ATPnovel Chapter 60 Sprint
Chapter 60 Sprint
Shen Qing took the yellowed contract and slowly unfolded it.
This is the red contract signed by Qingyun Daoist two hundred years ago. Shen Qing's gaze moved to the bottom of the red contract and landed on the seal signed by Zhao Yuanlang.
A bright red seal was stamped next to the four characters "This contract is void".
"The Qingyun Sect no longer has any Foundation Establishment cultivators. According to the rules of the Heavenly God Sect, the Qingyun Sect is no longer qualified to govern this mountain."
"I have reached an agreement with Magistrate Zhao. From this day forward, Qingyun Mountain belongs to the Huang family and will serve as their ancestral temple. The new contract has been signed and sealed by Magistrate Zhao himself. Sect Leader Shen may take a look."
He handed another brand-new contract to Shen Qing.
The paper was snow-white, the ink was bright, and the signature was stamped with the vermilion seal of the Qinghe County Government. The contract clearly stated: Qingyun Mountain, within a radius of thirty li, shall forever belong to the Huang family of Qinghe.
Contractor: Huang Yuanji.
Shen Qing's fingertips trembled slightly as he held the red contract, but he was not surprised by this.
From the very first day Huang Yuanji returned, he knew this day would come.
Shen Qing just didn't expect this day to come so soon; Zhao Yuanlang was determined to be in cahoots with Huang Shi.
For 216 years, this land deed was passed down through five generations of Qingyun Sect leaders.
The Taoist Qingyun built a hut here, and the True Man Hanyan took Yueheng in here. Yueheng then taught Fushan and Mowentian here.
It was here that Shen Qing went from being a refugee to becoming the fifth-generation sect leader of the Qingyun Sect.
Now, Huang Yuanji tells him: This mountain no longer belongs to Qingyun.
Shen Qing raised his head and stared at Huang Yuanji, saying each word slowly and deliberately: "Senior Huang, when has my Qingyun Sect ever failed to reach the Foundation Establishment stage? When my Uncle Mo Wentian returned eight years ago, he was already at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. As long as he lives, the Qingyun Sect will have Foundation Establishment practitioners every day."
"Our Qingyun Sect has ruled Qingyun Mountain for over two hundred years, and this red contract was recognized by the Heavenly God Sect back then. Senior Huang, isn't it a bit too hasty to claim Qingyun Mountain as your own based on a new contract?"
Huang Yuanji smiled, his smile gentle and composed.
"If Mo Wentian is alive, I'll accept it! You say he came back eight years ago and his cultivation has reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, I'll also accept that."
"It's alright, I'll give you ten days. If you can bring Mo Wentian back within ten days, I will personally kowtow from the foot of Qingyun Mountain all the way to your Qingyun Ancestral Hall and apologize to you in front of your ancestors."
Huang Yuanji's confidence was evident; it was clear that he did not believe Mo Wentian was still alive.
"If Mo Wentian does not return within ten days, then if there are any Qingyun Sect disciples left on this mountain after ten days, besides the teachers and students of Huang Clan Academy, don't blame me for being ruthless."
He slowly put the newly signed red contract back into his pocket, then looked up at the school next to him, his eyes holding a different meaning.
It's like a buyer who has just purchased an entire house is standing in the yard, inspecting the items attached to the deed.
"This school will henceforth be the property of my Huang family. I must thank Sect Master Shen for the long and painstaking effort he has put into building this academy."
He didn't look at Shen Qing when he said this; his gaze remained fixed on the plaque above the school.
Shen Qing stood at the mountain gate, watching the two figures gradually disappear along the mountain path, motionless.
The night wind blew through the pine forest, ruffling his clothes and scattering the yellowed contract that Huang Yuanji had stuffed into his hand.
Over two hundred years later, the contract had long since weathered and become extremely fragile. It crumbled into countless fragments between Shen Qing's fingers, which then fluttered down into the Qingyun Mountains with the mountain wind.
Shen Qing looked down at the scraps of paper lying at her feet and suddenly felt like laughing.
