Qin Shouzuo's Study

When Peak Chief Qin left the Dao Sword Sect, he handed over Dan Peak to Zhang Junyi.

In truth, long before this—after the defensive battle against the invasion of Zhican Valley—Zhang Junyi had already been managing Dan Peak.

The new Dan Peak, built from scratch halfway up the mountain and the true embodiment of what Dan Peak stood for, was entirely constructed under Zhang Junyi’s leadership.

Peak Chief Qin had hardly made an appearance.

Though the development plans, resource allocation, textbook compilation, and training programs for new disciples were all laid out by Peak Chief Qin, it was Zhang Junyi who executed them.

From that point on, Peak Chief Qin had already begun the process of transferring Dan Peak to Zhang Junyi.

Textbooks alone couldn’t nurture new disciples. So, once the newcomers had built their foundations and formally stepped into the world of alchemy, Peak Chief Qin personally took charge of their instruction.

With his near-immortal-level alchemy skills, Peak Chief Qin trained a group of disciples.

The first batch of six disciples received his full attention for several years. By now, these six had become the backbone of Dan Peak, with some even reaching master-level proficiency in alchemy.

However, after those initial years, as new disciples continued to join in waves, Peak Chief Qin’s classes grew fewer and fewer. By the time he was about to leave Dan Peak, he taught only when he felt like it.

It was almost like watching a university lecturer evolve into a tenured professor.

The early years were like being a lecturer—classes packed every day, teaching like a workhorse. The later years? More like a visiting professor—teaching when in the mood, playing cards with his wife when not.

But if Peak Chief Qin wasn’t teaching, what about the new disciples?

Peak Chief Qin had an answer: "The flame must be passed on." Those who learned first must teach those who came after. Senior disciples must guide their juniors. Knowledge must be shared to foster progress.

This philosophy of "passing the flame" stirred deep reverence among Dan Peak’s disciples, who praised Peak Chief Qin as a visionary.

What they didn’t know was that the real reason he stopped teaching was simple laziness—he wanted to wash his hands of responsibility and leave.

Peak Chief Qin’s plans to depart hadn’t been spur-of-the-moment; they had been years in the making. Recruiting Zhang Junyi into Dan Peak had been part of that exit strategy.

After years of gradual power transition, Peak Chief Qin’s departure caused minimal disruption to Dan Peak. The shift between the two leaders was seamless.

—Perhaps it wasn’t about time, but rather that Dan Peak itself held little real power.

In any case, from the moment the sect’s defensive war ended, Zhang Junyi had been the de facto chief of Dan Peak. And when the previous chief left, he officially became the new Peak Chief.

Thus…

Peak Chief Zhang!

One day, after Peak Chief Qin rode his tiger westward, Peak Chief Zhang entered his former master’s study.

Pushing open the door, he gazed at the room with a pilgrim’s reverence.

From his perspective, Peak Chief Qin fully deserved the titles of "brilliant strategist" and "peerless genius."

Whether it was Gu Yueming, Jian Wuming, or Qiu Huahui—leaders of great sects—none could match Peak Chief Qin’s vision. He knew who had shaped the current landscape of the Hengduan Mountains. He knew who had steered the Dao Sword Sect’s rise. Figures like Lu Junxing, Li Shiyin, or Bu Tianming—prodigies of their generation—paled in comparison to Peak Chief Qin’s talents. Their swordplay might be exceptional, but Peak Chief Qin’s mastery of alchemy and formations eclipsed their achievements.

Zhang Junyi couldn’t fathom how Peak Chief Qin, at such a young age, had attained such absurd heights in alchemy—levels completely detached from the Land of Immortal Legacy.

Nor could he understand how, on top of that, Peak Chief Qin had achieved revolutionary breakthroughs in formations.

His feelings for Qin Ran couldn’t be described merely as "respect." The only fitting word was "veneration."

And beyond that, Qin Ran had saved his life, avenged his grievances, taught him cultivation and alchemy, and given him a new life—elevating him to the position of a peak chief in a prestigious sect like the Dao Sword Sect.

His own life could be called legendary… and it was all because of Peak Chief Qin.

If possible, Zhang Junyi would have built a temple to enshrine Qin Ran.

He stood at the doorway, hesitating to step inside.

This was where Peak Chief Qin had made decisions that shaped the Land of Immortal Legacy. Where he had penned works that influenced Dan Peak, the Dao Sword Sect, and the entire cultivation world.

