Nourishing Yuan Realm Fourth Layer

In the bitter cold of deep winter, snow blanketed the Qingxiao Sect courtyard, and today's chill struck straight to the heart.

After hearing Qin Jue's news, Li Qingqiu and Zhang Yuchun's expressions changed as well. Neither of them had expected Wu Baoyu to die just like that.

Although Wu Baoyu had not spent long at the Qingxiao Sect, they had still lived together day and night. His death had shaken them.

Zhang Yuchun was especially affected. He had invited Wu Baoyu up the mountain, and afterward, he had been the one to speak with him the most. Now, hearing that Wu Baoyu had died a gruesome death, he trembled all over.

Yang Jueding was the first to react. He deliberately raised his eyebrows and asked in surprise, "A Demonic Sect protector? That's an unrivaled expert. How could he be so foolish as to storm the Imperial Palace alone?"

He drew Qin Jue's attention. Qin Jue shifted his gaze from Qin Ye to Yang Jueding and replied, "Exactly. I was puzzled when I heard the news, too. People say he might have gone mad from practicing his martial arts. After all, once the current emperor took the throne, he ordered the Demonic Sect wiped out. The Demonic Sect's remnants must hate him."

"Those old-generation martial artists who made names for themselves throughout the jianghu really are formidable. The Imperial Palace is heavily guarded, yet he forced his way in through the main gate and fought all the way to the emperor's bedchamber. It's unbelievable. They say even the imperial guards were roused that night. Even the Heavenly Protection Guard had to work hard to capture him. He truly had the courage to stand against ten thousand. If someone like him could serve on the battlefield, it would be a blessing for Great Li. What a pity he fell into the demonic path."

"Wu Baoyu committed countless evils. He deserved to die. I'm just afraid the emperor was frightened and will launch another major purge of the martial world."

As he finished speaking, worry showed on Qin Jue's face.

Seeing that Zhang Yuchun looked troubled, Li Qingqiu couldn't help asking, "Were there any other major events in the jianghu?"

Qin Jue turned to Li Qingqiu and smiled. "Of course. There's never a shortage of fresh news in the jianghu. I hear the Azure Cult and the Seven Peaks Alliance are about to fight. The Azure Cult is ambitious. It might become the next Demonic Sect."

Qin Ye noticed Yang Jueding signaling to him. He hurriedly picked up his broom and turned his back to Li Qingqiu and the others, continuing to sweep the snow. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

His tears fell onto the snow, leaving no trace—just like Wu Baoyu's death.

After chatting for a while, Li Qingqiu took the opportunity to leave with Zhang Yuchun, leaving Yang Jueding to keep Qin Jue company.

Once they were back inside, Li Qingqiu had barely closed the door when Zhang Yuchun couldn't help slapping himself.

Li Qingqiu turned to him and asked with a frown, "What are you doing?"

Zhang Yuchun gritted his teeth. "If I hadn't brought him to the Qingxiao Sect, the county magistrate wouldn't have discovered him, and he wouldn't have stormed the Imperial Palace. Senior Brother, he went to his death to clear us of suspicion. Now that he's dead, no one will care who he met while he was alive."

Li Qingqiu shook his head. "How could you have foreseen all that? Besides, I think he would have gone to the Imperial Palace even if he'd never come to the Qingxiao Sect. It was only a matter of time. Have you forgotten why he accepted other people's challenges? He wasn't seeking defeat. He only wanted to pass on his ultimate technique. And during his time on the mountain, didn't you notice how lifeless he seemed? His spirits were low, as though nothing could surprise or delight him."

Zhang Yuchun's expression eased, but his heart remained heavy.

This was the first time someone he knew had died—and died so horribly. A fire smoldered inside him, but he didn't know how to let it out.

Li Qingqiu said earnestly, "Second Junior Brother, the Qingxiao Sect is still too weak. There are many things we can do nothing about. All we can do is work hard to grow stronger and avoid repeating other people's tragedies."

