At the foot of Qingxiao Mountain, Li Qingqiu strolled along the banks of the Xi River. Behind him followed Zhang Yuchun, Chai Yunshang, Chu Jing, Xiao Wuqing, and more than a dozen disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall.
With such an imposing lineup, disciples along the way did not dare obstruct them, nor did they dare step forward to greet them.
Today, Li Qingqiu had come to select a site for a prison.
As Qingxiao Sect's disciples grew ever more numerous and the sect's history lengthened, there would inevitably be disciples who strayed onto the wrong path. Mere labor was no longer sufficient punishment for certain crimes.
Chai Yunshang had proposed constructing a prison many times before. Today, it would finally be implemented.
Chai Yunshang had already become the most feared figure among the disciples. No matter one's background, if one committed a mistake, she showed no mercy. Previously, when Yang Jueding overstepped his bounds, she had even dared to confront him directly. Her fierce reputation was firmly established.
"This prison should be built near Qingxiao Mountain. That way, if any incident occurs, it will be easier to suppress," Chai Yunshang suggested as she looked at Li Qingqiu walking ahead.
No matter how Qingxiao Sect developed, Qingxiao Mountain would always remain its strongest stronghold. Unknowingly, the sect had formed a hierarchy. Moving to Qingxiao Mountain had become the aspiration of the vast majority of disciples.
Moreover, the higher one lived on Qingxiao Mountain, the higher one's status.
Chu Jing added, "No. If it is built near Qingxiao Mountain, it may become a future source of calamity. If enemies bribe disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall and coordinate inside and out, this prison will become a deeply embedded thorn."
Chai Yunshang turned her head to look at him, intending to argue that Law Enforcement Hall disciples could never be bribed—but the words caught in her throat, and she could not say them.
Chu Jing continued, "It would be better to construct it on the edge of the Taikun Mountain Range, at least with a buffer distance from Qingxiao Mountain. Even if someone escapes the prison, we can simply capture them again. Isn't that why the Sword Sect was established? Perhaps their escape may harm innocents, but compared to the safety of Qingxiao Sect, that is insignificant."
His words were harsh. Others frowned upon hearing them, yet none could refute him.
No one knew what kind of immortal cultivators this prison might detain in the future.
Li Qingqiu was also contemplating the matter. With him stationed at Qingxiao Mountain, he feared no unexpected changes. But he could not remain at Qingxiao Mountain forever.
Zhang Yuchun rarely disagreed with Chu Jing. He felt that if this prison were not strictly guarded, it would not only harm nearby civilians but also damage Qingxiao Sect's prestige and image. The sect must possess the courage to suppress its own prison.
As the others debated, Li Qingqiu suddenly said, "What if we build this prison as a tower?"
A tower?
Everyone looked at him in confusion.
Constructing a tower would be far more difficult than building a prison. If it were merely a prison, they could rely on the mountain itself and save materials.
Li Qingqiu continued, "In the future, this tower may also imprison demons and fiends that wreak havoc upon the mortal world. It's settled. This tower shall be called the Demon-Suppressing Tower."
"If that is the case, we will certainly need more spirit copper or Ancient Geng Metal Source Iron…" Zhang Yuchun hesitated.
"It's fine. Build it gradually. At present, there are no powerful demons or immortal cultivators that require suppression."
Li Qingqiu spoke casually, and Zhang Yuchun found his reasoning sound.
Indeed, it could be continually repaired and reinforced—just like Qingxiao Mountain.
Even though the sect constantly expanded its peaks, repairs to Qingxiao Mountain had never ceased.
By now, Qingxiao Sect no longer needed to concern itself with mundane wealth. If they requested worldly resources, various forces would proactively deliver them.
What Qingxiao Sect valued were cultivation resources that mortals could not utilize. The spirit copper mountain range held terrifying reserves—more than enough for them to focus on construction.
The group continued forward and ultimately marked a boundary line on an open plot of land behind Ziyang Peak. The Demon-Suppressing Tower would be constructed there.
