Trash Sect, You Say?" — Let the Rumors Boil!
"Slapping one person is nothing. Slapping their entire sect, that's branding." — Li Qingyu
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Forest Clearing — Dawn
Ye Wuxia nudged the unconscious Azure Wind Sect disciples with the tip of her boot. "Sect Master. Shall we dispose of the bodies?"
Li Qingyu, calmly brushing ash off his sleeve, replied with a casual shake of the head. "No need. Leave them."
She frowned. "Won't that come back to bite us?"
"Exactly."
Ye Wuxia blinked.
"I want the world to know," Li Qingyu said as his voice turned cold, "that if you dare touch someone from my sect, I will come for your head, your friends' heads, and maybe even your sect dog's head if it barks too loud."
He glanced at the unconscious Han Long, lying half-buried in cracked stone.
"Let the vultures carry the message."
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Two Days Later — Outer City Market
"…You heard?!"
"Heard what?"
"Someone wiped out a whole Azure Wind Sect patrol! Seven disciples and a senior!"
"WHAT?! Who? Who did that?"
"Rumor says... the Eternal Radiance Divine Sect!"
"…That trash sect?"
"No, I mean that trash sect. The one with the broken gate and chickens?"
"YEAH! That one!"
"That's impossible."
"That's what I said! But then someone showed me a mark burned into the ground—some rising sun symbol or something. And get this—they say their sect master beat the senior disciple with one hand!"
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Eternal Radiance Divine Sect — Noon
In the main hall, Li Qingyu calmly sipped spirit tea from a chipped porcelain cup, reclining on a bamboo chair like a retired immortal.
Behind him, Ye Wuxia stood quietly, her arms crossed.
The wooden doors slammed open.
Lin Ziyan marched in, followed by Hu Daniu and Su Jian, their expressions a mix of shock and awe.
Lin Ziyan squinted. "Sect Master… did you really kill seven Azure Wind disciples and cripple one of their senior brothers?"
Li Qingyu took another sip of tea.
"Mm."
"...That's it?!"
Su Jian stuttered, "S-Sect Master, aren't they like… scary? We're not even on the cultivation map yet!"
Li Qingyu nodded slowly. "Then maybe it's time we were."
Hu Daniu wiped his sweaty hands. "I-I heard someone from the sect lit a fire and left our emblem behind…"
"That was me," Ye Wuxia said proudly.
"...COOL," Daniu whispered.
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Courtyard Outside — Later
The news spread through the disciples like wildfire.
"I thought Sect Master was just bluffing this whole time…"
"He really IS a cultivator!"
"Not just any cultivator—he killed people!"
"I suddenly feel safe. Also terrified."
"Yeah, same."
Ye Wuxia stood before a small group of outer disciples, arms behind her back.
"Listen up," she said coolly. "Last night, our Sect Master crushed a squad from Azure Wind. Not with flashy tricks. With real power. So stop calling our sect trash. Or he'll hear you. And you'll cry."
Everyone straightened up instantly.
One disciple fainted from sheer respect.
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Meanwhile — Azure Wind Sect Inner Hall
BANG!
Sect Leader Han Mu's palm slammed down on a jade table, shattering it.
"What do you mean a WHOLE patrol was crippled?!"
An elder gulped. "Seven outer disciples and Han Long… all unconscious. They were left in the forest. With this…"
He tossed a charred wooden plank onto the ground.
It bore a burned emblem — a rising sun crest, unmistakable.
Han Mu's expression turned dark.
"The Eternal Radiance Divine Sect…"
Another elder whispered, "Should we… retaliate?"
Han Mu's eyes narrowed. "We will not act rashly."
"But—"
"I said no." His gaze burned cold. "If that man dares to act openly, then he is no fool. Find out who he is. Every detail."
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Back at Eternal Radiance Divine Sect
"Sect Master…" Lin Ziyan said, bowing her head.
Li Qingyu looked up from his tea.
"…We're with you."
"Same here," said Su Jian.
Even Hu Daniu nodded solemnly. "We'll train harder. If anyone comes, we'll bite them before we lose."
Li Qingyu smiled faintly.
"Good," he said, standing up and turning to face the courtyard. "Because this was just the opening act."
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