Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Li Guanqi flew upward instinctively, reaching out with his left hand to touch the hundred-zhang-long sword cut.

Suddenly, a furious voice yelled, “Stop it!”

Li Guanqi frowned with annoyance. They’d yanked him out of a flow state where he was gaining insight.

He turned and saw several Great Profound Sword Sect disciples flying over. Li Guanqi rested his hands behind his back, his expression blank.

Three male and two female disciples arrived a zhang away. Their leader was a tall youth who radiated righteousness, with straight brows and a sharp gaze. He had powerful vital force and was at the mid Divine Transformation Realm. The others were all Divine Transformation cultivators as well.

The two girls wore heavy makeup and seemed ready to throw themselves at the tall youth, while the other two young men gazed at him with fawning expressions, obviously his lackeys.

Li Guanqi studied the tall youth, who studied him right back. Taking in Li Guanqi’s outfit, the youth frowned. “Outsider?”

Li Guanqi frowned. He wouldn’t have minded if the youth had simply pointed out he wasn’t a fellow disciple, but calling him an outsider without even a greeting was rude. Still, he gave a slight nod.

The tall youth huffed. “Since you’re an outsider, you should stay in the visitor’s room! How dare you come to the Sword Abyss alone and disturb our ancestors’ sword intent? Leave while I’m still in a good mood, and I won’t report you.”

One of the female disciples gave Li Guanqi a sidelong glance. “You’re a visitor, and yet you think you’re hot shit! How dare you come to the Sword Abyss? That drunkard up there must’ve gone to buy wine again. Why’s he letting random strays in here?”A young man with drooping eyes stood slightly crouched behind the leader. “You’d better get lost before Senior Brother Zhao flies into a rage. Senior Brother Zhao had to kill three Divine Transformation Realm heretical cultivators down the mountain just to get the chance to enter the Sword Abyss. You’re not allowed here.”

Li Guanqi noticed the pride that flickered across the leader’s face. The leader swatted his hand dismissively and smiled. “Why are you telling him all that? Just get out. You can’t come here.”

The other few chorused, “Get out!”

“This damn cripple is an eyesore. Don’t you know our senior brother is going to be the next disciplinarian of the Great Profound Sword Sect?”

Li Guanqi smiled. They were flowers in a greenhouse[1] to him. Even back when he was still in the early Divine Transformation Realm, he could’ve killed them all with ease.

He looked at the youth surnamed Zhao. “What’s your name?”

The youth frowned and crossed his arms contemptuously. “You should’ve heard of me. I’m Zhao Ling of the Great Profound Sword Sect!”

While the rest looked smug, Li Guanqi pursed his lips. “Never heard of it.”

“You—” Zhao Ling pointed at him furiously, but in the next moment—

Whoosh!

With a flash of sword light, Zhao Ling’s right index finger was cut off. Blood gushed from the wound.

Li Guanqi sheathed his Red Lotus Sword with his left hand and held an exquisite jade pendant in his right.

“I don’t care who you are. I am here because He Yuning let me. What’s your rank in the Great Profound Sword Sect?”

Zhao Ling stared at the jade pendant. The patterns and aura couldn’t be faked. It was indeed Young Sect Master He Yuning’s personal jade pendant.

This person has to be close to the Young Sect Master. Why else would He Yuning give someone a jade pendant representing his identity and let him roam the sect grounds freely?

Zhao Ling trembled. He touched his severed finger and clenched his teeth. Now, he knew that Li Guanqi was not someone he could afford to offend.

The lackeys didn’t dare speak or even look at Li Guanqi. They hadn’t been able to see his sword move at all. By the time they saw the flash of light, Zhao Ling’s finger was already gone.

The female cultivators forced smiles and tugged hard on Zhao Ling’s clothes.

But Zhao Ling didn’t move, his eyes still fixed on Li Guanqi. “Oh... Senior Brother He’s good friend...”

He continued, “May I ask which sect you’re from? If you’re so close with the Young Sect Master, you must be from some large sect, right?”

Li Guanqi remained calm, one hand resting behind his back. “I’m Li Guanqi of the Daxia Territory.”

Zhao Ling squinted and murmured, “From the Daxia Territory? Hehe. Forgive my ignorance. I haven’t heard of it.”

Li Guanqi dug at his ear. “Yeah, you are pretty ignorant. You seem to know very little. People stronger than you have usually heard of me.”

Zhao Ling was stunned speechless for a moment.

“You! You—! Alright, I can’t beat you in an argument.”

Li Guanqi shrugged. “Then don’t talk. You’re an idiot. You can’t win an argument if we argue, and you can’t win a fight if we fight. So why are you still here, letting me insult you? It’s not some kink, is it?”

He paused. “Oh, but don’t worry. You’re not ill.”

He looked at Zhao Ling, whose face had flushed red, then looked at the girls beside him. “Next time, if he asks you to whip him, don’t hold back. He probably enjoys it.”

The two girls shot Zhao Ling a strange look.

“No! I don’t have that kink!” Zhao Ling panicked and waved his hands. Composing himself, he said, “Hmph! Li Guanqi, right? Since you’re also a sword cultivator, do you dare fight me?”

Li Guanqi remained in place, glancing at him sideways. Even the aunties in my village are better at arguing than this guy.

He looked at Zhao Ling teasingly. “Fight? What’s the prize?”

Li Guanqi loved to bet. For him, it was like getting free money.

Zhao Ling smirked. With a sweep of his hand, a dense mass of spirit stones appeared around him.

1. “Flowers in a greenhouse” is a common expression for sheltered people who have had little experience in the real world. Unfortunately, it has become a common expression used by older people toward the younger generation in recent times. ☜