Mere Earth Flame

Chu Menglan’s gaze was calm, yet she pursed her lips tightly. The low murmur of talk around her stirred a strange sense of humiliation in her heart. As the dignified Palace Master of Xuanfeng Palace, she was revered wherever she walked across the Lingxu Continent. Yet here she was, forced to come in person and apologize to a youth who was barely twenty years old! Ascending the stairs, Chu Menglan drew a deep breath and forced a smile that wasn't overly stiff onto her face. Meanwhile, none of the inn's patrons dared make a sound. Many had even retreated into their rooms, not daring to step outside. *Knock, knock, knock!* Li Guanqi sat in his chair with no intention of rising, and said mildly, "No need to knock, Palace Master Chu. Come right in." An irked gleam flashed in Chu Menglan's eyes, but she swallowed it down. This was how the tides had turned. Even Qi Rongxuan was someone they could not afford to offend, let alone this figure whom Qi Rongxuan treated with utmost deference. "Phew..." *Creak!* Chu Menglan entered the room with a practiced smile, just in time to see Qi Rongxuan pouring tea for Li Guanqi. The sight made her heart leap anew. Holding a jade box in her arms, the woman bowed low to Li Guanqi, lowering her proud head. "My apologies, Young Master Li," she said with sincere contrition. "Xuanfeng Palace failed in its hospitality and caused offense. I hope you will be magnanimous and not take it to heart." With that, she cracked the jade box open slightly. Li Guanqi understood its meaning with just a glance. Chu Menglan said somberly, "First Elder Yu Guizhi lacked all sense of hierarchy and spoke without restraint, repeatedly offending Young Master Li. I have stripped her of her elder position and sentenced her to three hundred years of confinement." Having said this, she slowly stood upright, raising her eyes toward Li Guanqi. "I wonder if Young Master Li is satisfied with this?" Li Guanqi listened with an amused look, gently turning his cup of Longjing tea. "This is an internal matter for Palace Master Chu. What does it have to do with me?" Chu Menglan's breath hitched at his words. Her eyes flickered, and she gave a light smile. "The elder was at fault first, so as Palace Master, I must express my apologies regardless." At this moment, Qi Rongxuan stepped in as peacemaker. With a genial chuckle, he chimed in, "Come now, we are all friends here, and it isn't some monumental matter. There's no need to let things get so tense, right?" Li Guanqi pursed his lips. He could still sense a faint edge of resentment in the woman's eyes. Still, he let it go. When all was said and done, he would need the power of Xuanfeng Palace to leave this place. Gesturing toward the seat beside him, Li Guanqi smiled. "Please, Palace Master Chu, have a seat. Why remain standing?" Chu Menglan gritted her silver teeth, muttering inwardly, *You didn't seem interested in inviting me to sit down before!* Nevertheless, she nodded with a smile and sat down between the two men. Her fair neck, square shoulders, and slender back gave her an extraordinary elegance. Li Guanqi took a couple of extra glances and couldn't help muttering under his breath, "Who said slender branches can't bear heavy fruit..." Though his voice was as faint as the buzz of a mosquito, everyone present was at least at the late Soul Formation Realm. Qi Rongxuan broke into a violent fit of coughing, clapping a hand over his mouth to keep from spraying his tea across the table. Chu Menglan's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and fury burst onto her face! She shot to her feet with a swoosh, glaring at Li Guanqi as she snapped, "Li Guanqi! You court death!!" Seeing this, Qi Rongxuan hastily jumped up and grabbed Chu Menglan's arm. The fragile rapport they had just managed to patch up was nearly destroyed by a single stray remark from Li Guanqi. Qi Rongxuan gripped her arm with iron firmness. A voice transmission rang out urgently in her ear: "Don't!! Don't be rash!!" "If you actually lay a hand on him, the entire Xuanfeng Palace will suffer utter annihilation!!!" Chu Menglan whipped her head toward Qi Rongxuan and suppressed her roaring fury, replying in a strained voice transmission, "Elder Qi, just who is he, that you fear him this much?" Qi Rongxuan glanced at the slightly embarrassed Li Guanqi, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Girl, if it weren't for my old friendship with your grandfather, I wouldn't even bother intervening. About him... I cannot say much, but I will tell you this: Even Pavilion Master Elder Gu of the Great Xia Domain addresses him as 'young friend'! Do you understand what that means?!" Chu Menglan's pupils constricted in an instant. She had suspected Li Guanqi's background was extraordinary, but never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that a figure of that caliber would treat him with such deference! A background of that magnitude went far beyond anything she could fathom... Against someone like that, even if he ordered her to strip naked right where she stood today, she would not dare summon the slightest thought of resistance. Her pride shattered completely upon hearing this. The man's backing was truly omnipotent! Chu Menglan's chest rose and fell slightly, her ample curves swaying, which prompted Li Guanqi to shut his eyes... and quietly open his mind's eye. In truth, he hadn't intended to let those words slip; it had simply been... an honest observation. Clearing his throat twice, Li Guanqi offered an apologetic tone. "My apologies, it really was... *cough*... unintentional. I had no intention of insulting Palace Master Chu." Seizing the opportunity to back down gracefully, Chu Menglan gave an emotionless nod, letting the matter pass. With old Qi smoothing things over, Li Guanqi also agreed to go and examine Saintess Su Qian's condition. After all, time was running short for that young woman. Hearing Li Guanqi agree to help, Chu Menglan breathed a sigh of relief. Li Guanqi did not actually wish to owe Tianji Pavilion too many favors. Sometimes, debts of gratitude were the hardest to repay. With a single word from Qi Rongxuan, Xuanfeng Palace would certainly activate the teleportation array. In fact, Chu Menglan had come this time intending to offer to activate it herself. Tearing through space, the three vanished from the inn. The spectators gathered outside lingered, waiting to see what would happen next. Before long, Li Guanqi arrived once more at the spatial barrier of Xuanfeng Palace. This time, however, every disciple bowed with utmost respect, their eyes tinged with dread. Chu Menglan wasted no time this time around, leading the two straight to the back of the main peak. Tossing out three jade pendants, her slender, jade-like fingers formed dozens of hand seals as swift as lightning. A series of thunderous rumbles erupted from the sheer cliff face. Immediately afterward, the soaring mountain cleaved in two down the middle, revealing a constantly rippling barrier of light. One after another, the three stepped through the light. The moment he crossed over, Li Guanqi's brow knitted slightly. All around them stretched a boundless sea of fire. The surrounding space warped constantly beneath the blistering heat, and every breath of air rushed into the chest like a mouthful of liquid flame. Chu Menglan glanced at Li Guanqi and raised a barrier of primal energy, asking softly, "Do you need a hand? The flames here are no ordinary fire. With your current cultivation, it might be a bit too much to bear." The corners of Li Guanqi's mouth curved upward, revealing a faint, intriguing smile. "No need. It is mere earth flame."