From martial arts sects to immortality sects

Chapter 144 The Vanished Cultivator

Looking at the Soul-Snatching Flying Sword before him, Shen Yue's heart sank into an endless abyss. He had never felt so powerless. The joy of becoming a sword cultivator vanished, replaced by confusion.

When Li Qingqiu retrieved the Soul-Snatching Flying Sword, Shen Yue was still standing there in a daze.

Zhao Zhen and Ji Ya were overjoyed and rushed to Li Qingqiu's side, pressing him for the secret to using the Soul-Stealing Flying Sword.

Yuan Li looked at Shen Yue with concern, hesitating to speak.

Li Qingqiu glared at Zhao Zhen and his companion, scaring the two boys into hiding to the side.

Seeing Shen Yue's dejected expression, Li Qingqiu said irritably, "What's with that expression? It's not just you who's been working hard in your cultivation, I haven't slacked off either. If you catch up with me so easily, then what about the time you lost to me before?"

Upon hearing these words, Shen Yue was immediately jolted awake.

Yes.

If Li Qingqiu were so easy to defeat, why would he work so hard?

Li Qingqiu looked at Shen Yue and continued, "You have great talent and comprehension. Martial arts have hindered your talent. As long as you work hard in your cultivation, your achievements will be limitless. I even think you are the most promising person in the sect to become an immortal."

Immortal!

Ever since Li Qingqiu assassinated the emperor, the Tianhong Sword has been floating around him at all times, and some people in the sect have been saying that the Hunyuan Scripture is actually a celestial technique.

As the number one martial arts master in the world, Shen Yue was well aware that there was a fundamental difference between martial arts techniques and the Hunyuan Scripture, but he had never received a definite answer.

Upon hearing Li Qingqiu's words, Shen Yue felt a surge of excitement coursing through his body, rushing straight to the top of his head. He felt both the joy of being recognized and the intense anticipation of pursuing the path of immortality.

Who in the world doesn't want to cultivate immortality? Especially those who practice martial arts. The vast majority of martial arts practitioners think about strengthening their physique and transcending the mortal world. Shen Yue is no exception.

Yuan Li and the other two were also stunned by the words "becoming an immortal," but their feelings were far less profound than Shen Yue's.

Shen Yue looked at Li Qingqiu, his heart filled with excitement, but a thousand words were stuck in his throat.

"Would you like to learn that move you just used?" Li Qingqiu asked with a smile.

Shen Yue snapped out of his daze and couldn't help but ask, "Is it alright?"

He had to admit that Li Qingqiu's sword move was very strong. He had never seen such a sword move before. He was actually frozen in place when faced with that sword shadow.

This was definitely not because he was frightened, but because the sword shadow did indeed possess some kind of suppressive force, giving him a terrifying feeling that his soul and body were about to separate.

Extremely fast sword speed!
An extremely sharp edge!
And an unbelievable suppressive force!
Shen Yue thought this move was absolutely perfect, and he was indeed tempted to learn it.

When Li Qingqiu heard him ask this question, she immediately beckoned to him, signaling him to come over.

Just as Shen Yue hesitated, Yuan Li stepped forward, took his arm, and turned to walk towards Li Qingqiu.

Looking at ten-year-old Yuanli, Shen Yue felt a chord in his heart, and a smile appeared on his face, though he couldn't help but laugh at himself.

"Having lived for eighty-one years, why are you still so concerned about saving face? Losing is losing, what's there to be so hung up on?"

After figuring things out, Shen Yue felt relieved and walked towards Li Qingqiu with anticipation.

Afterwards, Li Qingqiu passed on the Soul-Snatching Flying Sword to Shen Yue, but Shen Yue, who always had a great understanding of swordsmanship, couldn't figure it out.

Because the Soul-Stealing Flying Sword involves the true meaning of the soul, Shen Yue had never come into contact with this kind of magic before.

He couldn't figure it out, and Li Qingqiu couldn't figure it out either.

"You don't understand the laws of the soul, yet you can create a sword soul?" Li Qingqiu asked, his eyes wide.

Shen Yue was annoyed and glared at Li Qingqiu, saying, "So what?"