That very day, news of the Demon-Suppressing Tower spread, prompting widespread discussion among the disciples. Invisibly, they felt pressure, fearing that if they made a mistake, they would be cast into the Demon-Suppressing Tower.
…
In the new year, Liu Jing advanced triumphantly. Before April, he had taken 2 more provinces, dominating 5 provinces in total. During this period, a massive battle erupted. The combined forces of both sides exceeded 1,000,000 troops—one of the rare grand battles since the era of chaos began. In the end, Liu Jing achieved a decisive victory.
In that battle, Li Yuzhong shone brilliantly and was appointed by Liu Jing as Great General Conquering the North, attaining the rank of junior second grade.
Liu Jing's momentum toward unifying the realm had become unstoppable.
In May, Hu Yan's cultivation reached the 4th layer of the Nurturing Essence realm. At this point, his reputation as a genius could no longer be concealed.
More and more disciples learned that the Sect Master's new disciple was a peerless genius—perhaps even more formidable than Jian Du.
Hu Yan's sudden rise also brought hope to Registered Disciples and menial disciples alike, because during the entrance examination, Hu Yan had only become a Registered Disciple. This proved that the entrance assessment did not determine everything.
The Sect Master's discerning eye was once again praised, and the Spirit Management Hall began contemplating how to establish more comprehensive assessment rules.
Yet immortal cultivation ultimately differed from practicing martial arts. Without imparting immortal cultivation techniques, they could not directly judge whether a person's cultivation aptitude was good.
However, Qingxiao Sect left room for new disciples. Even if one performed poorly in the entrance examination, one could earn immortal cultivation methods through labor and contributions. At that time, whatever talent one possessed would naturally manifest. There was no such thing as a genius being buried—only discovered sooner or later.
In the days that followed, some enthusiastic individuals declared that Hu Yan's cultivation speed was the fastest in the sect's history. Neither Xu Ning nor Zhao Zhen could compare to him.
More rational voices pointed out that the current sect differed from the past. Qingxiao Mountain now cultivated numerous spirit plants, and the spiritual energy far exceeded that of earlier times. Moreover, spiritual energy pills were continuously being improved.
Regardless, Hu Yan had completely risen to fame, becoming a top-tier genius whom no one could ignore.
As for Hu Yan himself, he felt uneasy because of it. He cultivated day and night, avoiding contact with others as much as possible.
On this day, in the forest, Li Qingqiu was guiding Yun Cai, Li Shouzheng, Li Shoumin, Xiao Wuming, Hu Yan, and Ji Ya in cultivation.
Ji Ya had come to accompany Hu Yan. The bond between the two had grown increasingly deep. Aside from cultivating, they were almost inseparable. Ji Ya had also introduced Hu Yan to Yang Lin and the other four.
Yang Lin and the others had already become the backbone of the Sword Sect. Though they were not as dazzling as Ji Ya, they were diligently cultivating.
Hu Yan looked at Li Shoumin, who was sitting cross-legged in meditation, and felt a surge of emotion.
Everyone called him a peerless genius, yet why did he feel inferior to this 5-year-old child?
Li Shoumin, who also possessed Exceptional Cultivation Aptitude, had already begun to reveal his brilliance. Every time Hu Yan saw him, he felt inexplicably happy.
He did not enjoy standing at the center of attention. With the aptitude Li Shoumin had displayed, it would only take a few years before his name shook the sect—just like Zhao Zhen back then. Zhao Zhen had been Qingxiao Sect's first prodigious genius, monopolizing the title of number one genius until adulthood.
As Jian Du, Hu Yan, and other geniuses emerged, Zhao Zhen gradually moved beyond the category of "genius." He had become a respected powerhouse in the hearts of the disciples.
While Hu Yan was staring at Li Shoumin, Yun Cai was staring at him from behind.
Yun Cai was observing his Vast and Righteous Energy with her Myriad-Law Spirit Eyes. She was puzzled.
She could tell that Vast and Righteous Energy was not cultivated through ordinary practice. It was a distinct kind of qi. But why did only Hu Yan and the Sect Master possess it?
