Ye Feng was still dazed. Having followed Li Guanqi away from the Sword Sect, he had no idea that the sect now possessed the eleventh-layer Qi Refinement cultivation technique Li Guanqi had left behind.
Li Guanqi set down the jade slip in his hand and leaned against the stone wall, lost in thought for a long while.
Beside him, neither Ye Feng nor Cao Yan dared to make a sound.
After a long silence, Li Guanqi sent a voice transmission in a low, heavy voice.
"Master, leave this matter to me!
"I have Ye Feng by my side, as well as another young brother. That should be enough to handle it.
"The Great Xia Sword Sect's announcement of three years of seclusion has already drawn a great deal of attention.
"Many people must be wondering why we chose to enter seclusion. If the sect elders step out at this time, it will certainly attract a lot of eyes.
"If those people dig into Changfeng Villa and discover something, it won't be good."
In the main hall of the Great Xia Sword Sect, Li Nanting and the elders sat in silence. When the voice from the jade slip faded, the hall remained completely still.
Lu Kangnian pondered for a long time before speaking softly.
"Li Guanqi... has sacrificed much for the sect.
"What he said is not unreasonable. You all know how many people are watching us covetously outside the sect every day.
"Interrogate that disciple. Without killing him, pry out everything about this Changfeng Villa's strength and pass it on to Li Guanqi!
"Furthermore..."
Soon, the elders of the Great Xia Sword Sect filed out of the hall.
Only Qin Xian was called aside by Lu Kangnian.
Back in the cave, Ye Feng said with a slight pout, "Boss, why are you still keeping secrets from me?"
Looking at Ye Feng's resentful expression, Li Guanqi had no choice but to lay down a primal energy barrier shimmering with lightning around them.
Then he spoke in a low voice: "My grandfather gave me a cultivation technique before, and I left it for the sect."
Ye Feng's eyes widened. "Don't tell me the sect declared three years of seclusion because of this technique!
"What kind of technique is so terrifying?"
Li Guanqi shrugged. "An eleventh-layer Qi Refinement technique."
Ye Feng and Cao Yan nodded, muttering, "Oh... a Qi Refinement technique, eleventh layer.
"Wait, what the hell?! The eleventh layer?!"
Seeing Li Guanqi's calm demeanor, Ye Feng lunged forward, hugging his leg. "Boss! Does an eleventh layer really exist?"
After Li Guanqi explained it to him, Ye Feng looked even more aggrieved.
Suddenly!
Cao Yan snapped his gaze toward the cave entrance. Li Guanqi instantly dismissed the barrier, and all three reined in their auras!
Two whistling sounds tore through the air outside the cave.
Fortunately, they had concealed their auras and camouflaged the entrance.
Only after the two presences receded into the distance did the three finally breathe a sigh of relief.
At that moment, the jade slips carried by Li Guanqi and Ye Feng both faintly lit up.
Ye Feng drew out his jade slip. From it came Tu Kui's voice:
"Be careful in everything!"
Meanwhile, Li Nanting's voice emerged from Li Guanqi's jade slip.
"We pried open that disciple's mouth. Changfeng Villa has a total of five Core Formation cultivators!
"Two are in the early stage, two are in the mid stage, and the villa master's realm is unknown.
"He might be at the peak of the mid stage, or he might be a late Core Formation expert!
"Of the two early Core Formation cultivators, one is an enshrined elder surnamed Li, who was responsible for protecting Fang Hao, the son of the villa master, Fang Yishan."
The voice in the jade slip paused briefly, then continued with a tinge of apology.
"Guanqi, right now many people are watching us outside the sect.
"This time, you may have to rely on yourself!
"Remember above all else: prioritize your own safety! Do you hear me!"
Beside them, Cao Yan saw that Ye Feng looked ready to burst into tears and couldn't help but console him.
"Second Brother, don't cry. Your master is probably just a man of few words."
"*Waaaah—*"
Cao Yan's words only made things worse, highlighting the stark contrast between their two masters.
After Li Guanqi replied to the elder, he set down the jade slip and said solemnly, "We must definitely find a way to rescue Senior Brother Zhao Yang!
"Let's review the situation."
With serious business at hand, Ye Feng stopped fooling around, and Cao Yan listened attentively.
"The young man from earlier should be Fang Hao, the young master of Changfeng Villa.
"That means, without hiring outsiders, Changfeng Villa still has at least four Core Formation cultivators. The number of Foundation Establishment cultivators is unknown.
"However, since they have four Core Formation cultivators, the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement cultivators under them will only be more numerous.
"Furthermore, the strength of Fang Hao's father, Fang Yishan, remains unknown. For now, let us assume the worst-case scenario: late Core Formation!"
At those words, even Ye Feng swallowed hard.
A late Core Formation cultivator was two minor realms above them.
Against a cultivator of that caliber, Ye Feng would be utterly powerless.
Perhaps only Li Guanqi could trade blows with him for a short time, yet even he would have no way to kill the man.
In the Core Formation realm, every minor realm brought an immense difference in strength.
Li Guanqi understood this as well, which was why he turned to look at Cao Yan.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he said in a low voice, "Cao Yan, in the end, this is an internal matter of our sect. It would be best if you didn't..."
"Brother Li, I want to take part!"
Before Li Guanqi could finish, Cao Yan cut him off firmly!
"Why make such a clear distinction between brothers? How can brothers only share good times and not endure hardship together?
"Besides, if you just give me a little more time, I can break through to the Core Formation realm!
"No matter what, I can be of help!"
A flash of surprise crossed Li Guanqi's mind. He looked deeply at Cao Yan, then said heavily, "Good! Then the three of us brothers will do it together!
"However... our primary goal this time is to rescue Zhao Yang. Killing comes second!"
Then Li Guanqi looked at Cao Yan and asked solemnly, "Three days!
"Can you break through if I give you three days?"
Cao Yan pondered for a moment, then looked up at Li Guanqi as if making a solemn pledge. "I can!"
Li Guanqi turned to Ye Feng. "Your task for these three days is to guard Cao Yan while he makes his breakthrough!
"In a moment, we will travel five hundred li overnight and find a secluded place for Cao Yan to enter closed-door cultivation."
Ye Feng frowned. "Boss, what about you?"
A cold glint flickered in Li Guanqi's eyes. "Me? Naturally, I'm going to scout this Changfeng Villa thoroughly!
"Our appearances have already been exposed. I recall there were hidden recording stones at the dock entrance, so over the next two days, I'll see if I can find some human-skin masks."
Under cover of darkness, the three slipped out of the mountain range, flying hundreds of li north before halting.
In a hollow within a barren mountain, they dug out a cave.
With a wave of his hand, Li Guanqi tossed over a thousand low-grade spirit stones and ten mid-grade spirit stones to Cao Yan.
"Do you need me to find a Treasure Pavilion and buy a breakthrough pill?"
Cao Yan grinned. "Boss, if I need a pill to break through, wouldn't that embarrass you far too much?"
Hearing that, Li Guanqi offered a faint smile.
It was worth noting that despite his frail build, Cao Yan's chosen weapons were a pair of armbracers.
Such brutally violent weapons formed a striking contrast with Cao Yan's gentle, scholarly demeanor.
With everything arranged, Li Guanqi nodded to Ye Feng and slipped out of the mountain hollow alone.
Chapter 210