Chapter 270: The Path of Combat
In early February, the Grand Dao Tournament officially began, and the passion the Clear Sky Sect had held in for ten years finally burst into bloom.
Even while sitting in Lingxiao Courtyard, Li Qingqiu could faintly hear the clamor from down the mountain. Such liveliness put him in a rather good mood as well.
From a tiny mountain sect of only seven people to a righteous immortal cultivation orthodoxy that now dominated the Nine Provinces—he had done it in twenty years.
Now the Clear Sky Sect’s growth had completely started rolling like a snowball. In a hundred years, it would surely be an entirely different scene again.
The larger the sect became, the more internal matters there were. He had to be cautious and could not afford a single misstep.
As Li Qingqiu was thinking, a disciple walked in quickly.
It was Ming Guang from the Heavenly Works Hall.
Ming Guang and Wu Xingyue could directly meet Li Qingqiu. That kind of treatment already surpassed even Hall Masters.
“Sect Master, the message-transmission Magic Implement you wanted—I have made some progress.”
Ming Guang came to Li Qingqiu’s side and spoke respectfully, yet his tone could not hide his excitement.
Li Qingqiu’s thoughts returned to the present, and he turned to look at him.
Ming Guang presented a dark-gold token with both hands. Li Qingqiu accepted it and examined it carefully.
“This token can carry out long-distance communication, but how far exactly still needs testing,” Ming Guang explained.
Li Qingqiu could see fine and complex restrictions within the token. Its material was related to Spirit Copper.
He praised, “Not bad. At the very least, it is a start. After this, you can arrange disciples to test the distance. This cannot be handled carelessly—you must test it clearly. Otherwise, in the future it may cause disciples to fall into danger.”
Ming Guang nodded. He also knew how important this Magic Implement was.
“Also, think about whether there can be a primary Magic Implement that connects these tokens. It might even be possible, through the primary Magic Implement, to locate a token.”
Li Qingqiu raised an idea he had long held back. He had not mentioned it earlier only because he did not want to burden Ming Guang too much and disrupt his research.
Ming Guang nodded. “I will try.”
He was not researching this Magic Implement alone. He had over a hundred disciples under him who, from time to time, created new restrictions. They helped one another, and new ideas emerged every day. Precisely because he had so many like-minded disciples, he felt nothing would truly be difficult.
Not only him—Wu Xingyue had also formed her own team, no smaller in scale than his. In the Heavenly Works Hall, these two teams competed fiercely, giving Zhu Yan a terrible headache.
As the sect gained more and more disciples, many resources could not be supplied to the Heavenly Works Hall without limit. Zhu Yan had no choice but to consider things carefully, while Ming Guang and Wu Xingyue would not think that far—they would certainly fight to secure resources for their own teams.
Li Qingqiu also asked after the matter of formations. The Grand Formation to Mend the Heavens remained a key direction for the sect’s development, and he had to keep pressing it forward.
The Grand Formation to Mend the Heavens could draw up the Spiritual Energy deep underground. His goal was to take the Ancient Great Mountain Range as the formation itself, raising the Spiritual Energy of the entire range. When that time came, the Ancient Great Mountain Range would be the cultivation holy land of the Clear Sky Sect.
Ming Guang also knew the importance of the Grand Formation to Mend the Heavens. Facing Li Qingqiu’s questions, he answered them one by one.
After a long while, Ming Guang took his leave.
Li Qingqiu did not rise. He remained seated in the courtyard, continuing to think.
…
Once the Grand Dao Tournament began, it immediately produced countless topics. On the very first day, there was even a Dao duel between True Transmission Disciples at the Sixth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm—spectacular enough that the pilgrims felt as though they were watching immortals fight.
Spectators from the martial world watched in trembling fear. The gap between the martial world and the Clear Sky Sect was simply too great, making them afraid to even look up.
