Chapter 298 - You May Leave

The baby-faced girl, Zheng Yao, cried out with bright eyes. In the entire Northern Territory, no sect was more in the spotlight than the Daxia Sword Sect. None could compare.

The sect had risen because of Li Guanqi, and its reputation drew countless young men and women who longed to join. Who wouldn’t want a sect that shielded its disciples so fiercely?

The sect’s actions had also indirectly affected its disciples’ behavior. When the Daxia Sword Sect clashed with the Purple Sun Pavilion, many sects watched closely.

At first, no one believed the low-key Daxia Sword Sect would dare confront the Purple Sun Pavilion directly. Until Sect Master Lu Kangnian led his disciples forward, swords drawn.

Now, the Daxia Sword Sect had been in seclusion for nearly a year. Li Guanqi’s whereabouts were unknown, and most people assumed he was simply in seclusion too. No one expected that the young man admired across the land would appear in the Phoenix Lightning Sect.

Even the typically cold-faced Liu Man looked stunned, her mouth slightly agape. Then, after a moment’s thought, the corners of her lips curled faintly.

She turned to Tang Jing and said softly, “Jing’er, from what you’re saying, Li Guanqi will start teaching us tomorrow?”

Tang Jing nodded quickly, like a pecking chick. “Seems like it. Apparently, he won’t stay long in the sect, only for a while.”

Liu Man nodded, giving Tang Jing a deep look. “How could a man like that ever be tied down to one place?”

She could tell that her closest friend was falling harder and harder for him.

Tang Jing’s face stiffened slightly at those words. She nodded lightly, then forced a dry laugh. “Got it. You all go to bed. I’ll tidy up a bit and turn in.”

After she left, Zheng Yao pouted. “Sister Man, won’t saying that hurt Jing’er’s feelings?”

Liu Man, lying on her bed, answered softly, “Better she hears it now than later. A man as dazzling as the stars themselves? How could he settle for a single pond? Jing’er won’t be able to keep him.”

Zheng Yao thought it over and found it reasonable. She lay down again without another word.

Liu Man stared at the ceiling, a faint smile on her lips as she pictured the mysterious prodigy she had never met.

I really wonder how he’ll handle that arrogant bunch tomorrow.

That night, Tang Jing hardly slept at all, muffling quiet sobs beneath her blanket.

Early the next morning, Li Guanqi slowly emerged from his cultivation. He let out a soft breath, feeling his grasp on the insights from the mountain gate plaque grow clearer.

The uncertainty he’d felt before had vanished, though fully mastering his own vital force domain would still take time.

After washing and dressing, he glanced at his handsome reflection in the mirror and sighed. “How many girls am I going to charm again today?”

“Disgusting,”

Sword Spirit muttered.

Li Guanqi could only grin sheepishly, though a list flashed through his mind.

“When you go ask that old man for essence blood later, start with the top ones. If he doesn’t have them, pick something else,”

Sword Spirit said.

Li Guanqi felt a sudden headache as he looked at the list of essence blood required from ancient demon beasts.

“You think he really has this kind of stuff? Isn’t that asking a bit much?”

Sword Spirit shrugged.

“Then just pick different ones. The refining effect is the same. You’ll just have to endure a little more pain.”

The corner of Li Guanqi’s mouth twitched. The “little pain” she mentioned was definitely not his definition of little. Back when she had drawn out his lifespan, she'd said it was just a little too, but it had nearly drained him dry.

He stepped out into the courtyard and saw only a handful of people along the road. He frowned. The sun was already up. It was prime time for absorbing the essence of Heaven and Earth. Yet few people were cultivating in the Phoenix Lightning Sect.

Only one tall, cold-faced woman sat cross-legged on a mountaintop, breathing in the morning sun. The rest looked groggy and half-asleep.

Li Guanqi frowned more deeply. The spirit qi around them was exceptionally dense and even mist-like in some areas. Just based on what he could sense, the outer sect alone had two spirit veins. And who knew how many more lay deeper within?

Despite that, the disciples were very lazy. It was no wonder Chu Xingxian had been so desperate to bring him over.

He sighed softly.

Looks like Elder Chu didn’t just call me here to “teach” the disciples

.

Indeed, the Phoenix Lightning Sect had the natural resources to rank among the top ten sects in the Eastern Territory. However, its disciples had grown lazy and progressed slowly in recent years.

Chu Xingxian had been at his wit’s end. He saw Li Guanqi’s arrival as his chance to shake things up.

As he walked, Li Guanqi kept observing. The overall mood was slack, though many disciples still trained diligently.

He also noticed the elders. They taught halfheartedly, using the same rote methods for everyone, regardless of talent. Struggling disciples fell behind, yet the elders ignored them completely.

At last, Li Guanqi reached the lecture hall where he was meant to teach. Many disciples passed him by, but none of them thought he’d be the new instructor. Seeing his contrasting white robes, they assumed he was just a newcomer who hadn’t yet received his sect robes.

On stage, an elderly man with graying hair was lecturing on how to use spells. His pace was slow and steady, but the students below yawned endlessly. Some appeared to be meditating, but their breathing revealed they had already fallen asleep. The elder, however, continued mechanically without noticing.

Li Guanqi shook his head and sighed. “What a mess.”

The elder’s ears twitched. He opened his eyes to see Li Guanqi standing at the door. His face darkened, and he slammed the desk.

Bang!

The crash jolted the disciples awake. They looked around in confusion until their eyes fell on the handsome youth at the doorway.

The elder narrowed his eyes angrily. “Which peak are you from? Don’t you know the rules? If you’re late, just sit down quietly. When have I ever cared about the likes of you?

Hmph

, you’re late and still dare say what I’m teaching is nonsense?”

He rose to his feet. “Fine then! If you think I’m no good, you teach! I’ll sit here and watch.”

Li Guanqi smiled faintly, took out a jade token, and asked softly, “Elder Chu, how much authority do I have in your Phoenix Lightning Sect? I’ve noticed some serious problems.”

Chu Xingxian’s hearty voice came from the jade token.

—Do whatever you like! You can smash the main hall or tear down the peaks! Anything goes!

Li Guanqi’s lips curled into a smile. Hundreds of eyes were now fixed on him.

He looked at the elder on stage and said calmly, “From this moment on, you’re dismissed.”