Meng Wanshu was currently exceptionally weak. Having Bingqi's remnant soul purged from within her inevitably took its toll.
Li Guanqi gently wrapped an arm around her slender waist and helped her up.
"From now on, I will not allow you to hide things like this from me again."
"Today, Bingqi took the initiative to reveal herself, which gave me an opening. What if she hadn't?"
"Would you have grown more and more like her under her influence?"
Li Guanqi's tone carried a hint of reprimand.
Meng Wanshu pressed her lips together and lowered her head slightly. When she raised her gaze to look at him, her eyes were already swimming with unshed tears.
Li Guanqi naturally noticed her look, but he kept his expression stern until he finished speaking.
He wanted Meng Wanshu to understand how deeply he cared about her safety.
Just as Li Guanqi felt himself on the verge of breaking under her tearful gaze, the woman spoke softly.
"I made you worry."
Meng Wanshu looked at his stern expression, a warm current flowing through her heart.
She wasn't angry, because she knew Li Guanqi had only said those words out of concern for her.
If he hadn't cared at all, he could easily have said nothing.
Feeling the surge of power roiling inside her body, Meng Wanshu furrowed her brows.
"The energy within me... feels a bit strange."
Li Guanqi smiled faintly.
"Don't overthink it. That is Bingqi's complete inheritance. You just need to refine and absorb the power inside you."
Meng Wanshu suddenly understood what had happened.
With a wave of his hand, Li Guanqi dismissed the Sword Prison.
*Swish!*
Ye Feng frowned and said in a heavy voice, "Big Brother..."
Li Guanqi gave a slight nod, signaling that there was no need to worry.
"Rest assured, it's all taken care of."
Hearing this, Ye Feng let out a breath of relief, turning to Meng Wanshu and speaking softly.
"Sister-in-law... don't take what happened earlier to heart."
Meng Wanshu paused, startled.
"What happened earlier?"
Li Guanqi made a face at Ye Feng and sent a transmission: *"Earlier, Bingqi had temporarily taken over Wanshu's soul. She doesn't know anything about it."*
Meng Wanshu gazed at Ye Feng, her delicate brows knitting slightly. Ye Feng coughed twice.
"Uh... Sister-in-law, you should focus on stabilizing your cultivation realm."
Having said that, he turned on his heel and scurried off.
Just as Meng Wanshu opened her mouth to ask what he meant, she noticed Li Guanqi's expression suddenly shift.
Following his gaze, she turned to see two blood-drenched figures stepping out of the Second Domain's light gate, looking utterly soul-shattered.
Li Guanqi hesitated for a moment, then flashed forward to follow them, raising a hand toward Meng Wanshu.
"I'm going over there for a moment. Head back first to stabilize your realm, and keep an eye on Third and Fourth while you're at it."
Meng Wanshu gave a slight nod and flashed away, returning to the White Jade Tower.
The disheveled, purple-robed man ahead of him suddenly came to a halt in his battered state.
Slung across his back was a young man whose breath was as faint as gossamer.
Half of the youth's body had been sheared away; he was missing an arm and a leg.
Half of his face was a gory mess, his features entirely unrecognizable.
Ye Mohan's sharp gaze snapped to his flank!
His bloodshot eyes glared fixedly at Li Guanqi, his voice raspy like that of an elderly man at death's door.
"What are you here for... to laugh at me?"
Li Guanqi's expression was grim, devoid of the slightest mockery as he met Ye Mohan's eyes solemnly.
"What happened? Where are the other three?"
Li Guanqi had been curious earlier why he hadn't seen Ye Mohan and his group on the Third Domain's battlefield.
Only now, seeing Ye Mohan like this...
He suddenly recalled Long Hou's words!
"Could it be...?!"
"Did you... go to the Fourth Domain?!"
Upon hearing those words, a flash of pure terror shot through Ye Mohan's eyes!
His face drained of all color. Behind him, Song Bin, slumped over his back, began to tremble uncontrollably.
Li Guanqi froze for a heartbeat.
It seemed his guess was right. In that case, the fate of the other three was painfully obvious.
