Because I Am Here

Li Guanqi's resounding voice echoed across the firmament! For a time, every disciple in the square unconsciously clenched their fists! Their eyes shone brightly as they looked up at Li Guanqi, their chests heaving slightly, as though a certain resolve had taken firm root in their hearts. *Buzz!* Just as Li Guanqi was about to speak again, powerful surges of primal energy began rippling through the air in succession. Beams of light in every hue suddenly shot straight toward the vault of heaven! Seeing this, Li Guanqi raised his hand, cleaving the void across thirty li to veil the workings of heaven. Several disciples opened their eyes in wild ecstasy. Rising to their feet, they bowed deeply toward the figures on the stage, then immediately took flight, soaring off toward the rear mountain. In moments, dark clouds gathered over the rear mountain, and thunder rumbled from all directions! Lu Kangnian immediately dispatched personnel to keep a close watch over the disciples breaking through, fearful that something might go awry. He had gained insights of his own, but far too many disciples were breaking through in quick succession—so many that he even had to personally go and guard their breakthroughs. Ye Feng's throat had also gone dry from speaking. Glancing at Li Guanqi, he murmured, "Boss, I'll head over to the rear mountain to help guard the disciples." Li Guanqi nodded slightly, and the instruction resumed. A cute-looking young woman stood up and said, "Elder Li, my talent is quite ordinary, and my cultivation progress has been terribly slow compared to the peers who joined with me. Am... am I simply not cut out for the Dao?" A complicated look of self-reproach covered the girl's face. It was evident that belonging to the Great Xia Sword Sect weighed heavily on her. And she was not alone; every disciple in the Great Xia Sword Sect nowadays trained with relentless dedication. Yet the harder everyone worked, the greater the pressure felt by disciples like her, who possessed average talent and lower-grade spiritual roots! The Great Xia Sword Sect provided them with top-tier resources, cultivation methods, and secret manuals. Yet while others who had joined at the same time had already broken through to the Core Formation Realm, they still lingered on the verge of Foundation Establishment. In particular, the eleventh layer of the Qi Refinement technique had held back many disciples; so many wished to break through to the eleventh layer before advancing to Foundation Establishment. This led numerous disciples to fall into a strange sort of competition—though one could attempt a breakthrough at the ninth layer, they remained stubbornly stuck between the tenth and eleventh layers. Hearing this, Li Guanqi smiled faintly and asked gently, "Does anyone else share this trouble?" At his question, many disciples nodded one after another. Moreover, this concern was not limited to disciples of any single peak; disciples across all peaks felt this way to varying degrees. Li Guanqi looked up, pondered for a moment, and gestured for the young woman to sit back down. Instead of immediately offering a solution, he smiled and asked her, "What consequences do you think your slow progress has brought you?" The girl furrowed her brow and thought for a long time before replying, "It just makes me feel so useless! Even though I work as hard as I can, I still can't keep up with everyone else's pace." Li Guanqi understood. Sweeping his gaze around, he asked softly, "The tail-end evaluation system is still in place today, isn't it?" The disciples nodded in unison. Li Guanqi looked down at Elder Qin Xian and the others, offering a slight smile. "Then... have you ever heard of the sect punishing a disciple simply because their cultivation progress was too slow?" Every disciple froze in surprise. What Li Guanqi said actually made sense! Whenever internal assessments resulted in disciples being demoted to the outer sect, it was always those who had slacked off in their cultivation! The sect had never once punished a disciple for cultivating slowly! With a smile, Li Guanqi continued, "The sect cares whether you cultivate diligently, whether you grow slack. It has never blamed any of you for slow progress caused by innate talent." His chest rose and fell slightly as he spoke in a measured tone. "The Great Xia Sword Sect has never divided its disciples by innate talent or the grade of their spiritual roots. All you need to know is to cultivate with all your might. So what if your cultivation is slow? So what if your talent is mediocre? As long as you walk forward steadfastly, you are, at most, a late bloomer." At this point, the corner of Li Guanqi's mouth curved upward, and an amused glint entered his eyes as he looked down at the young men and women. He could not resist teasing, "Then again... do you truly believe you're weak? Some other day, go down the mountain more often! Go see the other sects. Disciples your age are probably still comparing themselves in the Qi Refinement Realm!" A stir rippled through the disciples below. The Great Xia Sword Sect had undergone many changes over the past two years, and those allowed down the mountain for worldly trials were almost exclusively at the Core Formation Realm or above. Consequently, most of the present disciples had never ventured outside the sect. The girl who had asked earlier looked at Li Guanqi with bright, wide eyes, as if struggling to believe what she was hearing. Lowering her head, she clutched her sleeves with both hands and muttered, "Am I really that formidable? Elder Li wouldn't lie to us, right... That's it! I *am* formidable! Hehe." Li Guanqi spoke softly, "Remember this: never be arrogant, but never belittle yourselves either." Looking off into the distance, Li Guanqi continued in a quiet voice, "Arrogance exacts a price. But... when it is time to show your strength, you must never hesitate or hold back. Otherwise, others will take you for soft persimmons that anyone can squeeze. Back then, the backbone of the Great Xia Sword Sect was carved out with the blood and spirit of your senior brothers and sisters! Just as it is today." Beyond the Great Xia Sword Sect, sword qi still crisscrossed the void. Many who had not departed lingered in the distance, watching. Li Guanqi let out a cold chuckle. "Only when you possess great strength will your principles and bottom lines be respected. Just like those people out there." All the disciples turned to look in every direction. Those outsiders were eyeing the Great Xia Sword Sect like hungry wolves. Had this been in the past, the disciples would have fallen into absolute panic, with no peace of mind to sit and listen to a lecture. Yet now... With only Li Guanqi standing here, they felt an immense surge of confidence that allowed them to disregard every surrounding power and cultivator! The reason was simple: Li Guanqi's overwhelming might! Many gazed at Li Guanqi with glowing expressions, repeating his words under their breath. When they turned their eyes back toward the crowds outside, their understanding of those words ran far deeper. So... when a person became truly powerful, they could deter so many vile scoundrels... Li Guanqi said softly, "Even if I were to erase the sword marks and dismantle the barrier right now, not one of them would dare cross by half an inch. "Because I am here." At that moment, a profound pride in their sect welled up in the heart of every Great Xia Sword Sect disciple! Because this was their Great Xia Sword Sect as well!! Question after question was raised, and not only Li Guanqi, but also Meng Wanshu, Xiao Chen, and the others continued answering them one by one.