Although he did not know what "fortune like a dragon" actually entailed, this prompt proved that Jiang Zhaoxia was not in danger for the time being.
The fact that Jiang Zhaoxia had encountered a destined tribulation showed that this crisis was anything but simple. Moreover, Jiang Zhaoxia had gone to save Zhao Zhen—could it be that he had coincidentally run into Zhao Zhen's tribulation?
Li Qingqiu's heart was filled with confusion.
He did not know whether this tribulation belonged solely to Jiang Zhaoxia, or whether the two of them had collided with each other's tribulations and were undergoing them together.
All he could do was continue waiting.
Because of this prompt, Li Qingqiu's mood became noticeably lighter.
He had always believed that the strength of Qingxiao Sect could not be judged solely by his own power. If he did not intervene and the disciples of the sect could still resolve crises on their own, only then could Qingxiao Sect truly be considered strong.
That Jiang Zhaoxia could resolve this tribulation single-handedly was enough to prove that he was already worthy of trust.
Sure enough, he and Xu Ning could not be deployed together.
Li Qingqiu set aside his worries and began focusing once more on cultivating the divine ability Moving Mountains to Suppress the Divine. He had already mastered this divine ability; repeatedly cultivating it now was merely to refine it further.
With the fate [Hundredfold Tempering], Li Qingqiu's efforts would not be in vain.
…
Zhao Zhen had a nightmare. He dreamed that Jiang Zhaoxia was brutally killed by Ancestor Su Xing, dreamed that his master angrily rebuked him, and was startled awake in fright.
He opened his eyes and gasped for breath. What greeted his vision were dim cave walls, with firelight flickering nearby.
"Senior Brother Zhao Zhen, are you all right?"
Qiao Dingbei leaned over and asked nervously.
Zhao Zhen only felt his mouth parched and his head splitting with pain. With great effort, he asked, "You are… who… where is this place…"
"My name is Qiao Dingbei. I'm a disciple of the Spirit Management Hall. Earlier, my junior sister even went specially to deliver a message to you. I've been following all of you this whole time. This is a mountain cave—there's no danger for now. You lost too much blood and need to rest for a while."
Qiao Dingbei spoke softly, though his expression looked somewhat unnatural.
"How is Uncle-Master Jiang?" Zhao Zhen recovered a bit of strength and asked.
"He's also recuperating. Both of you were seriously injured. Don't talk for now—focus on healing first. You lost too much blood and your body is covered in cracks. Speaking will easily aggravate your injuries," Qiao Dingbei said seriously.
Hearing that Jiang Zhaoxia was recuperating, Zhao Zhen's heart finally settled. As long as he was not dead, there was still hope.
He wanted to ask about Ancestor Su Xing, but seeing how exhausted Qiao Dingbei looked, he forced himself to hold back.
He closed his eyes and endured the pain.
This endurance lasted a full three days.
Three days later, all the wounds on his body had scabbed over. He had consumed quite a few pills and barely made it through the danger.
That day, he finally could not help but ask, "Didn't my master's divine eagle arrive? Where is it?"
Qiao Dingbei, who was meditating, opened his eyes and replied, "We originally planned to ride it back, but on the way, you kept bleeding heavily. Senior Jing suggested that we first find a place to recuperate, so we came here."
Hearing that Senior Jing was also present, Zhao Zhen was completely reassured.
After hesitating for a moment, Qiao Dingbei said, "Senior Brother Zhao Zhen, there's something I need to tell you. Prepare yourself mentally."
Zhao Zhen closed his eyes and asked, "Did something happen to my mother?"
Over these three days, he had not heard his mother's voice at all, so he already knew something had gone wrong.
He could not say he was deeply grief-stricken; rather, an inexplicable sense of loneliness surged up in his heart.
Although he had not been abandoned by his mother, the time he spent with her was not long, and their bond was not deep. Still, she was already his only remaining family in this world—how could his heart remain unmoved?
"After that fiend died, your mother also passed away. I saw a large centipede crawl out of her mouth. When we buried her, we discovered that her body had become abnormally shriveled. I suspect that even her bones might…"
This truth was cruel, but Qiao Dingbei felt it necessary to explain everything clearly to Zhao Zhen.
After hearing this, Zhao Zhen's expression did not change at all. He softly said, "Thank you for burying her for me. My two attendants…"
"They were buried by me as well. I didn't erect grave markers for them, though. Cangzhou is still in chaos due to the Northern Barbarians. I thought I'd set up the markers later," Qiao Dingbei replied.
"You did nothing wrong…"
Zhao Zhen closed his eyes. He used to find Ku Yi and Ku Er irritating, always using the Zhao clan to pressure him, insisting that he become emperor. Yet now that the two of them were gone, he felt an unexpected sadness.
After all, they were the ones who had accompanied him the longest, staying by his side since he first gained awareness.
He felt no guilt over Yu Mi's death, but the deaths of Ku Yi and Ku Er filled him with self-reproach.
