Path of the Sect Leader

Chapter 104: Grandfather and Grandson Join the Sect

Mo Guinong had nothing to hide. His grandson, Mo Jianxin, carried three natal affinities—Illusory Moon Spirit Sword, Ice Spring Water, and Tri-Phase Refined Metal. Artifact, water, and metal—a messy triple spiritual root. The family clan lingered near Immortal Grove Hollow, but the two of them had always scraped by inside the Artifact Talisman Alliance's territory. Mo Guinong tended spirit plants to cover cultivation costs; they leaned on each other, day by day.

As Mo Jianxin grew, his progress crawled. Like most White Mountain loose cultivators, he started taking mercenary gigs for spirit stones. One lucky break introduced him to artifact forging—and the kid lit up. Talent poured out, especially with his affinities perfectly suited to water refinement techniques.

Mo Guinong poured everything into nurturing that gift. They pinched every stone, even borrowed from the Lin clan—old family friends in the hollow—to snag that second-tier Detailed Insights into the Lian Shui Alliance's Water Refinement Technique.

Then the Lins turned around and used the debt as leverage, pressing the pair to join them outright.

They were still weighing it when the Weis stormed the mountain capital. The Lins, tied to the capital sect, got wiped out root and branch. That jade slip vanished into the chaos—especially once Chu Qin moved in. Out of reach.

No choice but to slink back to Artifact Talisman City, back to planting herbs for crumbs.

Then Huang Shao'neng got greedy, plotting the heist, dragging in accomplices. Both Mos worked spirit plants; paths crossed natural.

Huang sniffed out the old Mo-Lin ties, figured Mo Guinong nursed a grudge against Chu Qin. Perfect recruit.

He miscalculated. Mo Guinong played his own angle, flipped the script on Huang instead.

Qi Xiu listened, nodding slow. Decent man, this Mo—reliable. And with Huang gone, the sect's spirit planter slot gaped wide.

He made the offer straight.

"I'm no expert in forging, but I know the basics. Going solo? The costs would bury you. Botch one flying sword, and you're bled dry. Most small sects can't afford a dedicated refiner. Chu Qin's tiny—we won't pretend otherwise. But I can cover part of the expenses. How's that sound?"

Real talk, no fluff. Mo Guinong wavered, tempted. But he shook his head.

"Sect Leader, you don't understand. Water refinement's picky. Higher success than fire methods, sure—but slow as hell. Needs top-grade cold springs to work proper. We planned to hunt opportunities near the Lian Shui Alliance. That's why we held out against the Lins' pressure."

"Cold springs?"

Qi Xiu's smile crept wider. Black River Peak sat on one, didn't it? Fate's little joke.

He laid it out—the spring under the peak.

Mo Guinong's eyes sharpened. "Let me take the boy for a look first. If it's the real deal for water forging... then we're in."

Deal struck. Mo Guinong still refused the extras in the pouch.

Qi Xiu prepped to escort them to Black River Peak himself.

Then the Wei cultivator showed—update on the captives. Huang and the rest? Dealt with. A storage pouch followed, Chu Qin's cut of the spoils.

Of the eight intruders, two died on site. Huang's crew—registered mercenaries with the Artifact Talisman Alliance—got reported, then executed quiet. The Foundation builder? Notorious rogue, public end. Only snag: Third. Inner disciple of the Alliance. Sensitive. Negotiations ongoing—likely handed back low-key, let their rules handle it.

"Artifact Talisman Alliance took a hit this time," the Wei man smirked. "Poor discipline—letting disciples run robbery rings. Gives us a nice little lever."

Close neighbors, stronger outfit—pinching their sore spot felt sweet. Chu Qin's opinion? Irrelevant.

Qi Xiu mirrored the grin, saw him off polite.

Alone, he rummaged the pouch. Slim pickings—junk mostly. Except a few Array-Breaking Talismans. Rare market finds, array killers through and through. No wonder Third packed them; broad utility, nasty punch.

A jade case held twin second-tier low-grade Peach Wood Ghost-Slaying Swords. Ancient vibe, faded red blades swirling with moral qi. Moral and ghost-slaying dual attributes—perfect against specters.

Useless here, though. Under the Great Zhou Academy's sway, corpse-ghost paths neared extinction. Wood swords flew slow anyway—ribbon fare.

But pretty. Held them, and you felt righteous, like some upright guardian of the Dao.

Qi Xiu claimed them on the spot. Boost the sect leader's gravitas a notch.

That shadowy blade from the Foundation rogue? Coveted it bad. Probably Wei pockets now.

Crisis averted—shaken, not shattered.

Cleanup crew swept the hollow, patched the pavilion. New arrays top priority—mountain and pavilion both. Qi Xiu vowed to hunt them personally this time. No more Lin-style vine traps—nearly got them all killed.

Everything squared, he ferried the Mos to Black River Peak.

Mo Jianxin took one look at the spring—eyes lit like stars. "Prime spot for water-forged swords. Perfect."

He Yu needed a water flying sword anyway. Now? Hunt a matching second-tier water refinement manual—fit Mo Jianxin's style, supply He Yu's blade. Plus stacks of low-tier materials for practice runs.

Boy approved—the formal induction loomed.

Disciples scattered across three sites—logistics nightmare. Qi Xiu prioritized the mountain array first. Without solid wards, the hollow crew wouldn't stray far, jumping at shadows.

Black River Peak behind him, Qi Xiu stepped onto the peach wood swords, gliding toward Black River Market.

Different these days. Sect battered repeatedly, yet climbing steady. Confidence buoyed his steps—light, almost.

"Hey, Sect Leader Qi—fancy seeing you! Rare visitor..."

Chu Youguang, right at the entrance. Years apart, the old coot looked younger somehow. Grabbed Qi Xiu's arm like kin.

"Can't tell sometimes," he clucked, eyeing him sidelong.

"What?"

Chu Youguang shook his head, smug. "Who'd think—a straight-arrow like you, going ruthless on Wang Juan's descendants? That man saved your hide once, didn't he? Tsk tsk. Every man for himself, or heaven and earth strike him down. Turns out you're one of us after all. Good, good."

The words grated, sour in the ears.

Conversation dead on arrival. Qi Xiu brushed him off civil, mood soured clean through as he walked on.