Qin Ye didn't hide anything and recounted everything that had happened in detail. When he finished, his expression was full of guilt. "The Ten Thousand Armies Demon-Subduing Staff is too fierce," he said earnestly. "It's hard to control its strength. Even releasing just a trace of power can hurt someone. From now on, I'll never use this staff technique in a spar with my fellow disciples."
Li Qingqiu's expression remained calm as he asked, "How badly is he hurt?"
"His face is swollen."
"Then you do owe him an apology," Li Qingqiu said evenly. "You can't just go hitting people in the face. If you'd struck him somewhere else, his clothes could've covered it. But you hit his face—his master was bound to find out."
Qin Ye froze, not having thought of that at all. Hearing his master put it that way made him feel even guiltier.
Standing beside them, Li Sifeng chuckled. "Third Senior Brother's temper is tiny. You're done for. He'll probably come looking for you to avenge his disciple himself."
Qin Ye, however, showed no fear. "I'm willing to accept punishment from Third Martial Uncle," he said firmly.
Li Sifeng rolled his eyes. "You're really asking for it," he muttered under his breath.
After hearing the whole story, Li Qingqiu didn't seem too concerned. "Since it was the other party who requested the spar, you did nothing wrong," he said. "Just be more careful next time. Your Third Martial Uncle is proud by nature; he won't bother causing trouble over this. But Xue Jin will definitely challenge you again to regain his pride—just be ready when that time comes."
Sparring injuries were inevitable. Li Qingqiu didn't see this as a big deal—he couldn't very well forbid his disciples from challenging each other altogether.
Even though Qin Ye had won, Li Qingqiu didn't praise him. He felt the boy still needed to better control his strength. Not every disciple could take a hit like Xue Jin.
Still looking uneasy, Qin Ye hesitated for a moment, then suggested going to apologize to Third Martial Uncle in person.
Without saying a word, Li Qingqiu kicked him hard.
"Still not enough trouble for you? Get lost already!"
Qin Ye flew nearly two zhang before crashing against the courtyard wall.
Lying there in the corner, his insides felt like they were tumbling over each other, and pain shot through his whole body. He couldn't help but tremble at his master's terrifying power. Hastily, he got up and bowed before leaving.
Li Sifeng turned toward Li Qingqiu, clicking his tongue in amazement. "Senior Brother, that staff technique passed down from Wu Baoyu is that strong? That's not good! Qingxiao Sect needs its own martial art stronger than the Ten Thousand Armies Demon-Subduing Staff."
"Hmph. Worry about yourself first. Stand up straight!"
Li Qingqiu snorted coldly. He walked up beside Li Sifeng and kicked him right on the backside.
Pain shot up through Li Sifeng's body like fire. His face twisted, and he nearly dropped to his knees.
That kick had carried inner force formed from vital energy, striking the nerve points in his legs and causing sharp pain to spread instantly.
"Will you still bully the younger disciples again?" Li Qingqiu asked coldly.
"I only made him take my lesson for me! How is that bullying?"
"Could he refuse you?"
"Well… maybe not exactly…"
Li Qingqiu kicked him again. Li Sifeng yelped in pain, baring his teeth, and quickly bowed. "I was wrong! I won't dare again!"
…
At dusk, in one of the courtyards, the young Bai Ning'er sat at a table, resting his cheek in one hand as he stared at the distant mountains, lost in thought.
A disciple rushed into the yard carrying four wild rabbits. Setting them on the table, he said cheerfully, "Hu Feng, today's catch—four rabbits, each about five jin heavy."
Bai Ning'er blinked and came back to his senses. Picking up his brush, he began recording the catch in his notebook while saying, "Rabbits again? Are you trying to wipe out every rabbit in the mountain?"
"Taikun Mountain is huge—no way we'll ever run out of rabbits," Hu Feng said with a grin. "Even if we did, more would come down from the other peaks to graze. And when we eat rabbit stew, I don't see you holding back your chopsticks."
