A youth clad in a crimson robe wore a jade crown inlaid with purple gold, his snow-white hair gathered atop his head. An unruly grin touched the corners of his handsome face, giving him an air of lazy abandon. Hugging an ink-black longsword to his chest, he sprawled across a long bench, snacking on spirit fruits.
The moment he caught sight of Li Guanqi, the youth shot upright. His eyes crinkled into a smile as he sprang to his feet. "Brother."
Looking at the bright, outgoing Li Song, Li Guanqi felt as though he had gained a true younger brother of his own blood. Smiling, he said, "Not bad. Middle Nascent Soul already."
Li Song blinked. Taking in Li Guanqi's pale face and bloodless lips, he frowned. "Brother, what happened to you? Did something go wrong?"
Li Guanqi slumped into a chair without ceremony, casually straightening his robe. "Had a scrap with Gu Yong."
Li Song's expression shifted drastically. He knew exactly who Gu Yong was, and he knew full well that Gu Yong was a bona fide Mahayana realm cultivator!
Li Congxin settled gingerly beside him, probing cautiously, "Did you lose?"
Li Guanqi was exasperated into a laugh. He cuffed the back of Li Congxin's head, murmuring with a touch of melancholy, "I won, but something still feels off. It just doesn't sit right with me."
Li Congxin sat beside him, patting his back in reassurance. With a smile, he said, "Well, that's life—take it as it comes. Once things have passed, you have to let them go. You can't just sit here stewing in wild thoughts."
Li Guanqi jolted, murmuring softly under his breath, "Once they've passed, you have to let them go..."
He gave Li Congxin a deep, searching look. Suddenly, he felt that the youth's temperament bore an uncanny resemblance to that old beggar: free, uninhibited, and living with a lighter heart.
Li Guanqi shook his head with a bitter smile. He had never imagined that one day, Li Congxin would be the one comforting him.
With a flick of his wrist, a flash of spiritual light revealed a jade box crafted from rare purple gold crystal.
He handed the jade box to Li Congxin without fanfare. The youth's brow arched, and he blurted out, "Brother, this wouldn't happen to be that Profound Origin Sacred Soul Pill, would it?"
Li Guanqi nodded. Popping the stopper from his wine gourd, he tilted his head back for a swig, then chuckled. "It is."
Li Congxin did not even open the jade box. Instead, he pushed it right back with both hands, his brow furrowing. "No way. I can't take this. Or at least let me buy it."
Li Guanqi couldn't help laughing. "Why wouldn't you take it? Besides, do you even have the money to buy it?"
Scratching his head, Li Congxin leaned back in the chair, hands clasped behind his head, and stared up at the ceiling with a grin. "Money... Borrowing three to five hundred million spirit stones from our brothers wouldn't be much of a problem." He cut his eyes sideways at Li Guanqi, chuckling sheepishly. "Besides, I don't need it. I'm not foolish like you, severing your complete three ethereal souls and seven corporeal souls just to give me life."
As he said this, even Li Song rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
After a moment of thought, Li Guanqi still thrust the pill box back toward him, murmuring softly, "I don't care whether you think you're foolish or not. Just take it. If you ever get hurt in the future, it can save your life."
Li Congxin pursed his lips and hesitated for a long while before finally accepting Li Guanqi's goodwill. Once he had stowed it away, he reached into his robes and pulled out several rank-seven spirit herbs—all exceptionally rare healing plants.
He shoved them into Li Guanqi's hands and chuckled. "I was worried you'd get hurt recently on the road, so I 'looted' them from someone else's garden. Heh."
Looking at the plants radiating potent spiritual fluctuations, Li Guanqi smiled wryly. The snapped tears along the roots and stems were clearly visible; the rascal had definitely yanked them out by force.
"You little scoundrel. Calling you a brother really takes a toll on someone."
Naturally, Li Guanqi still had other Profound Origin Sacred Soul Pills, though they were not of the thunder attribute. The reason he had made this swap was that the lightning-attuned pill was vital to Li Song.
He had set aside two of the remaining pills as the grand finale of this auction. Both were also high-grade rank-seven pills, and while they fell short of perfection, they were not far behind.
