Chapter 231 – Three Heads and Six Arms

As summer arrived, the weather on Qingxiao Mountain turned refreshingly cool.

In the woods, eight-year-old Li Huaizhen was leading three-year-old Li Shouzheng and Li Shoumin in play; several other children were with them, the eldest about Li Huaizhen’s age.

Ever since their mother, Madam Xu, had brought them to Qingxiao Sect for treatment, the family had stayed on. Li Huaizhen had formally joined and become a true Qingxiao Sect Disciple.

Not far away,

Yuan Qi watched them listlessly. Babysitting a bunch of kids was boring, but Li Shouzheng and Li Shoumin were too important; he dared not let the two boys out of his sight.

His gaze drifted to Li Huaizhen—the boy’s Aptitude was no trifling matter. Who knew, he might become the Sect’s next Genius.

Even if he was a Genius, it hardly mattered; Yuan Qi had seen plenty of those.

Qingxiao Sect towered over the Nine Provinces Land, welcoming talent from across the world. Nowadays many Utility Disciples would have been enrolled outright ten years ago. The bar rose almost every year, proof of how swiftly the Sect was expanding.

Just then a Disciple dropped from the sky, landing amid swirling leaves beside Yuan Qi.

The Disciple leaned close and whispered in Yuan Qi’s ear.

Yuan Qi frowned. ‘Keep watching. Memorize that person’s face.’

‘Yes, sir!’

The Disciple answered, leapt up, and vanished above the treetops.

The one who could make Yuan Qi care so much was naturally his younger brother, Yuan Li.

Yuan Li was seventeen this year. As the Sect Leader’s personal Disciple, he naturally drew attention; this year suitors had begun approaching him one after another.

Yuan Qi would not allow Yuan Li to marry so young. Unlike himself, Yuan Li could pursue immortality; he would not have his brother entangled in mundane romance.

Of course, he had asked Yuan Li—this was Yuan Li’s own wish. As the Elder brother, he would clear these nuisances away.

Elsewhere,

Within Lingxiao Courtyard,

Li Qingqiu sipped tea while Zhang Yuchun outlined a plan for Qingxiao Sect strongholds.

Zhang Yuchun intended to build a city in Zhongtian Province where Sect Disciples could rest, Cultivate, and purchase all manner of cultivation resources.

The site was chosen to serve as a hub for the Nine Provinces Land and, incidentally, to keep an eye on the imperial court.

To found such a city, each Hall’s branch would be installed there, forming a power structure like the Sect itself—mutual checks and balances, perfect order.

Li Qingqiu raised no objection; Qingxiao Sect was ready for this step.

Even with branch Halls, a city needed a master to decide great affairs.

Who could serve as city lord?

‘Senior Brother, we could pick from the Hall Masters and Vice Hall Masters—it would open their current seats.’ Zhang Yuchun offered.

Li Qingqiu nodded. ‘Release the news and see who volunteers; then I’ll choose. The city must stay clear of the mundane world—no mere trading post.’

‘Remember, Qingxiao Sect is to withdraw gradually from worldly affairs; some matters can be shifted downward.’

Zhang Yuchun had many secular Aristocratic Families and Jianghu figures under him; the same was true of other Hall Masters, Deputy Hall Masters, and Elders.

Li Qingqiu felt that worldly industries could later be handed to the Utility Disciples; Cultivators squabbling over money all day harmed the Sect’s image.

Moreover, Qingxiao Sect had now accumulated enough foundation; it should step toward becoming a true Immortal School.

Zhang Yuchun nodded. ‘I’ll take the lead in doing so.’

After a few more words, Zhang Yuchun took his leave.

Within days, news that Qingxiao Sect would build an outer city spread; many Disciples approved. When training far afield, their Spiritual Qi Pills and Spirit Stones could run out; a city in Zhongtian Province would let them resupply sooner.

Some astute Disciples sensed opportunity.

In Qingxiao Sect, besides talent, higher status brought greater resources. A branch city meant branch Halls—many positions awaited them.

After some years outside, seniority accrued; one might return to Qingxiao Mountain in power, with wholly different status and treatment.

More such cities would surely follow, and the first would hold special distinction.

Hall Masters now had headaches as countless Disciples, even their own confidants, came asking for news.

Choosing candidates became a dilemma; if popular support was lacking, hidden troubles could follow.

Several days later, Yuan Qi came to Li Qingqiu to complain.

An Aristocratic Family was incessantly hounding Yuan Li, disturbing his Cultivation.

Though Yuan Qi worked for the Sect Leader, he dared not offend those families outright.

The families active within the Sect almost all had offspring Cultivating inside; they were no longer the secular powers that once begged entry. Yuan Qi felt their pressure.

‘Speak for me: no one is to approach my Disciple about marriage without my leave.’

Li Qingqiu’s words thrilled Yuan Qi; with that backing, he had full confidence. He bowed his thanks and left.

To Li Qingqiu, the matter was trivial.

