Li Guanqi kept his hands clasped behind his back, devoid of any expression.
Beside him, Gu Huai shouted reprimands repeatedly, yet none of them could stop the elder from babbling on, meticulously cataloging all the disastrous consequences of Li Guanqi's actions.
Li Guanqi's gaze slowly settled on the elder, an icy glint of killing intent flashing through his eyes.
In a calm voice, he said, "Old relic, why don't you make a wager..."
Tu Sisheng sneered upon hearing this.
"Things have come to this, and you still want to gamble? Death is staring you in the face and you don't even realize it... Do you have any idea how powerful an Ancient Clan is?"
"A wager? Heh, a wager on what?"
A crimson light flared in Li Guanqi's palm. Before anyone could react, an icy sword light flashed across the air and vanished in an instant.
Terrifying spatial power locked the elder in place, nearly crushing his body to pieces!
"Heaven Breaker: Demon Subduer!!"
Pfft!
A frigid sword light swept across the void, cleanly cleaving a mountain behind him in two at its waist!
The elder's head flew high into the air as a geyser of blood erupted!
This sight dumbfounded everyone present!
It was one thing for Li Guanqi to slaughter the Sun clan members, but how could he go and kill an elder of the Six Ancient Sacred Sect too?!
"Hiss... This man is far too volatile!"
"He's... so sinister! Doing whatever he pleases..."
Li Guanqi's voice slowly rang out at that moment.
"Wager on whether I would kill you. Evidently... you bet that I wouldn't."
Clang!
Red Lotus slid back into the sword coffin. The moment the onlookers saw the massive black sword coffin, the expressions of many among them shifted slightly.
Clearly, several cultivators had already guessed Li Guanqi's identity!
The title of Yanluo Sword Venerable had long since spread throughout the Six Domains, and many had heard of him.
After all, any single deed Li Guanqi had committed was enough to leave people jaw-dropped.
The several elders standing near Li Guanqi wore varying expressions, yet none of them said a word.
Gu Huai raised a hand, storing away the headless corpse, and let out a soft sigh.
Li Guanqi turned to the old man with a playful look and spoke softly.
"Senior Gu, you don't blame me?"
With a face weathered by age, Gu Huai shook his head with a bitter, helpless smile.
"Why would I blame you... From the moment I stepped forth when Shiyu came up the mountain, I had already prepared for the worst.
"If I were willing to swallow my pride and endure the humiliation, I wouldn't have shown myself at all!"
Li Guanqi nodded in profound agreement. "It is precisely because people like him exist that a sect's spine turns soft."
A sharp light glinted in Gu Huai's cloudy eyes, his tone turning cold.
"Indeed... Once some people get on their knees, they can never stand up again! Hmph!"
Gu Huai gave a cold snort, then said softly, "Let us go. We'll leave the matters here for our subordinates to handle. Let's head inside first."
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Gu Huai carefully used spatial power to shift Zhou Shiyu away. The cultivators still waiting to enter the Dao Comprehension Platform finally breathed sighs of relief.
However, quite a few were already having second thoughts.
Fearing that the Sun clan would come seeking vengeance and drag them into the crossfire, they chose to leave early.
Yet many others heard that the Six Ancient Sacred Sect was maintaining the original entrance fee, and the bolder among them paid immediately, soaring off toward the Dao Comprehension Platform.
Within the grand sect hall of the Six Ancient Sacred Sect, only a handful of people were permitted to sit.
Counting Gu Huai, there were only six in total.
Li Guanqi noticed that the patterns on the robes worn by the other five elders each had subtle differences.
After Gu Huai briefly introduced them, it turned out as expected—they were the masters of the six divisions.
The sect's hierarchy was somewhat similar to that of the Great Xia Sword Sect; the six division masters were akin to the peak lords of the Great Xia Sword Sect.
Gu Huai's face turned solemn as he commanded in a deep voice, "Rise!"
Sitting beside Gu Huai, Li Guanqi was somewhat puzzled, but the other five had already risen to their feet!
Gu Huai looked toward Li Guanqi with a solemn expression and spoke deeply.
