At that moment, everyone was looking at Li Guanqi as if looking at a monster.
Only now did they realize that he held far too many secrets...
So many that... he truly seemed like a monster.
It was as if there were nothing he did not know.
Reopening ruins for others was something no one in the world could achieve.
Not even old monsters in the Tribulation Transcendence Realm could do it!
On top of that, Li Guanqi casually produced Heaven-rank manuals, with none of them having any idea where he had obtained them.
And earlier, he had helped Gu Li achieve enlightenment in the Dao of talismans...
They all knew all too well that Li Guanqi knew nothing about crafting talismans!
A man who clearly knew nothing about crafting talismans, who did not even understand the meaning of talisman spirit runes, had actually helped a master of the talisman Dao achieve enlightenment...
And now, he had casually produced an ancient, long-lost grade-eight pill formula...
More importantly, this pill formula was something that had been stored directly in his sea of consciousness!
For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall grew rather bizarre. Li Guanqi clearly realized it as well.
He could only offer an awkward cough and an explanation. "Ahem... I found it back in a shattered secret realm.
"Do you... believe me?"
No one spoke. Only Ye Feng and Cao Yan exchanged a glance.
They knew that an independent space existed inside Li Guanqi's sword coffin, and this was very likely connected to it.
Yet neither of them said a word. Everyone had secrets.
There was no need to pry too deeply.
Meng Jiangchu gave Li Guanqi a deep look and said softly, "Kid, you should be more careful with things like this in the future. Don't let yourself be targeted by people with ill intent."
Li Guanqi smiled, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly.
In truth, he had done this deliberately; otherwise, he could easily have inscribed the pill formula onto a jade slip.
His role in helping Gu Li comprehend the Dao could never be concealed, so he might as well reveal a little something appropriately.
Besides, everyone here was trustworthy. Rather than having them harbor doubts and suspicions whenever such things happened in the future, it was better to proactively reveal a few things—leaving them to guess while keeping it ambiguous and leaving it unsaid.
As for the sword spirit, he would never expose her existence; at most, he would only say he had encountered some lucky chances.
Suddenly!
Li Guanqi caught sight of the complex look in Meng Jiangchu's eyes. The man twisted the azure ring on his finger.
An imperceptible sealing power suddenly enveloped him.
Meng Jiangchu's finger traced through the air, drawing a spiritual glow that only Li Guanqi could "see."
A line of small characters was startlingly conspicuous!
"Is there a remnant soul of an expert inside your body?"
"Is there any danger?"
Li Guanqi's breath hitched. He had not expected Meng Jiangchu to be so perceptive!
Relying merely on the clues from these few occurrences, he had actually guessed such a possibility.
Smiling, Li Guanqi shook his head, raised his hand, and wrote:
"No harm. Not a 'soul.'"
Meng Jiangchu's hand froze, and only then did he let out a slight breath of relief.
According to what Li Guanqi said, if it was not a case of possession by a remnant soul, there would be no danger.
Perhaps the boy had simply chanced upon the legacy of some mighty figure.
Otherwise, he could not explain how Li Guanqi's strength had advanced so rapidly.
Such an encounter—a grand fortune that could be met only by chance and never sought—was understandable.
The others also breathed a sigh of relief. Lu Kangnian had long known that Li Guanqi held many secrets, yet he had never thought to pry into them.
Some things... were best left tacitly understood.
After nearly a full shichen, Gu Changsheng, who was seated cross-legged on the floor, finally opened his eyes slowly.
A gleam flashed across his eyes as he marveled, "The methods of ancient alchemists are truly breathtaking...
"Young friend, I will likely need to take this pill formula back and study it with a few old fellows.
"Some of the natural treasures and spiritual herbs in it are things even I have never heard of. It is also possible that ancient names for certain herbs were different from what they are called today.
"Moreover, some of the concoction techniques in it differ as well.
"However, among the three thousand spiritual herbs in this formula, my private collection should be able to cover about eighty percent. The rest will require some searching.
"How about this? Why don't you come with me to the Gu clan and stay for a while? It just so happens that the seal on you will also require my constant supervision. What do you think?"
Li Guanqi furrowed his brows in thought, then turned to Meng Wanshu beside him with a grin.
"Wanshu, what do you think?"
Meng Wanshu answered coldly, "What is there for me to think? What do you mean, 'what do I think'?
"If you don't go, are you just going to wait for death? Why ask such pointless questions?"
