At Last, the Seven Peaks Alliance

The sun blazed overhead as a carriage raced along the official road.

The driver was a plainclothed man in his early fifties. He was sturdy and strong, and though his hair had begun to turn gray, he still looked to be in his prime.

Keeping his eyes on the road, the driver wiped away his sweat and asked, "Young master, it's so hot today. Do we really have to hurry to Seven Peaks Town as fast as possible?"

Li Qingqiu sat inside the carriage, meditating with his eyes closed. The road was so bumpy that he couldn't cultivate, so all he could do was conserve his strength and Origin Energy as much as possible.

Seven Peaks Town was a township near the Seven Peaks Alliance. It was quite famous, and many escort agencies and official convoys stopped there.

Once he reached Seven Peaks Town, it would be easy to ask around about the Seven Peaks Alliance.

That was the route Yang Jueding had told him to take.

After dealing with Yue Zhenchuan and the others, Li Qingqiu no longer needed to rush. He just wanted to get there and back as soon as possible, so his junior brothers and sisters wouldn't worry.

"I made plans with my family. I'm afraid they'll worry if I miss the agreed time," Li Qingqiu replied.

"That's true. You look so young, even younger than my son. If my boy were out on his own, I wouldn't be at ease either. The world's about to descend into chaos again. The prefectures can't suppress the local strongmen, and the common folk are being driven from their homes. There are more and more bandits and mountain brigands, too. Truth be told, I didn't want to take this trip, but my old woman's sick, and we need the money..."

The driver rambled on, and Li Qingqiu answered now and then.

It had been two days since Li Qingqiu left the Qingxiao Sect, but the Seven Peaks Alliance was still a long way off.

Li Qingqiu didn't find the driver annoying. Every so often, he asked about what was happening in the world, hoping to learn what Guzhou was going through.

After beginning his cultivation, he no longer feared this bit of heat. The Taiqing Primordial Scripture circulated within him, keeping his whole body cool and his mind calm without using much Origin Energy. That was one of the scripture's innate effects.

In the blink of an eye,

an hour passed. The driver had stopped talking; his mouth was parched, and he only wanted to reach the relay station as soon as possible.

Suddenly,

the driver reined in the horses and cursed, "Why are you blocking the road? Want to die under the horses' hooves?"

"Uncle, could you give me a ride?"

"Oh? You're a woman? Why are you dressed like that?"

"I can pay. Would you be willing to do me this favor?"

"Where are you going?"

"Seven Peaks Town."

"Hm?"

The driver let out a surprised sound, then turned around and asked quietly, "Young master, there's a woman up ahead who's also going to Seven Peaks Town. Should we take her along? If we do, I'll charge you thirty percent less."

Li Qingqiu couldn't be bothered to entertain his little scheme. "Take her along. Let's get moving."

"Sure thing. Climb aboard, miss. And remember to thank this young master. He hired the whole carriage."

"Thank you!"

Footsteps approached, and then the carriage curtain was lifted. A woman dressed in black, wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a bundle, stepped inside. She sat by the window and clasped her hands toward Li Qingqiu.

"Sorry to trouble you, young master. Thank you for your generosity."

As she spoke, the woman in black never loosened her grip on her sword's scabbard.

Li Qingqiu glanced at her and gave a slight nod, then closed his eyes again.

The woman in black thought nothing of it and said no more.

With a woman aboard, the driver found his voice again and kept trying to start conversations. The woman in black answered a few times, but when she saw that he wouldn't stop talking, she fell silent, leaving the driver frustrated.

The rest of the journey passed in silence.

At the relay stations, the woman in black and Li Qingqiu sat at separate tables. They only entered the carriage one after the other when it was time to set off.

Things continued this way until five days later, when they finally reached Seven Peaks Town. Li Qingqiu handed the driver the silver he had prepared, then entered the town.

Seven Peaks Town stood at the foot of a mountain. Many carriages were parked by the town marker, and most of the people there carried weapons, clearly dressed as martial artists.

Li Qingqiu didn't waste any time. He picked someone at random and asked, "Brother, how do I get to the Seven Peaks Alliance?"

The man was short and stocky, with a bamboo basket on his back. He looked like a local. After glancing at Li Qingqiu, he asked, "The Seven Peaks Alliance? See those mountains behind you? They all belong to the Seven Peaks Alliance. You're already there."

Li Qingqiu patiently asked, "Where is their sect located? I'd like to pay them a visit."

"Pay a visit to the Seven Peaks Alliance? Forget it. They might break your legs. Don't ask me—I don't know!"

The stocky man turned and walked away. Li Qingqiu continued asking others, but their reactions were much the same.

At the mention of the Seven Peaks Alliance, everyone acted as if they were afraid of inviting trouble and wouldn't reveal where it was.

Li Qingqiu hadn't expected the Seven Peaks Alliance to inspire such fear. It looked like he'd have to use force.

Just as he was about to find someone to question, the woman in black walked over and said, "You'll get into trouble if you keep asking around about the Seven Peaks Alliance like that. I happen to be going there. What do you need?"

Li Qingqiu turned to look. They stood on the street less than five paces apart. The woman in black raised her head, revealing a strikingly beautiful, cold face beneath her bamboo hat.

This was the first time Li Qingqiu had gotten a good look at her. She was very beautiful, and her eyes held the killing intent unique to martial artists.

The woman in black was tall, about as tall as Li Qingqiu. He was still growing, but already stood around one meter seventy-five.

