Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

The Hell King’s furious roar shook the skies. All the people lying face down on the ground shuddered.

“He… probably won’t leave the Hell Rivers alive.”

“Yeah. It’s a shame, really. A prodigy like him, gone like this. One more resentful spirit added to the Hell Rivers.”

“He’s just too powerful…”

It was then that Li Guanqi noticed Ming Xiao’s spirit. It had not yet dispersed.

After a long moment, Li Guanqi reached out and crushed Ming Xiao’s spirit with his hand.

He understood what Ming Xiao had gone through in life, but he still killed him. After Cang Lu’s betrayal, Li Guanqi had subconsciously built an invisible fortress around his heart. He refused to let sympathy or impulse bring harm to those around him.

He’d seen the emotions churning in Ming Xiao’s eyes before chopping off his head. Most of it was an unwillingness to die.

Though he’d only heard a brief exchange between Ming Xiao and the Hell King, it was enough for Li Guanqi to piece things together. Perhaps the reason Ming Xiao had cultivated the Ghost King Physique and relentlessly strengthened himself was so he could kill the Hell King.

But such was the cultivation world. There were many things beyond one’s control.Letting Ming Xiao go might have blossomed into a strong friendship, or even a bond like the one he had with Ye Feng. But after Cang Lu… Li Guanqi didn’t want to take any chances.

He didn’t notice the slight distortion through the shattered light door, where a faint pair of eyes took a long look at him before vanishing.

The sword box behind him opened and pulled the Shadowless Sword inside. Li Guanqi smiled and murmured, “I’ll keep this one for Brother Ye. Not a bad sword at all.”

But one question continued to nag at him: where had that knife intent come from?

He couldn’t feel its strength at all, yet it had triggered a terrifying natural phenomenon, and the aura within it also carried a hint of familiarity.

Something clicked. He pursed his lips and muttered, “So that old man has a conscience after all.”

***

In a vast, mysterious pavilion, an old man sat with his eyes closed, massaging his brow.

But then, his eyes snapped open.

Boom!

Within a hundred li of him, everything exploded, reduced to nothing.

He rose to his feet, radiating ice-cold killing intent. His eyes narrowed, the wrinkles around them twitching slightly.

Below the dais, Long Hou kneeled in his golden armor, startled by the sudden reaction. He didn’t dare look up. Cold sweat drenched his back, dripping from his jaw in bean-sized beads. He swallowed hard, his eyes wide open. “What happened?! Has something angered you, Territory Master?!”

Su Xuan tore a long gash in the space before him and reached inside, pulling out an ancient scabbard. The sight alone made Long Hou’s hair stand on end. A chill shot through his body. “T-T-Territory Master… Has an immortal descended from the Upper World?”

To Long Hou, only an immortal’s arrival warranted the Territory Master taking out his scabbard.

“Some idiot is trying to kill my grandson,” Su Xuan replied calmly.

Long Hou’s breath caught. “Kill Li Guanqi?! Who’s got the guts to do that? Have they gone mad? Could it be another territory master?”

But Su Xuan suddenly thought of something and tossed the scabbard backward into the void, visibly irritated.

He walked back to his throne with his hands clasped behind his back, huffing in frustration. He lit a pipe, hesitated briefly, and looked at Long Hou.

“Long Hou.”

Long Hou rose and bowed his head. “At your service!”

Su Xuan’s face twisted with seething hatred. After a moment of silence, he stood and tapped his pipe against the armrest. With his back to Long Hou, he said quietly, “Flatten the Hell Rivers.”

Long Hou’s eyes flashed coldly. He dropped to one knee. “Yes, Territory Master!”

After Long Hou left, Su Xuan sighed. “How annoying! He’s two whole realms above him, yet he still chose to attack. Shameless. Sigh… We don’t have much time. Cang Lu… just who are you?”

***

Meanwhile, in the secret realm of the ancient ruin, chaos reigned.

Before one wave subsides, another rises.[1]

Li Guanqi stiffened and gradually turned around.

“Sss… Xuan Lin is here!”

“Is he trying to take the treasure sword and Heavenly Lightning Orb while Li Guanqi is heavily injured?”

“He’s at the peak of the Divine Transformation Realm! Xuan Lin achieved a breakthrough!”

“This ancient ruin trip has been one hell of a ride…”

A handsome, muscular youth stood three zhang behind Li Guanqi. His golden hair cascaded over his shoulders, and he radiated a powerful aura. Most striking, however, were the fiery red scales covering his arms.

Not a single wound on his body, yet he was drenched in blood.

He had prominent features and slightly sunken eyes. They were dark as the abyss, with a hint of gold.

Li Guanqi snorted and gazed at Xuan Lin calmly, sword in hand.

“Planning to fight me?”

Xuan Lin smiled bitterly and shook his head.

The power Li Guanqi had displayed, combined with that sword, had dispelled any such thoughts. He studied Li Guanqi for a long moment, then said, “You’re very strong.”

He paused. “I cannot beat you.”

Li Guanqi smirked and held up his hand.

Xuan Lin was confused. What does that mean?

Li Guanqi curled his fingers in a beckoning motion, then glanced at Xuan Lin. “Tsk… What’s taking you so long?”

Xuan Lin frowned. “What do you mean?”

Peng Luo appeared out of nowhere and sat on Li Guanqi’s shoulder. Pure spirit fluid suddenly flowed into Li Guanqi’s body, catching him off guard. It contains power…

The energy Peng Luo channeled into him healed his injuries at an astonishing rate, even replenishing his depleted vital force. More impressive still, it required no refinement. His body absorbed it directly.

Peng Luo crossed his arms and looked at Xuan Lin, as if disappointed in him. “Little Xuan, I’m not trying to be mean here, but you…”

The moment Xuan Lin heard “Little Xuan,” his face darkened.

Peng Luo pretended not to notice and continued, “Let me remind you, out of the kindness of my heart… Do you remember what you said just now?”

1. Chinese idiom referring to problems that come in rapid succession, with no time to recover between them. ☜