Please trouble brother to go up the mountain and report this.”
The Clear Sky Sect was renowned across the land. Wherever they went, as long as they stated their background, no one dared to treat them with disrespect. This also spared them many unnecessary conflicts.
When the Daoist-robed man heard this, his expression changed slightly as he said, “Then you will wait where you are. You are not allowed to force your way up the mountain.”
“That is only natural, rest assured.”
Li Yang replied casually. He was not in a hurry to go up the mountain. After responding to the Daoist-robed man, he turned around and told the disciples to find a place to rest.
Seeing this, the Daoist-robed man finally turned and headed up the mountain.
Zhang Ping found a place to sit. He raised his head and looked up. Tianxuan Mountain towered into the sky, its mass majestic and vast, stretching endlessly on both sides.
At the mountainside, there was a large expanse of white rock.
At first glance, it seemed empty, as if a mountain were suspended high in the air.
Even when standing at the foot of the mountain, one would still be amazed by such a spectacular sight.
Bai Ning’er came to his side and asked, “You have been frowning the whole way. What exactly are you worried about? Senior Brother Li Yang is leading the team, and there are so many at the fourth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm. Even if we ran into a million-strong army, we could still fight our way out.”
Zhang Ping stared intently at Tianxuan Mountain and said, “But there are existences in this world more terrifying than a million enemy soldiers.”
Bai Ning’er felt that he was truly possessed. How had his courage become even smaller than last time?
Next time she must not bring him out again, lest he get scared to death halfway.
Bai Ning’er stopped paying attention to him and got up to sit beside Li Yang.
Time slowly passed.
A full hour later, the Daoist-robed man from before finally appeared in their field of vision and beckoned to them.
Li Yang stood up and said, “Let’s go, up the mountain. Remember what I said earlier. Even if you see auspicious signs, do not act rashly.”
All the disciples responded in unison.
Zhang Ping very much wanted to quietly slip away, but felt that doing so would betray the sect’s cultivation of him. He could only brace himself and go up the mountain.
……
High summer arrived.
Sunlight poured into the forest. Li Qingqiu stood at the entrance of the cave dwelling, looking at Chu Jing with a satisfied expression.
After months of research, he had finally created a spell that allowed ghosts to condense into solid form.
Chu Jing was now wearing a black sect robe, his face covered by an opera mask, a bamboo hat on his head, both hands wrapped in white cloth, with not even his neck exposed.
The Tianhong Sword hung at Chu Jing’s waist.
At this moment, Chu Jing looked both mysterious and powerful, making Li Qingqiu unable to stop himself from nodding.
Nangong E and Lin Chuan also drifted out, looking at Chu Jing with envy.
Chu Jing was attached to the Tianhong Sword. As long as the Tianhong Sword followed him, he could move around for long periods. However, Nangong E and Lin Chuan could not.
They were unable to leave Li Qingqiu for extended periods of time.
“Master, what should I be called from now on?” Chu Jing asked curiously.
Li Qingqiu smiled and said, “Just call yourself Lord Jing.”
After hearing this, joy appeared in Chu Jing’s eyes beneath the mask. The name Lord Jing made him find the feeling he had when he was Xuan Gong, greatly lifting his spirits.
Soon, a figure ran over from Lingxiao Courtyard. It was Yuan Qi.
From afar, Yuan Qi saw Chu Jing and could not help but frown. Chu Jing’s attire was far too mysterious and sinister, making him instinctively uneasy. Fortunately, the Sect Master was also present.
He walked over and bowed respectfully to Li Qingqiu.
“Yuan Qi, from now on you will take him with you in your activities and let him familiarize himself with the sect,” Li Qingqiu instructed.
Yuan Qi could not help but look at Chu Jing and asked, “May I ask how this brother should be addressed?”
Li Qingqiu answered on Chu Jing’s behalf, “Address him as Lord Jing. His identity is special. No one is allowed to force him to remove his mask.”
This instruction made Yuan Qi even more curious about Chu Jing, but he did not dare ask more and immediately left with Chu Jing.
Li Qingqiu turned and walked to the edge of the cliff, stretching lazily.
As Li Shouzheng and Li Shoumin grew older by the month, Li Qingqiu’s interest in them waned. Thus, he had his disciples take turns caring for the two little ones. They were currently staying in Ji Ya’s courtyard.
Through his spiritual sense, Li Qingqiu could peer into the situation in that courtyard.
Ji Ya liked children very much. With his companions also present in the courtyard, laughter and cheerful voices never ceased.
Li Qingqiu noticed that Ji Ya had become increasingly lax, but he did not reprimand him.
After all, not everyone could cultivate diligently. As long as Ji Ya did not completely give up cultivation, that was enough.
Relying on the Hundred-Refinement Demonic Body and dual outstanding aptitudes, even without diligent cultivation, Ji Ya was still at the fifth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm and was already very close to the sixth layer.
So many disciples cultivated day and night yet could never cross past the third layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm.
Just as Li Qingqiu was sighing over the differences between people, Yun Cai stepped on her sword and flew over from the forest below, hovering in the air before him.
“Sect Master, my Soul-Seizing Flying Sword has advanced another step. Could you take a look?” Yun Cai asked expectantly.
Li Qingqiu said helplessly, “I know you are a genius, but do you really need to come to me every time you make a bit of progress? Aren’t you tired?”
With Tempered Through a Thousand Trials, as long as Yun Cai put in effort, she was destined to achieve results.
Coupled with her own diligence comparable to Xu Ning and Zhao Zhen, he was not worried about her cultivation at all.
Yet this girl came to look for him every few days, almost more frequently than Yuan Qi.
