Chapter 290: Nine Immortals Cult

Li Qingqiu did not take the matter of Wenxian Temple to heart. He didn’t even ask much about the Spirit Mine because there were far too many other things worth his consideration.

Only if the Disciples were unable to resolve it would he need to personally intervene.

After drinking a pot of wine in the Lingxiao Courtyard, Li Qingqiu finally departed.

【Remember this site’s domain name. Reading Taiwan novels? Super Powerful is your first choice.】

He prepared to Cultivate Divine Abilities. Recently, aside from meditating to absorb Qi, he spent the rest of his cultivation time studying the Extreme Movement Technique and the Immortal Absolute Three Swords.

Defeating the Sword Leader remained his personal goal. He didn’t even look forward to the Taijue Sect’s Legacy; he simply wanted to defeat the Sword Leader… Time flew by.

Time passed like an arrow.

In the blink of an eye, a year had passed.

It was early autumn once again.

Li Qingqiu sat before the long table in the Lingxiao Courtyard again, drinking wine while listening to Chu Jing and Xiao Wuqing report on the School’s situation.

Nowadays, Li Qingqiu rarely intervened in the School’s affairs personally. Chu Jing and Xiao Wuqing had become his eyes, acting on his behalf. However, he would still personally tour the various peaks every so often to put the Disciples’ minds at ease.

He had already reached the sixth layer of the Spiritual Consciousness Realm, yet he had still lost to the Sword Leader this morning, which left him feeling somewhat depressed.

However, with his 【Vast Righteous Qi】, his state of mind wouldn’t sink too low; he was just a bit puzzled.

“Currently, there are Spirit Mines throughout the Nine Provinces Land, totaling over forty. A steady stream of Spirit Stones is being sent to the Taikun Mountain Range. However, the process hasn’t been smooth lately; someone actually dared to attack our transport Disciples. This is not a good omen.” As Chu Jing spoke of this, his eyes beneath the mask turned cold and sharp.

Xiao Wuqing remarked with emotion, “Our School is so powerful, yet people still dare to take such risks. The human heart is truly unpredictable. This matter must be thoroughly investigated to see if it’s the work of other Schools or our own Disciples.”

Li Qingqiu said nothing. As the number of Disciples grew, the number of those with low loyalty was also increasing. Currently, there were over ten thousand Disciples with loyalty below fifty, and a thousand with loyalty below thirty.

He couldn’t simply label all one thousand of them as potential traitors.

Having been the Sect Leader for twenty-five years, Li Qingqiu realized one thing: nothing would ever go smoothly forever. Even if the Qingxiao Sect had no external enemies, internal troubles would arise. This was his responsibility—to adjust the School’s direction of development.

“Xiyu Immortal City has been constructed. Gu Changping hopes for more True Disciples to be stationed there. He says there are more monsters there than expected.” Chu Jing looked at Li Qingqiu and brought up another matter.

Xiyu Immortal City was a newly built branch city of the Qingxiao Sect, located on the western border of Yu Prefecture. It was already outside the territory of the Xuan Dynasty, situated within the endless deep mountains where few people ventured.

Gu Changping had been appointed City Lord by Li Qingqiu. As an elite of the Law Enforcement Hall, a top-ten finisher of the first Dharma Battle Assembly, and possessing a cultivation of the Ninth Layer of the Nourishing Origin Realm, he was worthy of Li Qingqiu’s trust for such a heavy responsibility.

Li Qingqiu thought for a moment and said, “Then send another hundred True Disciples to be stationed there long-term. Pick from those at the Yangyuan Realm Sixth Layer. Additionally, select six people each from the Qin, Zhu, Ning, Yang, and Gu Clans.”

Chu Jing nodded.

Xiao Wuqing added, “Recently, there have been hauntings in the imperial palace. The Emperor wishes to ask us to send someone to exorcise the evil spirits.”

“Hauntings?” Li Qingqiu asked in surprise.

The Zhu Clan was allied with Liu Jing through marriage, and there were two female Disciples from the Qingxiao Sect in the palace. How could such a thing happen?

