A sharp gleam abruptly flashed deep within Li Changqing's eyes as he looked at the youth before him.
The fine hairs on the old man's arms bristled slightly, and he gave Li Guanqi a deep, searching look.
A soft sigh escaped his lips. Hearing it, Li Guanqi chuckled.
"Elder Li, why the sigh?"
Li Changqing walked ahead, ignoring the question, and muttered to himself, "Getting old... truly getting old."
The old man said this because in that very moment, he had sensed an inexplicable feeling of danger from Li Guanqi!
Li Guanqi had been practicing his swordsmanship while traversing the void earlier, and the lingering resonance of his sword intent had yet to fully dissipate.
Li Changqing had picked up on it keenly. He simply could not fathom why...
Every time he went without seeing Li Guanqi for a while, the young man would emerge stronger. Furthermore, this increase in strength was not a rise in cultivation realm,
but a palpable, undeniable surge in sheer might.
Strength—a fundamental shift in true combat prowess...
Though he was clearly still in the exact same realm as before, one could distinctly feel that this person had grown vastly more formidable.
Li Guanqi smiled and said nothing, merely taking care to rein in his aura.
Looking at the clan disciples hurrying about in the vicinity and the clan patrols pacing continuously, Li Guanqi felt that the entire Meng clan was enveloped in a tense atmosphere. Furthermore, the fire-element spiritual qi in the air had grown exceptionally dense and volatile.
"Elder Li, why haven't I seen Uncle Meng?"
Li Changqing glanced back at him and snapped crossly, "Aren't you asking what you already know? The Domain Lord reopened his furnace to forge an artifact for you, and the whole Meng clan has been running ragged over this lately."
Seeing the weariness deep in the old man's eyes, Li Guanqi felt rather embarrassed.
He hastily fetched two jars of fine wine and offered them over. "Aiyo... calm your anger, please, let the anger subside, venerable sir."
Li Changqing had initially intended to put on airs and decline, but the twitch of his nose betrayed him; he truly could not resist the aroma of the vintage.
Reaching out to take the jars, he lowered his voice. "Where did you get such fine wine?"
Li Guanqi glanced around, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "I made a trip to the Luoxia Domain. They brew good wine over there, and it took me quite a bit of effort to buy this spiritual wine."
Li Changqing rolled his eyes. Only a ghost would believe him.
"By the way, Elder Li, how is Wanshu doing? It's been so long, yet there's still no word."
The old man curled his lip and retorted, "What's your rush, brat? The Domain Lord is right here, so what could possibly go wrong? For someone in the Void Refining Realm, isn't it perfectly normal to go into seclusion for a hundred or so years? Not to mention that girl Wanshu might be breaking through to the Body Integration Realm."
The moment the words left his mouth, the old man suddenly shot Li Guanqi an odd look.
"Don't tell me you've never been in a lengthy seclusion before?!"
Li Guanqi said with a rather unnatural expression, "I have. A full half-month..."
Li Changqing's face darkened. Stowing the wine jars away, he handed Li Guanqi a special jade slip.
"I'm done with you. I still have a pile of chores to handle. Go wander around on your own."
Watching the old man's receding figure, Li Guanqi suddenly felt as if the vast world held not the slightest place for him to stay.
He looked back toward the Meng clan's rear mountain, then vanished from the domain.
Li Guanqi went to the town at the foot of the mountain, bought a substantial herd of livestock along with a variety of vegetable seeds, and only then returned to the domain.
He paid a visit to the rear mountain to see Aunt Li. Each call of "Mother-in-law" made the woman beam with utter delight.
When she saw the gathering of livestock and seeds, she grinned from ear to ear, repeatedly praising Li Guanqi for being so thoughtful.
After enjoying a sumptuous meal, Li Guanqi finally took his leave.
Soaring through the sky, the Meng clan disciples and patrol squads along the way all paused in their tracks to salute him.
Leaving aside his standing, Li Guanqi's own formidable strength and honorary title were plain for all to see, and that alone was more than enough to make every one of them stop in respectful deference.
Li Guanqi pondered for a moment, retrieved a jade slip, and spoke into it: "Come find me at the Xiao clan."
Tearing open the spatial fabric of the domain, the jade slip at Li Guanqi's waist glimmered with faint light, and his figure vanished from the spot.
In the center of an expanse of verdant mountains brimming with spiritual qi lay an exceedingly bizarre, unique domain.
Dense clusters of severed heads floated outside the entrance of the domain, six of which were particularly conspicuous.
The spatial rift leading into the domain was devoid of any defensive ward or barrier, hanging wide open like an unlocked gate.
Two Xiao clan cultivators stood guard before the opening.
Catching sight of a white speck approaching at rapid speed from the distance, they instantly bellowed, "The Xiao Clan Domain—outsiders halt!"
Yet the moment they made out who had arrived, expressions of profound gratitude broke across their faces. Overjoyed, they flew out from the domain and bowed deeply in salute.
"Greetings, Yanluo Sword Venerable!"
"Greetings, Yanluo Sword Venerable!"
Li Guanqi nodded with a smile and asked softly, "Has anyone come looking for trouble with the Xiao clan lately?"
The two middle-aged men exchanged a glance. The resolute-faced man among them pointed to the severed heads floating behind them.
"With these things here, they're enough to deter plenty of petty scoundrels. Not a soul has dared come stir up trouble for the Xiao clan."
Li Guanqi nodded and sped past the pair.
Just as he stepped inside the domain, Xiao Chen came walking toward him.
By now, much of the gloom in Xiao Chen's eyes had dispersed. He looked at Li Guanqi and smiled.
"Big Brother, you didn't even send word when you got back."
Li Guanqi punched his shoulder with a grin. "What? I can't come without giving advance notice?"
"Haha, how could that be? You're always welcome, of course you're welcome!"
Li Guanqi said with a smile, "Find us a place where we can talk business. Someone will be arriving shortly."
Xiao Chen nodded and walked alongside him. "Let's head straight to my detached courtyard, then."
No sooner had the two of them sat down than Li Guanqi smiled. "Pass down word: our guests have arrived."
*Buzz!*
Atop the mountain peak outside the domain, a pitch-black spatial rift suddenly split open, and an elder and a young woman slowly stepped out from the rift.
Song Yunshu was startled at the sight of the dense cluster of severed heads at the domain entrance.
As before, the drop-dead gorgeous woman was dressed in a tight-fitting purple robe, richly embroidered with intricate patterns of gold thread.
She wore a pair of exquisite white jade earrings, and a touch of coquettish charm lingered in her eyes.
"This... just how many people were slaughtered here...?"
Behind her stood a hunched old man with dry, grizzled hair and murky, dim eyes that made him resemble a blind man.
Dressed in a loose black robe, the elder possessed a high-bridged nose, thin lips, and slightly prominent cheekbones.
He merely cast an indifferent glance over the severed heads, without the slightest ripple of emotion in his eyes, and rasped, "Let us proceed. Once the goods are delivered, we must head back."
A gleam of slyness flashed in Song Yunshu's eyes. She looked back at the elder and smiled playfully, "Elder Tu, it might just be the three of us returning this time."
A sharp glint suddenly pierced the elder's murky gaze. His voice remained calm as he said, "It seems the Old Pavilion Master gave you separate instructions after all..."
With those words, the two proceeded one after the other toward the Xiao Clan Domain.
The two guards at the entrance had already received orders, and they respectfully and cautiously guided the pair flying swiftly toward Xiao Chen's courtyard.
Li Guanqi had no inkling that his plan to return swiftly to the Great Xia Sword Sect had just gone up in smoke.
Chapter 671