Li Guanqi sat at the bow of the cloud boat, watching his companions laughing and joking around him, his heart brimming with emotion.
The cloud boat sped forward, heading straight in the direction of home.
Even he hadn't imagined that after leaving the Qingyun Continent all by himself back then, he would return with so many companions by his side.
Meng Wanshu sat at the bow, having slipped off her shoes. The ethereal currents drifting all around rippled with soft glows like river water.
Within the pitch-black void lay many mysterious regions.
Meng Wanshu dangled her snow-white, jade-like bare feet, gently kicking them back and forth. With her hands propped against the bow, the corners of her mouth curved slightly upward.
"When we get back this time, can we visit the village?"
Li Guanqi turned his head to look at her exquisite profile and chuckled softly. "Of course. We can certainly go."
Meng Wanshu turned her head to meet his gaze, a gentle smile gracing her lips. "Sometimes, it feels like there's quite a contrast in your temperament."
"Oh? What kind of contrast?"
She tilted her head and furrowed her brows in thought, then said softly, "Sometimes in front of me, you're like a gentle, refined gentleman, but at other times, your murderous aura runs terribly heavy.
"Sometimes you seem clearly aloof and cold, yet you cherish deep affection and loyalty so dearly.
"In short... it feels like you're very complicated now. Your mind... is restless."
Li Guanqi was taken aback. Sitting at the bow, he found himself at a loss for words, unable to refute her.
It was true... Nowadays, he was always thinking about so many things, bearing so many worries and misgivings.
Looking out toward the distant stellar river within the void, the young woman said softly, "Follow your heart; don't overthink.
"That way, you won't be so exhausted."
At that, she turned to glance at Ye Feng and said in a gentle voice,
"Look at Ye Feng. He always does whatever comes to his mind."
Li Guanqi looked back, just in time to see Ye Feng staring at Pengluo while drooling.
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Li Guanqi nodded in wholehearted agreement. "True enough. That fellow really does whatever crosses his mind."
Tilting her head, the young woman said, "Isn't that good? Honest inside and out, with an unhindered mind.
"Doing whatever you wish, unfettered in your true nature, without needing to restrain yourself."
Hearing those words, Li Guanqi felt as though a thunderclap had detonated in his mind!
"Honest inside and out, with an unhindered mind.
"Unfettered in your true nature, without needing to restrain yourself."
Those two sentences were like a wake-up call to Li Guanqi.
A gentle smile gradually appeared on his face, stemming from the depths of his heart.
His entire demeanor seemed to transform at this moment, like an unpolished jade revealing its luminous luster.
The lightning power drifting around him leapt with joy, and the fluctuations of primal energy were both gentle and surging.
At that moment, Li Guanqi sat cross-legged with a smile on his face.
Seeing this, Meng Wanshu gave an understanding smile. Dangling her feet, she lay straight down on the deck at the bow, looking up into the star-flecked void.
Ye Feng and the others were also slightly stunned when they noticed the change in Li Guanqi.
Xiao Chen curled his lips. "What kind of monstrous talent is this... Epiphanies hit him like it's a joke—just whenever he feels like it."
Hearing this, Cao Yan said nothing, merely smiling as he looked at Li Guanqi's back.
Ye Feng tilted his head back to gulp some wine and chuckled. "The boss put too much pressure on himself over these past few years. This time... it feels like he's figured out a lot of things."
Time flew by, and before long, the group traveled through the cross-domain teleportation array of the Xuanmen Domain and returned to the Great Xia Domain!
Li Guanqi had not awakened the entire way, for he had far too many matters to ponder.
*Buzz!*
Atop the teleportation array, an elegant, modestly sized cloud boat suddenly materialized, drawing the eyes of many onlookers.
And at the bow, the white-robed young man slowly opened his eyes right at that moment.
An inexplicable pressure enveloped the void, making everyone in the square choke back their breath.
The sensation came quickly and vanished just as fast. Li Guanqi slowly opened his eyes, his entire disposition becoming gentle and refined.
Looking at this Li Guanqi, his companions smiled faintly.
*Whoosh, whoosh!*
Several figures appeared in rapid succession. The cultivators in the square were taken aback and hastily leapt back dozens of zhang.
Then, bowing respectfully toward the newly arrived figures who had teleported in, they kept silent.
For these newcomers were the heads of the prominent families in charge of the teleportation array.
"Hiss... Why have all these big shots, who are usually impossible to catch a glimpse of, suddenly shown up?!"
The three old men in lavish robes wore panicked expressions; having teleported over, they did not even dare to float in midair.
Hurrying up to the group, the foremost old man appeared full of vigor, with white hair and a youthful complexion.
He stepped forward, bowed, and cupped his hands. "From the Cangwu Continent, of the Tingyu Ferry's Zhao family, Zhao Yongxian greets the seniors."
"Du Yuan of the Du family."
"..."
All three old men practically bent double at the waist as they stepped forward to introduce their lineages.
This scene gave quite a fright to the crowd. All at once, the cultivators across the square stopped in their tracks, bowing and loudly proclaiming their greetings to the seniors.
One had to know that the three elders before them were the ancestors of those three families.
Every single one of them possessed a cultivation at the Void Refining Realm!
Otherwise, their three families could never jointly oversee a cross-domain teleportation array!
Yet three such lofty figures were currently bowing respectfully to five young-looking men and women.
By their demeanor, they looked ready to drop to their knees to pay homage.
Li Guanqi was somewhat baffled as well. He had never even been to this Cangwu Continent before, had he?
Why were these men so terrified of them? The feeling clearly suggested they had recognized him.
With a gentle lift of his hand, spatial power buoyed the three old men back up.
Li Guanqi cupped his hands in return, and the companions behind him returned the gesture as well.
They were all Void Refining Realm cultivators together; when someone showed you respect, you couldn't be tactless and put on airs.
"Senior, may I ask why you..."
Seeing how reasonable Li Guanqi and his companions were, Zhao Yongxian and the other two breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Much of the panicked unease that had gripped their hearts dispersed.
Exhaling a long breath, the old man smiled and said,
"It is nothing. We merely learned of your honors' arrival and came specifically to welcome you.
"For fear that..."
Before he could finish, an old man behind him whacked him with a walking stick.
That old man, clad in an embroidered dark blue brocade robe, had deep-set eye sockets. From his brow and eyes, one could tell he was normally an exceptionally stern elder.
Du Yuan forced an unnatural smile.
"Nothing, nothing at all. Knowing that your honors were coming, we prepared a modest banquet at the manor. We hope you will grace us with your presence, so our families might fulfill the duties of a host."
Cao Yan furrowed his brows slightly and sent a voice transmission: "Brother Li, these fellows seem a bit afraid of us.
"Why not just ask them directly?"
Li Guanqi felt the same, so he chose to ask bluntly:
"Seniors, why does it feel like you are somewhat afraid of us?
"This really leaves this junior scratching his head. Why not speak plainly?"
Du Yuan bowed his head and offered an apologetic smile. "No, not at all! What could you possibly mean by that?"
Beside him, however, Zhao Yongxian curled his lip and spoke up: "What's wrong with saying it straight out? It's clear to me these young friends aren't that kind of people."
No matter how Du Yuan tried to stop him, he couldn't, so he gave up and let the old man speak.
Chapter 566