Purple-Skinned Ginseng? Li Zixuan!

He needed to raise Yu Hua and Xi Yunhuai's cultivation to the Mahayana realm—even mid Mahayana—as quickly as possible. Only then would their clandestine forces have some degree of security. Li Guanqi gave several more instructions before the others departed the hall, each bearing a different weight in their heart. Once everyone had gone, the space beside Li Guanqi rippled slightly. A pale-faced Lu Kangnian slowly stepped out. He patted Li Guanqi on the shoulder and said softly, "You did well." Lu Kangnian leaned wearily against a chair. As his strength had grown, so too had his feeling of powerlessness... Dazed, he murmured, "Guanqi." "Yes?" "Tell me... can someone like me... really make it up there?" His voice carried a hint of timidity, as if he lacked all confidence in himself. Li Guanqi could see the helplessness Lu Kangnian felt over his limited talent. The bitterness in the man's eyes was impossible to conceal. Before Li Guanqi could answer, Lu Kangnian gave a sudden, self-deprecating wry laugh. Tilting his head back to swallow a mouthful of wine, he muttered, "Really now... before you came along, even reaching the Void Refining Realm was a pipe dream for me. Now I'm in the mid Mahayana realm, among the very strongest cultivators beneath the heavens. And here I am, feeling down over whether I want to ascend." Li Guanqi listened quietly to Lu Kangnian's rambling. "Ambition really is a funny thing..." Lu Kangnian lowered his head to take another sip of wine, his expression relaxing considerably. He knew he could never leave the Great Xia Sword Sect to go to the Seventh Domain, which was why he had experienced that momentary lapse of doubt about whether he could ever ascend. The corners of Li Guanqi's mouth curved upward. He snatched the wine gourd from the man's hand and drained it in a single draught. Rising to his feet, he glanced back at Lu Kangnian, his voice flat yet unshakeable. "Rest assured, Sect Master. Even if I have to drag you, I will drag you up to the Immortal Realm!" Lu Kangnian threw his head back and roared with laughter. It was as though the pain tearing through his ravaged meridians had instantly lessened. "Drag me all the way to the Immortal Realm? You rascal! Wouldn't that mean your cultivation would have to stand higher than the heavens themselves?" Li Guanqi answered as naturally as could be. "If it takes standing higher than the heavens, then I'll cultivate until I am!" Lu Kangnian fell silent, exhaling a breath of turbid air as a visible ease settled over him. "All right, you brat, go do what you need to do. Coming out here this time... I suppose you're looking to abduct Gu Lie, aren't you?" Li Guanqi smiled without denying it. "Aside from taking Elder Gu along," he said frankly, "both Pengluo and Jiuxiao are about to break through. I thought it over and felt it would be better for them to make their breakthroughs near the sect." Lu Kangnian's expression turned serious. "Do you need me to help prepare anything?" Li Guanqi waved a dismissive hand. "They can handle their own breakthroughs. No need to worry." Suddenly, Li Guanqi recalled something. "Right, where is that purple-skinned ginseng?" Lu Kangnian blinked in confusion. "What purple-skinned ginseng? Ah! You mean Li Zixuan?" Li Guanqi smacked his forehead in realization. Back when the purple-skinned ginseng broke through to rank five, it had assumed human form, and Li Guanqi had personally bestowed his own surname upon it along with the name Zixuan. A broad grin tugged at the corners of Lu Kangnian's mouth. "Li Zixuan is already in the late Void Refining Realm now. His strength is formidable, and his comprehension is excellent. He's just... a bit simple-minded." Li Guanqi chuckled and asked softly, "Where is he now?" Lu Kangnian thought for a moment. "He should be in the Spirit Peak domain." After a brief pause, Li Guanqi said, "In that case, help me prepare a few spirit-gathering array discs. I'll open up an isolated domain to let the two of them break through." With that, Li Guanqi vanished on the spot, reappearing a hundred li away from the Great Xia Sword Sect. He looked around at the lush green mountains and clear waters. The concentration of spiritual energy was substantial, making it a fine place endowed with natural spiritual grace. Most importantly, it was sparsely populated, meaning that even a