Yet just after Li Guanqi spoke those words, a sudden feeling stirred within him.
Red Lotus had sent him an astonishing message...
It... actually wanted to devour the Moonlock Sword!!
Li Guanqi answered via telepathy, "All right!"
*Clang!*
A ringing sword cry suddenly resonated, startling everyone present.
Immediately following, a massive black sword coffin abruptly manifested, striking the ground with a heavy thud.
The sword Yanluo trembled slightly, humming in a low tone.
Yet right after, the sword coffin gave off a terrifying aura that struck dread into Yanluo!
Li Guanqi looked at Moonlock in his hand. Though he felt reluctant to part with it, Moonlock paled in comparison to Red Lotus.
He was more than willing to sacrifice Moonlock if it meant restoring Red Lotus to its prime!
Moonlock shot into the sword coffin, where Red Lotus pinned it down like an overbearing brute, holding it in an iron grip.
Li Song rose slowly to his feet, reeking of alcohol.
Meanwhile, Lu Kangnian had long prepared a pocket realm for Li Guanqi.
Inside this realm, Li Guanqi had no need to worry about cultivation resources.
As long as Li Song could absorb them, Lu Kangnian was willing to empty his coffers to supply him!
All Li Song had to do was push his cultivation realm as frantically as possible in this short window of time.
The sword coffin shot forward, plunging straight into the earth of the pocket realm.
Right after, a terrifying formation with a different flow of time from the outside world roared to life.
The shortcoming of this formation was equally glaring: it burned money.
Faced with such an astronomical consumption of spirit stones, Lu Kangnian merely waved his hand with a laugh. "Doesn't matter. Burn them!"
He naturally understood the immense psychological pressure Li Guanqi and the others shouldered under this wager.
If he, as the sect master, could not even solve a minor issue like this for them, he would be utterly useless.
Li Guanqi took out a jade slip and spoke softly, "Father-in-law, I might... need your help."
Meng Jiangchu's grave voice came through. "I already know about the Lu clan. Tell me, what do you need?"
Looking at the brothers before him, Li Guanqi grinned. "I need you to forge three ruins artifacts for me!"
"What kind of ruins artifacts?"
"A sword, a spear, and a pair of gauntlets!"
"Have them come over right now!"
Inside the Domain Lord's palace, Meng Jiangchu slowly rose, rolled up his sleeves, took a deep breath, and said in a low, resonant voice:
"Light the furnace! Begin the forging!!"
Li Changqing immediately bowed and set about arranging everything. Meng Jiangchu frowned slightly, murmuring under his breath,
"Kid, you're betting pretty big this time. You'd better win!"
"That is the Lu clan, after all..."
Li Guanqi took a deep breath. The sword spirit raised her hand, passing three motes of spiritual light to him.
With a wave of his hand, Li Guanqi sent the three glowing spheres drifting toward the trio, murmuring, "These three cultivation manuals are the matching secret arts of your ruins artifacts' former masters."
"As for their rank... well, they surpass what exists in our Spirit Realm."
"I imagine we won't fully comprehend them until after we ascend."
"Third Brother, this is the fist technique *Firmament Shatterer*. Once you reach the Shenbao Domain, go into secluded cultivation immediately to grasp it."
"Old Ye, this is the sword art *Nine Shura Slashes*. It aligns well with your current power."
"Fourth Brother, this is the spear technique *Raging Flame Spear Art*. You need to work hard on it too!"
Excitement washed over the three men's faces. They had no idea where Li Guanqi had obtained so many Heaven-rank cultivation manuals.
They all knew Li Guanqi had his secrets, and that he never seemed to lack for powerful arts and manuals.
Without speaking a word of inquiry, an unspoken understanding passed between them. They stood, received their respective manuals, and nodded heavily.
"Alright, the three of you hurry up and get over to the Shenbao Domain. While you're at it, check on your sister-in-law for me."
Ye Feng nodded and asked softly, "Boss, now that we're leaving, the Ancient Clans won't take advantage of this time to strike, will they?"
"And... what about the fifth person?"
"Are you planning to go find him?"
Xiao Chen shrugged. "Big Brother, is that Zhou Shiyu really that fierce?"
Cao Yan chuckled. "Anyone who earns Big Brother's regard won't be weaker than you, at least."
