The jade slip recorded Qianqiusui's deeds, incident by incident, beginning five years ago.
Complying outwardly while flouting Yu Hua's orders in secret, keeping an iron grip on the Guanyun Auction House until it practically became her private domain.
Trading on the name of Guanyun Pavilion and Li Guanqi, amassing vast wealth and pocketing bribes.
Using her personal connections, selling treasures from the auction house at a fraction of their value to friendly clans and powers in exchange for kickbacks.
With a grim expression, Li Guanqi set down the jade slip and asked in a cold voice, "Does Qianqiusui usually attend meetings?"
Ji Yuchuan wore a playful smile. "When you're away, of course she doesn't.
"But... your return to the sect made such a commotion that if you call a meeting, she will definitely come!"
Li Guanqi gave a slight nod, yet doubts lingered in his mind.
Qianqiusui was one of the veterans who had been with him the longest.
Back then, had she not sold information on his whereabouts, he probably would have died long ago.
What was more, Guanyun Pavilion had never treated Qianqiusui unfairly in all these years!
When Tang Ru took over the merchant association, he had spared no effort in teaching her the ins and outs of business.
Xi Yunhuai, Yu Hua, Qianqiusui.
The dynamic between the three was meant to be one of mutual checks and balances.
None of their duties overlapped or infringed upon another's!
In other words...
The three of them in Guanyun Pavilion were supposed to mind their own business without interference.
There should have been no conflict of interest between them whatsoever.
This was something Li Guanqi had established from the very beginning.
He had set it up precisely out of fear that a situation like today's might arise.
Deep down, he was not afraid of his own people making mistakes.
Yet he still found it hard to accept that Qianqiusui had turned into this.
Did she not fear that he might kill her?
Was her reliance purely on the old bond between them?
If so, that was far too conceited...
"Is there any other news?"
"About Qianqiusui."
Sipping his wine, Ji Yuchuan looked at Li Guanqi and said softly, "Do you doubt my intelligence, or do you not believe she could change?"
Li Guanqi looked straight into Ji Yuchuan's eyes and replied with utmost sincerity, "You know what happened with Song Zhi'ang.
"I don't believe someone's personality would undergo such a massive shift without a reason."
Ji Yuchuan nodded slightly, offering no further explanation.
"Go... see for yourself...
"I can't say for sure what brought about this change either. The investigators from the pavilion simply cannot get their hands into the Guanyun Auction House."
Li Guanqi frowned slightly, his eyes narrowing to a dangerous, icy glint.
"Cannot get their hands in?
"If I remember correctly... the pavilion set up an oversight division, didn't it?
"Isn't Elder Xi the one in charge?"
Ji Yuchuan shook his head with a bitter, helpless smile. "Yes... but with you away, no one dared to openly fall out with Qianqiusui."
Li Guanqi nodded, signaling that he understood.
"After all this time, you're still in the late Body Integration Realm?
"I remember you were already at the peak of the mid-stage when Senior Yu Shan severed the clones in the Seventh Domain.
"Your cultivation speed is rather slow. It's not as though you lack resources now."
Ji Yuchuan rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Cultivate? Where would I find the time to cultivate?
"This cultivation level of mine was achieved by breaking through to the late Body Integration Realm back when I was still in the Seventh Domain.
"Ever since returning, I haven't had a single moment of rest!"
At that, Ji Yuchuan gave Li Guanqi a deep, meaningful look.
"Besides... Elder Xi and Yu Hua are both stuck at the same realm as me. We need to find a way to raise their cultivation as soon as possible."
Ji Yuchuan tapped his finger on the table.
"You must realize that when it comes to intelligence... although Guanyun Pavilion dominates the field right now, there will always be people looking to snatch a piece of the pie!
"While you're away, relying solely on Guanyun Pavilion's current strength isn't quite enough."
Li Guanqi nodded slightly. Guanyun Pavilion was able to develop smoothly even now precisely because every person in the pavilion had been personally nurtured by him.
Guanyun Pavilion did not recruit powerful outside experts to serve as consecrated elders.
Thus, their own strength dictated a great deal.
Li Guanqi nodded and said softly, "All right, I understand.
"I will deal with this as soon as possible."
After a brief silence, Li Guanqi tapped his finger lightly against the tabletop and said, "Help me arrange an identity within the Cloud Oversight Office, and get me another new identity as one of Yu Hua's subordinates.
"As for the news of my return, let those with intent spread the word.
"Say that you and I have matters to discuss over the next two days, and as for the meeting... we'll talk about that after 'I' finish speaking with you!"
Ji Yuchuan understood Li Guanqi's meaning immediately. "You want to go see for yourself?"
Li Guanqi smiled, speaking with calm nonchalance. "I have nothing else to do anyway, so I might as well see what is behind this.
"When things are unusual, there's bound to be something amiss; I won't feel at ease without seeing it with my own eyes."
Ji Yuchuan grinned and produced two identity jade slips with a flick of his wrist.
Li Guanqi was taken aback. "What's this? You anticipated it all along?"
Cradling one arm, Ji Yuchuan raised his wine cup and looked at Li Guanqi with a beaming smile.
Immediately following, Yu Hua and Xi Yunhuai emerged from the shadows.
Both were smiling as they bowed in greeting.
"Greetings, Pavilion Master."
"Long time no see, Pavilion Master."
Li Guanqi had not spread his divine sense since entering, so naturally he had not detected the two, who had deliberately suppressed their auras.
Glancing at the shadow-casting stone tucked away in an inconspicuous corner of the room, Li Guanqi curled his lip. "Well now, the three of you were scheming against me here?"
Ji Yuchuan burst into hearty laughter.
Xi Yunhuai plopped down beside Ji Yuchuan, while Yu Hua sat down to one side.
"Don't be angry, it really wasn't an intentional test.
"It was just... heh, a little wager.
"Pay up, pay up! Old Xi lost, and Yu Hua and I won. Two shares!"
Muttering under his breath, Xi Yunhuai handed over two storage rings, which Yu Hua accepted with a radiant smile.
"Thank you for your generosity, Elder Xi."
Li Guanqi said with a laugh, "Speak up, what's going on?"
Setting down his cup, Ji Yuchuan tucked his hands into his sleeves and chuckled softly. "A wager—betting on how you would deal with Qianqiusui!
"Old Xi bet that you would execute her. After all, if anyone else had done what was recorded in that slip, dying ten thousand times wouldn't be enough.
"Yu Hua and I bet... that you would judge according to the circumstances!"
Looking at Ji Yuchuan's cunning eyes, Li Guanqi asked softly, "Why were you so certain?"
Ji Yuchuan wiped away his smile, sat up straight, and said softly, "Because of Peak Master Tu Kui of Tianjin Peak."
His voice carried a touch of wistfulness as he looked warmly at Li Guanqi.
"Because I believe that no matter what realm you reach, you will always weigh cause and effect when handling matters!
"Because ever since you embarked on the path of cultivation, such has been your true heart.
"Even back when you were called Yanluo!"
Li Guanqi had not expected Ji Yuchuan to understand him so well.
Just like Luo Changqing...
Perhaps at Dijing Slope back then, Luo Changqing had been the only one who believed that he, Li Guanqi, had not yet reached a dead end.
At the time, his primal energy had been entirely depleted, and his arm had been snapped.
Yet without the slightest hesitation, Luo Changqing had shouted for him to kill him.
Chapter 1419