Chapter 1390

"Everyone!"

"Why have you lost your land?"

"It is the Qing's tyranny, the landlords' greed, the scholar-officials' exploitation. So, shouldn't we reclaim the land and wealth that rightfully belong to us?"

"We should!"

"We should!"

"We should!"

With power in hand and further incited by Li Yingqiong's "six six three," the crowd shouted in unison, their earlier fear gone, now fearing only that Li Yingqiong might not rise up, leaving them with unappreciated talent.

"If that's the case, then we must act now!"

Three hundred refugees disappearing is no small matter.

Nearby towns have surely already received word.

By the time the Qing troops react, we'll be surrounded.

Though this isn't a major event, nor a true crisis.

But Li Yingqiong refused to lose the initiative.

Her nature was such: she only struck first; she would never wait for others to come knocking at her door.

Li Yingqiong and her two companions understood the principle that speed is paramount in warfare; they immediately ordered those who could cook to prepare a meal, ate, then led over three hundred men to storm a nearby city.

These three hundred men were naturally feeble against cultivators.

But against ordinary bandits or Eight Banners troops, they were like tigers entering a sheep pen—each one could easily suppress a thousand.

Even when arrows flew, they could catch them with their bare hands and hurl them back, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy.

Li Yingqiong implemented the future strategy of land redistribution; within just half a month, her army swelled to one hundred thousand.

This was still due to her strict restraint—if not, her forces could have multiplied several times over.

The people's enthusiasm for receiving land was extraordinarily high.

Everyone rushed forward, vying to serve the new power, determined to defend the land allotted to them.

But the scholar-gentry, landlords, and officials were exactly the opposite.

They hated the new power beyond measure.

Alas, their strength was limited; they could not resist at all, forced to watch as the army swept across the land, stormed the capital, and ended this newly established imperial court.

Outside the capital.

A clear sword light hovered motionless in midair.

True Person Miao Yi, Qi Shouming, gazed toward the capital, astonished, his fingers moving as he calculated.

The destined master of the Ziying Sword had gone to rebel—and destroyed the newly founded dynasty.

Nothing could be more shocking.

True Person Miao Yi received word and hurried over, only to find Li Yingqiong's destiny even stronger than before—deeply perplexed.

"This makes no sense. Interfering in mortal affairs, committing such slaughter—how could her destiny grow stronger? Strange, strange!"

As he pondered, several sword lights approached from afar, arriving swiftly—it was three men and one woman.

All four wore furious expressions, their sword lights brimming with menace.

Seeing their hostile advance, True Person Miao Yi spoke: "Young friends, why have you come?"

"May I ask, Elder, who are you?" The lead man, sensing his extraordinary aura, immediately bowed respectfully.

"I am Qi Shouming, Grand Master of Shushan," replied Qi Shouming calmly.

The four were startled and immediately bowed.

This man was the Grand Master of Emei, the foremost of all orthodox sects—they dared not be careless.

"We salute True Person."

"We originally cultivated in the Southern Seas, but our homes were ravaged by villains—our lands and property seized, our father and mother murdered. We have traveled a thousand miles to seek vengeance."

Qi Shouming snorted: "Did your sect ever teach that cultivators must not interfere in mortal affairs?"

The four's expressions changed.

Their sect had indeed given clear instructions on this.

But the murder of their parents had clouded their reason, making them forget the rules of cultivators.

"True Person, must we simply watch our enemies roam free?"

Qi Shouming smiled: "This is easily resolved. The leader of those villains, Li Yingqiong, is the destined heir of Emei. I shall take her as my disciple; three years hence, you may return and duel her. If you win, your vengeance is fulfilled; if you lose, all is ended. Either way, Emei will hold no grudge."

Upon hearing this, the four turned pale.

They were merely disciples of minor sects, scattered cultivators who could only band together to bully ordinary beasts or lone cultivators in the Southern Seas.

Facing the foremost orthodox sect of the world, Emei—how could they dare?

One gifted flying sword from them would crush them all.

Then, they would not only fail to avenge their parents, but die beneath immortal swords—adding only more casualties.

Thinking of this, the four felt the urge to retreat.

"So Miss Li is the destined heir of Emei!" The lead man chuckled awkwardly. "No wonder she swept the land and restored our Han Shanhe. We, blinded by personal grief, wrongly blamed Miss Li—our hearts were too narrow. We beg your pardon, Elder, and request permission to return to the Southern Seas for solitary reflection."

Qi Shouming's expression turned subtle: "You truly let go of your hatred? No duel?"

"Elder, we were rash—please forgive us."

Cold sweat poured down the four.

Duel?

That would be suicide!

Qi Shouming snorted: "Meeting me today was fortunate for you. Otherwise, your deathly doom was near. The rules set by Lingkong Immortal Realm—I dare not defy them. Since you have cultivated, you must not meddle in mortal affairs."

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder."

"Go now."

Qi Shouming waved his hand, and the four of them, as if freed from a great curse, mounted their flying swords and swiftly departed.

After flying dozens of li without pause, the four finally lowered their swordlight and landed on the ground.

"Senior Brother Liu, are we really not going to seek revenge?"

Liu Yu sneered: "How do we seek revenge? That's the destined heir of Emei—even if Master himself showed up, he couldn't defeat them."

"Emei is far too tyrannical!"

Liu Yu's expression changed: "Speak lower—Emei has always been like this. Watch your tongue, or disaster will come from it!"

As the righteous path of the world, Emei didn't just suppress the demonic sects—it also crushed any other righteous faction that didn't follow its lead.

Emei's tyranny has long been universally acknowledged in the cultivation world.

Yet Emei always acts according to Heaven's will; even if others resent it, they can do nothing but watch as Emei grows ever stronger.

"Let's go. Don't mention this again." Liu Yu gazed toward the capital, then after a long while, sighed deeply: "We can't match their rules, nor their power. Never speak of revenge again."

"There's nothing else we can do. Poor Mother and Father—they died in vain!"

At this, the four felt a deep sorrow, yet had no recourse; they mounted their flying swords and left together.

They came in haste, and now depart into emptiness.

Even in cultivation, all is fate—nothing is truly in one's own hands, never true freedom.