Chapter 350 ·Founding Ancestor of the Sect

As autumn passed and winter arrived, the first snowflake of the season drifted down, swaying as it fell toward the mountain ranges of the Taikun Mountain Range.

Li Qingqiu stood atop a mountain peak, cultivating the Heavenly Gang Golden Body Art.

Even though he possessed the “Undying Tyrant Body” and the “Hundred-Refinement Demonic Body,” he could still continue strengthening his blood essence. The Heavenly Gang Golden Body Art was extremely compatible with these two fate traits. Combined with his “Tempered Through a Thousand Trials,” as long as he cultivated, he would see results. He increasingly enjoyed the sensation of his physique growing stronger.

The Body Cultivation Path was not necessarily inferior to the Qi Refining Path!

Of course, Li Qingqiu would not favor one path over the other—he would develop comprehensively.

Cultivating the Heavenly Gang Golden Body Art was not merely sitting in meditation. It involved nine fixed sets of movements that guided the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth to temper the body, while also stimulating the activity of the body’s acupoints.

Li Qingqiu also discovered something—the stronger the body, the higher the efficiency of Qi refinement. Thus, the Body Cultivation Path and the Qi Refining Path were not in conflict, but could complement each other.

Just as Li Qingqiu was immersed in the profound effects of the Heavenly Gang Golden Body Art, Xiao Wuqing leapt onto the mountain peak and arrived behind him.

“Sect Master, news has come from Xiyu Immortal City. They have discovered a spirit mine belonging to the Myriad Yin Sect, with reserves beyond estimation. They are preparing to seize it. Once taken, it will surely provoke a fierce counterattack from the Myriad Yin Sect—possibly even leading to a decisive battle.”

Xiao Wuqing spoke solemnly. He understood what the upcoming battle would mean.

Over the past year, the Clear Sky Sect had crossed the Western Region Perilous Land, advancing tens of thousands of miles westward—like a sharp blade piercing deep into the heart of the Myriad Yin Sect.

The Myriad Yin Sect far surpassed the Clear Sky Sect in scale. Their earlier setbacks were only because they had not focused their full strength on them. Once they did, it would be the true test.

“Let them act freely.”

Li Qingqiu instructed calmly.

“Yes!”

Xiao Wuqing immediately accepted the order and departed, quickly disappearing from the peak.

Li Qingqiu then continued cultivating the Heavenly Gang Golden Body Art.

After a while, a figure suddenly appeared behind him—it was the Sword Demon.

Looking at Li Qingqiu’s back, the Sword Demon asked, “Do you truly intend to destroy the Myriad Yin Sect?”

Li Qingqiu turned his head slightly, glancing at him from the corner of his eye, and replied, “Why ask? Haven’t you seen me killing their disciples?”

The Sword Demon said, “I thought it was just conflict—that the Clear Sky Sect was being oppressed by the Myriad Yin Sect and had no choice but to resist. Situations like this are common. The Myriad Yin Sect runs rampant, bullying dynasties and small sects—you’re not an exception. But if you intend to annihilate them, you must think carefully. Behind the Myriad Yin Sect stands an even more powerful existence.”

This was the first time he had spoken such a long sentence.

“A more powerful existence?” Li Qingqiu was surprised. This was something he had not known.

The Sword Demon said expressionlessly, “I also want to destroy the Myriad Yin Sect. But their founding ancestor is still alive—that is their true foundation.”

Founding ancestor?

Li Qingqiu narrowed his eyes. “Could it be that this founding ancestor has surpassed the Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm?”

“The Myriad Yin Sect has stood for over a thousand years. If their founding ancestor is still alive today, he has naturally surpassed that realm. Of course, if you destroy the Myriad Yin Sect now, you might not alert him—no one knows his whereabouts. But if he returns and learns the truth, he will definitely come after you.”

“In the past thousand years, the Myriad Yin Sect was once destroyed. But when that founding ancestor returned, all his enemies were slaughtered. Within just two hundred years, the Myriad Yin Sect rose again. Their current three great cultivators were subdued by him three hundred years ago—they were originally wandering cultivators.”

Li Qingqiu fell into deep thought.

Thinking about it carefully, it made sense. A sect that had lasted a thousand years could not possibly have all its secrets easily uncovered.

After a moment, his gaze became firm. “There is no retreat in this battle. We’ll deal with everything after destroying the Myriad Yin Sect.”

Should he bow his head because of a founding ancestor whose whereabouts were unknown?

At this point, even if the Clear Sky Sect retreated, the Myriad Yin Sect would not spare them.

He had no choice—he could only gamble that the founding ancestor would return too late.

Besides, Li Qingqiu had no intention of completely uprooting the Myriad Yin Sect. He only needed to cripple them and instill fear. At the current scale of the Clear Sky Sect, they could not fully absorb the Myriad Yin Sect anyway.

Seeing how decisively Li Qingqiu made his choice, the Sword Demon showed a trace of admiration and said, “In that case, how about I help you deal with the Myriad Yin Sect?”

Li Qingqiu turned his head in surprise.

Why was this guy suddenly so proactive?

The Sword Demon replied calmly, “I have a grudge against the Myriad Yin Sect. Whenever I encounter them during my travels, I kill them. Earlier, if you hadn’t acted first, those disciples would have died by my hand anyway.”

Li Qingqiu nodded. “You can go—but you must conceal your identity.”

“Don’t worry. Everyone from the Myriad Yin Sect will die. As for your sect’s disciples, none of them can recognize me.”

