Chapter 21: Finally Arriving at the Seven Peaks Alliance

The scorching sun hung high in the sky as a carriage raced along the Official Road.

The coachman driving the carriage was a man in his early fifties dressed in plain cloth. He possessed a sturdy build, and though his hair was streaked with white, he still appeared to be in his prime.

Gazing ahead, the coachman wiped away his sweat with one hand and asked, "Young Master, in such sweltering heat, is it absolutely necessary to rush to Seven Peaks Town at top speed?"

Li Qingchu sat inside the carriage, meditating with his eyes closed in quiet rest. The journey was so bumpy that cultivation was impossible; he could only do his best to minimize the depletion of his physical strength and Essence.

Seven Peaks Town was a township situated near the Seven Peaks Alliance. Its reputation was quite significant, and many merchant escorts and official convoys would stop there.

Once they arrived at Seven Peaks Town, it would be easy to inquire about the Seven Peaks Alliance.

This was also the route Yang Jueding had described to him.

After eliminating Yue Zhenchuan and his group, Li Qingchu was no longer in such a hurry. He simply wanted to go and return quickly to prevent his junior brothers and sisters from worrying.

"I have made an agreement with my family. I am afraid that if I miss the time, they will become anxious," Li Qingchu replied.

"True enough. After all, you look so young, even younger than my own son. If my son were out in the world alone, I wouldn't be at ease either. Now the world is falling into chaos again. The provincial government cannot suppress the local hegemons, and the commoners are displaced. This has led to an increase in bandits and mountain outlaws. To be honest, I didn't want to take this trip, but my old woman is ill and we need the money..."

The coachman prattled on incessantly, and Li Qingchu offered occasional replies.

Two days had passed since Li Qingchu left the Clear Firmament Sect, yet they were still far from the Seven Peaks Alliance.

Li Qingchu did not find the coachman noisy. He occasionally asked about the affairs of the world to understand what the current Gu Prefecture was experiencing.

Having achieved immortality through cultivation, he no longer feared this level of intense heat. The Great Purity Primordial Scripture circulated within his body, keeping his entire being refreshed and his mind tranquil. Moreover, it consumed very little Essence, an inherent effect of the scripture itself.

In the blink of an eye.

A full hour passed swiftly. The coachman had stopped talking, his throat parched as he wished to reach the post station quickly.

Suddenly.

The coachman reined in the horse, shouting a curse, "Why are you blocking the road? Do you want to die under the horse's hooves?"

"Uncle, could you give me a lift?"

"Oh? A woman? Why are you dressed like that?"

"I do not lack money. I wonder if you can grant my wish, Uncle?"

"Where are you going?"

"Seven Peaks Town."

"Eh?"

The coachman uttered a sound of surprise, then turned his head and whispered, "Young Master, there is a woman ahead who also wants to go to Seven Peaks Town. Should we take her along? If we do, I will charge you thirty percent less."

Li Qingchu did not care to haggle over his petty schemes and replied, "Take her. Let's get moving."

"Understood! Please, get in. Remember to thank this young master; he had originally chartered the entire carriage."

"Many thanks!"

A flurry of footsteps approached, followed by the carriage curtain being lifted. A woman in black wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a bundle stepped inside. She sat by the window and raised her hands toward Li Qingchu in a fist-and-palm salute.

"I have disturbed you, Young Master. Thank you for your generosity."

While the woman in black spoke, her hand never left the hilt of her sword.

Li Qingchu glanced at her, nodded slightly, and then closed his eyes again.

The woman in black did not overthink things and remained silent.

With an additional woman on the carriage, the coachman found the energy to speak again. He began to constantly search for topics. The woman in black replied a few times, but seeing his incessant chatter, she stopped responding, leaving the coachman feeling dejected.

The rest of the journey became silent.

After arriving at the post station, the woman in black and Li Qingchu sat at separate tables, only entering the carriage one after another when it was time to depart.

This situation persisted until five days later when they finally arrived at Seven Peaks Town. Li Qingchu handed the prepared silver to the coachman and walked into the town.

Seven Peaks Town was located at the foot of a great mountain. Quite a few carriages were parked before the town monument. Most people carried weapons and were clearly dressed as members of the martial world.

Li Qingchu did not waste any time and approached a random person to ask, "Brother, may I ask how to get to the Seven Peaks Alliance?"

The man was short and stout, carrying a bamboo basket on his back like a local resident. He glanced at Li Qingchu and asked, "The Seven Peaks Alliance? Do you see the great mountains behind us? All of them belong to the Seven Peaks Alliance. You have already arrived."

Li Qingchu asked patiently, "Where is the address of their sect? I wish to pay them a visit."

"Visit the Seven Peaks Alliance? Forget it. Be careful they don't break your legs. Don't ask me, I don't know!"

The stout man turned and left after speaking. Li Qingchu continued to ask others, and the reactions he received were largely the same.

At the mention of the Seven Peaks Alliance, everyone was terrified of inviting trouble and did not dare reveal where the alliance was located.

Li Qingchu had not expected the deterrent power of the Seven Peaks Alliance to be so immense. It seemed he could only resort to forceful methods.

Just as he was about to search for a target, the woman in black walked over and said, "Inquiring about the Seven Peaks Alliance like this will lead to trouble. I happen to be going there myself. Do you have business with them?"

Li Qingchu turned to look. The two stood on the street, less than five paces apart. The woman in black looked up, revealing a cold and elegant face beneath the bamboo hat.

This was the first time Li Qingchu had truly looked at her face. She was quite beautiful, and her eyes carried the killing intent unique to those in the martial world.