As the Grand Dao Tournament continued, more and more spectators and pilgrims, after watching, chose to pledge themselves to the Clear Sky Sect. Unfortunately, becoming a Clear Sky Sect disciple directly was no easy matter.
Days passed.
Geniuses rose to fame one after another. Compared to the geniuses who had long been famous, people looked forward even more to new figures emerging in sudden meteoric fashion—and the Clear Sky Sect’s new geniuses appeared in endless succession, greatly satisfying the spectators’ expectations.
At dusk.
Qiu Dahu returned to his guest courtyard, his expression complicated.
The Clear Sky Sect’s Grand Dao Tournament had only been running for ten days and would last until June before the Top Sixty-Four were decided. What he had seen during this period left him deeply shaken.
He realized that if he stepped onto the stage, there was not a single person he could defeat.
Just how enormous was the gap between the Azure Cloud Sect’s immortal cultivation methods and the Clear Sky Sect’s inheritance?
Qiu Dahu suddenly realized that Li Qingqiu’s ability to build the Clear Sky Sect to such a scale might not have been merely because he seized an early advantage.
He sat at the wooden table in the courtyard, staring at the sunset, utterly lost.
It was not only him. The envoys sent by other small immortal cultivation sects felt the same.
The disparity was too overwhelming, making their ambitions seem laughable.
Compared to their disappointment and confusion, the Clear Sky Sect disciples were brimming with excitement. Even those who were not participating in the Grand Dao Tournament felt proud of the sect’s strength.
This was precisely the meaning behind Li Qingqiu holding the Grand Dao Tournament.
First, it let disciples compete for resources.
Second, it let the outside world see the Clear Sky Sect’s strength, reducing unnecessary trouble.
Third, it cultivated cohesion and confidence among the disciples, making them proud to be disciples of the Clear Sky Sect.
The Clear Sky Sect’s Grand Dao Tournament tugged at the hearts of people across the world. Those disciples who rose to fame within the tournament saw their reputations spread into the martial world and across the realm. Their names repeatedly appeared on rosters within the residences of aristocratic clans and powerful nobles everywhere.
…
The weather was clear and the sunlight bright.
Hu Yan and Ji Ya cultivated on a cliff. Hu Yan was practicing spells, yet his gaze was drawn to Ji Ya.
Ji Ya stood at the cliff’s edge, practicing a set of palm techniques. This palm technique was the Nine Heavens Divine Palm created by Yang Jueding. In today’s Clear Sky Sect, the Nine Heavens Divine Palm no longer counted as anything special, and not many disciples were willing to cultivate it—but Ji Ya had always liked it.
This palm technique was fierce and domineering, perfectly suited to his vast Vital Energy.
In Hu Yan’s eyes, Ji Ya’s Vital Energy was already overflowing. As his arms swung, it was as though he were stirring wind and clouds—an imposing sight.
With Zhao Zhen announcing he would not participate in the Grand Dao Tournament, Ji Ya had become a powerful contender for first place.
Zhao Zhen was a Spirit Perception Realm cultivator. If he still participated in the Grand Dao Tournament, everyone would feel it was unfair. And after experiencing those matters, Zhao Zhen had grown mature and no longer fixated on it.
Without Zhao Zhen, Ji Ya—at the Eighth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm—was the one with the most abundant Vital Energy beneath the Spirit Perception Realm. On the Dao duel platforms, he had already displayed an unstoppable momentum.
Having cultivated alongside Ji Ya for so long, Hu Yan had also noticed Ji Ya’s special physique.
“Compared to Fifth Senior Brother, what kind of genius am I? I merely cultivate a bit faster.”
Hu Yan thought helplessly.
He realized his senior brothers each had something extraordinary. By comparison, he did not seem to have anything special in actual combat.
Perhaps he should also start thinking about his own combat methods. He had to carve out a path that belonged to him.
Hu Yan silently pondered.
At that moment, a figure approached from behind. He turned his head and saw it was Yun Cai, and he quickly bent and saluted.
Toward Yun Cai, he felt deep respect.