His teasing made Bai Ning'er purse his lips, but he kept writing neatly, stroke by stroke. Hu Feng's grin widened as he watched his name being recorded for credit.
"Tie them up properly before you leave," Bai Ning'er reminded him.
"Got it." Hu Feng nodded, carrying the rabbits to the back of the courtyard. There, piles of fruits and game had already been stacked up—spoils from the disciples' daily hunts.
Bai Ning'er's task was to record everything. Because of his careful bookkeeping, everyone's motivation to hunt stayed high.
When Hu Feng finally left, Bai Ning'er leaned forward over the desk and sighed softly.
When would these days ever end?
He had been assigned here because he was weak and thin, spending his childhood studying rather than training. His senior brother had given him this job, partly to take care of him, but mostly so he could have more time to train himself.
That senior brother treated him kindly, so Bai Ning'er hadn't refused.
Now, aside from morning practice, he spent nearly the entire day in this courtyard. It was dreadfully dull.
Just as he sighed again, a foul stench drifted through the air—pungent and unmistakable. He frowned immediately. He didn't even need to turn around to know—a wild boar had urinated nearby.
He had to wait until other disciples came to collect the day's catch and clean the courtyard before he could finish his work.
He enjoyed eating wild boar meat, but he absolutely hated the animals alive—filthy, stinking, and always snorting noisily.
Because Qingxiao Sect was a martial sect, meat consumption was high. Many disciples were assigned to hunt daily, and every day brought fresh game. Whenever Zhang Yuchun went down the mountain, he would buy dried or preserved meats. Sometimes, villagers from the foothills brought meat to trade for grain. As a result, even if the disciples didn't eat meat at every meal, they could at least taste some every day.
When he first joined the sect, Bai Ning'er had been amazed by such luxury. But over time, the novelty faded, and dissatisfaction grew in its place.
He wanted to practice martial arts.
As he sat there lost in thought, he recalled old memories to pass the time.
By the time the sky began to darken, five disciples finally entered the courtyard. Seeing them, Bai Ning'er leapt up with joy, quickly gathered his books, and ran out to greet them.
The five disciples who entered the courtyard were already used to the sight. They immediately began sorting the piles of game and grain stacked in the yard.
Once they took over, Bai Ning'er skipped out happily and headed up the mountain path. He had already decided to slack off that evening and clean the courtyard early tomorrow instead. Doing all that work alone was exhausting—he needed to find his senior brother and complain so that he'd help him next time.
"Please wait a moment, little brother in front."
A soft female voice came from behind him. Bai Ning'er stopped and turned around. He saw two women walking slowly along the mountain path.
The one in front wore a green robe. She was petite—she looked only about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a delicate and pretty face and two long braids hanging down. The sight made Bai Ning'er's eyes light up.
Behind her walked another woman dressed entirely in white. She wore a thin veil over her face and carried a long wooden box on her back. Her posture was graceful, and her bright, clear eyes radiated calm composure. It was obvious she was the mistress, and the girl in green was her attendant.
'Visitors from down the mountain?' Bai Ning'er wondered, curious but not alarmed. He knew that one loud shout would bring plenty of Qingxiao Sect disciples running, and besides, these two didn't look like troublemakers at all. If anything, they seemed gentle—completely without the strength to harm even a chicken.
When the two women drew near, Bai Ning'er asked, "Who are you?"
The girl in green smiled sweetly. "My name is Su Xiling. My lady's surname is Zhu. We were recommended by Liu Fanzhou. We've come to speak with your Sect Master about a matter. Could you lead us to him?"
She was only slightly taller than the fourteen-year-old Bai Ning'er, which made him feel at ease.
"Ah, so you know Merchant Liu? He's a good man. He's the one who sent people to build this mountain road," Bai Ning'er said, nodding quickly. "Come on then—it's almost time for dinner. The Sect Master should be easy to find."
