Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

When Li Guanqi heard the news, he drew in a sharp breath. He knew Cao Yan had a complicated background, but he hadn’t expected him to harbor such deep-seated animosity. And the person who started it all was his own uncle.

Li Guanqi’s chest rose and fell heavily.

He recalled the determination in Cao Yan’s eyes when he’d looked at him and Ye Feng. Cao Yan had known how powerful his enemy was. That was why he chose to leave alone, refusing to burden them.

“This Southern Heavenly King…” Li Guanqi asked softly. “He’s a Heavenly King of that territory?”

Gu Yong nodded. “And he is incomparable to the Northern Heavenly King of the Azure Cloud Continent.”

Li Guanqi nodded. Killing intent flickered in his eyes.

Gu Yong thought for a moment. “Cao Yan isn’t in much danger right now, but his pursuer hasn’t given up. Do you need me to resolve this?”

“What is Cao Yan’s current cultivation level?” Li Guanqi asked.

“Mid Divine Transformation Realm. His constant brushes with death pushed his cultivation up extremely quickly. He’s also been lucky and has had a few fortunate encounters.”

Li Guanqi narrowed his eyes. After some thought, he said, “You don’t need to intervene. Cao Yan wanted to increase his cultivation level as quickly as possible. What about Ye Feng?”At the mention of Ye Feng’s name, Gu Yong smiled mysteriously. “He’s so determined he could move mountains! Sword Cultivator Ye Feng’s name will surely be known across the six territories one day.”

Li Guanqi was surprised. Ye Feng was naturally lazy and had only started cultivating seriously after meeting him and Cao Yan. He didn’t understand why the old man held him in such high regard.

“That’s pretty high praise…” Li Guanqi smiled. He was happy his good friend was receiving such words from someone so important.

He wasn’t in a hurry to reunite with them. Both were scaling their own mountains. The day would come when they could meet again, standing on their respective peaks. When that day came, they’d raise their cups and drink.

Sensing the terrifying spear intent left behind in the land, Li Guanqi felt even his soul tremble. The canyon below was so deep he couldn’t see the bottom. Such power was frightening.

He wanted to ask who had done it but decided against it.

Li Guanqi and Gu Yong bade each other farewell with fist salutes.

The matter had come to an end.

Li Guanqi donned his black cloak. With a flash of lightning beneath his feet, he disappeared into the distance.

Gu Yong stood in place, folding his arms beneath his sleeves. Despite his hunchbacked frame, he radiated a powerful aura. With his back to the four elders, Gu Yong said, “From today onward, no one may request information on Li Guanqi’s whereabouts. His location will be classified as a secret of the highest confidentiality.”

“If it’s ever leaked…” He paused. “I will find the person responsible and kill them myself.”

The four pavilion masters behind him shuddered and bowed hurriedly. “Yes! Understood!”

Gu Yong took a step forward and disappeared.

The four looked at each other, gravity in their eyes. They knew that if they ever leaked what they had just seen, it would mean certain death.

***

After leaving the Hell Rivers, Li Guanqi looked down. The land had been reduced to rubble. The entire region—once the most suitable dwelling for ghosts and demons—had vanished overnight.

The lingering aura terrified everyone who came near. It hung over the entire Hell Rivers region like a shroud.

From that day forward, the Hell Rivers would fade into history, becoming a new forbidden zone.

After an unknown amount of time, once the lingering aura finally dissipated, someone arrived to investigate. No one knew what had happened.

The cultivators who’d been teleported out of the secret realm appeared outside the Hell Rivers region, and they brought with them a shocking revelation.

“Li Guanqi, also known as the Yanluo Sword, killed Ming Xiao with his sword and defeated Xuan Lin with a single punch!”

The news swept across the Soaring Heavens Continent like the wind, even reaching other continents. By then, many cultivators on the Azure Cloud Continent were no longer surprised.

Every time they heard something about Li Guanqi of the Daxia Sword Sect, he had either killed someone or was on his way to kill someone.

After the incident with the Mo Family of the Southern Territory and the Daxia Sword Sect, most cultivators had realized that the Daxia Sword Sect was not to be crossed. At the very least, those below the Illusory Refinement Realm didn’t dare offend them.

***

Hidden beneath his black cloak, Li Guanqi moved through the outside world, rather than traversing the void.

He flew above the cloud layer, hands resting on his back, his gaze distant. It was unclear what he was thinking.

After a long time, he sighed and murmured, “It’s better to depend on myself than to rely on others.”

That was his conclusion after much contemplation.

He now knew his grandfather was someone important. More specifically, someone powerful enough to invoke terror in the leader of the Daxia Territory’s Heavenly Intelligence Pavilion.

Despite that, he had no intention of relying on his grandfather.

To him, Su Xuan was still that thin old man who used to sit by his door, puffing on his pipe. He was his unruly grandfather, the one who’d send him next door for free food, the same grandfather who’d held him close on that snowy night and asked if he wanted to go with him.

Li Guanqi pursed his lips and sighed.

He didn’t know when Sword Spirit had appeared, but she stood beside him now, her tone amused. “What’s the matter? Feeling sad you can’t live the prodigal son’s life? If you flash your grandfather’s tiger skin[1], you could do whatever you want across all six territories.”

Li Guanqi glanced at her. His mouth curved into a bright smile as he replied gently, “If I did that, I’d miss out on the view on the way up the mountain!”

Sword Spirit wasn’t surprised. She looked at him and gave him a beautiful smile. “Yes, that’s more your style.”

“That knife intent in my body…” Li Guanqi looked at her calmly. “It’s to protect me from you, isn’t it?”

She stretched and lay in midair, propping her head up on one hand. “Yeah. He was afraid I would kill you.”

Li Guanqi’s breath caught, but he maintained his composure. “You probably wanted to when we first met. But what about now?”

“Now?” Sword Spirit got up and happily strolled along the clouds, hands behind her back.

“I want you to ascend and have a good talk with the immortals in the heavens above,” she said, her voice tinged with anger.

1. This idiom implies that his grandfather is a tiger, or someone to be feared. The idiom is about using someone else’s influence because of their high status. ☜