Upon returning to the old man's study, neither of them dwelt on what had just occurred.
Even so, Li Guanqi felt that the woman named Yun Mengxi had truly opened his eyes.
He had never imagined a woman could be so mercenary—or perhaps because climbing higher was so difficult, she had turned into someone entirely selfish, living only for herself.
On the other hand, the youth named Cang Lu had left a deep impression on him.
Moreover, he could tell that Cang Lu was exceedingly strong.
In fact, on several occasions he had glimpsed a trace of killing intent and disdain in the young man's eyes.
Still, between Cang Lu and Ye Feng, Li Guanqi figured Ye Feng would likely hold a slight edge.
That was mainly because Ye Feng had learned quite a lot by his side—after all, not just anyone had access to the Hundred Champions Illusion.
With a flash of light from his hand, Chu Xingxian produced a teapot and poured him a cup of spiritual tea.
Looking at him with keen interest, the old man asked, "Why did you decide to step in and meddle in this?"
Li Guanqi took a gentle sip, praised the tea, and then replied softly, "It's not that I enjoy poking my nose into other people's business. It was just that Yun Mengxi's attitude grated on me.
"Besides, I took a liking to that fellow Cang Lu, so I decided to lend a hand while I was at it.
"And more importantly, I just knew too much."
The old man chuckled without answering that, then curled his lip and said, "You rascal owe me a prime seedling.
"And another thing—back at the mountain gate, you comprehended the conceptual intent from our Wind Thunder Sect's plaque. How are you going to compensate me for that, boy?"
*Cough, cough...*
At those words, Li Guanqi's face turned distinctly sheepish.
He had never expected that a single glance at the mountain gate would plunge him into such a wondrous state of sudden enlightenment.
Nor had he anticipated that once he grasped that concept, it would set the Dao Bells of the Wind Thunder Sect tolling endlessly.
After a moment's pondering, Li Guanqi brazened it out: "How about this...
"With your great magnanimity, Senior... why don't I serve as a guest elder here for one month?
"Ahem... Of course, it would be even better if you could throw in a little stipend during that time."
Hearing this, Chu Xingxian was inwardly overjoyed. Getting a Nascent Soul realm guest elder for free—and one who practiced lightning arts, no less!
On top of that, the kid was so young; wouldn't that drive all those arrogant snobs in the sect half-mad with envy and humiliation?
This was a bargain well worth taking!
On the surface, however, the old man feigned irritation: "You've got quite an abacus clicking in that head of yours, haven't you?
"Not only are you not paying compensation, you want me to pay you a salary on top of it?"
Li Guanqi grinned obsequiously. "You won't lose out in the least, Senior! Look, I can instruct disciples in the sword, and I've even comprehended sword intent..."
"Wait!! What did you say??? You have sword intent?!"
Chu Xingxian gasped in shock, completely dropping his newly assumed haughty posture.
Li Guanqi shrugged. "See? Not a bad deal, right?"
***
When Li Guanqi stepped out of the study, a dual-colored jade pendant of azure and violet was already hanging from his waist.
The front was carved with the character "Li," while the back bore the name "Wind Thunder Sect."
Looking at the jade pendant and the spirit stones resting in its internal storage space, Li Guanqi was grinning from ear to ear.
"Um... Elder Li... I'll show you to the guest courtyard."
Tang Jing, who had previously been quite casual and irreverent, now stood at the doorway looking at him with stiff constraint.
In particular, the jade pendant at his waist gleamed so brightly it seemed almost blinding to her eyes.
Chu Xingxian, seeing that the two had gotten along well earlier, had simply summoned Tang Jing to guide Li Guanqi to his quarters.
Naturally noticing Tang Jing's restraint, Li Guanqi chuckled.
"What's wrong? We were sharing gossip just a moment ago. Why are you so afraid of me all of a sudden?"
Tang Jing pulled a comically aggrieved face and muttered, "Who could've known that after walking in there for just a bit, you'd come out as an elder..."
Li Guanqi couldn't help smiling faintly at that.
"Don't worry, just treat me like before. I'll only be staying here for a month at most."
Tang Jing nodded dumbly, then led him to a very tranquil courtyard.
Quiet though it was, everything in the courtyard had been meticulously prepared.
Even the burning incense seal had been carefully selected for its ability to calm the mind and focus the spirit.
The jade prayer mat in the room was designed to assist cultivators in meditation and cultivation.
Looking at these arrangements, Li Guanqi couldn't help muttering softly under his breath, "Old fox."
***
The news of Li Guanqi becoming a guest elder of the Wind Thunder Sect, along with the scandal involving Yun Mengxi, swiftly spread throughout the sect.
In an instant, the entire Wind Thunder Sect was boiling over with excitement.
Gathering in groups, men and women discussed Yun Mengxi's departure from the sect, but their hottest topic was Li Guanqi's appointment as a guest elder.
And the person who had had the closest contact with Li Guanqi was undeniably Tang Jing.
Consequently, the moment Tang Jing returned to her peak, she was swarmed by a crowd.
Everyone was clamoring to know who this person was that had suddenly become an elder of the Wind Thunder Sect.
Blushing, Tang Jing looked at her fellow disciples around her and said softly, "He looks... very handsome."
A girl with a baby face wrapped an arm around Tang Jing, pressing a hand to her cheek in mock astonishment: "Whoa! Sister Jing's face is burning up~!"
"Oho, could Sister Jing be having ideas?"
"I heard that the new elder is really young!"
Before her words had even settled, another woman straightening her robes chimed in with a cool expression: "Let's hope he isn't some old monster who took a Youth-Retaining Pill.
"I heard Wu Kun took a Youth-Retaining Pill, didn't he? Otherwise he'd already be in his seventies, wouldn't he?
"Hmph. Just thinking about it is revolting."
The woman was tall with cold, aloof features that seemed to ward off strangers.
She harbored little curiosity toward this new elder.
The baby-faced girl looked struck by the thought: "That's right! Did he take some pill to change his appearance? He was probably hideous before!"
Hearing this, Tang Jing quickly spoke up: "No way! He... he's only seventeen! Why would he need a Youth-Retaining Pill..."
The baby-faced girl gasped in utter shock: "Seventeen?! To cross the great chasm at just seventeen and become a mighty Nascent Soul realm expert?
"Could he be the eldest son of some super clan?"
Tang Jing pursed her lips and said softly, "I don't think so... From what I know, he seems to be an orphan..."
At those words, even the aloof woman showed a flicker of interest. Draped in sheer white gauze, she drifted over toward the two.
The diaphanous white fabric accentuated her figure splendidly.
Reclining lazily on the bed, she said in a soft voice, "Without parents, how could he possibly have cultivated to such a level? Where did his resources come from?"
Thinking of everything she had learned, Tang Jing smiled and declared, "Because he is Li Guanqi of the Great Xia Sword Sect!"
"What?!"
"Li Guanqi?! Is it really him?!"
Chapter 297