Not long after Li Guanqi departed, Pengluo slowly came to his senses. Clinging to Li Guanqi, he wailed at the top of his lungs.
In the year since ascending, the little creature had faced his share of desperate moments while on the run, yet back then he had merely gritted his teeth and endured. Now that he had found Li Guanqi, however, even the slightest grievance left him overwhelmed with self-pity.
"Wah! Master! You have no idea how vicious those three bastards were!"
Li Guanqi paused in surprise. "Three bastards? Explain yourself!"
Frowning deeply, he quietly sent his divine sense spreading in all directions. His perception could now reach nearly a thousand zhang away, yet sweeping it across the area revealed nothing out of the ordinary.
Pengluo looked left and right. Seeing no sign of Ran Qingshuang, he grew bolder. *That woman didn't look like a good person at all...*
"Where's that woman?"
Li Guanqi rapped him on the head with his knuckles, then leaned down and asked in a low voice, "Who are the three you mentioned?"
Pengluo quickly mimicked their distinct auras. "Those three!"
As he spoke, Pengluo closed his eyes in concentration, then snapped them open and pointed northeast! "Over that way!"
A ruthless glint flickered in Li Guanqi's eyes. Donning the Rakshasa Ghost Mask and slipping into a black robe, he vanished in the blink of an eye.
An incense stick's burn later, the three cultivators walking shoulder to shoulder were still debating Li Guanqi's identity.
Suddenly, an endless wave of thunderous flames engulfed several hundred zhang of the void! In the next instant, a tall figure stepped slowly out of the flaming surf. Beneath the savage mask, a pair of blood-red eyes stared fixedly at the trio.
"Leaving so soon?"
A chill ran through their hearts. Before they could speak, dozens of biting, cold flashes of sword light surged toward them!
Seeing this, the three wasted no words. Greed for Li Guanqi's spirit monster still lingered in their hearts, so they threw caution to the wind and joined forces to deploy an array, determined to put him to death!
The thunderous roars were sealed away as the ground shook. The battle lasted only for the time an incense stick burned.
Bathed in blood, Li Guanqi calmly took off his mask. Pengluo bustled about eagerly, stripping the three corpses of all their valuables.
A torrent of fire engulfed the three bodies. As for their identity jade slips, Li Guanqi could not have cared less about them. After concluding the slaughter, he concealed his presence and vanished into the forest.
***
Yongjiang Valley.
Located toward the northern region of Quping Prefecture, it was a vast valley stretching nearly three thousand li. Nestled in a hollow within the valley flowed the Yongjiang River, spanning nearly a thousand zhang in width.
Along both sides of the valley stood an endless expanse of cities and seamlessly connected buildings, with pavilions lining even the mountainsides. Across the river stretched numerous covered bridges, connecting to massive plaza-like platforms that were likewise filled with pavilions and terraces, with the surging waves of the river churning right beneath.
At the very center of the river stood Yongjiang City, occupying an immense expanse of land.
Standing atop a mountain peak and beholding this scenery, Li Guanqi marveled in admiration.
Under the blazing sun, he looked out across the valley. The surrounding mountains appeared black because they sat in shadow. The clouds were divided into two layers: one hung high in the firmament, while the other swirled around the mountain peaks. From the pavilions on the summits, one needed only to open a window to watch the clouds gather and drift, feeling as if they were walking upon the crest of the sky.
A slight smile touched Li Guanqi's lips, and he chuckled softly. "It certainly is bustling here. Come, let's head down and take a look."
Li Guanqi took to the air and soared forward. Flying like this drew no unusual attention, as flight was not forbidden within or outside Yongjiang City, nor were there city walls or guards. It felt as though anyone was free to come and stay.
Many cultivators drifted through the air, while others gathered in groups, chatting leisurely.
Li Guanqi casually chose a fine tavern situated right on a mountain peak, booking a moderately sized, secluded courtyard. Sitting in the tearoom, he opened the window and looked out; the pure white clouds seemed to float right beneath his feet. Distant mountains peeked through the veil of mist, the tinkling of a spring sounded in his ears, and the wind chime beside the window chimed gently.
With a soft breeze caressing his face, Li Guanqi sat by the window, sipping wine and letting his thoughts drift. "Quite pleasant."
Pengluo lay on Li Guanqi's lap, sound asleep, while Li Guanqi's warm palm continuously channeled wisps of immortal primal energy to soothe the chaotic power within the little fellow's body.
Suddenly, Li Guanqi paused. Setting down his wine flask, he retrieved a jade slip from which Lin Jinting's voice emerged.
"Brat, I've finished taking inventory of the warehouse and compiled a list of everything we're still missing to send your way. Keep an eye out during your travels and buy whatever you happen to find. And remember, watch out for your safety and act with caution, hear me?"
The corners of Li Guanqi's mouth curved upward. Many new entries appeared in the jade slip, and upon reviewing what remained, he was rather surprised.
According to the discussion that night, reshaping a physical body for Li Nanting would require at least two hundred different materials. Yet on the list Lin Jinting sent, only a dozen or so items remained. The Lin family had clearly poured immense effort into this matter during this time.
"Thank you, Uncle Lin. I will be careful."
Putting away the jade slip, Li Guanqi reviewed the remaining items and immediately felt a headache coming on. He had never even heard of most of these materials, and none were recorded in the manual of immortal herbs he had acquired from the cultivators he had slain.
Glancing at the sleeping Pengluo, Li Guanqi rested him on his shoulder, then rose and left the tavern.
Just outside the building lay a sheer cliff. Li Guanqi leaped down without hesitation, the wind whistling past his ears, showing no intention of deploying his immortal primal energy. The onlookers below watched in shock, assuming some mortal had lost their mind and decided to jump to their death.
Yet the moment he approached the ground, Li Guanqi effortlessly dissipated his momentum and floated down like a feather. His white robes billowed in the air, his loose hair drifting around a strikingly handsome, refined face.
Several nearby cultivators who had been preparing to lend a hand immediately cursed under their breath.
"Damn it all, what's he showing off for?"
"Crap... he actually pulled it off..."
Women all around cast longing glances his way.
Li Guanqi gave a faint smile, then set off with Pengluo toward the bustling floating city on the Yongjiang River.
The endless terraces and pavilions built over the water formed a magnificent, wondrous tapestry. The broad covered bridges were wide enough for five horse carriages to travel abreast, teeming with lively crowds yet never feeling congested. Vendors occasionally set up stalls along both sides of the bridges to sell food.
Li Guanqi did not linger, covering hundreds of zhang with each stride as he headed toward the main urban district. Along the way, many cultivators only felt a light breeze brush past, completely unable to catch a glimpse of his figure.
Upon entering the main district, the bridges grew even broader, accommodating rows of shops and pavilions on both sides without the slightest sense of crowding. Li Guanqi spotted many cultivators along the way.
After asking around for the largest pavilion in the city—Linlang Pavilion—Li Guanqi made his way straight toward it.
Chapter 1663