From martial arts sects to immortality sects

Chapter 128 Witnessing Immortality Today

As night fell, Qingxiao Gate remained brightly lit.

Inside the Law Enforcement Hall.

Chai Yunshang is reviewing case files. There are currently over four thousand people on the mountain, and conflicts and frictions occur daily, putting increasing pressure on the Enforcement Hall.

A female disciple entered the room carrying a series of books. She placed them on Chai Yunshang's table and asked, "Master, it's like New Year's outside. Many people think that the sect leader can keep his word. What do you think?"

The female disciple looked young, petite, and had a gentle and lovely face, but her brows were full of worry.

Her name is Yu Lan, a disciple of Chai Yunshang. She is seventeen years old this year. She has only been a disciple for a little over a year, but she has already reached the second level of the Nourishing Yuan Realm, which is enough to prove her talent.

Chai Yunshang looked up at her and said, "Of course I believe the sect leader, why don't you?"

Yu Lan bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I have witnessed the sect leader's power with my own eyes, but it is too risky for him to go to Zhenyang Imperial City alone. He is not only dealing with the emperor, but also the demon soldiers, the demon sect, the forbidden martial guards, and so on..."

"The people of the Demonic Sect are treacherous and cunning. I am really worried about the Sect Master. Although there are many experts in the Qingxiao Sect, and the other hall masters and elders are also very talented, I feel that only when the Sect Master is in charge can the Qingxiao Sect be considered the true Qingxiao Sect."

She seemed to remember something, and her eyes turned red.

Chai Yunshang did not get up, but looked at her calmly and said, "Lan'er, you should let go of the past. You have been in Qingxiao Sect for so long. You must learn to trust Qingxiao Sect and trust the Sect Master. The Sect Master will kill the Emperor, and Qingxiao Sect will also destroy the Demon Sect to avenge your parents and brother."

Yu Lan became an orphan before she went up the mountain. The Demonic Sect killed her parents in order to capture her younger brother, and she was the only one who managed to escape. Later, she heard that the Demon Emperor had been killed by the Qingxiao Sect Master, so she crossed the state to find the Qingxiao Sect. Along the way, she encountered many hardships and even killed people. Because of this experience, she was more mature than her peers and would consider the risks in everything.

There are many disciples like Yu Lan who have had similar experiences. Some disciples' relatives were harmed by the government, some disciples were hunted down by sects and aristocratic families, and some disciples were beggars since childhood.

After arriving at Qingxiao Sect, these disciples, filled with hatred, devoted themselves to cultivation. They never held any hope for the world, and no matter how strong Li Qingqiu was, they were worried that everything they had now would be shattered like a beautiful dream.

Yu Lan hesitated, unsure what to say, as she faced her master's gaze.

Chai Yunshang lowered her eyes and continued to review the case files. She said softly, "If you can't even wait three days, then you are not worthy of being my disciple, nor are you worthy of being a disciple of Qingxiao Sect. You should go down the mountain as soon as possible and find a place to hide, spending the rest of your life in fear and anxiety."

Upon hearing this, Yu Lan was shocked and deeply disturbed, but she ultimately said nothing more. She bowed to Chai Yunshang and then turned to leave.

After she closed the door, Chai Yunshang looked up at the window. The bright moon was reflected in her eyes, but her heart was not as calm as she had said. She also had some worries.

She thought of that night many years ago when she pointed her sword at Li Qingqiu.

"You'll succeed again this time, right?"

……

Li Qingqiu's departure left many disciples of the Qingxiao Sect unable to sleep, some looking forward to his passing, others worried about him.

At this moment, he was sitting on a tree branch, playing with his flying fish knife, sharing the moonlight with the disciples of Qingxiao Sect.

The moonlight shone on his face, making one half of his face bright and the other half dark.

Nangong'e floated over from the side, looked at him, and asked softly, "Master, what are you thinking about?"

Having been a ghost slave for some time, she regained her intelligence and could speak human language like Lin Chuan. Even with her memories intact, she still held a deep-seated awe for Li Qingqiu.

