Yet not long after Li Guanqi departed, the three youths hurried back in a fluster.
Meanwhile, Li Guanqi spotted a wide, flat plain in the distance, where two great cities stood tall.
Mists swirled among the surrounding towering peaks, and lofty pavilions stretched on in an unbroken chain.
The display of immortal grace was indeed grand.
Reflecting that this was his first time in the Luoxia Domain and that he did not even possess a map, lightning flashed beneath his feet as he prepared to wander into the city and pay a visit to Tianji Pavilion along the way.
Only as he drew near did Li Guanqi notice a colossal stone stele standing upon the plain, carved with several bold, flourishing characters:
Yanchangping.
Li Guanqi drifted downward, put away his sword coffin, and entered the city without paying any entrance toll.
This caught him by surprise. Did the cities here not rely on entry fees for income?
Once inside, he understood. The city bustled with countless cultivators, and the variety of shops was beyond counting.
Without hesitation, he directed his firm strides straight toward Wangyue Tower!
Seated within a private room on the top floor, Li Guanqi listened to the soft, melodious tunes drifting past his ears and the gentle chiming of bronze bells.
Sipping fine spiritual wine, he looked out the window toward a suspended platform where a veiled maiden danced gracefully in gossamer silk.
"Mortals..."
The figure of the sword spirit slowly materialized behind Li Guanqi.
She could sense that ever since Yun Chuxue was born, Li Guanqi felt as if he had finally let out a long-held breath.
The wisp of sword qi he had left behind in the old courtyard was buried so deeply that it would never reveal itself unless circumstances turned dire.
Or perhaps...
that wisp of sword intent was merely something Li Guanqi had left to grant himself peace of mind.
Now, she felt his state of mind was quite good, looking forward in all things.
Having untied the knot in his heart, regardless of whether his outward nonchalance was partly feigned, he at least appeared far more unburdened than before.
The sword spirit's lips curved slightly, and she murmured in a low voice, "This is very good."
Li Guanqi kept his eyes closed, listening to the tune, when an inexplicable commotion suddenly stirred downstairs.
Listening closely, he found that someone was offering an exorbitant sum of spirit stones to hire a bodyguard.
Li Guanqi had no interest in such matters; no matter how much was offered, he did not care.
The other patrons in the restaurant, however, were eager to try, and many rushed out in a swarm.
Just then, Li Guanqi heard a woman's derisive voice.
"Gentlemen... if none of you have a mirror, haven't you at least got a puddle of piss to look at yourselves in?"
"If your realm isn't in the late Soul Formation Realm, don't bother coming over. I could thrash the whole lot of you single-handedly."
A woman clad in a red dress held one arm across her chest, her right hand holding a jade-green pipe.
Her crimson lips parted, speaking without the slightest shred of politeness.
With an alluring figure, she tilted her chin slightly, her voice pouring out in continuous disdain.
Yet a trace of lament flickered deep within her beautiful eyes. Relying on her own strength alone for this journey would almost certainly spell disaster.
Li Guanqi sent out a wisp of divine sense and was surprised to encounter an acquaintance here.
Though his connection with her was sparse, they were at least familiar...
The figure behind Yunding Auction House, Qianqiusui.
That woman who favored crimson lipstick and smoked a pipe had once provided him with considerable assistance.
"Why would she be here? And looking for a bodyguard?"
Whoosh!
Qianqiusui frowned slightly. She knew finding truly capable figures here would be exceedingly difficult...
Yet time pressed too hard, leaving her no choice but to resort to this desperate measure. She had to set off in the time it took for an incense stick to burn.
Still, the looks the men before her gave were thoroughly revolting.
One of them, relying on his late Soul Formation cultivation, cast his triangular eyes over her figure with unrestrained boldness.
In a teasing, playful tone, he bantered, "With an immortal maiden as gorgeous as you, I'd gladly do it for free~"
At these words, bursts of raucous laughter erupted from the surrounding crowd.
"Hahaha! If you don't want money, what do you want instead?"
"Tch, what else would he want... don't you all know already?! Hahahaha!"
Qianqiusui exhaled a gentle puff of smoke, a frigid glint abruptly flashing in her lovely eyes!
The temperature around them plummeted instantly, and the spectating crowd scattered in a hurry.
Looking at the yellow-toothed man, the woman could not help frowning.
Yet this man was indeed the highest-realm cultivator she could find. Even if his foundation was unstable and his cultivation hollow, she had no other alternative.
The man stared at her with fervent eyes, grinning. "What should I call you, Fairy? Anywhere you want me to guard you, I'm at your service~
"As for the payment..."
Bang!
Before the shrill whistle of displaced air could even arrive, a hand slapped the man across the face, sending him hurtling into the distance!
Like a kite with a snapped string, the man crashed through dozens of street stalls before violently smashing through a shop wall and finally coming to a halt.
Crash! Rumble! Bang!
Blood sprayed along his trajectory, and not a single one of his yellow teeth was spared as he slumped unconscious upon the ground...
Li Guanqi gave his hand a light flick. His expression was genial and his lips curved slightly, yet his overall presence carried an eerie, unearthly charm.
"How much are you paying? I'll consider accompanying you on this trip."
Qianqiusui stared in astonishment at the handsome figure before her, whose presence bore a faint touch of wicked charm, momentarily stunned.
Gazing into those purely white eyes, memories of the past suddenly rushed back to her.
A bitter smile touched her lips. How could the Yanluo Sword Venerable, whose fame shook the Six Domains, possibly appear here?
Even if it were him, that meager, pitiful past acquaintance between them was hardly worth his intervention, was it?
What was more, when people hunted Cao Yan back then, though she had not betrayed their location, she had not lent much of a hand either.
The opposing faction had been too formidable; for a modest auction house like hers to oppose them would have been suicidal.
Yet she could not see through this man before her, whose aura ran unfathomably deep.
After a moment's hesitation, Qianqiusui spoke softly.
"Three thousand high-grade spirit stones to accompany me to a certain place. Regardless of whether anything happens, the moment I walk out of there, the money is yours!"
This was already the absolute limit of what she could offer.
Had the matter not been so convoluted, she would never have been willing to come alone.
Li Guanqi curled his lip and nodded in agreement.
"Fine. Better than nothing."
Seeing his reluctant demeanor, Qianqiusui let out a sigh of relief.
Regardless, his strength was clearly superior to the previous fellow's.
Most importantly... he was far easier on the eyes than that other man.
"I am Qianqiusui. Might I ask how I should address you, Daoist friend?"
With both hands clasped behind his back, Li Guanqi smiled and replied, "Li Wuji."
The woman froze for a moment. Li Guanqi turned his head toward her, asking with a smile, "What is it?"
Qianqiusui shook her head with a smile.
"Nothing. I was just reminded of a... very formidable fellow.
"Let us go. Accompany me on a trip to Baizhang Prison!"
A sharp glint flashed through the depths of Li Guanqi's eyes. If he remembered correctly, the disciples who had been capturing the Purple Profound Ginseng in the mountain range earlier seemed to belong to Baizhang Prison.
Chapter 649