Translator: AnubisTL
This was the first time Li Qing had ever seen Su Xin like this—her expression was heartbreakingly poignant, her eyes brimming with tears that revealed she was no longer a foundation establishment realm cultivator, but a vulnerable woman.
After a moment of silence, Li Qing sighed softly. "That won't happen. You're still alive, and so are the other elders. As long as you're still here, the sect can be rebuilt at any time."
"Of course, all of this depends on you rallying yourselves."
Hearing this, Su Xin buried her face again. "The ancestors and Senior Brother Sect Leader are all dead. Even if we rebuild, it won't be the same Heavenly River Sect we once knew!"
Li Qing took a deep breath, then leaned down and gripped Su Xin's soft shoulders with his strong hands.
"Listen, now isn't the time for such thoughts. Right now, Exquisite True Lord is battling Ancestor Ziqing. We don't know who's stronger."
"But I do know one thing: Ancestor Ziqing is buying us time. He won't settle the battle with Exquisite True Lord here."
"I know you're hurting, but you have to remember—you are the Heavenly River Sect's only hope now!"
"Think of the deceased ancestors and elders of the Heavenly River Sect," Li Qing urged. "If you remain mired in despair, would you truly honor their sacrifices?"
His words struck Su Xin's mind like a barrage of heavy artillery, echoing relentlessly.
Soon, Sect Leader Qing Xuan's earlier instructions resurfaced in her thoughts.
"Now, return to Lingyun Sect with me!" Li Qing said with unwavering resolve.
"Alright," Su Xin murmured.
Relieved, Li Qing summoned the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat, helped Su Xin aboard, and swiftly flew toward Lingyun Sect's mountain gate.
The surviving elders of the Heavenly River Sect, led by Wu Chong and Shen Ningbing, had already soared ahead toward Lingyun Sect.
Li Qing piloted the spirit boat, trailing behind them at a steady pace.
Thus, the group safely returned to Lingyun Sect.
Before they could even rest, Sect Leader Xu Yun immediately convened with the Heavenly River Sect delegation.
On Cloudsoar Island, Sect Leader Xu Yun gazed at the haggard Heavenly River Sect Elders and sighed deeply.
"I never imagined such a tragedy would occur," he lamented. "Qing Xuan and I shared a bond, having clashed several times in the past. What a pity..."
Sect Leader Xu Yun's voice was filled with nostalgia. He too had once dominated the Azure Ridge Domain, and naturally, he had crossed paths with the Heavenly Prodigies of the other two sects many times.
In those days, they were full of youthful vigor. Though rivals, they shared a certain camaraderie.
Gradually suppressing the wistful look in his eyes, Sect Leader Xu Yun cut straight to the point:
"I can agree to Qing Xuan's proposal to shelter you for a time. But where is the Water Spirit Pearl fragment?"
His tone was blunt, but understandable. As sect leader of Lingyun Sect, he had to prioritize the sect's interests above all else.
The Water Spirit Pearl fragment was crucial for facing the impending demonic calamity. He couldn't let personal ties with Qing Xuan cloud his judgment on this matter.
"It's within me," Su Xin replied truthfully. "But the Water Spirit Pearl fragment fused with me when I was young. Extracting it will take some time."
Sect Leader Xu Yun's expression shifted slightly. "How is that possible? The five elements spirit pearls are supreme treasures of heaven and earth. How could one fuse with a cultivator?"
Without further explanation, Su Xin closed her eyes and resonated with the Water Spirit Pearl fragment within her body.
Buzz!
A wisp of exceptionally pure water attribute spiritual power emanated from her. Sensing this aura, Sect Leader Xu Yun no longer doubted the truth of her words.
"The world truly holds endless wonders. A spirit pearl fragment actively merging with a human cultivator... this is utterly unheard of!"
The five elements spirit pearls, supreme treasures naturally nurtured by heaven and earth, possessed boundless mystical properties.
While these treasures could be held in one's grasp, they could never be refined, let alone fused into one's very being.
Of course, these were records from ancient eras and even earlier. Later, during the Ancient Demon Calamity, the five elements spirit pearls were shattered—an event no cultivator could have foreseen.