“I’m wondering if killing the emperor will bring even greater despair to the people in the ensuing chaos,” Li Qingqiu replied.

Although the emperor committed many evils, order was still maintained in the various states and cities. When true chaos came, it would be a catastrophic disaster that would engulf the entire world for the common people.

Nangong E floated in the air, her expression calm, and said: "Before I died, the Great Wei was in turmoil and some people rebelled. I also thought about what would happen to the people if my father died. But now, looking back, after my father died, there was a new emperor, and after the Great Wei was destroyed, there was a new dynasty. No matter what happens afterward, the people now certainly hope that you can kill the emperor with your own hands."

She usually hovered around Li Qingqiu, unseen by others, which allowed her to learn about the ways of the world.

Zhao Zhi's behavior shocked her as well; she had never heard of an emperor in history being so ruthless and insane.

Li Qingqiu smiled and said, "What you said makes a lot of sense. I was just thinking about it casually. Now that I'm here, I certainly won't give up. Actually, killing the emperor is not just for the sake of the people. More importantly, the emperor threatens the Qingxiao Sect, and I must get rid of him."

“The truth is that the current emperor threatens everyone in the world. If you just stand up, the people of the world will owe you a favor,” Nangong E said earnestly.

Li Qingqiu closed his eyes and said, "You will also participate in the battle tomorrow, which will be a good test of your cultivation during this period."

He was very interested in the path of ghosts and devised a cultivation plan for Nangong E and Lin Chuan. He even helped them create methods for attacking during the day. He was looking forward to seeing how effective the ghost slaves would be.

Upon hearing this, Nangong E also showed an expectant expression.

Compared to the dull days she spent in the palace before her death, her current life as a ghost slave made her find everything very interesting.

The night air carried the stench of blood, and the forest was silent and oppressive, devoid of insect chirps.

for a long time.

Lin Chuan flew down from the depths of the forest and landed beside Li Qingqiu, recounting his observations of the city.

Upon hearing this, Li Qingqiu revealed a cold smile, a smile that seemed to hold amusement.

……

As the moon sets and the sun rises, the first rays of morning sunlight pierce through the mountains and sweep across the gates of Zhenyang Imperial City.

Soldiers clad in armor stood atop the city gate, while imperial guards wearing demon masks lingered behind them.

Looking in the direction the sunlight swept, the once prosperous Zhenyang Imperial City appeared desolate. Every household had its doors and windows tightly closed, as did the tall buildings, shops, and inns. In the center of the city, there was a vast open space where a platform several tens of feet long and wide had been built.

Along the edge of the platform stood rows of redwood pillars, each bound with a mummified corpse, all of them women. A large black banner stood amidst the bonfire on the platform; even as it burned fiercely, the banner remained unlit, fluttering in the wind.

One by one, soldiers in black armor rushed into the square and quickly surrounded the platform. Then, one by one, imperial guards escorted prisoners who were wearing tattered prison clothes, covered in blood, and all of them were emaciated.

They were led to a high platform and made to kneel before the black banner.

They stared blankly at the stone countertop, their heads bowed, their minds numb.

Not long after, a series of hurried footsteps walked up the high platform. The person in the lead was none other than Emperor Zhao Zhi, followed closely by Master Jiang, Xuan Gong, and a group of ministers.

Zhao Zhi paced back and forth on the high platform, clearly in a bad mood.

He donned a dragon robe and wore an imperial crown, displaying the majesty of the Son of Heaven. His gloomy face only amplified his imposing presence.

Zhao Zhi stopped, put his hands on his hips, and said in a deep voice, "Xuan Qing, who is Qingxiao Zhenren?"

Xuan Gong pointed directly to a person kneeling on the platform and said, "He is Qingxiao Zhenren."

The Qingxiao Zhenren being pointed at was inconspicuous among the prisoners. He looked like an old man in his seventies or eighties, and his body was very thin.

Zhao Zhi glared at Qingxiao Zhenren and gritted his teeth, saying, "Cook him for me!"

"No! Your Majesty, we've come this far, we can't afford to lose our temper!" Xuan Gong hurriedly advised.

