Li Guanqi raised his hand, dismissing all the women. Spirit stones floated before them, and their eyes went wide. Such generosity was rare, especially from guests who wouldn’t even let them finish a single dance.

Qian Qiusui’s hands rested on the strings, her music coming to an abrupt halt.

She rose slowly, lifting her skirt to bare her feet, then sat opposite Li Guanqi beside the drunken Sun Zhen. Her red dress draped across the seat, exposing a pale leg like polished jade—whether by chance or design.

She poured wine for Li Guanqi, then for herself. Lifting her cup, she tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing her beautiful face. Her gaze lingered on him, her voice soft and melodic. “Here’s to you.”

Li Guanqi smiled as he raised his cup. “Drink if you want, but don’t look at me like that. I might get the wrong idea.”

His heart remained calm. He already had someone he cared for.

Qian Qiusui’s smile was gentle, like a spring breeze. She leaned forward, her eyes rising to meet his. “What if it’s not a misunderstanding?”

Li Guanqi’s mouth twitched. He had not expected her charm to be so formidable. If not for his cultivation among mortal distractions, he might not have been able to resist a woman like her.

He gazed at her and said gently, “I advise you to let it be a misunderstanding. My Dao partner is Meng Wanshu, the Saintess of the Divine Treasure Territory. And she doesn’t have a good temper...”

Qian Qiusui froze. She set her wine cup down and pouted. “You’re boring! You have no sense of romance at all!”

A smoking pipe appeared in her hand. She lit it, and as she exhaled, her cold and aloof demeanor returned.

Li Guanqi chuckled. “That’s better. This is the Qian Qiusui I once knew.”

Her eyes gleamed. “So you admit it now?”

Li Guanqi leaned back, gazing at the ceiling. “There’s nothing to admit. For now, I’d rather stay as Li Wuji, without attracting too much attention.”

He lowered his gaze to her chest with a smile. “To be honest, I’m very grateful for what you did back then.”

Perhaps deliberately, Qian Qiusui folded her arms, accentuating her figure.

She smirked teasingly. “I didn’t help you much... I couldn’t afford to offend the Cao family.”

Li Guanqi cut in. “No. Sometimes, not kicking someone when they’re already down is a rare act of kindness. If you need pills in the future, contact Sun Miao.”

He handed her a jade slip.

Her eyes lit up. Sun Miao was the greatest alchemist on the Azure Cloud Continent, a peak tier-five alchemist.

Rumor had it he’d entered closed-door cultivation a year ago. At his level, if he broke through to the Illusory Refinement Realm, becoming a tier-six alchemist would be simple.

Countless people wanted to curry favor with the Daxia Sword Sect, and even more were racking their brains to get a single pill from that alchemist. She’d tried contacting the Daxia Sword Sect before, only to be rejected. But now, what she had once considered impossible was within reach.

“Life truly is full of surprises.” She sighed, then her eyes sparkled mischievously. “So... you like the view?”

Li Guanqi pursed his lips, then said honestly, “It’s beautiful.”

“Then do you want...”

“No.”

“Uh... Why not?”

“Tsk, you don’t understand men. There’s a difference between teasing a glimpse and baring it all! Forget it, you wouldn’t understand. No wonder your primordial yin’s still intact.”

“You! You bastard!”

“Hahahaha.”

Glancing at the drunken Sun Zhen, Li Guanqi smiled and rose. “I’m leaving.”

Qian Qiusui paused, her hand resting on the pipe. Without rising, she asked softly, “Aren’t you returning to the Daxia Territory?”

Li Guanqi stretched, purging the alcohol from his system. “Not for the moment. The sect doesn’t need me right now. Wanshu hasn’t emerged from closed-door cultivation, so I won’t go to the Divine Treasure Territory either. I want to wander the Falling Sunset Territory for a while.”

Her eyes dimmed. They weren’t fated to be together, then.

She rose and smiled. “If you ever need Yunding, just ask!”

Li Guanqi nodded. “Once Yunding starts cooperating with the Daxia Sword Sect, it will surely flourish. If you need anything, seek Tang Ru.”

Qian Qiusui’s eyes widened. “Tang Ru, son of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion owner in the Daxia Territory?”

Li Guanqi frowned. He’d assumed his connection with Tang Ru was common knowledge. Apparently, Tang Ru had kept it quiet. “That fat fool. Yes, him. Also, Yunding should develop its own intelligence network.”

Her gaze sharpened, and she nodded firmly. “Good. And if other people give me trouble?”

Li Guanqi’s lips curved. “Since I’ve brought it up, what do you think? If it happens, tell me.”

Li Guanqi left. Qian Qiusui sat alone, drinking, her emotions in disarray. She let her hair fall loose, smoke curling from her lips as she sank into wistful thought.

She raised her jade slip. “Gather a team of orphans and train them in secret! Use forty percent of the auction profits for this. Establish an intelligence network and call it... Guanyun Pavilion!”

She stood by the window, wine in hand, suddenly wishing she’d tried harder years ago.

But regret was useless. She touched her face, whispering bitterly, “I’ve really grown old. My charm is gone.”

She recalled sensing that Li Guanqi was no ordinary man. Back then, he hadn’t truly risen yet.

Outside the tavern, Li Guanqi smiled faintly, amused by the evening’s events. Stroking his chin, he stepped into the city’s Hundred Treasures Pavilion. His pure white eyes needed a disguise. Otherwise, people would quickly link them to his true identity.