His tone was utterly indifferent, as if the Myriad Yin Sect meant nothing to him.

Li Qingqiu picked up the Supreme Sword beside him and tossed it to the Sword Demon. “Take this sword. I’ll have someone guide you there.”

The Sword Demon caught the Supreme Sword and fell silent.

He knew Li Qingqiu did not fully trust him. But if their positions were reversed, he would feel the same.

Still, he did not care. His actions against the Myriad Yin Sect were not to please Li Qingqiu—he simply despised them.

Holding the Supreme Sword, the Sword Demon vanished on the spot.

A smile curled at Li Qingqiu’s lips. He felt that the day when the Sword Demon would truly submit was drawing closer. His loyalty toward him had already surpassed fifty, and toward the Clear Sky Sect, it had reached sixty.

After several months, such growth might not seem fast—but for the Sword Demon, it was already remarkable.

Li Qingqiu also noticed something—older cultivators who joined the Clear Sky Sect tended to increase in loyalty more quickly. Perhaps it was because most of the sect’s disciples were still young?

Most adult cultivators were either out tempering or guarding territories, leaving the Taikun Mountain Range filled mostly with youths.

Regardless, with the Sword Demon heading out, the pressure on the Clear Sky Sect would lessen significantly.

Li Qingqiu could control the Supreme Sword from across vast distances—even using it as his own eyes. He had no fear of the Sword Demon acting out.

He also wanted to observe the Sword Demon’s strength—how he would perform against the combined forces of three Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm great cultivators.

From their previous battle, Li Qingqiu felt the Sword Demon had been somewhat underwhelming for someone bearing that title. He needed more comparisons.

At noon that day—

Xiao Wuqing personally escorted the Sword Demon through a Teleportation Formation to Xiyu Immortal City and brought him before Wei Tianxiong.

The moment Wei Tianxiong saw the Sword Demon, his expression changed drastically, and his brows furrowed.

“This is…?”

Chu Jing couldn’t help but ask.

The Sword Demon’s aura was so overwhelming that Wei Tianxiong, Chu Jing, and Gu Changping could immediately tell he was extraordinary.

Xiao Wuqing introduced, “This senior was sent by the Sect Master. He carries the Sect Master’s divine sword and will head to the spirit mine outpost to await the Myriad Yin Sect’s forces.”

Hearing that he was sent by Li Qingqiu, Chu Jing and Gu Changping relaxed.

“Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm,” Wei Tianxiong said slowly, staring at the Sword Demon.

Chu Jing, Xiao Wuqing, and Gu Changping were all shocked.

By now, they understood what that realm represented—a level above the Spirit Sense Realm. Even a thousand-year sect like the Myriad Yin Sect only had three such great cultivators.

And now, the Clear Sky Sect had a second one?

After the shock came excitement—their chances of victory had increased.

The Sword Demon looked at Wei Tianxiong and said indifferently, “You are also at the Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm—but injured. Your cultivation has not fully recovered.”

This caused Chu Jing and the others to stare at Wei Tianxiong in astonishment. They had always assumed he was merely a high-level Spirit Sense Realm cultivator.

That meant the Clear Sky Sect now had three Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm great cultivators?

The overwhelming surprise left them dizzy with excitement.

With such strength—what was there to fear?

They could completely crush the Myriad Yin Sect!

“Why did you join the Clear Sky Sect? Were you also subdued by the Sect Master?” Wei Tianxiong asked curiously. He could sense that the Sword Demon was even stronger than he had been at his peak.

The Sword Demon remained silent.

Chu Jing and the others immediately understood—Wei Tianxiong was right.

Wei Tianxiong laughed self-deprecatingly. “No need to feel ashamed. There are many like us in this sect. At first, it’s hard to accept—but once you do, you’ll realize it’s not humiliation, but an opportunity.”

Chu Jing nodded. “I was once an enemy of the Clear Sky Sect. Looking back, I realize I was living in complete confusion.”

Xiao Wuqing and Gu Changping did not share such experiences—they had grown up within the Clear Sky Sect. But they had heard such stories, though usually embellished to highlight the Sect Master’s magnanimity.

The Sword Demon remained unmoved. He looked at Wei Tianxiong and asked, “Do you want this conflict to end quickly, or more slowly?”

“Oh? You can make them gather their forces sooner?” Wei Tianxiong asked with interest.

“I previously took a treasure from them. If I bring it out, the three great cultivators of the Myriad Yin Sect will not be able to sit still.”

He spoke as if it were nothing—like casually picking a flower by the roadside.

Wei Tianxiong raised an eyebrow, his gaze flickering with intrigue.

…

Night fell. Inside a mine cave—

Shen Yue sat in meditation at the deepest part. His tattered robes billowed violently as Sword Energy surged wildly around him.

Lin Lingzhou sat not far away, guarding the entrance. Feeling the sharpness of Shen Yue’s Sword Energy, he was deeply shocked.

“He can actually recover his strength…”

Lin Lingzhou’s heartbeat quickened.

Because of Yin Jingxing, he had approached Shen Yue, initially wanting to understand his character. Over time, they had grown closer. When Lin Lingzhou expressed his desire to escape, Shen Yue agreed to help—on the condition that Yin Jingxing would be brought along.

Lin Lingzhou already had a favorable impression of Yin Jingxing, so the two quickly reached an agreement.

Tonight, Shen Yue was about to undergo a great breakthrough through destruction and rebirth.

Lin Lingzhou stood guard outside the cave, preventing any Myriad Yin Sect cultivators from discovering them and interfering.