From martial arts sects to immortality sects

Chapter 28 Demon Pet
"Alright, let's not talk about him. Let's talk about you. Are you really planning to stay in Qingxiao Sect for the rest of your life?"

Li Qingqiu turned her head to look at Yang Jueding, her expression becoming serious, and her tone becoming very solemn.

Yang Jueding was taken aback, then asked, "What do you mean? Do you want to drive me down the mountain?"

Li Qingqiu shook his head and said, "You joined the Qingxiao Sect because you were seriously injured and were rescued by us. Your original intention was not to join the Qingxiao Sect. Now that your injuries have healed and your strength has improved, you can do what you wanted to do before."

Yang Jueding frowned and pressed, "You've passed on your secret techniques to me, are you willing to let me leave?"

"You've taught the Qingxiao Sect disciples a lot of martial arts, and even taught Man'er the palm techniques you inherited from your master. What do I have to be resentful about? You don't owe us anything, and we don't owe you anything. We've been together for so long, and we can be considered friends. Isn't it only natural to want your friends to be better off?"

Li Qingqiu answered calmly, his gaze returning to the ground.

Upon hearing this, Yang Jueding fell silent.

Li Qingqiu didn't urge them. Watching the disciples compete below, he nodded slightly. These martial arts disciples had made good progress. With another ten years of training, they should be able to stand on their own.

His plan was to wait until Qingxiao Sect became the number one martial arts sect before announcing its transformation into a cultivation sect. Before that, he would only select disciples with high talent and contributions to secretly train them into cultivators.

Such a plan takes time, but they are young and have plenty of time.

Yang Jueding took a deep breath and said, "Going down the mountain would only lead to a muddled existence. Although I am known as the Dragon-Subduing Hero, I can only help those in front of me, and I might even leave them with future troubles. It would be more meaningful to stay in Qingxiao Sect and watch it grow from a seedling into a towering tree. If Qingxiao Sect becomes a major martial arts sect like the Seven Mountains Alliance in the future, I will be able to help even more people."

His tone was wistful, clearly hiding a story.

Li Qingqiu brought up the Daoist chart panel and saw that Yang Jueding's loyalty had both exceeded ninety, which immediately made him very satisfied.

While loyalty doesn't only increase, an increase indicates a stronger sense of belonging.

Li Qingqiu stood up, turned his head and looked down at Yang Jueding, and said with a smile: "Since you have decided to stay, then show your skills. Qingxiao Sect is still in its initial stage and needs manpower in all aspects. My goal is to make Qingxiao Sect cover the entire Taikun Mountain Range and make the disciples' residences and training grounds spread throughout the mountains."

Upon hearing this, Yang Jueding stood up and said helplessly, "The Taikun Mountains are so vast that there is no sect in the martial arts world that is so large. At most, they can only govern such a large territory."

He understood Li Qingqiu's meaning. If Qingxiao Sect reached that level, the number of disciples would be terrifying. Even the army would find it difficult to use such a large place as a training ground.

If Li Qingqiu could truly accomplish this, then the Qingxiao Sect would likely be able to shake the very foundation of the Great Li Dynasty.

Although it's unrealistic, why does it sound so exciting?

"It's just setting a goal," Li Qingqiu said, waving his hand.

Yang Jueding's eyes hardened, and he replied earnestly, "Then I will accompany you toward this goal."

Li Qingqiu smiled, left after uttering a single sentence:
"We'll see."

He walked towards the sect's interior, preparing to practice his skills in the woods behind the mountain.

Yang Jueding turned his head and watched Li Qingqiu disappear around the bend in the mountain path behind the mountain gate. He couldn't help but mutter, "Small in stature but big in ability, trying to win my heart."

He smiled, not at all disgusted by Li Qingqiu's little tricks; Li Qingqiu's ambitions did indeed intrigue him.

