Having spoken his piece, Li Guanqi said nothing more.
To everyone's surprise, what followed was a distribution of rewards according to merit!
"Where are Disciplinary Law Enforcers Gong Ze and Qin Xian?"
Gong Ze and Qin Xian stepped forward at once.
Li Guanqi brought forth spirit stones, medicinal pills, and spirit herbs to bestow upon the two, along with three Ancient God Beads each!
Sensing the immense aura radiating from those Ancient God Beads, the cultivators gathered below were thoroughly shocked!
Excitement flushed the faces of Gong Ze and Qin Xian.
With these Ancient God Beads, Gong Ze had more than enough to break through into the Body Integration Realm!
Qin Xian, having been stuck at the Soul Formation Realm for many years, would now be able to break through and step into the Void Refining Realm.
"Thank you for the bestowal, Grand Elder!"
Gong Ze bowed deeply, his expression trembling with emotion.
How many years had it been?
He already stood on the verge of breaking through the Void Refining Realm to enter the Body Integration Realm.
Had he still been wandering the world outside, he likely would have struggled to even break through to the late Void Refining Realm.
Next were Nangong Qianyan and Tu Zhongqiu, who had been diligently serving within Guanyun Pavilion.
Naturally, those closest to him, such as Wu Bing, received even greater benefits.
Through this scene, Li Guanqi wanted everyone to understand one thing: the Great Xia Sword Sect was a place of clear rewards and punishments, where those who kept their heads down and did their work would never be overlooked.
Finally, Li Guanqi picked up his teacup, looked down at the crowd, and spoke softly.
"I know that among you, there are many pawns planted by other clans and factions."
The moment his words fell, tension rippled through many in the crowd below.
Li Guanqi merely chuckled. "Leave early. Don't make me do it myself."
With that said, Li Guanqi spoke no further on the matter.
Even though these individuals were all under the watchful eye and total control of Guanyun Pavilion, having nails driven into one's own sect was still an unpleasant feeling.
No sooner had he finished speaking than quite a few people bowed apologetically to Li Guanqi and the others before quietly retreating from the grand hall.
Afterward, Li Guanqi dismissed most of the people, leaving only the sect's upper echelons inside the hall.
With a wave of his hand, he sealed the grand hall. Looking toward Wu Bing and the others, he said in a solemn voice, "Next, all of us must head to the Seventh Domain!"
These words immediately caused everyone's brows to furrow slightly.
Li Guanqi and his companions had only just broken through, annihilated the current Heavenly Demon Hall, and returned—yet now they had to leave again.
Li Guanqi said solemnly, "Before we depart, we will leave behind a protective force that the sect can command.
"However, there is still one matter that weighs heavily on my mind.
"The Sect Master... what on earth is going on with him right now?"
Silence fell over the hall at those words.
Ling Daoyan was the first to speak. "We've tried contacting the Sect Master many times, but there was never any response."
Wu Bing chimed in with a grave expression, "I was probably the first to contact Master..."
Li Guanqi frowned. "How long ago was that?"
Wu Bing answered without hesitation, "Four and a half years ago.
"Around that time, I had just taken charge of the sect and found many matters overwhelming, so I contacted Master.
"That was the last time, however. From then on, I couldn't reach him at all."
Li Guanqi's brow knitted deeper. "Where was the Sect Master during that last contact?"
Wu Bing shook his head.
"Master didn't say... and I don't know either.
"Guanyun Pavilion has been searching constantly, but there hasn't been any word."
Li Guanqi's frown deepened. He felt that this matter was far from simple.
He had only spent three and a half years inside God Burial Valley, yet the Sect Master had been missing for over four years...
After pondering for a moment, Li Guanqi began assigning tasks. "Lao Ye, over the next few days, lead them in setting down the power to protect the sect.
"And during this time, all of you should spend more time with your families."
Ye Feng did not immediately agree. Instead, he said in a deep voice, "Boss, Lao San and the others can handle those tasks. I can go with you."
Hearing him say this, Cao Yan nodded as well. Xiao Chen was indifferent.
Li Guanqi considered it, then nodded. "Alright. Over these three days, I'll take Lao Ye with me to investigate.
"Leave the remaining matters to Lao San."
Cao Yan nodded. "Don't worry, Eldest Brother. Just leave it to me."
