Chapter 378 Immortal Sects and the Martial World

Ever since the True Transmission Tournament had been established, the entire Clear Sky Sect was shaken by excitement, instantly stealing all attention away from the Grand Dao Tournament.

Once the rules of the True Transmission Tournament were announced, the Grand Dao Tournament suddenly appeared ordinary by comparison.

The True Transmission Tournament was the genuine stage for competing over superiority.

Three years passed in the blink of an eye.

This year, Li Qingqiu was about to turn fifty-four years old, while only two years remained before the next Grand Dao Tournament.

Only then did the Grand Dao Tournament finally reclaim the attention of the sect’s disciples.

Although the Grand Dao Tournament could not compare to the True Transmission Tournament, it remained the greatest opportunity for new disciples to fight for benefits and reputation.

As long as the Grand Dao Tournament approached, disciples continuously signed up in endless numbers.

At the beginning of summer, Zhang Yuchun came to the Lingxiao Courtyard to report the current situation to Li Qingqiu.

After three years of renovation, the Lingxiao Courtyard had become even more expansive.

Three long tables had been placed within the courtyard.

Li Qingqiu sat at the main table before the tall building, radiating imposing authority.

He reclined lazily upon his chair, gently rocking back and forth, appearing extremely comfortable.

According to Zhang Yuchun’s report, the number of officially registered disciples within the Clear Sky Sect had already surpassed one hundred thousand.

The number of True Transmission Disciples had exceeded eighteen thousand.

As for disciples who had reached the Spirit Sense Realm, there were now seven hundred of them.

Seven hundred was by no means a small number.

It already rivaled many immortal cultivation sects that had existed for one or two centuries.

Although the Clear Sky Sect was rooted within the Nine Provinces, it continuously obtained cultivation resources from both the Western Region Perilous Land and the southern Heavenly Nether Sea.

Every single day, more than one million Spirit Stones were transported into the Clear Sky Sect from all across the world.

The quantities of various other resources were equally astonishing.

If the Clear Sky Sect stopped recruiting disciples, its current resource income would already be enough to ensure steady development.

However, Li Qingqiu had no desire to maintain the status quo.

His attitude determined the entire operating style of the Clear Sky Sect.

Everyone was advancing forward together at full speed.

Li Qingqiu was relatively satisfied with the development of the Clear Sky Sect.

Although the sect officially possessed only one hundred thousand registered disciples, once miscellaneous disciples were included, the actual population reached six hundred thousand.

If one also counted the forces the disciples themselves could mobilize, then the number became impossible to estimate.

“Recently, the Nine Provinces haven’t been too peaceful. A certain individual has appeared in the martial world and is currently wreaking havoc upon those small sects.”

Zhang Yuchun suddenly brought up another matter.

The Nine Provinces and the Northern Region had already birthed many small immortal cultivation sects.

Every single one of these sects originated from the Clear Sky Sect and regarded Clear Sky as supreme.

Ordinarily, they behaved rather properly, because those who failed to do so had already been eliminated by the Clear Sky Sect.

Li Qingqiu opened his mouth and said, “As long as they do not harm innocent civilians or damage the sect’s interests, let them cause trouble as they wish. The Clear Sky Sect has no obligation to shelter those small sects.”

Zhang Yuchun nodded.

He had not cared much about the matter to begin with.

At his current stage, it was impossible for him to pity the tragedies of only a handful of people.

Moreover, regarding grudges and disputes, who could truly distinguish right from wrong clearly?

Soon afterward, Zhang Yuchun took his leave.

Not long later, Chu Jing arrived.

“Sect Master, the Taiya Pavilion has invited us to visit as guests in order to strengthen relations between our two sects.”

Chu Jing first saluted before speaking.

The Taiya Pavilion was one of the immortal cultivation sects situated between the Western Region Perilous Land and the Azure Dragon Domain.

Numerous immortal cultivation sects stood upon that vast territory.

After hearing that the Clear Sky Sect had defeated the Myriad Yin Sect, the Taiya Pavilion proactively approached them with congratulatory gifts, claiming they had suffered greatly under the Myriad Yin Sect before and that the Clear Sky Sect’s victory had helped vent their anger.

When others opened the path with wealth, Li Qingqiu naturally welcomed them.

Welcoming them was one thing, but Li Qingqiu always believed there was no absolute good or evil within the cultivation world.

He did not know what schemes the Taiya Pavilion concealed behind the scenes, so caution was necessary.

“Have Yang Jueding lead a group there. Third Junior Brother and Ning’er shall accompany him.”

Li Qingqiu pondered briefly before speaking.

Chu Jing nodded and was just about to leave when Li Qingqiu suddenly added, “Change the arrangement. Let Xue Jin replace Ning’er.”

Hearing this, Chu Jing seemed to think of a certain rumor, causing his expression to become strange.

Still, he nodded in agreement.

Li Qingqiu swept the area below the Lingxiao Courtyard with his Spirit Sense and confirmed no one else was approaching before finally standing up and leaving.

Using the Extreme Movement Technique, he instantly shifted beneath the Thousand Autumn Tree, his gaze falling upon Yin Jingxing, who sat cultivating beneath the tree.

Three years had passed, and Yin Jingxing had already stepped into the Spirit Sense Realm, becoming the youngest Spirit Sense Realm disciple in the history of the Clear Sky Sect.

