Chapter 77: Hundred Refinements Demonic Body
【Name: Ji Ya】
【Gender: Male】
【Age: 12 years old】
【Loyalty (to Sect Master / Sect): 91 / 12 (Full value 100)】
【Cultivation Aptitude: Excellent】
【Comprehension: Excellent】
【Fate Traits: Distinction Between Grace and Grievance, Hundred Refinements Demonic Body】
【Distinction Between Grace and Grievance: Toward those who have shown him kindness, he would spare no effort to repay; toward his enemies, he would seek vengeance at any cost.】
【Hundred Refinements Demonic Body: Upon stepping into cultivation, all the power that his body can bear is a hundred times greater than those of the same realm.】
……
As expected, a special Fate Trait!
He did not know whether this Hundred Refinements Demonic Body was forged by the Demonic Cult, or if it was an innate physique.
Li Qingqiu was deeply intrigued by this “Hundred Refinements Demonic Body.” The power it could bear—did that include Vital Energy as well?
If one with the Hundred Refinements Demonic Body began cultivating Immortal arts and their Vital Energy was a hundredfold stronger than others of the same realm, that would be extraordinary—worth replicating.
Once they returned, he would have Ji Ya begin cultivating Immortal arts immediately.
With that “Distinction Between Grace and Grievance” Fate Trait, he could teach Ji Ya without worry.
He set Ji Ya down, then performed the Ghostly Immortal Needle of Rejuvenation to restore his strength.
Within Ji Ya’s body, a vast current of energy surged—not Vital Energy, yet something akin to it.
As long as he helped regulate it, Ji Ya would soon regain his ability to move.
After a while, Ji Ya opened his eyes, his complexion quickly improving.
“You should try walking.”
Li Qingqiu said softly, then helped Ji Ya stand.
Supported by him, Ji Ya shakily touched the ground. Once he stood straight, he fully regained control over his body.
“Thank you, big brother…”
Ji Ya looked at Li Qingqiu, speaking timidly.
Though he did not understand who Li Qingqiu was, he could see clearly that this person had come to save him—and had healed him as well.
“Follow me. There are still others inside waiting for us to rescue.”
Li Qingqiu spoke, then walked ahead. Ji Ya carefully followed behind him.
Afterward, Li Qingqiu gradually found other surviving children. He first carried them out of the water jars, placing them together before treating them one by one.
In this underground chamber, there were more than two hundred water jars—but only six survived.
The other five children did not possess the same vast inner energy as Ji Ya, likely because they had not been immersed for long and thus had not yet died.
When they awoke, Li Qingqiu accepted them into the Clear Sky Sect.
Unfortunately, none of these children bore special Fate Traits.
On their way back, Li Qingqiu promised them that if they found their parents, they could return home first, settle down, and after a few years, come to the Clear Sky Sect to train.
Returning to the courtyard, Li Qingqiu told Ji Ya and the other five to wait. Then he went out and asked Zhang Yuchun to fetch six sets of clothes.
The weaker disciples of the Clear Sky Sect were responsible for carrying supplies, and they had prepared plenty of garments.
Zhang Yuchun quickly brought the clothes and handed them to Li Qingqiu, though he was curious why the Senior Brother had made such a request.
When Li Qingqiu led the six newly dressed children before the Clear Sky Sect disciples, the disciples all rose and gathered around.
Li Qingqiu briefly explained the situation, causing the disciples to burst into anger, cursing the Demonic Cult’s heinous deeds and vowing that they would suffer retribution.
“Let’s move. There might be many more tunnels like this in the city.”
Li Qingqiu spoke, and the others immediately stood to follow him.
He instructed Lin Chuan to continue scouting underground. As expected, other mansions also hid secret passages.
In another mansion’s underground palace, they found dozens of commoners. All had been beaten and tortured, covered in wounds—though thankfully, none were fatally injured.
The Clear Sky Sect disciples discovered something remarkable: their Sect Master’s perception was astonishing.
Each time he stopped, glanced around, he would find the imprisoned victims.
The true disciples explained that the sect’s secret art could enhance one’s senses, and that the Sect Master’s skill in that art must be profound.
“Senior Brother, the Demonic Cult has occupied this state capital for just over a month. It’s impossible they built so many tunnels and chambers in such a short time. I suspect these places were constructed years ago—perhaps that’s why the Demonic Cult chose Guzhou’s capital,” Zhang Yuchun whispered beside Li Qingqiu.
Cheng Canghai stepped forward and said, “That reminds me—before his ascension to the throne, the current Emperor once lived in Guzhou for two years.”
“If that’s true, then His Majesty truly planned this far in advance.”
Li Qingqiu replied softly, recalling the dead Inspector-General whom he had never met in person.
The Inspector-General was already dead; even the Crown Prince Yan Lan in the distant Zhenyang Imperial City might now be in danger.
They pressed onward, never encountering Demonic Cultists again, and instead rescued more and more people under Lin Chuan’s guidance.
Not every mansion hid an underground palace—only a few grand estates did.
Their gardens and furnishings were opulent and refined, clearly properties once purchased by the Emperor himself.
As more people were rescued, the crowd following the Clear Sky Sect grew ever larger.
Yet Li Qingqiu never again found children like Ji Ya, soaked within those strange jars—perhaps the ingredients used in the jars were rare and could not be wasted.
Time gradually passed toward dusk, and the sky dimmed to yellow.
Li Qingqiu halted, turning to look back.
