Chapter 365 Eternal Female Emperor

As time flowed onward, two years passed in the blink of an eye.

Another New Year arrived, and this year, Li Qingqiu would turn fifty-one.

Beginning this year, discussions within the sect once again turned toward the Dao Combat Tournament. There were still five years until the next tournament, but disciples aspiring to participate had already begun making preparations.

In early February, Li Qingqiu came to the Sword Sect, primarily to see Song Qianxiang.

Ever since Song Qianxiang joined the Sword Sect, she only taught the Sword Sect disciples once each month. Yet even so, the Sword Dao attainments of the Sword Sect disciples had been improving remarkably.

After two years, Song Qianxiang’s prestige within the Sword Sect had already surpassed Shen Yue and Jiang Zhaoxia. All Sword Sect disciples believed her Sword Dao attainments were the strongest.

Losing to the Sect Master was not considered shameful for Song Qianxiang.

Instead, it was regarded as an honor.

At least in the eyes of the Clear Sky Sect disciples, not everyone was qualified to exchange blows with the Sect Master.

Today was the day Song Qianxiang lectured the Sword Sect disciples on the Dao.

Li Qingqiu stood upon a corridor walkway, gazing toward the Martial Training Ground ahead. Several hundred Sword Sect disciples sat there meditating, while Song Qianxiang sat cross-legged atop the roof edge of a pavilion ahead. Sword Energy naturally emanated from her, enveloping the entire Martial Training Ground.

Aside from Song Qianxiang, no one noticed Li Qingqiu’s arrival.

As Li Qingqiu looked at Song Qianxiang, his heart filled entirely with greed.

He could not resist summoning the Dao Lineage Panel once again and locating Song Qianxiang’s profile.

【Name: Song Qianxiang】

【Gender: Female】

【Age: 101】

【Loyalty (to Sect Master / Sect): 72 / 34 (Maximum 100)】

【Cultivation Aptitude: Extraordinary Beyond Mortal】

【Comprehension: Outstanding】

【Fate Traits: Innate Sword Body, Immortal Hong Fortune, Eternal Female Emperor】

【Innate Sword Body: Due to generations of ancestors cultivating the Sword Dao, Sword Energy was inherited through the bloodline, forming an Innate Sword Body. The physical body can withstand endless Sword Energy】

【Immortal Hong Fortune: When heaven and earth first separated and divine beasts roamed the world, an Immortal Hong once dropped an immortal feather. This feather carried the fortune of the Immortal Hong and allows its possessor to turn calamity into fortune】

【Eternal Female Emperor: After enduring countless hardships, she becomes a mortal-world emperor amidst the mortal dust. Her Fate Trait evolves, allowing the future to influence the past. If she encounters a hopeless situation, she will gain one opportunity to be rescued by her future self】

……

Too luxurious!

In terms of cultivation aptitude and comprehension alone, no one within the Clear Sky Sect could compare to her, let alone the fact that she possessed three special Fate Traits.

Li Qingqiu nearly copied the Innate Sword Body on the spot. The description of endless Sword Energy sounded terrifying.

However, he already possessed Fate Traits related to the Sword Dao, and he himself did not wish to walk solely the Sword Dao path, so he restrained himself.

The Eternal Female Emperor Fate Trait frightened Li Qingqiu the most.

If he had tried to kill Song Qianxiang previously, would he have ended up facing Song Qianxiang’s future self?

It was difficult to imagine just how terrifying the future Song Qianxiang would become.

At this moment, Li Qingqiu was pondering how to make Song Qianxiang wholeheartedly devote herself to the Clear Sky Sect.

For the time being, he had no good method.

Song Qianxiang had neither blood feud nor tragic background. She came from an illustrious origin and had no reason to join the Clear Sky Sect. If he tried forcing her and she fought desperately to the death, that would become even more terrifying.

At that moment, Xiao Wuqing quickly hurried over from behind and arrived beside him. Using voice transmission, he said:

“Sect Master, Lin Lingzhou has been abducted!”

Li Qingqiu frowned and turned his head toward him, asking in surprise, “Within the sect?”

Although Lin Lingzhou was Li Qingqiu’s junior brother, Li Qingqiu rarely paid much attention to him in daily life. After all, Lin Lingzhou’s aptitude was mediocre. As long as he lived well, that was enough. For now, he held no cultivation value worth nurturing.

Yet Li Qingqiu had never expected someone would dare abduct Lin Lingzhou.