She stood up, gave a slight bow to Gu Changsheng, and said, "Then we must trouble Senior Gu to arrange this matter. If there are herbs you need, please draw up a list for me.
"Afterward, my father can also see if he can use his connections to search for some."
Gu Changsheng laughed heartily. "Good, good, good! Rest assured, I will arrange everything as quickly as possible.
"Additionally... I see that these young friends are all close to breaking through to their next realms. Why not come stay at our Gu clan for a while together?"
Ye Feng was naturally overjoyed. This was a grade-eight sacred alchemist!
A grand figure not seen once in eight hundred years across the Six Domains! Being able to go was fantastic, and getting some free pills out of it—why wouldn't he jump at the chance?
"Then many thanks, Senior Gu! We brothers will be imposing upon you, so please bear with us."
Gu Changsheng was in high spirits. This pill formula had opened an unprecedented door to the Dao of alchemy for him.
From this formula alone, he could deduce several concoction techniques from ancient alchemists, reaping immense rewards.
With a wave of his broad sleeve, he said, "Good, then we set off at once!"
Li Guanqi spoke up: "Let's call the Fourth back and bring him along."
Turning to Gu Changsheng, he bowed and asked, "Senior, I have a friend across generations who is also an alchemist. Might I request a Void Shattering Pill for him?"
Gu Changsheng was in such a good mood that, let alone a Void Shattering Pill, he would willingly give even more precious pills as a favor to Li Guanqi.
Hearing that the person was an alchemist, his gaze casually brushed past Cao Yan, and he laughed heartily.
"Then call him over, young friend. It works out that we can all go together, and I can give him some pointers along the way."
Li Guanqi smiled, produced a jade slip, and sent a voice transmission to Sun Miao.
*Bang!*
A muffled boom sounded from the alchemy chamber, and black smoke billowed out through the gaps of the door.
A pitch-black little old man rushed out in an absolute frenzy of excitement. His primal energy surged, shaking away all the grime covering him.
He hastily changed into a fresh robe, his thrill beyond words.
Even as he flew through the air, he kept straightening his hair and robes.
"Grade eight! Guidance from a grade-eight alchemist!"
"The Gu clan, cultivation in an alchemy clan!"
"Good, good, good! This old man said back then that I hadn't judged the wrong person! Hahaha!"
Lu Kangnian also breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as he watched everyone prepare to depart.
He knew that once they returned from this trip, the cultivation realms of Ye Feng and the others would likely have achieved a complete breakthrough.
Li Guanqi winked at Lu Kangnian and sent a voice transmission: "Don't worry, Sect Master. I'll make sure to act like a bandit and bring back plenty of pill formulas and the like."
Lu Kangnian gave two light coughs, concealing the grin spreading across his lips behind his broad sleeve while secretly giving him a thumbs-up.
When Xiao Chen returned and saw the scene, he was utterly baffled. But upon hearing what had transpired earlier, he instantly jumped up and cursed,
"Damn it all, you brat actually dared to raise a hand against him?!"
Ye Feng grabbed hold of Xiao Chen and hurriedly sent a voice transmission: "Stop cursing, stop cursing! We're heading to the Gu clan to prepare for our breakthroughs. The Body Integration Pills are already taken care of."
Gu Li clasped his hands behind his back and looked at Xiao Chen with a radiant smile. "What did you say? Hmm? A little louder, please?"
The fury on Xiao Chen's face froze. Within a single breath, it shifted into a flattering smile, and he rubbed his hands together with a chuckle.
"What I meant was..."
Glancing back at Ye Feng and Cao Yan, he gritted his teeth and grinned. "Splendid strike! Brother Gu's prowess overshadows all; his martial skills are superb!"
Cao Yan burst out laughing, only to turn and see the corner of Ye Feng's mouth twitching.
"If he manages to become my brother-in-law, I'll call *him* Brother!"
Before leaving, Li Guanqi also brought along Pengluo and Jiuxiao.
After all, their stay this time would not be short, and he would not feel at ease leaving the two behind.
Yet, as the group sped through the void, Li Guanqi felt a sudden stir of intuition. He took out a flask of wine.
Facing a distant patch of empty space, he raised the wine and drank deeply!
Atop a mountain peak, looking up at the bright moon overhead, Li Congxin smiled faintly. He downed the fiery wine, smashed the wine flask, and rose, soaring away on his sword.
Chapter 857