Within the teleportation passage, Li Guanqi asked, "Where is the Tianji Pavilion's headquarters located?"
Tu Yongsi glanced up at Li Guanqi. The fact that he even had to ask suggested he rarely paid attention to such matters in ordinary times.
Song Yunshu, however, was not surprised by his reaction. A soft smile graced her lips as she replied softly, "The Daochan Domain!"
Li Guanqi nodded. It was within his expectations.
Among the Six Domains, the Luoxia Domain was already exceedingly far from the Great Xia Domain. Yet there was only one domain that lay at a vast distance from all the others: the Daochan Domain.
Rumors said the Daochan Domain was a continent floating upon the sea. Though it was similarly boundless—comparable even in size to the Great Xia Domain—it was simply too remote...
So much so that many cultivators never set foot in the Daochan Domain in their entire lives.
Even now, having reached the Void Refining Realm, Li Guanqi had never imagined he would one day visit it.
Curious, Li Guanqi asked, "Is it true what they say, that in the Daochan Domain it's remarkably easy to commune with heaven and earth and enter an epiphany?"
Song Yunshu could not help but smile. "It's not quite that exaggerated. The Daochan Domain merely has certain places imbued with divine resonance where entering an epiphany is easier. And every single one of those places has long been cordoned off by the major clans and factions."
Li Guanqi curled his lip. He had thought the Daochan Domain was truly as miraculous as the rumors claimed.
Feeling the rhythmic ripples surging through the teleportation passage, Li Guanqi estimated that reaching the Daochan Domain would take at least seven days.
That was by no means a short time...
One had to keep in mind that this was a targeted teleportation passage constructed by a teleportation scroll. Not to mention that the scrolls in Song Yunshu's hands were of an exceptional grade, each one of priceless worth.
Li Guanqi sat cross-legged on the floor, pointed to the empty space before him, and said with a smile, "Sit down and tell me what the situation is with the Tianji Pavilion right now. Let me listen first to see if I can just play the slacker and coast through my time there once I arrive. And also... how long exactly will I have to take charge of the Tianji Pavilion?"
Song Yunshu gathered her skirt and sat opposite Li Guanqi. With an unnatural look on her face, she said, "At the shortest, a month or so. At the longest..."
The corner of Li Guanqi's mouth twitched. "So if Elder Gu never comes out of seclusion, I'm stuck trapped inside the Tianji Pavilion indefinitely?"
Song Yunshu nodded rather awkwardly, then quickly added, "Rest assured, during this time all your cultivation resources will be fully covered by the Tianji Pavilion! And whatever you desire, as long as it isn't completely outrageous, the Tianji Pavilion will provide it for you! Even if... you want to take some resources back to the Great Xia Sword Sect."
Li Guanqi shook his head and said softly, "I don't have much interest in those things. I can earn spirit stones myself, and if worse comes to worst, hunting demonic beasts every day is enough to support my cultivation. None of that holds much appeal for me. If anything... it's far too restrictive."
Song Yunshu kept her head lowered in silence. She knew that asking this was indeed forcing someone's hand to some extent.
Li Guanqi pondered for a long while before speaking quietly. "Three years. I can only stay in the Tianji Pavilion for three years at most!"
Song Yunshu pursed her lips, her teary eyes gazing at Li Guanqi.
Li Guanqi's expression remained calm as he said, "You know what the situation in the Six Domains is like right now. The Abyss Demons have thrown everyone into panic. Furthermore, the 'Sha' organization is causing chaos everywhere, and I suspect their ambitions run very deep. In three years, Wanshu will also be completing her seclusion. That is the absolute limit of what I can accept."
Li Guanqi spoke solely from his own perspective, without sparing much thought for Song Yunshu's feelings. In his view, whatever happened to her had nothing to do with him. Had he not wanted to observe how the Tianji Pavilion operated, he likely wouldn't have agreed in the first place.
The old man who had remained silent behind them suddenly spoke up. "Fine! Three years it is!"
Song Yunshu turned anxiously to the old man. "Elder Tu! Three years... Grandfather might not have broken through by then. What will we do then..."
Tu Yongsi opened his turbid eyes, a sharp glint in his gaze. "If that time truly comes, this old man will simply assist Miss in taking the position!"
Though the elder spoke with resolute conviction, Li Guanqi caught a flicker of worry in Song Yunshu's eyes. It seemed the old man before him was by no means the strongest figure in the Tianji Pavilion. Which made sense—if he were the strongest, he could simply suppress everyone through brute force.
Before the young woman's emotions could churn further, Li Guanqi spoke up. "Come on, tell me about the current situation."
Song Yunshu looked at Li Guanqi, a trace of grievance in her eyes. She felt he truly lacked romance and sentiment. Anyone else would have leaped at the chance to show off and take everything onto their shoulders. Yet on second thought, perhaps it was precisely this temperament of Li Guanqi's that unconsciously drew her to him.
As for the relationship between him and Meng Wanshu, niece of the Shenbao Domain Lord, she was naturally aware of it. But in the cultivation world, having multiple Dao companions was all too common. Even mortal emperors had three thousand beauties in their harems, and princes and ministers possessed throngs of wives and concubines. If she could be with Li Guanqi, she wouldn't even mind being a concubine. Yet from the look of it, Li Guanqi had no interest in her whatsoever.
*Rip!*
In her fluster, Song Yunshu's fidgeting fingers actually tore the corner of her hem. Li Guanqi pretended not to notice. Composing her posture at once, Song Yunshu began to explain the current situation in the Tianji Pavilion in detail.
The elder at the side was no longer resting with his eyes closed. Instead, he sat quietly listening to her account. Whenever there were details Song Yunshu was unclear on, the elder would chime in from time to time. Song Yunshu was oblivious to the connections between certain high-ranking figures, but the old man helped untangle their intricate ties.
As Li Guanqi listened, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper. The relationships between these individuals were an utter mess. Many were clearly on opposing sides, yet shared private interests behind closed doors; meanwhile, some overt allies were riddled with private rifts.
Li Guanqi gave the black-robed elder a deep look. To think this old man could sort out the relationships of so many people with such clarity.
"Elder Tu, what are you in charge of within the pavilion?"
Tu Yongsi turned to Li Guanqi and said softly, "The Tianji Guard."
Li Guanqi's heart gave a jolt. He had not expected this plain-looking elder to be in charge of the Tianji Pavilion's Tianji Guard!
Li Guanqi nodded silently. Then, spiritual light flashed at his fingertips, conjuring a blank Go board before him.
Upon it were three black stones, each keeping the other two in check. Around the periphery of these three black stones lay numerous other black stones, representing the largest branches of the three factions within the Tianji Pavilion.
Holding a single white stone, Li Guanqi placed it on the edge of the board.
Li Guanqi's brow remained tightly knitted. What he had to do was rely on the limited stones in his hand to capture every single black stone!
Yet the disparity in strength between the two sides was vast. Frowning slightly, Li Guanqi murmured softly, "This game is going to be rather difficult..."
Chapter 675