A Blind Swordsman's Sword Coffin

Li Guanqi and Ye Feng did not know what Cao Yan was going through, but they gave him all the support they could. Li Guanqi had given Cao Yan a reason to live, allowing him to resume cultivation and confront his karmic debts.

Though he was unaware that Li Guanqi had shouldered part of that karma for him, he knew that when Li Guanqi had lifted the seal in his body, the cost must have been heavy. Without him, he would have remained crippled for years.

On the mountaintop, Li Guanqi began reviewing their sparring session. He pointed out Ye Feng’s weaknesses, focusing on the reckless last strike. “Your sword needs more speed. That last strike was strong, but the buildup took far too long. Find a way to make it faster.”

Ye Feng frowned. “That’s easy to say. I need the buildup to gather power before releasing it.”

Li Guanqi smiled. “Then why not use the early exchanges of the fight to accumulate power? That way, when the time comes, you can unleash it all at once.”

Ye Feng’s eyes lit up, and he sank into thought. Seeing him absorbed, Li Guanqi left him undisturbed. He climbed to the peak, uncorked his gourd, and took a swig of wine.

With his gaze fixed on the horizon, he watched the sun rise and murmured, “Please don’t die.”

He had already decided to take Ye Feng into the mountains infested with demonic beasts for training. Not only would they grow stronger by fighting the beasts, but they might also find ingredients for refining Longevity Pills.

And above all, they were currently poor.

Glancing at the still-seated Ye Feng, Li Guanqi flew to another peak. He warmed up with dozens of rounds of punching drills, then drew his sword and began training. He continued until dusk, sweat soaking him, before finally lowering the blade.

Looking down at it, he felt a surge of clarity. Now that he was committed to getting stronger, his swordsmanship felt quicker.

“Boss, I’ve got an idea, but I can’t work it out,” Ye Feng said with a bitter smile.

Li Guanqi smiled. “If you can’t figure it out, stop forcing it. Come.”

Ye Feng appeared next to him in a flash and grinned. “Where are we going, boss?”

Li Guanqi smirked. “The Hell Mountains!”

Ye Feng’s chest tightened. He gulped fearfully. “Boss... you aren’t talking about the Hell Mountains in the Eastern Territory, are you? The ones also known as the Golden Core Forbidden Area?”

He looked at Li Guanqi with a pained expression. “Boss, there’s a difference between training and courting death. Isn’t this a bit much...?”

“Do you want to become stronger?” Li Guanqi asked.

Ye Feng fell silent. Of course he did.

“Then let’s go.”

Ye Feng gritted his teeth, his eyes shining. Li Guanqi smiled, and they set out for the Hell Mountains.

The Hell Mountains were also known as the Golden Core Forbidden Area. There were many demonic beasts in this mountain range, many of them tier three and four. Rumors even spoke of tier-five beasts lurking in the depths, and perhaps even worse.

Few Golden Core Realm cultivators returned alive. Yet many still ventured in, especially rogue cultivators who had no sect to rely on. They banded together, hunting beasts to earn spirit stones for cultivation. It was perilous, but where there was danger, there was also opportunity.

The two traveled toward the Hell Mountains, sometimes taking cloud boats. As they passed through a city, they also bought black clothing for disguise.

Li Guanqi glanced at his nearly empty storage pouch and felt tempted to use the spirit stones meant for the dragon egg’s incubation. After a moment’s hesitation, he restrained himself, only glaring at the now-larger egg and muttering curses at it. According to the Sword Spirit, he could already start feeding it fresh blood each day to bond with it. Later, he would tame the Lightning Dragon with ease.

They journeyed for several weeks. During that time, Li Guanqi even sent word to Yunding Auction House, but Qian Qiusui refused to respond, making it clear she would not get involved. Both he and Ye Feng grew increasingly anxious about Cao Yan, who had not reached out again.

The cloud boat’s captain yelled gruffly, “Alright, we’re reaching the Hell Mountains!”

They snapped out of cultivation and stepped onto the deck. Many others were already there, all at the Golden Core Realm, their auras strong. Many had beast fangs hanging at their necks, beast pelts wrapped around their bodies, and even a faint demonic beast blood scent. Veterans of the Hell Mountains, clearly.

They merely glanced at Li Guanqi and Ye Feng’s black cloaks. A lot of cultivators went to the Hell Mountains for training or something specific, so they didn’t stand out.

As the cloud boat neared the dock, a cacophony rose from the port.

“Tier-three Fearsome Python snake gall! Strengthen your body! Only thirty mid-grade spirit stones!”

“Tier-three Tyrant Bear paws! Restore your qi and savor the taste!”

“Tier-three Ice Alligator hides! Soft armor material, durable and tough! Take a look!”

The streets teemed with stalls and shops. Alchemists, artifact blacksmiths, talisman masters, and array masters all crowded the area. They often required materials harvested from demonic beasts, making the market an invaluable resource for them.

Li Guanqi marveled at the sheer number of Golden Core Realm cultivators. A quick glance revealed more than a hundred on his dock. Behind the shop-lined streets rose endless mountains, their slopes cloaked in ancient trees so dense they shrouded the land in shadow. Towering peaks loomed, majestic and oppressive, yet the sight stirred Li Guanqi’s blood.

The bustling crowd surprised Ye Feng. “Boss, this place is packed! Even I have never seen some of these beast parts before.”