From a Martial Arts Sect to an Immortal Cultivation Sect Chapter 64
Outstanding, exceptional!
A genius comparable to Xu Ning!
Li Qingqiu felt a surge of excitement in his heart.
The Fate Trait True Martial Body indeed appeared powerful; he merely needed to take note of the Fragile Destiny within it.
As long as Zhao Zhen could live until the age of sixteen, that calamity would naturally resolve itself.
There were still eleven years left.
Li Qingqiu found it hard to determine how troublesome the Fragile Destiny would be, but his intuition told him that Zhao Zhen’s troubles would mostly stem from the imperial struggle for power.
Would that calamity be averted if Zhao Zhen stayed in the Clear Sky Sect?
He feared only that Zhao Zhen might bring disaster to the sect instead.
Yet, on second thought—so long as the Clear Sky Sect continued to recruit disciples, there would inevitably be some who caused trouble for the sect.
Every choice had its pros and cons; what he needed to decide now was whether Zhao Zhen was worth the risk.
Zhao Zhen’s current talent was already on par with Xu Ning’s.
Xu Ning had not yet reached adulthood, yet could easily defeat the martial world’s top experts.
By the time Zhao Zhen turned sixteen and his comprehension advanced further, he would become the most gifted disciple of the Clear Sky Sect.
It was worth taking the gamble!
Moreover, Zhao Zhen had already bowed and paid his respects—how could Li Qingqiu possibly drive him away?
Li Qingqiu’s thoughts turned swiftly.
A smile appeared on his face as he personally helped Zhao Zhen to his feet, then lifted him onto his own lap.
Zhao Zhen felt a bit uncomfortable, but when he saw Li Qingqiu’s warm smile, he found it hard to refuse.
When Ku Yi saw that Zhao Zhen had successfully taken Li Qingqiu as his Master, he clasped his fists respectfully and said, “Then we’ll be in your care, Sect Master.”
The more Li Qingqiu looked at Zhao Zhen, the more he liked him.
Turning his head toward Ku Yi, he smiled and said, “You two should also join my sect. Stay here for now. In a few days, I’ll assign you proper duties. You’ll live in the same courtyard as Zhao Zhen.”
“Thank you, Sect Master,” the brothers Ku Yi and Ku Er answered in unison.
Ku Er’s expression, however, was somewhat complicated—no one knew what he was thinking.
Li Qingqiu didn’t feel like chatting further.
He had Qin Ye take them away to settle down, while he stayed behind to nurture his relationship with Zhao Zhen.
Once the three of them had left, Li Qingqiu tried to pick Zhao Zhen up again, but this time Zhao Zhen stubbornly refused.
“Master, I don’t want to be carried. I’m a man; I’m not that fragile.”
Zhao Zhen broke free of Li Qingqiu’s grasp and stood aside, speaking with great seriousness.
His voice was still tender and childlike, which made his solemn words all the more amusing—Li Qingqiu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“Very well. As your Master, I’ll respect that. Come, I’ll show you something fun.”
Li Qingqiu took Zhao Zhen’s small hand and led him toward the forest behind the mountain.
Li Sijin was still waiting there; he also wanted to see how far her talisman-crafting had progressed.
Though Zhao Zhen was young, he wasn’t timid in this new environment.
Being led by his Master, he chattered endlessly, full of curiosity about everything in the Clear Sky Sect.
To all his questions, Li Qingqiu patiently gave answers.
He made up his mind to keep Zhao Zhen by his side from now on, to prevent any unexpected accidents.
For the time being, however, Zhao Zhen would live with Ku Yi and Ku Er until they were all comfortable; then Li Qingqiu would keep him closer.
Soon, he would have two little followers by his side—Yuan Li and Zhao Zhen.
“The Undying Overlord Body and True Martial Body... tsk tsk. Twenty years from now, when their names resound across the world, won’t the admiration of my disciples toward me be endless?”
