Seeing the woman in yellow dash toward the pillar, Yang Jueding instinctively lunged to stop her—but a firm hand landed on his shoulder, holding him back.
A loud bang! echoed through the room.
The woman's head struck the wooden post, blood splattering across it. Her body went limp and crumpled to the floor.
Yang Jueding spun around in anger—only to find it was Li Qingqiu who had stopped him. His fury faded, replaced by confusion. "Sect Master, that woman was forced into this. The fact that she brought Jiang Zhaoxia back alive proves her heart isn't evil. Doesn't she deserve to live?"
The others looked at Li Qingqiu as well, not understanding why he had interfered.
Li Sifeng turned his gaze toward the corpse. Strangely enough, he let out a sigh of relief.
Facing Yang Jueding's questioning look, Li Qingqiu asked calmly, "Did I kill her?"
Yang Jueding froze, unable to answer. After a moment of silence, he muttered, "Still, you can't just stand by and let her die."
"And if we saved her, then what?"
Li Qingqiu's reply was sharp. Yang Jueding was caught off guard. He followed the thought deeper and realized that saving her would indeed bring endless trouble. He had faced situations like this before—perhaps that was why he now chose to stay in Qingxiao Sect, away from worldly entanglements.
Li Qingqiu turned to look over all the disciples gathered. "If we saved her," he said evenly, "what if she turned out to be the Heavenly Saber Sect's spy and brought harm to Qingxiao Sect again? Or what if she spoke the truth—but her hatred toward the Heavenly Saber Sect entangled us further in their feud? Either way, she poisoned Jiang Zhaoxia. Whether she had her reasons or not, does that excuse her from responsibility?"
He paused, scanning each of their faces.
"Besides," he continued, "she wanted to die. Her brother is dead, her vengeance unfulfilled—shouldn't we at least respect her will to end her life?"
"In this martial world, grudges and revenge are inevitable. Countless cultivators get dragged into conflicts because of loyalty or circumstance. But tell me—just because they were forced into it, does that make the people they killed any less dead? Everyone has excuses for their wrongs. Every killer says they 'had no choice.'"
"I believe only in this—debts must be paid, and vengeance must have an owner. Qingxiao Sect isn't a righteous sect in the worldly sense. We can act chivalrously when needed, but against anyone who harms us, we must never show mercy. The only rule of Qingxiao Sect is simple—don't provoke others first."
His voice grew cold and resolute.
"In the future, I want everyone to know—if our enemies ever try to use someone to strike against us, even those forced into it will think twice, weighing the cost of offending Qingxiao Sect."
Having said that, Li Qingqiu turned, walked up to Li Dongyue, and gently took the unconscious Jiang Zhaoxia from her hands. Without another word, he carried him toward his own quarters.
The disciples stood in stunned silence. The Sect Master's words, paired with the sight of the woman's bloodied corpse, struck them deeply.
Yang Jueding's expression shifted between blue and red—not out of anger, but reflection.
What is chivalry? What is righteousness?
He had always prided himself on his chivalrous heart. But how many people had he killed in the name of justice?
Perhaps, saving only those who truly wished to live was the purest form of heroism—and far less troublesome.
Yang Jueding finally spoke up. "The Sect Master is right. We don't have the time or reason to verify whether her words were true or false. What we do know is that she poisoned Jiang Zhaoxia. Just because he survived doesn't mean she was innocent. Think about it—if she were an ugly man instead of a sorrowful woman, would any of you have listened to her story so patiently?"
Cheng Canghai's voice cut through the silence, but his last sentence made several disciples roll their eyes.
A plain-looking male disciple frowned and said bitterly, "Senior Cheng, what's wrong with being ugly?"
In an instant, the tension eased as the group erupted into laughter and mock arguments. The atmosphere lightened, though the underlying lesson lingered in their minds.
Meanwhile—
Li Qingqiu returned to his room and continued treating Jiang Zhaoxia with the Rejuvenation Ghost-Immortal Needles.
