After Luo Ke asked, Li Gu raised his brows, stroked his beard, and said with a chuckle, "I was just about to mention it. Book Friend didn't stay in Luoxia City to wander around for two days because he rushed back to tell me about this Ning Ri!"
"What? From the way you're talking, you know Ning Ri too?"
Luo Ke said, "Mm. He used the [Golden Strategy Tally]. I was the one who picked him up."
Hearing that, Old Li slapped his forehead and said ruefully, "Oh, your eye for talent is terrible. You'd already met him—didn't you see that his aptitude was excellent? You've neglected your duty, Old Luo. Don't forget, transporting people isn't the goal. The Golden Strategy Tally was created to seek out promising talent for the sect and spread the sect's name."
Luo Ke: "..."
At those words, Luo Ke's face had gone so dark it looked ready to drip water.
When Li Gu saw that Luo Ke's expression had become blacker than the bottom of a pot after just a few teasing remarks, he was startled and hurriedly asked, "Old Luo, are you all right?"
Li Gu had not expected Luo Ke to be so hot-tempered today.
He had not actually been blaming Luo Ke at all. It was simply the way the two of them usually spoke.
You mocked me, I needled you. They had been old friends for hundreds of years; this was how they had always gotten along.
Why was he suddenly unable to take a joke today?
"I'm fine. What could possibly be wrong with me?" Luo Ke said with a dark face.
Li Gu: "..."
Luo Ke said, "Tell me, why did Book Friend rush back from Luoxia City in such a hurry? What did Ning Ri do to make him so anxious?"
As he asked that, Luo Ke had already vaguely realized something.
Seeing that Luo Ke was in a bad mood, Li Gu cautiously sat down beside him and said with a grave expression, "Actually, it's nothing much. Book Friend said that this Ning Ri's attainments in artifact refinement are extraordinary."
"First, he's only at the Qi Refining realm, yet he can refine an entire set of Qi Refining magical artifacts. Second, even Chen Xingfeng was amazed by his artifact-refining skills. Xi Juchang's son sees him as someone to worship, and Yang Xingming thinks highly of Ning Ri as well..."
"Book Friend himself also learned quite a few artifact-refining techniques from Ning Ri. He said something to me that made me deeply interested in this Ning Ri."
"He said that every movement Ning Ri made while refining artifacts was the optimal method. You simply could not find a more effortless or perfect solution. It's a pity..."
"This Ning Ri has already joined the Heaven Defying Sect. I don't really want to deal with people from the Heaven Defying Sect, but you visit the Heaven Defying Sect often. Why don't you ask whether Ning Ri wants to join our sect..."
"If he doesn't want to come, then we should get acquainted with him ahead of time. The Heaven Defying Sect people have plenty of tricks up their sleeves. Add an artifact refiner to the mix, and perhaps Ning Ri will refine all sorts of strange and bizarre magical artifacts in the future..."
"Also, if that's really the case, Ning Ri will sooner or later make it onto the Heaven's Pride Ranking. We can lay the groundwork in advance..."
"Old Luo, Old Luo, are you still there?"
Halfway through speaking, Li Gu suddenly realized that Luo Ke's eyes had gone unfocused, startling him badly...
Only then did Luo Ke seem to return to himself. His expression was flat as he said, "I'm fine. Go on."
Seeing Luo Ke looking as though he had seen through the dust of the mortal world and no longer possessed the slightest worldly desire, Li Gu became even more frightened...
"Oh..." Li Gu answered nervously, then continued, "Then how about we have Yuan Tianhong go to the Heaven Defying Sect and get in touch with young friend Ning Ri?"
Elder Yuan Tianhong was in charge of the Golden Strategy Immortal Sect's disciple recruitment office.
Seeing that something was wrong with Luo Ke's condition, Li Gu still felt that Luo Ke should not be the one to poach Ning Ri, lest he frighten Ning Ri.
It would have been fine if the disciple recruitment office had not been mentioned. But at the mention of it, Luo Ke gave a cold laugh. From who knew where, he produced a flying sword and a [Sharpness] talisman, then began wiping the sword's edge with the talisman...
The more he wiped, the sharper the flying sword became, and the more Li Gu watched, the more his heart trembled.
Li Gu leaned back slightly and no longer dared make a sound, merely muttering to himself inwardly...
What kind of blow had Old Luo suffered?
A figure descended outside the door, transforming into a young man in white robes. He entered the room, saw the two of them, paused in surprise, then smiled. "Old Luo, Old Li, what are you two doing here?"
Li Gu picked out the important parts and said, "We're discussing an artifact refiner from the Heaven Defying Sect who seems ready to rise. His talent is very good."
"Oh!"
Hearing that, the white-robed young man revealed an enlightened expression. As he walked to the side to pour himself some water, he said excitedly, "What a coincidence. I just happened to send a kid from the Heaven Defying Sect back."
"That kid was quite interesting. He sat on the flying boat without cultivating, just practicing his blade. It was even the Mortal Blade Technique. He didn't use a shred of spiritual power—clack, clack, clack. His movements were quite smooth..."
At that point, the white-robed young man paused and tipped back his head to drink.
At the same time, Luo Ke, whose eyes had been unfocused, suddenly raised his head...
The words "practicing his blade" began pounding in his heart like ghosts.
After finishing his water, the white-robed young man still did not notice that anything was wrong with Luo Ke. He continued, "So I asked that kid from the Heaven Defying Sect, 'You're already at the peak of Qi Refining. Why aren't you studying the Foundation Establishment Cultivation Methods? Why are you wasting time practicing your blade here?'"
"He told me that practicing his blade could calm his heart, and that he didn't want to lose the craft he'd practiced for so many years..."
Luo Ke abruptly shot to his feet and cried out excitedly, "Peak Qi Refining? What did you say??????"
The white-robed young man was so startled he jumped. "What's going on?!"
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you..." Luo Ke's relationship with this white-robed young man was not like his relationship with Li Gu, so he apologized first. Only afterward did he ask, "Say it again. What cultivation was that kid practicing his blade at?"
The white-robed young man said, "Peak Qi Refining!"
"You're sure you didn't see wrong?"
"Of course I'm sure. Could that be fake? He's just one step away from condensing his Dao Foundation."
Luo Ke took a deep breath. His head was buzzing, but he still clung to his last shred of hope and asked tentatively, "Then... what is his name?"
The white-robed young man said, "Ning Ri. Ning as in peace, Ri as in sun and moon."
The moment his words fell, he saw in horror that Luo Ke had frozen in place, becoming a statue.
Seeing that, the white-robed young man grew frightened. "Old Luo, don't scare me!"
Luo Ke's eyes split wide with rage. "Aaaaaaahhhhhhh..."
"Why is it so noisy?"
Ning Ri stood before the Pillars of Cultivation Pavilion, not daring to enter. He was puzzled.
As soon as he had returned to the sect, he had wanted to find Zhou Hai and report on the mission.
But he had not expected the Pillars of Cultivation Pavilion to be so noisy, voices boiling like a cauldron, as though a huge crowd were inside...
Just as Ning Ri was hesitating over whether to come back that night, an old man walked out of the Pillars of Cultivation Pavilion.
Ning Ri recognized the old man. He was one of the elders from Kite Plaza last time, extremely powerful, though Ning Ri did not know his name.
Just as Ning Ri was about to bow and greet him, the old man saw Ning Ri as well. His eyes immediately lit up, and he shouted excitedly,
"Grandmaster Ning, you're back?!"
As soon as those words fell—
Ning Ri: "?"
What the hell?
Before you continue