Chapter 7: The Fourth Generation Sect Leader

Qi Xiu silently approached the lifeless body of the sect leader, kneeling beside it. Tears, tracing the paths of previous weeping, silently streamed down his face as memories of his past life with his master flooded his mind.

"Qi Sect Leader, this child is a genius with a single life essence and spiritual root. His future is limitless!" A voice of immense authority echoed from the darkness.

"Excellent! Excellent!" The middle-aged master's eyes gleamed with joy as he turned to gaze at the three-year-old Qi Xiu, gently patting his head. At fifty, his master showed no signs of aging, his long beard flowing in the wind, exuding an ethereal aura. His eyes were filled with affection.

"Qi Sect Leader, forgive my bluntness, but this child's life essence is exceedingly rare, making him unlikely to achieve the Great Dao!" The same authoritative voice declared.

"Ah!" His master's expression turned to deep anguish as he looked at the ten-year-old Qi Xiu. "Alas!" He sighed helplessly.

"Qi Sect Leader! Qi Xiu is a complete waste, squandering the sect's resources. You must not favor him over others!" The voice now carried an angry tone.

"This…" His master looked at the fifteen-year-old Qi Xiu with guilt and sorrow in his eyes, now showing signs of age. "Xiu'er!" Master and disciple embraced, weeping bitterly.

"Master! Waaaaah…" Lost in these memories, Qi Xiu began to wail loudly, overwhelmed by his grief.

The fellow disciple who had spoken to him earlier entered and knelt beside him, urging, "Senior Brother Qi, you mustn't be so loud. If the three sects' cultivators hear, you'll suffer for it!"

Qi Xiu, a gentle and somewhat timid person, had been crying mindlessly. The mention of the three sects brought the image of the fierce female cultivator to mind, and he dared not cry out loud anymore, instead sobbing quietly.

The fellow disciple continued, "Senior Brother Qi, to be honest, I've already pledged allegiance to the three sects."

His face showed embarrassment as he added, "You… you… ah! You should also join them. Otherwise, they'll force you out to become a wandering cultivator!"

Qi Xiu realized he was being recruited by the three sects and found it strange. "Aren't you from the Qin family? How could you…?"

"Ahem." The Qin disciple coughed awkwardly, his face turning red. "Ah! Sect Leader Qi passed the leadership to Qin Siyen, the eldest son of the main branch. Elder Qin was furious. Now we, the collateral Qin branch, have no choice but to follow him."

"How did the master die?" Qi Xiu asked.

The disciple recounted the events in detail. The relationship between Sect Leader Qi and the elders had always been strained. Fearing their united opposition, Sect Leader Qi had dangled the promise of leadership, causing internal strife, a well-known secret within the sect.

Eventually, the elders sought external allies, leading to today's invasion by the three sects. Each elder had aligned with a supporting sect, all possessing Foundation Establishment cultivators. The frequent visits by these sects led them to covet Chu Qin Sect's abundant spiritual lands.

Three years ago, Sect Leader Qi failed in another attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment. Upon emerging from seclusion, he was visited by a Foundation Establishment cultivator who noticed his severely weakened state, realizing he had only three years left. This cultivator reported back, setting the stage for today's calamity.

The three sects united with ruthless determination, sacrificing their original territories to secure agreements from other sects not to interfere. They were resolved to claim Chu Qin Mountain at any cost.

Knowing his end was near, Sect Leader Qi passed the leadership to Qin Siyen of the main branch, enraging Elder Qin, who then deactivated the protective array, allowing the three sects to overrun the central peak. Sect Leader Qi's body was unceremoniously placed in the west side hall, forbidding any disciples from paying respects.

Qin Siyen, the newly appointed fourth-generation sect leader, fled with the sect leader's storage bag and token, abandoning the corpse. Meanwhile, an external disciple who oversaw the library led a resistance from the library's defensive array.

Hearing all this, Qi Xiu felt too weary to be angry. The sect's internal betrayal, the new leader's cowardice, and the invasion seemed like a fitting end for such a fractured sect.

His master had placed great hope in Qin Siyen. Few knew, but Qi Xiu was aware that much of the resources covertly acquired were spent on Qin Siyen. At times, when his master was in seclusion, Qi Xiu personally handed the items to Qin Siyen, evading the eyes of other disciples. To see this man flee was disheartening.

Suddenly, cheers erupted outside. Qi Xiu peered out to see that the library had been breached. Captured fellow disciples, dusty and disheveled, were escorted out. Previously held in unknown locations, more disciples were brought to the main square.

