Chapter 298: Yuan Li’s Awakening
Li Qingqiu looked at Yuan Li, who had been deeply shaken, and sighed inwardly. It was the first time he had ever seen Yuan Li in such a state.
He had told Yuan Li about Yuan Qi’s death not in hopes of stimulating his Undying Overlord Body. In the current predicament, even if Yuan Li awakened the Undying Overlord Body, it would not change the situation. He simply did not wish to conceal such a matter, because Yuan Li had the right to know.
“I will avenge him. At dawn tomorrow, I will arrange for Yuan Qi’s burial.”
After saying this, Li Qingqiu turned and left, allowing Yuan Li to digest the truth alone.
For the first time, Yuan Li did not bow as Li Qingqiu departed. He stood blankly before the doorway, unable to hear another word.
At that moment, scenes from his childhood to the present continuously surfaced in his mind.
Those memories drifted farther and farther away, as though he were sinking into the ocean, struggling for breath.
Bloodshot veins gradually appeared in his eyes. His body began to tremble. Slowly, he bent his knees and knelt before the threshold.
Falling snow veiled the bright moon, and the night seemed unbearably dim.
…
After returning to his Cave Dwelling, Li Qingqiu sat cross-legged upon the stone bed. The Righteous Qi of Vast Integrity allowed him to remain calm, yet whenever he thought of Yuan Qi’s death, anger surged within him.
He knew the enemy wished for his fury. The more that was the case, the calmer he must remain.
He had already arranged for people to search with all their strength for the demons’ whereabouts. What he needed to do was sit in command at Clear Sky Mountain, ready to support any location at any time.
From the current situation, several demons at the Spirit Perception Realm had already appeared. The one capable of commanding such demons, even if not beyond the Spirit Perception Realm, must at least be among its peak experts.
Li Qingqiu closed his eyes and continued cultivating.
This calamity once again instilled in him a pressing urgency regarding his cultivation level.
Nangong E and Lin Chuan did not dare disturb him. They could sense the killing intent surging within his heart.
The moon set, and the sun rose.
At first light, batches of disciples descended the mountain. Li Qingqiu even sent Jin Lang down the mountain to see whether it might be recruited by those demons.
Behind Clear Sky Mountain, Li Qingqiu watched as disciples dug a grave, preparing to bury Yuan Qi.
Zhang Yuchun, Li Dongyue, Li Sijin, Wu Man’er, Li Sifeng, Clear Sky Daoist, and other sect upper ranks all came. In the past, Yuan Qi had worked for Li Qingqiu and frequently dealt with them, maintaining good relations. His sacrifice moved them deeply.
Disciples had fallen before, but those disciples had not been particularly close to them. At most, they had felt anger. Yuan Qi’s death, however, brought sorrow—and unease.
Even though the Clear Sky Sect had grown strong, death remained so close to them.
Yuan Li emerged from the forest. His face was expressionless. Compared to last night, he seemed to have calmed down.
Everyone looked at him with sympathy and pity.
All knew that Yuan Qi had doted most on his younger brother Yuan Li. They could not imagine what Yuan Li was feeling.
Yuan Li walked to Li Qingqiu’s side. He looked at the coffin containing Yuan Qi’s body but did not step forward. He did not wish to see his brother’s corpse.
“Master, I will personally avenge my brother.”
Yuan Li spoke calmly, his voice light.
Li Qingqiu glanced at him and replied, “Very well. When the time comes, I will tell you all the intelligence we gather.”
At such a time, he could only follow Yuan Li’s wishes.
Yuan Li nodded and said no more, watching as Yuan Qi was laid to rest.
As time passed, more people arrived—those who had known Yuan Qi, including his wife and children.
News of the casualties in Zhongtian Immortal City had already spread within the sect. This had been done deliberately by Li Qingqiu. By spreading the news beforehand, the shock would be lessened when officially announced.
Zhang Yuchun stepped to Li Qingqiu’s other side and said in a low voice, “We still cannot find those demons’ whereabouts. I fear there will be even greater casualties ahead.”
He spoke deliberately, wanting Yuan Li to understand that the sect was not avoiding revenge—the demons were simply too cunning.
“We will find them,” Li Qingqiu said. “Have faith in the sect’s disciples.”
Zhang Yuchun sighed, glanced at Yuan Li, then turned and left.
Yuan Li kept staring ahead, as though he had not heard their conversation.
After a while, Xiao Wuqing arrived riding his sword. He landed beside Li Qingqiu, raised his hand in salute, and said in a deep voice, “Sect Master, last night Senior Brother Ji Ya was attacked by a large number of demons in the Imperial Palace!”
Li Qingqiu frowned. Since the tragedy in Zhongtian Immortal City, he had checked the Dao Lineage Panel at least ten times every hour. He had not seen the disciple count rapidly decreasing and thus had assumed nothing had happened last night.
“What is the situation?” Li Qingqiu asked.
“The demons have retreated. Senior Brother Ji Ya was seriously injured but his life is not in danger. Fortunately, Senior Sister Xu Ning arrived in time.”
“Ning’er? Why did she go to Zhongtian Province?” Li Qingqiu asked in surprise.
Previously, he had dispatched Jiang Zhaoxia and Xu Ning to search for the Demon Sovereign Immortal Palace. That palace lay beyond the western border of Yuzhou—completely different from Zhongtian Province.
“I do not know the details. Senior Sister Xu Ning did not elaborate. She only reported the matter and said that with her at Zhenyang Imperial City, you need not worry,” Xiao Wuqing replied.