Zhang Yuchun took a deep breath and nodded slightly.

The two chatted briefly, then Zhang Yuchun left.

Li Qingqiu was alone in the room. Sitting cross-legged on his bed, his expression darkened.

Wu Baoyu's death had truly shocked him. Jiang Zhaoxia had needed to break through to the Nourishing Yuan Realm Third Layer to defeat Wu Baoyu, and that had only been a spar. With his life on the line, Wu Baoyu must have been even stronger.

Someone in the Imperial Palace had actually been able to kill a martial artist comparable to the Nourishing Yuan Realm Third Layer!

Then he thought about it and decided it made sense. As the most powerful person in the land, the emperor could surely gather the strongest experts in the Great Li Dynasty.

Not every expert was willing to hide away in the wilderness.

Wasn't the point of practicing martial arts and growing stronger to pursue fame and fortune?

Li Qingqiu was desperate to grow stronger. The land was in turmoil, and who knew when the Imperial Court's blade might fall upon the Qingxiao Sect?

After spending the time it took to burn an incense stick alone in his room, he went outside to prepare for New Spring with the disciples.

This was the second New Spring festival the Qingxiao Sect had celebrated since he became sect leader. He couldn't let his mood affect the disciples.

During the holiday, Qin Jue found a chance to ask Li Qingqiu if he wanted more disciples. The Qin family could send another group, but Li Qingqiu politely declined.

After the festivities ended, Qin Jue took his servants down the mountain, and the Qingxiao Sect returned to its usual routine.

That night, Li Qingqiu took Qin Ye into the woods and taught him the first layer of the Primordial Scripture. During the lesson, Li Qingqiu didn't mention Wu Baoyu.

Ever since learning of Wu Baoyu's death, Qin Ye had grown quiet and lost his usual liveliness. Li Qingqiu was worried he might take it too hard, so he taught him the cultivation method to comfort him.

Half a month later.

Li Qingqiu finally broke through to the Nourishing Yuan Realm Fourth Layer. With his Heavenly Thunder Spirit Root, he was now the fastest cultivator in the sect, since he also spent the most time at the underground Spirit Lake.

The leap from the third layer to the fourth brought a greater improvement than the gap between the first three layers. It eased the unease in his heart, too.

Jiang Zhaoxia hadn't broken through to the Nourishing Yuan Realm Fourth Layer, but he had created a sword technique.

Sword Control Technique!

That day in the woods, Li Qingqiu watched Jiang Zhaoxia stand on a sword, suspended in midair, and stared in amazement for quite a while.

The Nine Heavens Divine Palm was flashy, but it didn't suit his path, so he hadn't learned it. Jiang Zhaoxia's Sword Control Technique, on the other hand, was something he truly wanted to learn.

When his Senior Brother asked to learn it, Jiang Zhaoxia didn't refuse. In fact, he was delighted, feeling that he had earned recognition and surpassed Yang Jueding's creation.

As the winter snow melted away completely, spring came to the Tai Kun Mountain Range, and vibrant life spread across the mountains and plains.

One day, a breeze swept through the mountain forest.

In a patch of wasteland, Cheng Canghai leaned on his hoe and gazed toward a figure atop a nearby peak. It was Li Qingqiu, with a hawk circling overhead.

After joining the Qingxiao Sect some time ago, Cheng Canghai had found himself with more and more questions about the place.

How could their lightness skills make them fly?

How could the hawk here have Internal Energy?

How could the children here be so strong?

The sect leader was the hardest to figure out. Cheng Canghai had never seen him practice external martial arts. Either he was nowhere to be found, or he was meditating. He was practically an immortal.

"Thief King, quit slacking off!"

Yu Lin called out from not far away. The words "Thief King" made a vein bulge on Cheng Canghai's forehead. Those brats just loved teasing him with that title.

The mighty Thief King, stuck digging and chopping firewood. If word got out, it would be a laughingstock.