Li Qingqiu thought with anticipation.
For a sect to grow stronger, it needed disciples who could shoulder great responsibility.
He didn’t just want himself, his junior brothers, and junior sisters to become powerful; he wanted the younger generation to rise right after them.
But now, a question arose—
Should he copy the True Martial Body?
In Li Qingqiu’s view, the True Martial Body’s greatest function lay in continuously providing the sect with martial immortal techniques, rather than directly enhancing physical aptitude and combat power like the Heavenly Thunder Spiritual Root.
He himself didn’t need to devote effort to martial arts creation; doing so would only slow down his cultivation progress.
The chance to copy Fate Traits wasn’t as easily triggered as inheritance rewards—he had to use it cautiously.
Better to observe first!
Li Qingqiu led Zhao Zhen into the forest behind the mountain.
When Li Sijin, who had been waiting there, saw them, her gaze immediately fell upon Zhao Zhen, her eyes filled with scrutiny.
Li Qingqiu had already told his junior brother and sister about Yan Lan’s true identity and his request, so Li Sijin knew who Zhao Zhen was.
She didn’t believe Yan Lan’s words, thinking he merely wanted the Clear Sky Sect to protect his son—and that doing so might only bring the sect further trouble.
Because of this, her first impression of Zhao Zhen was one of annoyance.
“This little brat looks so full of himself—really deserves a beating,” she thought to herself.
But when Li Qingqiu and Zhao Zhen approached, Zhao Zhen looked up at her and said, “Elder Sister, you’re so beautiful.”
Li Sijin froze for a moment, then broke into a bright smile.
“Really?” she asked happily.
Not annoying at all—actually quite adorable.
Li Sijin’s impression of Zhao Zhen instantly changed.
Zhao Zhen nodded seriously.
“Really. Much prettier than any of the women back home.”
Li Qingqiu also smiled.
He didn’t think Zhao Zhen was merely flattering her.
Cultivation indeed refined one’s temperament.
As Li Sijin matured, she had become increasingly beautiful—her ethereal grace was something most mortal women lacked.
Not only her—Li Dongyue, Xu Ning, and Liu Yan were also undergoing such changes.
The higher their cultivation, the more extraordinary their appearance became.
“You have quite the sweet tongue, little one. From now on, your Martial Aunt will look after you!”
Li Sijin bent down, rubbing Zhao Zhen’s head with a grin.
In the Great Li Dynasty, even the Master’s junior sister was to be addressed as “Martial Aunt.”
“So you’re my Martial Aunt! No wonder you’re so beautiful,” Zhao Zhen replied, which made Li Sijin beam even brighter.
Li Qingqiu coughed lightly.
“Alright, enough of that. Show me your talisman craft.”
Hearing this, Li Sijin straightened up.
She walked aside, took a yellow talisman from her waist, pinched it between two fingers, then shot Li Qingqiu and Zhao Zhen a smug grin.
“Junior Nephew, watch closely—don’t be frightened.”
Zhao Zhen widened his eyes, staring intently, not knowing what she intended to do but still obeying.
Without delay, Li Sijin tossed the talisman into the air, then flicked her finger.
A streak of Vital Energy burst from her fingertip, piercing through the talisman and setting it ablaze.
“Screee—!”
Amid the crackle of flames, a silver eagle’s shadow emerged from the fire, swiftly expanding as it flapped its wings skyward.
Within moments, its wingspan grew to more than a zhang across.
Li Qingqiu’s eyes lit up, impressed by the display.
He had expected a simple low-grade spell like a fireball or wind blade—he hadn’t anticipated something so advanced.
The silver eagle shadow was clearly modeled after Little Nine’s form.
Instead of dissipating quickly, it circled above the forest, leaving Zhao Zhen staring with mouth agape.
Li Sijin waved her fingers, and the silver eagle followed her motions, changing direction midair.
“I call it the Spirit Eagle Talisman,” she said proudly.
