Chapter 24 - The Lame Man, the Guardian of the Pavilion

Along the way, Li Guanqi encountered many fellow disciples. Groups of people had gathered in several places, and some had even set up small stalls along the path of Heavenly Pillar Peak.

The items on the stalls were diverse and peculiar—there was a little of everything.

Halfway up the mountain, he saw the bustling Mission Pavilion. All disciples would receive their missions here in the future.

The rewards for these missions varied. Some were spirit stones, while others were items or elixirs. More importantly, most missions rewarded contribution points.

These points were exchangeable for lower-grade spirit stones at a rate of ten to one. They also served as the sect’s internal currency, allowing disciples to purchase a wide range of goods.

As he continued, he saw the imposing Artifact Hall and the towering Alchemy Tower, but he didn’t stop along the way. He had a clear purpose for this trip—reaching the Scripture Pavilion as soon as possible to select a suitable cultivation technique.

Half an hour later, Li Guanqi finally reached the mountaintop, drenched in sweat.

The path had been packed with people, yet to his surprise, only a handful was present at the precious Scripture Pavilion.

Upon reaching the summit, he saw a massive platform and a three-story ancient hall.

A ten-zhang-high towering rosewood door gave off a sense of immense weight. Above it, a blue plaque bore bold, golden calligraphy:

Scripture Pavilion.

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

The brushstrokes were as sharp as swords, exuding an eerie chill even through the plaque.

Swish! Swish!

The rhythmic sound of sweeping filled the air.

A middle-aged man with disheveled hair was slowly sweeping away the dust from the mountain, leaning on a crutch.

Before long, he approached Li Guanqi but acted as though he hadn’t noticed him.

Li Guanqi cupped his fists and bowed slightly in greeting—only for the man’s broom to sweep across the top of his foot.

The man straightened his posture and shouted angrily, “Are you blind? Can’t you see I’m sweeping here?”

Li Guanqi took half a step back. Without any change in emotion, he replied, “Yes, I am blind.”

The man looked up at Li Guanqi’s face. His prominent nose and thin lips made him look strikingly handsome despite the black cloth covering his eyes.

For a moment, the man hesitated. He hadn’t expected the boy to actually be blind.

He felt like he had gone overboard with his words but was unwilling to back down. “You’re already blind, so why bother covering it? Are you afraid people will stare? I’m lame, and I don’t cover my leg.”

Li Guanqi was momentarily stunned. To his own surprise, he found himself agreeing with the man’s words.

Slowly, he removed the black cloth, revealing his pure white eyes. Then, he looked directly at the man and smiled.

A chill ran down the man’s spine under that gaze. He quickly stepped aside and muttered as he walked away, “Scary! That scared me.”

Still, he had to admit that Li Guanqi’s eyes were truly beautiful. They were a pair of fox-like, peach-blossom eyes. If not for their eerie whiteness, they might have bewitched countless women.

A subtle shift had occurred in Li Guanqi’s mindset. He felt that the lame man’s words carried truth, though they were spoken crudely.

After a moment of silence, Li Guanqi bowed toward the man’s retreating figure. “Thank you for your guidance, Senior.”

The man acted as though he hadn’t heard, muttering under his breath, “Senior, my ass. I’m just a cripple. Have you read too many of those legends? Do you think a cleaner like me could be some hidden master? Not only are you blind, but your brain doesn’t seem too sharp either.”

Li Guanqi merely chuckled, indifferent to whether the man was truly a senior or not. He was simply grateful for those offhand remarks, which had untangled a small knot in his heart.

Someone nearby saw the man leave and let out a relieved sigh. “That old Gao... always so ill-tempered and eccentric!”

Li Guanqi’s ears twitched. He turned toward the disciple and asked softly, “Senior Brother, do you know who that man is?”

“Ah!”

The young man let out a startled cry before hurriedly bowing in apology. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to laugh at you. I was just surprised.”

Li Guanqi smiled as he shrugged. “It’s alright, Senior Brother is too courteous.”

The young man smiled back. Then, noticing Li Guanqi’s sect robes, he immediately understood. “You’re a disciple of Heavenly Lightning Peak—Li Guanqi, right?”

Seeing that Li Guanqi didn’t deny it, the young man continued, “That man’s name is Gao Qiwen. He used to be... Ah, forget it. Just don’t provoke him. If you do, he’ll chase you around the sect for three whole laps!”

After the disciple left, Li Guanqi shook his head, not thinking further about the lame man.

If I had known, I would’ve cursed him back.

I thought he was some hidden master in the sect. I got scolded for nothing and didn’t even talk back. Such a loss! Hmm... should I break his broom?

Lost in these thoughts, he soon arrived at the Scripture Pavilion’s entrance. Just as he was about to step inside, he felt someone grab his sword coffin from behind.

Li Guanqi reacted instinctively and lashed out with a powerful right kick.

Smack!

A crisp impact rang out.

Li Guanqi felt as though the sole of his foot had been struck by a heavy hammer, forcing it downward.

Enduring the sharp pain, he twisted his body midair, using his waist as a pivot. He swung down his left leg like a giant axe.

As he spun, he finally caught a clear glimpse of his attacker—an elderly man with white hair but youthful features who was watching him with a smile.

But Li Guanqi did not retract his attack. He brought his leg down with even greater force.

Thump!

With just a casual raise of his right hand, the old man effortlessly neutralized Li Guanqi’s attack and sent him flying a few meters away.

Li Guanqi twisted midair, landed with one hand, and executed a smooth backflip to stabilize himself.

The old man wore a simple white robe. He was slightly plump, with small eyes, a bulbous nose, and a yellowed wine gourd hanging from his waist. The wine seemed quite aged.

He smiled at Li Guanqi without saying a word, his hands clasped behind his back.

Li Guanqi pointed at the old man’s wrinkled robe and remarked softly, “Now, that’s the kind of clothing that’s truly comfortable.”

The old man’s eyes lit up. He immediately hugged Li Guanqi. “Kid, you too?”

Li Guanqi rubbed his nose and replied, “When I was a beggar, I found wrinkled clothes to be the softest. Unfortunately, I only ever had one such set.”

He glanced at his brand-new sect robes and muttered, “It’ll take ages to wear this down to that state.”

The old man blinked and chuckled. “Then why not just wear your own clothes?

“Kid, your physical foundation is solid! Even I’m curious how you trained to this level. My name is Ling Daoyan. You can just call me Old Ling.”

Li Guanqi bowed respectfully. “Disciple Li Guanqi greets Old Ling.”

Ling Daoyan had clearly taken a liking to Li Guanqi. That kick earlier had been full force, showing impressive strength. He chuckled. “So you’re the one who recently awakened a Saint Spirit Root? You’re making waves in the sect!”

Li Guanqi shrugged. “I don’t care for fame. The higher they lift me up, the harder I’ll fall.”

Ling Daoyan nodded approvingly. He felt Li Guanqi was very mature.

He pointed at the stairs. “Don’t waste time on the first floor. Lu Kangnian already spoke to me. I’m making an exception and granting you access to the third floor!”

Li Guanqi’s face lit up with joy. He bowed in gratitude, then hurried upstairs.

Ling Daoyan leaned back in his rocking chair, closed his eyes, and smiled. “The Daxia Sword Sect has found a good seedling.”