Hearing that, Xiao Chen immediately took offense. "Third Brother, I don't like the sound of that."
"I might not be able to beat Second Brother, but against you... I might just give you a run for your money."
Cao Yan curled his lip and did not dispute it. Fair was fair—pretty boy Xiao Chen truly was remarkably strong.
Watching the three prepare to step onto the teleportation array, Li Guanqi suddenly sent a voice transmission: "Fourth Brother, do you want to have your mother move your entire clan to the Great Xia Sword Sect?"
Xiao Chen scratched his head. "I'm the family head. Why would I need to ask my mother?"
"It's not a bad idea. I'll arrange it. Just find us a small mountain within the Great Xia Sword Sect's territory."
"If anyone steps out of line, don't hesitate to kill them, Big Brother. Show no mercy."
Li Guanqi smiled faintly. This fellow...
"Alright, off you go."
Ye Feng said gravely, "Boss, we're heading out then. Take care of yourself, and send word if anything comes up."
Light flashed, and the three vanished.
Meanwhile, in the Meng clan's territory within the Shenbao Domain, fire-elemental primal energy surged wildly, throwing everyone into a frenzy.
Word had spread that the Domain Lord intended to forge three top-tier ruins artifacts in a single go. People were beginning to wonder if he had lost his mind lately.
Yet Meng Jiangchu had no idea that the Moonlock Sword, which he had poured his blood and sweat into forging, was about to be fed to another blade by Li Guanqi...
Li Guanqi had not dared to utter a word of it to him.
Once the trio departed, Li Guanqi flashed in a single step to the side of the teleportation array.
The elder guarding the array immediately bowed upon seeing him. "Greetings, Elder Li."
Li Guanqi nodded with a smile and said softly, "Thank you for your hard work."
With a step, he vanished into the transmission passage. At the other end lay the Six Ancient Sacred Sect of the Daochan Domain!
Currently, the Six Ancient Sacred Sect was a scene of crumbling ruins and broken walls, its mountain gates devastated.
Yet the six thousand-foot stone gates that ought to have stood proudly on the mountain peaks were now hovering in midair, exuding a heavy, suffocating pressure.
Across the mountains, one could occasionally spot torn shreds of cloth, dark crimson blood, and lingering traces of demonic qi.
Swaths of towering ancient trees had collapsed, and marks of fierce combat covered the land.
Li Guanqi let out a soft sigh. Had Xi Yunhuai not rushed over back then, the entire Six Ancient Sacred Sect would surely have been bathed in blood.
When Xi Yunhuai returned, he had actually suffered some injuries.
Yet Xi Yunhuai was no longer the arrogant, haughty man he had once been.
He truly saw himself as Li Guanqi's subordinate now; a few injuries meant nothing to him.
The moment Li Guanqi appeared, Gu Huai sensed his aura.
He immediately led the upper echelon of the Six Ancient Sacred Sect out to receive him. The moment the old man saw Li Guanqi, he hurried forward!
He barked in a deep voice, "Pay respects to Elder Li!"
*Swish! Swish!*
Not just the elders, but every disciple of the Six Ancient Sacred Sect stopped what they were doing.
With solemn expressions, they bowed deeply in Li Guanqi's direction.
Gu Huai cried out in a clear, booming voice, "The entire Six Ancient Sacred Sect expresses its deepest gratitude for the Great Xia Sword Sect's righteousness in extending a helping hand during our darkest hour!"
"This kindness shall forever be etched into the heart of the Six Ancient Sacred Sect!!"
Li Guanqi gently lifted his hand, raising everyone to their feet with his power, and said softly, "Since I declared back then that our two sects are allies, I would not forsake my promise over trivial matters."
"Regardless of whether the Great Xia Sword Sect grows even mightier, the Six Ancient Sacred Sect remains our ally. How could we stand by and watch?"
Gu Huai could not help marveling inwardly, certain that a man like Li Guanqi was destined to become a towering giant of the world.
He took the initiative to explain, "Daoist Li, please do not blame Shiyu for not coming out. He was grievously injured and remains unconscious. It is truly..."
Li Guanqi frowned slightly and said in a low voice, "Take me to see him. If too much demonic qi has accumulated in his body, it could become very troublesome!"
Internally, however, he cursed, *This kid isn't doing this on purpose, is he?!*
Chapter 780