Chapter 228: The World Must Be Unified
Liu Jing’s promise carried great weight, and Li Qingqiu indeed needed the next ruler to have such a guarantee.
Li Qingqiu was not an absolute good man. He could consider the people of the world, but the most important thing was always the sect’s interests. On the premise of safeguarding the interests of the Clear Sky Sect, he was willing to extend his kindness to the people of the world.
Of course, what truly moved him the most was the fate trait 【Sage Heart and Virtuous Benevolence】, which proved that Liu Jing could indeed become a benevolent ruler.
“Why do you think I should believe you, and why should I support you? Supporting someone else to become emperor would be much easier than supporting you.”
Li Qingqiu stared at Liu Jing and said calmly.
Liu Jing clenched his teeth and said, “Among all the feudal lords of the world, I trust none of them. I only trust you and myself. You truly saved many people, and under your guidance, the Clear Sky Sect flourished with a chivalrous spirit. Before this, I thought Zhu Xian was a virtuous ruler. He could sweep across the world, and he could treat the people as his own children. But he died. As for the other feudal lords, they only know indulgence and pleasure. None of them can become a virtuous ruler or a sage king.”
“I don’t know how capable I am, but I know clearly what I am thinking, and I know what I would do if I held great power.”
“Sect Master, Lord Zhu died too unjustly. He could have died on the battlefield, he could have died of illness, but he absolutely should not have died at the hands of his own general. This is too absurd. It is enough to prove that there was not a single worthy talent among all those under Lord Zhu!”
When he mentioned Zhu Xian, tears streamed down his face.
Li Qingqiu could not judge whether he was sincere, but one thing was certain—his loyalty toward Li Qingqiu was extremely high.
“You are the first person who has dared to come before me and speak so recklessly.”
Li Qingqiu stared at him and said slowly.
Even someone as bold as Zhu Xian had only dared to seek out Zhang Yuchun. The Pei Clan, before Zhang Yuchun, could only probe indirectly.
Yet Liu Jing, who had nothing at all, dared to come directly to Li Qingqiu. This courage alone was something no feudal lord in the world could compare to.
Call him bold or call him courting death—it did not matter. He had come anyway.
Moreover, this man had his own schemes. He carried his mother’s coffin up the mountain, letting all the disciples of the sect see it. Many people would sympathize with him, and if Li Qingqiu wanted to kill him, he would still need a legitimate and righteous reason.
This could barely be considered having both courage and strategy.
However…
“Your thinking, I don’t like it. The so-called world is too vast—having two dynasties standing side by side, or three dynasties in balance, would be better. You are wary of Li Sifeng, aren’t you?”
Li Qingqiu said bluntly, causing Liu Jing to lower his head.
He indeed felt that the world was vast, but he was also indeed wary of Li Sifeng. Everyone knew that Li Sifeng was conquering the world. If Li Sifeng wanted to become emperor, no one could contend with him before Li Qingqiu.
His idea was very simple—first secure half of the world, then rely on his own actions to move Li Qingqiu.
He had investigated Li Sifeng. This person was simply not suitable to be emperor. Forget being emperor—even as a hall master, Li Sifeng had never managed affairs. Entrusting the safety of the people of the world to such a person would be far too childish.
However, he did not dare to say such words out loud.
He believed that Li Qingqiu was righteous, but even sages had their own emotions.
“I am letting you replace Liu Lin. You must unify the world. No matter how difficult it is, you must accomplish it. If you cannot, I will have the Clear Sky Sect fully support Li Sifeng to control the world. You should be very clear that the Clear Sky Sect is capable of doing this.”
Li Qingqiu stared at Liu Jing intently and said seriously.
All the feudal lords of the world had been investigated by Zhang Yuchun. Whenever the three great feudal lords were mentioned, Zhang Yuchun frowned deeply. As for this Liu Lin, he was an incompetent and lustful man who, after occupying three provinces, had completely lost all ambition.
Liu Jing’s heart began to race violently, and his breathing grew rapid with excitement.
