Chapter Forty-Six: The Rise of Zhao Xin

Zhou Qi had participated in several more small-scale battles. Among those at the Qi Refining stage, none could withstand even a single blow from him, and he had slain several Foundation Establishment cultivators as well. The name "Zhao Xin," the outer disciple of the Zhengyi Sect, was becoming increasingly renowned, to the point that even Liu Chengfeng had taken notice.

Once again, the Zhengyi Sect was preparing to hold a commendation assembly. Zhou Qi felt helpless; it seemed he would have to find the right moment to arrange his own demise.

The succession of fierce battles had also caused his cultivation to quietly grow. On the battlefield, he'd used countless Rejuvenation Pills and spirit stones to restore his state as quickly as possible, and now his cultivation was edging closer to the peak of the tenth Qi Refining stage. Truly, battle was the best means to advance one's strength.

On the sect's grand plaza, Liu Chengfeng was full of spirit, sweeping away the gloom and anxiety of the previous days. Now that they had pills, spirit stones, and the advantage on the battlefield, there was no need to worry about being the first to be eliminated. It was time to hold a commendation assembly to boost morale.

He wanted his disciples to understand that as long as they sacrificed themselves for the sect, they would receive pills, spirit stones, and status. Today, he would set up another role model.

Zhou Qi inwardly mocked; this Sect Master Liu truly had an unusual obsession with commendation assemblies.

“Elders, disciples, today we gather here for two reasons: first, to commemorate the heroic spirits who sacrificed themselves on the battlefield; second, to honor those disciples who have distinguished themselves. Since the war began, Zhengyi Sect disciples have shed blood and tears, and after arduous combat, we have finally repelled the evil invasion of Fallen Wind Valley…”

Liu Chengfeng’s eloquent speech was largely ignored by the disciples below. To cultivators, war was nothing more than a struggle between life and death; if you died, it was bad luck, and if you survived and managed to snatch some resources, you could count yourself fortunate. It was a simple game of "you rob me, I rob you," but Liu Chengfeng insisted on elevating it to a higher plane. After his speech, the disciples realized—perhaps for the first time—how “great” they were.

The empty words finished, it was time for substance.

“In this war, an outstanding disciple has emerged. He seeks neither fame nor fortune, but has discovered his own potential on the battlefield. According to statistics, he has slain thirty-two Qi Refining cultivators and five Foundation Establishment cultivators. Keep in mind, he is only at the eighth Qi Refining stage. What allowed him to unleash such tremendous potential?” Liu Chengfeng paused.

The disciples were curious. It was too incredible—an eighth-level Qi Refining cultivator killing Foundation Establishment cultivators? Were those Foundation Establishment cultivators fake?

Seeing the disciples listening with rapt attention, Liu Chengfeng relished the moment, pausing for a long while before finally declaring loudly, “It is the determination to defend Zhengyi Sect, the courage to slay all enemies, and an overwhelming sense of sect honor!”

Liu Chengfeng’s blood was boiling, awaiting thunderous applause from the disciples.

…It was quiet. Awkwardly so.

After a long pause, Liu Piaopiao and a few elders finally offered scattered applause, unable to bear watching the sect master left out in the cold.

“Now, let us welcome our hero, Zhao Xin!”

Zhou Qi helplessly stepped onto the stage.

Everyone recognized him; this guy was indeed fierce and worthy of encouragement. The crowd erupted in enthusiastic applause. The way he risked everything on the battlefield, devouring Rejuvenation Pills with abandon, and wielding that superior-grade spiritual weapon—he clearly had a substantial background, definitely someone worth befriending.

“I have decided to reward Zhao Xin with one thousand low-grade spirit stones, fifty Rejuvenation Pills, and a promotion to the sect master’s personal disciple. From now on, his battles will be overseen by Liu Piaopiao,” Liu Chengfeng shouted.

Zhou Qi: …So basically, I’m rewarding myself.

The disciples below listened to the rewards with envy and resentment. Spirit stones and pills were hard currency on the battlefield; possessing them meant a better chance of survival. As for becoming the sect master’s personal disciple, it hardly mattered—after all, the sect master wouldn’t have time to teach anyway. The most important part was being under Liu Piaopiao’s command.

On the battlefield, survival was paramount.

Being under the sect master’s daughter meant an extra layer of safety; the missions assigned were relatively the safest.

“Now, let us invite Zhao Xin to give his acceptance speech.” Liu Chengfeng looked at him with eager anticipation.

“Thank you to the sect for the recognition and to everyone for your support. I have only one goal: to survive this war. I hope all of you share this goal—to survive. Only by living do we have hope; only by living do we have a future.”

Zhou Qi paused, considering his next words. He did not intend to follow Liu Chengfeng’s script, knowing it would not be believed, nor did he wish to inspire others to die recklessly.

“In order to survive, I have fought Foundation Establishment cultivators, because I know that the more afraid you are, the faster you die. I will not die meaninglessly or rush ahead in a surge of hot-blooded courage. To charge forward knowing you are outmatched is foolish. I will continue to think during battle—think about how to defeat the enemy, think about how to survive. That is why I am still standing here. Perhaps I will die in the next battle, but as long as there is a sliver of hope, we must not give up any opportunity to survive.”

With that, Zhou Qi stepped down.

The disciples listened thoughtfully; all else was false—survival was the truth.

The applause thundered from below. Zhou Qi had spoken honestly, touching their hearts.

Liu Chengfeng was clearly dissatisfied. Heroes should not be ordinary—they should be fearless, heedless of personal gain, their ideals rising to the level of the sect and themselves. This, he concluded, was a failed speech.

The commendation assembly ended. Zhou Qi paid respects to his new master, Liu Chengfeng, who wore a dark expression the entire time. His disciple’s heart was not aligned with his own; this personal disciple could go cool his heels elsewhere.

Liu Piaopiao, seeing her father’s embarrassment, felt greatly pleased. Her father was good in every way, except for his love of assemblies and speeches. If he kept this up, his authority as sect master would soon vanish.

Too many empty words—who would listen in the future? Today’s assembly would hopefully keep Liu Chengfeng quiet for a while.

“Brother Zhao Xin, please take care of us in the future!” Liu Piaopiao approached Zhou Qi, neither acting as a leader nor boasting, simply introducing her squad and their responsibilities.

Liu Piaopiao commanded ten Foundation Establishment disciples and twenty Qi Refining disciples. Their task was to clear battlefields after major engagements—collect and bury or burn the fallen sect members, and if they encountered surviving enemies, finish them off.

If they found valuable items, they would keep some and hand over some, strengthening the sect’s resources. The likelihood of combat was extremely low.

This posed a problem for Zhou Qi’s plan to fake his death and escape. He worried inwardly—his Illusion Technique could only last twenty-four hours. Without battle, there was no reason to claim injury and request rest, so what about that “bug” period?

Thinking it over, Zhou Qi could only say, “I am willing to follow Senior Sister’s orders. However, having fought Foundation Establishment cultivators before, I sustained severe injuries. Every twenty-four hours, I require twelve hours to heal, or else it will affect my cultivation foundation. I hope Senior Sister understands.”

Such an injury? Liu Piaopiao was puzzled, but she agreed to his request.