"Today, everyone in the Six Ancient Sacred Sect, from top to bottom, is endlessly grateful to the Sword Venerable for your assistance!
"Please accept our bow!"
Sitting in his chair, Li Guanqi slowly stood up, received their bow, and lightly cupped his hands in return.
"Think nothing of it. It was merely a twist of fate, and I acted as circumstances demanded."
The elders smiled and took their seats. Li Guanqi then asked casually, "What are the Six Ancient Sacred Sect's plans for the future?"
Gu Huai tucked his hands into his sleeves as he sat, his eyes flashing with a sharp glint as he murmured softly.
"After what happened today, the Sun clan will inevitably send people. With our current strength, we are simply no match for them.
"I intend to lead the Six Ancient Sacred Sect into seclusion for the time being!
"On the one hand, it is to avoid the Sun clan and their retaliation.
"On the other, it will allow us to focus on raising the strength of our disciples. Troubled times are coming... Only by becoming strong can we face whatever lies ahead!"
At this point, the old man sighed with a look of envy. "I truly envy your sect master for having such an exceptional disciple like you."
Li Guanqi smiled, casting a playful glance toward the well-protected spatial domain behind them.
"The Six Ancient Sacred Sect is already blessed to have him."
Gu Huai looked at Zhou Shiyu with heartache in his eyes and whispered, "It was all thanks to you, Sword Venerable. If not for you... I truly wouldn't have known what to do."
With that, the old man slowly stood and presented a green jade pendant shaped like a stone gate with both hands.
"This is the key to the Six Ancient Sacred Sect's top-tier Dao Comprehension Platform. From this day forward, the Sword Venerable is a friend of our sect. You may visit whenever you wish!
"You may use the Dao Comprehension Platform for as long as you like!"
Li Guanqi was somewhat surprised. He had not expected the senior to be so generous.
Li Guanqi smiled. Had Gu Huai not been the kind of man willing to protect Zhou Shiyu, he might have been very disappointed.
After a moment's thought, Li Guanqi rose, accepted the jade pendant with both hands, and then presented a purple jade slip, speaking softly.
"If possible, I will ask my father-in-law to help build a cross-domain teleportation array between our two sects.
"That way, our sects can form an alliance and share our resources."
A sharp light flared in Gu Huai's eyes, but worry quickly overtook it. "Little Friend Li... isn't your sect located in the Great Xia Domain?
"Establishing a cross-domain teleportation array between the two sects... isn't that a bit unrealistic?"
Li Guanqi realized what he meant. The corners of his lips curled up into a slight smile, and he cupped his hands. "Ahem, this humble junior has little to boast of, but my father-in-law happens to be the Shenbao Domain Lord."
Gu Huai's expression turned exceedingly peculiar upon hearing this, shifting through a colorful array of emotions.
"Then... that is very realistic indeed..."
In just a few words, Li Guanqi had secured an incomparably powerful ally for the Great Xia Sword Sect.
Li Guanqi took a deep look at Zhou Shiyu, his eyes shining with sharp light.
Afterward, guided by one of the elders, he made his way toward the supreme Dao Comprehension Platform that only the six division masters knew about!
The three Dao Comprehension Platforms known to the outside world had merely absorbed the lingering divine resonance radiating from this very platform.
Once Li Guanqi departed, one of the elders looked at Gu Huai with a frown.
"Sect Master, as far as I know, the Great Xia Sword Sect is not very strong. Their sect master, Lu Kangnian, has only just broken through to the Void Refining Realm.
"Forming an alliance with such a sect... no matter how you look at it, we are on the losing end!"
Gu Huai looked deeply at the elder, then turned toward the direction in which Li Guanqi had disappeared and spoke softly.
"For the Great Xia Sword Sect, having a single Yanluo Sword Venerable is enough to usher in a grand resurgence!
"The losing end?
"Heh, just watch... Perhaps it may seem so in the short term, but as long as Li Guanqi is there, the rise of the Great Xia Sword Sect is inevitable!
"Moreover... the Shenbao Domain Lord is the Five Yang Ghost Emperor!!
"When the time comes and we spread this news, even the Sun clan will have to think twice before crossing us!"
Chapter 710