Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

The moment the tea entered Lu Kangnian’s mouth, it turned into a pure wisp of energy that flowed smoothly down his throat. A cool, refreshing sensation spread through his body. As the energy from the spirit tea took effect, his chaotic vital force began to stabilize.

He opened his eyes, and they shone with light.

Long Qu smiled and added more tea to his cup. “I’m sure you’ve guessed why I summoned you.”

Lu Kangnian’s expression turned serious. “I wouldn’t dare, Your Majesty. If there’s something you’d like me to do, please speak plainly.”

Long Qu leaned casually on his chair and gave a teasing smile. He took out a storage ring, tossed it to Lu Kangnian, and then spoke a few words to him.

Meanwhile, outside the palace, Ling Daoyan watched Li Guanqi streak back and forth in a streak of light, his eyes flickering with a mix of emotions. Li Guanqi showed no signs of fatigue as he moved tirelessly, searching for injured Daxia Sword Sect disciples.

Ye Feng and the others watched in silence. They didn’t stop him. They understood he must be feeling conflicted and guilty. Even Li Nanting, Shen Lan, and the other elders observed quietly, letting him be.

This continued until Li Guanqi carried a severely injured youth over. The youth’s intestines were pouring out of his abdomen.

Shen Lan rushed forward, taking the disciple. The moment she confirmed he was still breathing, she began treatment.

As Li Guanqi turned to leave again, Li Nanting grabbed his arm. By now, Li Guanqi’s face was as pale as a sheet.“That’s enough,” Li Nanting said gently. “He was the last one.”

Beside him stood Xu Zhengjie, Gu Ran, Ye Feng, and the others—all the disciples of the Heavenly Lightning Peak had gathered.

Gu Ran forced a smile. “Little Junior Brother… that’s enough. Come back with us.”

Li Guanqi stood with his back to her. He stiffened. He didn’t know how to face them. His inner shirt was now in tatters, soaked and speckled with blood. He’d been avoiding them by pretending he was still searching for injured disciples. But now...

His shoulders trembled as he turned around. Even Ling Daoyan had come over.

All the Daxia Sword Sect disciples stopped what they were doing.

Tears welled in Li Guanqi’s eyes. He swept his gaze across the crowd and opened his mouth, his voice barely louder than a whisper. “I… I won’t go back with you. It’s all… because of me… that so many senior brothers and sisters died. I… I can’t face anyone. I’m too ashamed. Like I said before… I’ve left the sect.”

Everyone’s heart ached. No one knew how to convince him to stay. When Li Guanqi turned to leave, the furious Li Nanting took a step forward and slapped him across the face.

Slap!

A loud slap rang out. Many people froze, stunned.

Li Guanqi was left in a daze. He hung his head, his black hair covering most of his face.

Li Nanting roared, his voice thick with fury and grief, “Are you awake now? No? Then I’ll give you another slap!”

“Nanting! What are you doing?!”

Shen Lan quickly pulled the furious Li Nanting back, but Li Nanting shouted, “What am I doing?! You should ask what he is doing! His mind’s gone numb!”

He fixed his eyes on Li Guanqi. “Leave the sect? You think you can leave just like that? Are you that weak? Look around you! Is anyone blaming you or complaining about what you did? All these people are your senior brothers and sisters, and in time, you’ll be a senior brother to the next generation of disciples too! If it hadn’t been you today, it would’ve been someone else tomorrow! Should the sect ignore what happened and take no action? Have you forgotten our rules?”

Li Nanting turned to the gathered disciples and shouted, “Do any of you regret what the sect did today?!”

Every disciple pointed their sword up at the sky and cried out solemnly, “No!”

Their heaven-shaking cry rang with unshakable conviction. Not one voice wavered.

Vital force surged from Li Nanting as mighty lightning power radiated from him. His gaze swept through the crowd like a hawk. “Recite the sect rules for me!”

Every single person cried solemnly, “These are the sect rules!

“The sword in your hand must never be raised against the weak. The sword in your heart must never falter before the strong!

“Restore fairness where there is none. Kill those who must be killed!”

The voices rang in unison as they recited the rules with genuine pride. Amplified by vital force, their resounding cries carried across the vast distance.

Li Nanting rose into the sky, looking down at Li Guanqi. “You little brat! Look up at me!”

“Do you remember what Sect Master Lu Kangnian said when you first joined us?” Li Nanting asked. “If you do, tell me what he said loud and clear!”

Li Guanqi’s thoughts drifted to the day he joined the sect. When they’d tested his spirit root and the sect was thrown into chaos, Sect Master Lu Kangnian emerged from seclusion and met him.

Li Guanqi still remembered his words. At the time, he had not taken it to heart, dismissing it as mere formality—something sect leaders routinely said to their disciples.

Li Guanqi repeated Lu Kangnian’s words. “If one day you meet a strong enemy while upholding our rules, the Daxia Sword Sect will use everything in its power to ensure your safety!”

It was exactly what Lu Kangnian had said when asking if he’d be willing to join Heavenly Lightning Peak. Li Guanqi found it dramatic, which was why he remembered it so clearly.

But now…

Before he finished speaking, Li Nanting shouted. “Louder! I can’t hear you! No one can!”

Li Guanqi gritted his teeth. Vital force surged from within. A vein bulged along his neck. He yelled with all his strength, saying, “If one day you meet a strong enemy while upholding our rules, the Daxia Sword Sect will use everything in its power to ensure your safety!”

Boom!

Boosted by vital force, his passionate cry travelled with the wind and snow across a thousand zhang.

Li Nanting looked at the red-faced Li Guanqi with approval. He opened his arms wide and gestured at the Daxia Sword Sect disciples around, inviting Li Guanqi to look at them.

“The Sect Master tells this to every single generation of new disciples—it wasn’t just yours. Gu Ran, Lan He, even Elder Shen Lan, Elder Xu, and myself… All of us Daxia Sword Sect disciples have heard these words before! If we didn’t hear it from Lu Kangnian, then it was from previous sect masters. To us, this pledge is equivalent to a sect rule! This is the third sect rule that the Daxia Sword Sect will defend with our swords!”

Li Nanting paused, then looked at the disciples around him. “As such, the Daxia Sword Sect does not agree to your withdrawal! You did nothing wrong! Casualties are unavoidable in conflict! Perhaps, in the future, you will become one of the people standing here in the sky, and the main character might not be you. But you will still act the same way, just as all your senior brothers and sisters do now. This is the Daxia Sword Sect!”

Tears streamed down Li Guanqi’s face. He looked up and closed his eyes.

Through choked sobs, he muttered with a trembling voice, “I have no regrets joining the Daxia Sword Sect!”