Chapter 363 Spiritual Elephant Heavenly Eyes

Within Lingxiao Courtyard, Lin Lingzhou and Wan Feng stood before a long table, both appearing extremely restrained.

Li Qingqiu sat in a chair and poured tea for the two of them. Looking at Lin Lingzhou and Wan Feng, he smiled and said, “Sit down. There’s no need to be so nervous.”

Hearing this, Wan Feng sat down first and returned Li Qingqiu’s smile.

Seeing this, Lin Lingzhou took a deep breath before following suit and sitting down as well.

Li Qingqiu pushed two cups of tea toward them, then stared at Lin Lingzhou and asked, “You seem to have many things you want to ask me. Just say them directly. There’s no fourth person here.”

Wan Feng could not help but look toward Lin Lingzhou. Ever since arriving at the Clear Sky Sect, he had noticed something off about this kid. He often appeared distracted and absent-minded, clearly carrying some sort of story.

From his observations, Lin Lingzhou should not hold any grudge against the Clear Sky Sect. His emotions were simply extremely complicated, and his entire person had become dispirited, as though he had suffered a severe blow.

Facing Li Qingqiu’s gaze, Lin Lingzhou’s eyes darted evasively. However, when he thought of his master’s instructions, he felt this matter could not be hidden away.

Not for his own sake—

But for his master’s.

“My master is Lin Xunfeng.”

Lin Lingzhou took a deep breath and looked directly at Li Qingqiu as he spoke solemnly.

Hearing this, Li Qingqiu’s hand, which had just been about to lift the teacup, abruptly stopped.

Lin Xunfeng?

Who was that?

Wan Feng’s heart filled with curiosity. He noticed Li Qingqiu’s movement freeze, making it obvious that Li Qingqiu also knew Lin Xunfeng.

Li Qingqiu calmly said, “Tell me. How did you come to know him, and where is he now?”

He had not expected to discover Lin Xunfeng’s whereabouts in this way. A trace of unease rose in his heart as he worried something had happened to Lin Xunfeng.

After all, Lin Lingzhou’s condition looked terrible, causing him to make unpleasant guesses.

Lin Lingzhou immediately began recounting his past with his master.

He spoke in great detail, growing increasingly emotional as he continued.

The reason he became emotional was because he had confirmed that Li Qingqiu did not resent Lin Xunfeng at all. According to Lin Xunfeng himself, he had always felt guilty toward Li Qingqiu.

Making a child manage the sect in his stead while also taking care of six junior brothers and sisters—

Lin Xunfeng felt that he had placed far too much burden upon Li Qingqiu.

When Lin Lingzhou had been young, hearing these stories always made him admire Li Qingqiu. Yet after growing older and recalling these matters again, his feelings had become much calmer.

However, after arriving at the Clear Sky Sect and hearing the stories of how Li Qingqiu had led the sect to prosperity, then recalling the Li Qingqiu spoken of by his master, Lin Lingzhou felt that this Eldest Senior Brother truly had been extraordinary since childhood.

Perhaps the rumors were true—

Perhaps Eldest Senior Brother’s immortal path had truly been comprehended through dreams.

If Master had left a little later, perhaps his entire life trajectory would have become different.

Of course, there was another possibility—

That Master’s departure had stimulated Eldest Senior Brother and thereby opened the path of immortality for him.

After all, Master had once said that when they parted ways, the separation had been extremely unpleasant. Eldest Senior Brother had continuously tried to force him to stay behind.

When Li Qingqiu heard that Lin Xunfeng had entered the Heavenly Clear Immortal Sect, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

It seemed his master was not simple either. Reaching the Azure Dragon Domain with a mortal body likely meant he had encountered many fortuitous opportunities along the way.

After confirming that his master was not dead, Li Qingqiu opened the Dao Lineage Panel and once again checked Lin Lingzhou’s personal panel.

【Name: Lin Lingzhou】

【Gender: Male】

【Age: 25】

【Loyalty (to Sect Master / Sect): 91 / 82 (Maximum 100)】

【Cultivation Aptitude: Below Standard】

【Comprehension: Average】

【Fate Traits: Spiritual Elephant Heavenly Eyes, Deep Loyalty and Righteousness】

【Spiritual Elephant Heavenly Eyes: A special pair of eyes that originate from the heart and can peer into all things beneath heaven and earth】

【Deep Loyalty and Righteousness: Due to childhood experiences, he values emotions greatly and is willing to sacrifice himself for those he cares about】

……

Spiritual Elephant Heavenly Eyes!

