Chapter 35: The Third Fate Trait Opportunity
The news that Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Sifeng had gone to attend the Martial Conference greatly excited all the disciples of the Clear Sky Sect.
In their spare time from labor, everyone’s enthusiasm for martial practice increased significantly.
Yang Jueding felt regretful that he couldn’t go to the Martial Conference, so he released his fighting spirit upon the Seven Sons of Clear Sky.
As the earliest batch of disciples, both Li Qingqiu and Yang Jueding hoped that these seven could become the backbone of the sect and, in the future, take on certain administrative responsibilities.
The reason Yang Jueding was not sent to the conference was the consideration of the Azure Sect’s threat.
Moreover, Jiang Zhaoxia had already gone down the mountain before and possessed some experience, so this would be a chance to temper him further.
That spring and summer without Li Sifeng, Li Qingqiu actually felt the sect a bit too calm, even though the number of disciples was steadily increasing.
Every month, Zhang Yuchun would go down the mountain once.
In addition to recruiting several new disciples, he would also invite craftsmen to come up.
He planned to construct a grand hall that could later be used to gather all disciples.
On this matter, Li Qingqiu had no objection — indeed, the sect’s buildings should start being developed.
The gold ingots left by Li Yang were no ordinary ones.
They were special products of Linchuan.
Although not pure gold, their craftsmanship was exquisite.
Zhang Yuchun sold one piece in the city for as much as three hundred strings of coins.
Together with the remaining funds of the Clear Sky Sect, it was not difficult to construct a great hall — they were not pursuing lavishness anyway.
During the process, Zhang Yuchun encountered some trouble, but fortunately, Yang Jueding accompanied him.
In the Great Li Dynasty, one string of coins equaled one thousand copper coins, and thirty copper coins could buy one dou of rice — about six kilograms.
With the Qin Family’s yearly provision of wealth and materials, the Clear Sky Sect currently still had a surplus even after expenses.
However, the sect had yet to develop its own industries, so income was still limited.
There was no helping it — the disciples were too young and still in the martial learning stage.
They couldn’t yet create revenue for the sect.
That they could help with farm work and labor already made Li Qingqiu quite satisfied.
Even a martial sect needed to pursue wealth — people had to eat, weapons cost money, and martial training consumed even more.
One summer day, Li Qingqiu and Li Sijin were cultivating in the Subterranean Spiritual Lake.
Li Qingqiu was meditating by the lakeside, while across from him was a patch of grass.
Li Sijin was carefully observing that patch.
That grassland was no ordinary one — it was planted with medicinal herbs.
Li Qingqiu wanted to see if the spiritual energy from the Subterranean Spiritual Lake could transform these herbs into spiritual plants — plants imbued with spiritual essence.
This task was entrusted to Li Sijin.
“Senior Brother, it worked!”
Li Sijin exclaimed joyfully, prompting Li Qingqiu to open his eyes.
He immediately rose, leapt across the lake, and landed beside her.
Li Sijin crouched before a stalk of herb, excitedly saying, “Senior Brother, feel carefully — there’s spiritual energy within it! It’s even emitting a faint aura. Doesn’t this count as the spiritual plant you mentioned?”
Li Qingqiu crouched down and carefully sensed it, indeed finding it so.
This discovery delighted him immensely.
Once the Clear Sky Sect transitioned into an immortal cultivation sect, worldly currencies would inevitably become obsolete.
Spirit stones and spiritual plants would become the most important hard currency, as disciples could use them for cultivation.
Therefore, he cared deeply about their cultivation.
“Indeed, not bad. Sijin, you’ve succeeded — this is a great contribution!”
Li Qingqiu praised her.
Since the New Year, Li Sijin had devoted herself to cultivating spiritual plants besides her study of the Earth Talisman Codex.
The process had gone smoothly — far faster than he expected.
He suddenly realized —
The inheritance of techniques was not the key to a Dao Lineage’s development; fortune was.
Just one Subterranean Spiritual Lake had established the Clear Sky Sect’s current foundation.
If they found a few more, wouldn’t the sect soar?
The Ancient Great Mountain Range was vast and resource-rich — there might be other such lakes hidden within.
“Is that so? Then I’ll remember it — I want to become an elder in the future!” Li Sijin grinned proudly.
A great sense of achievement welled within her heart.
She suddenly found that cultivating spiritual plants was not dull at all — rather meaningful, in fact.
Li Qingqiu said sincerely, “Do this well, and together with your Earth Talisman Codex, you’ll become one of the most important people in the Clear Sky Sect.”
“Hehe, you’re exaggerating. Senior Brother, you’re the most important one. The sect can go on without anyone else — but not without you.”
“Hahaha, it should be — we seven cannot be without one another.”
The two exchanged compliments, feeling quite cheerful.
After chatting for a while, they continued inspecting other herbs to see if there might be a second spiritual plant.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t.
Yet they weren’t disappointed — even one was proof that success was possible.
——
The success in cultivating a spiritual plant did not spread within the sect, but Li Qingqiu’s mood improved greatly.
Over the next few days, he greeted everyone with a smile, leaving disciples flattered and puzzled over what good news he had received.
That noon, as the weather turned increasingly hot, Li Qingqiu stood in a forest, watching disciples train.
On the clearing ahead stood dozens of wooden stakes of varying heights.
Cheng Canghai was leaping swiftly among them, agile and steady, drawing occasional gasps of admiration from the eight disciples waiting nearby.
This was a lightness skill training ground personally built by Cheng Canghai.
He was responsible for teaching the disciples lightness techniques, and this was his first class.
Li Qingqiu came to observe, and so far, the results were good.
The Thief King indeed had some real skill.
After missing the Crown Prince’s hunting event, Cheng Canghai had given up that ambition.
