Looking at the barrier behind him, Li Guanqi frowned slightly and said in a grave voice, "This barrier is remarkably sturdy, but its fluctuations are extraordinarily turbulent now. It seems it will erupt completely in a matter of days."
Standing behind him, Xiahou Cang gave a slight nod upon hearing this.
"Indeed. I fear it will erupt fully within a month.
"When that time comes, there will be no hiding it even if we wished to."
This was precisely why he had been so anxious of late.
The reason he had brought Yu Su back at this exact juncture was because he feared the masters of the other five cities might target his family.
With a solemn expression, Li Guanqi nodded slightly, then said, "Let us go. We can talk after we head up."
Xiahou Cang looked a bit surprised at his words; he had assumed Li Guanqi would want to venture inside to take a look.
The barrier's strength was truly terrifying. Even exerting all his might, he had only managed to tear open a tiny fissure to sense a faint wisp of the aura within.
The two of them soared upward, one following the other.
Li Guanqi flew in front, while Xiahou Cang trailed behind him.
Along the way, the man closely observed Li Guanqi.
Seeing that nothing seemed out of the ordinary about him, Xiahou Cang could not help muttering inwardly, *Did I overthink things?*
Upon returning to the surface, Li Guanqi walked straight toward the teleportation array. Xiahou Cang gave a slight nod to the two Heavenly Immortal cultivators guarding the spot and gave them a low, stern order.
"In a moment, thoroughly inspect the surrounding area and the fissure passage!!"
The two cultivators showed no change in expression, merely bowing toward them.
"Respectfully sending off the Castellan."
The two rode the teleportation array back into the Castellan Manor.
Yu Su spoke in a gentle voice, "Young Master Li has presumably seen the fissure passage by now.
"If the barrier there breaks, Xialin City will hold the absolute initiative!
"Therefore... we ask that Young Master Li help Xialin City weather this present storm."
As her words fell, Xiahou Cang flipped his hand to produce a storage ring filled with a full five million immortal crystals, along with some Heavenly Origin Pills.
Without the slightest hesitation or coyness, Li Guanqi took the storage ring directly into his possession.
He looked up at the man and said softly, "I'll take this task.
"However, I cannot offer you any advice today. I must return and ponder the matter thoroughly.
"Furthermore..."
Fixing his gaze on the man, Li Guanqi continued in a low tone, "I need all available intelligence on the lords of the other five cities!!"
The moment Li Guanqi finished speaking, the woman beside them rose gracefully. Holding a purple jade slip in her hand, she said softly, "All currently known intelligence has already been recorded here.
"We place our trust in Young Master Li."
Li Guanqi accepted the jade slip, bid farewell to the two of them, and departed.
Returning to the secluded courtyard Xiahou Cang had arranged for him within the Castellan Manor, a flash of light shone, and Li Nanting emerged from the Sumeru Treasure Hall into the room.
The old man still had no idea what was happening outside. One moment he had been in a tavern, and the next, he had abruptly arrived in an entirely different place.
Li Guanqi raised his hand, enshrouding the entire room within his own barrier before explaining everything that had just transpired.
Li Nanting frowned slightly upon hearing the tale, his voice turning somber.
"Is that what you intend to do?
"Isn't getting involved just for a handful of immortal crystals rather unworthy of the trouble?"
Li Guanqi offered a faint smile without offering much explanation, merely lifting a finger to point toward the ceiling.
The old man smiled knowingly in return. Seeing Li Guanqi's smile, he already understood in his heart.
That smile was enough to prove Li Guanqi had his own plans and motives.
Li Nanting picked up the tea from the table with a chuckle, but just as he was about to take a sip, Li Guanqi stopped him.
Flipping his hand to wrap up the tea leaves, Li Guanqi teased softly with a grin, "Master, you cannot drink this just yet...
"One sip and you'd pop like a firecracker... Let me pack it up for you. Save it for later when your realm is higher."
Li Nanting gulped, wiping his brow, and said in a hushed voice, "Then put it away, by all means."
Once it was stowed, the old man sighed with emotion.
"Ah... your master can't be of much help to you these days.
"Now, as long as you have your own ideas, that is enough.
"There aren't many times your master can catch what you overlook. Just remain careful and prudent."
Li Guanqi nodded with a smile. The old man then slowly stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and chuckled.
"As for me... I'd best return to that treasure hall to cultivate properly.
"Call on me if anything comes up."
Li Guanqi rose and smiled. "Very well, go ahead and cultivate, Master. I have prepared spirit stones and medicinal pills for you.
"In addition, I have inscribed a set of my cultivation insights for you.
"There is also a strand of sword intent for you to comprehend."
Li Nanting grinned from ear to ear at that, muttering several 'goods' in succession.
By now, he accepted Li Guanqi's goodwill and filial piety with complete peace of mind.
The old man's thought was simple: cultivate diligently, so that if one day his young disciple ever needed something from him, being able to lend a hand would be wonderful.
Once the old man returned to the Sumeru Treasure Hall, the smile on Li Guanqi's face gradually faded.
In its place came an incomparably heavy, solemn expression.
Using the primal energy within his body, Li Guanqi constructed a Go board.
Across the black-and-white grid, the white stones were like a dragon trapped in an abyss, surrounded by numerous scattered black stones.
There were not many liberties left for the white stones...
A single misstep would result in the loss of the entire match!
Gripping a white stone, Li Guanqi contemplated for a long time. Recalling the contents of the jade slip Yu Su had handed him, he raised his hand and placed the stone down!
The instant this stone landed, the entire board flared with a brilliant gleam!
From that moment on, the white stones were brought back to life, filled with boundless possibilities.
At the very least, they were no longer trapped and besieged by various factions as before.
Sitting cross-legged before the tea table, Li Guanqi curled his lips into a faint smirk.
"Then let us repair the gallery road openly while slipping through Chencang in the dark!"
At present, the eyes of every city and faction were fixed squarely on Xialin City.
Furthermore, they kept close tabs on Xiahou Cang's every move.
All of them suspected that Xiahou Cang was concealing some unspeakable secret regarding the Cold Soul Jade Glaze.
If that was the case, Li Guanqi would crack the secret open for them to see!!
Only...
It had to be done in a different way!
"Castellan Xiahou, how many spies are currently in the city?"
Receiving Li Guanqi's voice transmission, Xiahou Cang rose in his room and replied through his divine sense, "If not forty, then at least thirty-odd.
"What is the matter?"
Li Guanqi nodded slightly at the answer, pacing gently in his room with the jade slip in hand.
After a long while, Li Guanqi spoke calmly through the jade slip.
"Nothing. I will come to see you tomorrow."
Setting the jade slip aside, Li Guanqi went without sleep all night, pondering various strategies in his room.
Inside Xiahou Cang's private chambers.
"My wife, do you think he is reliable?"
Yu Su gently rocked the infant in her swaddle, sitting upon the bed as she looked at her husband with an enigmatic expression.
With a faint smile on her face, she spoke softly, "If my husband knew what Young Master Li accomplished in Qinzhou, I doubt you would even ask such a question.
"In my view, Young Master Li might very well be our lucky star in this matter!
"As for this current impasse... I fear a turn for the better will emerge after tomorrow."
Dressed in a white under-robe, Xiahou Cang let out a sigh.
Rubbing between his brows, he sat beside the woman, looking down at his son and reaching out a hand to tease him with a smile.
"Let us hope so."
Chapter 1735