Although those two female Disciples’ cultivation wasn’t high, they had already mastered the basic ability to identify evil spirits.

“Yes, that’s what he said in his letter.” Xiao Wuqing’s expression was also quite strange.

“Then let Ji Ya go.”

Hearing Li Qingqiu send Ji Ya, Xiao Wuqing couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

Ji Ya was a newly promoted Spiritual Consciousness Realm Disciple, representing the School’s top-tier combat power. It seemed Liu Jing held significant weight in the Sect Leader’s heart.

Li Qingqiu looked up at the old tree behind the pavilion. An autumn leaf fell, swaying in the air.

“Monsters again, and now hauntings. It seems the world is about to become unsettled once more.”

Li Qingqiu murmured to himself. Hearing these words, the expressions of Chu Jing and Xiao Wuqing changed slightly.

Even though they held high positions in the Qingxiao Sect and looked down upon the Nine Provinces World, for the two of them, the world was still shrouded in much mist.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

The two of them departed, and Zhang Yuchun entered the courtyard, sitting down beside Li Qingqiu.

“According to the intelligence I’ve received, the Nine Immortals Cult has been spreading among the circles of the powerful and wealthy throughout the Nine Provinces. They worship nine immortal deities. Although they are being suppressed by the Emperor, many nobles still worship them in secret. It is said that believing in the Nine Immortals Cult can eliminate illnesses and extend one’s lifespan.”

Zhang Yuchun spoke with a heavy expression; he was extremely wary of the Nine Immortals Cult.

Li Qingqiu picked up his wine bowl, took a sip, and did not immediately state his position.

Zhang Yuchun continued, “In the past two years, the Nine Immortals Cult has developed rapidly and their movements are secretive. They will surely become a great enemy of our School.”

Li Qingqiu glanced at him and asked, “What do you think the origin of the Nine Immortals Cult might be?”

“If they were from the Tianming Sea, there would be no need for such secrecy. Besides, we’ll have an answer once Sun Moxing returns; he’s expected back in about a month. I think it’s very likely related to the north. Didn’t the Candle Shade that Cloud Color killed mention that other monsters were heading south?”

Zhang Yuchun said solemnly. If it was related to the northern monsters, then they had to consider the threat of the Demon Land.

Li Qingqiu nodded and said, “Have Zhener and Elder Shen each go down the mountain to investigate the Nine Immortals Cult. This is a secret mission; no one else must know.”

Hearing Li Qingqiu send these two, Zhang Yuchun smiled. This proved that Li Qingqiu had taken the matter to heart.

“Elder Shen is reliable, but will Zhao Zhen…” Zhang Yuchun hesitated, feeling that Zhao Zhen lacked Jianghu experience.

Li Qingqiu said calmly, “People must grow, and he is no longer the person he used to be.”

Zhang Yuchun opened his mouth to speak, but seeing his firm attitude, he could only drop the matter.

After finishing his conversation with Zhang Yuchun, Li Qingqiu returned to his Immortal Cave.

He sat cross-legged on his bed and began to contemplate the Taiqing Hunyuan Scripture.

Cloud Color had given him inspiration. He had learned the Taiqing Hunyuan Scripture through his dao lineage Legacy and cultivated it step by step. While it was going smoothly, this might not necessarily be the limit of the Taiqing Hunyuan Scripture.

Furthermore, while contemplating the Taiqing Hunyuan Scripture, he could also create a sword soul to perform Qi absorption cultivation.

As he closed his eyes, wisps of Sword Qi overflowed, forming a body of Sword Qi that sat in meditation beside him, its form identical to his own.

It had to be said that Shen Yue’s sword soul cultivation method was truly useful, allowing Li Qingqiu to have more time to study Cultivation Techniques and Divine Abilities.

The Immortal Cave fell into silence.

Nangong E, Lin Chuan, and Gold Lad were also each cultivating. They hoped to take on more responsibility in future battles rather than just gathering intelligence.

The moon set and the sun rose.

A new day arrived.

Li Qingqiu opened his eyes and began to absorb the sword soul’s Origin Qi.

