After Li Qingqiu meditated in front of the mountain gate for an hour, Yang Jueding emerged from the sect. After several months of recuperation, his injuries had fully healed, and his whole being had returned to peak condition. His eyes blazed like torches, his stride was bold and powerful, and he carried himself with imposing presence.
He walked over and sat beside Li Qingqiu, looking him up and down.
Without opening his eyes, Li Qingqiu asked, "What is it?"
"Your cultivation method is strange indeed. It stirs up a great deal of the energy of heaven and earth, and I can feel that the energy you absorb is different from what I know. Martial arts may encompass a hundred schools of thought, but I've never seen an inner cultivation method take effect so quickly." Yang Jueding clicked his tongue in amazement.
Even when Li Qingqiu and the others cultivated immortality right in front of him, he couldn't make sense of it.
Martial artists also absorbed the energy of heaven and earth to cultivate Internal Energy, but it was vastly different from cultivating immortality.
Martial artists generated Internal Energy by stimulating their acupoints and dantian. The energy of heaven and earth merely served as a catalyst. Immortal cultivators, on the other hand, used their bodies as vessels, refining the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into Origin Energy as if concocting a pill. It was a process of transformation.
There were countless kinds of energy in the world. Spiritual energy was the source from which all things were created. It was everywhere, yet it was the hardest kind of energy for mortals to grasp.
"What? Want to learn?" Li Qingqiu opened one eye and glanced at him, asking softly.
Yang Jueding grinned. "Can I?"
He hadn't wanted to learn before because he couldn't bear to give up the Internal Energy he'd built up over twenty years. But watching the Qingxiao Sect disciples' progress had made him restless.
His martial arts cultivation was unlikely to improve much further anyway. He might as well seek another path.
"Of course. I'll teach you later."
Li Qingqiu agreed without hesitation. He had seen how Yang Jueding had behaved these past few days. His attitude toward teaching the second-generation disciples martial arts had been excellent, and Li Qingqiu was very satisfied.
Yang Jueding was delighted by his agreement.
It seemed Li Qingqiu wasn't a heartless person. As long as you put in the effort, he'd repay you in kind.
Yang Jueding immediately brought up something he'd been pondering for the past two days. His expression turned serious as he asked, "Sect Master, don't you think the Qingxiao Sect is developing too slowly?"
Li Qingqiu opened his eyes and turned to look at him. "What do you suggest?"
Yang Jueding continued, "I saw Jiang Zhaoxia and Zhang Yuchun head down the mountain again. That shows how short we are on money. With enough money, we could buy more food, forge more weapons, and build more houses. Then the Qingxiao Sect would naturally grow much faster."
He glanced at Li Qingqiu, but didn't keep him in suspense. He continued.
"Have you considered working with Aristocratic Clans and wealthy landowners? We'd get money and gain another source of support. All we'd have to do is teach people martial arts or give up some authority."
Yang Jueding paused there, waiting for Li Qingqiu's response. If Li Qingqiu disagreed, saying any more would be overstepping.
Li Qingqiu raised an eyebrow. "Do you have connections?"
He'd actually considered this long ago. He wasn't opposed to working with Aristocratic Clans and wealthy landowners. In this world, which resembled ancient Huaxia, the clans held most of the resources, especially books.
If he could work with an Aristocratic Clan, he'd be able to recruit all kinds of talent.
Even an immortal cultivation sect couldn't rely solely on its disciples keeping their heads down and cultivating. Bringing in talent was essential.
In the future, the Qingxiao Sect would need master weapon-smiths, physicians, scholars, and even tailors. They couldn't go down the mountain and hire someone every time they needed new sect robes. He even wanted to build a city for the Qingxiao Sect and establish a complete system. Of course, all of that would take time.
"I've traveled the jianghu for many years, so I've made plenty of friends. If you don't mind, I'd like to make a bold suggestion." Yang Jueding perked up, sitting straighter.
"For a sect like ours, we must first avoid clans with ties to the government, or they could easily swallow us up. We should also stay away from families with ties to other martial artists. If conflicts arise later, they'll be hard to resolve. What suits us are newly risen clans with no foundation, or newly rich landowners. They don't have enough strength to protect their own estates, so they need martial force. That makes us important to them. They have no martial force of their own, so they'll be wary of us and won't dare act recklessly."
Li Qingqiu looked at Yang Jueding with fresh respect. He'd assumed Yang Jueding was the blunt, brawny type, but the man had a surprisingly clear head.
Yang Jueding gave him an answer. "There's a family like that in Meishan Township, near the Tai Kun Mountain Range. They're surnamed Qin. An ancestor of theirs once came first in the imperial examinations. Thirty years ago, when the world was thrown into chaos and the dynasty changed, they hid in Meishan Township to escape the turmoil. I passed through there a few years ago and got along well with their patriarch. The Qin family wants to make a comeback. They've been doing business all this time, and their family is thriving. They'd be a good fit for the Qingxiao Sect."
After hearing him out, Li Qingqiu narrowed his eyes. "They could also bring us trouble. No matter how strong the Qingxiao Sect becomes, we couldn't stop the imperial court's armies."
There was a reason the Qin family had gone into hiding. If they were branded as remnants of the previous dynasty, it would be troublesome.
"They're the closest and most suitable family. The other options are either too far away or already entangled with the jianghu. There are plenty of martial arts sects around the Tai Kun Mountain Range, and the area's a real mixed bag."
Yang Jueding spoke earnestly, then added, "Every choice carries risks. It all comes down to how you choose—and whether you dare to take a gamble."
Li Qingqiu thought he had a point and fell into contemplation. Yang Jueding didn't rush him. He simply admired the magnificent mountain scenery ahead.
After a while.
