Harvest?
Li Qingqiu's first thought went to Bai Ning'er. Did the Lucky One show results already?
He rose to his feet and followed Li Sifeng, while Yuan Li, clutching a Thousand Spirit Fruit in both hands, trailed obediently behind them.
"Tell me first—how was your journey down the mountain?" Li Qingqiu asked, turning his head slightly toward Li Sifeng.
Li Sifeng had grown taller, his head now reaching nearly to Li Qingqiu's ear. That small detail stirred a quiet sigh in his heart.
This kid's finally ready to stand on his own.
"It went smoothly," Li Sifeng said carelessly. "We punished the wicked, helped the weak, made a name for ourselves—nothing worth bragging about. Just bandit-hunting. Hardly any real experts down there."
Compared to the Martial Gathering in Xiaoyao Prefecture, this trip had been far less thrilling. But as the one leading the group, the sense of responsibility had given him pride and satisfaction.
At that moment, a group of disciples came through the courtyard gate, carrying large chests. Li Qingqiu and Li Sifeng stopped walking.
Cheng Canghai followed them in, excitement written all over his face. "Sect Master, come see this—so much treasure!"
There were three large chests in total, each so heavy that it took two disciples to lift one.
Li Dongyue and Wu Man'er walked behind them. Rather than looking at the spoils, Li Dongyue's main concern was whether Wu Man'er had been injured.
Li Qingqiu raised a brow. "And where exactly did all this come from? Don't tell me the government rewarded you—I wouldn't believe that."
Li Sifeng stepped forward, grinning proudly as he unlatched one of the chests. "Bandit loot. Those mountain rats were filthy rich—but since they were all wanted men, they couldn't spend any of it."
Li Qingqiu peered inside. The chest was piled with copper coins, gold, silver, pearls, scrolls, and books—everything valuable.
He moved on, inspecting the other two chests. Each was just as full. The disciples who had accompanied Li Sifeng on the expedition all watched him expectantly, hoping for praise.
Seeing no change in Li Qingqiu's expression, Li Sifeng grew uneasy. "Senior Brother, is something wrong?"
"These treasures were stolen from the people," Li Qingqiu said calmly. "From families torn apart, from innocent merchants robbed on the roads. All of it is ill-gotten wealth."
His words sent a shiver through the group. Several disciples exchanged worried glances, and Li Sifeng's eyes widened.
"What's that got to do with us? Senior Brother, don't tell me you plan to give it all back! We risked our lives for this. Killing bandits isn't exactly safe work, you know!" Li Sifeng said sharply, voicing the thoughts of everyone present.
Li Qingqiu rolled his eyes. "Return it? To whom? The government? They'd just pocket it themselves."
He gestured at the chests. "Have your Second Senior Brother tally it all. Take two-thirds of the total wealth and send it down the mountain in batches. Exchange it for grain and cloth, then distribute it to the villages around the Taikun Mountain Range. Let the people know the name of Qingxiao Sect. That's your contribution—and it's your rightful credit."
He paused, then added, "Each of you may pick one item from the rest as a reward."
The disciples' faces brightened instantly, and they all bowed in thanks.
Li Qingqiu's words were straightforward, but they weren't harsh. They could accept that. Doing good was fine—but it didn't mean they shouldn't be rewarded. Especially since they'd risked their lives for it.
Li Qingqiu reached into one of the chests and drew out an old bronze mirror, then stepped aside, signaling the others to start choosing.
Li Sifeng didn't join the scramble. Instead, he leaned closer and whispered, "Senior Brother, isn't giving away two-thirds a bit too much?"
"It sounds like a lot, but spread across the towns and villages near Taikun Mountain, it won't be much at all," Li Qingqiu replied casually. "To achieve great things, you can't be stingy. Besides, this was an unexpected windfall. Taken from the people—so it should go back to them."
The Qingxiao Sect wasn't short on money. They had enough for daily expenses and long-term development plans.
But distributing this wealth could win them lasting goodwill—and attract new disciples.
The more disciples they had, the higher the chance of discovering true talent. Over the past six months, most of the newcomers had low cultivation aptitude. He had no choice but to follow Zhang Yuchun's advice and spread the sect's reputation far and wide.
Li Sifeng pouted but didn't argue further.
Leaning close, Li Qingqiu whispered, "Next time you go down the mountain, bring Bai Ning'er with you again. That kid's got spirit—teach him more when you have time."
He gave Li Sifeng's shoulder a light pat, then picked up Yuan Li and walked toward a long table nearby.
Li Sifeng looked after him with a puzzled expression, glancing toward Bai Ning'er. The small-framed boy was half-squeezed between two older disciples, barely visible. It was a funny sight.
He didn't see anything particularly special about the kid—but since his Senior Brother had mentioned him, he'd pay more attention in the future.
After setting Yuan Li down, Li Qingqiu quietly returned to his room.
The expedition's haul was impressive—but the true treasure wasn't the gold or jewels. It was the bronze mirror he had just taken.
Once inside, he shut the door and sat at his desk, pulling the mirror from his robe.
A faint chill radiated from its surface, carrying a whisper of ghostly energy.
Without his training in the Soul-Binding Curse, he might never have noticed it. And disciples with lower cultivation, like Li Sifeng, certainly wouldn't have sensed a thing.
The Soul-Binding Curse wasn't an ordinary spell. Though Li Qingqiu practiced it only occasionally and hadn't yet mastered it fully, its biggest benefit was sharpening his sensitivity to spiritual entities.