Soon, everyone busied themselves. To leave their current power fully preserved and intact, they would inevitably need the help of Gu Changsheng and Xi Yunhuai, along with Gu Li's talisman arts.
Before departing, Li Guanqi went to visit Xuan Lin.
In the sect nowadays, Xuan Lin played the role of an unassuming sweeping monk, wandering around Tianzhu Peak with a wine gourd in hand.
Every day, he joined Ling Daoyan in swindling disciples into buying them wine.
Yet Xuan Lin did not cheat them for nothing; occasionally, he would offer guidance in cultivation.
Standing about ten feet apart, the two exchanged silent glances before Li Guanqi chuckled. "You're beginning to look the part of a senior."
Xuan Lin laughed heartily, but silence soon followed.
He looked at the spirited and confident Li Guanqi and Ye Feng, then rubbed the scruffy stubble on his own face.
For a fleeting moment, he suddenly felt as though he, too, ought to go out and wander the world again.
Li Guanqi left him an Ancient God Bead and a storage ring containing many cultivation methods and secret manuals suited for him.
As he turned to leave, Li Guanqi tossed him a jar of fine wine and said softly, "I hope you'll always remain the spirited young man you once were."
Cao Yan went to Alchemy Peak to find Sun Miao. To his surprise, Sun Miao had already been waiting for them after learning of Gu Changsheng's arrival.
The old man had lived quite comfortably over the years, growing slightly plump, yet his cultivation had not fallen behind in the least—he had now broken through into the Void Refining Realm.
The resources held by the Great Xia Sword Sect today were rich beyond the imagination of other clans and factions.
At a time like this, a foundation of heritage proved especially crucial.
Not to mention that over the years, as the strength of Li Guanqi and the other disciples surged, the Great Xia Sword Sect had amassed an even greater variety of abundant resources.
Moreover, transactions between the Great Xia Sword Sect and Guanyun Pavilion were frequent, and the sect shared deep ties with the Hundred Treasures Pavilion as well.
Through Tang Wei's connection, Qian Ze, Pavilion Master of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, had made a fortune hand over fist.
Currently, the Fire-Eyed Demon Fox clan and the Spirit Fish Clan occupied their own independent peak, named Spirit Peak.
However, the patriarchs of both clans had declined the right to enter the main hall for council.
Both felt that their clans had no place interfering in the internal affairs of the sect.
Li Guanqi went to Spirit Peak, a place of picturesque scenery.
Two clans—one of fire and one of water—dwelt together in perfect harmony.
Li Guanqi had gone out of his way to draw an entire spirit vein from Guanyun Pavilion and embed it within Spirit Peak.
With all this done, Li Guanqi and Ye Feng vanished quietly from the Qingyun Continent.
Shortly after leaving the Great Xia Sword Sect, Yu Hua's voice reached Li Guanqi's ears.
"Pavilion Master, I've looked into all available intelligence.
"Four years ago, someone allegedly saw Sect Master Lu in the Daochan Domain.
"However, there are too many rumors of this sort, so I cannot say for certain."
Li Guanqi nodded slightly.
Then, with a smile, he asked Yu Hua, "Sha is dead. Don't you wish to rebuild your own faction?"
Yu Hua froze for a moment, then laughed softly.
"Could the Pavilion Master truly bear to let me go?"
Her tone was playful, clearly teasing him.
Letting a Body Integration Realm expert who commanded an intelligence network simply walk away...
No clever person would ever do such a thing.
Yet to Yu Hua's surprise, Li Guanqi's sincere voice soon came through the jade pendant.
"You joined Guanyun Pavilion only because of your hatred for Sha.
"Now he is dead, and your great vengeance is fulfilled.
"If you wish to leave, you may do so at any time."
Hearing Li Guanqi's words, Yu Hua's eyes instantly welled with red.
Pursing her lips, the woman stood and walked to the window to let the breeze wash over her.
Yet as she recalled everything that had happened over these years in Guanyun Pavilion, the thought she once held of leaving had long since vanished without a trace.
The corners of her mouth curled upward into a radiant, brilliant smile as she murmured softly, "So long as the Pavilion Master does not drive Yu Hua away, Yu Hua... has no intention of leaving!"
Li Guanqi smiled faintly. "Good! Then I must trouble you to remain a member of Guanyun Pavilion."
"Very well."
Chapter 1155