When Zhu Xian heard Li Sifeng's words, the smile on his face vanished and his brows knit tightly. It was not just him—his civil and military officials also looked grim.
The three great feudal lords dominated six provinces. Everyone in the land had been waiting for a world-shaking war, yet they had suddenly stopped fighting. This was something the people of the world found hard to accept.
The Great Li Dynasty had been founded for several decades, and the concept of grand unification had already taken root deep in people's hearts.
For minor feudal lords like them, this was also bad news. Once the three great feudal lords ceased fighting, they would inevitably turn their blades toward them.
Bang!
A fierce general under Zhu Xian slammed the table and roared, "Cai Shao, Liu Lin, and Pei Zhangzhi are all cowards! Mediocre rulers!"
The moment he spoke, it triggered a chorus of agreement. Curses rang out one after another, plunging the great hall into an uproar.
Li Yang's second uncle, Li Da, who was seated beside Li Sifeng, stood up, drawing everyone's attention.
The Li Clan of Linchuan was renowned across the world. Even in these chaotic times, it was impossible for people to ignore them.
Zhu Xian also looked toward Li Da. They had known each other before the world descended into chaos. Back then, Li Da had stood high above, while Zhu Xian had been nothing more than a minor figure.
"Since everyone believes these three to be mediocre rulers, why don't the Zhu and Li families join forces, strike them down one by one, and sweep the world clean? Those three houses are surely harboring wishful thinking and won't support each other. This is our perfect opportunity!"
Li Da's voice rang out, forceful and resolute, expressing exactly what everyone present was thinking.
The reason both sides could sit together and converse so pleasantly was precisely because they needed each other. It was just that, out of pride, no one had pierced that final layer of pretense.
A strategist under Zhu Xian narrowed his eyes and asked, "If the Zhu and Li families join forces, who will be the leader? You're not going to suggest splitting the troops into two routes, are you?"
Li Da smiled and said, "Lord Zhu's power is greater. Naturally, Lord Zhu would take the lead."
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of Zhu Xian's civil and military officials eased, and murmurs quietly spread among them.
Zhu Xian looked at Li Sifeng and asked in surprise, "Is this truly Brother Li's intention?"
Li Sifeng smiled and said, "Lord Zhu, you should know that I come from Qingxiao Sect. I am also a hall master of Qingxiao Sect. Looking across the world, even if I were to become emperor, my status might not be higher than that of a Qingxiao Sect hall master. Do you think the imperial throne is an obsession for me? No. I entered the secular world simply to accomplish something great. Unifying the world would be excellent. I don't ask for much—I only hope that when future generations speak of this history, they won't be able to avoid mentioning my name, Li Sifeng."
These words made Zhu Xian's expression turn strange. The same was true for his civil and military officials, yet no one dared to refute him.
In the past two years, Qingxiao Sect disciples had spread across the land, and they encountered them often. Some Qingxiao Sect disciples were mild-mannered, displaying the bearing of the world's number one sect. Others were haughty and overbearing, infuriating them to no end. But one thing was certain—they did not dare provoke Qingxiao Sect.
Not long ago, a feudal force had halted near Mount Tianji, only to be forcibly driven away by three Qingxiao Sect disciples. Each of them fought against thousands alone. When the news spread, feudal lords across the land found it absurd.
If those three disciples had been the likes of Jiang Zhaoxia, Xu Ning, or Xue Jin, it would have been one thing. Instead, they were three disciples who had just emerged into the world. This alone proved that Qingxiao Sect was growing at a pace utterly unimaginable to ordinary people.
Even if one seized the world, it did not necessarily mean one could rule the world.
Thinking of this, Zhu Xian suddenly understood why Cai Shao and the others had chosen to halt the war.
After unifying the world, only to become slaves to Qingxiao Sect—who could endure that?
Why not divide the world instead, at least leaving room to ease relations with Qingxiao Sect and share the pressure together with others?
The moment this thought surfaced in Zhu Xian's mind, he forcibly cast it aside.
