Chapter 21: The Seven Peaks Alliance Finally Reached
The scorching sun blazed high in the sky. Along the official road, a carriage sped swiftly forward.
The coachman, a man in his early fifties dressed in coarse clothes, was sturdy and strong. Though his hair had already turned white, his entire demeanor still carried the vitality of his prime years.
Staring ahead, the coachman wiped the sweat off his brow with one hand and asked, “Young Master, on such a hot day, must we really hurry to Seven Peaks Town at full speed?”
Inside the carriage sat Li Qingqiu, cross-legged in meditation. His eyes were closed in quiet rest. With the road so bumpy, he could not cultivate at all—he could only minimize the expenditure of his strength and vital energy.
Seven Peaks Town was a settlement near the Seven Peaks Alliance. It was quite well-known, a place where many escort agencies and government convoys stopped to rest.
Once he reached Seven Peaks Town, it would be much easier to inquire about the Seven Peaks Alliance.
That was the route Yang Jueding had told him.
After eliminating Yue Zhenchuan and the others, Li Qingqiu no longer needed to rush against time.
He merely wanted to go early and return early, so as not to worry his junior brothers and sisters.
“I made an appointment with my family. If I miss the time, they’ll be worried,” Li Qingqiu replied.
“That’s true. You look so young—younger than my own son. If my boy were traveling alone, I’d be worried too. The world’s getting chaotic again; the provincial authorities can’t suppress all the local lords, the people are displaced, and bandits grow in number by the day. Honestly, I didn’t want to take this trip—but my old wife fell ill, and I needed the money…”
The coachman rambled on endlessly, and Li Qingqiu occasionally responded.
Two days had passed since he left the Clear Sky Sect, yet Seven Peaks Alliance was still far away.
Li Qingqiu did not find the coachman’s chatter bothersome; he would at times ask about the state of the world, learning what was happening in Guzhou these days.
Since attaining cultivation, he was no longer affected by the heat.
The Supreme Purity Primordial Unity Scripture circulated within his body, keeping him cool and calm. It barely consumed any vital energy—an inherent effect of the scripture itself.
In the blink of an eye, another hour passed. The coachman had stopped talking; his throat was dry, and he only wished to reach the next post station quickly.
Suddenly—
The coachman pulled on the reins and cursed, “Why block the road? Do you want to die under the horse’s hooves?”
“Uncle, could you give me a ride for a bit of the way?”
“Oh? A woman? Why are you dressed like that?”
“I have money. Might I trouble Uncle to grant my wish?”
“Where to?”
“Seven Peaks Town.”
“Huh?”
The coachman made a surprised sound, then turned his head and whispered, “Young Master, there’s a young lady ahead, also heading to Seven Peaks Town. Shall we take her? If we do, I’ll reduce your fare by thirty percent.”
Li Qingqiu couldn’t be bothered with his petty schemes and replied, “Take her. Let’s go.”
“Alright then. Miss, get on board—and remember to thank this Young Master. He rented the whole carriage.”
“Many thanks!”
Footsteps approached, and soon the carriage curtain lifted. A woman dressed in black entered, wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a small bundle. She sat by the window and cupped her hands toward Li Qingqiu.
“Forgive my intrusion, Young Master. Thank you for your generosity.”
Even as she spoke, her hand did not leave her sword hilt.
Li Qingqiu gave her a glance, nodded slightly, and closed his eyes once more.
The black-clad woman said nothing further.
With a woman now aboard, the coachman regained his energy and started chatting again.
The woman answered a few times but soon fell silent, leaving the coachman talking to himself in frustration.
The rest of the journey passed in silence.
At the post station, the woman and Li Qingqiu sat at separate tables. Once back on the road, they resumed their original seating arrangement.
This continued for five days until at last, they arrived at Seven Peaks Town. Li Qingqiu handed the prepared silver to the coachman and entered the town.
Seven Peaks Town sat at the foot of the mountains.
Many carriages were parked before the town’s stone stele; most people carried weapons and clearly had the look of martial wanderers.
Li Qingqiu wasted no time. He randomly approached a man and asked, “Brother, could you tell me how to get to the Seven Peaks Alliance?”
The man was short and stocky, carrying a bamboo basket—likely a local resident. He glanced at Li Qingqiu and said, “The Seven Peaks Alliance? See those mountains behind you? All of them belong to the Seven Peaks Alliance. You’re already here.”
Li Qingqiu asked patiently, “Where exactly is their sect located? I wish to pay a visit.”
“Visit the Seven Peaks Alliance? Forget it, unless you want your legs broken. Don’t ask me—I don’t know!”
With that, the man turned away. Li Qingqiu continued asking others, but the reactions were the same.
At the mere mention of the Seven Peaks Alliance, everyone grew fearful and refused to speak.
Li Qingqiu hadn’t expected the Alliance’s reputation to inspire such dread. It seemed he would have to resort to more direct measures.
Just as he was about to look for a target, the black-clad woman appeared again. “If you keep asking about the Seven Peaks Alliance like that, you’ll get into trouble. I happen to be going there. What business do you have?”
Li Qingqiu turned around.
They stood five steps apart.
The woman tilted her head slightly, and beneath her hat appeared a cold yet strikingly beautiful face.