He waved cheerfully and led the way up the mountain path.
Su Xiling and the veiled woman followed closely behind. Su Xiling's eyes darted around curiously, clearly fascinated by Qingxiao Sect, and she began asking Bai Ning'er all kinds of questions.
Her questions were harmless—things like whether the sect was peaceful, how many travelers passed through, and if there were ever bandits on the mountain. Bai Ning'er answered them one by one, happy to show off his knowledge.
As they walked, they passed several Qingxiao Sect disciples who all stopped to ask who the two women were. But when Bai Ning'er mentioned Liu Fanzhou's name, the disciples immediately understood and let them through without further questioning.
After about one incense stick of time, they reached the highest courtyard on the mountain. Inside, at a long table, sat Li Qingqiu.
Bai Ning'er hurried over and introduced the two women enthusiastically.
"You've done well. You can have dinner here tonight—find yourself a seat," Li Qingqiu said warmly, reaching out to ruffle Bai Ning'er's hair before rising to greet the guests.
Bai Ning'er's face lit up in surprise, and he grinned foolishly, still touching his head where the Sect Master's hand had rested.
With his back turned, Li Qingqiu quietly opened the Dao Lineage interface. Seeing that the young boy's loyalty had increased slightly, he smiled with satisfaction.
Children were so easily moved.
He then approached the two women with a polite smile. "Since Brother Liu sent you, shall we talk inside?"
Su Xiling nodded, and she and her mistress followed him into the newly built main hall. The doors were open wide.
As soon as Li Qingqiu sat down, Su Xiling stepped forward, took out a silk pouch from her sleeve, placed it on the table, and untied it. Inside, gold, silver, and jewels gleamed under the lamplight.
"My lady heard from Liu Fanzhou that Qingxiao Sect is a peaceful and secluded place, far removed from worldly affairs," Su Xiling said softly. "She wishes to stay here for two years. We won't live here for free."
Her directness made Li Qingqiu glance at the veiled woman behind her.
The woman stood quietly, wooden box still on her back, meeting his gaze in silence.
Li Qingqiu didn't agree immediately. "May I ask, ladies, why you wish to stay here? Qingxiao Sect indeed values quiet cultivation—we'd prefer to avoid unnecessary trouble."
Su Xiling replied, "The court is currently waging large-scale campaigns to suppress the rebels. The lands everywhere are in chaos. Only the Taikun Mountain Range remains relatively peaceful. My lady is a scholar from Guzhou, named Zhu Yan. She has always disliked conflict—you may have heard of her."
Li Qingqiu hadn't. He usually paid attention to martial affairs, not matters of literature or fame.
"In that case," he said after a moment's thought, smiling, "I'll agree."
He stood and gestured for them to follow. Once outside the hall, he called a disciple over to arrange lodging for the guests.
As the two women walked away, Li Qingqiu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
The martial world truly never lacked masters.
Zhu Yan looked like a cultured lady without the slightest martial strength—but her internal energy was no weaker than Yang Jueding's when he had first joined the mountain.
As for her servant, Su Xiling, her inner qi was astonishingly dense—stronger even than Lü Taidou of the Seven Peaks Alliance.
With martial skills like theirs, it was no wonder they had reached the mountain safely. They must have practiced some secret technique that concealed their internal energy, which was why none of the disciples had sensed anything unusual along the way.
Li Qingqiu smiled faintly and returned to the dining table to eat.
In the days that followed, the mountains often echoed with elegant zither music, sparking much discussion among the disciples.
When Zhang Yu heard that Zhu Yan had arrived, he became so excited that he tried to visit her immediately—only to be stopped by Su Xiling at the door.
Only then did Li Qingqiu fully believe that Zhu Yan was indeed a true scholar. In this world, anyone who could play the zither so beautifully was no ordinary person.
And as for Zhang Yu—usually so aloof and prideful—it was the first time Li Qingqiu had ever seen him lose his composure.