Chapter 54: Subduing Demons, Capturing Demons
When Jiang Zhaoxia and the Thirteen Sword Fiends returned, they descended the mountain again the very next day.
This made the disciples secretly curious and envious, for they could all sense how highly the sect valued the Thirteen Sword Fiends.
Li Qingqiu placed great trust in Jiang Zhaoxia, who was at the Fifth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm, so he did not worry about their mission.
After Jiang Zhaoxia and the others left, Li Qingqiu turned his focus back to his own cultivation—he was about to attempt a breakthrough to the Sixth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm.
Autumn passed, and winter arrived.
This year, the snow came later than usual.
In an open forest, Qin Ye wielded an iron staff and launched fierce attacks at Li Qingqiu.
His staff technique was sharp and forceful; each swing was so powerful that the swirling snow melted into drifting white mist, surrounding his body like smoke.
Li Qingqiu blocked his attacks with two fingers.
Vital energy condensed at his fingertips, making them even harder than the iron staff in Qin Ye’s hands.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The crisp, bell-like sounds rang out again and again.
Every strike from Qin Ye was effortlessly parried.
Yet, instead of frustration, excitement surged within him.
As his understanding of the Ten Directions Demon-Subduing Staff Technique deepened, Qin Ye had grown reluctant to spar with others—he feared accidentally injuring them.
Because of this, he could not truly gauge his own strength.
Today, as he sparred with his Master, he had been nervous at first, but quickly realized how easily Li Qingqiu received every one of his blows.
Even when he attacked with full force, he could not shake his Master’s stance in the slightest.
Li Qingqiu looked at the exhilarated Qin Ye with silent satisfaction.
Although Qin Ye was still only at the First Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm, his martial prowess was growing rapidly.
The Ten Directions Demon-Subduing Staff Technique was not merely a set of combat moves—it also possessed a marvelous body-tempering effect.
Each swing drew upon the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth, refining the practitioner’s physique.
In a sense, this staff technique was already close to the ways of immortal cultivation.
Li Qingqiu even suspected that this staff technique was an incomplete version of a higher art, originally a true cultivation method like the Supreme Sword Controlling Technique.
Though Li Qingqiu had not taken a single step, the snow beneath his feet had already melted away, revealing green grass below.
Just then, Qin Ye abruptly withdrew his staff and looked behind his Master.
“Master, someone’s coming.”
Li Qingqiu turned around and saw three men approaching from the distance.
The man in front wore a black fur robe and a cloth cap, while the two behind him were draped in straw raincoats and conical hats.
At a glance, it was clear they were no ordinary commoners.
Li Qingqiu’s hearing far surpassed that of normal people—he had sensed their footsteps long before Qin Ye did.
He did not intend to avoid them; this was the Clear Sky Sect’s territory, and as Sect Master, it would be absurd for him to retreat before strangers.
Moreover, as the sect’s reputation grew, more visitors had been coming up the mountain every few days.
The man in the lead saw Li Qingqiu and Qin Ye and called out with bright eyes, “You two—are you disciples of the Clear Sky Sect?”
Li Qingqiu gave Qin Ye a meaningful look.
Qin Ye understood at once and answered in a loud voice, “That’s right. Who are you people?”
“My name is Yan Lan. I’ve long admired the chivalrous deeds of the Clear Sky Sect and came here to pay my respects. Could you perhaps lead the way for us?”
“Go up on your own. Follow this path and keep climbing—you’ll reach the sect soon enough,” Qin Ye replied, thinking to himself that this man had quite the nerve, even asking to be escorted.
Hearing that, Yan Lan strode closer, the two straw-cloaked men following tightly behind.
When he came before them, his face proved handsome and bright, and his smile warm and approachable.
“Were you just practicing martial arts? Young brother, that iron staff looks heavy,” Yan Lan asked with curiosity.
Qin Ye nodded.
“Thirty jin.”
“Really? Let me try?”
“Sure.”
With his Master beside him, Qin Ye had no fear of deceit and handed the iron staff over.
Yan Lan caught it, his body immediately sinking under its weight.
He propped it against the ground in surprise.
“It’s really thirty jin?”
He strained to lift it, managing to raise it but struggling to swing it.
Even holding it horizontally before his chest turned his face red from effort.
“Come on, it’s not that heavy,” Qin Ye said, puzzled.
“It’s only thirty jin, not three hundred.”
Yan Lan set the staff back down with a sheepish smile.
“I’ve always had a weak constitution. I’ve tried everything to fix it, but nothing works. Please excuse the embarrassment.”
Li Qingqiu asked, “Since your body is frail, why climb the mountain? Just from here to the Clear Sky Sect will take another hour and a half on foot.”
He could tell Yan Lan’s blood and qi were indeed weak, but the two men behind him were anything but ordinary.
Both possessed strength comparable to Su Xiling—masters beyond the level of ordinary peak experts.
Why would such men serve as attendants?
This man’s surname was Yan… Could he be of royal blood?
Li Qingqiu pondered silently, showing no emotion on his face.
Yan Lan smiled faintly.
“Precisely because I’m weak. I feel I don’t have many years left, so before I die, I wish to see more of the world. If I can do that, then even in death, I’ll have no regrets. I’ll have seen this world with my own eyes—that alone is enough.”
His carefree words struck Qin Ye deeply.
As a martial artist, he could not fully understand Yan Lan’s sentiment, but anyone hearing it would feel a touch of sorrow.
Li Qingqiu said with admiration, “Not bad. With such an open heart, you may well live longer than most.”
Yan Lan chuckled.
“I wouldn’t dare hope so. You were training just now—mind if I watch from the side and rest a bit?”
Qin Ye frowned.
“By your own words, you’ve traveled far and wide. Don’t you know the rules of the martial world?”