Seventh Layer of Nurturing Essence was truly not strong enough…
Seeing Zhao Zhen close his eyes, Qiao Dingbei knew he was suffering and dared not disturb him.
Putting himself in Zhao Zhen's shoes, if his own junior brothers or sisters had died, he would also be in pain—perhaps even emotionally shattered.
"Qiao Dingbei, come in for a moment."
A voice came from the darkness—it was Jiang Zhaoxia's voice.
Hearing it, Zhao Zhen finally relaxed completely. It seemed that Third Uncle-Master was truly all right.
Qiao Dingbei stood up and walked toward the cave passage.
Passing through a winding tunnel, he arrived at a much wider cavern. Spring water flowed down the cave wall ahead, like a watery curtain covering a vast rock face.
Jiang Zhaoxia stood before the rock wall, with the Tianhong Sword floating beside him.
With Qiao Dingbei's cultivation, he could not see Chu Jing's soul, but he knew that Chu Jing was present.
He walked up beside Jiang Zhaoxia, raised his hand in salute, and asked, "Elder Jiang, what are your instructions?"
Jiang Zhaoxia's hair hung loose, his upper body bare. His right arm was wrapped in white cloth already soaked red with blood. His face was pale, and he looked extremely weak.
"My vital energy is exhausted, and my Awakening Spirit is weak. Channel your vital energy into this cave wall," Jiang Zhaoxia said.
Chu Jing floated beside him, watching the cave wall with anticipation and tension.
This cave wall actually had an evil-suppressing effect. The moment Chu Jing touched it, he felt his soul being burned. Precisely because of this, he was certain that the wall concealed a great secret, which was why he had Jiang Zhaoxia summon Qiao Dingbei.
Hearing this, Qiao Dingbei immediately turned around and raised his hand, channeling his vital energy into the cave wall, causing the watery curtain ahead to part into a circular opening.
Immediately afterward, Qiao Dingbei shuddered violently. His eyes widened, and his entire body froze in place.
Jiang Zhaoxia frowned and looked at Qiao Dingbei, feeling somewhat hesitant. However, he could sense that Qiao Dingbei's qi and blood showed no major fluctuations—it was more like he had fallen into some kind of illusion.
After a while, Qiao Dingbei snapped out of it as if waking from a dream. He took a deep breath, turned to Jiang Zhaoxia, and said, "Elder Jiang, this cave wall is extraordinary. There are divine abilities recorded within it. Those divine abilities are far too profound—like even higher-level techniques. I'm unable to comprehend them."
Divine ability?
Both Jiang Zhaoxia and Chu Jing revealed looks of surprise.
"Tsk tsk, surviving a great calamity and casually finding a mountain cave that contains a divine ability inheritance—Jiang Zhaoxia, isn't your luck a bit too heaven-defying?" Chu Jing exclaimed with emotion.
This mountain cave was one Jiang Zhaoxia had guided them to, so the opportunity within it could be considered something Jiang Zhaoxia himself had discovered.
"On the way here, I noticed this cave was very deep and might be hiding something, so I secretly took note of it. I never expected such an opportunity—this also took me by surprise," Jiang Zhaoxia said, his tone filled with wonder.
Qiao Dingbei could tell that he was speaking with Senior Jing, so he did not interrupt.
Jiang Zhaoxia turned his head to look at Qiao Dingbei and said, "You should return to the sect first and report this matter privately to the Sect Master. Have him send Xu Ning or Shen Yue to come provide support. When the time comes, you can come back as well and cultivate the divine ability together."
Qiao Dingbei was overjoyed. He immediately agreed, bowed deeply to Jiang Zhaoxia, and then took his leave.
After he departed, Chu Jing asked curiously, "You're certain about letting those two come? Aren't you competing with them—especially Xu Ning?"
The entire sect knew that the three of them refused to concede to one another, particularly Jiang Zhaoxia and Xu Ning, whose cultivation levels constantly chased each other.
Jiang Zhaoxia replied calmly, "I truly don't want to lose to them, but Zhao Zhen and I are both seriously injured and need time to recover. Letting them come cultivate the divine ability makes things fair. More importantly, I hope they grow stronger and stronger. After all, we all belong to Qingxiao Sect. No matter how fierce the competition, the sect's interests come first."
Chu Jing nodded, admiration showing on his face. Speaking of which, this was his first time spending time alone with Jiang Zhaoxia; before this, his understanding of him had not been very deep.
Now it seemed that Li Qingqiu had taught his junior brothers and sisters well. None of them were selfish; all possessed a sense of the greater picture.
"There's something you might not know. Actually, I'm the deputy sect master of Qingxiao Sect—well, internally designated by Senior Brother. Naturally, I have to consider matters from the perspective of the entire sect," Jiang Zhaoxia said expressionlessly, staring at the Divine Ability Wall.
Deputy sect master?
