Chapter 28: The Demonic Pet
“Enough about him, let’s talk about you. Are you truly planning to stay in the Clear Sky Sect from now on?”
Li Qingqiu turned his head toward Yang Jueding.
His expression became solemn, and his tone was serious.
Yang Jueding was taken aback for a moment and countered, “What do you mean? Are you trying to drive me down the mountain?”
Li Qingqiu shook his head.
“You joined the Clear Sky Sect because you were gravely injured and we saved you. Your original intent wasn’t to become a disciple. Now that your injuries have healed and your strength has improved, you’re free to pursue what you once desired.”
Yang Jueding frowned and pressed, “You’ve taught me your ultimate arts—are you truly willing to see me leave?”
“You’ve also taught many martial arts to the disciples of Clear Sky Sect. You even passed on the palm technique from your own master to Man’er. What reason would I have to be unwilling? You owe us nothing, and we owe you nothing. After living together for so long, we’re friends now. Isn’t it natural to wish the best for a friend?”
Li Qingqiu answered calmly, his gaze shifting once more to the disciples below.
Hearing those words, Yang Jueding fell silent.
Li Qingqiu did not urge him.
Watching the disciples sparring below, he nodded slightly.
Their progress was satisfactory.
In another ten years, they should be capable of standing on their own.
His plan was to let the Clear Sky Sect become the foremost martial sect under heaven, and only then announce its transformation into an immortal cultivation sect.
Before that, he would secretly select disciples of exceptional talent and great contribution to nurture as cultivators.
Such a plan required time.
Fortunately, they were still young—and time was on their side.
Yang Jueding took a deep breath and said, “If I descend the mountain, I’ll still live in confusion. Though I’m known as the Dragon-Subduing Hero, all I can do is help those before me, sometimes even leaving hidden troubles behind. Rather than that, staying here to watch the Clear Sky Sect grow from a small sapling into a towering tree sounds more meaningful. If one day the Clear Sky Sect becomes a great martial force like the Seven Peaks Alliance, I’ll be able to help even more people.”
His tone carried a sigh, clearly concealing stories of his past.
Li Qingqiu opened the Dao Lineage panel and saw that Yang Jueding’s loyalty to both him and the sect had surpassed ninety.
He was instantly satisfied.
Loyalty could rise and fall, but an increase meant one’s sense of belonging had deepened.
Li Qingqiu stood up, looked down at Yang Jueding with a smile, and said, “Since you’ve decided to stay, then let’s put your abilities to full use. The Clear Sky Sect is still in its founding stage and needs manpower in all areas. My goal is for the Clear Sky Sect to cover the entire Ancient Great Mountain Range—disciples’ dwellings and training fields scattered across the mountains.”
Hearing this, Yang Jueding also rose.
He said helplessly, “The Ancient Great Mountain Range is vast. No sect in the martial world commands such territory—at most, they control a portion of it.”
He understood Li Qingqiu’s intent.
If the Clear Sky Sect reached such a scale, the number of disciples would be terrifying—so many that even an army could scarcely use such a wide region as their training ground.
If Li Qingqiu truly achieved that, the Clear Sky Sect might shake the very foundations of the Great Li Dynasty.
It sounded unrealistic, yet strangely exhilarating.
“It’s merely setting a goal,” Li Qingqiu said with a wave of his hand.
Yang Jueding’s eyes grew firm.
He responded with utmost seriousness, “Then I’ll accompany you toward that goal.”
Li Qingqiu smiled, leaving behind a single line before departing:
“Let’s wait and see.”
He walked toward the inner sect, heading for the forested rear mountain to train.
Yang Jueding turned and watched Li Qingqiu disappear around the bend beyond the mountain gate, muttering under his breath, “Such a young brat, already trying to win my heart.”
His lips curved upward.
He didn’t dislike Li Qingqiu’s little tricks—on the contrary, Li Qingqiu’s grand ambition intrigued him greatly.
……
After the number of Clear Sky Sect disciples increased, Li Qingqiu could finally spare more time for cultivation.
At present, aside from himself, only Jiang Zhaoxia and Wu Man’er enjoyed such privilege.
Even Xu Ning had to perform chores.
Autumn deepened, and the air grew colder.
Another month passed.
One afternoon, Li Qingqiu stood on a hillside overlooking the farmland below.
Zhang Yuchun and the Seven Sons of Clear Sky were tilling the fields alongside two farmers.
These two farmers were the fathers of disciples from nearby villages, invited up by Zhang Yuchun.
The Clear Sky Sect had decided to cultivate its own farmland here—halfway up the mountain, about half an hour’s walk from the sect, not too far.
Zhang Yuchun had even dug a fish pond, though it was difficult to transport many fish fry up the mountain, so they had to be carried in batches.
Besides farmland and fish ponds, there was also a horse ranch.
When the Seven Peaks Alliance attacked the sect earlier, they had brought many horses.
Later, Yang Jueding led disciples to reclaim a number of them, and occasionally, they still found stray horses wandering the forest.
Moreover, Li Qingqiu encouraged his disciples to raise pets and hunt.
Beyond martial training, they could learn other crafts.
Every month, he sent Zhang Yuchun to invite different masters from the villages below to teach in the sect.
“Cry—!”
A sharp cry came from above.
Li Qingqiu lifted his arm, and a small black eagle swooped down to perch upon it.
Turning his head, he began to play with the little eagle.
The nest Zhang Yuchun had found contained three chicks and two eggs.
Two had already flown away, leaving this one behind; the two eggs had just hatched, and the fledglings couldn’t fly yet.
The reason this one stayed, Li Qingqiu suspected, was because he often infused it with Vital Energy, creating a sense of dependency.
