Who Are You?

Li Guanqi's words resonated like sacred chants, sending shockwaves through the souls of all who heard them. Beside him, Cang Lu—whose heart had felt like dead ashes—turned toward Li Guanqi, his eyes suddenly welling with light. In this moment, Li Guanqi was like a beacon piercing through the dark, shining down upon him. Perhaps no one else understood why he had done everything he did. Yet he could sense that this youth before him with completely pure white eyes understood. Though they had met, they had never truly interacted. Yet right now, he felt their souls were vibrating on the very same wavelength. Yun Mengxi stared at the youth in shock and disbelief, having no idea who he was. Yet she had heard every word he said with crystal clarity. An inexplicable fury ignited in her chest. Why did everyone feel entitled to meddle and dictate her affairs today? Yun Mengxi demanded furiously, "Who are you?" "What does this have to do with you? What right do you have to butt in and lecture me about my life?!" Li Guanqi let out a cold smirk, his gaze drifting between her and Wu Kun as contempt surfaced on his face. "You don't need to know who I am. I had no desire to involve myself in your mess to begin with." At this, Li Guanqi paused slightly, his eyes narrowing. "I could have simply sat back and watched this farce play out to the end. "In fact, I would have felt relieved for him." As he spoke, Li Guanqi turned his head to look at Cang Lu. Seeing Cang Lu's slight frown and puzzled expression, he did not elaborate. Yun Mengxi scoffed, "Relieved? Relieved about what? "Relieved that by coming here today, he gets to walk away with boundless wealth and fortune? "If that's what you mean, then he should be relieved. Otherwise, with a weakling's build like his—unable to lift or carry a thing—he'd probably starve to death on his own." The woman sneered as her eyes fixed upon the youth's pale, slender hands. Cang Lu was naturally on the leaner side, indeed looking far from someone who could endure hard physical labor. Yet Li Guanqi truly could not fathom why Cang Lu felt the need to hide his cultivation. Hearing her sneer, Li Guanqi shook his head and mocked, "Picking up a lump of filth while casting aside the gold in your hand—you truly are blind to treasure." The woman's expression shifted slightly, clearly catching the deeper meaning behind his words. "What are you getting at?" Li Guanqi picked at his ear, pointing at the half-dead Wu Kun on the ground with a chuckle. "Isn't Wu Kun the backer you're desperate to latch onto? "Do I really need to pull out a shadow-casting stone and show everyone before you'll admit it? "Heh, in my eyes, a hundred Wu Kuns couldn't hold a candle to half of him." Yun Mengxi could naturally sense Li Guanqi's immense power—a presence not a whit inferior to that of a sect elder! Yet his words struck her as nothing more than deliberate provocation. Just as Li Guanqi was about to say more, Cang Lu gently tugged at the corner of his robe and shook his head slightly. Seeing that Cang Lu had no desire to pursue the matter further, Li Guanqi merely shrugged and let it be. Her pride stung, however, Yun Mengxi refused to let it go, grabbing at Li Guanqi's clothes as she snapped, "Explain yourself right now!" Li Guanqi's expression chilled instantly. Without a shred of mercy, he slapped her across the face! *Smack!!* A crisp, resounding crack echoed through the grand hall! Seeing this, the old man in the upper seat sprang to his feet, bellowing in outrage, "Where did this brash brat come from, daring to strike my disciple right in front of me?!" Yet Li Guanqi merely cast a cool glance at the old man. With his strength, deciding life and death between them would take no more than a single breath. Still, this was the Wind Thunder Sect, so there was no need to go that far. Yet that single glance alone made the old man feel as though he had plunged into a frozen abyss, a chilling dread sweeping over his entire body. Chu Xingxian had already deduced that there was more to this affair beneath the surface. Even so, he said nothing of Li Guanqi's identity, simply allowing him to do as he pleased. Ning Gang evidently realized something as well. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Chu Xingxian glancing his way, and he promptly shut his mouth, standing motionless in place. Yun Mengxi had also been dazed by the slap, especially when she saw that the youth showed not the slightest hint of fear. Her master had fallen silent as well. She realized then that this youth before her held an extraordinarily lofty status! He was someone she could never afford to cross! Li Guanqi looked down at her with cold detachment. "Whether it's worth it or not, you will understand in due time. "Heh, let me ask you: go ask Wu Kun right now—does he dare publicly acknowledge his relationship with you?" Yun Mengxi's complexion changed at once. Darting over to Wu Kun, she hauled him to his feet, staring straight into his eyes. "Tell him! What are we to each other?!" Though Wu Kun's mind was reeling, he could still register what was being said. When he looked up and saw Li Guanqi, his gaze instinctively darted away, his eyes brimming with sheer terror. Just moments ago, he had felt as though the youth was inches away from slaughtering him on the spot. While crushed inside the crater, he had felt the crushing pressure continuing to mount. Had Chu Xingxian not been present, the youth would likely have killed him right then and there! This filled his heart with boundless dread toward Li Guanqi. "Speak! Say it! Tell him!" The woman's sharp interrogation rang in his ears once more, dragging his thoughts back. Wu Kun parted his lips, but with darting eyes, he uttered not a single word. The sight filled the woman's heart with utter disappointment. Her chest heaving violently, Yun Mengxi whipped her hand out and struck Wu Kun fiercely across the face! The slap carried primal energy and furious wrath, instantly shattering Wu Kun's jaw. The teeth along one side were knocked entirely loose. Wu Kun let out a miserable shriek, spitting out a mouthful of blood mixed with several teeth. Yun Mengxi snarled, "Wu Kun! You're nothing but a spineless coward! "At this point, is it really that hard for you to just admit what we are to each other?!" At this moment, Cang Lu, who had remained silent all this time, gave a bitter smile and spoke. "Of course it's hard." Their eyes turned toward Cang Lu in unison, only to see an icy calm settling into his gaze. "Phew... what a splendid show. "No wonder the look this bastard gave me from the start was completely off." Cang Lu turned to Yun Mengxi, scoffing, "Of course he doesn't dare admit it—because as early as last year, he was already betrothed to Li Li, the eldest young lady of the Li family from South City." Now that everything was laid bare, Cang Lu harbored no remaining illusions about Yun Mengxi. He was a person of naturally reserved temperament, extraordinarily sensitive when it came to affection. If his devotion met with no response, he would withdraw. To say nothing of having his devotion treated like worthless mud underfoot. Yun Mengxi's chest heaved violently. Staring down at the man who had once sworn vows of eternal devotion to her, she felt that everything had become an utter farce. The world spun before her eyes, and looking at Wu Kun's cowering face only fueled her mounting rage. Just then, high upon the dais, Chu Xingxian slowly raised his hand. *Creak—!* Wu Kun's body was abruptly hurled clean out of the grand hall!