Li Qingqiu said, "How about this? Go invite their patriarch up the mountain for a meeting. I'll speak with him myself. What do you think?"
"Of course!" Yang Jueding clapped his hands and laughed, delighted.
He wasn't happy just because Li Qingqiu had agreed with his suggestion. He was happy because, though Li Qingqiu was young, he dared to conduct diplomacy with other factions. With such breadth of vision and courage, the Qingxiao Sect's future was promising indeed.
The two chatted a little longer before Yang Jueding went to pack. He would head down the mountain that very day.
If all went well, he'd be able to bring someone up the mountain within five days at most.
After Yang Jueding left, Li Qingqiu continued meditating in front of the mountain gate.
He waited until the sun was about to set. Then he saw Zhang Yuchun, Li Dongyue, Li Sijin, and Xu Ning emerge from the woods, each carrying a bamboo basket packed full.
Zhang Yuchun was also leading three piglets, which snuffled and grunted the whole way.
Li Qingqiu smiled, thinking that his second senior brother was quite capable. He'd managed to get so many supplies from the villagers, even though Guzhou had been in turmoil lately, with a mutiny and refugees on the move.
He waited for Zhang Yuchun and the others to come up the mountain, then entered the sect with them, chatting as they walked.
Only then did Li Qingqiu learn that most of the supplies had been given by the families of Huang Shan and Yu Lin. It changed his opinion of the disciples who had families back home.
Good. They know how to play their cards. I can invest in them more from now on.
That evening, Li Qingqiu assigned two disciples to take care of the pigs. He needed two because the disciples were so young that they had to help each other.
The Qingxiao Sect was still a sect full of children. They had to team up for many chores.
Five days later, Jiang Zhaoxia and the other two still hadn't returned. Yang Jueding, however, arrived with members of the Qin family.
The Qin family member was its young master, Qin Jue. He looked every bit the pampered son of a wealthy family. Twenty-five years old, he was kind, warm, and generous. He'd come with Yang Jueding alone because his father had been caught up with other matters.
Li Qingqiu led him into the courtyard to talk, with Yang Jueding sitting in.
Once Qin Jue sat down, Yang Jueding began pouring the tea. This made Qin Jue even more curious about Li Qingqiu.
What did this young sect master have that could make the famous Dragon Subduing Great Hero so deferential?
As he exchanged pleasantries with Li Qingqiu, he also sized up the other disciples in the courtyard. Wu Man'er and three young disciples were practicing their fists, while Li Sifeng was practicing his sword on the roof. They all looked quite skilled.
Li Sifeng stood out in particular. His swordsmanship was fierce, nothing like a child's. He stood steadily on the roof, and it was obvious that his martial arts were impressive.
After the pleasantries, Qin Jue began discussing business with Li Qingqiu. First, he asked how strong the Qingxiao Sect was and how much help it could offer the Qin family.
"If the Qin family runs into trouble, I can send at least three experts as formidable as Yang Jueding to help you. I can also train the younger members of your family. The Qingxiao Sect's martial arts are no ordinary techniques." Li Qingqiu smiled softly.
Qin Jue looked at Yang Jueding, who nodded and said, "I've already joined the Qingxiao Sect. If the Sect Master gives the word, I'd walk through fire and water for him."
He turned toward Li Sifeng on the roof and called, "Sifeng, show him what you can do."
At that, Li Sifeng turned around on the roof and tossed the sword in his hand.
He'd practiced this move beforehand, and used Origin Energy to drive it. The sword flew as fast as lightning, stabbing straight toward Qin Jue's face.
The two were less than five zhang apart. In the blink of an eye, the sword was about to strike Qin Jue.
It was too fast!
Qin Jue was a martial artist himself, but he had no time to dodge. He froze in terror.
Fortunately, a hand reached out beside his head and caught the incoming sword between two fingers. The blade trembled, ringing with a clear, crisp note.
Qin Jue instinctively turned his head. The one who'd intervened wasn't Yang Jueding, but Li Qingqiu.
He was utterly shocked. This harmless-looking young sect master had such skill!
Yang Jueding was shocked too. Even he had been startled by Li Sifeng's attack. He'd meant for Li Sifeng to demonstrate a set of sword moves, but the boy had struck with such vicious force.
What surprised him most was Li Qingqiu's skill.
So fast!
Faster than him!
Could Li Qingqiu be as strong as Jiang Zhaoxia?
Li Qingqiu tossed the sword aside. It stuck into the ground, quivering. He glared at Li Sifeng and scolded, "Insolent! I told you to show him what you could do, not to do it like that. Get over here and apologize!"
Li Sifeng hurriedly jumped off the roof and ran over to Qin Jue to apologize.
Qin Jue forced a smile and said it was all right.
At first he was shocked and angry, but then that changed to excitement.
The Qingxiao Sect really had some skill!
After kicking Li Sifeng in the backside, Li Qingqiu continued negotiating with Qin Jue. The rest of their discussion went smoothly. They first discussed what the Qin family wanted, then got straight to the point and moved on to the exchange of benefits.
An hour later, Qin Jue hurried to leave. Yang Jueding escorted him back.
From then on, the Qin family would regularly give the Qingxiao Sect a large sum of money and a great deal of supplies every year. In return, the Qingxiao Sect would take in six members of the Qin family under the age of twelve and teach them martial arts. Li Qingqiu would also choose one of them to become his personal disciple.
Li Qingqiu saw them off at the mountain gate. As he watched them descend the mountain, a notification suddenly appeared before his eyes:
[Since the Qingxiao Sect has received aid from an external faction for the first time, and the Sect Master's authority has not been divided, you have received an opportunity to claim a Legacy Reward]
What kinds of spells do you think the Qingxiao Sect will need in its early days?
Before you continue