Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

The question echoed endlessly in Li Guanqi’s mind.

What is the Sword Dao I pursue? To become strong… but how strong is enough? Nascent Soul? Divine Transformation? Illusory Refinement?

My will to grow stronger has no end.

In an instant, his heart filled with resolve. I want to be the strongest in the world! To stand atop the immortal path and look down on all creation! I want heaven and earth to never cloud my heart!

I want to control my life and death! I want no chains from heaven or earth, no shackles on my soul! My strength will make the heavens tremble, and people will recognize me as Grand Sword Immortal Li!

I will dominate the path of the sword!

At that very moment, a seed of domineering sword intent took root in his heart and grew wildly.

From birth, Li Guanqi had known only darkness. Not the kind that blinded the eyes, but the darkness festering in people’s hearts.

Fortunately, he’d had his grandfather, Su Xuan. Like a ray of sunlight, he had pierced the closed world of Li Guanqi’s heart and let him glimpse the vast skies and lands beyond.

But once he stepped onto the path of cultivation, he understood one truth: strength is the only truth.Without power, even with good intentions, one would always be at the mercy of others.

He had seen it himself. If he had been stronger during the incident with Cao Yan, the outcome could have been different.

Had he reached the Nascent Soul Realm or possessed the ability to slay someone at that level, maybe even that aloof Divine Transformation Realm female cultivator wouldn’t have treated him like a disposable plaything.

All the hardship, the pain, and the shame he’d suffered boiled down to one thing: he wasn’t strong enough.

Boom!

In the illusion of the blood-soaked battlefield, Li Guanqi’s eyes snapped open. A wave of domineering will burst from him like a volcano.

In a distant cave, Sword Spirit had been idly waiting when she abruptly stood up. She widened her eyes in stunned disbelief.

”Domineering Sword?!

“He carried the heart of a warrior, but how could he possibly touch the intent of the Domineering Sword?!

“Is his heart truly this resolute?”

In the great hall, a strange force stirred. Within the heavy and murderous sword intent, a new presence appeared, as radiant as sunlight.

It began small but swelled rapidly, shattering the suffocating killing intent.

Li Qingcheng’s face twisted in shock. He staggered forward and teleported beside Li Guanqi, only for his hand to pass straight through Li Guanqi’s body.

For the first time, panic overtook the old man’s calm. His murky eyes brimmed with fear.

“No… No… Impossible! How could you?!”

Boom!

A terrifying burst of sword intent exploded from the earth, blasting the old man dozens of meters back.

Crack! His already unstable form grew even more transparent.

Li Guanqi slowly opened his eyes. His body had completely healed.

Everything, every wound and torment, had been a conjured illusion meant to break his will.

But the lightning had been real. And so had the pain, sharp enough to pierce the soul.

Only then did he understand that his consciousness had entered the space, not his physical body. Even the mountains of corpses and rivers of blood had been an illusion within an illusion.

All of it had hinged on his refusal to surrender and absorb the murderous sword intent. If he had given in at the height of his agony, it would have consumed him.

Boom!

Now, with the heart of a true warrior, Li Guanqi looked at the old man with cold, distant eyes. His sword intent was still young, yet it radiated overwhelming power.

The Domineering Sword.

He was no longer gentle or reserved. He’d become a blade drawn fully from its sheath—sharp, radiant, and unstoppable.

His thin frame carried a presence that seemed destined to rule the world. Even Li Qingcheng’s withering remnant soul felt it. If this boy survives, he’ll become a giant in this world!

Suddenly, Li Guanqi’s divine consciousness shook violently. A vast surge of spiritual force erupted, taking the form of the Red Lotus Sword.

He poured his sword intent into it. The spectral blade flashed and slashed forward.

Boom!

The sword light tore through the hall, shockwaves rippling in every direction.

Crack!

Thunder roared like ten thousand crows screaming into the void. Li Qingcheng’s soul split cleanly in two. His eyes dimmed, his life fading.

In his last flicker of awareness, the old man felt as though he had just witnessed the birth of a true legend. But he died in bitterness, unable to comprehend.

How could some Golden Core Realm youth have such an unshakable heart? How could he awaken his own sword intent at death’s door, shattering my illusion?

The illusion of the hall collapsed, as the world faded into nothing. His remnant soul dissolved into motes of light and vanished.

Thump! The jade pendant cracked apart with a dull sound.

Li Guanqi shot up from his seat, gasping for air. Sweat poured down his pale face as he braced himself on the floor with trembling hands.

Sword Spirit crouched down, her delicate chin resting on her hand as she gazed intently at him.

After some time, Li Guanqi finally caught his breath. As he looked up, he met her gaze.

He gave a weary smile. “What are you looking at?”

Sword Spirit answered softly, her voice light and sincere. “A genius.”

She continued, “You and your Domineering Sword… I’m impressed.”

Li Guanqi blinked, surprised. For the first time, she had acknowledged his talent.

She had never praised his spirit root or marveled at his swordplay, yet now she was truly astonished. The realization pleased him more than he cared to admit, and he rubbed his nose sheepishly.

Seeing his exhaustion, Sword Spirit said gently, “Rest for a while. When you’ve recovered, I’ll teach you two sword techniques.”

Two sword techniques?!

Li Guanqi’s eyes lit up with excitement.

He didn’t know how powerful those two sword techniques were, but if they came from Sword Spirit herself, they would be far beyond ordinary comprehension.

Her casual advice on how to draw a sword had once raised his combat strength enormously. And now she was offering to teach him directly?

He wasted no time. He sat down and calmed his breath, absorbing energy from a spirit stone while stabilizing his sword intent.

Sword intent was intangible. It was one’s will and spirit. The higher the Sword Dao, the stronger the sword intent. They complemented each other, and neither could be missing.

Will alone was not enough. Mastery of the sword was equally vital.

Meanwhile, Sword Spirit sat on the sword box, a little troubled. Which two techniques should I teach him?

She knew far too many.

Soon enough, her eyes brightened and her lips curved into a smile. I’ve got it.

Why choose? She could simply demonstrate hundreds of techniques. Whatever he could learn, he could keep.

She would tell him every spell and method at his disposal. How much he absorbed would depend on him.

After all, she was bound to him for life. Why not devote herself fully to assisting him?

She would help him grow into a true powerhouse, one who could ascend to the Immortal Realm.