It was the first time Li Qingqiu had truly seen her features—she was beautiful, with eyes that carried the killing aura typical of those who lived by the sword.
She was tall, about the same height as Li Qingqiu, who now stood around one meter seventy-five despite still being in his growing years.
“My master sent me to deliver a letter. He was occupied with other matters and could only send me in his stead,” Li Qingqiu said calmly. His tone betrayed nothing that the woman could read.
“We’ll have to start climbing now. By dawn, we should reach it. Do you dare to come along?” she asked.
Li Qingqiu’s delicate features gave him the look of a scholar. Though a sword hung at his waist, the woman sensed no threat from him.
“Then please, lead the way, Miss,” Li Qingqiu said with a faint smile and a nod.
Without another word, the woman walked past him, and he followed close behind.
They passed through the main street of Seven Peaks Town.
The place was quite large and bustling—Li Qingqiu even saw someone hosting a martial contest to find a spouse.
In the future, the Clear Sky Sect could come here to recruit disciples, he thought.
Once they left the town, the two entered the mountain forest and began climbing.
They did not follow the main path, which gave Li Qingqiu a sense of déjà vu—it felt like returning to the Ancient Great Mountain Range.
There was no real trail, only wild weeds underfoot.
As night fell, darkness engulfed the mountains, visibility dropping to almost nothing.
The woman lit a torch she had brought along, quickening her pace as the light illuminated the way.
Li Qingqiu had no need for the torch, yet followed closely behind.
Several hours later—
They reached the top of a slope. From there, mountains stretched endlessly into the mist, their night-shrouded peaks looming like ancient demons watching from above.
The woman halted. “When dawn comes, you’ll see the mountain gate of the Seven Peaks Alliance.”
Li Qingqiu nodded and asked, “Thank you, Miss. May I ask—what is your relationship with the Seven Peaks Alliance?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“If you don’t wish to say, then forget it.”
Li Qingqiu turned his gaze to the shadowed mountain range ahead and spoke softly.
If she didn’t want to answer, so be it. Even if they became enemies, he didn’t care.
The woman tilted her head toward him. “Aren’t you curious why we haven’t encountered anyone from the Seven Peaks Alliance along the way?” she asked.
“We’re walking along an unmarked mountain route. Naturally, we wouldn’t meet anyone,” Li Qingqiu replied casually.
He could tell she wasn’t an ordinary traveler—but he had no interest in prying.
After a moment of silence, the woman suddenly drew her sword. The blade’s sound rang sharply as she leveled it at Li Qingqiu’s throat.
“Speak. Who is your master? What is your connection to the Seven Peaks Alliance?” she demanded coldly.
Li Qingqiu glanced at her, then raised his right hand. With his middle finger, he flicked the sword—sending it flying from her grasp.
It all happened too quickly.
The woman staggered back two steps in shock, the sword plunging into the soil behind her, its blade quivering.
She stared at Li Qingqiu in disbelief. She had never expected his martial prowess to be so formidable.
That single flick carried an unstoppable force.
“That story was a lie. Your offense just now has canceled out the favor of guiding me. You may leave the mountain,” Li Qingqiu said coldly, his face expressionless, before turning to descend the slope.
Wait for dawn?
He had no patience for that.
As he started toward the upper path, the woman couldn’t help but ask, “Who are you? What are you trying to do?”
“An enemy of the Seven Peaks Alliance,” Li Qingqiu said without turning his head. “I intend to kill.”
Kill?
The woman’s eyes widened.
Was he planning to charge into the Seven Peaks Alliance alone?
Before she could think further, Li Qingqiu leapt forward, his figure gliding like a wild goose into the heavy fog below, disappearing without a trace.
——
The mountain that housed the Seven Peaks Alliance was tall, and merely climbing it took Li Qingqiu some time.
When he arrived before the grand mountain gate—three zhang high—he couldn’t help but feel impressed.
Compared to it, the Clear Sky Sect’s gate was utterly insignificant.
Two disciples of the Seven Peaks Alliance were slumped against the gate pillars, asleep.
They hadn’t heard his footsteps.
Li Qingqiu stepped in front of one, drew his sword, and slit the man’s throat. Blood splattered against the gate pillar.
The other disciple awoke in confusion. When he saw Li Qingqiu and his fellow’s corpse, his eyes widened in terror.
Just as he tried to speak, Li Qingqiu lunged forward, covering his mouth with one hand while pressing the Tianhong Sword against his neck.
“If you don’t want to die, you’ll cooperate. Blink if you understand,” Li Qingqiu said coldly.
The disciple blinked rapidly, terrified that Li Qingqiu might slip.
Li Qingqiu pulled him up. “You’ll lead the way. Take me to your Alliance Leader’s residence. If you try anything, I promise my sword will be faster.”
With a shove, the disciple stumbled forward. He could feel the sharp tip of the sword pressed against his back, sending chills through him.
He began leading the way. Along the road, they met no one—after all, it was the latter half of the night.
The roads of the Seven Peaks Alliance were wide, lined with martial practice grounds that exuded the grandeur of a major sect.
After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, they reached the courtyard of the First Alliance Leader.
The trembling disciple pointed at a certain house. Li Qingqiu struck the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious, then strode toward the building—sword in hand.