"Got it."

Cheng Canghai replied irritably. He glanced at the peak again, only to find that Li Qingqiu and the hawk had vanished.

He was used to it by now. He merely shook his head and went back to work.

Meanwhile, Li Qingqiu and the young hawk he had nourished with Origin Energy were darting through the forest, chasing each other.

He had taken the hawk to the underground Spirit Lake before. Since then, it had grown quickly. It was twice the size of its siblings—an astonishing difference.

Even as it flew through the woods, its body was nimble enough to dodge the crisscrossing branches, its speed as swift as a startled rainbow.

Li Qingqiu used the Gale Technique, yet could only keep pace with it.

After traveling five li along the mountain path, Li Qingqiu stopped and whistled. The hawk turned, circled around a big tree, and flew toward him, finally landing on his shoulder.

It was already almost as big as Li Qingqiu's upper body, forcing him to tilt his head toward it.

"Xiao Ba, could you eat a little less? You're so heavy I can barely carry you."

He stroked its head as he asked with a laugh.

Xiao Ba was the hawk's name. He hoped it would become a little brother to his junior brothers and sisters and protect them in the future.

Xiao Ba bobbed its head from side to side, looking utterly comical.

They continued on. After about half an hour, they reached a mountain ravine, where Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Sijin were waiting.

Jiang Zhaoxia sat meditating on a rock by the stream, while Li Sijin sat on the open ground beside him. Sheets of yellow paper lay before her, along with a brush and inkstone. The ink, however, was bloodred.

At that moment, Li Sijin was pouting, looking thoroughly vexed.

"What's wrong? Run into trouble?" Li Qingqiu's voice drifted over. Li Sijin turned and saw her Eldest Senior Brother emerge from the woods. Rather than smile, she glared.

"Eldest Senior Brother, this Earth Talisman Treasure Codex is so difficult. I can't even make the most basic spirit talisman."

Li Sijin complained, grabbing her head and scratching hard until her hair was a mess.

The Earth Talisman Treasure Codex she spoke of was the legacy reward Li Qingqiu had received earlier, unlocked when Yang Jueding created a technique.

A person's energy was limited. No one could keep learning different spells and ultimate techniques forever.

Each of his other junior brothers and sisters had chosen their own path, so after thinking it over, Li Qingqiu had asked the youngest, Li Sijin, to study the Earth Talisman Treasure Codex.

No one in the sect knew anything about it anyway, so he figured Li Sijin could take her time figuring it out.

Li Qingqiu smiled. "Then think about it. Isn't studying Talismans easier than fighting and killing?"

Li Sijin pouted. "I'm just venting. I don't want to give up."

Li Sifeng's injury had been a great shock to her. Over the past year, she had changed a lot. She had become diligent in her cultivation and wasn't nearly as playful anymore.

Li Qingqiu crouched beside her and began discussing the Earth Talisman Treasure Codex with her. After he asked a few questions, she found her footing.

She realized she had made some progress after all. At least, the questions her Senior Brother asked seemed foolish to her.

Hearing Li Sijin tease Li Qingqiu, Jiang Zhaoxia couldn't help smiling as he sat with his back to them.

Li Qingqiu stayed with them for half an hour before continuing up the mountain.

Li Dongyue and Li Sifeng were going to the underground Spirit Lake today. He had a rare chance to relax, so he didn't cultivate.

When he reached the mountain where the Qingxiao Sect stood and arrived halfway up, he saw a group of people. They were Feng Dai and his nine constables.

Feng Dai and the others seemed to be caught in an argument and hadn't gone up the mountain.

They soon spotted Li Qingqiu. Once he drew near, Feng Dai suddenly walked over and knelt before him. The nine constables also dropped to one knee.

"I was the one who caused Senior Xiao's death. Please punish me, Sect Leader!" Feng Dai said through clenched teeth, his face stricken with grief.

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