Li Qingqiu became extremely interested in this Fate Trait. Judging from the description alone, he still could not discern its true mysteries.

However, since Lin Lingzhou was his junior brother, he naturally had to take special care of him.

Judging from Lin Lingzhou’s loyalty and his words, his master-disciple relationship with Lin Xunfeng was most likely genuine.

Wan Feng had not expected Lin Lingzhou to actually be Li Qingqiu’s junior brother. Earlier, he had already witnessed Li Qingqiu’s terrifying strength. This was a great cultivator whose power vastly surpassed even the Sect Master of the Myriad Yin Sect!

He could not help but feel happy for Lin Lingzhou.

With this identity, Lin Lingzhou would probably be able to firmly establish himself within the Clear Sky Sect in the future.

By the time Lin Lingzhou finished speaking, an entire hour had already passed.

Li Qingqiu himself felt deeply emotional inside. He had not expected Lin Lingzhou to have gone through so many hardships.

Speaking of it, this truly was fate.

His junior brother had helped his young disciple return to the Land of the Nine Provinces. Li Qingqiu almost suspected that he himself also possessed Great Destiny Physique-level fortune.

“Junior Brother, remain within the Clear Sky Sect from now on and help share my burdens,” Li Qingqiu said directly without beating around the bush.

Hearing Li Qingqiu directly address him as Junior Brother, Lin Lingzhou’s eyes instantly reddened. He forcibly suppressed the surging emotions in his heart and said, “I don’t possess a Spiritual Root. I’m afraid I won’t be able to help share your burdens.”

Li Qingqiu snorted.

“So what if you don’t have a Spiritual Root? You’re my junior brother. That alone is enough. Later, I’ll have your other senior brothers and sisters come meet you as well. Oh, right—Grandmaster Ancestor is here too.”

Lin Lingzhou was overjoyed and did not know how to respond.

Seeing this, Wan Feng rose and said, “Sect Master, you all should continue catching up. I won’t disturb you any longer.”

Li Qingqiu nodded and smiled.

“I already know of your contributions. The Clear Sky Sect will not treat you unfairly.”

Wan Feng waved his hand casually before turning and leaving.

Li Qingqiu then took out the Sect Master Token and summoned Zhang Yuchun and the others.

Lin Lingzhou became increasingly nervous, uncertain about what kind of attitude his other senior brothers and sisters would have toward him.

At the same time—

The news that the Sect Master had defeated Song Qianxiang in merely two moves rapidly spread throughout the region.

Song Qianxiang’s Sword Energy had been so powerful that everyone within the Ancient Great Mountain Range had sensed it. Many people had even believed enemies were attacking.

As for the details of the duel, all sorts of versions quickly began circulating, and Li Qingqiu’s prestige once again reached new heights.

Inside a courtyard of the Sword Sect—

Song Qianxiang sat cross-legged atop a stool, circulating her cultivation to heal her injuries, while the Sword Demon sat across from her at a stone table drinking wine with a smile hanging on his face.

Watching Song Qianxiang get effortlessly defeated by Li Qingqiu had finally dispelled the frustration buried within the Sword Demon’s heart for a very long time.

So it was not that he himself was weak—

Everyone else suffered the same fate before Li Qingqiu.

Song Qianxiang was no simple person. She was the most outstanding genius of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Not even a hundred years old yet, she had already reached the Ninth Layer of the Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm.

Looking across the entire Azure Dragon Domain, she was also among the top heavenly geniuses. Her legends had long since spread far and wide.

When the Sword Demon recalled Song Qianxiang’s expression after her defeat, he could not help but laugh aloud.

Song Qianxiang frowned, and the Sword Demon immediately restrained his smile and returned to his usual stern expression.

After a while—

Song Qianxiang opened her eyes and turned toward the Sword Demon.

“You also made a wager with him?”

The Sword Demon, who had been forcibly subdued by Li Qingqiu, gave a muffled grunt in response.

“What cultivation realm is he at?”

“First Layer of the Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm.”

“How is that possible? Nonsense!”

“He only passed his tribulation a few years ago. You can ask around if you don’t believe me.”

Song Qianxiang felt as though she had been struck by lightning, and her entire person fell into a daze.

She had actually been defeated in a single move by someone who had only recently entered the Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm?

