"Who are you?"
A mere three words, spoken in a tone of biting chill, his eyes fixed unblinkingly upon Li Guanqi.
Accompanied by the manifestation of a True Immortal realm expert's oppressive aura, joined with that expressionless face and cold stare, the pressure bearing down on Li Guanqi was colossal.
*Bang! Crack!!*
Li Guanqi stood as straight and unyielding as a sword. Beneath his feet, the bluestone tiles shattered, and he abruptly sank two inches into the floor.
"Why did you approach my wife and child?"
*Thud!!*
Behind him, Li Nanting was already drenched in sweat, his back bowing slightly under the immense strain.
Li Guanqi cast a sidelong glance at the man, reached behind himself to produce a ghost mask, and donned it. As the vital blood within his body roared, the aura of cultivation he unleashed was actually comparable to a ninth-layer Heavenly Immortal!!
This gave Xiahou Cang quite a shock.
Li Guanqi's original cultivation had reached the peak of the third layer of the Heavenly Immortal realm.
If he erupted with all his might, his aura was in no way inferior to a cultivator of the fifth layer.
Now, bolstered by the power of the Rakshasa Ghost Mask, his cultivation was forcibly elevated by three whole tiers.
This pushed the sensation of Li Guanqi's aura to rival that of an eighth- or ninth-layer Heavenly Immortal cultivator!!
Lightning and flames surged outward. Three exceptionally solid Dao rings of spiritual charm materialized, followed by several cascading rings that appeared somewhat ethereal.
Yet even this was enough to make Xiahou Cang look upon him in a completely new light.
Such an astonishing leap in strength was something even he had never witnessed before!
Li Guanqi had withstood the True Immortal pressure by sheer force of will, shielding Li Nanting behind him.
From beneath the ghost mask, blood-red eyes stared at the man as he spoke slowly.
"Proof."
Xiahou Cang froze for a second. In truth, he was merely suspicious; he possessed no actual proof.
The oppressive aura began to recede...
Yet at that very moment, the eyes behind the mask turned cold, and a scoff sounded.
*Whoosh!!!*
A jade slip shot toward the man. Xiahou Cang caught it between two fingers.
"You have no proof, but I do."
Recorded within that jade slip was everything seen through the water mirror.
Acting entirely at ease before the man, Li Guanqi led Li Nanting to sit down.
"Everything inside occurred not far from the inn where I am currently staying."
"The aura lingering upon that dead man was identical to the Blood Calyx Flower in your box."
After reviewing everything in the jade slip, Xiahou Cang came to a realization.
If his deduction was correct, the killer had to be someone from Beizha City!!!
The oppressive aura dissipated completely. Xiahou Cang waved his hand, signaling the manager to leave.
With only three people left in the room, the man actually bowed slightly toward Li Guanqi and spoke with genuine apology.
"My apologies. Dixiu Bay is... restless these days. I was overly suspicious. Please do not take offense, young friend."
Li Guanqi gradually reined in his own aura, took off the mask, and let out a soft huff to signal his displeasure.
Even so...
He was still somewhat surprised that the Castellan himself had come in person to see him.
The man smiled, walked over, and sat down opposite Li Guanqi. He reached out and gently pushed the Blood Calyx Flower over to him.
Li Guanqi arched an eyebrow.
"Thank you for stepping in yesterday, young friend. Today's test was somewhat presumptuous on my part, so consider this a token of apology."
The strength of Li Nanting's aura naturally could not escape Xiahou Cang's eyes.
Yet...
Li Guanqi's background and demeanor left him unable to make a definitive judgment.
Composure... From start to finish, Li Guanqi had carried himself with utter composure when facing him.
His eyes had remained calm, devoid of the slightest trace of fear.
It was as though he knew that, no matter what happened, he would come to no harm.
Only an individual possessing absolute strength, or the capability to control the entire situation, could remain so nonchalant.
"You are not a local, are you, young friend?"
