Chapter 34: Not Competing for the Title of Number One Under Heaven, but for Eternal Life
Li Yang was injured and temporarily stayed in the Clear Sky Sect, yet this matter did not affect Li Qingqiu’s life in the slightest—his days went on as usual.
He did not visit Li Yang, but when he went down the mountain, he happened to meet Zhao Linglong.
When Zhao Linglong learned that he was the Sect Master, she first offered him a sincere apology, then expressed her gratitude.
This left Li Qingqiu with a rather favorable impression of her.
Although Li Yang had been treated by Li Dongyue using the Ghostly Immortal Needle of Rejuvenation, his injuries were too severe; without ten days or half a month, he would not even be able to get out of bed.
The disciples of the Clear Sky Sect were all quite curious about this Martial Champion and often went to peek at him through the window, though Jiang Zhaoxia was utterly disdainful.
To Jiang Zhaoxia, a man who had been gravely injured by a single strike from Wu Man’er could not have become a Martial Champion through genuine skill—he must have relied on connections.
Naturally, Jiang Zhaoxia had no interest in him.
Half a month later, on the day Li Yang could finally walk again, Zhang Yuchun and the other three finally returned.
They brought back thirteen new recruits—both male and female—the youngest only twelve, and the oldest already twenty.
These were the new disciples they had recruited, and their return brought liveliness back to the Clear Sky Sect.
In the courtyard, Zhang Yuchun instructed the thirteen new disciples to kneel and pay respects to Li Qingqiu.
All of them were visibly excited and obedient.
They had already been awed by Li Sifeng’s strength.
Since even such a young disciple was so formidable, the Sect Master must surely be far greater.
Li Qingqiu said a few courteous words, then asked Yang Jueding to arrange lodging for the new disciples, while he went into the room to speak privately with Zhang Yuchun and Li Sifeng.
“Wait, I’ll go call Third Senior Brother first,” Li Sifeng said hurriedly before rushing out of the room.
Li Qingqiu turned to Zhang Yuchun and remarked, “It seems your journey didn’t do much to temper his temperament.”
Zhang Yuchun sighed helplessly, “He’s just a little tyrant. With his martial prowess being what it is, who could possibly discipline him?”
Li Sifeng feared Li Qingqiu and Jiang Zhaoxia, but not his Second Senior Brother.
Along the way, he had angered Zhang Yuchun several times, and every time he had to coax him back afterward—leaving Zhang Yuchun unable to stay angry for long.
Li Qingqiu chuckled, then inquired about the origins of these new disciples.
He had already swept his gaze over them earlier; their talent and comprehension were nothing remarkable, nor did they possess any special fate traits.
But he was not disappointed—what the Clear Sky Sect needed right now was manpower.
His desire for prodigies was not strong.
With Jiang Zhaoxia and Wu Man’er holding the front, the Clear Sky Sect already had a solid foundation.
Xu Ning and Yuan Li represented the sect’s future.
Especially Yuan Li—Li Qingqiu was very interested in his Undying Overlord Body.
These disciples were not orphans; Zhang Yuchun had recruited them from a nearby county town, thanks to Li Sifeng’s acts of justice and his demonstration of the sect’s martial skills.
After a while, Li Sifeng returned with Jiang Zhaoxia in tow.
He closed the door, his face full of excitement.
“What is it that you had to drag your Third Senior Brother here for?” Li Qingqiu asked with a smile.
This kid was growing fast—his head now reached past Jiang Zhaoxia’s shoulder.
Jiang Zhaoxia looked annoyed.
He sat beside Li Qingqiu, glaring at Li Sifeng.
“If you can’t say something important, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
He was currently training with full determination, swearing to reach the Fourth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm before Xu Ning did.
Standing before his three senior brothers, Li Sifeng clenched his fists, unable to hide his excitement.
“The Martial Arts Tournament is about to begin! They’ll be fighting for the title of Guzhou’s Number One Martial Artist! This is a perfect chance for the Clear Sky Sect to make its name known!”
Li Qingqiu glanced toward Zhang Yuchun, who responded with a slight nod.
“Guzhou is vast, with countless experts. This Martial Arts Tournament happens only once every ten years! Third Senior Brother, haven’t you always wanted to know where you truly stand among Guzhou’s martial world? You must participate! We’ll go together and let all of Guzhou’s martial world know—the times have changed!”
Li Sifeng’s passionate words were infectious, and Jiang Zhaoxia’s blood stirred.
Competitive by nature, Jiang Zhaoxia found the Martial Arts Tournament irresistibly enticing.
He did not answer right away but instead looked toward Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu fell into thought.
In truth, he did not wish for the Clear Sky Sect to become too famous, yet being overly low-profile was also disadvantageous.
His own growth was tied to the sect’s development.
The faster the sect prospered, the more opportunities he would have to copy fate traits.
Of course, once entangled in the rivalries of the martial world, peaceful days would grow fewer.
“Senior Brother,” Zhang Yuchun said softly, “it’s a once-in-ten-years opportunity. If we miss it now, we’ll have to wait another decade. How many decades does a man get in one lifetime?”
Ten years—for them—was far too long.
Li Qingqiu suddenly realized something: he was cultivating immortality, but his junior brothers were pursuing martial arts.
He sought eternal life and had the backing of the Dao Lineage, but his disciples did not.
If the sect did not grow before their lifespans ran out, they would never achieve longevity.
The stronger the Clear Sky Sect became, the more inheritance rewards and fortuitous fate chances he would gain—perhaps enough to make up for his disciples’ lack of talent.
Having thought it through, Li Qingqiu said, “You may participate, but avoid getting involved in other sects’ grudges. The Clear Sky Sect seeks only reputation. When recruiting new disciples, be sure to ask about their backgrounds.”