Could Hu Yan be the Sect Master's illegitimate son?
Had the Sect Master sensed Vast and Righteous Energy and therefore accepted Hu Yan as his disciple?
The story that Li Qingqiu had taken Hu Yan as a disciple purely by instinct had already become a popular tale within the sect. But in Yun Cai's view, it could not possibly be that simple.
The thought that Hu Yan might be Li Qingqiu's illegitimate son left a sour taste in her heart.
However, she did not resent Hu Yan because of it. On the contrary, she even began harboring a sly thought—to befriend Hu Yan. Perhaps that would earn her more favor from Li Qingqiu.
She even began fantasizing about bearing children for the Sect Master. The more she imagined it, the more her cheeks flushed, and her earlobes reddened as though they might drip blood.
Seeing the change in Yun Cai's complexion, Li Qingqiu walked over to her and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Is your blood and qi not flowing smoothly?"
Yun Cai snapped back to her senses and quickly replied, "It's nothing. I was just trying a new sequence for circulating qi."
"There's no need for you to imitate Zhen'er in creating techniques. Just practice according to what I taught you. Sooner or later, you'll gain insights of your own," Li Qingqiu said earnestly.
Even with the emergence of three new geniuses—Li Shouzheng, Li Shoumin, and Hu Yan—Li Qingqiu still valued Yun Cai greatly.
With Myriad-Law Spirit Eyes and Hundredfold Tempering, it was impossible for Yun Cai to fall from the sect's first tier. Li Qingqiu looked forward to the day she would achieve the Awakening Spirit realm and fight for the sect.
"I'll remember that," Yun Cai replied shyly, inwardly hoping Li Qingqiu would leave quickly.
Li Qingqiu rambled on for a few more sentences before finally walking away. Yun Cai let out a breath of relief, closed her eyes, and tried to dispel her wandering thoughts.
They cultivated until dusk before Li Qingqiu dismissed them.
Afterward, Li Qingqiu walked alone toward Lingxiao Courtyard.
This morning, Li Sijin had delivered him a new spiritual energy pill refined by Chen Huilan. He intended to return to his cave dwelling and test its effects.
When he reached the steps below Lingxiao Courtyard, he found Xiao Wuqing waiting for him.
Ever since Yuan Qi departed for Zhongtian Immortal City, Xiao Wuqing had taken over Yuan Qi's duties, responsible for relaying messages to Li Qingqiu.
Upon seeing Li Qingqiu approach, Xiao Wuqing immediately stepped forward, bowed, and said in a low voice, "Sect Master, something has happened at Tianshan Spirit Pool."
Li Qingqiu frowned. "What happened?"
Although Tianshan Spirit Pool was currently regarded only as a blessed cultivation site, it contained abundant resources. Qingxiao Sect would inevitably mine it in the future, so Li Qingqiu valued it greatly. He had stationed several hundred disciples there, half of them true disciples at the 4th layer of the Nurturing Essence realm.
Under such circumstances, what could possibly go wrong at Tianshan Spirit Pool?
"Demons attacked Tianshan Spirit Pool. 15 disciples were killed, and 122 were injured…" As Xiao Wuqing spoke, his face darkened. This was unquestionably a severe loss.
"Ring the Lingxiao Bell."
Li Qingqiu's voice was heavy as he strode up the steps.
Xiao Wuqing immediately went to strike the bell.
Once all the sect's higher-ups had gathered, Li Qingqiu had Xiao Wuqing report the situation. Upon hearing the news, everyone was shocked.
Before any discussion could begin, Li Qingqiu said, "I will personally go to Tianshan Spirit Pool. During this time, Shen Yue and Zhao Zhen are not to enter seclusion. Oversee the sect until I return."
With Jiang Zhaoxia and Xu Ning gone, Shen Yue and Zhao Zhen had become the pillars of support. This matter had to be entrusted to them.
Shen Yue nodded calmly. Zhao Zhen likewise did not refuse. Both were at the 8th layer of the Nurturing Essence realm and had sufficient confidence. Zhao Zhen, in particular, was not far from the 9th layer.