Ghosts, Five-Year Plan

Harvest?

Li Qingqiu's first thought was of Bai Ninger. Had the lucky person made a move?

He stood up and walked with Li Sifeng. Yuan Li, holding the Thousand Spirit Fruit, also got up and followed behind the two.

"First, tell me about your experience descending the mountain," Li Qingqiu asked Li Sifeng, tilting his head.

Li Sifeng's height now surpassed his shoulders, reaching almost to his earlobe, which made Li Qingqiu feel a sense of emotion.

This kid can finally handle things on his own.

"Smooth sailing, punishing evil and eliminating wickedness, making a name for ourselves. Nothing much to say, just wiping out bandits. We didn't encounter many experts," Li Sifeng said dismissively. This trip was far less exciting than the previous martial arts tournament, but unlike before, he was the leader, and his sense of accomplishment was still strong.

At this moment, a group of disciples carried large chests into the courtyard gate. Li Qingqiu and the other two stopped.

Cheng Canghai walked in, looking at Li Qingqiu and saying excitedly, "Sect Master, come quickly and see, so much treasure!"

They carried in a total of three large chests. Each large chest required two people to lift, making them appear very heavy.

Li Dongyue and Wu Man'er walked behind. More than their haul, Li Dongyue was more concerned about whether Wu Man'er was injured.

Li Qingqiu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where did this treasure come from? Don't tell me it was a reward from the government. I don't believe it."

Li Sifeng stepped forward, opened a large chest, and said with a smile, "It's the spoils from wiping out the bandits. Those mountain bandits were really rich, but they were wanted and didn't dare to spend it."

Li Qingqiu walked to the large chest and looked inside. It was filled with copper coins, gold and silver jewelry, as well as some scrolls and books. These items clearly looked valuable.

He continued to the other two large chests, which were also filled with treasure. The disciples who had followed Li Sifeng down the mountain to fight bandits looked at Li Qingqiu expectantly, hoping for his praise.

Seeing that Li Qingqiu's expression hadn't changed much, Li Sifeng thought his Senior Brother was unhappy and asked, "Eldest Senior Brother, is something wrong?"

"This treasure was all plundered from the common people by the mountain bandits. It's ill-gotten wealth," Li Qingqiu said.

These words made the disciples' hearts skip a beat, and Li Sifeng became anxious.

"What does the bandits' evil have to do with us? Eldest Senior Brother, you're not going to make us return it, are you? Although our martial arts are powerful and killing bandits is like cutting through vegetables, this mission was still fraught with danger!" Li Sifeng said, his eyes wide, voicing the thoughts of the other disciples.

Li Qingqiu rolled his eyes at him and said exasperatedly, "Return it? Where would we return it to? The government? They might just embezzle it. Later, I'll have your Second Senior Brother sort it out. Two-thirds of the treasure will be taken down the mountain in batches to exchange for grain and cloth, which will be given to the people around the Tai Kun Mountain Range to build a good reputation for the Qingxiao Sect. This is what we deserve, and it's also your contribution."

"Each of you can choose one item from here as a reward."

Hearing this, the disciples were overjoyed and thanked Li Qingqiu profusely.

The Sect Master's words were very direct, but they didn't dislike them. They could support the sect doing good deeds, but they couldn't do it without any reward, especially since this treasure was obtained at the risk of their lives.

Li Qingqiu took out an ancient bronze mirror from one of the large chests, then stepped aside, gesturing for the disciples to start choosing.

Li Sifeng did not join the disciples' scramble. He walked to Li Qingqiu's side and whispered, "Eldest Senior Brother, isn't two-thirds a bit too much?"

"Two-thirds seems like a lot, but distributed to the villages and towns around the Tai Kun Mountain Range, it's not much. To achieve great things, one cannot be stingy. Moreover, this treasure was an unexpected gain, taken from the people and returned to the people."

Li Qingqiu said nonchalantly. The previous Qingxiao Sect was not short of money; at least it could cover daily expenses and various construction projects.

Furthermore, distributing this treasure could attract an endless stream of disciples to the Qingxiao Sect. In the long run, it was not a loss.

Only with more disciples would the chance of geniuses appearing increase. In the past six months, the cultivation aptitude of the new disciples had been very low. He had no choice but to follow Zhang Yuchun's advice and expand the sect's fame to attract more people to join the Qingxiao Sect.

Li Sifeng pouted. Hearing his Eldest Senior Brother's explanation, he could only drop the matter.

Li Qingqiu leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Continue to take Bai Ninger down the mountain in the future. I think that kid has a lot of spirit. When you have time, guide him more."

After speaking, Li Qingqiu patted Li Sifeng's shoulder, then picked up Yuan Li and walked towards the long table not far away.

Li Sifeng looked at Bai Ninger with a strange expression. Because of his small size, Bai Ninger was squeezed between two disciples, with only half of his body visible, looking quite comical.

He didn't see anything extraordinary about the boy, but since it was the Eldest Senior Brother himself who recommended him, he would naturally pay more attention to him in the future.

After putting Yuan Li down, Li Qingqiu returned to his room alone.

Li Sifeng's gains from this trip were indeed significant, but the real harvest was not the treasure, but the mirror Li Qingqiu had picked up earlier.

Back in his room, Li Qingqiu closed the door and sat down at his desk, taking out the ancient bronze mirror he was holding.

The mirror emanated a faint aura of souls.

If Li Qingqiu hadn't practiced the Soul Seizing Curse, he would have had difficulty detecting it, let alone Li Sifeng, whose cultivation was lower.

The Soul Seizing Curse was no simple spell, and Li Qingqiu only practiced it occasionally, so he had not yet mastered it completely. The benefit of practicing the Soul Seizing Curse was that it made his perception of souls more sensitive.

