Chapter 62: Fame Shakes the World
At the mountain gate, Li Qingqiu stood on the stone steps, watching Jiang Zhaoxia and the others ascend the mountain amidst a crowd of disciples.
The throng was so large that it made the mountain path appear narrow.
Jiang Zhaoxia remained as cold and unsmiling as ever, while Li Sifeng was brimming with joy, basking in the disciples’ admiration.
Seeing that his two junior brothers were unharmed, Li Qingqiu finally set his heart at ease.
“Senior Brother!”
Li Sifeng spotted Li Qingqiu from afar and immediately waved his arm, shouting loudly.
He hurried toward the mountain gate, while the other disciples, having escorted Jiang Zhaoxia, Wu Man’er, and Cheng Canghai to the steps, stopped there.
Ever since the three courtyards behind the mountain gate had been renamed the Lingxiao Courtyard, ordinary disciples were forbidden from entering without permission — a rule that was already in effect.
“Senior Brother, I heard that you all crushed the invading martial army! Let me tell you, we had a part in that too! On our way back, we took care of quite a few sects that were planning to come to Clear Sky Sect…”
Li Sifeng spoke nonstop as he reached Li Qingqiu, his hands on his hips, full of youthful pride.
Li Qingqiu smiled, listening patiently to his boasting.
Jiang Zhaoxia walked up, pressed his right hand against Li Sifeng’s face from behind, and pushed him aside.
Then he turned to Li Qingqiu and said, “The Azure Sect has already been destroyed. I personally executed their Sect Master. Their main stronghold was burned to the ground, and though a few remnants escaped, they’re no longer a threat. We also eradicated their five branch halls.”
No wonder it was described as annihilation — both the main sect and branches were completely wiped out by Jiang Zhaoxia and the Thirteen Sword Fiends.
Li Qingqiu’s smile deepened.
“You are all great contributors. Today, the entire sect will hold a feast in your honor.”
Li Sifeng and Wu Man’er cheered at once.
Jiang Zhaoxia’s lips curved slightly before he led the way into the Lingxiao Courtyard, Cheng Canghai following close behind — all he could think of now was roasted chicken.
“Senior Brother, I have something to tell you. Can you come with me for a moment?” Li Sifeng said mysteriously.
Li Qingqiu felt a faint curiosity, though his face remained calm.
He nodded and said to Wu Man’er, “Man’er, go rest first. You’ve worked hard during this time.”
“Hehe, not hard at all.”
Wu Man’er scratched his head with a silly grin, then walked toward the Lingxiao Courtyard.
Li Sifeng pulled Li Qingqiu down the mountain.
Along the way, disciples they passed all stopped to bow in salute to Li Qingqiu.
The battle between Li Qingqiu and the Seven Fiends of the Demonic Cult had already spread throughout Clear Sky Sect, filling all disciples with admiration.
They had always believed Jiang Zhaoxia to be the strongest in the sect — yet now they learned that even their Sect Master possessed unfathomable martial power.
After the time it took for one stick of incense to burn, Li Sifeng brought Li Qingqiu to a deserted grove.
The winter snow was melting, and the remaining patches glistened with water on the ground and among the grass.
“Whistle—”
Li Sifeng let out a sharp whistle, then turned toward Li Qingqiu, puzzled.
“Senior Brother, aren’t you even a little curious?”
All this way, Li Qingqiu hadn’t asked him a single question, leaving him rather disappointed — he had wanted to give his Senior Brother a big surprise.
“The moment it stepped onto Clear Sky Mountain, I already sensed it. How did you come across it?” Li Qingqiu said, pretending to sound profound.
Li Sifeng didn’t doubt him.
Ever since Li Qingqiu had taught them the Primordial Unity Scripture, he had always seen Li Qingqiu as invincible — even their Third Brother couldn’t compare.
“On our way back, we passed through a forest. I was… relieving myself when I suddenly heard Bai Ning’er scream. I didn’t even have time to fasten my belt before I rushed over — and there it was! It was badly wounded, so I helped stop its bleeding, and after that, it just wouldn’t leave me alone.”