It was utterly absurd!

“No. He was abducted in Southern Chu Province. He had accompanied the Immortal Protection Guards on a mission and encountered an ambush along the way. The five accompanying Immortal Protection Guards suffered severe injuries. The attacker appears to have been a Clear Sky Sect disciple. His Clear Sky Token has also lost contact and stopped within a forest in Southern Chu Province.”

Xiao Wuqing spoke rapidly, still using voice transmission.

He also found the situation absurd.

Who could possibly be this bold?

Li Qingqiu thought briefly before saying, “Have Xue Jin handle this matter.”

As he spoke, he tossed his Sect Master Token toward Xiao Wuqing.

“Yes!”

Xiao Wuqing immediately departed, quickly disappearing through the rear gate.

Li Qingqiu summoned the Dao Lineage Panel and located Lin Lingzhou’s profile, which allowed him to feel somewhat relieved.

The other party had abducted Lin Lingzhou, meaning they clearly had some purpose in mind and would not kill him so easily.

As Sect Master, Li Qingqiu could not personally take action over a single individual unless that person could provide tremendous value to the Clear Sky Sect, like Yuan Li or Zhao Zhen.

Such thoughts might sound cruel, but that was exactly how he thought.

In terms of emotion, he would only risk his life for his junior brothers and sisters.

Although Lin Lingzhou was technically his junior brother, their relationship had not yet reached that level.

It was impossible that every disciple Lin Xunfeng accepted would automatically become another responsibility Li Qingqiu had to shoulder.

He continued observing Song Qianxiang lecturing on the Dao.

Truthfully, Song Qianxiang’s Sword Dao attainments were indeed extremely high. Even Li Qingqiu himself could benefit from listening.

Li Qingqiu waited an entire half hour before Song Qianxiang finally finished her lecture.

Song Qianxiang directly stood up and vanished from atop the roof edge.

Li Qingqiu then stepped toward her courtyard.

The Sword Sect disciples were still immersed in their previous enlightenment, including senior disciple Han Lang. None of them noticed the Sect Master’s arrival.

Passing through one courtyard after another, Li Qingqiu finally arrived at Song Qianxiang’s courtyard.

Song Qianxiang was already standing there waiting, facing away from him.

“Miss Song, I hope you don’t mind my disturbance?”

Li Qingqiu walked into the courtyard and asked with a smile. His demeanor remained gentle, just as it was when he faced ordinary sect disciples.

Song Qianxiang turned and walked toward the stone table in the center of the courtyard, while Li Qingqiu followed after her.

Once the two sat down, Song Qianxiang stared directly at Li Qingqiu, leaving him puzzled.

“Miss Song, why are you looking at me like that?” Li Qingqiu asked in confusion.

Song Qianxiang asked, “Do you truly not have a master who taught you immortal cultivation methods?”

After spending two years in the Clear Sky Sect, she had gained a thorough understanding of the sect’s past and discovered something extremely terrifying.

The cultivation resources of the Clear Sky Sect had been accumulated year after year.

In other words—

Li Qingqiu could actually have become even stronger.

If he had been born into the Heavenly Sword Sect and possessed cultivation resources equal to hers, she could not even imagine how terrifying Li Qingqiu would be by now.

Li Qingqiu shook his head.

“If I truly did, then why would we remain trapped in a place like this? You should also know that to the north lies the Land of Demons and Devils, which could invade southward at any moment.”

Song Qianxiang nodded.

“I do know. Our Heavenly Sword Sect also originated from the Land of the Nine Provinces. It was precisely because we feared the Land of Demons and Devils that we journeyed far away to the Azure Dragon Domain. Since you know this, why insist on staying here? With the Clear Sky Sect’s current strength, it’s impossible to stop the Land of Demons and Devils. You are indeed powerful, but once surrounded by demons and devils, your chances of survival would be slim. What exactly are you seeking? Within the Land of the Nine Provinces, only the inheritance of the Supreme Sword Sect carries any attraction, and you should already possess it.”

Li Qingqiu looked at her and replied:

“I seek nothing. I was born upon this land. I received the blessings of heaven and earth here, so naturally I bear the responsibility to protect this land. Of course, if my strength proves insufficient, I will also lead the sect disciples away. But if we don’t clash with them first, how would we know who wins and who loses?”

Song Qianxiang looked deeply at him before snorting softly.

“You’re even more arrogant than I am.”