……

With the increase in the number of disciples in Qingxiao Sect, Li Qingqiu was able to dedicate more time to cultivation. Currently, besides him, only Jiang Zhaoxia and Wu Man'er enjoy such treatment. Even Xu Ning has to do other things.

As autumn deepens, the temperature in the world begins to drop.

Another month has passed.

On this day, after noon, Li Qingqiu stood on the hillside, looking down at the farmland below. Zhang Yuchun and the Seven Sons of Qingxiao were following two farmers to plow the fields.

These two farmers are the fathers of the two disciples. They come from a village at the foot of the mountain and have come at the invitation of Zhang Yuchun. Qingxiao Sect is preparing to develop its own farmland. This place is located halfway up the mountain, about half an hour's walk from Qingxiao Sect, which is not too far.

Zhang Yuchun also dug fish ponds, but it was difficult to transport large quantities of fish fry up the mountain, so they needed to be transported in batches.

Besides farmland and fishponds, there are also horse farms. When the Seven Mountains Sect attacked, they brought many horses. Yang Jueding led his disciples to retrieve many of them, and now they can occasionally encounter the lost horses in the mountains and forests.

Not only that, Li Qingqiu also encouraged his disciples to keep pets, hunt, and learn other skills in addition to martial arts. Every month, he would send Zhang Yuchun down the mountain to invite different masters to come up the mountain.

"Ming--"

A screech descended from the sky. Li Qingqiu raised his arm, and a small black eagle swooped down and landed on his arm.

He turned his head and began to tease the little black eagle.

The eagle nest that Zhang Yuchun brought back originally had three eaglets and two eggs. Two of them have already escaped, leaving only one. The remaining two eggs have just hatched, and the eaglets are not yet able to fly.

Li Qingqiu suspected that the reason it stayed was related to the vital energy he usually infused into it, which made it develop a dependence.

He wanted to see if he could use this method to train the eaglet into a demon pet, and it seemed very promising at the moment.

"I wonder when you will be able to understand human nature."

Li Qingqiu looked at the little eagle and murmured to himself, liking it more and more as he looked at it.

If one day I could ride it and fly into the sky, that would be amazing.

He held the eaglet like that, watching the workers below.

He found that he preferred his peaceful and leisurely life to fighting and killing, and he felt a great sense of accomplishment watching his sect grow stronger little by little.

"Senior Brother! Senior Brother!" A voice came from the side, startling the little eagle into flying away. Li Qingqiu turned his head and frowned.

Li Sifeng, carrying a bamboo basket, strode over. He made no attempt to conceal his abilities, using the Gale Technique to rush forward, kicking up a trail of dust.

Li Sifeng stopped in front of Li Qingqiu, his hands supporting his knees, panting heavily.

Li Qingqiu scolded, "You are now a division commander, why are you always so impulsive and reckless? Can't you have some manners?"

Li Sifeng looked up and said, "Some government officials have come up the mountain, heading straight for our Qingxiao Sect."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingqiu immediately said, "Go and tell Cheng Canghai to hide it."

"it is good!"

Li Sifeng immediately ran up the mountain, like a little whirlwind.

Li Qingqiu suddenly realized that every time Li Sifeng ran towards him like this, it brought bad news.

Without giving it much thought, he continued to stand there and watch Zhang Yuchun and the others busy themselves. The Qingxiao Sect now had a certain level of confidence to deal with trouble.

About half an hour later, just as Li Qingqiu was about to leave, he saw a group of people walking out of the distant mountains. The leader was a man wearing a fitted official robe, with a knife at his waist and an official hat on his head. He had thick eyebrows and big eyes with piercing gazes. As he walked forward, he scrutinized Zhang Yuchun and the others.

Behind him were nine constables dressed in identical uniforms, also carrying knives.

The man in the official robes led his men up to Li Qingqiu and said, "I am Feng Dai, the magistrate of Black Stone County. I have come here to investigate the King of Thieves, Cheng Canghai. May I ask who you are from the Qingxiao Sect?"

