Chapter 56: Sixth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm
Besieging the Clear Sky Sect?
Li Sifeng and Cheng Canghai exchanged a glance.
Their expressions did not change much.
The other disciples were startled but did not show it on their faces; instead, they turned their eyes toward Li Sifeng and Cheng Canghai.
Wu Man’er was busy eating meat and did not lift his head.
Cheng Canghai turned around and asked with a smile, “Brothers, why do you intend to besiege the Clear Sky Sect? Is there a particular reason?”
The group of martial artists each found a table and sat down.
One of them turned back and laughed.
“Why else? For the divine art, of course! The Dragon-Subduing Hero brought the divine art once possessed by the Martial Legend to the Clear Sky Sect. That man known as the second greatest in the martial world, Jiang Zhaoxia, is so formidable precisely because he mastered this divine art.”
Li Sifeng turned his head curiously.
“Martial Legend? What divine art?”
Another martial artist from the Ironbone Sect laughed heartily.
“It was a Martial Legend from a hundred years ago. As for what divine art it is, how would we know? But the Dragon-Subduing Hero indeed went to Fuyang Lake. Beneath that lake lies the palace built by the Martial Legend himself. Masters of the Azure Sect witnessed him obtaining the secret manual but dared not snatch it away due to the Dragon-Subduing Hero’s fame. Now, the Azure Sect, the Seven Peaks Alliance, and Iron Mountain Peak, along with dozens of smaller sects, are all heading toward the Clear Sky Sect. Our Ironbone Sect isn’t affiliated with them, but we figured we’d join the excitement.”
The middle-aged man who had entered the inn first tilted his head toward Li Sifeng and the others, asking coldly, “Which sect do you belong to?”
His gaze could not help but fall upon Wu Man’er.
Wu Man’er’s physique was simply too intimidating to ignore.
Cheng Canghai took a step forward and answered, “A small sect—you’ve surely never heard of it. We’re responding to the government’s call to eliminate bandits and earn some money.”
“What money is there in bandit hunting? In the martial world, skill is all that matters. If your skill is great enough, you’ll never lack for money. Why not join us in going to the Clear Sky Sect? Besides that Martial Legend’s divine art, you might even seize the Clear Sky Daoist’s unique techniques.”
A tall youth with a full beard laughed.
The waiter approached to take their orders, pretending not to hear a word of their conversation.
Li Sifeng looked at him curiously and asked, “Before Lin Xunfeng retired from the martial world, why didn’t anyone go to the Clear Sky Sect to cause trouble?”
A one-eyed elder from the Ironbone Sect snorted.
“Back then, the Clear Sky Sect only had Lin Xunfeng alone. The sect had nothing—not even a hint of that Martial Legend’s divine art. Tell me, who doesn’t wish to become as powerful as Jiang Zhaoxia?”
The other martial artists chimed in, unable to avoid talking about the Martial Legend.
They even began discussing rumors and legends.
Li Sifeng asked no further and turned back to continue drinking.
This place was still hundreds of miles from the Clear Sky Sect.
The Ironbone Sect people never imagined they might be speaking with those from the sect itself, lost instead in their own fantasies—dreaming of seizing that peerless divine art and reviving their sect’s glory.
Cheng Canghai shook his head slightly, finding these people laughably naïve, as if the martial world were something simple.
After a while—
Li Sifeng set down his wine bowl and looked at the Clear Sky Sect disciple sitting opposite him.
“Have you eaten your fill?”
The disciple nodded, his face ugly.
The Ironbone Sect men had become more and more vulgar, speaking as though the Clear Sky Sect were a flock of sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
They even made crude remarks about the sect’s female disciples—disgusting to the ear.
“Go close the door.”
At Li Sifeng’s command, the disciples’ eyes brightened.
The one sitting across from him immediately stood up and walked toward the inn’s entrance.
……
Yan Lan and his two companions were temporarily residing at the Clear Sky Sect.
Li Qingqiu and Qin Ye had not spread news of their true identities, instead letting them live as ordinary guests.
Qin Ye, uneasy, often went to check on Yan Lan’s courtyard.
Li Qingqiu, meanwhile, had Xu Ning watch the three secretly.
He summoned Zhang Yuchun, Li Dongyue, and Yang Jueding, revealing to them that several sects were plotting against the Clear Sky Sect.
“This must be the work of the Azure Sect. Now that the news is spreading, I fear many sects will come to cause us trouble. The Martial Legend’s divine art is too great a temptation. If it were me, I’d also be tempted to join the excitement. I’ll lead some disciples to live at the foot of the mountain. If something happens, we won’t be caught unprepared.”
Yang Jueding spoke in a deep voice.
Having spent much time under Li Qingqiu, his temperament had changed—no longer self-pitying, but instead thinking quickly of countermeasures.
Li Qingqiu smiled.
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourselves. The Clear Sky Sect today is no longer what it once was. We may not rival the imperial dynasty, but the martial sects of the world can no longer toy with us. You all know how powerful the Primordial Unity Scripture is.”
Hearing of the threat from Yan Lan’s mouth, Li Qingqiu truly felt no pressure.
Xu Ning was already at the Fifth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm, Zhang Yuchun, Li Dongyue, and Li Sijin at the Second Layer, while Yang Jueding, Qin Ye, and Liu Yan were at the First Layer—enough to handle any expert within Guzhou.
Not to mention, Li Qingqiu himself was stationed at the Clear Sky Sect, about to reach the Sixth Layer.
If he were to go to the Seven Peaks Alliance now, he had confidence that none there would leave alive—all would kneel and beg for mercy.
Once he reached the Sixth Layer, his strength would only grow more terrifying.
Furthermore, Little Eight and Little Nine could also serve as combat power—two black eagles that had already stepped into the Demon Realm.
