Chapter 225 – Unifying the Realm

Shen Yue thought himself patient, but after repeating the same lesson for Li Qingqiu again and again, even he grew irritated.

Just as Shen Yue was about to lose his temper, Li Qingqiu suddenly opened his eyes. “Finally got the feel of it.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Sword Qi surged out of his body and condensed into a silver sword soul at his side, its figure identical to his own.

The sword soul began to absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi on its own—weakly, yet unmistakably.

Shen Yue looked calm, but his heart roiled like a storm-tossed sea.

Impossible!

This was the technique he prided himself on; he’d believed no one else could learn it.

Once he’d deemed Li Qingqiu a peerless sword Dao Genius, but after realizing the boy barely focused on sword Dao, that opinion had faded.

Now he felt a chill: Li Qingqiu’s sword Dao Comprehension Ability was terrifying. Was sword Dao too easy for him to bother with?

On reflection, the most frightening Genius in Qingxiao Sect was Li Qingqiu—only two years older than Jiang Zhaoxia.

Between his status as Sect Leader and the Immortal dream he’d invented, many had overlooked his true Aptitude.

At that thought, Shen Yue’s gaze toward Li Qingqiu turned complicated.

Li Qingqiu dismissed the sword soul and forced a smile. “That was really hard.”

Shen Yue’s mouth twitched; he almost struck him.

“We’re done for today.”

Shen Yue stood, performed the requisite courtesy despite his gloom, and left.

Watching his retreating back, Li Qingqiu called, “Elder Shen, I like your sword soul Cultivate method. If you invent anything similar, let me know—I’ve got high hopes for you.”

Who needs your hopes?

Veins bulged on Shen Yue’s forehead; he waved a hand and left without looking back.

Li Qingqiu chuckled; he’d baited the old man on purpose—no one was allowed to out-showboat him.

He strolled toward his Immortal Cave in excellent spirits; the sword soul method would accelerate his Cultivate, and he could hardly wait.

One thing he’d said was true: Xu Ning’s cultivation speed pressured him.

A Master couldn’t let himself be surpassed by his Disciple.

He was secretly pushing himself harder.

Xu Ning had pressured the entire sect, yet Li Qingqiu admired her diligence and hoped she grew ever stronger.

From June, Zhao Zhen and Shen Yue seemed to open the floodgates: more Disciples broke through, numbers at Yangyuan Realm Sixth Layer and Fifth Layer climbing fast.

Early July, Ji Ya reached Yangyuan Realm Seventh Layer; his diligence reminded everyone the Sect Leader still had this Genius son.

The Hundred Refinements Demonic Body grew more terrifying with each Realm; a hundredfold Origin Qi suppression over peers was overwhelming.

Ji Ya could spar with Zhao Zhen for hundreds of moves before defeat.

August brought The Three Xiao Brothers and Cloud Color to Yangyuan Realm Sixth Layer; that month over seventy Disciples reached Fifth Layer, more than three hundred reached Fourth Layer.

The gap between Qingxiao Sect and the secular Martial Forest widened; one unnoticed Disciple became champion of an entire prefecture.

Visible strength gains filled everyone with drive and the feeling that time was too short.

By August’s end, the Experience Hall drove every Xuanji Sect Martial Artist out of Cangzhou; Zhu Xian swept the barbarians and dominated the prefecture.

Voices across the Realm claimed the next imperial surname would be Zhu.

Marquises began surrendering to Zhu Xian; the momentum toward unification surged.

Zhang Yuchun reported to Li Qingqiu, who was pleased.

“Zhu Xian is doing well.”

Li Qingqiu’s praise reached Zhu Xian a month later, heartening him.

Zhang Yuchun hadn’t sent Immortal Cultivators to help, but covert funds plus Li Sifeng and Qin Ye—both unstoppable in the Martial Forest—ensured success.

Zhu Xian had long known the Realm would answer to Qingxiao Sect; he visited Zhang Yuchun.

Zhang made it clear: future emperors must heed Qingxiao Sect, which would not meddle in court so long as peace reigned and the sect’s affairs stayed free of interference.

Yet Zhang was only a hall Master; Zhu Xian still yearned for Li Qingqiu’s endorsement.

Now, even second-hand praise from Li Qingqiu thrilled him.

With Li Qingqiu’s backing, the throne was secure.

While Zhu Xian governed Cangzhou, Li Sifeng marched with Experience Hall Disciples into the Northern Barbarians to uproot Xuanji Sect.

At Yangyuan Realm Sixth Layer, Li Sifeng was unmatched in the secular world, backed by the di xuan sword and Prison Qilin; no Xuanji Sect fighter could stop him.

The Realm neared unification and the sect flourished, putting Li Qingqiu in excellent spirits.

His sword soul method grew smoother, funneling ever more Origin Qi into his body.

By early October, Li Qingqiu stepped into Spiritual Consciousness Realm, Third Layer.

A few days later, Jiang Zhaoxia sought out Li Qingqiu and proudly announced he was ready to undergo his Heavenly Tribulation, asking Li Qingqiu to personally guard him.