Yan Lan drew a booklet from his robe and smiled.
“Then I’ll make it fair—this Demon-Seizing Technique manual is my gift to you. How about that?”
“Demon-Seizing Technique? Is it powerful?” Qin Ye asked skeptically, thinking he was being teased.
Li Qingqiu’s eyes flickered slightly when he saw the title Demon-Seizing Technique on the cover.
He was now certain Yan Lan was from the royal family—this was Jia Yi’s proudest martial art, and here it was being casually given away.
How ironic.
That single Demon-Seizing Technique had lifted Jia Yi to glory and revived the entire Jia Family—and they were no commoners.
Yet in the hands of a royal descendant, even such a technique was trivial.
Truly, the gap between classes was a chasm no world could bridge.
“Of course it’s powerful,” Yan Lan said with a grin.
“It’s one of the greatest arts in the martial world. I was fortunate to come across it once, though I’m not suited for martial cultivation. The moment I saw you, I felt fate’s pull, so I’m giving it to you.”
He tossed the manual toward Qin Ye.
Catching it, Qin Ye hesitated and glanced at Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu smiled.
“Since he wishes to befriend you, why not accept?”
Qin Ye nodded, clasped his hands respectfully, and thanked Yan Lan.
Yan Lan waved it off, then sat down nearby.
His two attendants followed silently, never uttering a word.
“You continue training,” Li Qingqiu said as he walked off toward a tree.
“Your Master will rest a while.”
He sat cross-legged beneath the tree, took a swig from his wine flask, and began drinking quietly.
Qin Ye looked around, then began practicing the Ten Directions Demon-Subduing Staff Technique.
Wu Baoyu had once told him to serve the dynasty with this staff technique.
That alone proved it was not unique to Wu Baoyu—or perhaps the staff style Wu Baoyu had used in his assassination attempt on the Emperor had been different.
If performing this technique publicly would mark Qin Ye as Wu Baoyu’s disciple and lead to punishment, how could he ever serve the dynasty?
Wu Baoyu surely had thought this through.
Li Qingqiu had also instructed him—if anyone asked, he was to say a mysterious old man had taught it to him, a man whose name he did not know.
Such tales were common throughout the martial world.
Qin Ye felt genuine goodwill toward Yan Lan.
Since the man had shown him such sincerity, he couldn’t hold back.
The moment his staff began to move, his aura changed completely—his body radiated a fierce killing intent.
“Ten Directions Demon-Subduing Staff Technique!”
He had only executed seven moves when one of the straw-cloaked men behind Yan Lan murmured softly.
Yan Lan’s expression didn’t change; he simply watched Qin Ye with eyes full of appreciation.
The other man’s gaze remained cold, unmoved by the display.
Li Qingqiu did not stop Qin Ye.
He wanted to gamble on Qin Ye’s future.
These three were clearly not here to cause trouble—Yan Lan’s frail body was no act.
If something did happen, Li Qingqiu wouldn’t hesitate to use the Soul Restraining Curse again.
It would serve as practice.
When Qin Ye finished the entire routine, he turned toward Yan Lan.
“Does it compare to your Demon-Seizing Technique?”
Yan Lan smiled.
“The Ten Directions Demon-Subduing Staff Technique certainly matches the Demon-Seizing Technique. In fact, when these two supreme arts are used together, their power multiplies. How marvelous—it seems fate has brought subduing and seizing together today. I never expected to meet a wielder of the Ten Directions Demon-Subduing Staff Technique here. I’ve gifted seven copies of the Demon-Seizing Technique before, and today completes the circle.”
“You recognize my staff technique?” Qin Ye asked in surprise.
Yan Lan explained, “The Ten Directions Demon-Subduing Staff Technique was the unique art of Grand General Lu Chenhai, who swept across the lands for our Great Li Dynasty. The world does not know its name, but with it, General Lu established unparalleled merit in founding the dynasty. He never passed the art to his descendants, choosing instead to seek a worthy successor. The Imperial Ancestor once promised him—whoever masters this staff, regardless of birth, shall be granted the rank of general. Later, Lu Chenhai resigned and vanished into the martial world. It’s been thirty years since—whether he still lives, I do not know.”
“Brother Qin, if you wish to join the army, I can recommend you.”
Qin Ye froze.
In that moment, he finally understood why Wu Baoyu had passed the Ten Directions Demon-Subduing Staff Technique to him—it was to pave a path for his future.
When he came to, he looked at Yan Lan and asked in confusion, “Who exactly are you?”
One of the straw-cloaked men stepped forward and said sternly, “My lord is the Crown Prince. Kneel and pay your respects!”
The Crown Prince!
Qin Ye was stunned.
Instead of joy, anger welled within him.
The son of that dog emperor!
A trace of ferocity flashed across his face, though he quickly suppressed it—he couldn’t afford to provoke the Crown Prince.
“How dare you show killing intent before His Highness!”
The other straw-cloaked man roared and dashed forward, his speed so great that his afterimages blurred through the air.
Qin Ye instinctively raised his staff, but his eyes couldn’t follow the man’s movements.
Bang!
A muffled impact rang out.
The man was flung backward, skidding across the snow and carving two deep furrows several zhang long.
The second straw-cloaked man drew his sword with a frown.
Beside Qin Ye now stood Li Qingqiu, his robes fluttering as he remained unmoved in the cold wind.
“Ku Yi, Ku Er, do not be rude,” Yan Lan said coldly.
His gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by the oppressive authority of royalty—the aura of the Crown Prince.
The man who had attacked, Ku Yi, straightened his back and lowered his eyes to his trembling right hand, filled with shock.
He looked at Li Qingqiu, eyes brimming with awe and fear.