"Tu Kui... Pleads Guilty!"

Apart from Cao Yan and Xiao Chen, Tang Ru and Gu Li's cultivation was just as grueling. Not only did they have to endure the exacting demands of the Eight Generals, they also faced the relentless pursuit of a formidable candidate for the Eight Generals at every waking moment. Every single one of them held a fierce drive burning in their heart! They knew that their chance to cultivate under the Eight Generals was something Li Guanqi had swallowed his pride to beg for. And they knew why they were here. Because they all shared the same unyielding conviction—to bring Second Brother Ye back!! Ye Feng was the second brother to them all. Perhaps Gu Li and Tang Ru did not feel the bond as deeply, but Cao Yan and Xiao Chen were willing to stake their lives, gritting their teeth to endure no matter what happened and no matter what enemies they faced. They would tear every foe to shreds until they stood before the Eight Generals, proudly telling Li Guanqi that they had not disgraced him. Whoever brought shame upon them would never be able to hold his head high among the brothers again. That was another reason they all gritted their teeth and pressed on. None shrunk back. Not a single one of them had ever entertained such a thought. Their sole objective was to break through to the Mahayana realm as soon as possible! Only upon reaching the Mahayana realm would they stand a chance of finding Ye Feng and bringing him back. Only by breaking through to the Mahayana realm would they earn the right to speak of bringing Ye Feng home. Everyone was striving in secret, bottling up a tempest of rage within their hearts, suppressing it again and again. They knew the time had not yet come. *** Yunding Auction House. Clack. Li Guanqi set his teacup down on the table, looked at the man across from him, and smiled. "Uncle Qin, here are ten billion spirit stones. Please take them." Qin Xiao's eyes gleamed. Looking at the more than a dozen storage rings before him, he could not help but laugh heartily. "Hahaha! Good nephew, whenever you have such a good thing going in the future, keep your Uncle Qin in mind!" With that, he made no further ceremony, sweeping up all the storage rings with a wave of his broad hand. Li Guanqi smiled faintly. Opportunities like this did not come often. Not just the Qin family—everyone who had aided him this time received a double return! Yet the astute Tang Wei had chosen not to take money at this juncture; he had hoarded all the materials instead. In less than two years, the capital he had invested would at least triple, if not more! Qin Xiao chatted with Li Guanqi in the room for a while longer, discussing matters concerning the Heavenly Demon Hall. By the time the auction got underway, they had already departed. Li Guanqi sat lost in thought beside the desk in the study, but thinking of Xu Junlin made him chuckle. He inexplicably pictured the cocky grin Xiao Chen must have worn after wounding Xu Junlin. He did not know how his brothers were faring right now, but he knew every single one of them was having a hard time. Sipping his wine, Li Guanqi murmured softly, his gaze distant. "Brothers... just wait a little longer." With that, Li Guanqi stepped out of the auction house. His presence was no longer needed here. He had already delivered Ye Xuan's spirit stones in person. He planned to leave a portion of his spirit stones with his sect. Furthermore, Nangong Qianyan and Tu Zhongqiu seemed quite fond of working at Guanyun Pavilion. He had not stopped them. They were his own people from the sect anyway, so he simply let them bustle between the Great Xia Sword Sect and Guanyun Pavilion as they pleased. *** Great Xia Sword Sect, Tianjian Peak, Sect Grand Hall. Looking at the familiar faces before him, Li Guanqi stood up, produced several storage rings, and said, "Sect Master Wu, inside are three billion high-grade spirit stones, as well as some precious pills and spirit herbs. "I leave all of this to you to allocate as you see fit." The moment the words left his mouth, a sudden commotion swept through the hall. They all knew that the recent turmoil between Tianji Pavilion and Guanyun Pavilion had stirred up quite a storm. Yet they had only a vague idea of what had actually occurred. After all, Guanyun Pavilion belonged to Li Guanqi. Wu Bing stared blankly at the storage rings in his palm. When had the Great Xia Sword Sect ever been so wealthy...? There was a time when the sect was dirt poor, possessing not even a single spiritual vein until Li Guanqi won one in the Battle of the Hundred Sects. Now, the Great Xia Sword Sect possessed over a dozen spiritual veins, had no shortage of spirit stones, and overflowed with vibrant spiritual energy. The disciples were brimming with drive. The previous siege by the six sects had not made them timid; instead, every one of them cultivated with desperate fervor. Lately, quite a few disciples in the sect had undergone tribulations to break through to the Soul Formation Realm, to say nothing of those reaching the Nascent Soul realm. Yet Qin Xian and Ling Daoyan exchanged a glance, and Qin Xian spoke first. "Are you leaving again, lad?" Li Guanqi nodded and said softly, "There are more important matters awaiting me. "I returned this time just to take care of a few things before heading out." Ling Daoyan sighed at those words. He knew that this young fellow, whom he had watched grow up, carried far too much weight on his mind. He kept everything bottled up inside, shouldering it all alone. At that thought, the old man slowly rose, walked up to Li Guanqi, and opened his arms. Li Guanqi froze momentarily before his lips parted slightly. Ling Daoyan patted him gently on the back, his eyes rimmed with red. "Child... you've suffered so much. "Don't brood over it too much. We were all heartbroken over Nan Ting, yet none of us erected a tombstone for him. "Because we know you must be planning to find a way once you ascend to the Immortal Realm. We old bones can wait." Li Guanqi pursed his lips and said nothing. The old man patted his back just as one would comfort a beloved grandchild. Taking a deep breath, Li Guanqi said softly, "Elder Ling, rest assured... I definitely will." With that, Li Guanqi raised a hand and drew an aged figure out of a rift in the void. The figure fell to his knees in the hall. Li Guanqi's chest heaved slightly as he raised a hand, shattering the lightning shackles binding the old man. Eyes narrowing slightly, Li Guanqi barked at Tu Kui, "Peak Master Tu Kui of Tianjin Peak!" Tu Kui, looking far older than before, felt his eyes redden. He closed his eyes in agony, pressed his hands flat against the ground, and replied in a raspy voice, "The sinner Tu Kui is here." Li Guanqi roared in fury, "Colluding with outsiders, blinded by lust for power—do you plead guilty?!" Tu Kui slowly rose to his knees, gazing at the familiar sect hall—a place where he had stood countless times—and murmured with reddened eyes, "Tu Kui... pleads guilty." Li Guanqi turned to Qin Xian and shouted in a deep voice, "Where is the Law Enforcer?!" Gong Ze tucked his hands into his sleeves and did not move. Clad in black robes, Qin Xian let out a sigh and slowly rose to his feet. "Qin Xian, Law Enforcer, is here." "For Tu Kui's crimes, what is the punishment according to sect law?" Qin Xian's eyes were filled with complex emotions. Closing his eyes, he said in a trembling voice, "He must... have his cultivation stripped, and be expelled from the sect!" Qin Xian's voice shook slightly. He did not want to speak those words! Yet... the sect's laws stood clear, and his duty bound him! He... had no choice but to speak! Shing!! A sword of lightning condensed in Li Guanqi's palm. Tu Kui tilted his head back and closed his eyes, a faint smile curling the corner of his lips, carrying a trace of relief. The days of living in fear, guilt, and remorse were finally over. The sword in Li Guanqi's hand swept across in a flash!!