【Given that the Qingxiao Sect is facing a full-scale invasion by Yao Race forces for the first time, proving that the dao lineage’s development has entered a new competitive environment, you gain one fortune opportunity.】

The prompt that suddenly popped up before him made Li Qingqiu frown.

Yao Race forces?

Full-scale invasion?

The first thing he thought of was the Nine Immortals Cult. The Nine Immortals Cult already covered the Nine Provinces Land, which was equivalent to completely infiltrating the Qingxiao Sect’s territory.

Yao Race forces—this meant there were monsters leading them.

According to Candle Shade’s memories, although there were many monsters in the north, there was no true Monster King.

In other words, this Monster King either came from the west or escaped from the Demon Land, gathering into a Yao Race force in just a few short years.

It seemed he had still underestimated the threat of the Nine Immortals Cult.

Li Qingqiu thought while absorbing the sword soul’s Origin Qi.

After finishing the integration of Origin Qi, he did not leave the Immortal Cave but chose to activate the fortune.

【Claim fortune Reward】

【Activate fortune】

【Commencing fortune Detection】

【fortune captured. Discovered Demon Lord Immortal Palace. Do you accept the fortune guidance?】

Demon Lord Immortal Palace?

Such a coincidence?

Could it be related to the invasion of the Yao Race forces?

Many guesses flashed through Li Qingqiu’s mind, and then he chose to accept.

His consciousness quickly plunged into a dream… Zhao Zhen and Shen Yue quietly went down the mountain without alerting anyone.

After learning about the invasion of the Yao Race forces, Li Qingqiu did not immediately summon the School’s high-level members to discuss the matter.

He called Xu Ning and Jiang Zhaoxia over.

Jiang Zhaoxia was already at the second layer of the Spiritual Consciousness Realm, while Xu Ning was even higher, having reached the third layer.

When the two entered the courtyard, they didn’t see Li Qingqiu. After they sat down, they didn’t speak, and the atmosphere was slightly awkward.

After a while, Jiang Zhaoxia couldn’t help but ask, “What if Senior Brother sends us on another mission?”

Hearing this, Xu Ning’s expression became unnatural. She said, “You and I have reached the Spiritual Consciousness Realm; surely we won’t keep failing like before, right?”

With the rise of Zhao Zhen and Cloud Color, the two of them were rarely deployed and had been in closed-door cultivation.

Being summoned by Li Qingqiu this time, they had already guessed that there was something important for them to do.

“I’m full of confidence now. Whatever is handed to me, I won’t fail,” Jiang Zhaoxia said with a high-spirited smile.

Xu Ning raised an eyebrow but did not question him.

She had long heard that Jiang Zhaoxia had learned a Divine Ability. She had also felt pressure, but her competitive nature wouldn’t allow her to be weaker than Jiang Zhaoxia. Over these years, she hadn’t wasted any time and was equally confident.

Even if she were to fight Jiang Zhaoxia, who had mastered a Divine Ability, right now, she was confident she would win.

Just then, Li Qingqiu walked into the Lingxiao Courtyard from the back mountain.

Seeing him approach, Jiang Zhaoxia and Xu Ning immediately stood up.

“It’s just the three of us; no need for formalities. Sit down.”

Li Qingqiu said as he walked over. He sat in his chair, then took out two Jade Slips, placed them on the table, and pushed one to each of them.

This was the Restriction technology brought by Wei Tian male, which allowed one to use Spiritual Sense to draw maps inside a Jade Slip. It was extremely convenient, but the threshold was high—only those in the Spiritual Consciousness Realm could use it.

Jiang Zhaoxia and Xu Ning took the Jade Slips and looked at Li Qingqiu in confusion.

“I need you to find an underground palace called the Demon Lord Immortal Palace, located in the dangerous lands to the west. Each of you pick ten reliable Disciples to go with you. Once you find it, investigate the situation inside the Demon Lord Immortal Palace, then send someone back to inform me of the situation.”

Li Qingqiu spoke with a serious expression. He paused and added, “You may encounter attacks from powerful monsters on the way. Be mentally prepared.”