The two glared at each other, making Yuan Li and the other two nervous, fearing that they would start arguing or even come to blows.

What if Master kills the Sword God?
……

Two days later, another stele was erected on the casting road in front of the Xuanxin Hall to record Shen Yue's entry into the Dao and his opening of the sword cultivation path for the Qingxiao Sect.

This incident caused quite a stir within the Qingxiao Sect, with the disciples very curious about what a sword cultivator was.

The one who reacted the most was naturally Jiang Zhaoxia.

Jiang Zhaoxia found Li Qingqiu and questioned him about whether he had deliberately tried to win over Shen Yue.

Li Qingqiu told him to go find Shen Yue, and he went immediately.

Half an hour later, Jiang Zhaoxia returned to Li Qingqiu and said, "Senior Brother, you did the right thing. My swordsmanship is indeed inferior to his, but I will make up for it sooner or later. Just wait, I will also become a sword cultivator."

“Senior brother believes in you. Shen Yue has only achieved the level of a sword cultivator, but in senior brother’s eyes, you are capable of becoming a sword immortal,” Li Qingqiu said earnestly.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxia's pent-up frustration vanished instantly. He smiled radiantly and said, "When I become a sword immortal, senior brother, you must erect a monument for me. I will leave behind the legacy of a sword immortal."

"Of course, I've always looked forward to that day," Li Qingqiu said with a smile, kicking Jiang Zhaoxia as he spoke.

Jiang Zhaoxia couldn't help but think of his childhood, and he felt at ease again.

Although more and more experts and geniuses are joining Qingxiao Sect, the senior brother still has high hopes for him, and for him, that is enough.

He quickly took his leave, preparing to return and become a sword cultivator.

With the martial arts tournament imminent, the Sword God has opened up the path of sword cultivation, making Qingxiao Sect even more lively.

Many disciples are discussing what it means to be a sword cultivator.

Those pilgrims and dignitaries were also wondering, what is the difference between a sword cultivator and a swordsman?
End of March.

Inside a guest courtyard, King Zhao Qi of Wei sat at a stone table, drinking tea with a somewhat gloomy expression. He had come to Qingxiao Sect to gain their support, and he had even promised that if he ascended the throne, he would designate Qingxiao Sect as the sole ruling sect, giving it control over the secular martial arts world.

However, Zhang Yuchun did not agree.

Although Zhang Yuchun politely declined and did not embarrass him, he still felt slighted.

The Qingxiao Sect clearly doesn't trust him.

A man dressed in a tight-fitting purple robe quickly entered the courtyard, came to Zhao Qi's side, and spoke in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qi's expression changed drastically. He crushed the teacup in his hand and gritted his teeth, saying, "The Cui family dares to compete with me for the throne? They've gone too far! How dare they!"

He was furious, like a raging lion.

The man in purple said in a low voice, "My lord, we can't stay here any longer. The affairs of the world cannot be delayed. Every day, someone rises to prominence, and every day, a new lord grows stronger. With Zhao Zhi dead, the imperial authority has been damaged, and the remaining power of the Zhao family cannot suppress the ambitions of the people."

Zhao Qi took a deep breath, stood up, and said, "Go and summon Pei Zhangzhi. He will come down the mountain in one hour."

"Yes!"

The man in purple left the hospital immediately.

An hour later, Zhao Qi descended the mountain with his entourage and younger generation, but Pei Zhangzhi did not follow.

He and Zhang Yuchun stood on the cliff, looking down at the departing figures of Zhao Qi and the others below.

Pei Zhangzhi said helplessly, "The affairs of the world are urgent, I hope Hall Master Zhang will not take offense."

Zhang Yuchun remained calm and said, "Lord Pei, do you really think the King of Wei can pacify the world? He has already failed once."

Upon hearing this, Pei Zhangzhi was not confused; his choice to stay already represented his determination.

Pei Zhangzhi turned his head to look at Zhang Yuchun and said, "Since Hall Master Zhang is so sincere to me, I will not beat around the bush. King Wei really does not have that ability. I would like to ask, who in this world does Qingxiao Sect think has the ability to shoulder the responsibility of the common people?"