No. He had to unify the world!
He had risen for the sake of the people under heaven. Even if he truly harbored selfish desires, he could not abandon his ideals. Otherwise, how would the people of the world view him?
"Good. Since that's the case, then you and I, as brothers, shall join forces and reunite the Nine Provinces!" Zhu Xian slammed the table and declared, revealing the imposing aura of a feudal lord—utterly different from his usual gentle demeanor.
Li Sifeng smiled and raised his wine bowl in response.
All the civil and military officials in the hall followed suit, lifting their bowls together.
…
Snow fell thickly in winter. On a cliff, a man in white robes was practicing swordsmanship. His sword was not fierce, yet his movements flowed like drifting clouds and running water.
His hair was completely white, yet his face was youthful and handsome, exuding an immortal bearing. He seemed like an immortal wielding a sword upon the cliff, with a faint cold wind swirling around him.
An elderly man in a dark daoist robe walked over and looked at the man in white as he spoke, "Senior Brother, Zhao Zhen has not come for a long time. What should we do?"
This white-robed man was the sect master of Tianxuan Mountain—Yan Daozong.
Upon hearing the daoist elder's words, Yan Daozong's expression did not change in the slightest. He said calmly, "Then we wait for him to come."
"And if he never comes?"
"He will come."
"Qingxiao Sect's expansion is too fast. Sooner or later, they will reach Tianxuan Mountain. I'm afraid we won't be able to wait until he comes."
"Rather than worrying, you should cultivate properly. There is no better method at present."
Yan Daozong's sword moves did not pause at all, as if the affairs of the world had nothing to do with him.
The daoist elder grew anxious. "What's the use of cultivating? Qingxiao Sect is cultivating immortality, while you practice martial arts. How can you fight them? No matter how hard you try, this path is wrong!"
Yan Daozong did not answer again. He closed his eyes and focused solely on his sword techniques.
"Don't even mention Li Qingqiu—just Sword God Shen Yue alone is more than Tianxuan Mountain can withstand. Zhao Zhen is our only hope. As long as we obtain him, we will have a chance to stand on equal footing with Qingxiao Sect. Zhao Zhen is the most talented disciple within Qingxiao Sect."
As he spoke of Zhao Zhen, the daoist elder's face filled with madness, greed flashing in his eyes.
Yan Daozong still did not make a sound.
Seeing this attitude, the daoist elder was furious. Yet he also knew his senior brother's temperament—once his senior brother decided something, no amount of talking would change it.
"More and more people have been coming to visit Tianxuan Mountain recently. There's no guarantee Qingxiao Sect isn't among them. Senior Brother, you'd best be prepared. One day, you may have to face the threat of Qingxiao Sect disciples."
After throwing out these words, the daoist elder turned and left.
Only after he vanished into the vast falling snow did Yan Daozong open his eyes.
A streak of sword qi burst forth from the edge of Yan Daozong's blade, a strange, icy light glinting in his eyes.
"Cultivating immortality…"
Yan Daozong murmured to himself. He closed his eyes again and continued practicing his sword. Only now, his sword moves grew faster and faster. Snow on the ground surged upward, swirling around his body as his momentum grew ever stronger.
…
Qingxiao Sect was likewise blanketed in heavy snow.
On this day, Lu Qing arrived at Lingxiao Courtyard. Although he was still only at the fifth layer of the Nurturing Essence realm, relying on spirit qi pills and the spirit qi of blessed lands, his cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds. He felt he had hope of reaching the sixth layer of the Nurturing Essence realm, and his entire demeanor was spirited and radiant.
He came before Li Qingqiu and bowed deeply.
Li Qingqiu sat in a chair, holding a book in his hand, and said softly, "I've heard Cai Shao is refining pills within the prefectural city. Go investigate. See whether this pill refining harms the common people. If he's gone too far, then bring me his head."
Lu Qing felt the name Cai Shao sounded familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
Yuan Qi stood to the side and smiled. "You can go to the Spirit Management Hall and receive his intelligence from Hall Master Zhang."
