Once Ran Qingshuang took her leave, Lin Wujiu sidled over.
"Hey, Brother Li."
"I didn't realize you were quite the charmer. The legitimate daughter of the Ran family acting like that—she's definitely taken with you!"
Li Guanqi could barely resist rolling his eyes at him.
"That just means you don't know her well enough."
Beyond that, Li Guanqi did not bother to explain much.
What kind of person someone truly was could only be determined by judging their deeds and taking measure of their heart.
It was the same with Lin Wujiu. Had he been a man who merely talked a good game, he never would have caught Li Guanqi's eye in the first place.
If one harbored divided loyalties, their actions counted for nothing.
And so, to truly understand someone, one could never rely solely on rumors or superficial appearances.
Han Feng, whose composure had gradually settled, flew over through the air. Li Guanqi tossed him a jar of wine at just the right moment and looked at him with a warm smile.
"This is my good friend, Lin Wujiu of the Lin family."
Lin Wujiu cupped his hands slightly toward this powerfully formidable man.
"I have long heard of Fellow Daoist Han's great name."
Han Feng waved his hand with a chuckle.
"Lin Wujiu, the Jade-Faced Asura. It is an honor to finally meet you."
None of the others spoke, their attention instead converging entirely upon Li Guanqi.
Even several elders of the Lin family knew full well how terrifying this young man before them was.
The events concerning the Tianhua Sword Sect back then remained fresh in their memories.
Moreover, when they had set out on this expedition, Lin Jinting had specifically instructed them that if anything arose, they were to defer to Li Guanqi's judgment.
Li Guanqi looked around at those gathered, then cupped his hands in a respectful salute toward the three Lin family elders.
"Many thanks to you seniors for your assistance. By now, Xutian Palace has likely learned of the deaths of their three squads of assassins."
"Let us quickly erase all traces from this place and return to the clan before discussing anything further."
The elders nodded slightly in agreement. Immediately afterward, Li Guanqi unleashed a sweeping blaze, thoroughly incinerating every trace of battle and wiping clean all lingering auras.
The group promptly concealed their forms and sped off in the direction of the Lin family estate.
Han Feng accompanied Li Guanqi as well; after all, resurrecting his wife would require the intervention of a True Immortal realm cultivator.
That was also precisely why Han Feng held Li Guanqi in such high esteem.
Only after Han Feng had slain Liu Xiong did Li Guanqi reveal this matter to him.
Han Feng had certainly known that Qinzhou's Lin family had several True Immortal cultivators within their ranks,
but he had never imagined that Li Guanqi's ties to the Lin family ran so deep.
Just as the group departed, the colossal gates towering across the heavens shattered with a thunderous roar, dispersing into countless motes of spiritual light that vanished into the world.
Witnessing this sight, Han Feng and the others were shaken to the core.
Lin Wujiu flew shoulder to shoulder with Li Guanqi and sent a low voice transmission:
"Old Li, what kind of technique was that? I've never seen anything like it!"
Li Guanqi looked at Lin Wujiu and smiled.
"Once this matter is behind us, I'll teach it to you."
Lin Wujiu's eyes went wide, and he transmitted back in sheer disbelief:
"It can be taught?!"
"I thought it was some kind of secret art that only you could perform! That suppression was far too terrifying!"
Li Guanqi nodded gently and transmitted in reply:
"It does indeed carry suppressive power. We'll talk about that later."
With that, Li Guanqi took out a jade slip and spoke into it softly.
"Uncle Lin, have you reached Xutian Palace yet?"
Lin Jinting's voice soon echoed from the jade slip.
"Almost! Another incense stick's worth of time!"
"How are things on your end? Have you found Qisha?"
Li Guanqi's eyes narrowed slightly as he thought to himself,
*This might be a bit tricky... but perhaps that's for the best!*
Clutching the jade slip, Li Guanqi sent a low transmission:
"Uncle Lin, the situation has changed."
"We managed to rescue Qisha, but we killed seventeen or eighteen Xutian Palace assassins."