tremendous commotion from their heavenly tribulations would cause no harm. Primal energy surged as terrifying spatial power and nomological laws intertwined, carving out a sturdy domain ten thousand zhang across. He then shattered over a hundred purple gold crystals and tossed in various heavenly treasures and spirit plants. From within the sword coffin, he lifted out the slumbering Pengluo and placed him inside. Next, he carved out a second sturdy domain of equal strength for Jiuxiao. Spirit stones, spirit plants, lightning jade marrow—Li Guanqi spared no expense for the two of them. Jiuxiao assumed his true form. Through heavy dragon lids, his eyes gazed gently at Li Guanqi. His colossal body slowly coiled, the power within him churning violently as he began absorbing the dense, pure spiritual energy of his surroundings. Li Guanqi was not overly concerned about their breakthroughs. Though Senior Chen Xianzhi's failed breakthrough had left him with lingering dread and a renewed respect for the sheer terror of heavenly tribulations, both Pengluo and Jiuxiao were extraordinary beings. For them, a heavenly tribulation held only benefits; at most, they would suffer a few injuries. Having set everything in order, Li Guanqi turned back to the Great Xia Sword Sect and arrived outside Spirit Peak. The domain opened, and the patriarchs of both clans stepped forward in person to receive him. Li Guanqi's gaze fell instantly upon a purple-robed youth among the crowd. He recognized him as Li Zixuan right away. After exchanging a brief greeting with Yu Bo, Li Guanqi walked up to the youth. Li Zixuan now possessed handsome, refined features, straight and prominent, with sword-like brows and star-bright eyes. Having shed much of his former childishness, the youth dropped swiftly to one knee. "Zixuan greets Benefactor!" Li Guanqi raised a hand, releasing a gentle thread of spatial power that lifted him back to his feet. "Good lad. I didn't expect your strength to advance so quickly." Li Zixuan stood up, scratching his head and murmuring bashfully, "My dad gave me a lot..." Li Guanqi's mouth twitched. His dad... No wonder rare spirit herbs were always going missing from his storage ring! Even so, it was clear that Pengluo cared deeply for Li Zixuan and treated him with great importance. After pondering a moment, Li Guanqi asked softly, "Do you want to come along with me this time?" Li Zixuan nodded eagerly, his eyes shining bright. "Yes! I will listen to Benefactor!" As Li Guanqi turned away, a faint smile played upon his lips. If Pengluo were here, he would undoubtedly be shouting at Li Zixuan to run... The clansmen of both tribes bowed in unison, their eyes filled with heartfelt gratitude toward Li Guanqi. Just then, two women in the crowd caught Li Guanqi's eye. Lan Xun and Xuan Qing! Looking at Xuan Qing, who had blossomed into a graceful and slender young maiden, Li Guanqi smiled with clear, warm eyes. "The little girl from back then has grown this much?" Hearing Li Guanqi speak to her like that, Xuan Qing grew flustered and bowed respectfully, whispering, "Xuan Qing greets Grand Elder." Li Guanqi laughed, flicked his wrist, and tossed a jade bottle toward her. "To help you break through to Void Refinement." The woman beside her was Lan Xun, who shot the stunned girl an affectionate glare and urged, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and thank Brother Li!" The young maiden's face flushed crimson. Snapping back to reality, she offered her effusive thanks to Li Guanqi. As she leaned forward, her jawline was sharp and clear, and shimmering blue fish scales gleamed along her neck. Li Guanqi turned his gaze toward Lan Xun, his brows furrowing slightly. With a flick of his fingers, a wisp of lightning surged into her body, annihilating the lingering power of her hidden internal injuries. "Why didn't you inform the sect of your hidden injuries?" Now that her ailment was purged, a healthy flush returned to Lan Xun's cheeks. She lowered her head and murmured, "It wasn't anything serious. I didn't want to trouble the sect." Li Guanqi sighed helplessly. "Your two clans and the Great Xia Sword Sect share honor and disgrace alike now. We are family, so there is no need to be so courteous." With that, he cast a faintly reproachful glance at Yu Bo. That old fellow must certainly be teaching his clansmen to be this reserved on regular days.