The ancient bronze mirror looked plain and ordinary, even somewhat worn. Its surface was dull and slightly blurred, showing faint signs of age.
Li Qingqiu didn't rush to infuse it with vital energy. Instead, he silently activated the Soul-Binding Curse technique, his gaze fixed firmly on the mirror's surface.
After a moment, the image wavered—and within the reflection, he saw a disheveled woman in white lying barefoot in darkness, her long hair covering her face. Startled, he immediately withdrew his gaze.
There really is a ghost?
This wasn't Li Qingqiu's first time encountering an enchanted artifact, which meant this land had once seen cultivators. As for why none remained in the present age, that was a mystery beyond him.
After thinking for a while, he decided not to disturb whatever dwelled within. He couldn't gauge the spirit's strength, and for now, she seemed to be in a dormant state.
He rose and placed the bronze mirror by the window, carefully positioning it out of direct sunlight.
Once everything was set, Li Qingqiu left the room.
As the sun sank below the horizon, the rays faded, and by the time night fell, the mirror was completely swallowed by darkness.
…
The New Year arrived again. Compared to the previous year, Qingxiao Sect had welcomed several new faces, making this year's festival livelier than ever.
Chickens were slaughtered, pigs butchered, and firecrackers filled the air. The celebrations this year far surpassed last year's—proof of the sect's growth and the leaders' care for their disciples.
After three days of joyous festivity, Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Sifeng each led a team down the mountain—one to settle old grudges, the other to uphold justice.
Once they left, Qingxiao Sect quickly grew quiet again.
At noon, deep in a grove, nine disciples stood in a row before Li Qingqiu. Their expressions were full of excitement, eyes shining with anticipation.
These nine were the fastest to improve over the past year, and Li Qingqiu was now ready to fulfill his promise—passing down the Supreme Purity and Primordial Harmony Sutra's first-layer mental technique.
"The Primordial Harmony Sutra is Qingxiao Sect's supreme art," Li Qingqiu said seriously. "Once you master the first layer, you'll be considered direct disciples. I won't set a time limit—it could take you ten, twenty, even thirty years. As long as you achieve it, I'll teach you the second layer."
His tone hardened. "But remember this—our sutra must never be spread outside the sect. Even if one day you marry and have children, you cannot pass it to your descendants. If Qingxiao Sect ever discovers someone unregistered practicing the Primordial Harmony Sutra, no matter where they hide—be it the ends of the earth—we'll hunt them down and kill them."
His words were heavy, and the nine disciples' excitement quickly turned into solemn focus.
"Of course," he continued in a gentler tone, "if your children wish to learn it in the future, you may recommend them to join Qingxiao Sect properly and receive the inheritance in the open."
He had already foreseen this problem. Once more people practiced the Primordial Harmony Sutra, it would inevitably spread. Setting strict rules now would prevent future chaos.
Moreover, he would only pass the technique down layer by layer, ensuring that no one could surpass him without his knowledge.
Seeing their uneasy faces, Li Qingqiu didn't waste more words. He began transmitting the mental formula of the Primordial Harmony Sutra and personally guided them in meditation and breath cultivation.
At the first layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm, one could already travel the martial world with pride.
At the second layer, one could dominate an entire region, just like Dragon-Subduing Hero Yang Jueding.
At the third layer, one could stand among the top experts of Guzhou.
Li Qingqiu's goal was clear: within five years, he would train at least one hundred cultivators who had reached the first layer of the Nurturing Essence Realm.
That was no small task. For most people, reaching that realm was an insurmountable barrier.
He taught them for two days before dismissing them to practice on their own.
Each of the nine disciples had their own circle of friends, and though others often questioned them privately, they revealed nothing about the sutra. Still, their progress was undeniable proof that Li Qingqiu had spoken true—any disciple who trained diligently while fulfilling their duties might one day qualify to learn Qingxiao Sect's supreme technique.
Since Li Sifeng's expedition, Zhang Yuchun had stayed within the sect rather than venturing out. He had taken over internal management, building a reliable administrative team, which greatly lightened Li Qingqiu's burden.
When the winter snow finally melted, travelers began visiting the mountain seeking treatment. Qingxiao Sect's reputation had spread throughout the Taikun Mountain Range.
One day, the wealthy patron Liu Fanzhou—who had financed the construction of the sect's mountain roads—arrived again.
Li Qingqiu, Zhang Yuchun, and Li Dongyue personally received him, and at his request, his daughter Liu Yan joined the meeting as well.
Liu Yan's complexion had improved greatly since their last meeting. Her body looked stronger, her cheeks rosy and bright. Liu Fanzhou's joy was obvious, especially after learning that his daughter had formally taken Li Dongyue as her master. Delighted, he took out a jade pendant and offered it to Li Dongyue as a token of apprenticeship.
After a long exchange of pleasantries, Liu Fanzhou finally took his seat and said gravely, "Sect Master Li, I've heard something important. Qingxiao Sect must prepare early."
Li Qingqiu smiled faintly. "Oh? What news?"
Liu Fanzhou leaned forward, his voice steady. "The rebel armies across the land have been crushed, and the provincial governors are still eradicating bandits. This years-long chaos has finally awakened His Majesty. The Great Li Dynasty is vast—too vast for the imperial court and local authorities to manage every corner."
He paused, eyes gleaming. "So His Majesty plans to invite martial experts from all sects to the imperial palace. The word is, he intends to assign official ranks to martial sects—so that they may serve the dynasty and protect the people under heaven."