The woman in black was tall, appearing to be about the same height as Li Qingchu. Although Li Qingchu was still growing, his height was already around one hundred and seventy-five centimeters.

"My master sent me to deliver a letter. He was tied up with other matters and could only send me," Li Qingchu replied, his expression calm. The woman in black could not discern anything from his face.

"We go up the mountain now and should arrive by tomorrow morning. Do you dare to take the path?" the woman in black asked.

Li Qingchu had a refined face and an aura like a scholar. Although a sword hung at his waist, the woman in black felt no threat from him whatsoever.

"Then I must ask the lady to lead the way." Li Qingchu revealed a smile and nodded.

The woman in black said no more and brushed past him. He turned and followed her footsteps.

The two walked through the main street of Seven Peaks Town. It must be said that the town was quite large and prosperous. Li Qingchu even saw someone holding a martial arts tournament to win a bride.

'In the future, the Clear Firmament Sect can come here to recruit disciples.'

Li Qingchu thought to himself. After leaving Seven Peaks Town, the two entered the mountain forest and began their ascent.

They did not take the usual path, which gave Li Qingchu the feeling of returning to the Taikun Mountain Range. There was no path beneath their feet, only overgrown weeds.

Night fell, and the mountain forest became pitch black. Visibility was extremely low. The woman in black had actually prepared a torch. After lighting the way, her pace quickened again.

Li Qingchu did not need a torch, yet he still followed closely behind her.

Several hours later.

The two reached the top of a slope. Looking out from there, great mountains still stretched ahead. The nighttime mist made those mountains appear terrifying, as if ancient colossi were peering down at them.

The woman in black stopped and said, "After daybreak, you will be able to see the mountain gate of the Seven Peaks Alliance."

Li Qingchu nodded and asked the woman in black, "Thank you, Miss. May I ask what your relationship is with the Seven Peaks Alliance?"

"Why do you ask?"

"If you do not wish to say, then forget it."

Li Qingchu looked toward the oppressive mountain scenery ahead and spoke softly.

If she didn't want to say, so be it. Even if they became enemies, he didn't care.

The woman in black tilted her head to look at Li Qingchu and asked curiously, "Are you not curious why we didn't encounter anyone from the Seven Peaks Alliance on this road?"

"We are taking an unpaved mountain path; naturally, we wouldn't encounter anyone," Li Qingchu replied casually.

He could tell that this woman in black had an unusual background, but he was too lazy to investigate.

The woman in black fell silent for a moment. Suddenly, she drew her sword. Accompanied by the sound of the blade leaving its scabbard, her sword was instantly suspended before Li Qingchu’s throat.

"Speak. Who is your master, and what is your relationship with the Seven Peaks Alliance?" the woman in black said in a heavy voice.

Li Qingchu glanced at her and quickly raised his hand. With a flick of his right middle finger, he sent the sword in her hand flying.

It all happened too fast; the woman in black had no time to react at all. She stumbled back two steps. Her precious sword landed on the grass behind her, the blade sinking into the earth and the hilt trembling.

She looked at Li Qingchu in disbelief. She hadn't expected his martial arts to be so high.

In that flick just now, what she felt was an unstoppable, massive force.

"Those words were a lie. Your offense against me has canceled out the debt for leading the way. Go down the mountain."

Li Qingchu spoke these words without expression and then began to walk down the slope.

Wait for daybreak?

He didn't want to wait anymore!

Seeing that Li Qingchu intended to go up the mountain, the woman in black couldn't help but ask, "Who are you exactly? What do you want to do?"

"An enemy of the Seven Peaks Alliance. I intend to kill."

Li Qingchu spoke without turning his head, and his words shocked the woman in black.

Kill?

This person wants to charge into the Seven Peaks Alliance alone?

Before she could think further, she suddenly saw Li Qingchu leap. His silhouette, like a wild goose, plunged into the thick fog and disappeared.

The mountains where the Seven Peaks Alliance was located were very high. Just climbing them took Li Qingchu some time.

He arrived before the mountain gate. Looking at the gate, which was ten meters high, he couldn't help but remark on its grandeur. Compared to this, the gate of the Clear Firmament Sect was completely unworthy of mention.

Before the gate, two disciples of the Seven Peaks Alliance were leaning against the pillars, sleeping. They did not hear Li Qingchu’s footsteps.

Li Qingchu approached one of them and swung his sword, slitting the man's throat. Blood splattered, staining the gate pillar.

The other disciple was startled awake and opened his eyes in a daze. When he saw Li Qingchu and his junior brother's corpse, his eyes widened. Just as he was about to speak, Li Qingchu lunged forward. His left hand covered the man's mouth while his right hand held the Empyrean Rainbow Sword against the side of his neck.

"If you don't want to die, cooperate. Blink if you understand," Li Qingchu said coldly, staring at the disciple.

Upon hearing this, the disciple blinked rapidly, terrified that Li Qingchu’s hand might slip.

Li Qingchu pulled him up and said, "Lead the way. Take me to where your Alliance Leader lives. If you dare to play any tricks, I guarantee my sword is faster."

The disciple was pushed by Li Qingchu and stumbled forward. Just as he stabilized himself, he felt a sharp object pressing against his lower back, which made him break out in a cold sweat.

He began to lead the way. They didn't encounter any other disciples along the path because it was already the latter half of the night.

The roads built by the Seven Peaks Alliance were very wide, and there were also many martial practice grounds. Every corner displayed the aura of a great martial sect. After walking for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, they arrived at the courtyard of the First Alliance Leader.

The disciple tremblingly pointed toward a room. Li Qingchu suddenly struck the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious, and then approached the room with his sword.