Li Qingqiu's robes were different from those of the other disciples, and were more imposing. Feng Dai and the others encountered several Qingxiao Sect disciples along the way, so they immediately realized that Li Qingqiu was no ordinary disciple.

“My name is Li Qingqiu, and I am the leader of the Qingxiao Sect. I have never heard of the King of Thieves. If the magistrate does not believe me, he can take people up the mountain to investigate. The Qingxiao Sect will definitely cooperate,” Li Qingqiu replied with a smile.

Door owner?

Feng Dai was surprised, and the other yamen runners looked at each other in bewilderment. Seventeen-year-old Li Qingqiu looked too young and did not seem like the leader of a faction at all.

"Has your master Lin Xunfeng really retired from the martial arts world?" Feng Dai couldn't help but ask. Although he didn't participate in the martial arts world, there were many martial arts figures imprisoned in the county government, so he knew a little about the affairs of the martial arts world.

Upon hearing this, Li Qingqiu's face immediately showed a resentful expression. He replied, "It's not about retiring from the martial world. He's been bewitched and insists on seeking immortality. My junior brothers and sisters and I are struggling to get enough to eat and wear. So, we have to find our own way. What martial arts sect grows its own land?"

He spoke with such sincerity that Feng Dai couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"I see. Then we'll go up the mountain first and try not to cause you any trouble." Feng Dai said and then walked up the mountain.

Li Qingqiu did not stop him. He walked down the mountain, intending to find a place to cultivate.

When he wasn't at the underground spiritual lake, he could cultivate wherever he wanted, and so could the other disciples; the mountains and forests were all places for cultivation.

……

As dusk approached, Li Qingqiu, Zhang Yuchun, and the Seven Masters of Qingxiao led two farmers up the mountain to prepare a feast to thank them and to invite them to stay overnight.

As soon as Li Qingqiu passed through the mountain gate, he saw many disciples gathered in front of the courtyard gate, crowding around it.

Did something happen?
Li Qingqiu raised an eyebrow, but he did not quicken his pace.

As the sect leader, one must remain calm and composed!

Zhang Yuchun didn't have the same good mindset; he just rushed up.

"Make way!"

Zhang Yuchun spoke, and the disciples turned around to see their sect leader had arrived. They all bowed to Li Qingqiu.

As soon as they dispersed, Li Qingqiu saw Feng Dai in the center of the courtyard. Feng Dai was meditating and circulating his internal energy, surrounded by nine yamen runners who were warily scanning the Qingxiao Sect disciples.

"Master is here!"

When Qin Ye saw Li Qingqiu, he immediately shouted, causing everyone in the courtyard to turn their heads to look.

Li Qingqiu strolled leisurely into the courtyard, glancing around. He saw Yang Jueding, Wu Baoyu, and Zhang Yu, but Cheng Canghai was nowhere to be seen.

"what happened?"

Zhang Yuchun walked ahead of Li Qingqiu and asked.

Li Sifeng, who was squatting on the eaves, grinned and said, "This man was ignorant of his own limitations and insisted on challenging Grandpa Wu. As a result, he was severely injured in one move. His men insisted that it was our fault and wanted to arrest us and take us to the county government."

Li Qingqiu looked at Wu Baoyu, who was busy chopping wood and did not stop because of his arrival.

Yang Jueding stood aside with a gloating smile on his face.

Zhang Yu frowned, looking at Wu Baoyu, seemingly lost in thought.

Li Qingqiu walked up to the constables and, through the wall of people, asked with concern, "Magistrate Feng, are you alright? I know a little about medicine and can help you."

Feng Dai's face was pale. Upon hearing Li Qingqiu's words, he opened his eyes, turned his head to look at Li Qingqiu, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Sect Leader Li, this person is a demonic protector who has slaughtered the martial world for twenty years. You have been deceived by him. He is utterly wicked and has committed countless evil deeds!"

(End of this chapter)