The study had been lit late into countless nights… Imagining Peak Chief Qin laboring at his desk, Zhang Junyi sighed before finally entering.

Peak Chief Qin had already given him so much, taught him so much. Yet even after leaving, he had left behind… an inheritance?

The shelves were lined with books. Zhang Junyi approached, searching the shelves near the desk until he retrieved a few volumes.

Holding them, he skimmed through the contents.

One was Analysis of Seven Pills, detailing six pills below immortal-grade and one immortal-grade pill—including the Heaven-Mending Pill, a creation that defied the heavens.

Peak Chief Qin’s personal guide to refining the Heaven-Mending Pill and immortal-grade pills.

Another was Revised Water-Based Spirit Herb Cultivation, documenting the spirit herb cultivation techniques Peak Chief Qin had developed.

Zhang Junyi had been part of this research, tending to the herbs himself during its development.

Now, the technique was in use across Dan Peak, mastered by many disciples. Thanks to it, Dan Peak no longer lacked spirit herbs.

A third was The Application of Mathematics in Formations, compiling Peak Chief Qin’s complete understanding of formations and the relationship between math and arrays.

Far more detailed than what the Tianji Sect had taken back.

A fourth was On Constructing Formation Spaces for Alchemy—an unfinished work. Even Peak Chief Qin hadn’t succeeded in creating a formation space capable of refining pills.

Each of these books could be called a peerless manual capable of shaping the destiny of a major sect.

There were others too: restored cultivation techniques and pill recipes, Peak Chief Qin’s musings on alchemy and formations, his self-designed pill formulas, and more.

Zhang Junyi carefully stored all of them with the utmost reverence.

Then he approached the desk, tidying it briefly before moving the books on the shelf above. Opening the second row, he revealed a hidden compartment.

Inside were more books left by Peak Chief Qin—another treasure trove.

A dozen or so volumes, their covers bearing titles like Counter-Tushan Youyou Plan, Counter-Chasing the Wind Plan, and Counter-Li Shiyin Plan.

Notably, there were even Counter-No.1 Clone Plan and Counter-No.2 Clone Plan.

And of course, Zhang Junyi found Counter-Zhang Junyi Plan.

Given that he had been personally groomed by Peak Chief Qin, his book was slightly thicker than the others.

Out of curiosity, he flipped through the plans targeting him:

"Zhang Junyi’s background has been thoroughly verified; his claims are truthful. Next, conduct a character assessment to determine suitability for future use…"

"Today, I will teach Zhang Junyi the 'Water Flower Heart Sutra.' This is his destined cultivation technique. In the future, he can be countered using the 'Reverse-Water Flower Heart Sutra'..."

"..." Zhang Junyi was speechless.

The 'Water Flower Heart Sutra' was Peak Chief Qin’s own destined technique. Truly, a ruthless person would even turn against themselves.

"Today, I will instruct Zhang Junyi in the 'Golden Waves Visualization Method' to test whether the visualization approach is feasible..."

"???" Zhang Junyi was baffled again.

Wasn’t this supposed to be Dan Peak’s ancestral, secret manual?

"Zhang Junyi has reached Foundation Establishment. Construct a physiological model of Zhang Junyi. For his flesh and blood, refine a 'Zhang Junyi Flesh and Blood Pill' specifically designed to dissolve them. For his bones, refine a 'Zhang Junyi Bone Pill' to shatter them. For his mana, refine a specialized... For his primordial spirit..."

"Today, we will model Zhang Junyi’s personality traits... Based on his sensitive, timid nature, design..."

"Today, we will compile all the techniques Zhang Junyi has cultivated. Based on his mana and spells, construct corresponding formations to ensure he cannot break through them..."

The more Zhang Junyi read, the more unsettled he became. By the end, his spine tingled with dread, and his back was drenched in cold sweat.

The terror of Peak Chief Qin far exceeded his imagination.

He couldn’t fathom what went through the mind of the Peak Chief, who lounged daily under the Old Spirit Pagoda Tree basking in the sun.

Holding a book titled 'Counter-Guyueming Plan (Incomplete),' he stepped out of the study and into the corridor. Gazing at the empty Dan Peak, now adrift with peach blossom petals, he reflected on its current prosperity, vitality, and strength—before turning his eyes toward the main peak.

Dan Peak had been heavily restricted lately, and its progress had slowed...