Hearing this, Lu Qing immediately saluted Li Qingqiu, then turned and left.
From beginning to end, he did not speak a single word. His temperament was cold, and he did not reveal the fire burning in his heart.
After Lu Qing left, Yuan Qi stepped forward and said, "Sect Master, I've heard that Cai, Liu, and Pei have reached a ceasefire agreement. Next year, they will jointly establish their states and proclaim themselves emperors. Are we really not going to intervene?"
Li Qingqiu looked at the book in his hand and said, "Of course we will intervene. Qingxiao Sect does not involve itself in the struggle for supremacy under heaven, but neither will we allow anyone to obstruct the trend toward unification. If they will not do it, naturally someone else will. Let Yuchun keep an eye on this matter. You and I need not worry."
After hearing this, Yuan Qi hesitated, unsure whether he should speak.
"Is there something you want to say?" Li Qingqiu asked, not even glancing at him.
Yuan Qi took a deep breath and said, "I've heard that a feudal lord has shown goodwill toward Hall Master Zhang."
"Oh? Who? Tell me," Li Qingqiu replied.
"A feudal lord named Zhu Xian. His origins are not illustrious. He was originally a wandering hero with a reputation for chivalry in the martial world. After chaos erupted, he gathered a group of brothers and grew stronger and stronger. I heard he concealed his identity and personally went up the mountain to visit Hall Master Zhang. What the two discussed, no one knows. He had just descended the mountain when a group of Spirit Management Hall disciples went down as well."
Yuan Qi spoke cautiously, his gaze fixed on Li Qingqiu, watching for any change in his expression.
Yet Li Qingqiu remained completely calm, as if he did not care about the matter at all.
"I know. You've done very well. Keep it up. Don't mention this to anyone else," Li Qingqiu said.
"Yes!"
Yuan Qi finally let out a breath of relief. He also feared becoming entangled in matters between Li Qingqiu and his fellow disciples, which was why he had hesitated earlier. In the end, he chose to be forthright and tell Li Qingqiu everything he knew.
Li Qingqiu waved his hand, signaling for him to withdraw.
After Yuan Qi left, Chu Jing emerged and said, "Master, I think this is a good thing. Let Hall Master Zhang handle it. The sooner the world is unified, the better Qingxiao Sect can develop, and the common people can finally live in peace."
Li Qingqiu glanced at Chu Jing and asked in mock surprise, "Oh? You actually care about the common people? That's rare."
Chu Jing coughed awkwardly. "Ahem… after all, I truly owe the common people."
Li Qingqiu said leisurely, "Indeed, someone must do these things. But if one does such things too often, will the heart change?"
"You're referring to Hall Master Zhang?"
"Him—and not only him."
Chu Jing was confused. Could it be that Li Qingqiu, like the emperors he once served, had begun to grow suspicious of those around him?
Yet he also felt that Li Qingqiu was not that kind of person.
Just then—
Shen Yue walked into the courtyard. Upon seeing Chu Jing, his expression changed slightly.
He had long heard that the Sect Master kept ghost servants by his side, but this was the first time he had seen one in person—and this ghost servant was an old acquaintance.
Li Qingqiu looked toward Shen Yue, raising his brow slightly.
This old fellow was not simple.
It had not been long since Shen Yue broke through to the sixth layer of the Nurturing Essence realm. How could his cultivation be advancing so rapidly? At most, in another one year, he would reach the seventh layer of the Nurturing Essence realm.
Shen Yue's Excellent-grade cultivation aptitude, no matter how one looked at it, seemed stronger than that of other disciples with the same aptitude. His cultivation speed surpassed theirs by a wide margin.
Shen Yue came before Li Qingqiu and said, "Someone in the north has entered the Dao."
"Entered the Dao? What does that mean?" Li Qingqiu asked.
"That is a legendary realm. It is said that when martial Dao reaches its ultimate extreme, one can enter the Dao. After entering the Dao, one can transcend the mortal state."