The man's hand paused slightly as he raised it, then he tilted his head back and gulped down a mouthful of strong liquor.
Gazing at the light screen in the distance, the man spoke softly. "That's right."
"The reason?"
"No reason. I simply think you're useless."
"Let's fight."
"Not fighting. Can't you see I'm a cripple?"
"I'm blind. Wouldn't it be weirder if I could see?"
"Hahahahaha!"
Seeing that the man still said nothing further, Li Guanqi did not press the matter either; he turned and flew away on his sword.
Yet just after Li Guanqi left, Gao Qiwen watched his retreating figure and murmured in a voice only he could hear, "Because... you're still not strong enough..."
Not long after, having lost interest, the man left Heavenly Sword Mountain's plaza as well.
Li Guanqi soared into the air, transforming into a streak of light as he flew toward the waterfall at Thousand Peaks Mountain.
Coming to a steady halt atop the mountain beside the waterfall, he felt ready; the sword spirit had already completed its deductions for the eighteen stances of the Ziwei Demon-Cleansing Sword.
Li Guanqi sat cross-legged atop the mountain peak, contemplating the mysteries within the sword technique's chants.
Within his spiritual terrace and sea of consciousness lay the circulation diagram perfected by the sword spirit.
After entering meditation, Li Guanqi quickly slipped into a deeply ethereal state, and the roaring of the waterfall in his ears gradually faded.
Watching this from a distant mountain peak, Gao Qiwen could not help but let a sharp glint flash in his eyes.
"Such comprehension... rarely seen in all my life!"
When the morning sun began to rise, Li Guanqi abruptly rose to his feet!
With his eyes tightly closed, the youth cupped his hand loosely, slowly swinging as if he held a sword!
*Buzz!!*
As the first stance was thrust forward, a howling gale swept across the mountain peak.
Immediately following, the youth shifted and maneuvered his posture unceasingly, his right hand slashing out in rapid succession!
Purple light flickered, occasionally accompanied by the hiss of crackling lightning!
In just two breaths of time, he slashed out sixteen strikes!
*Boom!!*
The giant boulder thirty feet away from the youth abruptly shattered!
This sight caused Gao Qiwen, who had been lounging on the ground, to jump to his feet!
His disheveled black hair could not conceal the shock in his eyes.
Yet the youth merely shook his head slightly, staring at his right hand in contemplation.
Then Li Guanqi sat cross-legged once more, facing the morning sun as he slowly entered meditation.
After another incense stick's worth of time, the youth rose again!
He still did not open his eyes, and his right hand still held an imaginary blade, but this time Li Guanqi stretched the duration of his strikes from two breaths to three.
Yet this time... he unleashed the seventeenth sword!
*Boom!!*
*Crash!*
A dull resonance sounded as a sword furrow as deep as a hand's palm was gouged into the boulder!
*Pfft!!*
Standing where he was with eyes closed, the youth abruptly coughed up a mouthful of blood, his right hand trembling slightly.
Li Guanqi immediately took advantage of the momentum to sit back down cross-legged.
At this sight, Gao Qiwen's eyes shone brightly, and he clenched his fists.
"Just a little more... the final bit! Can he do it...?"
With his discernment, he could tell that the youth's swordplay had still not reached its peak momentum!
Those first seventeen strikes were more like waves layering atop one another; only the final strike remained!
Who knew how much time passed, but after the youth departed,
a somewhat slovenly man stood before the shattered rocks in silence for a long time before a smile finally touched the corners of his mouth.
The roster for the Hundred Sects Tournament was soon finalized, and a group gathered atop Yuhu Peak, laughing heartily.
"Hahahaha! Thanks to what Old Li told me, today this young master completely dazed my opponent with that defensive stance!"
Ye Feng laughed loudly as he recounted his heroic feat of the day.
Zhong Lin and Lin Dong were smiling as well.
After all, after hearing Li Guanqi's words the day before, combined with their own experiences under the waterfall, both had gained new insights.
In their fights today, their understanding of how to apply their own strength had deepened by a layer.
However, upon returning, Li Guanqi said solemnly, "Even though we secured our spots, we can't let our guard down!"
"There are countless geniuses in the Hundred Sects Tournament. We still need to train properly."
Hearing this, everyone nodded with solemn expressions.
In the days that followed, aside from their daily cultivation to temper their foundations,
the group each practiced their newly learned sword arts and movement techniques, Li Guanqi included.
It was just that the others only saw him practicing empty-handed day after day and felt somewhat baffled.
After all, movements as slow as an old woman's were truly perplexing.
Yet during this time, everyone unanimously came to despise one person.
And that was Gao Qiwen, the sweeper!
"Foul! Stepping out with your intention so obvious—it's utterly foul!"
"And you, charging forward like an idiot! Who wouldn't dodge when they see that coming?"
"Tsk, tsk. Such a fine sword spirit ruins awakened in a piece of trash like you. Can't you use your brain? Is it packed with shit?"
For this entire month, no matter where the four of them went, a man holding a broom would chase after them, hurling insults.
What frustrated them most, however, was that after he cursed them out, they actually found his points made sense!
That was truly the most maddening part!
Even Li Guanqi had to admit that Gao Qiwen's insights into actual combat were extraordinarily practical.
Kicking the groin, gouging the eyes, striking the throat, hitting the temples...
Although the techniques he suggested were rather vicious, those spots were all fatal vulnerabilities on the human body!
Amid his relentless scolding, the four unexpectedly developed a more concise and lethal style of attack.
During this period, disciples of the Great Xia Sword Sect often saw four figures flying on swords, chasing a rugged man riding a broom.
They traded insults the whole way as they flew...
Time flew by, and everyone's cultivation realms became thoroughly stabilized at their current stages.
Ye Feng was at the peak of middle Foundation Establishment. Truly living up to being the possessor of a king-grade spiritual root, his cultivation speed was remarkably swift.
Zhong Lin and Lin Dong were both at the peak of early Foundation Establishment.
As for Li Guanqi, he had already reached his own limit; the origin energy in his dantian had thickened to an unprecedented density.
In fact, as long as he wished, the timing was right, and all preparations were made, he could step into Core Formation!
This stirred immense excitement in his heart.
Early that morning, everyone's jade slips began to flicker faintly.
The four slowly awoke from the spirit-gathering array. A sharp glint flashed in Li Guanqi's eyes, and he said softly, "Brothers, let's go!"
*Swish!*
Li Guanqi activated the movement technique Roaming the Clouds, surging into the sky like a swimming fish.
His speed was a good notch faster than flying on a sword!
The others smiled faintly and took to their swords, rushing toward Heavenly Sword Mountain.
By the time they arrived, the Great Xia Sword Sect's delegation had long been waiting there.
This time, Disciplinary Law Enforcer Qin Xian was personally leading the party!
In addition, there were Tianjin Peak's Elder Tu Kui as well as his own master, Li Nanting.
Yet the traveling group did not consist solely of the ten competitors; there was an entourage of nearly twenty others.
Among them was Yu Sui'an, perched on Li Nanting's back.
Upon seeing him, the little girl made a face and turned her head away, clearly pouting because Li Guanqi had barely visited her over the past month.
Another youth with a tall, upright, and somewhat burly build caught his attention, prompting him to murmur softly, "Eldest Senior Brother Wu Bing?"
Wu Bing had clearly noticed Li Guanqi looking at him as well, turning his head to offer a gentle smile and a slight nod.
Slightly surprised, Li Guanqi promptly cupped his fists in salute.
An exceptionally luxurious cloud boat was already moored beside the plaza.
Qin Xian waved his broad hand and commanded, "Set out!"
Chapter 116