Zhang Yuchun withdrew his gaze and turned to face Pei Zhangzhi.

Zhang Yuchun, who was usually gentle and mild-mannered, had no smile on his face at this moment, and his aura was in no way inferior to Pei Zhangzhi's.

"Qingxiao Sect will not interfere in the struggles of the world, but will never allow anything that is immoral or immoral to happen. Whoever sits on the throne, as long as they follow the will of the people, Qingxiao Sect will always welcome them. What Qingxiao Sect wants to do is never to contend for supremacy. The martial arts world and dynasties are not in our eyes."

Zhang Yuchun stared at Pei Zhangzhi and said something that puzzled Pei Zhangzhi.

Pei Zhangzhi narrowed his eyes and asked, "If the Pei family wants to rule the world, will the Qingxiao Sect spare the Pei family out of consideration for Sifeng and Miao'er's marriage?"

Zhang Yuchun replied, "Qingxiao Sect never initiates conflicts."

Pei Zhangzhi smiled and said, "Zhang Tangzhu's words are enough."

The two chatted for a while longer before Pei Zhangzhi took his leave.

Zhang Yuchun remained where he was, watching Pei Zhang descend the mountain. He murmured to himself, "However, Qingxiao Sect will not let anyone who provokes us get away with it; we will show no leniency."

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

……

As soon as April arrived, the preliminary rounds of the martial arts tournament officially began amidst the anticipation of thousands of disciples from the Qingxiao Sect. The competition was held at the foot of the mountain, where ten martial arts arenas were set up for the disciples to hone their skills.

Guangyuantang temporarily recruited one hundred registered disciples to help maintain order.

The ten martial arts arenas were completely surrounded, and even the hall masters came to watch the excitement.

Li Qingqiu, however, did not go. He was enjoying wine in Lingxiao Courtyard. This fine wine was a gift from a prominent family and was very potent.

He's not going to practice his skills or join the crowds today; he's waiting here specifically for someone.

As the disciples all went down the mountain to watch the martial arts competition, Li Qingqiu felt that Qingxiao Mountain had become deserted and he was quite unaccustomed to it. Even Yuan Qi, that kid, was nowhere to be seen.

Just as he was sipping his wine, a figure descended from the sky and landed in the courtyard.

It was Shen Yue.

Shen Yue stood on a wooden sword, which hovered in the air, kicking up clouds of dust.

Li Qingqiu raised his hand and waved it forward, saying irritably, "You're supposed to be the Sword God, why are you always flying around like that, as if you're afraid people won't know you can fly?"

Shen Yue, dressed in an elder's blue robe, exuded an air of otherworldly elegance, reminiscent of a sword immortal. Upon hearing Li Qingqiu's words, he snorted coldly and offered no response.

He jumped off the wooden sword, walked to sit opposite Li Qingqiu, and said softly, "I went along the route you mentioned and found that there is indeed a spirit mine in a valley along the eastern coast. It contains not only spirit stones, but also special ores that are very hard and suitable for forging divine weapons."

The place he mentioned was the very place where Li Qingqiu had previously initiated a period of good fortune.

This is the first time Li Qingqiu has not personally gone to find the blessed land. The reason he sent Shen Yue is twofold: firstly, Shen Yue's loyalty has reached 95; and secondly, this blessed land was originally opened by him.

"It seems the immortal in my dream didn't lie to me. That ore is no ordinary mineral; it's ancient Gengjin Yuantie, which is even more valuable than spirit stones," Li Qingqiu said with a smile.

He knew the names of those iron mines because in Fu Yuan's memory, he saw a stone tablet that recorded the names of the iron mines.

Although that open space was naturally formed, it had been owned before.

That's why Li Qingqiu was certain that there had once been a cultivation sect on this land, but for some reason, the cultivators all left. Some left behind cave dwellings, while others left behind various resources. Judging from these signs, the cultivators left in a hurry. If they weren't in a rush, they could have easily taken these resources with them using storage bags or other storage magic tools.

“However, I felt it was dangerous there. Before I went in, I felt like something was watching me,” Shen Yue said, frowning.

　First update of the night!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)