Chapter 68: The Heartless Immortal Fate
“It’s only been a month, and you’ve already mastered it? Is that true?”
Li Qingqiu raised his hand and patted Zhao Zhen’s head, smiling kindly, his tone filled with affection.
Though Zhao Zhen was not as sensible as Yuan Li, he was usually well-behaved and never caused trouble.
Apart from eating and sleeping, he spent all his time practicing martial arts.
That kind of diligence alone made Li Qingqiu truly fond of him.
Zhao Zhen widened his eyes and said, “Master, if you don’t believe me, I’ll show you right now!”
As soon as he spoke, he raised his hand, preparing to perform the Divine Dragon Transformation.
Li Qingqiu pressed his hand down and smiled helplessly.
“How could I not believe you? I’m just surprised by your talent. Coincidentally, I’m going to see that Senior Gu. You can let him take a look at how far you’ve come with your Divine Dragon Transformation.”
Zhao Zhen nodded eagerly, then grabbed Li Qingqiu’s hand and dragged him down the mountain, even more impatient than his master.
More and more guest courtyards were being built on Mount Clear Sky.
According to Zhang Yuchun’s plan, they were to extend all the way along the mountain path down to the foot of the mountain, to prepare for the recruitment of disciples in the future.
Because of this, the Qin Family and Liu Fanzhou had been continuously contributing money.
The Clear Sky Sect was expanding rapidly.
Li Qingqiu finally agreed to let the Qin Family send five more young members, while Liu Fanzhou sent three of his nephews.
Although he called them nephews, Li Qingqiu felt the three looked a great deal like Liu Fanzhou himself.
Everyone had their own selfish motives, and Li Qingqiu couldn’t be bothered to argue.
After all, once these family members joined, they were treated only as ordinary disciples.
As Li Qingqiu descended the mountain, he quietly observed the changes within the Clear Sky Sect.
Disciples along the way all saluted him respectfully as they passed.
They soon arrived at the guest courtyard where Chai Yunshang and Gu Duba were staying—just in time to see Gu Duba instructing Chai Yunshang in martial arts.
“Senior Gu! My master came to see you! You should take a look at my Divine Dragon Transformation—it’s complete!”
Zhao Zhen shouted as soon as he entered the courtyard, drawing both Gu Duba and Chai Yunshang’s attention.
When Gu Duba saw Li Qingqiu, his eyes immediately lit up with joy.
It had been a month since he’d last seen Li Qingqiu.
He hadn’t been able to find a chance to meet him again and had nearly begun to suspect that Li Qingqiu was going back on his word about taking a disciple.
But since Chai Yunshang had told him to wait patiently—and she herself was calm—he had no choice but to endure.
Wait!
“You said what? You’ve mastered the Divine Dragon Transformation?”
Gu Duba frowned at Zhao Zhen.
What kind of arrogance was this?
The boy barely reached his waist and was claiming he’d mastered a divine skill?
Chai Yunshang sheathed her sword and looked steadily at Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu nodded slightly at her without feigning ignorance.
Without another word, Zhao Zhen stepped aside and assumed the starting stance of the Divine Dragon Transformation, attracting Chai Yunshang’s curiosity.
She hadn’t heard Gu Duba mention anything about this technique, so she wasn’t expecting much.
She merely thought the lively five-year-old looked interesting.
Zhao Zhen began circulating the Great Sun Pure Yang Art.
Inner energy surged from his dantian, flowing through his meridians.
His arms moved gracefully—not fast, but smooth like flowing water.
Despite his young age, each movement carried the poise of a master.
The moment he began, Gu Duba’s expression changed.
Before his very eyes, Zhao Zhen’s body was surrounded by a visible surge of energy, his robes fluttering lightly.
Then something shocking happened—Zhao Zhen’s feet lifted from the ground, his small body rising steadily into the air.
