Chapter 524 - Yuning Sees Them Off

The moment Li Guanqi finished speaking, someone came staggering toward them. It was Xiao Chen, trying to straighten his clothes mid-flight, muttering under his breath.

Ye Feng and Li Guanqi locked eyes, holding back laughter.

Xiao Chen waved from afar. He appeared on the boat in a flash and pulled Li Guanqi and Ye Feng aside, whispering mysteriously, “Goddamn! You guys don’t know what I went through in there!”

To his surprise, Li Guanqi and Ye Feng burst into laughter. “We know. We know it all too well.”

Xiao Chen thought they were talking about the secret cultivation technique. “Cultivating amongst mortal distractions! It definitely lives up to its name! I’m already able to complete one macrocosmic orbit without being distracted by external factors!”

He said pitifully, “It’s a pity I don’t have enough time here and need to rush back to the Divine Treasure Territory. I would have done this for three days and three nights straight.”

Li Guanqi smirked. “You could still do it when you get back to the Divine Treasure Territory. But stick to cultivation. Don’t do anything out of impulse.”

Xiao Chen said solemnly, “Definitely not! You’re underestimating me! Do you know how strong my mind is? How could cultivation amongst mere mortal distractions ever disrupt my commitment to the Dao?”

Ye Feng pursed his lips. “With all that blood from your nose, you claim to have a strong mind? You’ve got nerve.”

Xiao Chen grinned and said nothing.

However, to Li Guanqi’s surprise, Xiao Chen really had changed after the experience. He was innocent and had never seen such things before, so this was something he had always looked forward to. Now that he had experienced it, his curiosity had disappeared.

Ye Feng sensed this too and transmitted, “Boss, did this guy actually get results from cultivating amongst mortal distractions?!”

Xiao Chen suddenly pointed at Ye Feng. “Why do you have the Yin Hellfire’s aura on you?”

Ye Feng turned in Li Guanqi’s direction and pouted. “Boss gave it to me.”

Ye Feng smirked, planning to use the Yin Hellfire to trigger Xiao Chen’s heavenly flame. A black fireball appeared in his palm, its scorching heat distorting the surrounding space.

Xiao Chen activated his vital force to suppress the effect. The Brilliant Sunset Flame in his body was ranked higher than the Yin Hellfire, so it was easy for him.

However, this was still enough to shock Xiao Chen. He looked at Li Guanqi. “You have a method to allow someone without a Fire Spirit Root to merge with a flame?”

Li Guanqi nodded. Even if someone else knew about it, they couldn’t do anything. No one could take a heavenly flame away from him against his will.

Nearby, Meng Wanshu approached the side of the boat. Seeing the three of them huddled together whispering, she tilted her head in confusion.

Male friendships sure are strange. One minute they’re fighting, the next they’re acting all friendly.

She had come out of her room because she was anxious. Li Changqing had told her the repair work was complete, and she knew what this meant. If she hadn’t secretly sabotaged a few arrays over the past couple of days, the repairs would’ve been completed the day before.

She did not want to leave. Not yet.

She hadn’t seen Li Guanqi for many years, and after that long night’s talk, their hearts had grown closer. The awkwardness from their first meeting had disappeared, and their intentions had become clearer. That feeling made her feel drunk, and she did not want to wake from it.

Xiao Chen saw her, and his face lit up with a bright smile. He waved. “Wanshu, you’re out!”

Li Guanqi pressed a palm to Xiao Chen’s face and pushed him back. He strode over to Meng Wanshu. “You’re out?”

Meng Wanshu rested her hands behind her back, fingers intertwined, picking at her nails out of anxiety. She hung her head and pursed her lips, not sure how to ask the question she had in her heart.

Li Guanqi smiled and bent down slightly to meet her eyes. When he saw the redness in them, he pulled her into his arms. “I’m going back to the Divine Treasure Territory with you.”

Xiao Chen cursed, “You’re a bastard! I treated you as a friend, and you insult me like this! I know you two are close now, but could you not do this in front of my face? My heart hurts! It hurts!”

A golden barrier appeared in front of Xiao Chen. Ye Feng rested one hand on his sword and picked his ear with his pinkie finger. “Xiao Chen, I’m not trying to start anything, but haven’t you figured it out yet?”

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Xiao Chen turned and glared at him. “Why does he get to have her? I’m not too shabby either!”

Ye Feng looked at Li Guanqi and grinned. “My boss has a natural charisma that is incomparable to yours.”

Meanwhile, Meng Wanshu looked up at Li Guanqi, her ice-blue eyes bright. “Really? That’s amazing! Are you really going back with me?”

Li Guanqi smiled and nodded, turning to ask Ye Feng for his opinion.

Ye Feng had no issues with it. He shrugged. “I don’t really care. I’ll go wherever you go, Boss.”

Li Guanqi smiled. “Then let’s visit the Divine Treasure Territory!”

Meng Wanshu was overjoyed. She placed both hands on Li Guanqi’s shoulders and rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes with a smile.

Li Changqing’s face was a stony green, though he didn’t say anything. He turned to Xiao Chen. “Mr. Xiao, are you going with us, or are you leaving alone?”

Xiao Chen replied solemnly, “I’ll come along, of course. Returning alone is boring.”

Everyone returning to the Divine Treasure Territory was already onboard. The cloud boat slowly levitated and departed from the Heavenly Cloud City docks. An ice-blue light barrier appeared around.

As they all prepared to return to their rooms, Li Guanqi sensed something and turned to look toward the mountain peak behind him.

A figure in green robes stood atop the mountain. He was pale and weak, yet he still gave a fist salute toward the cloud boat. His movements were gentle and light, filled with apology. A gentle breeze blew past, and his hair and clothes fluttered in the wind. He took the bamboo flute from his waist and played a song for his friend.

The music was filled with longing and apology, as well as a range of other complex emotions.

Li Guanqi smiled and returned the fist salute.

The cloud boat turned into a streak of light, disappearing from the sky.