Li Qingqiu fell silent, astonished inwardly.
The attack on Zhenyang Imperial City last night meant those demons had not left Zhongtian Province at all. Yet before returning yesterday, he had searched Zhongtian Province and found no trace of them.
Could they be hiding underground?
Yuan Li stood nearby. Though silent, he listened to everything.
After Yuan Qi’s burial ended, Yuan Li was the first to leave. His condition was clearly abnormal, causing concern among all.
Li Qingqiu feared he might act recklessly like Zhao Zhen had once done, so he dispatched Xiao Wudi to keep watch.
Xiao Wudi had now reached the Ninth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm. His strength was firmly second-tier within the sect. Guarding Yuan Li would pose no difficulty.
Li Qingqiu also checked Yuan Li’s personal panel. The Undying Overlord Body had shown no change.
…
Zhongtian Immortal City had suffered a massive demon assault, with heavy casualties!
The news was publicly announced at noon. Like an earthquake, it swept through the entire Ancient Great Mountain Range.
When the Free Spirit Hall published the casualty numbers, all disciples grew tense. They realized the sect was facing an unprecedented calamity.
This calamity was aimed directly at the Clear Sky Sect. In the past, the sect had acted for the world. The situation was entirely different now.
For a time, the Clear Sky Sect fell into panic and unrest.
Under such circumstances, many disciples volunteered for battle. However, since the demons’ whereabouts remained unknown, the sect restrained them, ordering them to await commands.
Throughout the day, intelligence from various regions flowed back to the sect. Li Qingqiu could only process it within Lingxiao Courtyard.
Li Dongyue and Clear Sky Daoist accompanied him. Xiao Wuqing and Chu Jing continuously delivered reports.
Across the Nine Provinces, demons began appearing. They attacked villages and ravaged towns, no longer targeting only the Clear Sky Sect.
As the demons ran rampant, the pressure of the entire realm fell upon the Clear Sky Sect.
Li Qingqiu had not expected the demons to be so numerous.
He even suspected that the northern Land of Demons and Devils had opened, releasing an unending tide of demons southward.
With the world in crisis, the Clear Sky Sect naturally had to assist. Li Qingqiu issued orders to dispatch disciples across the Nine Provinces to slay demons.
The sect acted swiftly. That very day, over a thousand disciples descended the mountain.
…
In a vast white forest blanketed by heavy snow, Jin Lang leapt from branch to branch. It had been five days since it left the mountain, wandering without clear direction.
As it advanced, it occasionally swung its mantis arms in a blade technique.
Suddenly—
Jin Lang halted, warily scanning its surroundings.
“Tsk tsk. A mantis studying blade arts—rare indeed.”
A teasing female voice sounded. From the forest ahead emerged a figure—a Fox Demon with a human body and fox head, her figure graceful. She was the very Fox Demon who had beheaded Yuan Qi.
Jin Lang raised its two mantis arms, staring at her in vigilance.
The Fox Demon sneered. “To cultivate to such a level is no simple feat. Join us. My Great King will let you go even farther.”
“Great King?” Jin Lang asked, its voice dull and low, like a taciturn man.
The Fox Demon turned, leaving behind a single sentence: “If you want to know, follow me.”
Jin Lang hesitated for a moment, then followed her.
…
Ten days had passed since Ji Ya was attacked. During this time, the Clear Sky Sect’s strongholds were not attacked again. Yet across the provinces and counties, demons wreaked havoc. Large numbers of disciples descended to save the world.
The Xuan Dynasty had only just been founded. The people had only begun to establish awareness of immortal cultivation. Now demons ran rampant, plunging the realm into fear.
Li Qingqiu observed the Dao Lineage Panel daily. Disciples fell each day, though not in great numbers, and were replenished by new recruits.
This left him perplexed as to what that demon clan force truly intended.
One day, Ji Ya returned. He described the events of that night to Li Qingqiu. The sect’s upper ranks gathered at Lingxiao Courtyard to listen.
They had long known Ji Ya had been attacked, but they had not realized he had faced thousands of demons. Listening to him, their hearts trembled.
After he finished, Wei Tianxiong suddenly spoke, “I think I understand what they truly intend.”
All eyes turned toward him.
Wei Tianxiong speculated, “Destroying the Clear Sky Sect is only one part of their plan. Their primary target should be the sect’s geniuses.”
Yang Jueding asked in astonishment, “What do you mean? Are geniuses’ flesh and blood more attractive to them?”
“Exactly. The Land of Demons and Devils is not named so merely because of demons. They also possess demonic tendencies. Since ancient times, every thousand years they move south. It is like raising poisonous insects in a jar. Whenever immortal cultivation forces arise on this continent, they descend southward.”
His words plunged the assembly into silence.
At that moment, Xiao Wuqing hurried into the courtyard. He did not even pause to salute. “Sect Master, Senior Brother Yuan Li has descended the mountain! My elder brother was knocked unconscious by him!”
The Hall Masters were stunned.
How powerful was Xiao Wudi—yet he had been knocked unconscious?
Li Qingqiu frowned and summoned the Dao Lineage Panel. He located Yuan Li’s portrait and opened it.
The description of the Undying Overlord Body had changed!
Undying Overlord Body (Awakening): A rare ancient physique scarcely seen in the mortal world. It is a great fortune bestowed by heaven and earth. However, since the host was born in the mortal realm, a special method is required to awaken it.