The Qin disciple urged, "Senior Brother Qi, we should go out now. Think carefully about your future. Don't make a choice you'll regret."

Qi Xiu had no choice but to follow. He respectfully kowtowed thrice before his master's body, took a final, sorrowful look, and stepped out.

The three sects' disciples were bustling about in the square, setting up some formation. Their faces were filled with joy and excitement. In contrast, the Chu Qin Sect cultivators gathered together and looked defeated and sad, the victors and the vanquished starkly evident.

About thirty or forty captured cultivators of various ages and genders stared in surprise as Qi Xiu joined them. Familiar faces greeted him, while younger disciples, not knowing him, whispered among themselves.

"Why did you come back?" an older woman holding a child asked with a sigh.

"Sister Qin! I… ah!" Recognizing her, Qi Xiu didn't know how to respond, so he sighed heavily and shook his head.

At that moment, a group of cultivators, including Elder Qin, emerged from the main hall. Seeing the captives, he rushed over, arrogantly shouting, "The three sects are about to unite. Any Chu Qin Sect disciple willing to join will be forgiven! Our future will be a hundred times better than under old Qi! Those unwilling will be stripped of everything and driven out as wandering cultivators! Stand to the left if you wish to join!"

Immediately, a few disciples moved left, heads bowed, avoiding eye contact with their peers.

After a moment, a few more joined, murmuring, "I have a big family to support."

"I was born here; I want to die here too," muttering to themselves or perhaps trying to convince themselves.

Qi Xiu had already made up his mind not to join these people. Alone and unburdened, he had fewer concerns.

Having frequented Qinghe Market, he had seen the lives of wandering cultivators. Though challenging, it was manageable. He could make a living in the Ghost Market, and the Foundation Establishment Pill was now his private property, a valuable asset.

Leading the way to the right, a few loyal disciples followed Qi Xiu, standing with him resolutely.

"Hmph! You? Perfect, the old scoundrel and the little scoundrel, truly a family!" Elder Qin noticed Qi Xiu, recalling his habit of mocking the sect leader. "Even if you stood on the left, I'd kick you out!" His eyes glared murderously at Qi Xiu.

Ignoring him, Qi Xiu was joined by more disciples until the right side held over twenty people, including Sister Qin and several female disciples. A middle-aged male disciple, leading those from the library resistance, stood prominently among them.

"You lot!" Elder Qin's fury made his face red. He was about to unleash his anger when a cultivator behind him intervened. Standing behind Elder Qin, the cultivator stepped forward, exuding an overwhelming aura.

Qi Xiu felt the immense pressure of being a Foundation Establishment cultivator, causing his spiritual energy to stagnate. The younger disciples even began trembling.

The cultivator cleared his throat and calmly addressed the captives, "Everyone has their aspirations. We of the three sects do not force anyone. We are all fellow Daoists with no deep enmity. The three sects wish to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Today's conflict saw no fatalities, demonstrating our sincerity. However, we have a significant matter to resolve. Until then, you will be temporarily confined. Once resolved, you may choose to stay or leave freely."

With that, the three sects' disciples led Qi Xiu and the others to a room at the square's edge, locking them inside. Over twenty people crowded into the room, including several female disciples. The middle-aged disciple from the library took charge, organizing the space to give the women more room.

Qi Xiu, positioned by the carved wooden door, could see the square's activity. The three sects' disciples were setting up three high chairs in front of the main hall, with a formation for dueling nearly complete. The Foundation Establishment cultivators who had spoken earlier took their seats, their presence dominating the scene.

Once the formation was ready, the Foundation Establishment cultivators took turns speaking, their voices carrying far. Qi Xiu listened intently, understanding most of it. The three sects were merging, but the Foundation Establishment cultivators needed help to agree on leadership. They decided to hold a competition among their late-stage Qi Refining disciples to select a sect leader.

A female cultivator from Lotus Temple and a male from Liu Yun Sect took the stage, engaging in a colorful and lively duel with various defensive shields, attack talismans, and flying artifacts.

After several matches, Elder Qin stepped onto the stage, facing the male cultivator who had bound Qi Xiu earlier. Elder Qin barely summoned a flying sword before being bound by the whisk artifact, drawing laughter from the crowd. Qi Xiu felt embarrassed on his behalf.

Suddenly, a deep, hoarse voice echoed from the sky, silencing the crowd. The words were evident to all, "Chu Youyan of Qing Yun Sect, with Qin Siyen, the fourth-generation sect leader of Chu Qin Sect, requests an audience with Elder Mu of Liu Yun Sect, Master He of Lotus Temple, and the Patriarch of Huang Zuo Zhan Family."