Li Guanqi pondered for a moment and did not refuse.
With this, he had three Profound Origin Sacred Soul Pills in his possession.
Just as Xiang Huaizhi had said, he had no intention of parting with this pill. Keeping it on hand meant it could prove immensely useful at an unexpected moment. Moreover, backed by both Guanyun Pavilion and the Great Xia Sword Sect, he was hardly strapped for cultivation resources. Rather than trading something so precious for money, he was better off holding onto it—it could always be traded for something else in the future.
Whoosh!
"Little Friend Li, this old man is named Zhong Sen! I hope to purchase one pill from your hands. Name your price!"
"Me! Me too!"
"Whatever price they offer, I will pay double!"
Li Guanqi felt a throbbing headache at the sudden clamor. In the end, he had to make it unmistakably clear that he had no intention of selling a single pill before the crowd finally backed down.
Even so, Li Guanqi received at least a dozen jade slips.
Furthermore, anyone qualified to step forward and present a jade slip to Li Guanqi was, at the very least, a seventh-grade alchemist!
Every single one of them was a titan in the wider world. Even Mahayana realm clans and sects would not lightly offend a seventh-grade alchemist, even if they were not eighth-grade. The sphere of influence allied with these figures was vast, and their networks of connections could only be described as terrifying.
Li Guanqi accepted their jade slips partly to establish an acquaintance and leave a line of communication open, partly to foster future cooperation between them and Guanyun Pavilion for mutual benefit, and most importantly, in hopes of using their extensive networks to track down Ye Feng's whereabouts.
Many in the crowd swarmed Gu Changsheng, longing to catch a true glimpse of the pill.
Gu Changsheng's eyes widened, but he ultimately could not withstand their badgering. He had no choice but to lay down a restrictive barrier, sealing the pill within for the alchemy-obsessed grandmasters to observe.
Gu Changsheng slung an arm around Gu Li, whom he had not seen in a long time, staring at him as he muttered, "Why do I feel like your strength has improved quite a bit, kid?"
The corner of Gu Li's mouth twitched, and he could not help but retort, "Why don't you try refining seven or eight hundred cauldrons of pills a day and see how you do?"
Gu Changsheng burst into hearty laughter, clearly in high spirits.
"Everyone, let us adjourn to the grand hall to rest! I will have a banquet prepared at once!"
Gu Li walked over to Li Guanqi's side and asked with genuine concern, "Feeling any better?"
Li Guanqi glanced at Gu Li and sent a quiet voice transmission. "A crack shattered across Second Brother's life-bound jade slip earlier."
Gu Li's pupils instantly shrank to needlepoints, yet he did not reveal the slightest outward change in expression. Remaining by Li Guanqi's side, he asked through a mental transmission, "Is he in danger?"
"The crack mended, but creeping demonic qi has overtaken thirty percent of his life-bound jade slip..."
Gu Li frowned and replied in transmission, "Then his divine soul was likely tainted by an exceedingly pure strain of demonic qi..."
Li Guanqi said softly, "Don't tell the other two... Right, didn't Tang Ru come with you? How are his injuries?"
Gu Li's expression hardened, and his voice turned solemn. "Right, Old Tang was taken away by that Vice Pavilion Master you stripped of his post, Ji Yuchuan! His strength far exceeded mine, and I was alone at the time—I couldn't stop him!"
Li Guanqi was momentarily taken aback, then looked at Gu Li and said softly, "Alright, I understand. Don't mention this to anyone else. In a moment, I'll find an opportunity to speak with you all in private."
Xiang Huaizhi approached Li Guanqi and said in an undertone, "I want to take Cao Yan and leave right now."
Li Guanqi froze slightly. After a brief hesitation, he said softly, "Give me half an hour. I need to explain a few things to them."
Xiang Huaizhi nodded. It was clear that he, too, was anxious to depart.
Li Guanqi could not resist asking, "Did something happen in the Seventh Domain recently?"
Xiang Huaizhi blinked, smacking his lips before answering in an uncertain tone, "It seems... probably... the Seventh Domain will be relatively peaceful for a while. Though their injuries are fairly severe, so they'll need to rest and recuperate for some time."
Li Guanqi breathed a slight sigh of relief and said softly, "Senior Xiang, Cao Yan is my brother in arms. I am not presuming to force you to accept him as an apprentice, but I truly hope you will be strict with him. My brothers aren't afraid of hardship... er, except for Xiao Chen. In any case, I still hope he can become your disciple."
A faint smile curled the corner of Xiang Huaizhi's mouth, and he chuckled softly. "Heh, that will depend on his own fortune. Let's make this clear first: I can only guarantee he stays alive. Missing an arm or a leg is practically guaranteed. And... once I take him away, you won't be able to find him."
At this point, Xiang Huaizhi's eyes flickered, and his voice paused briefly. "You should know that we Eight Generals have successors in reserve, and they will have the same ambition."
Li Guanqi nodded and said softly, "I know. I've met the candidate for Senior Nangong's Sword Head title, Qin Wushang. That fellow is formidable. Even the others I haven't met—I know they are all exceptionally strong." An indistinct gleam shone in Li Guanqi's eyes as he added softly, "However... I have always believed that my brothers are not a single fraction weaker than anyone else!"
To the side, Gu Li watched Li Guanqi fighting so earnestly for his brothers, his lips pursed in unreadable thought.
Xiang Huaizhi walked away. Gu Li remained at Li Guanqi's side and said in an undertone, "Do the two of them even know about the decisions you're making?"
Li Guanqi did not speak, and Gu Li pressed no further.
He had not expected that even while carrying such heavy burdens himself, Li Guanqi was still planning everything for those around him. If he guessed correctly, had Ye Feng not been captured back then, Li Guanqi would likely have sought out Nangong Xuandu for him as well.
While the others headed to the main hall, Gu Li brought Li Guanqi to his own courtyard.
Xiao Chen and Cao Yan were both seated cross-legged midair, moved there by Li Guanqi's power.
Gu Li stared at Meng Wanshu and Li Guanqi, frowning as he asked, "What did you two go off and do? I haven't seen you for just a few days, and your strength has suddenly reached a level I can't even see through..."
Meng Wanshu smiled faintly. Tapping a slender finger against the empty air, she instantly condensed over a hundred translucent icicles!
Gu Li's pupils quivered. Furrowing his brows, he reached out to touch an icicle, only for a chill to wash over him that felt as if it would freeze his very divine soul.
"Stage Two Spirit Comprehension? And... it feels like your grasp of the origin of spirit comprehension power is on a far deeper level."
Meng Wanshu nodded without denying it, saying softly, "Once Brother Qi finishes explaining things in a bit, let him give you a hand."
Gu Li's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously like a chick pecking grain.
Looking at the two who had yet to awaken, Gu Li asked softly, "Should we wake them up?"
Li Guanqi brought a finger to his lips, transmitting his voice: "Leave them be. It's been a long time since Cao Yan had an epiphany in alchemy. Let him immerse himself and savor it. As for Xiao Chen... he has had it rough, too."
Gu Li nodded, slipped a storage ring off his finger, and handed it to Li Guanqi, saying in a low voice, "Here, Eldest Brother, I prepared this for you. I packed quite a variety of inscribed talismans in there. I know that once your divine soul is mended, you'll definitely leave. Consider it a small token from your Number Six."
Li Guanqi swept his divine sense through the ring, and the corner of his eye twitched. "Good heavens... is your idea of a 'small token' three hundred thousand inscribed talismans?"
Chapter 987