Although Yun Cai had not acknowledged Li Qingqiu as her Master, she had been taught by Li Qingqiu personally. In Hu Yan’s heart, she was equivalent to a senior sister.
This senior sister was not simple at all. Her combat talent was unmatched in the entire sect. Ji Ya was already strong, yet he had never beaten Yun Cai.
“Cultivation requires focus. Do not keep staring at others.”
As Yun Cai passed Hu Yan, she reminded him.
Hu Yan remembered Ji Ya’s evaluation of Yun Cai—he said Yun Cai, like Master, could see through others, and this was especially evident in battle.
“Yun Cai, I want to ask you something.”
Hu Yan could not help speaking up.
Yun Cai stopped and turned to look at him, dissatisfied. “Have I not told you already? Do not call me senior sister!”
Hu Yan was already used to her stubbornness. He went straight to the point. “What kind of path of combat do you think I should walk?”
Yun Cai looked at him. “Ji Ya’s Vital Energy stimulated you?”
Hu Yan nodded. He truly did envy Ji Ya’s physique.
“In fact, there is an extraordinary power hidden within you. If you cultivate it well, you will have hope of surpassing your other senior brothers,” Yun Cai said seriously.
She could see the Righteous Qi of Vast Integrity within Hu Yan, growing ever hotter. In her view, the potential of this Righteous Qi of Vast Integrity was immense—more promising than Ji Ya’s vast Vital Energy.
Hearing that, Hu Yan fell into thought. He could also sense the existence of the Righteous Qi of Vast Integrity, but he could not help it grow stronger.
At present, he had only found one way to strengthen the Righteous Qi of Vast Integrity—improving his cultivation.
If he buried himself in cultivation and reached a certain realm, could he then borrow the Righteous Qi of Vast Integrity to fight?
Hu Yan suddenly saw the light, feeling he had found the path that belonged to him.
He was about to thank Yun Cai, but Yun Cai had already left.
“Hey, Ji Ya—come spar with Vital Energy.”
Yun Cai went behind Ji Ya and spoke.
Ji Ya withdrew his palms and turned to look at her, asking in surprise, “Spar with Vital Energy? How do we spar?”
His Vital Energy far exceeded Yun Cai’s, yet in actual combat he always felt as though he had nowhere to apply his strength. It was extremely stifling. Now he feared sparring with Yun Cai the most, and yet he wanted to defeat her the most.
“We will collide Vital Energy directly. No dodging. Let us see whose Vital Energy is stronger—and greater,” Yun Cai answered.
Ji Ya’s expression turned strange. “Are you serious?”
Yun Cai turned and walked away, moving farther from the cliff’s edge, then gestured for Ji Ya to come over.
Ji Ya immediately grew excited. This was a rare chance to defeat Yun Cai—he could not miss it.
The two widened the distance between them and faced each other.
Hu Yan walked over as well, staring at them curiously.
He also felt that Yun Cai’s Vital Energy could not possibly match Ji Ya’s.
They exchanged a look, then raised their palms together. Surging Vital Energy blasted toward each other. Two powerful, visible currents collided, kicking up gusts of forceful wind.
Hu Yan’s temples were blown, his robes snapping loudly. He was secretly shocked—this kind of Vital Energy collision let him feel, directly and clearly, the gap between himself and the two of them.
Ji Ya could plainly feel that Yun Cai’s Vital Energy was far stronger than before. No wonder she dared seek him out for this sort of spar.
So Ji Ya began increasing his Vital Energy.
Yun Cai did the same.
The Vital Energy they released grew greater and greater, making the grassland around them roll like surging green waves.
Gradually, something went wrong with Ji Ya’s expression.
What was happening?
How had her Vital Energy become so much stronger?
And it even had a boundless, unending feeling.
A sense of foreboding rose in Ji Ya’s heart. He did not dare be careless and continued increasing his output.
However, no matter how much he increased his Vital Energy, Yun Cai could withstand it.