The guards at the entrance immediately bowed when they saw it was Li Guanqi.
"Greetings, Grand Commander! This lowly one will report your arrival at once."
Before the guard could go, however, the heavy gates of the Castellan Manor swung open with a resounding boom, followed immediately by Lin Chuanqing's voice ringing in Li Guanqi's ear.
"Haha, just walk right in from now on. There is no need for formalities."
Li Guanqi bowed slightly, careful not to presume upon the offer.
Lin Chuanqing was, after all, the master of an entire city, and the respect due to him had to be observed. Taking polite pleasantries as literal truth would truly be failing to recognize one's place.
As he walked through the forecourt, Li Guanqi saw a lively gathering of women admiring flowers and sipping tea.
The moment their eyes fell upon Li Guanqi's handsome countenance, their gazes converged on him all at once, flashing with flirtatious glances.
"Oh my, is that the new Grand Commander? Such a fair little face~"
"Look at that lean build. I wonder how sturdy he is."
"Those eyes have quite a distinct allure, and such a cool demeanor."
"Hahahaha, Sister Qiuxia certainly fancies that type, doesn't she~"
Listening to the banter of this bevy of women made Li Guanqi's scalp tingle...
These were all Lin Chuanqing's concubines, yet they were acting so boldly! Truly, when women cast aside decorum, men stood no chance.
Li Guanqi did not stop. Keeping his head down, he offered a slight bow and never once raised his eyes as he hurried past.
Shortly after, he arrived in the main hall of the Castellan Manor.
Inside, three to five elders in lavish robes were clamoring over one another to speak, each holding a jade case.
Li Guanqi stood quietly by the doorway without saying a word.
Noticing his arrival, Lin Chuanqing waved a hand to dismiss the others.
"Gentlemen, I have matters to attend to at the moment. I'll have someone show you to the guest quarters to rest. We can discuss your business this afternoon, how about that?"
Left with no alternative, the elders clasped their hands in salute and withdrew from the hall.
Once they were gone, Lin Chuanqing beckoned Li Guanqi over. Maidservants brought forward tea and refreshments as Lin Chuanqing chuckled heartily.
"Just some merchants wanting to negotiate partnerships."
Li Guanqi was slightly surprised. "Qi Mobai's alchemy skills have improved that quickly?"
Lin Chuanqing could barely conceal his broad smile, visibly in high spirits.
"Indeed. His talent is extraordinary, and his success rate keeps rising. I'm planning to look around for a suitable cauldron to buy for him soon."
Li Guanqi nodded slightly; this outcome was not entirely unexpected. Yet the castellan's next words caught him off guard.
The man on the dais let out a soft sigh, then murmured, "I intend... to send Qi Mobai to the Pill Hall in a few months."
Li Guanqi was taken aback. He had not anticipated that Lin Chuanqing would actually consider sending Qi Mobai away!
Lin Chuanqing said wistfully, "His talent is simply too high. But on the path of alchemy, if one lacks a master to guide them through the door, even the greatest talent will yield limited achievements. Furthermore, the Tier 1 pills he can currently refine are limited; only the Pill Hall possesses a vast repository of recipes. Only when he advances to a Tier 2 alchemist or higher will he truly be of great help to me. If he remains merely a genius Tier 1 alchemist, he would ultimately amount to nothing more than a moneymaking tool."
Admiration flickered in Li Guanqi's eyes.
To possess such broad-minded magnanimity and foresight—it was no wonder Lin Chuanqing could govern Yuxu City to such peak prosperity. Had it been almost anyone else, they would have locked Qi Mobai away to churn out pills day and night.
Straightening his robes, the man asked casually, "By the way, what brought you here?"
Without wasting words, Li Guanqi dropped two severed heads onto the floor.
Lin Chuanqing needed only a glance to understand what had transpired. Sweeping a cool look over the heads, his estimation of Li Guanqi rose even higher.
The Grand Commander of the Tianshu Ascension Hall was a fourth-tier Mystic Immortal! Yet Li Guanqi had returned virtually unscathed.
*No wonder Wujiu thought so highly of him.*
Li Guanqi stated plainly, "Zhao Chengyong has been keeping a close watch on Yuxu City. The moment I stepped outside, he was alerted. As for Zhang Ye... he was in league with them as well."
Lin Chuanqing showed no surprise, simply asking, "And Zhao Ke?"
Li Guanqi shrugged. "The others follow Zhao Ke's lead. Now that the chicken has been slaughtered to warn the monkeys, they should know their place." He paused briefly before continuing, "Under normal circumstances, I would have killed all of them to eliminate future troubles. But... they are Mystic Immortals after all, and I feared losing too many would grieve you, Castellan Lin. Besides, as you know, I will not be staying in Yuxu City for long."
Lin Chuanqing nodded slightly. The resources required to nurture a Mystic Immortal amounted to an astronomical figure. He was exceptionally satisfied with Li Guanqi's approach—demonstrating immense personal power while delivering an effective deterrent.
After a moment's contemplation, the man spoke with solemn gravity.
"You need not worry about Zhao Chengyong. If he dares come to Yuxu City looking for you, I dare kill him! In Qinzhou, our Lin family fears nothing!"
He then fixed his gaze on Li Guanqi. "However, if high-tier Mystic Immortals ambush you outside, there will be little I can do. So unless it is strictly necessary, try not to leave the city."
Li Guanqi nodded and prepared to take his leave.
"Wait, take this!"
A streak of light shot toward Li Guanqi.
It was an unusual ring of archaic design, humming with immense latent power. Li Guanqi seemed to recognize its purpose, and he offered a deeply sincere bow.
"Thank you, Senior Lin."
Lin Chuanqing smiled and waved it off.
"Think nothing of it. Consider it forging good karma. You and Qi Mobai alike—both of you are dragons among men, figures of boundless promise. Your modest standing today does not dictate your future achievements. I only hope that when you achieve great renown and shake the world, you will still remember Lin Chuanqing."
Li Guanqi was genuinely touched. Lin Chuanqing was indeed a true gentleman.
From the very start, whether toward Li Guanqi or Qi Mobai, he had acted with calculated intent. For a Heavenly Immortal powerhouse like him, even with the formidable backing of the Lin family, offending an Ascension Hall without cause made no sense. Yet the moment one proved their worth, Lin Chuanqing would shelter them without hesitation. Furthermore, he was candid in admitting that his actions were aimed at forging good ties for the future. It was difficult to dislike such a person.
Li Guanqi smiled, bowed, and said softly, "If I, Congxin, make a name for myself in the future and Senior Lin ever requires assistance, you need only ask. This junior will never refuse."
Watching Li Guanqi before him, Lin Chuanqing twitched his lips and muttered under his breath, "If those bastards of mine had even half your temperament, I could close my eyes in death right now..."
He then gave a playful, mischievous look. "Did you see the bevy of women enjoying the flowers outside just now?"
Puzzled, Li Guanqi gave a slight nod.
The man's next words nearly sent him fleeing in panic.
"If any of them catches your eye, just take her along with you."
Li Guanqi was thoroughly shaken. What kind of outrageous offer was this?!
"Uh... aren't those Senior's concubines?"
To his bewilderment, Lin Chuanqing blinked. "Yes, is there a problem?"
Li Guanqi chose not to inquire further. Politely declining the castellan's 'generosity,' he beat a hasty retreat in absolute fluster.
Chapter 1596