As if in a daze, Ye Mohan muttered faintly,
"I... couldn't protect them..."
Ye Mohan's face was splattered with gore. Li Guanqi had no way of knowing what he had endured on the Fourth Domain's battlefield.
Evidently, the battlefield of the Fourth Domain was vastly more brutal than that of the Third Domain...
Five had gone in, every one of them formidable.
Yet in the end, only two had returned—and one was on the brink of death from catastrophic injuries!
After a moment of hesitation, Li Guanqi called out softly, "Pengluo."
Pengluo popped out from the void and, squirming reluctantly, snapped off two of its fingers.
Li Guanqi shoved one into Song Bin's mouth and offered the other to Ye Mohan.
Ye Mohan stood rooted to the spot, dazed. He could clearly feel Song Bin's life force stabilizing.
Furthermore, that mysterious energy inside Song Bin began frantically mending his wounds at a speed several times faster than any healing elixir.
Ye Mohan swallowed his piece. Looking at Li Guanqi with conflicted eyes, he gave a slight nod.
"Thank you... I owe you a favor."
Li Guanqi waved a hand and said in a low voice,
"Take him back."
Ye Mohan departed. Li Guanqi lingered in place, remaining silent for a long time.
In truth, he could somewhat understand Ye Mohan. If he were in that position...
Li Guanqi closed his eyes, terrified to imagine what he would become if something ever happened to his own brothers.
Because of that, his impression of Ye Mohan had changed considerably, the edge of their former antagonism blunted.
In its place was a degree of admiration.
Ye Mohan's own injuries were far from light—nowhere near as simple as they appeared on the surface.
Yet he had still carried the critically wounded Song Bin all the way back.
The Fourth Domain battlefield was filled almost entirely with combatants on par with the Eight Generals!
Five entered and three died, yet amidst such a ferocious battle, Ye Mohan had managed to protect Song Bin!
Such a feat was tantamount to wrenching a man right out of the King of Hell's grasp!
Watching the direction in which Ye Mohan had vanished, Li Guanqi murmured softly, "He's a real man."
Perhaps their two factions disliked one another, but Ye Mohan had taken on the role of the big brother in his own circle.
He had done well, and he deserved respect.
Being the eldest wasn't about looking impressive; it was a far heavier burden of responsibility!
*BOOM!!!!*
*RUMBLE!!!*
Two terrifying waves of pressure erupted in rapid succession, surging skyward from the White Jade Tower!
Over by the wine stall, several mighty cultivators craned their necks, clicking their tongues in astonishment.
"These youngsters are truly formidable... Three of them breaking through to the late Mahayana stage in a single day!"
"Remarkable, truly remarkable!"
"How... how many years did it take us to cultivate to the Mahayana realm back then? And how long has it been for them?"
"Comparisons like this could infuriate a man to death!"
Meanwhile.
Inside a majestic palace beyond the Fourth Domain's light gate.
Hong Zhi reported everything that had transpired with the Liao clan to the man before her.
Seated upon an azure throne, Wen Guyan dabbed at the blood on his face with a handkerchief, his eyes narrowing to slits.
"It seems... Liao Qingming's attempt to lead his entire clan into ascension has caused quite a stir!"
"Yu Shan, what are the reactions in the Ethereal Immortal Domain and the Six Domains' Ancient Clans right now?"
Yu Shan stepped forward slowly, pulling off his black robe. To everyone's astonishment, his features shifted back to reveal the appearance of Ji Yuchuan!
Ji Yuchuan's expression was grave as he spoke in a deep voice.
"To answer the Dragon King: as far as I know... secret meetings among the powerhouses of the Ethereal Immortal Domain and the Ancient Clans of the Six Domains have become frequent."
"Quite a few experts from major sects and clans are even preparing to follow Liao Qingming's example."
"This move... is intended to force the Seventh Domain's hand!"
"They want to see just how many people we can kill, and just how many we can suppress..."
Wen Guyan nodded, his gentle face now blanketed in frost.
A chilling murderous intent gleamed in his narrowed eyes as he murmured,
"How many can we kill?"
"Heh. My only worry is that there won't be enough to slaughter..."
Chapter 1192