A Coup? Is That All?

"Pavilion Master, a few of us discussed it and wondered if we might meet?" "The ruins of the Four Towers are still there, and many people have complained that handling pavilion business has become inconvenient. What do you think... should the Four Towers be rebuilt?" A mocking smile appeared on Li Guanqi's face. "Fine by me. Let's meet in the Deliberation Hall." With those words, Li Guanqi stepped out, vanishing from the courtyard and heading straight for the White Tower! He wanted to see what kind of game these people were trying to play today! *It's only been seven days, and they already can't hold back...* When he arrived at the Deliberation Hall, the four of them were already seated inside. Seeing him enter, not a single one of them rose to greet him. Li Guanqi didn't mind. He walked straight toward the head seat. At this point, only a thin sheet of paper separated them from an open feud. Neither side needed to save face for the other. As Li Guanqi walked, he sneered inwardly. *So, they're here to stage a coup...* Looking at the men before him, the corners of Li Guanqi's mouth curled slightly. He found this immensely entertaining. His gaze casually swept over Tu Yongsi and Yuan Hongyi, deepening his smile by a few degrees. As for Ji Yuchuan, he already had a few guesses in mind. Only when looking at Jiang Yi did his eyes carry three parts mockery and seven parts pity. At this moment, Li Guanqi felt an indescribable stir of emotion. He felt as if the men before him were truly putting on a magnificent show for his entertainment!! The moment Li Guanqi sat down, Jiang Yi could hardly wait to speak up. The old man leaned back in his chair, not even looking at Li Guanqi as he spoke softly. "Pavilion Master, there isn't actually much to say regarding today's meeting." "It's just that... we old fellows diligently dedicated a thousand years of our lives to your predecessors." "Now that we've suddenly been left with nothing to do, we find ourselves rather unaccustomed to it!" Li Guanqi let out a cold laugh, picked at his fingernails, and replied, "Oh, that sounds wonderful. You can retire right away." Hearing this, Jiang Yi's cheek twitched uncontrollably. By all accounts, shouldn't Li Guanqi have asked what their thoughts were?! Why wasn't he following the script?! Jiang Yi coughed lightly twice and said, "Heh, what the four of us mean is... we hope to restore the Four Towers!" "You see... you've already vented your anger previously, so it would be best to return things to how they were." Li Guanqi leaned forward slightly, his lifeless eyes fixing onto Jiang Yi with derision. "Based on what? Hmm?" "I had the ability to destroy the Four Towers, and I never intended to rebuild them." These words left Jiang Yi with no face whatsoever. *You bring me demands, and I'll reject you right to your face.* Beside him, Yuan Hongyi wore a grim expression, rolling two green jade beads in his hand as he sneered. "Old Jiang, why bother being so polite with him at this point?" Turning his head toward Li Guanqi, he spoke in a frigid tone. "If you lack the virtue for this station, move your ass out of the seat while you can. Right now, Tianji Pavilion is a complete mess. Since you can't run it properly, why force it?" Li Guanqi sneered, "Oh? Since when can people from the Yellow Tower point fingers at the pavilion's internal affairs?" "Fat bastard, don't stretch your hands too far." Fury surged within the man. The purpose of their coup today was to drive Li Guanqi out once and for all! Yuan Hongyi rose in fury, pointing an accusing finger at Li Guanqi as he barked, "Li Guanqi! Don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" "Either you leave Tianji Pavilion right now—this isn't a place where you can meddle—" "Or else—" While still seated, Li Guanqi suddenly manifested a dagger of lightning in his left hand and abruptly lunged forward!! His left arm swept through the air like a bolt of lightning! Arcs of thunder flashed, and one of Yuan Hongyi's fingers was cleanly severed on the spot. Rising to his feet, Li Guanqi flipped his wrist, spun the blade into a reverse grip, and slammed it viciously down onto the tabletop! *Bang!!* A deafening crash erupted, and the tabletop—measuring over twenty zhang in length—instantly shattered into countless spreading fractures! Yuan Hongyi's entire right hand was smashed into a mangled pulp of flesh and blood, the horrifying lightning charring his palm black. His hand was pinned firmly to the desk! "Ahhh!!! Li Guanqi!! You're courting death!!" Tu Yongsi and Jiang Yi sprang up in shock! Only Ji Yuchuan remained seated in his chair. Yet after merely a breath, he let out a soft sigh and slowly stood up as well. In an instant, the atmosphere inside the hall grew suffocatingly heavy. The pressure of several powerful figures subtly collided within the room. Li Guanqi's eyes coldly swept across their faces. He slowly sat back down, leaned against the chair, crossed his hands, and sneered, "Do you... share his sentiments as well?" Seeing that no one spoke, the mockery in Li Guanqi's voice grew even sharper. "Is this your grand coup?" None of them replied, their expressions turning exceedingly grim. Li Guanqi continued, "How utterly pathetic... is that all?" "Did you think that ordering your subordinates not to report to me would force my hand?" With a cold laugh, Li Guanqi raised his hand and unfurled the true Tianji Chart! In a flash, the hundred-zhang scroll expanded, enveloping all four of them within it!! Layer upon layer of imagery unfurled, displaying every single detail contained within the White Tower's Tianji Chart. Li Guanqi scoffed, "Even if you keep me in the dark, what of it? Everything—down to the very last detail—is under my control and surveillance!" "I can even forcibly alter the orders you issue! Annoyed? Did you never see that coming?" The moment these words fell, the faces of the men below looked as foul as if they had swallowed filth! They had originally believed their little game of feigned compliance would leave Li Guanqi thoroughly overwhelmed. That was precisely why they had rushed so impatiently to stage this confrontation. If Li Guanqi retreated in the face of difficulties and delegated authority back to them, they wouldn't need to proceed to the next step. After all, once they truly took that step, it would be like an arrow loosed from the bow—there would be no turning back. Yet now, Li Guanqi was looking at all of them as though they were nothing more than clownish fools! Li Guanqi sat in his chair, completely devoid of fear. Since things had reached this point, he no longer had any interest in playing along with these old bastards. If they wanted to throw sand into his rice bowl, they couldn't blame him for smashing the entire pot!! If they didn't want to play... then no one would play!! Li Guanqi turned a chilling gaze toward Tu Yongsi and spoke slowly. "You've hidden yourself quite well... Even Jiang Yi and Yuan Hongyi thought you were just a minor follower trailing behind them." The old man fixed his cloudy eyes firmly on Li Guanqi and said softly, "I don't know what you're talking about." "I'm merely a minor figure. As for the position of Pavilion Master... any of the Four Tower Masters could sit there, except you." Li Guanqi burst into unrestrained, mocking laughter. Laughing, he clapped his hands and said, "Splendid, truly splendid. What a noble veteran elder, considering the greater good of Tianji Pavilion." As he spoke, Li Guanqi threw the evidence of Tu Yongsi secretly raising his own death-sworn forces right onto the table. "These things are useless on their own; you could easily claim that training these death-sworn warriors was intended for the Tianji Guard." Tu Yongsi's expression didn't waver in the slightest as he murmured, "That is indeed the case." Li Guanqi looked at them, let out a sneer, and turned to Jiang Yi. "Did you think that as the Purple Tower Master, you were exceptionally clever?" "Did you think everything was within your grasp?" The corners of Li Guanqi's mouth curved slightly, his eyes dripping with thick, mocking amusement.