Upon returning to the Great Xia Sword Sect, the group recounted everything that had taken place inside the secret realm without holding back a single detail.
Gathered in the great hall were not only the elders of the various peaks, but also Sect Master Lu Kangnian and Disciplinary Hall Master Qin Xian.
Li Nanting stood directly in the lower hall, right beside Li Guanqi and the others.
Li Guanqi was actually feeling quite apprehensive. After all, they had wiped out every single disciple from the other four sects.
Several among them possessed heavenly spiritual roots, which was bound to bring retaliation from those sects.
Lu Kangnian, however, merely waved a broad hand and said, "No need to worry. What's a few dead disciples?"
"Hmph!"
"What happens in the realm stays in the realm. That rule was set a thousand years ago."
"If they had the ability, they should have killed you in the realm. Lacking skill themselves, they have no right to blame anyone else!"
"It doesn't matter. If they want to come, let them."
"You just focus on your cultivation!"
Hearing those words, Li Guanqi could not help feeling a surge of warmth.
A full twenty people had died! How could the four sects let that slide without a reaction?
Yet the Great Xia Sword Sect stood unyielding behind its disciples, backing them up completely!
This was the confidence of a great sect!
After Li Guanqi and the others took their leave, Li Nanting grinned from ear to ear.
Sensing that Li Guanqi's aura was even more surging yet still had not broken through to the next realm, he did not press for answers.
He simply assumed the boy had chanced upon some modest encounter in the realm.
Li Guanqi, Ye Feng, Lin Dong, and Zhong Lin—the four of them headed straight to the Treasure Pavilion on Tianzhu Peak.
Keeping his word, Li Guanqi traded the massive piece of Taiyi Treasure Silver for sect contribution points.
A full twelve hundred points!
And that small piece of Profound Treasure Spirit Sand fetched an astounding two thousand points!
From Li Guanqi's share of materials alone, they earned thirty-two hundred points.
Li Guanqi divided all the points into five equal shares and said quietly, "Even though Ke Qin is gone, her share can be exchanged for mortal gold and silver and sent down the mountain to her family."
"Consider it... a token of our hearts."
None of the others objected. In the end, each person received six hundred and forty points.
Ye Feng took out the two jade slips and said, "One movement technique, one cultivation manual. Who wants them?"
Li Guanqi shrugged. "Not me. Divide them between yourselves."
"If there's nothing else, I'll head back first."
The others nodded. In the end, the movement technique went to Zhong Lin, while the cultivation manual went to Lin Dong.
When Li Guanqi returned to Tianlei Peak, he discovered that Lin Dong and Zhong Lin had each transferred two hundred points to him.
Touching his nose, he accepted them without polite refusal.
Arriving back at his courtyard, Li Guanqi found the little girl teasing a plump orange cat.
Seeing him return, Yu Sui'an trotted over to his side and held out her hands.
Li Guanqi smiled faintly. As if doing a magic trick, he produced two piping hot steamed buns and handed them to her.
"Yay, yay, yay! Little Blindie is true to his word!"
"Phoo, phoo... so hot... so hot and tasty..."
Looking down at the lazy orange cat on the ground, Li Guanqi reached out and scratched beneath its chin.
The chubby cat purred, rubbing its head against his hand.
Glancing at the sky, Li Guanqi picked up the cat and called out, "Sui'an, inside the house. Looks like it's about to rain."
Rumble!!
Yu Sui'an was just about to ask where any rain would come from.
Yet the crashing thunder made her clutch her head, and she scrambled into the room in a panic.
Seeing that, Li Guanqi laughed. "So the little girl is scared of thunder."
Splash, patter!
The raindrops began to fall, quickly turning into a steady shower.
With the rainy weather, Li Guanqi rarely found himself in the mood to simply rest.
He lit the brazier, put on a kettle of tea, and tossed some potatoes and sweet potatoes onto the coals.
He dragged the rocking chair from the back courtyard to just inside the front parlor doors and called the little girl over to sit.
Yet the little girl kept her brow furrowed and her ears covered, sitting stiffly on a small stool, having completely forgotten about the bun in her hands.
Seeing this, Li Guanqi gathered the little girl into his arms and draped a blanket over her.
"Nothing to be afraid of. It's just thunder. I'm right here. Eat your bun in peace."
Yu Sui'an timidly lowered her hands and began taking small bites of the bun.
Her large eyes stared at the sweet potatoes on the brazier, swallowing hard.
Li Guanqi smiled. "Want some?"
The little girl nodded like a pounding pestle. Li Guanqi peeled the sweet potato, wrapped it in a layer of oiled paper, and placed it in her hands.
"Careful, it's hot."
"Hiss... hah... hiss, sho good..."
Just then, the orange cat leaped up onto Li Guanqi's lap as well.
Outside the window, the rain pattered softly, while the cat on his lap began to snore faintly.
Squeezed onto the large rocking chair were two people—one big, one small—and a plump cat.
Yu Sui'an wedged herself between the armrest and Li Guanqi's side, eating the sweet potato until the corners of her mouth were smeared with soot.
The scene was indescribably peaceful and serene.
Li Guanqi's state of mind settled considerably alongside the sound of the rain.
Beside him, Yu Sui'an suddenly spoke up. "Little Blindie, didn't you use to be a beggar? Weren't you scared of thunder?"
A look of reminiscing crossed Li Guanqi's face as he murmured, "No. But I was scared of rain."
"Why be scared of rain? Isn't thunder way scarier?"
"Silly girl. When it pours, people all go home. And then I couldn't beg for food, and I'd have to go hungry."
The little girl fell into deep thought, then nodded in solemn agreement.
"Mm... you've got a point."
"Then how did you end up with such a good temper now? How did you make it through all of that?"
Li Guanqi gently rocked the chair, answering in a soft voice, "How did I walk that path..."
"When the wind blew, I walked slowly. When the rain fell, I kept to the side of the road. When thunder struck, I walked with my ears covered. When the snow fell, I walked hugging my arms."
"In short... this little blind boy walked alone for a very, very long time."
Yu Sui'an wrinkled her little face, unsure what Li Guanqi's words truly meant.
Soon after, as if casting the question to the back of her mind, she wrapped the blanket tightly around herself, poking out only half her little head to ask:
"Little Blindie, back when your cultivation fell and so many people said nasty things to you, why didn't you curse back at them?"
Li Guanqi pondered for a moment before answering Yu Sui'an with utter seriousness.
"If someone mocks you sharply and you immediately snap back..."
"If someone looks down on you for no reason and you immediately sneer back at them in contempt..."
Before Li Guanqi could finish, Yu Sui'an tilted her head and asked, "When dealing with hateful people like that, shouldn't you do just that?"
Li Guanqi said softly, "You see, the people you hate so easily turn you into the very person you despise most."
Yu Sui'an froze slightly. It was the first time anyone had ever explained such reasoning to her.
Yet she only half-understood it. As she pondered, drowsiness began to wash over her.
A faint smile appeared on Li Guanqi's face. His left hand stroked the orange cat while his right gently patted Yu Sui'an.
After who knows how long, both big and small had fallen fast asleep.
A single blanket, two people, and one cat.
Let the thunder roll outside the window; inside, the world was a completely different sight.
Chapter 52