The ancient bronze mirror looked ordinary, even a bit old, and its surface was not clear.

He did not rashly inject Origin Energy into the mirror. Instead, he silently circulated the Soul Seizing Curse meditation technique, his eyes fixed on the mirror's surface.

In a daze, he saw a disheveled woman in white lying in the darkness inside the mirror. She was barefoot, startling him and making him quickly avert his gaze.

There really was a ghost?

This was not the first time Li Qingqiu had encountered a magic item. This indicated that cultivators had once existed in this land. As for why they were no longer present, he did not know.

After much thought, he decided not to alert the snake for now, as he could not determine how strong the ghost in the mirror was. At least, she was still asleep.

He got up and placed the bronze mirror on the windowsill, just out of direct sunlight.

After placing the bronze mirror, Li Qingqiu left the room.

The sunlight outside gradually dimmed until night fell, and the bronze mirror was completely plunged into darkness.

The Lunar New Year festival arrived once more. Compared to previous years, the Qingxiao Sect had gained some new faces, making the holiday more lively than ever.

Chickens were slaughtered, pigs were butchered, and firecrackers popped in unison. The scale of this year's celebration far surpassed last year's, allowing all the disciples to feel the sincerity of the higher-ups.

After three days of revelry, Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Sifeng each led a team down the mountain. One team was out for revenge, while the other was upholding justice.

Once they departed, the Qingxiao Sect became quiet.

At noon, in a forest, nine disciples stood in a line before Li Qingqiu, each with an excited expression, their gazes fixed on him.

These nine disciples were the ones who had shown the fastest martial arts progress throughout the past year. Li Qingqiu would fulfill his promise and teach them the first layer of the Primordial Scripture's mental cultivation method.

"The Primordial Scripture is a unique secret art of the Qingxiao Sect. Mastering the first layer allows one to become a true disciple. I will not demand how long it takes you to achieve this. Even if you only master the first layer after thirty years, I will still teach you the second layer's mental cultivation method. There is one thing you must remember: the Primordial Scripture must not be taught to outsiders. Even if you descend the mountain and start a family in the future, you must not pass it down to your descendants. If the Qingxiao Sect discovers that someone not on the roster has learned the Primordial Scripture, no matter where they are in the world, the Qingxiao Sect will hunt them down relentlessly until death."

Li Qingqiu said sternly, his words calming the nine disciples.

"Of course, if your children wish to cultivate the Primordial Scripture in the future, you may recommend them to join the Qingxiao Sect and openly receive the inheritance. Do you understand?"

Li Qingqiu's tone softened as he spoke with earnestness.

Once more people cultivated the Primordial Scripture, it would eventually spread. All he could do was establish rules in advance.

He would only pass down the Primordial Scripture layer by layer, ensuring no one could surpass him without his knowledge.

Seeing that the disciples looked somewhat fearful, Li Qingqiu wasted no more words and began teaching the mental cultivation method of the Primordial Scripture, also instructing them on meditation and energy absorption.

Reaching the Nurturing Origin Realm Layer 1 would grant one the qualification to roam the martial world.

At the Yangyuan Realm Second Layer, one could be like Yang Jueding, dominating a region.

At the Nourishing Yuan Realm Third Layer, one could contend with anyone in the Guzhou martial arts scene.

Li Qingqiu's current goal was to cultivate one hundred Nurturing Origin Realm Layer 1 cultivators for the Qingxiao Sect within five years.

This was not an easy goal to achieve, as for many, the Nurturing Origin Realm Layer 1 was an insurmountable chasm.

Li Qingqiu only taught them for two days before sending the nine disciples off to cultivate on their own.

The nine disciples had different friends, and they were all questioned about this matter in private. Their lips were sealed, and they did not reveal the Primordial Scripture, but they confirmed that the Sect Master had not lied. As long as they completed their own tasks and diligently practiced martial arts, they had the opportunity to access the sect's secret arts.

Ever since Li Sifeng led his team down the mountain, Zhang Yuchun had remained within the sect, no longer venturing out. He began to strictly manage affairs and cultivate his own team of administrators, saving Li Qingqiu a great deal of worry.

When the winter snow completely melted, people began to ascend the mountain one after another seeking medical treatment. The Qingxiao Sect's reputation had already spread throughout the Tai Kun Mountain Range.

On this day, the wealthy patron Liu Fanzhou, who had funded the construction of roads for the Qingxiao Sect, arrived once more.

Li Qingqiu, Zhang Yuchun, and Li Dongyue personally received him and invited his daughter, Liu Yan, to join them.

Seeing that Liu Yan's health had greatly improved and her complexion was rosy, Liu Fanzhou became even happier. Upon learning that Liu Yan had taken Li Dongyue as her master, Liu Fanzhou immediately produced a jade pendant and presented it to Li Dongyue as a betrothal gift.

After some pleasantries, Liu Fanzhou finally sat down and began discussing world affairs.

"Sect Master Li, I have learned of something. Your Qingxiao Sect should prepare early," Liu Fanzhou said with a serious expression.

Li Qingqiu asked with a smile, "What is it?"

Liu Fanzhou did not keep him in suspense and continued, "The rebel forces in various parts of the realm have been suppressed, and the prefectures are actively eradicating bandits. This catastrophe, which has lasted for several years, has thoroughly awakened His Majesty. The Da Li empire is vast, and there are always areas that the imperial court and the prefectures cannot manage. His Majesty plans to invite martial arts experts from various sects across the land to the imperial palace for a discussion. It is said that they will be granting official titles to the martial sects to protect the common people on behalf of the imperial court."