Phoenix Perch is considered a rare treasure among Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, comparable to Qilin Blood and Dragon Blood Grass. Even in the Ghost Market, it would be hard to find such an item, but it seemed worth nothing in Li Zhaowen’s hands as he casually tossed it to Li Guanyi.
Li Guanyi caught the Phoenix Perch, the very thing that could neutralize the poison his aunt suffered from.
This object was extremely precious, and to Li Guanyi, its significance was particularly profound. Yet, unable to come up with a fitting response as he usually would, he simply caressed the ancient and simple spiritual object in his palm and said, "Thank you."
Li Zhaowen snapped his folding fan shut and joked with ease,
"Why should brothers be so formal about such things?"
"Just repay me with a jug of wine someday."
Li Guanyi replied, "All the finest wines in the world would not be enough to repay your kindness."
"Hey, hey, hey, enough of that," Li Zhaowen chided.
Li Zhaowen snapped his fan closed and pointed it at Li Guanyi’s lips, feigning slight anger as her eyebrows raised, she said,
"Speaking of indebtedness is too much."
"If you mention obligations or anything of the sort, I’ll turn around and leave as if I never had a brother like you!"
After seeing Li Guanyi nod, Li Zhaowen’s face broke into a smile and she withdrew her fan:
"However, if you insist on repaying me, I wouldn’t refuse, would I?"
"At first, I thought, if we ever met in battle, you would just need to withdraw thirty miles."
"But then I realized, it’s impossible for us to be enemies."
"Such a form of repayment seems too petty."
"So let’s make it instead."
Li Zhaowen thought for a moment, and with a smile said, "My ambition in life is to admire heroes."
"Li Guanyi, if you wish to repay me, then become the number one hero in the world. That way, even if we never cross paths again, I would still feel utterly elated at heart."
"When you roam the world, while I had the fortune to know you."
"Though there are many heroes in the world, who else has eyes like mine?"
"Just thinking about it makes me happy."
Li Guanyi nodded, carefully putting away the Phoenix Perch, his mind preoccupied with where Mr. Siming might be. He was eager to find the old man immediately, leave everything behind, return to Guan Yi City on horseback, and heal his aunt’s injuries.
But he restrained the impulse and invited Li Zhaowen to sit down, then he went to get some wine, prepared some simple snacks, and shared drinks with Li Zhaowen in the courtyard. Li Zhaowen praised the wine, saying, "Tastes good."
Better than the wine they drank at Changfeng Building previously.
A few rounds into the drinking session, Li Zhaowen lapsed into her old ways, talking non-stop about the grand scheme of the world and the politics of the Martial World, starting with an unstoppable enthusiasm:
"The grand ceremony of Chen Country is just a few days away from today. By count, the martial arts competition starts tomorrow. There are far too many participants, so we first need to select sixteen to pair up for the fight. Actually, with Yuwen Hua, Geshu Yin, and Xu Huixiang present, most martial artists already know that they stand no chance of winning the title."
"It’s said among the people that the title is reserved for these three."
"Others say that Xu Huixiang, the Sword Saint’s grandson and a renowned young swordsman in the Martial World, has come to the royal court and become friends with the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, presumably seeking something he desires, and so the title was prepared for this purpose, and there’s talk of the truth in this."
"Yet still, many martial artists are participating in this contest."
"Do you know why, brother?"
Li Guanyi thought for a moment and answered, "The kingdoms."
Li Zhaowen clapped her hands with a laugh, "Yes, the kings and marquises of the kingdoms are present, and this is the opportunity."
"Even if one cannot make it to the end in this battle, they can still fully display their martial arts and absolute skills, which is the equivalent of sending out a visiting card to all the kings, marquises, and generals."
"Given how vast the world is, an opportunity is rare in decades."
"Even if these young martial artists are reluctant, their elders will point out this opportunity. How about it, Mr. Li, do you have any thoughts?" Li Zhaowen meant to encourage Li Guanyi to also showcase his talents before the kings of the world and thus step onto the global stage.
She added, "Good winds rely on strength, and at the beginning, it’s not a problem to use external forces."
Li Guanyi thought of the Book Collection Pavilion that attracted the Mystic Turtle immensely.
And Princess Chen Qingyan.
He understood the hints Li Zhaowen was giving, but replied, "I will simply do my best."
Li Zhaowen smiled slightly and said, "Then, I await with great anticipation."
"I hope that your talents and martial arts will be showcased to the world, so that people will know that my eyes are never wrong; when you achieve a great victory, I will host a banquet for you, and then I’ll have a gift for you."
Li Guanyi asked, "What is it?"
Li Zhaowen’s folding fan opened, concealing her lips, revealing only a pair of phoenix eyes, and she laughed,
"You’ll find out when the time comes."
"Your character, haha, is sure to like it."
She habitually raised the fan to lightly tap her forehead.
She tapped once, but then remembered she’d already tapped the young man’s lips.
Li Zhaowen paused in her motion.
Then, without changing her expression, she lowered the fan. Her right hand formed a slight fist, resting on her knee.
She touched her brow.
Then she dropped the subject, chatting casually about various matters in the world, and after an hour, she took her leave. Li Guanyi saw Li Zhaowen out, then returned to the room and looked at the Phoenix Perch. Even after having honed his temperament over ten years, he still felt a sense of unreality.
He grinned silently, his palm brushing over the object affectionately.