Those he favored, even without formal posts, inevitably drew Disciples and Aristocratic Families to court them—something impossible to prevent.

He summoned the dao lineage panel to check the profile of the new Disciple.

He was still searching for a suitable special destiny and found it hard to decide.

Before long, Xiao Wuqing strode into the courtyard, bowed beside Li Qingqiu, and said, ‘Sect Leader, a Disciples of the Experience Hall requests an audience. Hall Master Li Sifeng is in trouble.’

At those words, Li Qingqiq’s expression changed instantly. ‘Let him in,’ he ordered.

‘Yes, sir!’

Xiao Wuqing turned and left at once.

Li Qingqiu’s brows knitted; he quickly searched the dao lineage panel for Li Sifeng’s avatar. Seeing it still there, he exhaled in relief.

What could have happened to Li Sifeng?

Even if the Xuanji Sect had an Entering the Dao expert, they shouldn’t have been able to stop him.

Could it be linked to the Demon Land in the north?

The kid never lets anyone rest easy!

The moment Li Qingqiu thought of the Demon Land, pressure bore down on him.

Mainly because he had no idea how strong the demons there were.

Soon Xiao Wuqing led a Disciples of the Experience Hall into the courtyard. Li Qingqiu glanced up: the Disciple’s robe was still blood-spattered and unwashed, his Qi and blood unstable—clearly grievous internal injuries.

The Disciples of the Experience Hall knelt beside the long table. Xiao Wuqing started to withdraw, but Li Qingqiu stopped him.

‘Wu Qing, help him up.’

Xiao Wuqing obeyed immediately.

Li Qingqiu looked at the Disciple. ‘Sit. Tell me slowly—what exactly happened? Don’t rush.’

The Disciples of the Experience Hall drew a deep breath, shifted, and sat.

At Li Qingqiu’s signal, Xiao Wuqing also sat, eyes fixed on the Disciple.

‘Under Hall Master Li’s lead, we pursued the Xuanji Sect northward, razing many of their strongholds. But the northern wilderness is vast; rooting them out completely proved impossible. One evening Hall Master Li decided to turn back. That night we were ambushed…’

Recalling that night, the Disciple shuddered, face bloodless, terror in his eyes.

‘Something attacked us. It was too dark to see. Senior Brother Zheng Yunqiao was cut in half at the waist. Hall Master Li told us to flee while he and the Prison Qilin held the thing off. We ran south…’

Zheng Yunqiao is dead?

Li Qingqiu opened the dao lineage panel—Zheng Yunqiao’s avatar was gone.

With his Spiritual Sense cultivation, scanning thousands of avatars was effortless; he could not have missed it.

His heart sank. Zheng Yunqiao had ranked second among the Thirteen Sword厉, a senior Disciple Li Qingqiu had planned to make a branch hall master.

Now he had died in the northern wilds.

Xiao Wuqing also knew Zheng Yunqiao; his face paled at the news.

The Disciples of the Experience Hall went on: ‘The second night after we parted from Hall Master Li, the thing caught us again. Like Senior Brother Zheng, a female Disciple was suddenly sliced in half, screaming on the ground. We tried to save her, then another was cut down. We could only flee…’

‘We fled south from the northern border. The creature stalked us. By the time I reached the border of Cangzhou, I was alone…’

At this point he broke down sobbing, voice shaking with dread.

Listening, Li Qingqiu thought of something and once more summoned the dao lineage panel.

After a few breaths, his gaze turned dangerous.

He could not find this Disciple’s avatar—meaning the Disciple was already dead.

Then who was sitting before him?

Xiao Wuqing, seeing him weep, comforted, ‘You’re back in Qingxiao Sect; you’re safe. But you must tell us—did you see nothing at all?’

The Disciples of the Experience Hall lifted his head, wiped his tears, and nervously recalled, ‘I only caught a vague human shape—my Junior Brother’s blood splashed on it, outlining it. It seemed to have three heads and six arms…’

Before he could finish—

A soft hiss!

Li Qingqiu formed a sword with his finger, slashed a beam of Sword Qi, and severed the man’s head. Blood spurted from the neck.

Xiao Wuqing’s eyes bulged; he froze in shock.

He had never imagined Li Qingqiu would strike so suddenly.

He stared as the Disciple’s head hit the floor—yet the face did not stiffen; instead it grinned grotesquely.

The severed head lay sideways, eyes slanting up at Li Qingqiu as it cackled, ‘Didn’t expect you to see through me. A Cultivator—and no weak one. Marvelous! I prefer Cultivators to mortals; your Spiritual Qi-laden flesh is delicious—just thinking of it excites me.’

Its wild, evil laughter made Xiao Wuqing’s skin crawl.

Li Qingqiu rose slowly, looking down. ‘What is your goal?’

‘Goal? Why, to devour every last person in your sect!’

The head kept laughing as it began to melt into bloody slime, the skull dissolving with it.

Not only the head—the corpse likewise liquefied into a reeking pool of black-red gore.

Two chapters today—taking a tiny break. It’s freezing, this weather QAQ