A Blind Swordsman's Sword Coffin

They arrived at Purple Sun Pavilion eight days later. During this time, Li Guanqi hardly had any time to cultivate, as Yu Sui’an constantly dragged him around the boat.

Sometimes, when Li Nanting wasn’t actively steering the cloud boat and it drifted at a slow pace, she would pester Li Guanqi for a ride on his sword.

Although Li Guanqi often let her have her way, he refused this request, explaining that it was too dangerous. He encouraged her to cultivate diligently and reach the Foundation Building Realm.

However, when Yu Sui’an heard the word “cultivate,” she covered her ears and ran off to find Ye Feng.

There were ten disciples on the boat, including three female cultivators from Heavenly Water Peak. All of them were talented and capable, earning Li Guanqi’s respect.

Buzz!

The cloud boat descended slowly through the clouds. Standing at the front of the boat, Li Guanqi looked ahead and saw a gigantic sect spread across a mountain range like a flourishing empire. Its layout was perfectly symmetrical, and immortal cranes circled gracefully in the area.

As soon as they entered the sect’s territory, Li Guanqi sensed the Spirit Qi of Heaven and Earth becoming much denser. Privately, he was astonished. It meant the sect had multiple spirit veins.

Before long, the cloud boat came to a stop, a thousand zhang away from the Purple Sun Pavilion. A shimmering azure barrier blocked further passage.

There was a flash of light, and an old man in purple robes arrived. He had a stern look with a long scar on his wrinkled face. After seeing the cloud boat, he frowned and asked, “Is this the Daxia Sword Sect’s cloud boat?”

Li Nanting stepped out of the boat. He gave the old man a fist salute and said, “I am Li Nanting, an elder of the Daxia Sword Sect. I have brought my disciples here to test their spirit voids. Please open the barrier for us.”

The old man smiled and waved. A gap dozens of zhang wide opened in the barrier. He leaped onto the boat and saluted. “I am Song Ru of the Purple Sun Pavilion, sent to receive you all. I hadn’t expected the Daxia Sword Sect to be the first to arrive.”

The cloud boat glided through the barrier as the two elders exchanged pleasantries.

Li Guanqi looked down and saw several gigantic arenas, with more than a thousand disciples training in each arena, their cries echoing through the clouds.

Countless disciples in dark purple robes were flying on their swords.

Occasionally, flashes of light streaked through the air—Golden Core Realm cultivators. Li Guanqi realized that those Golden Core Realm cultivators wore the same uniform as the other disciples.

The disciples’ strength was shocking. It was no wonder the Purple Sun Sect had become one of the strongest factions in the Azure Cloud Continent.

Song Ru kept glancing at Li Nanting, then hesitantly asked, “Elder Li, didn’t you enter the Nascent Soul Realm a hundred years ago?”

Li Nanting’s expression did not change as he replied, “Hehe. That is in the past. I may not attain the Nascent Soul Realm again in this lifetime.”

Song Ru was slightly shocked. This man was once a renowned Golden Core Realm sword cultivator with a lifespan of eight hundred years!

Song Ru’s attitude softened. The cloud boat docked, and he led them to their accommodations. “Apologies, but you will have to wait for the other sects, who will arrive in two days. In the meantime, you may explore the sect grounds, but certain areas are restricted. I ask for your understanding.”

Li Nanting smiled and gave him a fist salute. “Thank you for your hospitality, fellow Daoist.”

The disciples, exhausted from the journey, only wanted to rest. They hadn’t eaten or slept properly on the boat.

Li Nanting warned them, “If you wish to rest, do it now. Remember, we’re in another sect’s territory. Keep your tempers in check and avoid conflicts at all costs.”

The group nodded and hurried back to their rooms to rest.

Li Guanqi had been cultivating for many days and had stabilized his cultivation at the early Foundation Building Realm.

Even with the help of the Vitality Boosting Pill, he estimated that reaching the middle Foundation Building Realm would take some time. Sword Spirit’s continuous absorption of his vital force had also been slowing his progress.

Thankfully, he had cleared his thirty-six acupoints during his last breakthrough, which sped up his absorption of the Spirit Qi of Heaven and Earth.

Despite Sword Spirit consuming half his vital qi, his cultivation progressed rapidly. After a short cultivation session, he realized something was amiss. I feel like I’m forgetting something...