Not only Gu Duba but even Chai Yunshang widened her eyes in disbelief, her expression as though she had seen a ghost.
Li Qingqiu narrowed his eyes.
Around Zhao Zhen, the energy was gradually condensing into the form of a dragon.
The Dragon Coils the Body!
Encircled by dragon-shaped qi, Zhao Zhen’s face turned solemn.
He looked toward Gu Duba and asked, “Senior Gu, have I mastered it?”
Thud!
Gu Duba dropped to his knees, trembling all over, his face filled with disbelief.
He muttered to himself, “Impossible… Senior, did you see that? The person you spoke of truly exists—and he’s standing right before me…”
Zhao Zhen frowned slightly.
Why did this Senior Gu like kneeling so much?
How spineless!
“Enough, that’s far enough. If you continue, you’ll exhaust yourself.”
Li Qingqiu spoke calmly.
Hearing that, Zhao Zhen immediately stopped and landed steadily on the ground.
With a proud grin, he looked up at Li Qingqiu, waiting for praise.
Unfortunately, his master ignored him.
Li Qingqiu turned to Chai Yunshang and said, “This isn’t our first meeting. The past doesn’t need to be mentioned. Will you take me as your master?”
He had read through the Divine Dragon Transformation manual—an extraordinary martial art.
When mastered, one’s body followed one’s qi, qi surged like a dragon, allowing the user to soar above lakes and strike with unstoppable force.
To him, this technique was nearly beyond the limits of martial arts—a treasure of immense value.
He looked forward to seeing Zhao Zhen elevate it into a true spell in the future.
Chai Yunshang looked at Zhao Zhen and said, “I don’t think I’m qualified to be your disciple. How about you just accept me as a regular sect disciple?”
Li Qingqiu was surprised.
Even a five-year-old would understand the difference between a true disciple and an ordinary one.
She had gone to great lengths to reach the Clear Sky Sect—why change her mind now?
Gu Duba finally came to his senses and turned toward Chai Yunshang, confusion on his face.
Li Qingqiu didn’t intend to persuade her.
“Very well,” he said, nodding.
“Go to Elder Zhang Yuchun and register. Tell him I’ve agreed.”
He then turned and walked toward the courtyard gate, glancing back to add, “Senior Gu, the ground’s uneven—careful not to bruise your knees.”
Gu Duba’s old face flushed as he scrambled to his feet.
He looked at Zhao Zhen, still somewhat dazed.
Once Li Qingqiu and Zhao Zhen had left, Gu Duba turned to Chai Yunshang in confusion.
“Why did you suddenly change your mind?”
Chai Yunshang’s expression remained calm.
“Because I truly don’t think I’m qualified to be his disciple. You saw that child’s talent yourself. Besides, if I join the Clear Sky Sect, perhaps my family’s control over me will weaken. They wouldn’t dare come here to drag me away, would they?”
Gu Duba thought of Zhao Zhen’s display and nodded.
It made sense.
Forcing apprenticeship might only end poorly.
But when he heard her last remark, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
Come to the Clear Sky Sect to kidnap someone?
That would be suicide.
He had once told Chai Yunshang that practicing martial arts couldn’t change fate—but that was only because she wasn’t strong enough.
Someone as powerful as the Clear Sky Sect Master—if the entire Chai Family opposed him, they would be wiped out instantly.
Meanwhile—
Li Qingqiu and Zhao Zhen were on their way back up the mountain.
Zhao Zhen chattered non-stop, trying to coax praise from his master.
Li Qingqiu, however, refused to oblige, which only made the boy even more energetic.
As they climbed, Li Qingqiu habitually called up the Dao Lineage panel, searching for Chai Yunshang’s portrait.
Even a verbal acceptance counted as initiation, so long as the other party agreed.