Coupled with his growing curiosity about the Clear Sky Sect, he had completely joined under its banner.
His aptitude and comprehension were both good, though he had no special Fate Trait.
To reach a “good” level in both meant Cheng Canghai was qualified for immortal cultivation.
At present, Li Qingqiu was still observing him.
Though Cheng Canghai appeared confident, he was in fact quite nervous.
He had ambition — he wanted to become someone with as much authority as Yang Jueding.
Hence, he held nothing back and earnestly instructed the disciples.
After several demonstrations, he let the disciples take turns while he stood below, ready to catch them if they fell.
This attitude made Li Qingqiu nod approvingly, and Cheng Canghai, catching sight of that nod from the corner of his eye, felt his confidence swell.
At that moment—
A line of text appeared before Li Qingqiu’s eyes:
【Since the Clear Sky Sect under your leadership has made its first name in the Martial World, establishing renown for your Dao Lineage, you have gained a Fate Trait Opportunity.】
Oh?
Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Sifeng succeeded?
A smile appeared on Li Qingqiu’s face.
It seemed sending disciples out into the world was indeed the right path.
Seclusion would only restrict the Dao Lineage’s growth.
This time, he obtained what he desired most — a Fate Trait Opportunity.
He had already decided that this chance would go to young Yuan Li.
The words Undying Overlord Body alone were enough to stir one’s blood.
As for other disciples, none had particularly remarkable Fate Traits, and he wasn’t interested in Wu Man’er’s Tiger Body Elephant Strength.
Wu Man’er was formidable now, but if it came to a life-and-death duel, Li Qingqiu could end such an opponent instantly with the Ghostly Immortal Needle of Rejuvenation.
Li Qingqiu smiled and nodded to Cheng Canghai, then turned and departed.
His gesture greatly inspired Cheng Canghai, who redoubled his efforts.
After watching Cheng Canghai’s martial demonstration, Li Qingqiu still had to inspect other training grounds — the fish ponds, stables, and farmlands all awaited his supervision.
People were naturally lazy.
As Sect Master, Li Qingqiu’s presence not only kept the disciples diligent but also motivated them, showing that their efforts were being seen.
The more disciples there were, the busier he became.
Their loyalty toward him and the sect fluctuated over time, and his presence directly affected that.
This made him more interested in the art of leadership.
For now, the Clear Sky Sect as a whole was thriving — everything was progressing steadily.
——
A month passed quickly, and the time came to late summer.
Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Sifeng finally returned — but Jiang Zhaoxia was gravely injured.
He was carried up the mountain by Li Sifeng and a yellow-clad woman on a wooden stretcher.
When Li Qingqiu arrived at the courtyard, Li Dongyue was already using the Ghostly Immortal Needle of Rejuvenation to treat Jiang Zhaoxia.
Seeing Li Qingqiu’s darkened face, the other disciples quickly made way.
Li Sifeng turned to him with reddened eyes, looking aggrieved.
“What happened?” Li Qingqiu asked.
Jiang Zhaoxia was at the Third Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm — how could he be injured so badly as to fall unconscious?
Was it another ambush?
Li Sifeng gritted his teeth and said, “On our way back, we were ambushed by the Sky Blade Sect. Their Sect Master, defeated once by Third Senior Brother, bore a grudge and gathered a large force to intercept us in the Ancient Great Mountain Range.”
Sky Blade Sect?
Li Qingqiu glanced at Yang Jueding, whose expression shifted at those words.
Yang Jueding immediately said, “The Sky Blade Sect is one of the seven great sects of Guzhou, with a history of two hundred years. Their ultimate technique, the Sky Blade, is the most murderous blade art of the age. They dwell among the common people — their strongholds span towns along the rivers and lakes. No one knows their true numbers. Constantly at war with other martial sects, they’re even more domineering than the Seven Peaks Alliance.”
“Wait — did you just say Jiang defeated the Sky Blade Sect Master?”
Yang Jueding stared at Li Sifeng in disbelief, his eyes wide.
Standing at the back, Cheng Canghai was inwardly shocked — even the Sky Blade Sect Master wasn’t Jiang Zhaoxia’s match?
Though he was once the Thief King, to him, the Sky Blade Sect Master was a figure not to be provoked — a legend.
Li Sifeng lifted his chin and said, “Of course. Third Senior Brother defeated the Sky Blade Sect Master within thirty moves. Not only that, he bested over a dozen martial experts and only lost to the Martial World’s Number One. If he hadn’t been exhausted from continuous battles and depleted in Inner Energy, he might not have lost at all. Even so, Third Senior Brother has made a name for himself. Many sects now wish to befriend us — we’ve met quite a few masters.”
Yang Jueding quickly asked, “Who became the Martial World’s Number One?”
“An old man named Yu Zhiyi.”
“So it was Elder Yu — no wonder! He actually came out of seclusion,” Yang Jueding said with sudden realization and respect.
Li Qingqiu sensed that Jiang Zhaoxia’s condition was stable — not life-threatening — but his brow furrowed as he stared at Li Sifeng.
“Don’t change the subject. How exactly did he get injured?”
If even the Sky Blade Sect Master wasn’t his match, there must be more to this story.
Li Sifeng hesitated, uncertain if he should tell the truth.
At that moment, the yellow-clad woman who had come with them wore a sorrowful expression and said, “It was because of me that he was hurt. That old villain Cheng took my younger brother hostage and forced me to poison him when I found the chance. That gave the Sky Blade Sect the opening. I had no choice — I’m just an ordinary woman with no martial skills. My father and I ran an inn, but after his death, it was just me and my brother depending on each other. Now, my brother has been killed by that old villain Cheng. I no longer have the face or will to live in this world.”
With that, she suddenly turned and dashed toward a nearby pillar — intending to take her own life.