Li Qingqiu hadn't expected this revenge mission to yield such an incredible treasure. Even as he fled, he was already formulating the Azure Firmament Sect's century-spanning plan.
Focus all efforts on nurturing Yuan Li!
Find a way to awaken his physique. Let him learn whatever he wished—with a Grandmaster's Heart, he would surely create countless martial arts and spells for the Azure Firmament Sect.
"Heaven truly has eyes. Good deeds are rewarded. If I hadn't softened back there, I would have missed this child. And if he'd grown up within the Seven Peaks Alliance... that would have been an unimaginable disaster."
Li Qingqiu's mood lightened considerably.
Yuan Qi, held in his arm, was thinking how amazing this big brother was—carrying his younger brother strapped to his chest, holding Yuan Qi with one arm, and a sword in the other. So cool!
He wanted to be just like this someday!
The Seven Peaks Alliance sat atop a mountain peak, surrounded by cliffs on all sides. No matter how skilled one's lightness art, flying to the opposite peak was impossible. The only way down was the front gate, the same path Li Qingqiu had used to enter.
Li Qingqiu landed on a rooftop with Yuan Qi and Yuan Li. He stopped.
Yuan Qi turned to look. On the filthy little face, terror flickered unmistakably in his eyes.
Following his gaze: a hundred yards away, descending along the stone steps, training ground after training ground filled with Seven Peaks disciples. Their numbers were still growing. The sea of bobbing heads and flickering torchlight was oppressive.
Yuan Qi's heart sank. So many people. How could they possibly escape?
Were he and his brother fated never to leave this demon's lair?
Li Qingqiu, too, felt the pressure. He hadn't expected the Alliance to mobilize so quickly, gathering this many disciples before the mountain gate.
It wasn't that he lacked confidence in his own abilities—he feared that forcing his way through might injure Yuan Qi and Yuan Li.
He stood still and began to circulate his energy, absorbing the spirit stone hidden in his robe, converting its spiritual energy to replenish his own. He would break through the encirclement in peak condition.
Yuan Qi looked at Li Qingqiu, unable to read his thoughts. He thought Li Qingqiu was hesitating, and whispered, "Big brother, put us down and escape on your own. No matter what, you killed one of the Seven Peaks Alliance Masters. Which one doesn't matter—we're grateful."
Li Qingqiu glanced at him. "Sounds like you carry a blood debt. Once we're down the mountain, you can tell me about it."
Hearing this, Yuan Qi was both moved and confused.
So many people—how could they possibly get down?
He didn't dare disturb Li Qingqiu further. He waited patiently.
Li Qingqiu didn't wait long. When he felt ready, still holding Yuan Qi, he surged forward.
His feet touched the eaves without making a sound. Yuan Qi marveled. The wind roared in his ears as the distant crowd grew closer. His heart climbed into his throat.
Was big brother really going to charge straight through?
Li Qingqiu reached the end of the last rooftop and leaped down, landing on the ground. Then he walked toward the steps.
His appearance drew the attention of many Seven Peaks disciples. Seeing him in Alliance robes, they didn't suspect anything—just wondered why he was carrying two children.
Within the crowd, two Alliance Masters were conferring: the Second Alliance Master, Guang Lantian, and the Fourth Alliance Master, Xu Ziheng.
Xu Ziheng was gaunt, his hair a wild mess. Yawning, he asked, "What's all this commotion about?"
Guang Lantian looked to be in his sixties, somewhat stout, with a thick beard. Frowning at Xu Ziheng's question, he said, "I'm not sure either, but it must be serious. Maybe related to the Azure Cult."
"The Azure Cult again. Those madmen are utterly lawless. Ever since they set their sights on our signature techniques, they've been harassing us nonstop."
Xu Ziheng cursed. Just mentioning the Azure Cult made his blood boil.
Guang Lantian shook his head. "The Azure Cult has curried favor with high-ranking court officials. They're riding high. We need to be careful."
Xu Ziheng was about to reply when murmurs from other disciples caught his attention. He turned and saw a disciple at the top of the steps coming down, carrying two children.
His fury ignited instantly. He bellowed, "How dare you! Who told you to touch them?"
Before the words faded, Xu Ziheng leaped, bounding off disciples' shoulders before launching himself at Li Qingqiu.
His voice was like thunder, his bearing like a tiger's. Yuan Qi trembled in terror.
Xu Ziheng's body wrapped in internal energy, his speed actually increased as he descended. Palm extended, a powerful blast surged toward Li Qingqiu and the children.
Li Qingqiu drew his sword with his right hand and slashed upward. A sword-light beam shot forth, gleaming across the faces of many Seven Peaks disciples.
Xu Ziheng, mid-air, had no time to dodge. His palm force was shredded by Li Qingqiu's sword energy. The attack struck him head-on.
*Pfft—*
Xu Ziheng, as if struck by an immense force, arched backward, spitting a mouthful of blood, and tumbled through the air even faster than he'd come.
The disciples below hadn't expected this. They instinctively reached up to catch him, only to be bowled over in a heap.
Guang Lantian's eyes flew wide. The other disciples were equally terrified. Xu Ziheng was an Alliance Master, ranked fourth on Gu Prefecture's Heavenly List. Unless facing a supreme expert above the Heavenly List, no one could defeat him.