Chai Yunshang’s information appeared before his eyes:
【Name: Chai Yunshang】
【Gender: Female】
【Age: 23】
【Loyalty (to Sect Master / Sect): 82 / 70 (max 100)】
【Cultivation Aptitude: Good】
【Comprehension: Average】
【Fate Traits: Heartless Immortal Fate, Talent for Administering Punishment】
【Heartless Immortal Fate: Upon beginning the path of cultivation, one shall not fall into emotions nor engage in union with men. Her talent will increase with each breakthrough in realm. When the Heartless Immortal Fate dissolves, unforeseen consequences will occur.】
【Talent for Administering Punishment: Apt at enforcing discipline, impartial and unyielding, unafraid of threats.】
…
Li Qingqiu nearly stopped walking.
Chai Yunshang actually possessed two special Fate Traits.
That Heartless Immortal Fate resembled Feng Dai’s Late Bloomer fate—both being types that could grow stronger over time.
But if she never embarked on the immortal path, this fate would be meaningless.
Still, Talent for Administering Punishment was a good one.
As the Clear Sky Sect expanded, the creation of a disciplinary department would become inevitable.
Li Qingqiu wouldn’t appoint her directly—that would only cause gossip among disciples.
But after seeing her panel, he decided to focus on nurturing her first, increasing her cultivation so she could earn respect through strength.
The more he looked at that Heartless Immortal Fate, the more he liked it.
Though the number of cultivation disciples was increasing, most had only average talent—unlike Chai Yunshang, whose future seemed limitless.
Of course, fondness was one thing—he had no intention of replicating the Heartless Immortal Fate for himself.
He had no desire to walk the path of heartlessness!
He simply believed that marriage and children were not suitable for his current stage of life.
Feeling unexpectedly cheerful, Li Qingqiu quickened his pace, forcing Zhao Zhen to hurry after him until they were running, chasing each other up the mountain.
…
Ten days later, Li Qingqiu arrived alone at the spiritual mine.
Entering the pit, he followed a dark passageway until a dim light appeared ahead.
Oil lamps hung from both sides of the tunnel—arranged by Clear Sky Sect disciples, at considerable expense.
After walking roughly a hundred meters, Li Qingqiu reached a fork.
The space here was broader, and two disciples were meditating—one of them Bai Ning’er.
When they saw Li Qingqiu, they quickly rose and saluted.
“No need for formality. Continue your cultivation.”
Leaving those words behind, Li Qingqiu walked deeper in.
Bai Ning’er and his companion resumed meditating without further thought.
The spiritual energy within the mine was abundant.
Every few days, someone broke through, which in turn drove the others to train harder, unwilling to fall behind.
Li Qingqiu had promised not to keep them confined here forever—but their future standing in the sect would depend on their results in this place.
After some time, Li Qingqiu reached a vast underground chamber—larger even than the Subterranean Spiritual Lake.
The ground was lined with pillars of spirit stone, and the walls glimmered with embedded crystals of varying sizes, some even red or violet in hue.
Jiang Zhaoxia and more than twenty disciples were meditating, each spaced apart at a reasonable distance.
Since discovering the spiritual mine, Li Qingqiu had been sending disciples there one by one—all with loyalty levels above ninety.
When Jiang Zhaoxia saw him, he immediately stood and approached.
“Not bad. You’ve already reached the Sixth Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm.”
Li Qingqiu praised him, sensing the vast Vital Energy within his body.
He knew exactly how powerful that level was—he had experienced it himself.
But instead of smiling, Jiang Zhaoxia’s face turned grave.
“Senior Brother, recently something has been appearing outside the spiritual mine. I went to investigate the night before last, but no matter how I searched, I couldn’t find anything.”
Li Qingqiu didn’t doubt him.
He frowned.
“When did it start?”
“About six days ago.”
“I see. I’ll stay here tonight. Tell me first about the disciples’ progress.”
Li Qingqiu nodded.
But in his heart, he thought—if even Jiang Zhaoxia couldn’t trace it, then what exactly was that thing? Something… unclean?