Wearing a wide Taoist robe, Master Jiang stroked his beard and laughed, "Indeed, Your Majesty. The bones and muscles of these thirty-six people are the most suitable for medicinal use. They are indispensable. Although they are old now and have lost all their power, the bones and muscles they have cultivated over decades of martial arts training have not changed."

Zhao Zhi took a deep breath, turned to look at the city gate, and said angrily, "It's already dawn. I want to see if Li Qingqiu dares to come!"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but raise his hand to rub his forehead. After his primordial spirit was damaged, he often had headaches. Whenever he had a headache, he would think of Daoist Baishu.

Even though he had already chopped Bai Shu Dao Ren into mincemeat and fed him to the dogs, he was still very angry.

"Whether he comes or not, the grand plan to mend the heavens will begin today. If he comes, that's perfect, it will add another main ingredient. If the rumors are true, he will be a martial arts master second only to the legends of the martial arts world. Such a person is rare." Master Jiang said with a smile, he was very pleased and not afraid of Li Qingqiu's threat at all.

Xuan Gong continued, "One hundred thousand Imperial Guards have been deployed throughout the city, and three thousand Imperial Guards and ten thousand Divine Warriors are already in ambush. As long as Li Qingqiu dares to step into the city, he will never return."

An old minister asked in surprise, "Why would a mere martial arts practitioner require such a large army to defend against him?"

The other ministers echoed this sentiment, expressing their disdain for Li Qingqiu while flattering Zhao Zhi, saying that he would surely gain immortality today.

Zhao Zhi was delighted by their flattery, and his anger dissipated.

He turned around and saw the Imperial Guards carrying a large cauldron up. His eyes burned with fervor, and the thought of attaining immortality today filled him with a restless emotion.

Xuan Gong silently retreated to the edge of the high platform, his eyes behind the mask fixed on Master Jiang, his gaze slightly cold.

at the same time.

On the south gate, a general with a sword at his waist shouted loudly: "Qingxiao Gate is located in Guzhou. If Li Qingqiu really dares to come, he will definitely enter through our gate. Everyone, keep your eyes open. If Li Qingqiu breaks in, we will all die. Not only us, but our families may also suffer. Do you understand?"

The soldiers responded in unison, their voices resounding through the sky.

Hundreds of feet away in the woods, a group of martial artists were hiding behind the trees, looking at the heavily guarded south gate and cursing under their breath.

"That Li Qingqiu ruined our grand plan, he's truly despicable," a female martial artist said through gritted teeth, her tone filled with resentment.

Another middle-aged martial artist spoke up: "Although Li Qingqiu killed the Demon Emperor and became famous throughout the world, his move was indeed unwise. Even if he really came, it would only alert the enemy. He was truly foolish."

Others chimed in, their emotions varying.

"If we don't go in now, the sect leader is in grave danger!"

"Or should we find an opportunity to force our way in? Once we're in the city, we can find a place to hide."

"Are you crazy? With so many soldiers, how are we going to break through?"

"Even if we were to break in, it would have to be at night. Perhaps they would be more vigilant at night after being on guard all day."

They had been lying in ambush for several days, waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the city. As a result, yesterday someone sneaked up to the city wall and heard soldiers talking about how Li Qingqiu of Qingxiao Sect was actually going to break into the city alone and even threatened to kill the emperor. They all thought Li Qingqiu had gone mad.

Just as they were feeling indignant, they heard footsteps coming from behind them. They all turned around and saw a man in a blue robe walking towards them with a sword in his hand.

The man was young and handsome, and did not look like a martial artist, but more like a scholar.

The man in the blue robe walked among them and headed towards the south gate.

"Hey, are you looking for death? You still dare to go to the imperial city now?" a short, stocky martial artist whispered a warning.

"I'm here to keep an appointment."

"What appointment?"

"Kill the emperor."

The blue-robed man's words stunned the short, stocky warrior, who didn't know how to respond.

As the man in blue robes emerged from the woods, another female warrior couldn't help but widen her eyes and exclaim in a low voice, "Could he be Li Qingqiu? How can he be so young?"

　First update at midnight!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)