He wanted to see whether this method could nurture it into a demonic pet—and so far, it looked promising.
“I wonder when you’ll gain sentience,” Li Qingqiu murmured softly as he gazed at the eagle, growing fonder the longer he looked.
If one day he could soar through the skies on its back, wouldn’t that be splendid?
Holding the eagle, he watched the work below.
He realized that compared to endless fighting, he preferred this tranquil, leisurely life—watching his sect grow day by day gave him true satisfaction.
“Senior Brother! Senior Brother!”
A shout suddenly came from the side, startling the eagle into flight.
Li Qingqiu frowned and turned his head.
Li Sifeng was hurrying over with a bamboo basket on his back.
He made no effort to hide his power, his feet stepping in the Wind Sprint Technique, kicking up a trail of dust as he rushed forward.
He stopped before Li Qingqiu, bracing his hands on his knees, panting heavily.
Li Qingqiu scolded, “You’re a teacher now—why are you always so rash and noisy? Can’t you act with some composure?”
Li Sifeng looked up and said, “People from the county office are coming up the mountain—they’re heading straight for our Clear Sky Sect!”
Li Qingqiu’s face changed slightly.
“Go tell Cheng Canghai to hide.”
“Got it!”
Li Sifeng immediately dashed up the mountain like a whirlwind.
Li Qingqiu realized that every time Li Sifeng came running like this, it was never good news.
He didn’t think much further.
Standing still, he continued watching Zhang Yuchun and the others work.
The Clear Sky Sect now had enough strength to handle some trouble.
About half an hour later, just as Li Qingqiu was about to leave, a group emerged from the distant woods.
Leading them was a man in a tight official robe, a blade at his waist and an official cap upon his head.
His brows were thick, his eyes sharp as lightning.
As he walked, he examined Zhang Yuchun and the others.
Behind him were nine constables, all in uniform and armed.
The official stopped before Li Qingqiu and said, “I am Feng Dai, County Magistrate of Blackstone County. I’m here to pursue the Thief King, Cheng Canghai. Who might you be from the Clear Sky Sect?”
Li Qingqiu’s robe differed from the other disciples’, more ornate and distinguished.
Along their way, Feng Dai and his men had met several Clear Sky disciples, so he could tell at a glance that Li Qingqiu was not ordinary.
“My name is Li Qingqiu, Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect. I’ve never heard of any Thief King. If the County Magistrate doubts me, you’re welcome to search our mountain. The Clear Sky Sect will fully cooperate.” Li Qingqiu smiled as he replied.
Sect Master?
Feng Dai was surprised.
His constables exchanged glances—seventeen-year-old Li Qingqiu looked far too young to be a sect master.
“Your master, Lin Xunfeng, truly retired from the martial world?” Feng Dai couldn’t help asking.
Though not of the martial world himself, the county office dealt with many jianghu figures, so he knew a few things.
At those words, Li Qingqiu’s expression turned sorrowful.
“Retired? Hardly. He was bewitched by nonsense and went off to seek immortality. I’m left here with my junior brothers and sisters, barely able to eat or stay warm. Tell me, what martial sect has to grow its own crops?”
He spoke with heartfelt emotion, and Feng Dai couldn’t help but feel sympathy.
“I see. Then we’ll take a look around the mountain. We’ll try not to trouble you,” Feng Dai said before heading upward.
Li Qingqiu didn’t stop them.
He walked down the mountain instead, finding a quiet spot to train.
When he wasn’t cultivating at the Subterranean Spiritual Lake, he could practice anywhere he liked.
The mountain forests were full of places for cultivation.
……
Near dusk, Li Qingqiu, Zhang Yuchun, and the Seven Sons of Clear Sky escorted the two farmers back up the mountain to host a feast in gratitude, inviting them to stay the night.
Just as they passed through the sect gate, Li Qingqiu saw a crowd gathered at the courtyard entrance—so many disciples that the place was packed tight.
Had something happened?
Li Qingqiu raised an eyebrow but didn’t hasten his pace.
As Sect Master, he must remain composed.
Zhang Yuchun, however, had no such calm.
He leapt forward.
“Make way!”
At his shout, the disciples turned to see the Sect Master approaching and quickly saluted.
When they parted, Li Qingqiu saw Feng Dai sitting cross-legged in the courtyard center, circulating his energy, while nine constables stood guard around him, watching the disciples warily.
“Master’s here!”
Qin Ye spotted Li Qingqiu and shouted, drawing everyone’s gaze.
Li Qingqiu strolled into the courtyard, scanning the scene.
He saw Yang Jueding, Wu Baoyu, and Zhang Yu present—but Cheng Canghai was nowhere to be found.
“What happened?”
Zhang Yuchun, walking ahead, asked aloud.
Li Sifeng, perched on the eaves, grinned.
“That man didn’t know his limits and insisted on challenging Grandpa Wu. He got seriously injured in a single move. Then his subordinates started accusing us, saying we harmed him and that we should be taken to the county office!”
Li Qingqiu looked toward Wu Baoyu.
The old man was chopping firewood, utterly unconcerned by their arrival.
Yang Jueding stood nearby, smirking gleefully, while Zhang Yu frowned deeply, glancing at Wu Baoyu as if pondering something.
Li Qingqiu stepped closer to the constables, peering through the crowd.
“County Magistrate Feng, are you alright? I know a bit of medicine—perhaps I can help.”
Feng Dai’s face was pale.
Hearing Li Qingqiu’s words, he opened his eyes, turned to look at him, and said through gritted teeth, “Sect Master Li, that man is a demonic cult protector who slaughtered the martial world for twenty years. You’ve been deceived—his crimes are endless!”