Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Buzz!

The clear sky suddenly darkened as a mass of dark clouds gathered overhead. Over the past two days, word of the Mo Family’s movements had swept across the entire Daxia Territory.

Countless people were stunned. None of them could believe that one of the Eastern Territory’s greatest factions would openly strike at the Daxia Sword Sect. To many, it was an act that disgraced the Mo Family. Even Mo Zhiyuan’s elder brother, Mo Yanshan, had been killed by Li Guanqi.

Counting the other Mo Family cultivators who’d fallen with him, their losses were devastating.

Word had it that the Dark Raven Order assassin that Li Guanqi killed had been hired by Mo Zhiyuan himself at an enormous price. Yet the assassin had perished all the same, and Li Guanqi had broken through to the Divine Transformation Realm in the process.

Stories about him spread like wildfire. It was said that even the great battle against the Purple Sun Pavilion, which had shaken the entire Northern Territory, had begun because of him.

As the feud between Li Guanqi and the Mo Family grew fiercer, people realized something. Two years ago, when he left the Daxia Sword Sect, he had only been a young cultivator in the Golden Core Realm.

Just two years later, he had turned into a formidable Divine Transformation Realm cultivator whose name echoed across the land.

Countless people were in awe of his talent and strength. They felt that the Mo Family would stop at nothing to destroy him.

Buzz!One after another, colossal cloud boats burst from spatial tears in the sky. Legions of Mo Family cultivators stood on the decks, their killing intent flooding the air.

Everyone in the outside world revered the Mo Family, but Li Guanqi, who had come out of nowhere, had done something equivalent to slapping them all in the face.

But they had to swallow their rage, powerless to take revenge. Some even sealed themselves inside their sects, trembling behind protective arrays, haunted by the thought that one day, a blind youth carrying a black sword box might appear at their gates.

They feared ending up like the Immortal Crane Alliance and the North Sea Temple—wiped out overnight.

The Bloody Butcher was a name that inspired terror.

Li Guanqi emerged from cultivation drenched in sweat, streaks of black impurities clinging to his skin. He opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and penetrating. Exhaling deeply, he slowly rose to his feet.

His aura had become faint and elusive, blending into the world around him. His grasp of the Sword-Unsheathing Technique had deepened as well. If possible, he would have a sheath crafted for the Red Lotus Sword.

As for the other blade in his sword box… he still had no idea when he’d be able to wield it.

Buzz!

His jade slip pulsed with light, message after message flooding in. Zhong Lin and Li Sheng’an had both sent messages.

After reading them, Li Guanqi set the slip down, his expression turning cold. “So this is what the Mo Family has become.”

Then he called out, “Nine Heavens!”

Nine Heavens, who had not slept at all, rose slowly and shattered the space before it with its head. Then, with Li Guanqi on its back, it shot toward the Northern Territory.

In the past, Nine Heavens had flown carefully through the void, limited by Li Guanqi’s weaker body. Now that his strength nearly matched its own, it could finally unleash its full speed.

Anyone who witnessed the sight would be speechless—an eleven-zhang-long purple dragon shooting through the void, fearlessly smashing through minor spatial storms.

Li Guanqi calculated that it would take them three days to reach the Daxia Sword Sect. It wasn’t ideal, but it was a far cry from the days when he was in the Nascent Soul Realm. Back then, he would have needed over a month to cross a single territory.

Sitting cross-legged on Nine Heavens’ head, Li Guanqi had calmed down somewhat. Lu Kangnian’s last message radiated confidence, telling him not to worry. The sect had grown stronger over the past few years, and they had Ling Daoyan on their side, whose true capabilities Li Guanqi couldn’t gauge.

As long as the Mo Family’s old ancestor didn’t appear, the Daxia Sword Sect would be okay.

Sitting on Nine Heavens’ head, Li Guanqi began to think about his experiences outside the sect.

It’s been over two years since I left the sect. I suppose I do miss home.

He was like a young wanderer finally turning his eyes back toward home. Though he generally hadn’t missed the sect, the thought of returning made him emotional.

Meanwhile, above the Daxia Sword Sect, the bright sky suddenly split as a dozen enormous spatial rifts opened,

From each one, menacing cloud boats emerged.

In an instant, the sect became the center of the Northern Territory’s attention. No one believed it could withstand the Mo Family’s onslaught.

Mo Zhiyuan had even brought three close allies—all Divine Transformation Realm cultivators. Even the Northern Heavenly King, Long Qu, was said to be only at the peak of that realm, or perhaps half a step into the Illusory Refinement Realm.

The Daxia Territory was relatively weak, so Divine Transformation Realm cultivators were uncommon.

Yet the Mo Family had brought four of them, along with thirty Nascent Soul Realm elders and hundreds of Golden Core Realm cultivators, with thirty to forty per cloud boat.

Everyone present was anxious for the Daxia Sword Sect.

Thousands of cultivators hovered in the skies a thousand zhang away, whispering among themselves, some raising projection stones to record what was about to unfold.

Buzz!

Mo Zhiyuan stood midair in gleaming silver armor, the pointed shoulder plates amplifying his menacing presence. A golden treasure sword hung in his grip, radiating a powerful aura.

Boom!

Golden light shot in all directions. Three men appeared behind him, each dressed in brocade robes shimmering with flowing light, clearly valuable clothing.

Mo Zhiyuan’s eyes turned icy as he gazed at the Daxia Sword Sect’s glowing barrier.

He had brought his entire family, and yet the sect still refused to face them.

Mo Zhiyuan’s eyes flashed coldly, and he scoffed. Blinding golden light blazed from his body as he swept his sword downward, signaling for the others to attack.

The crowd gasped in shock.

“Wow… he’s going to strike without saying a word?”

“Tsk, what is there to say? His son is dead and his faction took heavy losses. Of course he was going to attack.”

“I think a massive war is about to break out between the Mo Family and the Daxia Sword Sect. Blood will flow like a river! By the way, where’s the Bloody Butcher, Li Guanqi?“