Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Li Guanqi hadn’t thought too much about it. His grandfather had always been mysterious. He could never see through the old man.

He rubbed his chin. It seems like the old man’s quite powerful... but then, why hasn’t he ever contacted me, even after all these years?

Gu Yong stood before him with a slightly fawning smile. Still, Li Guanqi maintained his manners and bowed respectfully. “Senior Gu, please, there’s no need to be so formal with me. You’ll shorten my life like this.”

Gu Yong paused. He hadn’t expected Li Guanqi to be so easy to talk to, nor had he expected the young man’s respect to be genuine rather than feigned, as if treating him courteously were simply the natural thing to do.

A calculating glint appeared in Gu Yong’s eyes. Typically, people like Li Guanqi were difficult to deal with. Hardly anyone spoke to him so courteously.

Gu Yong smiled amiably. “Then what do you mean to say, young friend?”

Without hesitation, Li Guanqi stepped closer, gently grabbing the old man’s arm and smiling as if they were old acquaintances. “How could someone like me dare to have an opinion? Of course, Senior Gu should decide. Whatever you say goes.”

The sight made Qi Rongxuan and the others tremble. They hardly dared breathe.

Despite Gu Yong’s unusually deferential attitude toward Li Guanqi, he was still the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Intelligence Pavilion across the entire Daxia Territory. If they had met him in any other situation, they would have practically fallen to their knees in reverence.

Gu Yong let out a small sigh of relief, patting Li Guanqi’s hand with a smile. “Good, good. Then I’ll take care of this small matter myself. When the time comes, I trust you won’t be too picky.”Li Guanqi grinned. “How could I? You and I hit it off at first sight. If not for our age difference, I’d be killing a chicken and burning incense right now to swear brotherhood with you. You’ve got such sturdy legs[1] to cling to, after all.”

Gu Yong followed along until the last part, where he froze. “You jest, young friend. This dried-up old man’s legs are thinner than your arms.”

Li Guanqi kept smiling. “No, no, they’re thick. Definitely thick.”

Having secured his share of the benefits, Li Guanqi was in excellent spirits. After all, what the sect received ultimately went into his pocket too.

Gu Yong relaxed. He lifted his gaze to the massive Heavenly Intelligence Map floating in the air, a trace of sharp light flickering through his eyes. He could already sense that the map’s spirit was dead, which he’d half-expected. But still...

Cautiously, he said, “Young friend, there’s something I’d like to discuss.”

Li Guanqi straightened at once, his voice steady. “Senior Gu, please. You ‌need to ask. If it’s within my power, I’ll do everything I can.”

His answer clearly pleased the old man, who stroked his beard and smiled.

Qi Rongxuan and the others still stood bent over, not daring to lift their heads. Inwardly, though, they exhaled in relief. They had feared Li Guanqi might grow arrogant under Gu Yong’s deferential treatment, but his respectful demeanor was exactly how one should handle such a situation.

Gu Yong sighed softly, then said gravely, “This Heavenly Intelligence Map is of vital importance to us. I can help you rebuild its spirit, but would you allow us to retain one-third of its consciousness?”

Seeing Li Guanqi hesitate, the old man continued with disarming frankness. “I won’t hide anything from you. Doing this benefits the entire Heavenly Intelligence Pavilion. You won’t suffer a loss. In fact, from all future profits gained through the Heavenly Intelligence Map, we’ll give you half—no, ten percent.”

Li Guanqi frowned slightly. He had expected something more substantial. Ten percent sounded like a token gesture. If they rebuild the map’s spirit, will that affect me?

Gu Yong grew a little flustered as Li Guanqi continued to deliberate. He forced a bitter smile. “Young friend, you must believe me. Ten percent is already quite a lot.”

Li Guanqi’s expression suddenly brightened. “Ah, Elder Gu, what are you saying? Do I look like someone greedy for gain?”

Gu Yong’s face twitched, while Qi Rongxuan silently cursed. Greedy? Your heart is a black hole!

Li Guanqi’s eyes curved into crescents as he smiled. “I was just wondering… Wouldn’t ten percent make you suffer too much?”

Gu Yong turned his head aside, grinding his teeth. “Fifteen percent. That’s the best I can do. No more. Believe me, just that much, given one hundred years, will make you equal to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion Master.”

Li Guanqi went rigid. He swallowed hard, heat flooding through his body. Equal to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion Master?! That’s insane! And that’s only fifteen percent!

Gu Yong went on, “As for control, you needn’t worry. The Heavenly Intelligence Pavilion will only hold a fragment of the spirit. You’ll still have absolute authority over the Heavenly Intelligence Map.”

Li Guanqi seized Gu Yong’s hand and looked at him with a steady gaze. “From the moment we met, I felt an instant bond with you, Elder Gu. It’s settled, then. No one’s allowed to go back on this.”

As he spoke, he put the map away and shoved it into Gu Yong’s arms. His divine consciousness buzzed, and in a matter of seconds, he’d drawn up a heavenly contract.

Gu Yong looked down at the map in his hands, momentarily dazed. When he turned and saw Li Guanqi already holding the contract, he chuckled helplessly.

A drop of blood essence from the old man sealed the jade token, finalizing the heavenly contract.

Li Guanqi grinned ear to ear as he carefully pocketed the token. “Please keep it safe, Elder Gu. Take the Heavenly Intelligence Map with you. Just send it back once it’s done.”

Gu Yong didn’t stand on ceremony and accepted it with a nod. Li Guanqi felt the connection between himself and the map vanish at once, as if cut off by an unseen force.

He looked up at the old man. “Elder Gu, you’re not planning to keep it, are you?”

The corners of Gu Yong’s mouth twitched. Keep it? Your grandfather would have my head! Who would dare? No wonder no one’s ever investigated—only a lunatic would do it. His grandfather is Su Xuan!

He quickly replied, “Rest assured, young friend. I’ll bring it back to you myself within a month.”

Li Guanqi chuckled, rubbing his nose. “I was just joking. You’re like family to me. How could I ever doubt you?”

He continued, “Right, Elder Gu, leave me your jade slip. If you ever need me, just contact me.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Gu Yong reached into his robes and drew out a translucent violet jade slip. Its surface shimmered faintly with light. It was clearly no common item.

On one side, the slip was engraved with the Hundred Beasts pattern, the character “Gu” etched boldly at its center. On the reverse, among swirling clouds, stood a towering pavilion rising from a sea of mist.

1. This references the Chinese idiom 抱大腿 (bào dà tuǐ), literally “hug/cling to big thighs,” meaning to attach oneself to someone powerful for protection or advancement. ☜