Chu Jing's expression turned strange. He vaguely remembered Li Qingqiu praising Zhang Yuchun for handling affairs efficiently, saying that Zhang Yuchun truly lived up to being the deputy sect master candidate he had chosen.
In his view, Li Qingqiu had no intention of establishing a deputy sect master at all. He was simply coaxing those around him, just as he did with his own disciples—praising each and every one as the future number one of the sect.
Could this kind of blatant boasting actually count as a way of managing subordinates?
Jiang Zhaoxia did not know what Chu Jing was thinking. He only felt a bit guilty—after all, he had spoken without restraint just now.
He deliberately avoided looking at Chu Jing, fixing his gaze firmly on the Divine Ability Wall.
Suddenly.
Jiang Zhaoxia's consciousness was abruptly pulled into a brilliant illusory world. He stood atop a mountain ridge, with endless ranges stretching before him. At the end of those mountains stood a sword even larger than the peaks themselves, as though an ancient god's divine weapon had been thrust into the earth, radiating vast and desolate might.
"That is…"
Jiang Zhaoxia's eyes widened, strange light flickering within them.
…
Not long after Qiao Dingbei left the mountain cave, he felt a fierce gust of wind sweep past. He looked up and saw Xiao Ba circling high in the sky.
He immediately called out, "Elder Jiang sent me back to the sect. Could you give me a ride?"
He felt that this would be the fastest way.
Hearing this, Xiao Ba dove toward him. Qiao Dingbei leapt up at once and landed on Xiao Ba's talons—he did not dare stand on the eagle's back.
Xiao Ba was astonishingly fast. By the time night fell, Qiao Dingbei had already returned to Qingxiao Sect.
He swiftly arrived before Lingxiao Courtyard and said to the two disciples on guard, "By order of Elder Jiang Zhaoxia, I seek an audience with the Sect Master."
One of the disciples immediately entered the courtyard to report to Li Qingqiu.
He had taken only a few steps when Li Qingqiu's voice sounded, "Let him in."
Hearing Li Qingqiu's voice, Qiao Dingbei hurried into Lingxiao Courtyard.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Xu Ning and Shen Yue arrived at Lingxiao Courtyard one after the other.
Qiao Dingbei did not expect Li Qingqiu to summon both of them at once.
"Jiang Zhaoxia and Zhao Zhen are both seriously injured. Go provide support," Li Qingqiu instructed directly.
Xu Ning and Shen Yue frowned, but without hesitation they nodded. Li Qingqiu then had Xiao Ba send the three of them back to that mountain cave.
Watching the direction in which Xiao Ba departed, the night sky dotted with sparse stars, Li Qingqiu's mood gradually calmed.
After learning that Jiang Zhaoxia and Zhao Zhen were both safe, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
"So it really was possession. I'd like to see just where you came from," Li Qingqiu muttered to himself.
He had sent Chu Jing not only to prevent someone from possessing Zhao Zhen, but also to have Chu Jing capture the opponent's soul and bring it back so he could perform a soul search.
Everything had gone smoothly.
It was just a pity that Ku Yi and Ku Er had died.
Their loyalty ratings toward him were both above 92, yet they still harbored private intentions.
This also showed that no matter how high one's loyalty was, it was still possible to act behind Li Qingqiu's back, because in their view, they were not harming Li Qingqiu—only trying to accomplish something else.
Regarding this matter, Li Qingqiu merely sighed briefly. Everyone had their own fate. This was Ku Yi and Ku Er's own choice, and no one else could be blamed.
Compared to that, Li Qingqiu was far more interested in Jiang Zhaoxia's [True Dragon of the Mortal World] fate.
Was it coincidence, or had the fate truly exerted its power?
Fortune like a dragon—wasn't that a bit too exaggerated?
And it could even run into a divine ability inheritance?
He decided to observe further. If Jiang Zhaoxia continued to have such luck, then he would have to make some moves.
"Junior Brother, you know—your fate is the one your Senior Brother likes the most…"
Li Qingqiu chuckled inwardly. The first fate he had copied was Jiang Zhaoxia's [Born Sword Maniac].
After rejoicing for a while, he sent a transmission voice to Zhang Yuchun, asking him to come up for a talk.
The Spirit Management Hall was not far from Lingxiao Courtyard, so there was no need to send someone to summon him.
Soon, Zhang Yuchun hurried into the courtyard. Li Qingqiu sat in his chair and gestured for him to sit and talk.
Once Zhang Yuchun sat down, Li Qingqiu briefly explained the situation regarding Jiang Zhaoxia and Zhao Zhen. Upon hearing that Jiang Zhaoxia had been seriously injured and nearly possessed, Zhang Yuchun's expression darkened.
"Yuchun, we may have to prepare ourselves to deal with cultivation forces. Even if they might not have noticed Qingxiao Sect yet, we must prepare in advance," Li Qingqiu said in an inscrutable tone.
Zhang Yuchun took a deep breath and replied, "That's right. We must guard against danger before it arises."