With his hair hanging loose over his shoulders, Li Guanqi's lips curved into a faint smile.
Now that the second shackle binding his origin soul was shattered, the immortal essence within him had grown vastly more concentrated. Even Shiwu's power had increased noticeably.
Standing off to the side with his mouth slightly agape, Qian Ronghe was filled with shock and disbelief. One had to know that when Li Guanqi first arrived at Linlang Emporium, he had clearly just broken through to the first tier of the Mystic Immortal realm. Yet in such a short time, he had actually advanced to the second tier!
A cultivation speed like this made Qian Ronghe doubt himself, wondering if all his years of cultivation had been fed to the dogs.
Lin Wujiu sheathed his sword and chuckled softly. "Congratulations on your progress, Brother Li."
Li Guanqi smiled, then suddenly turned to look into the distance, his gaze turning grave. "Castellan Lin is back!"
At those words, Lin Wujiu turned his head slightly. Only now did he sense the aura approaching from afar.
*What sharp perception.*
Over this period, he had been sparring with Li Guanqi every single day. The more they sparred, the more astonished he became. Bout after bout, Li Guanqi's strength seemed like a bottomless abyss; Lin Wujiu could never sound where his limits truly lay.
Li Guanqi surged his immortal essence to blast away the blood and grime clinging to him. Changing into a fresh white robe, he bound up his hair and asked softly, "Should we go greet him?"
Lin Wujiu considered it and straightened his collar as well. "Let's go. I'll accompany you."
The two walked shoulder to shoulder, with Qian Ronghe following along beside them.
The old man had witnessed every change in this young master of the Lin family firsthand over recent days. Yet that aloof, frigid disposition keeping people thousands of li away hadn't diminished toward others in the least. To catch his eye, one had to possess strength worthy of his respect. If that earlier clash had severely injured Li Guanqi, their dynamic would never have become what it was today.
Before long, a figure came hurtling through the sky from afar.
From atop a magnificent golden cloud boat, Lin Chuanqing slowly descended with a blood-drenched figure slung over his shoulder.
Li Guanqi frowned, gritting his teeth as his fists clenched tightly beneath his sleeves.
Virtually no intact skin remained on Qi Mobai; it had been brutally flayed from his flesh, leaving him dripping with blood. His limbs were broken, his breath was faint as gossamer, and he had long since lost consciousness. Only a potent surge of vitality inside him was keeping that final breath hanging on.
Lin Chuanqing's complexion was livid. He sneered, muttering a low curse, "That dog bastard Zhao Chengyong!! How dare he seize the opportunity to extort me?!"
Having vented, Lin Chuanqing looked up, and surprise flickered in his eyes when he saw the two standing side by side. He knew his nephew's temperament all too well—arrogant to the bone, looking down on almost everyone. How could he possibly be mingling so closely with a cultivator from the lower realm?
Suddenly, Lin Chuanqing's pupils shrank slightly as he looked at Li Guanqi. Frowning, he asked, "You broke through to the second tier of the Mystic Immortal realm?"
Lin Chuanqing made no effort to hide the shock in his eyes. It had only been a few days! What was more, Li Guanqi's aura didn't look at all like it had been forcibly boosted by external aids.
This... what terrifying cultivation talent.
Seeing his uncle's expression, Lin Wujiu showed complete understanding. "Uncle, you have no idea how formidable Li Congxin truly is. Sparring with him over the past few days, I can no longer suppress him in an even-realm fight."
Lin Chuanqing was stirred, nodding inwardly. "Enough. The fellow with me is severely injured. Let's head inside first."
The group flashed away, arriving in the main hall of the Castellan Manor. Lin Chuanqing instructed Qian Ronghe to take Qi Mobai away for treatment, leaving only the three of them within the magnificent hall.
Sitting in the seat of honor, Lin Chuanqing took a sip of tea and let out a long breath. Narrowing his eyes, his complexion dark, he spoke slowly. "This trip to Tianshu was a loss for me. Zhao Chengyong seized the chance to bleed me dry."
*Thud!*
Furious, the man slammed a palm onto the table. Turning to Li Guanqi, he said in a low voice, "Stay inside the city for now and don't venture out. He's already guessed that you might be here."
Li Guanqi frowned slightly. He wasn't surprised that Zhao Chengyong had deduced his whereabouts. What surprised him was that Lin Chuanqing knew full well harboring him would draw Zhao Chengyong's resentment, yet still showed no intention of casting him out.
Li Guanqi stood, clasped his fists, and bowed. "Junior thanks Senior for your generous regard."
Lin Chuanqing nodded slightly, waving a hand to gently lift Li Guanqi back upright. His sharp gaze swept over Li Guanqi, then turned toward Lin Wujiu. With a faint smile, he said, "I'll ask you frankly: do you want to stay in my Yuxu City?"
Li Guanqi was just about to decline when the man raised a hand, set down his teacup, and said softly, "Given your current strength, if you leave Yuxu City, Zhao Chengyong will likely ambush and strike you down from the shadows at once. In Yuxu City, if you carry a status granted by me, he won't dare touch you lightly."
Li Guanqi said nothing. He didn't want to be tied down to one place. The Immortal Realm was vast; he still wanted to travel and see the world. Besides... he still didn't know how Ye Feng and the others were doing.
Perhaps discerning Li Guanqi's reservations, Lin Chuanqing continued, "As long as you nod, I will make you the Grand Commander of the Yuxu City Patrol Army! I'll cover all your cultivation resources, though you will need to handle some everyday affairs for me. Whenever you wish to leave, I won't stop you. What do you think?"
Li Guanqi's thoughts turned over rapidly. He couldn't find a single reason to refuse. Lin Chuanqing had offered terms this generous; declining any further would be downright ungrateful. Moreover, he truly lacked cultivation resources right now. If he could remain in Yuxu City for the time being to advance his realm further, he would have the power to protect himself against Zhao Chengyong even after departing.
Having thought it through, Li Guanqi cupped his hands and said solemnly, "Then Junior will temporarily settle in Yuxu City. During my stay, I certainly will not disappoint Senior Lin's high hopes!"
Lin Chuanqing's eyes brightened, and he laughed heartily. "Hahahaha, good, good, good!!"
Li Guanqi smiled as well, able to sense the genuine appreciation in the man's gaze.
Laughing heartily, Lin Chuanqing raised a hand and offered a storage ring. "Inside are fifty thousand immortal crystals, a set of dharma artifact silver armor, and a first-grade immortal sword. Keep these for now. Is there anything else you need?"
Before Li Guanqi could reply, Lin Wujiu turned to the man and said gravely, "Uncle, he needs a first-grade cultivation method suited for the Mystic Immortal realm, preferably one with a high upper ceiling! In addition, he needs a lightning-attribute movement technique manual. Well... forget sword arts. He probably wouldn't care for a first-grade sword manual anyway."
Lin Chuanqing stared at Lin Wujiu, the corner of his mouth twitching as he sent a hushed voice transmission: "Do you have any idea how precious the things you just listed are?! Why are you speaking up for him?!"
Lin Wujiu shrugged and replied through voice transmission: "Trust me, Uncle. This is definitely a worthwhile investment! He's more terrifying than any genius I've ever seen in Qinzhou."
Chapter 1586