"My master sent me to deliver a letter. He's tied up with other matters, so he could only send me," Li Qingqiu replied calmly. The woman in black couldn't read a thing from his face.

"If we set out now, we should reach it by tomorrow morning. Do you dare make the journey?"

Li Qingqiu had a delicate, scholarly look about him. Though he wore a sword at his waist, the woman in black sensed no threat from him.

"Then please lead the way, miss." Li Qingqiu smiled and nodded.

The woman in black said no more. She brushed past him, and he turned to follow.

They walked along Seven Peaks Town's main street. The town was quite large and prosperous, and Li Qingqiu even saw a martial arts challenge for a bride.

The Qingxiao Sect could recruit disciples here in the future.

Thinking this, Li Qingqiu left Seven Peaks Town with the woman in black and entered the woods, where they began climbing the mountain.

They didn't take the usual route. It reminded Li Qingqiu of the Tai Kun Mountain Range: there was no path beneath their feet, only weeds and overgrown brush.

Night fell, and the woods grew pitch-black, with almost no visibility. The woman in black had brought a torch, and once she lit the way ahead, she quickened her pace again.

Li Qingqiu didn't need a torch, but he still kept close behind her.

Several hours later,

they reached the top of a slope. From there, more mountains stretched endlessly ahead. The nighttime mist made each peak look terrifying, as if ancient demons were watching them from above.

The woman in black stopped and said, "Once it's light, you'll be able to see the Seven Peaks Alliance's gate."

Li Qingqiu nodded, then asked, "Thank you, miss. May I ask what your connection to the Seven Peaks Alliance is?"

"Why do you ask?"

"If you don't want to say, that's fine."

Li Qingqiu looked toward the oppressive mountain scenery ahead and spoke softly.

If she didn't want to say, that was fine. Even if they became enemies, he didn't care.

The woman in black turned her head toward Li Qingqiu and asked curiously, "Aren't you wondering why we haven't run into anyone from the Seven Peaks Alliance along the way?"

"We took an unmarked mountain trail. Naturally, we wouldn't run into anyone," Li Qingqiu replied casually.

He could tell the woman in black had an unusual background, but he couldn't be bothered to investigate.

The woman in black fell silent for a moment. Then she suddenly drew her sword. With a sharp hiss as the blade left its sheath, it stopped right in front of Li Qingqiu's throat.

"Tell me, who is your master, and what exactly is your connection to the Seven Peaks Alliance?" the woman in black demanded in a low voice.

Li Qingqiu glanced at her, then quickly raised his hand. He flicked the sword with the middle finger of his right hand, sending it flying from her grasp.

It all happened too fast for the woman in black to react. She staggered backward twice, and her sword fell into the grass behind her. The blade sank into the earth, and the hilt quivered.

She stared at Li Qingqiu in disbelief, never expecting him to be so skilled.

That single flick had carried an unstoppable force.

"What I told you was a lie. Your offense against me repays the kindness you showed in leading me here. Go back down the mountain."

Li Qingqiu spoke without expression, then started down the slope.

Wait for daylight?

He didn't want to wait anymore!

Seeing Li Qingqiu head up the mountain, the woman in black couldn't help asking, "Who are you, really? What are you trying to do?"

"I'm an enemy of the Seven Peaks Alliance. I'm going to kill."

Li Qingqiu spoke without looking back, and his words stunned the woman in black.

Kill?

Did he mean to storm the Seven Peaks Alliance alone?

Before she could think it through, she suddenly saw Li Qingqiu leap into the air. His figure plunged like a wild goose into the vast fog and disappeared.

The mountain where the Seven Peaks Alliance was located was extremely tall. It took Li Qingqiu quite some time just to climb it.

He reached the mountain gate and looked up at the three-zhang-tall structure. He couldn't help but marvel at its grandeur. Compared with the Seven Peaks Alliance's gate, the Qingxiao Sect's was utterly unimpressive.

Two Seven Peaks Alliance disciples were asleep, leaning against the gateposts. They hadn't heard Li Qingqiu's footsteps.

Li Qingqiu stepped up to one of them and slashed his throat with his sword. Blood sprayed across the gatepost.

The other Seven Peaks Alliance disciple woke with a start and opened his eyes blearily. When he saw Li Qingqiu and his junior brother's corpse, his eyes flew wide. He was just about to shout when Li Qingqiu lunged at him, clamping his left hand over the man's mouth and holding the Heavenly Rainbow Sword against his neck with his right.

"If you don't want to die, cooperate. Blink if you understand," Li Qingqiu said coldly, staring at the disciple.

The disciple blinked rapidly, afraid Li Qingqiu's hand might slip.

Li Qingqiu pulled him to his feet and said, "Lead me to where your alliance master lives. Try anything, and I promise my sword will be faster."

Li Qingqiu shoved the disciple forward. He stumbled, and just as he regained his balance, he felt something sharp pressed against his lower back. Cold sweat poured down his face.

He began leading the way. They didn't encounter any other disciples; it was already the dead of night.

The roads built by the Seven Peaks Alliance were broad, and there were rows of training grounds. Everywhere showed the imposing presence of a major martial arts sect. After walking for the time it took an incense stick to burn, they reached the First Alliance Master's courtyard.

The Seven Peaks Alliance disciple pointed shakily toward a room. Li Qingqiu suddenly struck the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious. Then, sword in hand, he walked toward the room.