Buzz!
The air in the study suddenly grew as heavy as if space itself had frozen.
As Li Guanqi took a single step forward, a terrifying aura of pressure erupted!
This pressure was directed solely at the old man. Though Tang Ru felt nothing, he understood what was happening.
Li Guanqi... had made his move!
The old man's eyes narrowed. Primal energy surged through his body as his own pressure erupted.
Yet his aura seemed pale and feeble before Li Guanqi's.
Not only that, but with every step Li Guanqi took, the crushing momentum around him grew heavier.
Tap! Tap!
The sound of his footsteps seemed to land directly on the elder's heart, heavy and suffocating!
Li Guanqi, already tall and lean, appeared towering beyond measure in the old man's eyes.
Cold sweat drenched the old man's forehead, and his withered hands instantly flew to the twin sabers at his waist!
Yet Li Guanqi simply took slow, calm strides, unhurried and composed.
Boom!
A terrifying Tyrant Sword intent erupted!
The old man's knees suddenly buckled!
Qian Feng stared at the youth in utter disbelief.
From beginning to end, those pure white eyes showed not the slightest ripple—calm and chillingly indifferent.
Just as he told himself he still had the strength to fight, a boundless, monstrous surge of vital qi and blood abruptly radiated from Li Guanqi!
Gradually, the spiritual bricks beneath Li Guanqi's feet began to fracture and crumble, leaving deep footprints with every pace!
Qian Feng's head was forced down by the crushing weight. Blue veins bulged across his neck as he strained with all his might to look up at the youth.
Whoosh!
In an instant, all the pressure and overwhelming momentum vanished into thin air. Li Guanqi slowly turned around, looking indifferently at the old man, and said softly, "See? I was merely stating a fact."
"Sometimes... having eaten more salt doesn't make you stronger."
Tang Ru wore a wry smile. He had known it would be like this.
Knowing Li Guanqi, the man never spoke without aim.
Since he claimed he had the confidence to kill Old Qian, he truly possessed the strength to do so!
Tang Ru turned to send a voice transmission to the old man. Qian Feng's eyes widened instantly as he looked at Li Guanqi, a flash of understanding crossing his face.
Wryly cupping his hands, he said, "It was this old man's arrogance. I hope you will not take offense, young friend."
He glanced at Tang Ru, then turned back to Li Guanqi and said softly, "I shall take my leave. Some matters are best spoken between you and the young master directly."
With that, his figure distorted slightly and melted into the shadows.
Once the old man left, Tang Ru drew a deep breath and actually bowed deeply to Li Guanqi. "Brother Li, please help me!"
Li Guanqi shifted aside, dodging the bow, and frowned. "Tell me what's going on first. What are you doing bowing like that?"
Tang Ru said heavily, "I really have... nowhere else to turn."
Li Guanqi reached out and helped him up.
"Sit down, and let's talk."
Tang Ru straightened, his eyes rimmed with red.
No one knew how immense a burden he had carried during this time; he had to bear everything alone.
He sat down before the desk and finally laid everything out before Li Guanqi.
"You should already know my identity. My father is Tang Wei, Pavilion Master of the Treasure Pavilion across the Great Xia Domain!"
Li Guanqi was slightly startled. He had thought Tang Ru was merely the son of the master of the Northern Region's Treasure Pavilion, never expecting it was the entire Great Xia Domain!
That was Tang Wei, a mighty cultivator at the peak of Void Refinement!
Heaven-Cleaving Saber Tang Wei—who across the Great Xia Domain had not heard of his illustrious renown?
He had not imagined Tang Ru was Tang Wei's son!
Tang Ru looked at Li Guanqi and sighed. "I have two elder brothers above me; I'm the third in the family."
"Before I turned eighteen, my father arranged a crucial assessment!"
"Over a five-year period, each of us had to establish a branch pavilion to see who could earn the most in the end."
"And the starting capital was exactly ten thousand high-grade spirit stones!"
Li Guanqi nodded silently, understanding dawning upon him.
It seemed the struggles within great clans were far fiercer than he had imagined.
"So this incident was likely orchestrated by your two brothers?"
Tang Ru nodded slowly and said in a low voice, "Indeed! Only... I still don't know whether it was Eldest Brother Tang Yongwen or Second Brother Tang Yan!"
"Judging by what I know of them, however, it's very likely Second Brother Tang Yan's doing!"
Li Guanqi mused to himself, *Quite the scheme. If Tang Ru panicked and found a way to kill the old man, his shop would be ruined before it even opened its doors.*
*Yet if he actually handed over the money, the opponent would gain the spirit stones while leaving Tang Ru with nothing to work with.*
*The assessment would be over right then and there... What a ruthless move!*
Tang Ru's eyes narrowed slightly, lost in thought. He slowly looked up at Li Guanqi and said, "That old man certainly knows nothing. In all likelihood, he doesn't even realize he's being used as a pawn."
Li Guanqi looked at him and said quietly, "So... no matter what, in three days, you have to let him go!"
"Exactly! And that man must die!" Tang Ru nodded heavily, his words startling.
Li Guanqi's eyes narrowed, and he nodded in full agreement. "The old man is just a piece on the board. Whoever is pulling the strings behind this..."
"They will certainly do everything possible to dump this bucket of filth onto your head."
At that, he looked up at Tang Ru. "So your intention... is for me to escort him away?"
Tang Ru marveled at Li Guanqi's sharp mind.
"Yes. I want to ask you to escort him out of Wuzi City!"
"He can die, but under no circumstances can he die inside Wuzi City!"
"The moment he dies within these walls, there's no way I can wash my hands clean of this dirty water."
Tang Ru paused briefly, then said softly, "If you can escort him out of the city, I'll pay you one thousand high-grade spirit stones!"
Hearing that, Li Guanqi's breath caught, his heart pounding wildly.
"One thousand!"
Tang Ru offered a full one thousand high-grade spirit stones right off the bat!
A sum like that was enough to hire a grand cultivator in the late Soul Formation Realm!
Tang Ru said in a low voice, "I know you're wondering why I don't just hire another powerful expert."
"The reason is simple..."
"I don't trust outsiders!"
Li Guanqi gave a wry smile upon hearing this. "It's not that I don't want to help you... but since they're determined to ruin you, won't the people they send be in the Soul Formation Realm?"
"I don't want to throw my life away for a handful of spirit stones."
Tang Ru burst into laughter. "Rest assured, definitely not!"
"My father is certainly watching all of this. Nascent Soul cultivators clashing still falls within the bounds of what we can handle among ourselves."
"If someone in the Soul Formation Realm acts... the nature of the situation changes entirely."
"Even if it truly is Second Brother's doing, it can only be called business being like a battlefield; my father won't say anything."
"But if a Soul Formation cultivator takes action... they will face my father's wrath."
Li Guanqi curled his lip, stood up, and said calmly, "I accept."
"Also, prepare two maps for me: one of the Southern Domain, and one of the Western Region."
Tang Ru beamed with delight and laughed heartily. "Hahaha, thank you!"
Chapter 316