Li Sifeng gestured animatedly as he recounted the scene.
As expected.
Fortune favored him again.
Li Qingqiu found himself increasingly fond of Bai Ning’er.
The young man had previously followed Li Sifeng down the mountain and even found him a magical artifact.
Now, he had encountered a divine beast — truly a child of fortune.
Li Qingqiu had no intention of separating Li Sifeng and Bai Ning’er.
He always felt that with Li Sifeng’s temperament and Fate Traits, he would inevitably attract trouble — having Bai Ning’er around might just keep him safe.
The Dao Lineage panel gave Li Qingqiu a sense as though he were playing a game, but real life was nothing like that.
He couldn’t keep his disciples confined to the mountain forever.
Each had their own character, their own aspirations — just like Qin Ye, who bore the expectations of the Qin Family and was destined to leave one day, to serve in the army, achieve glory, and bring honor to his clan.
As the two brothers spoke, the bushes ahead began to rustle.
Snow fell from the branches as a massive creature slowly emerged.
Li Qingqiu turned — and his eyes lit up.
What a magnificent qilin!
A beast covered in dark red scales stepped through the brush.
Its shoulders stood two meters high, its head over three.
Its form was sleek and powerful, its scales sharp as blades.
Two crimson horns curved from its head like twin swords, gleaming with deadly sharpness.
Flames burned beneath its hooves, and fire wrapped the tip of its lion-like tail, swaying gently.
Its eyes were a deep metallic gold — cold, piercing, and majestic.
Just standing there, it exuded the presence of a divine beast.
The qilin walked toward the two, cautiously watching Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu could sense within it a potent energy — similar to Vital Energy, yet far stronger than martial Inner Energy, and of an entirely different essence.
For such a powerful qilin to be wounded — what could it have encountered before?
He wondered silently but felt no fear.
Despite its strength, the qilin did not radiate killing intent.
“Well? Isn’t it majestic? I named it the Prison Qilin! Don’t you think it looks like something out of the underworld?” Li Sifeng said excitedly.
Li Qingqiu nodded in admiration.
“Indeed. But I don’t sense evil from it. It feels more like a symbol of auspicious fortune — its presence will surely bring blessings to Clear Sky Sect.”
The Prison Qilin seemed to understand human speech.
Upon hearing Li Qingqiu’s words, its gaze softened, and it quickened its pace toward them.
Reaching Li Sifeng, it began rubbing affectionately against him, breathing heavily.
Watching it, Li Qingqiu realized — it still seemed young.
Could it be… not yet fully grown?
“From now on, you take care of it. Don’t let it wander around,” Li Qingqiu instructed.
He planned to keep Li Sifeng on the mountain for the next year — the perfect time for him to raise the Prison Qilin.
“No problem, Senior Brother! My Prison Qilin’s even more imposing than your Little Eight, right?” Li Sifeng lifted his chin, grinning provocatively.
Li Qingqiu smiled.
“Little Eight is just a mortal eagle — how could it compare to a qilin?”
Keeping the Prison Qilin on Clear Sky Mountain might even serve to guard against intruders.
Pleased by Li Qingqiu’s praise, Li Sifeng beamed, while the qilin pranced about in delight.
……
That year’s New Year Festival was especially lively.
Ever since Jiang Zhaoxia, Li Sifeng, and the others had returned, Clear Sky Sect had been celebrating without pause.
Defeating the invading martial sects had brought them great spoils — wealth, weapons, and manuals.
More importantly, the battle greatly bolstered the sect’s morale.
The disciples now realized how powerful their sect truly was — even when faced with the combined assault of three major factions, Clear Sky Sect could stand unshaken.
As the days went on, more and more commoners, pilgrims, and martial artists came up the mountain.
The commoners came to apprentice their children, the pilgrims came chasing rumors of the Innate Five Supremes, hoping for a blessing, and the martial artists came to befriend the famed sect.
When the winter snow of the Ancient Great Mountain Range finally melted away, visitors climbed the mountain daily, making Clear Sky Sect livelier than ever.