What had they just witnessed?
Such a powerful man, crippled by a single sword stroke!
Staring at Li Qingqiu, who still held his sword aloft, every face reflected sheer terror.
Dark clouds rolled overhead. The moon played hide and seek. At the top of the steps, Li Qingqiu stood, one arm cradling a child, the other holding his sword. His posture was straight, his robes billowing violently in the wind. The aura he projected in that moment cowed the hundreds of Seven Peaks disciples below.
A supreme expert!
That was Guang Lantian's immediate thought.
He reacted quickly, barking orders: "Form ranks! Don't let him escape!"
With that, he produced a wooden whistle and blew hard. Its piercing shriek split the night sky.
Li Qingqiu moved, charging down the steps. The sword in his hand wasn't the Skyrainbow, but Chen Ye's blade.
Though intimidated, the Seven Peaks disciples were numerous, and numbers bred boldness. At their Alliance Master's command, they drew their weapons and surged up the steps toward Li Qingqiu, a human tide rolling upward.
Li Qingqiu plunged into the crowd, sword flashing. Blood sprayed. His footwork was nimble, his form ghostlike as he dodged blade after blade, each stroke of his own finding its mark—a throat, clean and precise.
Yuan Qi squeezed his eyes shut, pressing against Li Qingqiu's shoulder. Even Yuan Li, strapped to his chest, stirred, frowning weakly though unable to open his eyes.
Li Qingqiu killed with every step. No matter how many foes pressed forward, he didn't retreat. From above, it seemed the surging tide of Seven Peaks disciples was actually being pushed back by one man alone.
Guang Lantian didn't shy from battle. Employing some mysterious footwork, he wove through the crowd like a swimming dragon, swiftly reaching Li Qingqiu from behind.
Yuan Qi, still clinging to Li Qingqiu's shoulder, felt a sudden gust and opened his eyes. He saw Guang Lantian rushing in like an evil dragon from the deep, his outstretched right palm promising bloody carnage.
Images flashed through Yuan Qi's mind—his father's chest torn open by that very hand. His pupils trembled; boundless terror seized his heart.
But at that instant, Li Qingqiu, as if with eyes in the back of his head, spun and slashed.
The strike was savagely sharp. Lightning flickered along the blade, dispelling the darkness from Yuan Qi's vision.
Guang Lantian, caught off guard by Li Qingqiu's sudden turn, hastily leaned back, dodging the sword. Before he could react further, Li Qingqiu's foot slammed into his chest, kicking him away.
The kick sent Guang Lantian tumbling across the ground, bowling over several disciples.
Li Qingqiu withdrew his leg. It felt a bit numb.
His physical condition had improved, but kicking a full-speed charge backed by internal energy? It took a toll.
He turned and continued his slaughter.
His goal was to break out, not to massacre.
But as he turned, fresh waves of disciples poured down from above.
Meanwhile, atop a distant peak, the black-robed woman stood at the cliff's edge. She watched the mist between the mountains dissipate, revealing scattered lights within the Seven Peaks Alliance, rapidly multiplying.
She'd been sleeping when the invasion horns woke her.
"He actually stirred up that much trouble..."
She thought of Li Qingqiu's face, inwardly astonished.
After a moment's hesitation, she turned and headed down the mountain, not wanting to be caught up in the chaos.
...
Li Qingqiu discarded his ruined sword—Chen Ye's blade—and drew the Skyrainbow from his waist to continue fighting.
Behind him, dozens lay on the ground. Before and around him, he was completely surrounded, hundreds packed so tightly not a drop could slip through.
Though he fought fiercely, he hadn't broken the disciples' courage.
Li Qingqiu's gaze sharpened. His right hand actually released the sword's hilt—yet the Skyrainbow still floated before him.
It trembled, slowly turning until its tip pointed forward. The front rank of disciples stared, bug-eyed.
*Boom!*
The air tore with a sonic boom. The Skyrainbow shot forward. Sword-light energy ravaged everything in its path. Li Qingqiu followed close behind.
The sounds of blade rending flesh and scraping bone rang out incessantly. With the Supreme Sword Control Art, Li Qingqiu carved a bloody path.
Guang Lantian, clutching his chest, had just struggled upright when he witnessed this horrifying sight. He coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth. His eyes were wide with pure terror.
Under his gaze, Li Qingqiu broke through and fled into the night.
The Seven Peaks disciples didn't dare pursue blindly. At the speed Li Qingqiu had shown, they'd never catch him. They turned to Guang Lantian, every face etched with lingering fear.
Guang Lantian gave no order to pursue. He didn't dare.
"Disaster! The First Alliance Master has been murdered!"
A voice rang out from behind. A disciple stumbled up the steps, shouting. To the hundreds who had just survived that brutal fight, these words were a devastating blow.
Guang Lantian felt the sky falling. He turned to look at Xu Ziheng. Xu Ziheng had already expired, lying in a pool of blood.
On the other side.
Li Qingqiu, carrying the two children, hurried down the mountain. His heart raced with anxiety. He'd already expended over half his spiritual energy. He couldn't afford to be drawn into another prolonged battle.
A line of text flashed before his eyes:
[For your first decapitation of an enemy sect, executed with a clean escape that upheld the Azure Firmament Sect's prestige, you have received one Inheritance Reward opportunity.]