He could have used the same technique to pull the woman in yellow back from the brink, but after a moment's thought, he had chosen not to.
Zhang Yuchun, Li Dongyue, and Li Sifeng followed him inside, standing quietly by the bed, watching anxiously.
Li Sifeng broke the silence first. "Senior Brother, that was awesome! Honestly, I wanted to drive her away myself, but carrying Third Brother back was already tough enough. If I hadn't been busy gnawing on that pig's foot instead of drinking, I would've been poisoned too! Luckily, Third Brother warned me in time. That woman was vicious—who'd have thought a simple innkeeper could be so cruel, setting a trap beforehand!"
Zhang Yuchun nodded. "If we'd saved her, it would've only caused more problems later. If she blamed Third Junior Brother for dragging her into the conflict with the Heavenly Saber Sect, that resentment could've destroyed everything."
For a long time, Zhang Yuchun had felt something missing within Qingxiao Sect. Today, he finally understood what it was—spirit and creed.
A sect wasn't just a collection of martial artists—it needed ideals, purpose, and discipline.
Li Qingqiu glanced at the unconscious Jiang Zhaoxia and said softly, "What I truly feared was her becoming entangled with Third Brother. She had no one left, and the Heavenly Saber Sect was a common enemy to both of them. If she'd lived, that shared hatred might've drawn them together. And if they grew close, someday he might suffer for it—stabbed in the back by the very one he loved."
Li Dongyue and Zhang Yuchun exchanged startled glances. Both were of age to understand such things, and his words stirred something unspoken within them.
Li Sifeng scratched his head in confusion. "But Senior Brother, he only said one word to her—and that was before he passed out! How could he fall in love with her?"
Li Qingqiu shot him a flat look. "You're too young to understand feelings."
"Oh yeah? And you do?" Li Sifeng challenged.
"Of course!"
"Then who have you loved, Senior Brother?"
Li Qingqiu straightened his back, face completely serious. "In my dreams, I've experienced a few romances—deep, unforgettable, tearing at the heart. When I woke, I swore never to love again."
He said it with such conviction that Li Sifeng believed every word. The boy leaned forward eagerly. "Really? Then how do I dream of something like that?"
Zhang Yuchun and Li Dongyue exchanged weary smiles. Their Sect Master was always like this—mixing profound lessons with absurd humor, making it impossible to stay entirely serious around him.
After a while, Li Qingqiu put away the silver needles. Zhang Yuchun took the chance to ask, "Senior Brother, what should we do about the Heavenly Saber Sect?"
At his words, Li Qingqiu's expression turned cold. "What should we do? What else can we do? They tried to kill us—then they must bleed."
"That's right! We have to make them bleed! If we don't avenge this, all our years of training would be wasted!" Li Sifeng shouted angrily. Every time he thought of the Heavenly Saber Sect, his jaw clenched with hatred.
Zhang Yuchun frowned. "But the Heavenly Saber Sect has branches all across the region. They're ruthless and underhanded. The way they plotted against Third Brother already shows how despicable they are. It's easy to dodge an open strike, but an ambush? That's another story."
Before Li Qingqiu could respond, a weak hand suddenly gripped his arm. He turned to see Jiang Zhaoxia's eyes slowly open.
The pale-faced Jiang Zhaoxia stared at him, his voice faint but determined. "Senior Brother… leave this matter for now. I'll take this revenge myself. I have to—personally."
The other three turned to him in surprise. Li Sifeng nearly cried out of relief. Though the journey through the martial world had sounded simple, only he and the others knew how grueling it had truly been. During Jiang Zhaoxia's coma, he'd barely slept a full night.
Li Qingqiu met his gaze and sighed softly. He patted Jiang Zhaoxia's hand. "Alright, Third Brother. I'll leave it to you."
Only then did Jiang Zhaoxia release his grip and close his eyes again.
Li Qingqiu stood. "Let's go. Let him rest."
Zhang Yuchun and the others nodded, following him out of the room.