At noon one day, three hundred li from Clear Sky Mountain, Li Qingqiu stood atop a cliff overlooking a deep ravine.
Below lay a vast cave that led underground.
At its edge stood four of the Seven Sons of Clear Sky, their bodies almost swallowed by the darkness.
Li Sifeng ran out from the shadows, looked up, and shouted excitedly, “Senior Brother! There really are spirit stones! Way more than those under the Subterranean Spiritual Lake — I can’t even count them!”
Hearing this, Li Qingqiu smiled faintly — he was not surprised.
He had discovered this spiritual mine through the guidance of Fortuitous Fate Memory.
Because it lay far from the sect, he had to make preparations and carefully choose a group of trustworthy disciples before coming.
He planned to establish an outpost here, letting some true disciples reside to guard the mine.
For this reason, he brought Jiang Zhaoxia, Li Sifeng, and Bai Ning’er with him.
The spiritual mine was vital to the sect’s future, and Li Qingqiu regarded it with utmost importance.
Jiang Zhaoxia was to oversee it — not only would this strengthen his cultivation but also deter enemies.
Li Sifeng alone could not be relied upon entirely.
With Bai Ning’er’s “Child of Fortune” fate, Li Qingqiu could finally feel at ease returning to the sect.
“I see. Call them up — I have instructions to give,” Li Qingqiu said calmly.
Having already descended into the cave in Fortuitous Fate Memory, he was not curious anymore.
Li Sifeng nodded and disappeared into the darkness to summon the others.
While Li Qingqiu contemplated how best to protect the spiritual mine, Clear Sky Sect was stirring the entire martial world — a storm the likes of which Guzhou had never seen since the founding of the dynasty was about to erupt.
And Clear Sky Sect — was about to make its name resound throughout the world!
……
Amid the wilderness, beside the official road, stood a roadside inn.
Outside the inn were five tables, each surrounded by people.
At one of the outer tables sat the Black-Clad Woman who had once guided Li Qingqiu to the Seven Peaks Alliance.
Across from her sat an old man in a gray robe.
The two were listening to nearby martial artists discussing recent events in the Guzhou martial world.
“The Seven Peaks Alliance, the Azure Sect, and Iron Mountain Peak — all among the Seven Great Sects — led countless second-rate experts to besiege Clear Sky Sect. Their numbers reached tens of thousands! But the sect’s experts crushed them with ease — unbelievable!”
“Yeah, I heard the Dragon-Subduing Hero Yang Jueding joined Clear Sky Sect with his supreme techniques.”
“But the strongest one in the sect isn’t Yang Jueding. There’s a woman named Xu Ning — she killed the Blood Severing Blade, Dian Ming! That man had retired from the martial world for over ten years and was once the greatest expert in Weizhou. For such a master to die beneath Clear Sky Mountain — Xu Ning’s name will soon shake the martial world!”
“That’s nothing! Jiang Zhaoxia was even more astonishing! He led his thirteen disciples and stormed through the Azure Sect’s main stronghold — slaughtering the Sect Master, Protectors, Elders — all of them! It’s said he even wiped out their branch halls! Jiang Zhaoxia is terrifying! Never in Guzhou’s history has anyone achieved such a feat. I daresay he’s stronger than Yu Zhiyi now — the number one in Guzhou’s martial world!”
The martial artists at the other tables were all animated, every conversation centered on Clear Sky Sect.
When Jiang Zhaoxia and Xu Ning’s names were mentioned, their tones brimmed with reverence and awe.
The gray-robed old man finally turned his gaze back toward the Black-Clad Woman and sighed.
“The martial world is changing fast. Who would’ve thought that after Lin Xunfeng, Clear Sky Sect would produce even stronger disciples? From now on, Clear Sky Sect will stand among the Seven Great Sects. Miss, I advise you to give up on seeking the Martial Legend’s divine art — this old man has no wish to die within Clear Sky Sect’s walls.”
The Black-Clad Woman’s expression grew complicated — she had not expected Clear Sky Sect to have become so powerful.