Even those two individuals within the Azure Dragon Domain could not possibly be this monstrous...

The Sword Demon looked at her and continued, “Oh, right. He’s only forty-eight years old this year.”

Song Qianxiang’s pupils widened. Her hands clenched tightly into fists. She opened her mouth, yet the words of doubt she wanted to voice simply could not leave her lips.

A forty-eight-year-old cultivator of the Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm was not considered outrageous.

What was outrageous—

Was that at such an age, he could defeat her in a single move...

Song Qianxiang suffered an unprecedented blow, and her entire person became absent-minded.

The Sword Demon, who had initially felt somewhat gleeful over her defeat, suddenly felt terrible upon seeing her like this.

What right did he have to be happy?

His own defeat had been even more miserable than hers.

The geniuses of the Azure Dragon Domain were as numerous as river carp, and both he and Song Qianxiang were among them. They had never accepted anyone as superior and always believed themselves to be the strongest.

The Sword Demon had suffered defeats before.

Yet only his defeat at Li Qingqiu’s hands had caused him to doubt himself.

Both fell silent.

Snow once again began drifting from the sky, growing heavier and heavier, as though it could bury everything beneath heaven and earth—including the pride within people’s hearts.

……

Time gradually reached the year’s end.

Wei Tianxiong finally returned. Not only him, but large numbers of disciples also came back. Li Qingqiu ordered disciples who had not experienced the war to replace them in their duties. Naturally, trustworthy disciples still remained at every outpost to oversee the overall situation.

Xu Ning, Zhao Zhen, Ji Ya, Hu Yan, and the others returned one after another.

On this day, Hu Yan went together with his other senior brothers and sisters to meet Master. Master introduced them to a Martial Uncle. After hearing Lin Lingzhou’s story, all of them felt deeply emotional.

In order to seek the immortal path, Lin Xunfeng had missed the opportunity of the Clear Sky Sect and suffered countless hardships before finally obtaining an immortal road.

Meanwhile, they had followed Master in cultivating immortality since childhood.

Comparing the two situations, they suddenly felt incredibly fortunate.

Hu Yan walked back toward his courtyard along the mountain road.

However, the more he walked, the less his emotions of reflection remained, and an emptiness instead gradually filled his heart.

Snow had piled high along both sides of the mountain path. The surrounding forests were draped in white snow.

In a daze, he seemed to see a young girl hopping cheerfully ahead of him while turning back to wave at him.

Over the past year, he had worked hard not to think about Duan Xiaojuan, instead devoting all his energy toward dealing with the Myriad Yin Sect.

Yet now that the war had ended and he had returned once more to Clear Sky Mountain, those long-suppressed emotions finally surged forth.

A year of slaughter had already matured him.

He was no longer the same youth from before.

Only after that young girl disappeared from his sight did Hu Yan continue walking forward.

Not long afterward, he saw someone ascending the mountain.

It was the familiar Zhu Qingling.

Zhu Qingling had also participated in the war. The two had encountered each other on battlefields and missions before, yet they had never spoken.

Hu Yan slightly lowered his head and brushed past Zhu Qingling.

“After the New Year, I’ll be following my family southward.”

Zhu Qingling’s voice suddenly came from behind him, causing Hu Yan’s footsteps to stop.

Hu Yan turned around and looked sideways toward Zhu Qingling standing higher up the steps.

Zhu Qingling looked down at him. Her expression was cold and emotionless. Snowflakes landed upon her body before turning into mist, making her seem like a female immortal left behind in the mortal world, as though she might leave this world entirely at any moment.

Hu Yan did not know how to respond.

At present, he had no mood to develop feelings with any other woman.

Zhu Qingling stared at him and asked, “If I were to die outside someday, would there be even the slightest trace of sorrow in your heart?”

Hu Yan frowned.

He became somewhat angry, feeling that she was provoking him.

Seeing this, Zhu Qingling turned around and continued ascending the mountain.

Hu Yan did not know whether it was merely his imagination, but he felt her gaze seemed to leave a lingering trace behind. Even after she turned her head away, it felt as though her eyes still remained upon him.

He watched as Zhu Qingling disappeared into the snowy mist.

No longer thinking further about it, he turned around and continued descending the mountain.

Hu Yan worked hard not to think about Duan Xiaojuan.

From now on, he needed to strive to become stronger.

He wanted to become someone like Yuan Li—

Or even more dependable than Yuan Li.