They made their way toward the back mountain, where Li Qingqiu planned to resume cultivation. Li Dongyue walked beside him and said quietly, "Senior Brother, don't worry. Third Brother's still alive and will recover."
Li Qingqiu turned to her with a faint smile. "I'm not worried. You think too much."
Li Dongyue hesitated, then gathered her courage. "Senior Brother, you've changed. Your killing intent feels… heavier. Is it because of the pressure since Master left?"
Li Qingqiu stopped walking and looked at her. "Are you afraid of me like this?"
"How could I ever be afraid of you?" she said seriously. "I'm just worried. You don't need to bear everything alone. Whatever happens, we'll face it together—even if it means dying together. You don't have to carry all the weight yourself."
Her voice trembled, but her eyes were steady, full of resolve without the slightest fear.
Li Qingqiu couldn't help but smile. He reached out and ruffled her hair. "What nonsense. Die together? I'm not planning on dying anytime soon. Go on now. Don't bother me while I cultivate."
He turned and continued forward into the forest. Li Dongyue stood still, watching until his figure disappeared among the trees.
…
Inside a grand, antique-style hall, the Heavenly Saber Sect Master, Lu Fuhu, sat bare-chested on a heavy wooden chair while a seductive woman in a purple dress tended his wounds.
Lu Fuhu's frame was massive, his hair unkempt, his beard wild. His leopard-like eyes gleamed with ferocity, and the crisscrossing scars across his chest only made him more fearsome.
"That brat Jiang Zhaoxia's sword energy is damn poisonous," Lu Fuhu growled. "It's been over one month, and the wound still won't heal."
At the mention of Jiang Zhaoxia, his jaw tightened with hatred.
The woman in purple looked curious. "That Jiang Zhaoxia from Qingxiao Sect—is he really only sixteen years old?"
The Martial Gathering of Guzhou had already spread far and wide. Jiang Zhaoxia's name now echoed throughout the martial world. Lu Fuhu had never told her how he was injured, but after hearing the rumors, she finally understood.
Lu Fuhu snorted. "That's right. Qingxiao Sect keeps producing monsters. Back then, True Person Qingxiao swept through three provinces unmatched, and his disciple Lin Xunfeng was already roaming the jianghu at an even younger age than Jiang Zhaoxia. I didn't expect the next generation to be even more monstrous. Jiang Zhaoxia has surpassed Lin Xunfeng."
The woman's brows furrowed in worry. "Husband, if Qingxiao Sect is that powerful, isn't it dangerous for you to keep scheming against them? Aren't you afraid of bringing disaster upon yourself?"
"Relax." Lu Fuhu sneered. "Lin Xunfeng's long retired from the martial world. Qingxiao Sect's nothing but a bunch of brats now. The strongest among them is Jiang Zhaoxia—and though his skills are impressive, he's green and reckless. That woman, Xi Niang, is escorting them. Those little ones surely trust her. With her alone, Qingxiao Sect will crumble."
He smirked at the thought, but the motion tugged at his wound, making him wince in pain.
The woman sighed, her tone sharp. "You're the mighty Sect Master of the Heavenly Saber Sect. Aren't you ashamed to stoop so low? If word spreads…"
A flicker of disgust crossed her eyes before she quickly hid it.
"Hmph. Once he's dead, no one will dare mock me," Lu Fuhu said coldly. "The Heavenly Saber Sect is one of Guzhou's Seven Great Sects. We can't allow anyone to stand above us. If I led the sect to attack Qingxiao Sect outright, the whole martial world would laugh at me. So this is the only way!"
His voice dripped with murderous resolve.
"Besides," he added, "I want to know what makes Jiang Zhaoxia so strong. Did that old monster True Person Qingxiao leave behind some peerless secret art?"
Just as the woman was about to respond, a man rushed into the hall and knelt on one knee.
"Report! Sect Master, two people have arrived outside the manor. One of them claims to be Li Yang, the Martial Champion—and he's here to challenge us!"