“But Elder Li Sifeng…”
“I will have him return. Your opponent is the secular world. Once you replace Liu Lin, you will only have three years.”
“Three years…”
Sweat broke out on Liu Jing’s forehead. Three years was far too tight. Just consolidating power alone would take a period of time.
He gritted his teeth and asked, “Can I ask fellow sect members to assist me?”
Li Qingqiu looked at him, his gaze full of meaning, and said, “Yes. How many are willing to help you depends entirely on your own ability. The Clear Sky Sect will not make such a request.”
“I will definitely do it!”
Liu Jing agreed without hesitation.
“Take your mother down. I don’t want to see this kind of trick a second time.”
Li Qingqiu turned his back.
Liu Jing hurriedly stood up, saluted Li Qingqiu, then hoisted the coffin and walked toward the gate of Lingxiao Courtyard.
“Remember, I only want one thing—the world must be unified. No matter what reasons you have, the territory under the Clear Sky Sect can only expand, never shrink.”
Li Qingqiu said with his back to Liu Jing, his tone filled with oppressive force.
“Liu Jing will engrave this in his heart!”
Liu Jing declared firmly, his voice resolute.
After he left, Li Qingqiu finally headed back toward his own cave dwelling. The corners of his mouth lifted, his smile icy cold.
“Li Clan, this world is not something you can decide.”
……
That very day, the matter of Liu Jing carrying his mother’s coffin up the mountain spread. His experiences and his past also spread.
His mother’s tragic death seemed like a microcosm of the world itself, provoking endless sighs.
His conversation with Li Qingqiu also spread, though it had been somewhat embellished.
A Clear Sky Sect disciple whose mother had died tragically vowed to change the world and bring peace to all under heaven. This story deeply moved people and made all Clear Sky Sect disciples feel a sense of mission and responsibility.
As disciples of the Clear Sky Sect, they should shoulder the world!
Liu Jing buried his mother in a nearby mountain forest, a burial mountain specially designated by the Clear Sky Sect for its disciples.
Three days later, dozens of Clear Sky Sect disciples accompanied Liu Jing down the mountain, sparking heated discussions among the sect’s disciples.
Night fell.
Inside Lingxiao Courtyard, Li Qingqiu held Li Shouzheng and Li Shoumin in his arms while listening to Zhang Yuchun’s plan.
Besides helping Liu Jing ascend to power, Zhang Yuchun also planned to instruct all the major families within the Clear Sky Sect to spread the news, passing down the message that the Clear Sky Sect supported Liu Jing.
However, Zhang Yuchun still had some doubts.
“Senior Brother, although Liu Jing is a Clear Sky Sect disciple, is he really trustworthy? Does he truly have that kind of ability?”
Zhang Yuchun knew nothing about Liu Jing. A random disciple suddenly jumped out wanting to become the Son of Heaven, and Li Qingqiu even agreed. It was far too childish.
Li Qingqiu asked in return, “If he truly becomes a virtuous ruler who governs the world, how would you and the people of the world evaluate my decision today?”
Zhang Yuchun was stunned for a moment, then replied, “They would venerate you as an immortal god.”
Casually choosing a disciple who then became a virtuous ruler—Li Qingqiu’s discernment would inevitably be deified.
Zhang Yuchun suddenly thought of Li Qingqiu’s disciples. Every single one of them was far from mediocre. The weakest was Qin Ye, who had been accepted early on only to win over the Qin Family.
He suddenly realized that Liu Jing likely possessed abilities unknown to ordinary people. Senior Brother’s choice of him was probably not made on a whim.
“Isn’t Senior Grand-Uncle already an immortal god?”
Three-year-old Li Shoumin tilted his head and asked. His temperament was lively, and he was not timid at all.
His older brother Li Shouzheng, on the other hand, was quieter and liked listening to others speak. At this moment, Li Shouzheng was looking at Zhang Yuchun seriously.
Li Qingqiu could not help but laugh and said, “What immortal god? I am still pursuing the Immortal Dao.”
