He grabbed the scrolls and placed them in his pack. Perhaps there was an element of truth in these writings that he had missed. Yuan Feng might've spotted something intriguing inside.
Lu Qingshan decided to read through them again once he was back at camp, storing the three scrolls separately from the rest of the scrolls. Then he exited his ruined house.
The demonic cultivator's death might cause the organization behind him to come investigate. If that were the case, he'd soon be facing stronger cultivators in the area. He couldn't step out of hiding just yet with the Seven Mysteries Gate still dependent on him.
Lu Qingshan checked the stone slab to help determine his options.
Lu Qingshan (21 years old)
Lifespan Remaining: 45 years
Cultivation: Mortal Shedding - Bone Tempering
Techniques: Tiger Fist (Limit), Deer Steps (Limit), Red Falcon Breathing Method (Level 3, 3431/10000), Layered Rain Inner Force (Level 3, 3358/10000), Stoneskin Technique (Level 3, 1202/10000), River Surge Inner Force (Level 3, 1890/10000), Crimson Claw Technique (Level 3, 733/10000), Great Ape Breathing Method (Level 1, 5315/10000), Tiger Roar Technique (Limit), Crane Wings Technique (Limit), Iron Bear Technique (Limit), Viper Strike Technique (Limit), Basic Hand-to-hand (Limit)
Mystic Jade Essence - Dao Fruit of Sublime Miracles - Condensing... 99%
Practicing the Great Ape Breathing Method was probably his best bet at accumulating power. As the sect's core inheritance, it had the potential to directly reach the peak of Marrow Tempering unlike the rest of his martial arts. His combat level overall should be at Viscera Tempering once everything was ready.
He couldn't say for sure, though, as he'd never even seen an expert at that level. With a sigh, Lu Qingshan disappeared into the mountains again.
His safe return to the Seven Mysteries Gate was met with cheers. Most of the disciples had recently finished their construction work, and were either resting in a large building or continuing to practice their martial arts. They were waiting for the Elders to return from their duties.
Lu Qingshan did a head count. They had twenty regular disciples after that bloody battle with the Jade Skies Sect, and three of those managed to reach Bone Tempering recently with the help of Great Ape Breathing Method and secret medicines. Miao Mei, Dong Qianyu, and Yan Xi were also improving rapidly with the change in environment. With three veteran Bone Tempering martial artists, three new entries, and seventeen other promising disciples, Lu Qingshan felt positive about their future.
Still, there was a lot weighing on his mind. The shadow of immortal and demonic sects had lingered the entire way here. Lu Qingshan was unsure as to whether or not he should tell them about such threats.
He decided it was best for them to know. This meeting was a good opportunity to warn them about the dangers in the world. He didn't want these disciples to encounter something impossible for them to face.
Waiting for the others to gather would take some time. Lu Qingshan returned to seclusion to pore over what he learned.
---
Deep in a dark swamp cave, a man chanting scriptures and dressed in red robes, looked to the side. One of the countless worms that had been happily eating away at some leaves had suddenly lost its life. The man stood up and wrote something down.
"Send someone over to the Bright Flame Kingdom, in the Empty Moon Province," he said to an insect buried in the wall of his cave. It wriggled, then disappeared into the earth. The man sat back down and resumed chanting.
---
Lu Qingshan did not have any luck with entering Spiritual Awakening. He also didn't manage to find any details in the three scrolls the demonic cultivator Yuan Feng took an interest in. By the time Yan Xi and the others returned, he had only made some progress in his martial techniques.
He exited seclusion. The Elders updated each other on current events while Lu Qingshan listened in. According to Miao Mei, there were a few locations above the stream where medicinal plants were still growing. Dong Qianyu had acquired a few materials for making more equipment, and Yan Xi had done some scouting between the camp and the area Lu Qingshan had slain Yuan Feng at.
Where to station their new Bone Tempering experts was going to be the next topic of discussion, but Lu Qingshan interrupted them. "There's something important I have to say," he said. "Make sure every disciple is here."
Each Seven Mysteries Gate disciple had naturally become Inner Disciples, no matter their previous level. Some received extra benefits if they had performed well. The three new elders came from this batch. In an effort to raise their martial arts, there were few expectations placed on them, and they rarely attended Elder meetings.
Lu Qingshan watched them enter one by one. Two of these disciples were born from wealthier families, while the rest entered the sect through alternative connections, such as merchant money, military merit, or governmental positions. Only three were commoners recruited for their talent.
One of these commoners, a woman named Li Fanghua, was one of the recently promoted Bone Tempering experts. The other woman in this group was a wealthy scion who was naturally not too enthused at having been surpassed by a commoner, but was intelligent enough to hold her tongue in light of the current situation.
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The other two Bone Tempering experts were Meng Zhang and Liu Yingting. Meng Zhang was the son of an army officer. Liu Yingting’s family had a hundred-fifty years of history and the wealth of six generations. His family had people in the army, the city, and even other sects. None of them were hostile to the Seven Mysteries Gate, of course.
After Lu Qingshan recalled the background behind the new Elders — those strong enough were automatically promoted — and the most promising disciples, he stood up. He started with a brief speech complimenting their work efforts and promised great benefits considering the future of their sect. They had been smiling and nodding at first. Then the mood turned solemn when they heard what he said next.