Li Qingqiu had not planned to go, but then he remembered Jiang Zhaoxia lacked a Heavenly Thunder Spiritual Root and feared it would not be as easy for him as it had been for Xu Ning, so he agreed.

Once Jiang Zhaoxia stepped onto the Tribulation Platform, news spread instantly.

The Sect was about to produce its third tribulation-taker, exciting the entire School.

This time the one Undergoing Tribulation was Jiang Zhaoxia; Zhang Yuchun, Li Dongyue, Wu Maner, and Li Sijin all hurried over to watch with Li Qingqiu.

“Who knows when I’ll be able to undergo my tribulation…”

Li Sijin sighed. She was only at the Nourishing Origin Realm, Fifth Layer, and though still young, she could feel the gap between herself and the eldest and Third Senior Brothers widening.

Li Qingqiu glanced at her. “If you’d spend more time cultivating instead of slacking, you wouldn’t lag behind. Aptitude isn’t everything—time is ruthless. Skip one hour of practice each day and the difference piles up fast.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll Cultivate properly,” Li Sijin answered irritably, then ran to Li Dongyue’s side to whisper with her.

Li Qingqiu’s gaze shifted to Li Dongyue, a pleased smile crossing his face.

Li Dongyue’s Aptitude was equally mediocre, but she had kept working hard and had reached Yangyuan Realm Sixth Layer, not far from Seventh Layer.

“I must obtain the method to refine vermilion bird blood.”

Watching the two Junior Sisters standing close together, Li Qingqiu made a silent resolve.

Zhang Yuchun chatted with Wu Maner; like Li Sijin, he was only at Nourishing Origin Realm, Fifth Layer, whereas Wu Maner was at Seventh Layer—third highest among the seven Disciples.

Zhang Yuchun was encouraging Wu Maner, hoping he would soon attempt his own tribulation.

Wu Maner could only give a simple laugh, his eyes fixed on Jiang Zhaoxia.

He was not clever, and Li Qingqiu had not put him in charge of anything, so his presence in the Sect was low, yet that did not mean he was without dreams.

He harbored no schemes; he simply wanted to shine like Third Senior Brother, to make his Senior Brothers and Sisters proud and shoulder more for the School.

On the Tribulation Platform, Jiang Zhaoxia was actually very nervous—this was his first tribulation—but when he opened his eyes and saw Li Qingqiu and the other four across the mountain, his heart steadied.

With Eldest Senior Brother there, even if danger came, he would protect him.

The proud Jiang Zhaoxia, deep down, relied on Li Qingqiu more than he would ever admit.

More and more Disciples gathered on the mountain where Li Qingqiu stood to watch Jiang Zhaoxia. Most were the School’s Geniuses for whom tribulation was only a matter of time; gaining experience early could only help.

Three days later, the Heavenly Tribulation began.

When the first thunderbolt struck, Jiang Zhaoxia sensed trouble—his Origin Qi nearly scattered, forcing him to gather even more around his body.

Above a forest, Ming Guang of Tiangong Hall stood atop a tree, stroking his chin as he considered whether to devise a Formation to help Disciples survive tribulation.

Jiang Zhaoxia’s blue-shimmering Origin Qi shield gave Ming Guang an idea; he felt he’d grasped something, though it remained vague, and he sank into deep thought.

Just as Li Qingqiu had guessed, Jiang Zhaoxia’s Breakthrough was far harder than Xu Ning’s.

When the seventh bolt fell, Jiang Zhaoxia was blasted bloody and his robes shredded, drawing cries from Li Dongyue and Li Sijin, who instinctively looked toward Li Qingqiu.

Li Qingqiu frowned but did not move, so the two girls could only turn back to Jiang Zhaoxia.

Jiang Zhaoxia refused to give in; he rose, sword in hand, and performed the Immortal Absolute Three Swords. A dozen Sword Qi Clones appeared on the platform, and when the next bolt came they slashed together, dispersing the thunder with Sword Qi.

It might work!

Bolt after bolt crashed down; by the seventeenth, the sword Clones were annihilated.

Even with the Immortal Absolute Three Swords, Jiang Zhaoxia kept taking new wounds, his injuries worsening and Origin Qi draining faster.

At the twenty-fifth bolt his Origin Qi was exhausted; he dropped to one knee on the platform, gasping, unable to lift his head.

By now he was a figure of blood, and everyone watching from the opposite peak held their breath.

So tribulation was never easy!

Thunder rolled again; everything seemed to slow and his body turned leaden.

“Is this my limit…?”

As the thunder roared in his ears, he could no longer resist and resigned himself to fate.

Yet when the thunder faded he felt no greater pain; struggling, he looked up and saw a figure before him.

He could see only the lower half, but he already knew who it was. A smile crossed his blood-covered face; he stopped resisting and pitched forward. An arm caught his chest, just like when he had fallen from the eaves as a child.

This time the owner of the arm did not scold him but said softly, “Third Junior Brother, you’ve done well. From here, Senior Brother will carry it for you.”