Stepping across the void, Li Guanqi flashed onto Yuhu Peak.
A few familiar faces stood atop the mountain summit.
The corners of Li Guanqi's mouth curved upward, revealing an unprecedentedly carefree smile.
Flashing down to the ground, he pulled them into a fierce embrace.
He turned to look at each of them.
Zhong Lin, Li Sheng'an, Zhou Zhi, and Wu Bing.
Zhong Lin and Li Sheng'an went without saying, while Zhou Zhi had been the Eldest Senior Brother of the Outer Sect back then and had taken good care of him on many occasions.
As for Wu Bing, he was the man Old Lu was grooming to be his successor.
Even so, seeing Wu Bing show up here under such circumstances came as a bit of a surprise.
Seeing his reaction, Wu Bing merely shrugged and spoke candidly: "I came today just to get on Elder Li's good side. What if I need to rely on you in the future?"
Seeing the smile on his lips and hearing the banter, everyone burst into hearty laughter.
Zhong Lin curled his lip and remarked, "Then you'd better suck up to him properly today. If you really become sect master in the future, Old Li will be your top-tier enforcer."
Li Guanqi smiled faintly. His impression of Wu Bing was exceptionally good.
The man took responsibility and never backed down when trouble arose!
Li Guanqi didn't take the talk about sucking up to heart at all.
With a wave of his hand, he produced white jade tables and chairs, and the group took their seats atop the summit.
"Hmph! You're all hanging out here without inviting me?"
Hearing that voice, Wu Bing gave a wry smile. "Great, the little terror is here."
An ice-blue streak flashed across the sky, and Yu Sui'an descended like a whirlwind, flying through the air before dropping down.
With her hands on her hips, she glared at every single person present. Then, right in front of them, she pulled out a small leather-bound notebook.
She produced a writing brush and licked the tip, the ink blooming dark across her tongue.
Head down, she scribbled away for a while before looking up at Li Guanqi with a crestfallen expression. "How do you write the 'Bing' in Wu Bing?"
Li Guanqi brought out an extra chair and chuckled. "Stop keeping tabs. Come sit down."
Beaming, Yu Sui'an held her chin high and happily took a seat.
Light flashed from Li Guanqi's fingers, setting out more than a dozen jars of spiritual wine in a row.
At the same time, he brought out a large cut of monster beast meat, lit a fire, and began roasting it.
He didn't use the heavenly flame, however—it was enough that a select few he trusted knew about that.
Jiuxiao woke up the moment it caught the scent of roasted meat, but Li Guanqi held it back.
Only after he promised to roast an entire batch specifically for it later did it finally relent.
Li Guanqi breathed an inward sigh of relief. If Jiuxiao were to show itself, to say nothing of anything else, with Yu Sui'an's temperament, she would certainly ride it around Great Xia Sword Sect for eighty or a hundred laps.
The others had brought plenty of side dishes to go with the drinks.
Soon, cups were clinking and wine was flowing. Even the little girl took a big swig just to save face.
After that, however, her voice went quiet, replaced only by indistinct mumblings and soft snores.
Li Guanqi raised a hand, releasing spatial energy to lift her up and carry her into his small wooden hut, tucking her under the quilt before stepping back outside.
It had been more than two years since they last saw one another. Zhou Zhi's cultivation had reached the peak of Core Formation, looking as though he might break through at any moment.
"Has life out there been thrilling these past two years?"
The others mostly asked questions, while Li Guanqi did most of the talking.
Listening to his calm recounting, stormy waves surged through each of their hearts.
They could not comprehend how the young man before them could speak of such events with such equanimity.
Every single trial, after all, could easily have ended in total doom had a single step gone wrong!
Late into the night, cups kept clinking, and none of them held back on the wine.
Wu Bing suddenly spoke up: "By the way, Peak Master Tu asked me to inquire—where is that gamble-loving Ye Feng? I remember he left together with you. How come I haven't seen him?"
At those words, the clamor atop the mountain died away.
They all understood that if such a question was asked, something had likely gone wrong.
Yet Li Guanqi tossed a peanut into his mouth and chuckled.
"Old Ye? That kid felt he wasn't strong enough and feared holding me back, so he struck out on his own to train."
Zhong Lin asked with curiosity, "He left on his own?"
Li Guanqi nodded and said softly, "Yeah. That fellow has fierce pride. He probably won't contact me for a long time. Still, there's no need to worry. Old Ye has grown a lot over these two years, and he certainly didn't miss out on eating his share of humble pie… Hahaha! Don't worry. When he reappears, the name of Ye Feng will surely resound throughout the entire Great Xia Domain! I believe in him!"
Li Sheng'an sat quietly to the side, smiling as he sipped his wine, not chiming in much.
Li Guanqi turned and playfully punched his arm, laughing. "Not bad, kid! Your strength has improved pretty fast, hasn't it? Does anyone still dare bully you?"
Li Sheng'an scratched his head bashfully and admitted honestly, "I don't think anyone dares bully me now."
Hearing this, Zhou Zhi couldn't help laughing. "Not long after you left, this rascal made it into the Inner Sect by his own merit—even if he was dead last. But he cultivates very hard and makes rapid progress. Besides, his old timid nature is completely gone. If anyone gets into a fight with him, he hits wickedly hard."
Li Sheng'an shrugged, pointing directly at Li Guanqi. "No other choice. If you want people to respect you, you can't speak on your knees. That's what Old Li taught me."
Li Guanqi burst into hearty laughter. The group chatted all the way until dawn.
During the latter half of the night, they pulled Li Guanqi into discussing cultivation matters.
After all, a Soul Formation Realm cultivator was sitting right in front of them—it would be a waste not to ask!
Even Wu Bing put aside his pride, asking about all the issues he had encountered in his cultivation.
Li Guanqi turned down no one, though anyone who wanted an answer had to drink a bowl of wine first.
None of them hesitated, truly downing wine like water.
Early the next morning, Li Guanqi slowly got up and stretched.
Looking at the men sprawled haphazardly across the ground, he clicked his tongue and chided them with a laugh, "Can't even hold your liquor~"
He chuckled at his own words. With primal energy surging through his body, looking at the morning sun, inspiration struck.
He stepped out onto the empty air, assumed a stance, and began throwing punches.
After going through the form over a hundred times, he drew Red Lotus and began practicing with the sword.
Though he didn't channel any primal energy, the sheer commotion of his swordsmanship was still immense.
Before long, countless disciples gathered to watch.
Li Guanqi continued practicing, entirely undivided in his focus.
Suddenly!
Lightning abruptly flashed in Li Guanqi's palm, instantly coalescing into the shape of a scabbard.
Just as the longsword swept through the air, tapped forward, and withdrew its momentum, his wrist suddenly flipped, and Red Lotus used the motion to slide into the scabbard in a flash.
Crouched low, Li Guanqi radiated an inexplicable sense of overwhelming pressure. His right hand instantly tightened around the hilt, and he drew the sword with sudden fury!
Boom!
This single strike cleaved the river below in two, severing it completely!
The sword qi kicked up monstrous waves, the severed river held apart by the strike for several breaths before returning to its course.
Chapter 381