A terrifying pressure surged within the secret vault.
In an instant, the overwhelming pressure forced Li Guanqi’s back to bend slightly.
Xiahou Cang no longer concealed his killing intent.
As if, should Li Guanqi refuse to sign a master-servant contract with his divine soul, he would attack and kill in the very next breath.
But Li Guanqi remained perfectly calm throughout.
His gaze toward Xiahou Cang didn’t even flicker.
Facing such immense pressure, Li Guanqi merely smiled faintly and said,
“Castellan Xiahou, what is this?”
“Are you going to kill me?”
Xiahou Cang took a slow step forward and spoke softly.
“No, how could I bear to kill you…”
“It’s just… your mind and schemes are too deep, and it frightens me.”
“So I have no choice but to do this. Only this way can I ensure I control you.”
Li Guanqi smiled and idly toyed with the rows of jade boxes before him.
“Castellan Xiahou’s ambition is indeed as great as I thought.”
“A three-way balance and dividing the bay—how could that possibly satisfy you…”
Li Guanqi slowly turned his head toward the man approaching step by step, saying nothing.
He simply waited quietly, as if expecting something.
Suddenly!
Xiahou Cang frowned, stopped, and pulled out a jade slip with his backhand.
He sent immortal primal energy into it, and a woman’s anxious voice came from the jade slip.
“Xiahou!!! Our son is missing!!!”
Upon hearing this, Xiahou Cang suddenly looked up at Li Guanqi, who remained calm not far away.
“You!! It was you!!!”
Li Guanqi shrugged and laughed softly.
“Castellan Xiahou is still too impatient.”
“You and I are partners. You pay me, I do the job—why would you think of disposing of me?”
“That wouldn’t be good…”
After witnessing Li Guanqi’s methods, Xiahou Cang now withdrew his pressure and spirit seal, forcing himself to calm down.
He looked at Li Guanqi and spoke each word carefully.
“What exactly do you want?!”
By now, Xiahou Cang was certain the other’s purpose was far from simple.
He wanted to know what Li Guanqi truly wanted.
Li Guanqi shook his head and said softly.
“I want half a city!”
Li Guanqi spoke plainly, but this was not his ultimate goal.
But now, he had to give Xiahou Cang an explanation—an ultimate purpose that would convince him.
In Xiahou Cang’s view, the demand was excessive, yet it felt real.
As for the Cold Soul Jade Glaze…
He had never thought Li Guanqi would covet it.
In the end, once the bay stabilized, the Cold Soul Jade Glaze would either be swallowed by him alone, or the three city lords would join forces.
That would be a game between True Immortals, having nothing to do with Li Guanqi.
But… was that really the case?
Xiahou Cang sucked in a breath. If he really gave Li Guanqi half a city…
then he alone could swallow over a hundred million immortal crystals!!
But Xiahou Cang agreed without hesitation.
“Fine! I agree!!”
“There is one condition: after everything is over, return my son to me!”
Li Guanqi smiled and nodded.
“Of course.”
After saying this, Li Guanqi gave Xiahou Cang a deep look—a man shallow in scheming, ambitious but lacking in every other aspect.
“I hope Castellan Xiahou can set aside his guard after we leave here.”
“Cooperating with you would naturally be ideal.”
“If not, I can simply leave and find Chu Yuan and Chen Ce.”
“I believe they would both be very welcome to me.”
As they passed each other, a chill rose from Xiahou Cang’s soles straight to the crown of his head!!
Cold sweat broke out on his back, and he couldn’t help but replay Li Guanqi’s words in his mind.
He swallowed and quickly said.
“No… no.”
Li Guanqi casually picked some immortal herbs and ores, no longer so reserved in front of the man. He might as well take more while he had the chance.
Leaving the secret chamber, Li Guanqi walked first toward Xialin City.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he sent a voice transmission.
“Master, take that child and leave the bay first!”
“Use the teleportation talisman I gave you to leave. Be careful.”
Putting down the jade slip, Li Guanqi looked down at the bay, now like an empty city, feeling little emotion.
By the time he returned to Xialin City Castellan Manor, much had been rebuilt quickly, and the bloodstains had been cleaned.
A woman in a long white dress had pale lips and red-rimmed eyes, staring blankly at Li Guanqi.
Li Guanqi said nothing, landing with only a slight nod to the woman.
But Yu Su suddenly knelt before Li Guanqi, looking at him pleadingly.
“Don’t hurt my son, please.”
Li Guanqi looked at her indifferently, tilting his head slightly.
“Oh?”
“Wasn’t it Lady Yu’s suggestion?”
Li Guanqi half-closed his eyes and slowly crouched down to look at the “pitiful” woman. His gaze was calm as a dead pool, without a ripple.
Yu Su’s breath caught, and she unconsciously leaned back slightly. It was because she felt guilty!!!
Li Guanqi snorted, glanced at the woman, then got up and walked toward a courtyard.
Back at the courtyard, Nan Ting was not there. He had sent Nan Ting away long before this game began. With the Sumeru Treasure Hall, the old man would likely be safe.
In a cluster of mountains outside Dixiu Bay.
Hidden among unremarkable moss was a speck of dust.
Inside the hall, Nan Ting was frantically changing the child’s diaper. Seeing the child crying from hunger, Nan Ting was sweating profusely. Holding the child and pacing in the hall, he looked troubled.
“What… what is this supposed to be…”
“Hungry like this, I… I… oh!!”
The old man tremblingly lifted his clothes, gave a helpless wry smile, and buttoned them back up. At his age, he had never imagined encountering such a situation. For a moment, he didn’t know what to do.
Hum!!
A large white radish emerged from the void.
“Hehe, Ancestor-Master, Master sent me to see if you need any help?”
Nan Ting looked as if he had seen a savior.
“Milk! Milk!!”
Pengluo clutched his chest and stepped back.
“Ancestor-Master, please restrain yourself!”
The old man hurriedly explained before making things clear.
Pengluo thought for a moment.
“I’ll go think of a way to get some milk…”
In the room, Li Guanqi played chess alone, not taking what had happened to heart. With his warning, Xiahou Cang probably had completely given up on killing him. This would completely draw Xiahou Cang to the opposite side of Chu Yuan and Chen Ce. The remaining East City and Donglin City were now as closely allied as an impregnable wall.
Li Guanqi calmly placed a piece.
“Why do I feel this third move has some variables?”
With a wave, he scattered the chessboard and rose to walk toward the Castellan Manor’s main hall.
“Castellan Xiahou, would it be convenient to have Lady Yu join us? I have some matters I’d like to understand with both of you.”
As he walked, Li Guanqi thought of many things. Turning to look toward the outside of the bay, he murmured.
“Now that the six cities within the bay are in this state, the beast arena outside the bay hasn’t moved at all…”
“Just what kind of place is it?”
Chapter 1749