Li Qingqiu intentionally built momentum for him, even having the Spirit Hall post announcements to publicize the matter, allowing Yin Jingxing to gain the title of the sect’s number one genius.

Everyone had already begun anticipating how far he would go in the True Transmission Tournament.

Yin Jingxing was now only ten years old.

Li Qingqiu discovered that as Yin Jingxing aged, the growth speed of the Extreme Yang True Flame within his body became increasingly faster.

His mastery over the Extreme Yang True Flame also advanced at astonishing speed every single day.

Even though Yin Jingxing still only used fists and kicks, his combat strength had undergone terrifying qualitative changes.

No matter how much Li Qingqiu guided Xu Yuqiong, the gap between Xu Yuqiong and Yin Jingxing only became increasingly obvious.

Fortunately, Xu Yuqiong had not lost confidence because of this.

Instead, his loyalty toward the Clear Sky Sect continued rising higher and higher.

After three years of growth, Yin Jingxing had become noticeably taller, while his face had grown even more handsome.

Opening his eyes and seeing his Master approach, Yin Jingxing immediately revealed a smile and hurried over.

“Master, today you’ll finally teach me the Extreme Movement Technique, right?”

Yin Jingxing grabbed Li Qingqiu’s sleeve and shook it while acting spoiled.

He had no interest whatsoever in other spells.

The only thing he loved was Li Qingqiu’s ghost-like Extreme Movement Technique.

Li Qingqiu actually felt Yin Jingxing’s thinking made perfect sense.

Once he mastered the Extreme Movement Technique, he would only need to approach his enemies to kill them.

It was exceedingly efficient.

Li Qingqiu smiled and nodded.

“The Extreme Movement Technique is not that simple. Prepare yourself mentally.”

Yin Jingxing replied carelessly, “I’m still young. If ten years isn’t enough, then twenty years. I’ll eventually learn it. When the True Transmission Tournament begins, I must bring glory to you, Master.”

There were still twelve years remaining until the True Transmission Tournament.

If anyone else had spoken such words, Li Qingqiu would not have believed them.

But toward this child, he genuinely felt anticipation.

Li Qingqiu mainly wanted to witness what would happen when the Extreme Yang True Body clashed against the Undying Tyrant Body.

It would definitely be extremely exciting.

Speaking of which, Yuan Li and Yin Jingxing seemed to possess a subtle sense of rivalry toward one another.

Yuan Li devoted himself entirely to cultivation and rarely met Yin Jingxing.

Meanwhile, Yin Jingxing had visited every other senior brother and senior sister except Yuan Li.

Could it be that Ancient Sacred Bodies possessed some kind of mutual resonance?

While thinking about this, Li Qingqiu followed Yin Jingxing onto the grassy field and began teaching him the cultivation method of the Extreme Movement Technique.

Meanwhile—

Far away within the Heavenly Clear Immortal Sect, Lin Xunfeng faced a difficult choice.

Upon a cliffside, Lin Xunfeng stared painfully at Fang Shuang, who sat meditating ahead of him.

Fang Shuang wore white robes.

With her back facing him, a great zither rested across her legs as she gently played the instrument with closed eyes.

She calmly said, “Without my protection, you would already have been expelled from the Heavenly Clear Immortal Sect. Afterward, the Yuan Clan would continue hunting you down. Right now, all you need to do is lower your head and apologize. Once you do, this matter will pass. The Yuan Clan merely needs face.”

Lin Xunfeng gritted his teeth.

“They were the ones who bullied and humiliated me! Isn’t the Heavenly Clear Immortal Sect supposed to be a righteous sect?”

Bitterness filled his heart.

He had never imagined that an orthodox immortal cultivation sect like the Heavenly Clear Immortal Sect was no different from the mortal martial world—

Except even more hypocritical.

“I already told you not to interfere in the karma of others. You pitied that child, yet do you know what her parents once did? You cannot save her. You cannot even save yourself.”

Fang Shuang spoke calmly, without the slightest emotional fluctuation in her tone.

With a thud, Lin Xunfeng dropped to his knees upon the ground and gritted his teeth.

“Senior, it was you who brought me into the Heavenly Clear Immortal Sect. As long as you help me save her, no matter the price, I’m willing to pay it. That child is too pitiful. She’s only five years old and understands nothing.”

Fang Shuang stopped playing the zither.

Her tone became displeased.

“Have I still not made myself clear enough? Your strength is insufficient to uphold your sense of justice. Your value is insufficient for me to pay such a great price for you.”

Lin Xunfeng opened his mouth, his face turning pale.

“Go apologize to the Yuan Clan immediately. If you refuse, I will personally kill that little girl myself.”

The moment he heard these words, Lin Xunfeng’s expression drastically changed.

He could only shakily rise to his feet.

“How unusual. Such great anger doesn’t seem like you at all.”

A light laugh suddenly rang out.

Lin Xunfeng looked upward and saw a woman in purple robes arriving upon the clouds.

He recognized her immediately.

The daughter of the Heavenly Clear Immortal Sect’s Sect Master—

Zhou Linghuan.

The moment Fang Shuang saw Zhou Linghuan arrive, she hurriedly stood up and saluted respectfully.

As soon as Zhou Linghuan landed upon the cliff, Lin Xunfeng immediately knelt once more and shouted toward her:

“Please, Fairy Linghuan, uphold justice for a disciple of the sect!”

Fang Shuang frowned and turned her head toward Lin Xunfeng, her gaze becoming unfriendly.