His eyes snapped open. He thought for a moment, then his expression changed. “Where’s Yu Sui’an?!”

He quickly rushed to Ye Feng’s room. Ye Feng was sound asleep, snoring loudly. Li Guanqi ran around his room but still did not see her. He woke Ye Feng up and asked anxiously, “Where’s Yu Sui’an?”

Ye Feng groggily blinked, then snapped awake and asked, “Didn’t she go looking for you? She’s not with you?”

Li Guanqi’s heart sank. “She didn’t. I don’t know where she is. I need to find her.”

Ye Feng put on his clothes and said, “Don’t worry. That girl is very smart. She’ll be fine.”

Li Guanqi replied solemnly, “She’s clumsy and careless. I hope she doesn’t get into trouble. This isn’t the Daxia Sword Sect.”

Once Ye Feng was dressed, they set off.

At that moment, Li Nanting was still in discussion with the Purple Sun Pavilion’s elders about the spirit void opening, unaware of what was unfolding.

Li Guanqi and Ye Feng split up and wove through the main pavilions in search of the little girl.

When the Purple Sun Pavilion’s disciples caught sight of their Daxia Sword Sect robes, their eyes glinted with arrogance.

Suddenly, Li Guanqi heard a shrill voice.

“Hahaha! Do you think saying ‘sorry’ is enough? Kneel!”

Thud!

Something crashed to the ground.

“Do you know how precious the Daoist robes I’m wearing are? Hehe! I heard that brat cares a lot about you, right?”

The speaker turned to the onlookers and snickered. “If I cripple you, do you think the blind boy will go mad?”

Li Guanqi stopped when he heard the voices. He saw a thin young man in long azure robes tightly gripping Yu Sui’an’s wrist tightly. His sharp, narrow eyes gleamed with malice, accentuating his high cheekbones and vicious snarl. His azure robes shone brightly, but there was a noticeable patch of grease on the hem.

Many surrounding disciples mocked her.

“Look at that little stray in her flower coat. Where did she even come from? Maybe she really is a stray.”

“She looks dirt-poor. I wonder where she’s from and what gave her the gall to bump into Senior Brother Pang Li.”

“Those Daoist robes were a personal gift from Elder Li. Senior Brother Pang Li just received them, and now they’re ruined. No wonder he’s angry.”

Yu Sui’an’s eyes reddened. She glared at them and shouted, “I didn’t dirty your robes! You’re framing me! You saw me coming and poured oil on your own robes!”

Pang Li raised his hand to slap her. “Hahaha! So what if I was framing you?”

His hand fell down.

Slam!

Before his palm could land, a hand caught his wrist.

Pang Li turned around to find Li Guanqi standing there in his white robes, his eyes narrowed.

Pang Li snickered and asked, “Who are you?”

Li Guanqi turned to glance at Yu Sui’an’s reddened wrist. “Daxia Sword Sect. Li Guanqi.”

Then, the crowd watched in shock as Li Guanqi took out one hundred low-grade spirit stones from his pouch and tossed them on the ground.

“Since when were Daxia Sword Sect disciples this rich?”

“He tossed a hundred spirit stones just like that? Is he a core disciple of the Daxia Sword Sect?”

Pang Li stared at Li Guanqi with a cold glare, then looked down at his wrist, which was still stuck in Li Guanqi’s grip. He remained silent.

Li Guanqi’s expression turned icy. “Whether or not she dirtied your robes doesn’t matter. Take these spirit stones as compensation and wash your robes.”

Pang Li smirked mockingly. He straightened his robes with a look of pity. He had planned to cripple the girl to distract Li Guanqi but hadn’t expected him to arrive so quickly.

He had been watching the girl for days and noticed that she was very close to Li Guanqi.

Pang Li sneered. “Tsk. It’s such a small amount. You think—”

Thud!

Without warning, Li Guanqi kicked Pang Li in the stomach, sending him flying several zhang away. And this was with Li Guanqi holding back his strength.

Li Guanqi rubbed Yu Sui’an’s wrist, blowing on it as he comforted her, “Don’t worry. I’m here.”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she nodded, her lips trembling.

Li Guanqi rose. “I have paid for the soiled robes. Now, it’s time to discuss the fact that you bullied my little sister.”

He took Yu Sui’an’s hand and strode over to Pang Li.

“Death duel. Do you accept?”