"We won't be going back to Great Wind City," he said. "As of this point onwards, no one is allowed to leave. Not yet.”
The most immediate reaction was calm. Most of the Seven Mysteries Gate had realized the outside world was basically closed-off to them until they had the strength to protect themselves. The forces that had slaughtered the sect wouldn't be so kind as to let them go again. They had to stay under Lu Qingshan to survive.
Two of the disciples appeared antsy though. Li Fanghua gently asked them what they were worried about.
"Our families," one of them muttered. "They'll be worried."
If Lu Qingshan remembered correctly, they were distant cousins united under the same merchant group. He shook his head. "I know it's difficult, but this is for the safety of the sect. What I'm about to tell you all is crucial for our survival. The only thing you can do is continue working hard."
After hearing this, one of the disciples bowed low. "We'll do our best," he said.
Lu Qingshan began to tell them about the sect’s true enemy. He first recounted his battle with Yuan Feng, the one who had set up that bloody restriction at the Scripture Pavilion. Then he told them that Yuan Feng was likely not alone. More demonic cultivators would be coming, and their powers were mysterious.
"Do you all want to see that again?" he asked their pale faces. They shook their heads. On the sect's shared map, he drew additional routes pointing towards the lake clearing he'd executed Yuan Feng at. "He set up another restriction here, and I think this won't be the last one we face. Those who break it will gain an Elder-level technique in the future when we take our techniques back.”
Voices broke into a murmur. Lu Qingshan waited a few moments for everyone to calm down. "Fortunately, he's dead, and we're alive. We need to stick together and work for the glory of the sect. That means compromising when our strength is not enough to break free of the situation."
The Elders all nodded. They would like nothing more than to return to their former statuses, but it was clear that doing so would result in massive risk. Showing up in Great Wind City would likely just cause the enemy sects to immediately become alert. It would give all their information away as well.
"We'll stay in these mountains for the foreseeable future. The sect will need to resume contact with parts of the city though, in order to gather information. That requires someone to take the risk. Who has the confidence? Your rewards will be increased."
To properly practice the Great Ape Breathing Method, each disciple received a set of secret medicines for free, even if they were substandard. Lu Qingshan had already set a time limit so that even substandard medicines could not be given out so freely in the future. Enough time had passed to discern the gifted from the mediocre, and since resources were still scarce, this change was needed.
The other Elders agreed and raised their hands in approval. Most disciples accepted this begrudgingly. Naturally, he also took the opportunity to unveil a better reward for their contributions — the secret medicine made from a monster ape's heart. Murmurs started once again.
"For now, continue with your training. You will begin having to earn your keep soon," he warned. "Any questions?"
There were a few. Lu Qingshan made sure every disciple knew the stakes before he dismissed them.
He and the Elders reconvened soon after the disciples returned to their martial arts practice. Li Fanghua was the first to raise a question of her own.
"The path of immortal cultivation," she said. "Can we try to walk it?"
"I wouldn't recommend doing so until we have a proper inheritance. It would mostly be a waste of time unless you're sure you have spirit roots. I won't stop you from trying, but do know I destroyed the manual Yuan Feng carried. It was too demonic for my liking."
"Good," Dong Qianyu said. "Such an evil should not be allowed to exist."
Li Fanghua seemed a little dissatisfied at his answer. She begrudgingly nodded and stepped back.
In her place next was Yan Xi. The man took out a piece of jade. "I think you found something like this on that cultivator," he whispered. "I know what it's for."
Lu Qingshan blinked in surprise. "Thank you, Yan Xi." Somehow the man had already known.
The other Elders also looked highly interested in hearing their conversation. Still, they were moving to step out of the building when Lu Qingshan made his decision. "They can know," he confirmed. Since he had decided to use them, he needed to be able to trust them.
Yan Xi bowed. "This jade is spiritual," he said. "An immortal cultivator can use their spiritual sense after reaching Spiritual Awakening in order to read the contents inside."
"How do you know this?" Miao Mei asked.
"I am the sect's backup plan if anything went wrong," he said. "I'm not the only one though. There should be others out in the city if they haven't been detected. We all know some things the sect master taught us personally, but do not know about each other."
"Did Hu Qing know about them?"
"He did. Not all of them, but enough that we should be wary of those still alive. Until we're ready to reveal ourselves, we should avoid reaching out."
Lu Qingshan clasped his hands together. "I understand. Does this mean I'm the new sect master? You're giving me most of the authority, and the sect's secrets."
Yan Xi bowed again. "Your strength is certainly up to par. I'm not sure the old sect master could win a fight against a demonic cultivator even if that cultivator had only reached Mind Purification. With all other contenders dead or missing, you are clearly the best choice. Thus, I will follow you to the death. May you lead the Seven Mysteries Gate to glory."
Lu Qingshan was happy. He hoped Yan Xi could become his most trusted envoy, not that that was saying much, considering how loose and small the Seven Mysteries Gate had become. Each death made it more difficult for them to survive in these forests.
He had to watch out for the possibility of betrayal too. Lu Qingshan hoped the disciple's morals were good, and that their fear of him and of the enemy sects were greater than their desire for immediate benefits. He needed to trust them to succeed, he told himself.
For now, he sent the others back to their old tasks of scouting the mountain area where they were camped. Then he went back into seclusion. His first Mystic Jade Essence was almost ready to finish condensing.