Hearing his approval, Li Sifeng jumped with joy and threw himself at Li Qingqiu, hugging him tightly while boasting that he could defeat those so-called martial experts without even needing his Third Senior Brother’s help.
Jiang Zhaoxia remained silent, but the smile on his face revealed that he, too, was already looking forward to the tournament.
Li Qingqiu looked at him and sighed inwardly.
Third Junior Brother, in cultivation, what matters most is the mind.
Only those who can endure loneliness can walk far.
Xu Ning might be competitive, but she never rushed to prove herself.
She would one day surpass Jiang Zhaoxia.
That evening, Zhang Yuchun announced the news during dinner.
With the number of disciples having grown, it was impossible for everyone to gather in one place.
Thus, only those of certain seniority were present at the meal.
Upon hearing that Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Sifeng would represent the sect in the Martial Arts Tournament, the disciples grew excited, chattering noisily among themselves.
Yang Jueding bit down on a wooden skewer and said with emotion, “Ah, the Martial Arts Tournament—it truly stirs the blood. Ten years ago, my skills were still mediocre, just a small fry, but the spectacle of that event was truly breathtaking. Just thinking of it makes my blood boil again.”
Li Sijin looked at him curiously.
“So your ‘Top Ten of the Heaven List’ fame came from that tournament?”
Everyone turned to look at Yang Jueding, all intrigued.
He coughed dryly.
“Of course not. The Martial Arts Tournament crowns only one champion—there is no top ten. The Heaven List is set by the provincial authorities. Aside from strength, one must also have a reputation for chivalry.”
The others looked disappointed.
Sitting in a corner, Qin Ye couldn’t help but ask, “Senior Wu, did you ever participate in a Martial Arts Tournament yourself?”
Yang Jueding nodded.
“I did, though not in Guzhou’s. I was once the Number One Martial Artist of Beiliang Province. Back then, the Demonic Cult’s Four Great Protectors were each overwhelmingly powerful—peerless in their respective regions. Even though Guzhou wasn’t under their persecution, we martial folk often heard tales of their might. The Four Protectors each held the title of provincial number one, making the Demonic Cult famous throughout the land. Never before had any sect reached such heights.”
“A hundred years ago, the Nine Provinces were nine separate dynasties. Only after the previous dynasty unified the Nine Provinces and Fourteen Regions did the world become as it is today. So, it’s no exaggeration to say that in those days, being a provincial number one meant being the number one under heaven.”
He began recounting tales of the Demonic Cult’s past, and the disciples listened intently, even forgetting to eat.
Though Li Qingqiu continued eating, his attention was clearly caught by Yang Jueding’s stories.
The martial world—where enmities and passions intertwined, and heroes rose one after another—was indeed captivating.
Yet Li Qingqiu felt no longing for it.
Whether righteous or evil, all paths ended in death.
He did not seek to be number one under heaven; he sought eternal life and immortality.
Unless faced with a crisis like the Seven Peaks Alliance, Li Qingqiu would not lightly descend the mountain.
As Sect Master, he did not need to handle every matter personally.
It was enough for him to preside over the sect and guide its grand direction.
Listening to Yang Jueding’s tales of the martial world, Li Qingqiu’s mind wandered, thinking about the future of the Clear Sky Sect.
——
Five days later, Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Sifeng packed up and left the mountain, surrounded by cheering disciples.
At the new courtyard, they happened to encounter Li Yang and Zhao Linglong.
Upon hearing the disciples mention the Martial Arts Tournament, the two exchanged glances.
“Wait—you’re going to join the Martial Arts Tournament?” Li Yang asked.
Li Sifeng stopped, turned back toward the Martial Champion, and retorted, “Is there a problem?”
“Take me with you, I’m interested as well,” Li Yang said with a grin.
He twisted his wrist—though not fully healed, he figured traveling wouldn’t be an issue.
Li Sifeng hesitated, but Jiang Zhaoxia didn’t even stop walking, not sparing Li Yang a glance.
Seeing his Third Senior Brother walking farther and farther away, Li Sifeng had no choice but to run after him.
“Cousin, bring the money and let’s go!” Li Yang turned and said to Zhao Linglong, his eyes regaining the same bold glint he had upon first arriving at the Clear Sky Sect.
Zhao Linglong sighed helplessly and did as told.
Half an hour later—
Within a forest, Li Qingqiu was practicing the Ghostly Immortal Needle of Rejuvenation.
He held four silver needles and flicked them forward.
They shot out rapidly, weaving through the air like streaks of flowing light, curving around tree trunks before striking a tree a hundred paces away.
Looking closely, all four needles were embedded in a single moth’s body, which still trembled faintly.
With a motion of his hand, the needles detached from the moth and flew backward, returning precisely into his palm.
A satisfied smile crossed Li Qingqiu’s face.
His mastery of the Ghostly Immortal Needle of Rejuvenation had grown ever more refined, and he had memorized the human body’s acupoints by heart.
In combat, the technique could easily deliver a fatal strike.
Just then, Li Dongyue entered the forest, approaching him.
“Senior Brother, Li Yang and Zhao Linglong have left. They also left behind three gold ingots, saying they lost fair and square, and want us to use them to repair the sect gate.”
Li Qingqiu smiled.
“Since they offered willingly, we’ll accept. Junior Sister, shall we spar with the Ghostly Immortal Needle of Rejuvenation?”
Li Dongyue waved her hands quickly.
“How could I possibly be a match for Senior Brother?”
“It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
“No way—I don’t want to be discouraged.”
“That won’t do. This is an order from your Senior Brother. You must!”
Li Dongyue turned and tried to leave, forcing Li Qingqiu to drop his stern demeanor and switch to coaxing—after much persuasion, he finally managed to get her to agree.