Meng Jiangchu’s face darkened. “Your sect already has a trans-territory transport array, and you still want more? Should I just build a few more for you and let the Daxia Sword Sect open a dockyard and charge fees?”

Li Guanqi scratched his head. “Father-in-law, you really do think things through... I didn’t even consider that.”

Meng Jiangchu’s lips twitched. “Your skin is really thick... What are your plans?”

Li Guanqi clasped his sleeves like an old man, frowning slightly as he coughed twice. Catching the concern in Meng Jiangchu’s eyes, he gestured that he was fine. “I’m heading back. The Six Territories are in turmoil right now. If I don’t go back and take a look, I won’t feel at ease.”

Meng Jiangchu nodded. “That’s for the best. You need to coordinate properly with the Six Gates Holy Sect. Only you can keep them in check. And one more thing... the Spiritfish Clan in the Daxia Sword Sect. Think about helping them grow stronger.”

Li Guanqi nodded silently, taking the matter to heart. The Spiritfish Clan had been recovering ever since submitting, but they had never truly stayed out of the sect’s affairs. Past crises had made that clear.

Leaning forward, Meng Jiangchu spoke seriously, like an elder advising a junior. “I already know about your plan to recall past disciples and elders to the sect. More people mean more challenges. Be prepared.”

Li Guanqi smiled faintly. “Father-in-law, have you forgotten what my title is?”

Meng Jiangchu chuckled softly. “As long as you understand what I mean. Alright, get ready and scram.”

Li Guanqi grinned. “How could I? Mom said I have to drink chicken soup later.”

Meng Jiangchu paused, then stood up. “Then let’s go together.”

Li Guanqi’s smile slowly faded, replaced by something more complicated. He didn’t stop me from calling her Mom...

The cauldron stunned Li Guanqi. It was larger than an alchemy furnace, and inside, a broth brimming with countless rare herbs and spirit medicines swirled. Meng Jiangchu's face contorted with the pain of the cost, but he remained silent.

The chicken soup lasted from morning till night, and then into the next day.

Li Guilan kept stuffing Li Guanqi with thumb-sized goji berries. “Eat more of these pure goji kings. They’re good stuff. Your Uncle Meng usually slices them before eating.”

Knowing it was kindness, Li Guanqi could only force them down. Soon, his whole body burned with heat, his face flushed red, and his blood surged wildly. He felt like he had endless strength.

That one meal alone probably consumed three months’ worth of the Meng family’s income.

The effect was immediate. His depleted vitality recovered to about seventy percent. The rest would take time... and he still needed Nine Heavens’ dragon blood.

In the end, Li Guanqi shot straight out of the territory, soaring three thousand zhang into the sky. The freezing air calmed him a little.

He looked down and smiled bitterly. “Father-in-law, I’ll head back now. Thank you both for your care.”

After leaving the Meng family domain, he sent a voice transmission to Peng Luo. “I’m heading back to the sect. Don’t run around and get yourself caught.”

Peng Luo’s disgruntled voice echoed back. “Fine... You go ahead first, Master. I’m going to the Falling Sunset Territory to see the son you found for me!”

Li Guanqi felt a little awkward. He hadn’t realized supernatural beings couldn’t use Peng Luo’s body like that...

After several transport arrays, Li Guanqi returned to the Daxia Territory a few days later. The moment he arrived, his breathing eased, perhaps too much. He coughed a few times.

His expression changed, and he turned sharply toward the distance. Lightning flickered beneath his feet as he vanished.

Meanwhile, the massive plaza bustled with cultivators. A Divine Transformation Realm cultivator glanced at his flickering jade slip, his face changing drastically.

“Everyone!” he shouted. “An Abyssal Demon has appeared a hundred li away. It’s slaughtering a village!”

The crowd froze. A heartbeat later, almost every cultivator was airborne. Swords flashed as countless figures sped toward the distant town.

On the highest rooftop of the town, a black-robed figure silently observed the scene. Sensing the approaching reinforcements, the figure’s eyes glinted beneath their red mask. “Time to leave.”

He waved a blood banner, and translucent souls rose from the severed corpses, drawn into it.

Below, a seven-chi Abyssal Demon rampaged through the village, slaughtering men, women, and children alike. The villagers were in utter despair, scattering in terror.

Li Guanqi appeared silently in midair behind the black-robed figure. He raised a finger and pressed lightly toward the fiend.

Boom!

Invisible pressure crashed down. The ground collapsed ten zhang deep for a hundred zhang around the Abyssal Demon. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The black-robed figure’s expression changed drastically as they turned, only to find themselves already trapped in a massive hand of lightning.

The air reeked of blood, pooling into streams across the ground.

Li Guanqi clenched his jaw, hands behind his back, and snorted coldly. Over a hundred lightning swords formed in the sky above him. They shot forward and pierced the black-robed figure through like a hedgehog.

A scream tore through the heavens as the body fell. The mask dropped, revealing a stunningly beautiful woman. Her eyes were hollow, her head hung limp, and blood poured from her mouth. Her organs had already burned to ash.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Space rippled as more cultivators arrived. There were numerous Nascent Soul and Divine Transformation Realm experts alike.

The moment they saw the white-eyed young man standing in midair, they froze. That aura...

Gulp.

“The Qingxuan Sect’s Lou Yu greets the Yanluo Sword Sovereign!”

“Cao Yi of Sky Cicada City greets the Yanluo Sword Sovereign!”

More and more people recognized him, immediately bowing in respect.