Huang Yuanji was indeed far more ruthless than Huang Dehou. While Huang Dehou would still feign politeness and negotiate with him at Zuixianlou, Huang Yuanji didn't even bother with such formalities and directly undermined him.
A new contract seized Qingyun Mountain, cutting off his escape route in ten days. He also planned to take the school into his pocket, leaving him no way out and no room for maneuver.
What's most terrifying about this old man is that everything he does is meticulously planned and executed: the red contract was obtained from Zhao Yuanlang, and all the paperwork was complete and the procedures were legal. Even changing the school's surname was done in a way that seemed perfectly legitimate.
Shen Qing turned and walked towards the sect. As he passed the entrance of the academy, Li You was patrolling with his constables.
Shen Qing stopped and looked at the young man, then suddenly asked, "Inspector Li, has the county magistrate left?"
Li You paused for a moment, then answered truthfully, "Sect Leader Shen, Master set off early this morning."
He hesitated for a moment, then added, "My master instructed me before he left that the safety of the academy's teachers and students is still within my duty."
Shen Qing nodded without saying anything.
He understood the true meaning of Zhao Yuanlang's words "teachers and students"—they were not disciples of Qingyun Sect, but teachers and students of the academy.
If Zhong Xiu and the others continue to stay at the academy as instructors, they will be under Li You's protection.
However, if they remain on the mountain as disciples of the Qingyun Sect, Li You will not be able to protect them after ten days.
Zhao Yuanlang had already drawn up this line of reasoning long ago.
After returning to his meditation room, Shen Qing had no intention of entering a meditative state.
Although the proportion of spiritual liquid in the dantian is close to 60%, it is still 40% short of the eleventh level of perfection.
Based on the spiritual energy extracted daily by the current system, plus the additional spiritual energy absorbed daily by the spirit-gathering array activated by the earth energy of the back mountain.
Shen Qing was confident that within ten days, he could use the remaining high-quality Qi Gathering Pills to push the spiritual liquid in his dantian to more than 80%.
If one can successfully break through the twelfth level of Qi Refining, there will be a glimmer of hope.
If we fail, this mountain will truly no longer belong to Qingyun.
Shen Qing arrived at the back mountain, buried himself underground, and then took out a high-quality Qi Gathering Pill and put it in his mouth.
As the medicinal effects dissipated, the miniature spirit-gathering array in the meridians surrounding the dantian began to slowly operate, and the earth energy from the root of the mountain surged in from the soles of the feet, ascending along the meridians and sinking into the dantian.
The elixir was slowly compressed under dual pressure, drop by drop.
Before long, Shen Qing had been planting himself on the back mountain of Qingyun Mountain for seven days.
During the day, he used earth qi to nourish his dantian and used the spirit-gathering array to absorb the spiritual energy that was circulating between heaven and earth.
Now, all the premium Qi-gathering pills have been used up, and the spiritual liquid in the dantian has barely reached 80%.
Normally, this cultivation speed would be considered incredibly fast for anyone, but for Shen Qing at this moment, it was still not enough.
With only three days left, there is absolutely no chance of breaking through to the twelfth level of Qi Refining.
As night fell, Shen Qing pulled his legs out of the soil and rubbed his face with the spring water seeping from the mountain wall.
The mountain spring in early winter was icy cold, making him shiver.
After washing himself clean, Shen Qing walked along the path to the back gate of the academy and took a look from afar.
The lecture hall was dimly lit by candlelight, and Zhong Xiu was sitting beside the podium correcting the children's calligraphy assignments.
The girl's profile was quiet and focused in the candlelight, completely unaware that Qingyun's path to success was already at its end.
The flickering candlelight cast a long shadow of him. Although Shen Qing's footsteps were light, Zhong Xiu, who was bent over his desk, still noticed him.
The girl suddenly raised her head, and upon seeing that the person who had come was Shen Qing, she quickly stood up, curtsied, and said, "Disciple Zhong Xiu greets Sect Master."