After spending so much time together, Yun Cai was no longer restrained around Li Qingqiu. She smiled and said, “I’m just afraid of going down the wrong path. The Soul-Seizing Flying Sword is too complex. Every time I cultivate it, I marvel at how amazing you are, to be able to create such a sword art. In my view, Senior Shen is not the Sword God. You are the real Sword God.”
“Do not speak nonsense. How could I be that powerful?”
Li Qingqiu said sternly, though the corners of his mouth could not help but rise.
Yun Cai had already more or less figured out his temperament. Hearing this, she knew she had once again succeeded in flattering him.
Immediately after, she began to demonstrate her Soul-Seizing Flying Sword. Her right palm opened, and one Soul-Seizing Flying Sword after another flew out, circling around her body. There were only twelve in total.
Li Qingqiu felt surprised. He had not expected her to have mastered the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword to such a degree.
Just condensing a single Soul-Seizing Flying Sword and controlling it freely was already no easy feat, let alone controlling twelve at the same time.
The Soul-Seizing Flying Sword was indestructible and could also suppress souls.
Coupled with Yun Cai’s All-Law Spiritual Eyes, Li Qingqiu could not think of anyone at the same realm who could defeat her.
Ji Ya did have potential. Using brute force to break all techniques, his vast vital energy surged like ocean waves toward Yun Cai, making it difficult for her to find an opening.
Unfortunately, Ji Ya’s combat talent was not high. Once they exchanged blows, he would likely be struck by Yun Cai’s Soul-Seizing Flying Sword before he could even make a move.
For the time of an incense stick, Yun Cai kept changing patterns as she displayed her Soul-Seizing Flying Sword.
Li Qingqiu discovered that her vital energy was unusual among those of the same realm.
Could this be another effect of Tempered Through a Thousand Trials?
She cultivated the Primordial Unity Scripture daily, and her understanding of it was certainly far beyond that of other disciples.
Li Qingqiu’s own vital energy had always been increasing, making it hard for him to distinguish whether the growth came from his cultivation level rising or from the effect of Tempered Through a Thousand Trials. Moreover, there was no second Spirit Perception Realm cultivator for reference.
But judging from Yun Cai, Tempered Through a Thousand Trials did enhance cultivation techniques as well.
The current Yun Cai, though not as exaggerated as Ji Ya, already possessed twice the vital energy of ordinary fourth-layer disciples.
Li Qingqiu suddenly realized that he had still underestimated Yun Cai.
This Tempered Through a Thousand Trials was a bit outrageous!
However, no matter how much Yun Cai cultivated, she probably could not reach the effect of the Hundred-Refinement Demonic Body.
After all, Tempered Through a Thousand Trials only increased comprehension, unless a technique that enhanced physical aptitude appeared in the future.
Wait.
Should he also pass on the Heavenly Gang Golden Body Art to her?
Previously, Li Qingqiu had felt that she was too frail and unsuitable for a fierce path.
Thinking about it now, that might not be the case. She might be able to go even further than other disciples with the Heavenly Gang Golden Body Art.
While Li Qingqiu was thinking, three more people walked over from behind. They were the Three Xiao Brothers.
Upon seeing the three of them appear, Yun Cai immediately withdrew the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword back into her body.
She had never shown the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword to other disciples. Her current battle record relied on other spells.
She had taken Li Qingqiu’s words to heart, treating the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword as her ultimate trump card and killing move.
Looking across the entire Clear Sky Sect, the ones who made her feel the greatest competitive pressure were not Zhao Zhen, nor the lofty Xu Ning, but the Three Xiao Brothers.
Both sides were secretly competing, with neither willing to be inferior to the other.
“Sect Master, please allow the three of us brothers to go to Tianxuan Mountain!”
Xiao Wudi came up behind Li Qingqiu, cupped his fists, and spoke with barely concealed anger.
Li Qingqiu turned to look at them and saw that Xiao Wuqing and Xiao Wuming’s faces were also filled with fury.
He asked in surprise, “Did Tianxuan Mountain provoke you?”
Xiao Wudi replied, “That’s right. They also provoked the entire Clear Sky Sect. Senior Brother Li Yang and Senior Brother Yang Dong were both defeated by the Yan Dao Sect of Tianxuan Mountain. The news has already spread throughout the martial world. There are even rumors saying that the Yan Dao Sect possesses strength not inferior to yours, calling them a contemporary martial legend. It’s utter nonsense!”
Xiao Wuqing followed up, “This matter is very strange. The news spread too quickly, and some remarks are clearly meant to sow discord between the Clear Sky Sect and Tianxuan Mountain. But no matter what, since it has already happened, someone must defeat the Yan Dao Sect to restore the sect’s honor.”
After hearing this, Li Qingqiu said irritably, “Li Yang and Yang Dong were no match for that person. What use would it be for the three of you to go?”
Li Yang was at the fifth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm!
Li Yang losing to the Yan Dao Sect did not surprise Li Qingqiu. What surprised him was how Li Yang had ended up going to Tianxuan Mountain in the first place.
“Sect Master, although I am only at the fourth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm, my Heavenly Gang Golden Body Art was not cultivated in vain. To be honest, if I were to spar with Senior Brother Li Yang, I feel I might not necessarily lose,” Xiao Wudi said seriously.
He possessed the Innate Body Cultivator fate trait, which made his cultivation of the Heavenly Gang Golden Body Art progress smoothly, even irresistibly. He had strong confidence in his own strength.
Xiao Wuqing and Xiao Wuming did not refute this. They also trusted Xiao Wudi, believing that their eldest brother only lacked an opportunity, an opportunity to prove that he was not inferior to Li Yang, Ji Ya, Han Lang, and the others.
Yun Cai spoke up, “I’m going too!”
When Xiao Wudi heard her speak, he could not help but frown. He opened his mouth, but did not dare to boast in front of her.