“Though each talisman can only be used once, it can still kill in critical moments.”
With that, she swung her arm downward.
The soaring silver eagle dove sharply, breaking branches and slamming into the ground.
Dust billowed, and when it cleared, a vat-sized crater was left behind.
“Lightning attribute?” Li Qingqiu raised an eyebrow, surprised.
Li Sijin turned aside with a soft cough.
“Fine, I admit it—I sought guidance from Ning’er. She really is a genius; she gave me lots of inspiration.”
“How much Inner Energy does it take to make one Spirit Eagle Talisman?” Li Qingqiu asked.
Li Sijin shrugged helplessly.
“All of it. My entire reserve. But it’s fine—I can store it up beforehand. I don’t fight much anyway, so Inner Energy is usually wasted sitting around.”
All of her Vital Energy at the Second Layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm—no wonder it was so powerful.
“Excellent work,” Li Qingqiu praised.
“You’ve made great merit. This Spirit Eagle Talisman might one day save the lives of our disciples. Write down the method and record it in the Scripture Pavilion.”
“Really? Then I’m also a genius who’s created an original art?” Li Sijin asked excitedly.
Jiang Zhaoxia, Xu Ning, and Yang Jueding had each recently created their own arts, all of which had been recorded in the Scripture Pavilion—a great honor indeed.
Though the Pavilion wasn’t yet fully constructed, the sect had already begun compiling martial and immortal techniques.
To have one’s self-created art included was the highest of honors.
“Of course. Your Spirit Eagle Talisman is even more meaningful than Third Junior Brother’s sword technique,” Li Qingqiu replied.
Li Sijin jumped in delight on the spot, thrilled beyond measure.
Zhao Zhen stared blankly at the crater nearby—his young heart completely shaken.
He had already begun practicing martial arts and had seen the might of the Imperial Guardian Army’s experts, yet he couldn’t comprehend how a mere talisman could summon a flying eagle—and such a terrifyingly powerful one at that!
Li Qingqiu continued questioning her about the Spirit Eagle Talisman, and Li Sijin answered truthfully.
The talisman wasn’t as widely applicable as he had hoped—it could only be used by her.
When others tried to activate it, it lost its form and merely exploded instantly.
Still, Li Qingqiu wasn’t disappointed.
He believed Li Sijin could refine it further—this was only the beginning.
Today was a double blessing for him: Zhao Zhen represented the sect’s future strength, while Li Sijin’s Spirit Eagle Talisman brought the Clear Sky Sect one step closer to becoming a true immortal sect.
In the following days, word spread among the disciples that the Sect Master had taken in another disciple.
Everyone grew curious about Zhao Zhen, for their Master never accepted disciples lightly.
Five days later, Li Qingqiu personally passed down the Great Sun Pure Yang Art to Zhao Zhen.
Possessing the True Martial Body, Zhao Zhen was destined to walk the martial path.
Li Qingqiu eagerly anticipated that he might one day refine the Great Sun Pure Yang Art into a true cultivation technique—something of immense significance for the Clear Sky Sect.
Zhao Zhen truly lived up to his title of genius.
Already literate, he memorized the manual after only two readings and, that very day, cultivated Inner Energy unique to the Great Sun Pure Yang Art.
From that day onward, whether Li Qingqiu ascended or descended the mountain, he always took Yuan Li and Zhao Zhen along, ensuring that every disciple grew familiar with Zhao Zhen’s face.
Zhao Zhen’s martial aptitude surpassed even Li Qingqiu’s expectations—his progress was astonishing day by day.
When Li Qingqiu had Yang Jueding test Zhao Zhen’s abilities, Yang Jueding could only exclaim—
“A reincarnation of a demonic child!”
In Yang Jueding’s eyes, Wu Man’er was a once-in-ten-thousand-years prodigy, and Xu Ning’s talent was already beyond comprehension—
Yet Zhao Zhen’s appearance shattered his understanding once more.