As the sun spilled its light across the land, Li Guanqi slowly stood up and said softly, "I'm going to go see the little girl."
Ye Feng nodded and replied softly, "I'll go get some rest as well."
"I feel like... I might break through to the next realm soon."
Li Guanqi's figure turned into a streak of flowing light, vanishing from the Sect Cemetery in an instant.
On this night, the Great Xia Sword Sect had been reborn from the ashes.
In the early morning, the Great Xia Sword Sect radiated the joy and vigor of a fresh beginning everywhere.
Li Guanqi returned to Tianlei Peak alone.
The prior battle had severely damaged all eight peaks of the Great Xia Sword Sect, and Tianlei Peak was no exception.
His own former courtyard had already been crushed by tumbling boulders.
Li Guanqi did not linger at all, heading straight for his master's courtyard.
When he arrived at the courtyard gate, he stood rooted to the spot for a long time.
Pushing open the gate, he saw two rocking chairs in the courtyard and could not help feeling a pang of sorrow at the familiar sight.
In the past, every time he came here, he would almost always see that skinny old man sitting together with his master, sipping tea.
In a hazy trance, he seemed to see the skinny old man smiling and waving at him once again.
Li Guanqi raised his hand, only to slowly lower it again.
Suddenly, a gentle voice sounded from inside the courtyard.
"Guanqi? Come in."
It was the slightly weak voice of his master, Li Nanting.
Stepping briskly into the room, he found the old man lying in bed, wrapped in bandages from head to toe.
Beside the bed sat a woman with her sleeves rolled up, feeding him medicine. It was none other than the Peak Master of Tianshui Peak, Shen Lan.
Li Guanqi managed to force a faint smile onto his face and said softly, "Master, are you feeling any better?"
Hearing his words, Li Nanting was helped up by Shen Lan and waved to him.
Looking at the youth with red, swollen eyes, a flash of heartache crossed the old man's gaze.
Taking his hand, Li Nanting said gently, "There is no need to feel guilty. This was all fate."
"I believe that no matter who it had been, Old Xu wouldn't have hesitated for a second."
"And if it had been you, you would have done everything in your power to save him as well."
Li Guanqi hung his head and murmured softly, "I understand the reasoning, but whenever I think about it... my heart still aches."
Thump, thump.
Li Guanqi thumped his chest and whispered, "Master, your disciple... it hurts right here!"
Behind him, the woman let out a soft sigh, opening her mouth but finding no words of comfort to offer.
Just then, the old man in bed turned his wrist, pressing a vermilion wine gourd into his hands.
With slightly reddened eyes, he said softly, "If it hurts, take a few sips of wine."
"This stuff... didn't you once ask what was so good about drinking wine?"
"Right now, it's just the right time."
Dazedly clutching the wine gourd, Li Guanqi stood up and walked toward the backyard.
Looking down at the wine gourd in his hands, he popped the stopper and tilted his head back, gulping down several mouthfuls!
The searingly spicy liquor was like the strongest Shaodaozi down the mountain.
His throat moved slightly as it rushed down his gullet like a dragon of fire, plunging into his stomach.
Whether it was because the liquor was too potent or because he had choked on it, the youth opened his slightly reddened eyes, wiped his mouth, and murmured in a faint voice:
"This wine... is pretty good."
Creak...
Li Guanqi pushed open the door and saw the tiny figure lying on the bed.
Moving gently, he walked to the bedside and looked at the little girl, who was still furrowing her brows even in her unconscious state.
Li Guanqi smiled, a rare sight.
Perhaps to him, she carried a reflection of his own past self.
Because his own childhood had been filled with misfortune, he held a unique affection for the little girl.
He wanted to save all the best things for her.
He was willing to fly around the sect carrying her, listening to her chattering laughter from his shoulder.
He also enjoyed how the little girl went to the dining hall every day to snatch steamed buns for him to eat.
Yu Sui'an's buns could only be eaten by two people: Li Guanqi and Li Nanting.
No one else could have one even if they wanted to.
Because she treasured the steamed buns she bought deeply.
To others, it was just an ordinary steamed bun.
To her, it was the most delicious food she had ever tasted in this world.
Li Guanqi crouched down and gently smoothed out the furrow between her brows with his hand.
Gazing at the little girl wrapped head to toe in bandages, he stood up and stepped out of the room.
Looking up at the sunlight spilling from the sky and the dense mist, he felt that everything around him had become somehow different.
His mind swirling with complicated thoughts, Li Guanqi took to the air and flew to Yuhu Peak.
Sitting atop the mountain peak, facing the morning sun, the youth drank one gulp after another.
Before long, the youth was drunk.
Drunk atop the peak, he was unwilling to get up for the longest time.
And on this day, the Great Xia Sword Sect began to bustle with activity.
Several massive spiritual veins, one after another, were installed within the sect.
Tallying the spoils of war from this battle, they continuously expanded the Scripture Pavilion and the armory.
The severely injured disciples were all quietly recuperating, while busy figures could be seen everywhere.
And while the Great Xia Sword Sect was still recuperating and rebuilding, a dense crowd had already lined up from the mountainside for more than ten li.
The crowd bustled as young boys and girls, brought by elders from their families, arrived at the Great Xia Sword Sect one after another.
Lu Kangnian was still resting and recovering, while Ling Daoyan had returned to the bamboo grove in the rear mountains.
All affairs were taken over by Qin Xian.
And Qin Xian was not the least bit courteous. Teleporting to the mountainside, he said in a heavy voice:
"Effective immediately, all accompanying guardians must depart!"
"All aspiring disciples seeking to enter the sect, await further notice!"
If this had been the Great Xia Sword Sect of the past, perhaps such words would have provoked objections from many people.
But now...
Amid the shifting silhouettes, the family elders gave earnest, heartfelt exhortations to their young ones before immediately turning to leave.
And their exhortations were nothing other than urging these youths to do everything they could to join the Great Xia Sword Sect no matter what happened!!
On the surface, Qin Xian looked stern, but as he looked down at the nearly twenty thousand boys and girls, his heart was equally thrilled beyond measure.
Among them were direct descendants of many neighboring minor powers and great clans.
There was no shortage of prominent, illustrious clans among them.
Yet none of these people dared approach Qin Xian through the back door. All of them cupped their fists toward Qin Xian while flying in the air, then smiled and took their leave.
At this moment, the Great Xia Sword Sect was at the zenith of its power, like the sun at high noon!
Qin Xian turned and left, beginning the preparations for the recruitment and initiation of this generation of disciples.
By the time Li Guanqi woke up, Shen Lan happened to arrive looking for him.
The woman glided down onto Yuhu Peak and, looking at the drunken Li Guanqi, chuckled softly.
"All right, little guy."
"You can keep your grief in your heart and look back on it slowly."
"Right now, there's a task for you."
As Li Guanqi circulated his Core Formation cultivation, surging origin power dispersed the alcohol fumes from his body, and his eyes cleared of haziness.
Standing up, he bowed and said, "Please speak, Mistress."
At those words, Shen Lan, despite being in the Nascent Soul realm, could not help blushing.
She teased with a smile, "You brat, your mouth sure is sweet."
"Right now, a great many disciples seeking to join the sect have gathered at the foot of the mountain."
"It so happens that for more than a year now, our sect hasn't widely opened its gates."
"Now that the sect has resources, it is the perfect time to accept this intake of disciples."
"The higher-ups have unanimously decided that this year's disciple recruitment will be presided over by you!"
Chapter 183