Truthfully, they alone were enough to give ordinary sects a headache.
Though Zhang Yuchun and Li Dongyue were somewhat nervous, they were far from terrified.
After all, no matter how strong those martial sects were, they were still just worldly factions—unable to compare to the might of true armies.
After Yang Jueding departed, Li Qingqiu continued discussing the sect’s development plans with Zhang Yuchun.
At the current pace, the number of disciples would rise sharply next year, and the sect’s image would solidify.
Zhang Yuchun wished to build several grand buildings, including a Scripture Pavilion, to compile martial manuals and encourage the disciples’ diligence.
Li Qingqiu listened to his plans, offering only minor suggestions and granting his full support.
The next morning, Zhang Yuchun selected a group of senior disciples to patrol the mountain, while Li Qingqiu led Yuan Qi and Yuan Li down the mountain.
In the forest, twelve-year-old Yuan Qi held the hand of his four-year-old brother, Yuan Li.
Looking up at Li Qingqiu, he asked, “Sect Master, where are you taking us?”
He had been rescued by Li Qingqiu from the Seven Peaks Alliance and respected him deeply.
Even though Li Qingqiu had not taken him as a disciple, his loyalty toward Li Qingqiu had already reached 91 points.
Thus, he was not afraid—only curious.
“To find a place to teach you both the Primordial Unity Scripture,” Li Qingqiu replied casually while walking ahead.
“Ah? Am I qualified to learn it?” Yuan Qi asked nervously, excitement flickering in his heart though he dared not show it.
In truth, he wasn’t qualified—but he had his younger brother to thank.
That was what Li Qingqiu thought.
Aloud, he said, “You may be young, but you never slack off. I’ve seen your efforts. Though I treat all disciples equally, as the sect grows, more hands will be needed to manage it. I hope you’ll become stronger and help shoulder some of my burdens in the future.”
These words deeply moved Yuan Qi.
He immediately promised to work hard and not disappoint him.
Li Qingqiu smiled in return, though his thoughts drifted to Yuan Li’s Undying Overlord Body.
Starting to draw in qi at the age of four—he wondered whether Yuan Li’s physique could awaken early.
If it couldn’t awaken soon, he would copy Feng Dai’s “Late Bloomer” Fate Trait first; he had a feeling that Fate carried deep meaning.
……
As the year drew to a close, Li Qingqiu successfully broke through to the Sixth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm within the Subterranean Spiritual Lake.
From the Fifth to the Sixth Layer, his vital energy doubled, and his body strengthened further.
But the greatest change was within his vital energy itself.
He felt it grow more potent, more penetrating.
His Heavenly Thunder Spiritual Root imbued his vital energy with lightning, and with each breakthrough, this trait only intensified—though he rarely displayed it.
The breakthrough delighted him.
Since he was alone in the Subterranean Spiritual Lake that day, he consolidated his cultivation, then departed—wandering the mountains to relax while observing the disciples’ labors.
Now, the Clear Sky Sect had one hundred and twenty-six disciples.
Even with Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Sifeng each leading groups down the mountain, many still remained.
Near noon, though snow blanketed the mountains, the sunlight remained bright.
Li Qingqiu entered a grove and saw Huang Shan, the leader of the Seven Sons of Clear Sky, meditating beneath a tree.
“Huh? First Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm.”
Li Qingqiu could tell Huang Shan’s realm with one glance, surprised.
Years ago, he had taught the Primordial Unity Scripture to the Seven Sons, but their aptitude had been too poor to succeed.
Later, they switched to martial cultivation, and he assumed they had abandoned the immortal path entirely.
Yet Huang Shan had been secretly cultivating and had succeeded.
Naturally, this pleased Li Qingqiu.
Every disciple who reached the First Layer meant one more first-rate expert for the Clear Sky Sect.
Vital energy at the First Layer, combined with external martial techniques, gave one a real chance to slay top martial experts—that was the vast difference between martial training and immortal cultivation.
The First Layer’s threshold was a peak most martial artists could never reach in their lifetime.
“This lad… today truly brings double joy,” Li Qingqiu murmured, a smile curling his lips.
He didn’t disturb Huang Shan but silently changed direction and continued up the mountain.
Along the way, he saw several disciples quietly practicing both martial arts and cultivation.
Two of them were those he had personally instructed this year.
This year, Li Qingqiu had taught the Primordial Unity Scripture to the nine most outstanding disciples from the previous year.
Three of them had already formed vital energy and officially become personal disciples, greatly boosting morale throughout the sect.
Now, few dared to slack off.
Li Qingqiu decided that starting next year, personal disciples would receive spirit stones and be allowed to cultivate within the Blessed Land of a Thousand Spirits—gradually transforming the Clear Sky Sect from a martial sect into an immortal one.
Personal disciples were the foundation of the Clear Sky Sect as an immortal sect.
Its true rivals were never the worldly martial sects, but its own limitations—the struggle was not for dominance in the martial world, but for the path to immortality.
Half an hour later, Li Qingqiu reached the guest courtyard below the new compound.
There, he noticed Ku Yi instructing Qin Ye in the Ten Directions Demon-Subduing Staff Technique.
Yan Lan and Zhu Yan sat at a nearby table, chatting idly, while Su Xiling and Ku Er stood guard behind them.
When Zhu Yan saw Li Qingqiu’s figure, she hesitated behind her veil, uncertain whether to greet him.
But Li Qingqiu continued up the mountain, soon disappearing from sight.
Noticing her reaction, Yan Lan turned around but saw no one.
“Miss Zhu, what were you looking at?” he asked.
Zhu Yan snapped out of it.
“Nothing. Your Excellency, you just mentioned that there exists a qilin in this world—where is it? Why is the Zhongtian Sect searching for it?”