Li Guanqi put the Blood Calyx Flower away without ceremony.
"I am not. Just traveling around to take in the sights."
Hearing this, Xiahou Cang nodded slightly and said with a smile, "Very well then, I shall disturb you no further."
"I hope you enjoy your time in Xialin City."
The man stood up, and before departing, offered a soft reminder.
"If you have no pressing business here, it would be best to leave as soon as possible."
Sitting on the couch, Li Guanqi raised an eyebrow, his mood growing somewhat solemn.
*Thud!*
The door closed. The manager did not come in to urge the two to leave.
Li Nanting took several deep breaths to settle his mind before speaking in a low voice.
"That man was the Castellan?"
"What was that spiritual light manifesting behind him?"
Li Guanqi smiled and explained that it was the outward manifestation of a True Immortal realm cultivator—the Nirvana Spirit Feather.
Leading the elder out of Wanbao Tower, Li Guanqi pondered the meaning behind the man's words.
*Could it be because of the Cold Soul Jade Glaze?*
*Is it something that even someone with my current strength cannot get involved in?*
After musing for a moment, Li Guanqi felt that things were likely not so simple!!
Perhaps what the man had said was not solely about the Cold Soul Jade Glaze.
By all rights, the man should not have known that Li Guanqi was aware of that matter.
And his reminder was for him to leave this place...
Could it be related to the cultivator who died yesterday?
A clash between factions?
Just as Li Guanqi was deep in thought, he abruptly quickened his pace.
Li Nanting realized something was amiss from Li Guanqi's reaction.
Without turning back, he kept pace closely alongside Li Guanqi.
A moment later, while walking through the bustling, crowded street, Li Guanqi sent a low divine transmission.
"Master, get into the Treasure Hall first! We are being followed!"
*Swish!*
The elder's figure vanished in an instant.
Li Guanqi accelerated immediately, attempting to shake off the tail behind him!
He did not know who was tailing him, or which faction they belonged to...
*Could it be that killer who doubled back?*
Suddenly!
A smiling woman appeared not far ahead of him.
She was exceptionally beautiful, with clear, limpid eyes, a high nose bridge, snow-white skin, and long, straight legs.
"I am Yu Su. If you do not mind, young sir, would you care to sit for a while at my estate?"
Li Guanqi paused in thought for a moment, then smiled, cupped his hands, and replied, "Then it would be impolite of me to refuse."
The woman smiled and gestured with her hand. Stationed inside an alley was an extraordinarily lavish, massive carriage.
Six fine steeds with coats as fiery as flames stood quietly in place.
It was still that same young coachman. Once inside the carriage, Li Guanqi sat across from the woman, leaving a considerable distance between them.
Yu Su covered her mouth with a light chuckle and spoke softly.
"My blockhead of a husband... I imagine your meeting with him was not particularly pleasant?"
Hearing that, Li Guanqi shrugged.
Raising his hand, he lifted the curtain. The carriage rose into the sky, prompting gasps from the crowd below.
At that moment, his gaze briefly locked with a man wearing a necklace of beast fangs around his neck.
Dropping the curtain, Li Guanqi offered a light smile.
"I never imagined you were kin to the Castellan, young lady."
Yu Su beamed with delight.
"It seems I still look very young."
"May I ask how I should address you, young sir?"
Li Guanqi looked at the gentle-mannered woman and said softly, "Li Congxin."
He did not conceal his identity. Back then, when he had been forced to reveal his ghost mask under the man's oppressive aura, the other party would have been able to uncover his background soon enough if they looked into him.
"Li Congxin..."
Yu Su's eyes filled with disbelief.
"You... came from Qinzhou?"
Li Guanqi rubbed his nose, surprised that someone in Qingxuan Province had actually heard of his name.
What he did not know, however, was that Yu Su's family, the Yu family, happened to be situated not far from the Yongjiang River in Quping Prefecture.
Chapter 1731