Behind him stretched a dark mass of people. When he stopped, the Clear Sky Sect disciples turned as well, stunned by the sheer number of those they had saved.
Unknowingly, they had already rescued this many?
“Let’s stop here. Send this group out first—we’ll return to the city tomorrow to check again.”
Li Qingqiu said. Zhang Yuchun and Jiang Zhaoxia both nodded without objection.
As night drew near, the air in the city felt increasingly strange, and they feared the Demonic Cult was plotting something.
Just then, a strong gust swept through, causing many to turn their heads.
Li Qingqiu looked forward.
The long street ahead was empty of the living—only corpses scattered about.
At the street’s end stood the city gate, and beyond it, the mountains rolled. The wind howled from outside the city.
“The wind comes!”
A loud voice boomed from the direction of the gate—sudden, eerie—making many break into goosebumps.
They looked toward the source and saw a Daoist standing atop the city gate.
That Daoist held a wooden sword that lifted a lantern, while his other hand gripped a crimson flag.
His posture was twisted and unnatural, a strange grin stretched across his face.
“Demon… Demon Daoist!”
A middle-aged man pointed toward the gate, his voice trembling. The other townsfolk were equally terrified, too afraid to move forward.
“Sect Master, that’s Daoist Wei. He’s indeed a sinister one.”
Cheng Canghai whispered beside Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu said nothing, his gaze fixed upon the Daoist atop the gate.
Daoist Wei shifted into bizarre stances, shouting loudly: “Thunder, resound!”
Boom——
Thunder roared across the sky, startling the townsfolk into kneeling.
Even the Clear Sky Sect disciples were shaken—could this demonic Daoist truly wield sorcery?
Jiang Zhaoxia and Xu Ning frowned as thunderclouds gathered, lightning faintly flashing among them.
“Not enough! Not enough! O Heavens, respond once more to this humble Daoist!”
Daoist Wei roared.
As his words fell, the thunder above grew louder, soon deafening, as though the heavens themselves were about to collapse.
Now, except for Li Qingqiu, every Clear Sky Sect disciple trembled in fear, staring at Daoist Wei in disbelief.
“So there truly exists such a demonic Daoist in this world…”
Li Yang stood at the edge of the crowd, his tone filled with astonishment and doubt.
Zhao Linglong, standing behind him, was equally unable to comprehend the sight.
Su Xiling recalled a scene she once witnessed in Zhenyang Imperial City, her expression turning increasingly grim.
Daoist Wei swung his red flag toward the long street, frightening most of the people into retreating instinctively, waves of bodies surging backward.
“You mortal fools—do you seek to defy the might of Heaven? Kneel and bow before the Heavens at once, or else the blazing divine thunder shall strike you down, body and soul destroyed, never to be reborn!”
Daoist Wei’s voice boomed like thunder itself, echoing through the stormy night, pressing upon the hearts of all present.
More and more townsfolk knelt and kowtowed toward him, while the Clear Sky Sect disciples gazed nervously at the heavens, fearing lightning would strike at any moment.
At that instant, Li Qingqiu strode forward alone toward the city gate.
“Senior Brother!”
Li Dongyue could not help but call out. Li Qingqiu stopped briefly, turned his head slightly, and said with a bold laugh, “Indeed, the art of cultivating Immortality exists in this world—but could such a treacherous villain ever master it? I do not believe Heaven stands with him.”
“After I cut off his head, we’ll see if he can still summon wind and rain.”
With that, Li Qingqiu turned and continued walking.
Lin Chuan, perched upon his shoulder, was not frightened by the thunder either.
Instead, he bared his teeth toward Daoist Wei.
The gale howled; Li Qingqiu’s robes fluttered wildly.
Everyone watched his back, and strangely, their fear faded. Especially the Clear Sky Sect disciples—their dread turned into hope.
Jiang Zhaoxia watched Li Qingqiu, feeling a pang of shame, for he too had been frightened by Daoist Wei earlier.
Li Yang gazed from afar.
After all they had gone through together, he already felt deep respect for Li Qingqiu.
Now, watching him walk alone toward that demonic Daoist, he could not help but worry.
Standing upon the gate, Daoist Wei heard Li Qingqiu’s defiant words and saw him approaching.
Enraged, he glared down and shouted, “Ignorant brat! If you wish to test Heaven’s wrath, then this Daoist shall grant your wish!”
He swung his crimson flag.
As it fell, a bolt of lightning struck straight down upon Li Qingqiu.
The sight came too suddenly—everyone jolted in terror, including Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Dongyue.
Seeing Li Qingqiu struck by lightning, their hearts nearly stopped—yet when they realized he hadn’t paused his steps, they were bewildered.
What was happening?
Could the lightning be fake?
Xu Ning gazed up at the flickering thunderclouds, her expression thoughtful.
Daoist Wei’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Refusing to accept it, he waved the flag again—another bolt struck Li Qingqiu.
Yet Li Qingqiu’s body did not even sway; his robes remained untouched.
Daoist Wei panicked, muttering, “Impossible… Impossible…”
He waved the flag wildly, over and over, summoning lightning upon lightning.
The street flashed between brightness and shadow, and within that storm of thunder, Li Qingqiu strode unyieldingly forward.
To the onlookers, he seemed like a celestial being descending from the heavens.
One by one, awe and reverence replaced fear on every face.
Unconsciously, they rose to their feet, their gaze fixed upon Li Qingqiu.