Li Qingqiu smiled, then took out a prepared jar of spirit wine from his Storage Pouch. He had even brought two bowls.

Song Qianxiang did not refuse him and silently watched him pour the wine.

“Miss Song, could you tell me about the Heavenly Sword Sect?” Li Qingqiu asked curiously.

Li Sifeng had once sought out Song Qianxiang, but unfortunately, Song Qianxiang had refused to see him entirely. Even when he shouted Song Kejian’s name, she remained unmoved.

“The Heavenly Sword Sect is located in the northern region of the Azure Dragon Domain. The sect has existed for a thousand years and possesses over five hundred thousand disciples. Looking across the Azure Dragon Domain, the Heavenly Sword Sect’s foundation can only be considered second-rate. It might even fall below second-rate. However, our strength lies in the endless stream of geniuses produced by the sect. There are always unparalleled heavenly geniuses who use the sword to carve out territory for the Heavenly Sword Sect…”

Song Qianxiang began introducing the Heavenly Sword Sect in a calm tone.

Li Qingqiu listened seriously. Through the history of the Heavenly Sword Sect, he also gained greater understanding of the Azure Dragon Domain.

According to Song Qianxiang, the Azure Dragon Domain was vast and boundless, filled with countless immortal cultivation sects.

The strongest tier of forces could even call themselves Immortal Sects.

This caused him to think of the Heavenly Clear Immortal Sect that Lin Xunfeng had joined.

The Heavenly Clear Immortal Sect was simply too far away, making it impossible for Li Qingqiu to spare the effort to seek out Lin Xunfeng for now.

Besides, Lin Xunfeng currently faced no trouble and even had benefactors supporting him, making any search unnecessary.

Of course, the main reason was that Li Qingqiu did not wish for the Clear Sky Sect to appear within the Heavenly Clear Immortal Sect’s sight too early.

Later, Li Qingqiu learned a rather unfortunate piece of news.

Song Qianxiang was actually the granddaughter of the Heavenly Sword Sect’s Sect Master.

With such a background, poaching her away would be extraordinarily difficult.

After chatting for an entire hour, Li Qingqiu had already gained deep understanding of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Seeing that Song Qianxiang no longer wished to continue speaking, he could only bid farewell.

Song Qianxiang watched Li Qingqiu leave. The corners of her lips rose slightly as she softly muttered to herself:

“You want to recruit me? Your sect is still far from enough.”

……

In the days that followed, every time Song Qianxiang lectured the Sword Sect disciples on the Dao, Li Qingqiu would go listen as well while chatting with her afterward.

He no longer asked about the Heavenly Sword Sect or the Azure Dragon Domain. Instead, he discussed the Sword Dao with Song Qianxiang.

As expected, she truly was a sword fanatic.

Appealing to her interests could increase her loyalty, even if the increase was extremely slow. At least there was hope.

Time gradually reached mid-May.

Li Qingqiu was currently within Lingxiao Courtyard listening to Zhang Yuchun report the sect’s current situation.

The number of registered disciples within the Clear Sky Sect had already surpassed eighty thousand.

True Transmission Disciples had reached thirteen thousand.

The number of Spirit Sense Realm disciples had already exceeded four hundred, with the overwhelming majority having broken through during the past two years.

At present, there were only four Divine Power disciples.

Cultivating Divine Powers was simply too difficult for ordinary disciples, which caused the value of Divine Power disciples to rise increasingly higher.

Xiao Wuqing suddenly appeared at the courtyard gate, clearly in a hurry. Seeing Zhang Yuchun still giving his report, he stopped at the entrance.

Zhang Yuchun quickly finished reporting the disciple situation before turning and leaving.

Xiao Wuqing bowed toward him before arriving before Li Qingqiu and saluting in a low voice:

“Sect Master, this is bad. The disciple who abducted Lin Lingzhou is actually connected to Ziyang Island within the Heavenly Nether Sea. Lin Lingzhou has already been imprisoned within Ziyang Island. The other side has made a demand to Hall Master Xue—they want you to personally travel to Ziyang Island. If you fail to arrive there within one year, they will kill Lin Lingzhou.”

Ziyang Island?

Li Qingqiu frowned.

Ever since Lin Lingzhou’s incident, he had specifically monitored the disciples’ loyalty values. Every disciple with loyalty below ten had already been investigated, yet at most they only uncovered spies from mortal martial sects.

When exactly had Ziyang Island managed to extend its hand into the Clear Sky Sect?