"Among them were three squad captains. In short, Xutian Palace has suffered heavy losses."
At these words, Lin Jinting, who had already arrived in the Linluan Realm, experienced a slight shift in expression.
"Seventeen or eighteen... How did they pull that off?"
According to Lin Jinting's expectations, they were supposed to mount a surprise rescue and immediately flee.
He had never imagined that Li Guanqi and his companions would slaughter every single Xutian Palace assassin!
"What on earth happened?"
Li Guanqi recounted what had transpired in the briefest words possible.
"Hiss... This..."
Li Guanqi continued:
"Xutian Palace has likely learned by now that their disciples have perished."
"So, Uncle Lin, our greatest bargaining chip right now is the Xutian Stone!"
"If necessary, you can push the blame onto me!"
"Otherwise... I fear Xutian Palace might simply detain you both!"
Lin Jinting's brows knitted tightly. Beside him, Lin Shengwu frowned and spoke in a deep voice:
"Xutian Palace would dare detain us?"
Lin Jinting narrowed his eyes, gazing at the floating mountain peaks that were gradually taking shape in the distance, and murmured:
"With Xutian Palace's influence, detaining us is hardly impossible!"
Gripping the jade slip, he asked gravely:
"Congxin, what do you think we should do?"
Li Guanqi spoke plainly: "Remember, we are going there to negotiate. As long as our chips are heavy enough, we don't have to fear that they won't agree!"
With that, Li Guanqi channeled a wisp of immortal essence into the jade slip.
"The Xutian Stone is our greatest chip!"
"Either they release their hostage, or we shatter the Xutian Stone!"
"Of course, you and Senior Lin Shengwu must also prepare an exit strategy. In case they try to detain the two of you to force the surrender of the Xutian Stone, we must have a way out!"
Lin Jinting took a deep breath.
"Understood. Leave the rest to me."
"It's merely an exchange of interests. I don't believe Xutian Palace would give up the Xutian Stone over a handful of Heavenly Immortal cultivators!"
Setting down the jade slip, Li Guanqi still felt an unsettling unease in his chest, sensing that matters were beginning to slip beyond his control.
Closing his eyes, an enormous chessboard formed within his mind.
Xutian Palace held the greater momentum; raw strength was their greatest backing.
In this negotiation, the Lin family and Xutian Palace did not stand on equal footing.
Even with the Xutian Stone in hand, he could not guarantee that Xutian Palace would agree.
As for immortal crystals... to a colossal entity like Xutian Palace, they amounted to nothing.
At this moment, even Li Guanqi felt an unprecedented weight of pressure.
Yet compared to facing Xutian Palace's direct subjugation, having the Lin family take the initiative to negotiate at least left room for maneuvering.
Lin Wujiu looked at Li Guanqi, who stood with eyes shut in deep concentration and brows firmly knitted, not daring to disturb him.
Before long, the party returned to the Lin family estate.
The moment they arrived, everyone could sense the heavy, solemn atmosphere pervading the grounds.
Lin Changlu and Lin Ruhu had long been waiting at the entrance. Upon seeing the group, they immediately led everyone toward the main hall of the Lin estate.
In Lin Ruhu's eyes, the Lin family getting entangled in this affair had been highly unwise.
Yet he said nothing of the sort.
The burly Lin Ruhu threw an arm around Lin Wujiu's shoulders and said in a low voice:
"You were a bit reckless this time."
Though his tone bore no intent to lecture, Lin Wujiu understood his meaning.
Even so, he looked up at his elder brother and said softly:
"Brother, in all my life, I've never once acted on impulse."
"But this time... I did."
Lin Ruhu offered a wry smile and said nothing more. His broad palm ruffled Lin Wujiu's hair, and he murmured gently:
"All right. Your brother isn't blaming you."
Once everyone was seated, Li Guanqi introduced Han Feng to the group.
A sharp glint flashed through Lin Ruhu's eyes.
*What terrifying talent this fellow has. He was clearly far weaker than Wujiu before, yet now he has already broken through to the Heavenly Immortal realm!*
Chapter 1690