Whether letting Liu Jing become emperor would affect Li Sifeng, Pei Miao, Li Shouzheng, or Li Shoumin—Li Qingqiu had already considered all of this.
Who said they could only become emperors of the Nine Provinces?
How vast the world was!
In the future, the Clear Sky Sect would definitely not possess only the Nine Provinces!
As for Li Sifeng and Pei Miao, they were cultivators. Why rush to become emperor and empress? They could first be settled through cultivation.
Li Qingqiu looked at the two little ones and asked, “In the future, do you want to become immortal gods, or emperors?”
Li Shoumin giggled and said, “I want to be both!”
Li Shouzheng asked in return, “Do these two identities conflict?”
Zhang Yuchun was stunned when he heard this. For some reason, he suddenly felt that he had misjudged things.
Could these two little ones truly become earth-shaking peerless geniuses in the future?
Li Qingqiu laughed heartily. He pulled Li Shouzheng and Li Shoumin into his arms, then looked at Zhang Yuchun and said, “Yuchun, although you are a cultivator, your way of thinking is still stuck in the mortal world. We have time spanning thousands of years. If Liu Jing fails, then we replace him with another emperor. If his dynasty fails, then we replace the dynasty. Things are not as troublesome as you think.”
Zhang Yuchun was overwhelmed by Li Qingqiu’s domineering presence.
Thousands of years!
He felt as though his understanding had been shattered.
He was still busy calculating against worldly people and noble families, while Li Qingqiu did not care at all. The reason was that Zhang Yuchun only fought for the present, while Li Qingqiu fought for thousands upon thousands of years, for a vision spanning countless generations.
“Then let us see whether Liu Jing can sweep across the world.”
Zhang Yuchun smiled and said with anticipation.
The matter of a co-ruler of the world placed considerable pressure on him, because he feared that if he did not do well, he would disappoint Senior Brother and bring calamity to the world.
Li Qingqiu did not continue discussing this matter and shifted the topic to Li Sifeng.
Once Li Sifeng swept across the Xuanji Sect, it would be time to summon him back.
He wanted Li Sifeng and his wife to accompany his two sons and cultivate peacefully.
After wandering outside for so many years, Li Sifeng should return as well.
Zhang Yuchun had no objections. He also felt that Li Sifeng should come back.
Upon hearing that their parents would soon return, Li Shoumin cheered happily, while Li Shouzheng silently pondered, his little head clearly thinking about something.
……
As year’s end approached, Li Qingqiu once again focused his attention on Zhao Zhen. He checked Zhao Zhen’s panel every day.
Just like this morning.
【Fate of Easily Broken Destiny: A turbulent fate. Before the age of sixteen, he will constantly experience hardships. After sixteen, this fate trait will dissipate, and his comprehension will rise by one level.】
This year, Zhao Zhen was already sixteen, yet this fate trait had not disappeared. Li Qingqiu suspected that it would only pass after enduring year’s end.
Thus, the closer it drew to year’s end, the more anxious he became.
He was afraid that Ancestor Su Xing was not Zhao Zhen’s destined calamity.
Li Qingqiu could not help but go find Zhao Zhen again.
Inside the cave dwelling, Zhao Zhen looked at his master in confusion and asked, “Master, you’ve been coming more frequently lately. Could it be that my destined calamity hasn’t passed yet?”
“Perhaps it only counts as passed after enduring year’s end.”
Li Qingqiu sat at his stone table, drinking tea as he spoke.
Zhao Zhen said seriously, “Master, rest assured. I will not secretly go down the mountain again.”
“I believe you as your master, but I fear that even if you do not go down the mountain, the destined calamity will still come.”
Li Qingqiu said helplessly.
After hearing this, Zhao Zhen fell silent for a moment, then said, “Master, perhaps I know what my destined calamity is. Recently, I have had some realizations.”
When Li Qingqiu heard this, he could not help but look at him and ask curiously, “What did you realize?”
Zhao Zhen took a deep breath and said, “I realized a divine art. But creating a divine art seems to require undergoing a tribulation, and this tribulation can only be endured by oneself. This feeling is very strong.”
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