"Very well," Sect Leader Xu Yun said earnestly. "Since that is the case, please settle into the Lingyun Sect for now. Once everything is resolved, whether you wish to remain with us or rebuild the Heavenly River Sect, I will not stand in your way!"
The surviving elders of the Heavenly River Sect eagerly accepted this proposal.
If any place in the Azure Ridge Domain could still guarantee their safety, it was undoubtedly the Lingyun Sect.
"Junior Brother Li, I must trouble you with this matter as well!" Sect Leader Xu Yun smiled warmly at Li Qing, then praised, "You've done exceptionally well this time. The sect will remember your contributions!"
Li Qing naturally had no reason to decline. He clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "It's all part of my duty, Senior Brother Sect Leader. You flatter me!"
"Heh, I've heard the whole story from Junior Brother Lu Fan. If not for your precise assessment of the Heavenly River Sect's escape route, the spirit pearl fragment might have fallen into the hands of the Shangqing Sect!" Sect Leader Xu Yun stroked his beard, his gaze toward Li Qing filled with undisguised satisfaction.
Heaven be praised! The sect finally has an elder who can be relied upon!
Just then, a figure enveloped in dense purple qi streaked across the sky.
"Cough, cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough!"
True Lord Ziqing staggered onto Cloudsoar Island, coughing up mouthfuls of blood. He looked utterly drained, his aura weak and flickering like a dying flame.
Li Qing and Lu Fan were both shocked by the sight. "Ancestor Ziqing, are you alright? How did you sustain such severe injuries?!" they exclaimed in alarm.
To have reduced a core formation true lord to such a state, the Exquisite True Lord's combat prowess must be terrifying beyond belief! It was simply inconceivable!
"It's nothing serious, just a depletion of my vital energy. I won't be able to exert myself for the next eight to ten years. Cough, cough, cough!"
"From now on, the sect will have to rely on you, Junior Nephew Xu Yun. Don't call on me for anything in the near future. My injuries will take at least eight to ten years to recover."
"I'm too old for this. I can't afford to engage in combat so easily anymore."
True Lord Ziqing waved his hands repeatedly, then wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, feigning extreme weakness.
While Li Qing and Lu Fan watched in alarm, Wu Chong merely curled his lip dismissively.
Shen Ningbing turned away with a sigh, no longer paying attention to the spectacle.
Sect Leader Xu Yun, who had just been praising Li Qing's reliability, now had a dark line of annoyance across his forehead.
"Martial Uncle Ziqing! If you keep wasting demon beast essence like this, I'm afraid the fellow disciples in the talisman hall will start to complain!"
Exposed, True Lord Ziqing chuckled awkwardly and spread his hands. "Junior Nephew, you've completely misunderstood! My battle with that Exquisite Treasure Physique from the Shangqing Sect was truly perilous. I barely escaped with my life!"
"No, I can't afford to fight anymore. I need to return and recuperate properly!"
"This battle has drained much of my vital energy. I'll need a long period of rest to replenish it. Alas, old age has truly made me useless."
Amidst the stunned expressions of the crowd, True Lord Ziqing leisurely rode a cloud of purple mist deep into the mountain gate.
"This..." Li Qing stammered, at a loss for words.
The surviving elders of the Heavenly River Sect exchanged bewildered glances, clearly having never encountered such an unreliable core formation ancestor.
"Ah, Martial Uncle Ziqing has always been such an eccentric," Sect Leader Xu Yun sighed. "Just get used to it, get used to it!"
Wu Chong, standing nearby, nodded in deep agreement, clearly having had his own prior encounters with the eccentric elder.
"Alright, Junior Brother Li, take them to find cave abodes to settle in," Sect Leader Xu Yun waved his hand, dismissing the group. "The Lingyun Sect still has plenty of vacant Spirit Mountains."
Indeed, the Lingyun Sect now had many vacant cave abodes.
The primary reason was the heavy losses suffered during the recent expedition into the demon's den grotto-heaven. With so many elders perished, several Spirit Mountain peaks now stood uninhabited, their desolation palpable.
These vacant abodes were now perfectly suited to accommodate the Heavenly River Sect elders, ensuring they wouldn't go to waste.
And so, Li Qing led his old acquaintances through the Lingyun Sect, guiding them to select cave abodes within the sect.
(End of the Chapter)
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