After a brief pause, Li Guanqi said softly, "Cultivate well. Your sword intent is very good right now; it suits you perfectly."
Li Congxin frowned. "You're leaving?"
"Mm. Some distinguished guests have arrived. I should go pay my respects. Don't run around aimlessly. If you're bored, you can head over to the Great Xia Sword Sect for a look."
With that, Li Guanqi tossed his identity token jade slip directly to Li Congxin.
Stepping out through the door, he saw three cultivators waiting at the end of the corridor. The instant they saw him emerge, they bowed deeply in salute.
Shen Feng spoke in a solemn voice, "Greetings, Young Master Li."
Indeed, the three who had been waiting here for quite some time were Shen Feng, Jia Kun, and their companion.
Li Guanqi flashed across the distance to stand before them. Pushing open an unoccupied private box, he said softly, "Come in, sit down, and speak."
The three nodded slightly and followed Li Guanqi with utter deference.
Seeing three Body Integration Realm cultivators trailing behind the white-robed youth, many onlookers instantly realized who he was!
The doors closed behind them. Li Guanqi sat down in a chair and said calmly, "Go ahead. Did you need something from me?"
Shen Feng and the other two exchanged glances. In the end, Shen Feng stepped forward and said in a grave voice, "We wish to depart!"
Li Guanqi rose straight to his feet, startling the three into taking half a step back.
With one hand clasped behind his back, Li Guanqi brushed past them, the corner of his mouth curving slightly as he spoke with a calm, even voice. "Naturally, the three of you may leave. I have no intention of keeping you."
The three let out a collective breath of relief. Given the current reach of Guanyun Pavilion and Li Guanqi's personal strength, if he wished to force them to stay, they would have no power to resist.
Once they had finished the tasks Li Guanqi assigned them, Jia Kun had suddenly voiced a thought that chilled all three to the bone: What if they ended up under Guanyun Pavilion's control as well? In that case, what had been the point of risking their lives to escape Tianji Pavilion?
Even Shen Feng had assumed that Li Guanqi would never simply let three Body Integration Realm tower masters walk away. They had even prepared themselves to pledge their service to him, provided their lives were no longer held in someone else's palm. Yet Li Guanqi had entertained no such notion at all, letting them go without a second thought.
After departing, Li Guanqi made straight for the Heaven-grade private boxes. As for Shen Feng and the others...
Li Guanqi had never harbored any desire to keep them. Those capable of betraying Tianji Pavilion might very well betray Guanyun Pavilion tomorrow. If they hadn't betrayed someone yet, it was merely because the opposing offer hadn't been large enough. Therefore, he would never keep those three by his side under any circumstances!
Since it was a transaction, both sides were square once the deal was concluded, and each should go their separate ways.
*Knock, knock, knock!*
Heaven Box One!
The door swung open, and Qin Wushang clamped an arm around Li Guanqi's shoulders, giving him a huge thumbs-up. "Incredible, brother! Did you really go head-to-head with a Mahayana cultivator?!"
Inside, Qin Xiao called out a bid with a displeased expression, "Three hundred and fifty million!"
He shot Li Guanqi an annoyed glare. "You little brat, hurry up and pay me back. I want to buy a Profound Origin Sacred Soul Pill too."
Li Guanqi shrugged. Just as he was about to have Xi Yunhuai send the funds over—knowing full well that the Qin clan had also made a fortune from the recent venture—an aged voice carried up from the row of Earth-grade boxes below.
"Eight hundred million."
Li Guanqi looked down toward the voice, his brow slightly furrowing. Such an aggressive, price-crashing bid could very well suppress the natural progression of the auction, preventing the pill from reaching its intended value.
Qin Xiao's brows knitted even tighter, his expression darkening.
Li Guanqi walked up beside him and murmured, "Uncle Qin, stall for me a moment."
With that, Li Guanqi retrieved a Profound Origin Sacred Soul Pill straight from his storage ring and handed it to the man.
Qin Xiao's eyes lit up. He curled his lip and replied, "Fine. I'll play the shill for you just this once."
At the same time, Li Guanqi whispered, "Find out who's inside the Earth-grade Spring Rain Box."
Chapter 1064