Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Even with his teleportation talismans, it took Gu Li several hours to reach the Nine Dragon Immortal Sect. He muttered, “How is the Ethereal Immortal Territory so massive? The trip from Qinhuang City here covers more ground than the entire Falling Sunset Territory. I’m going to need to leave a coordinate here.”

With that thought, he casually flung out a dozen or so spatial talismans, pressing them into crevices in the surrounding mountain rocks. Only then did he saunter up to the sect gates, hands clasped behind his back, and grin at the old man on guard.

“Hey, old man. Ask your sect master if the Nine Dragon Immortal Sect wants a true dragon to breed with your ink jiao dragons. As long as Uncle Ye gives the word, I’ll send one over right away… Wait, no. Give me the ink jiao dragons, and I’ll do you this favor.”

The old man was a peak Combined Body Realm cultivator who had seen his fair share of the world. Even so, the sight of a young man swaggering up to the gates of the Nine Dragon Immortal Sect and spouting such nonsense made his face darken at once.

The guard could not afford to offend someone of Qin Wushang’s status, but did every wandering youngster now think he could come here and make a mockery of the Nine Dragon Immortal Sect?

Seeing that the old man was about to erupt, Gu Li hurriedly flung several voice-transmission talismans into the air. His booming voice rang out from them. “The seed of a peak tier-six true dragon! Doesn’t the Nine Dragon Immortal Sect want it? Uncle Ye! Uncle Ye!”

The old man’s fury boiled over. He formed a hand seal, and enormous fist seals a hundred zhang wide rained from the sky. “What riffraff dares cause such a commotion at the gates of the Nine Dragon Immortal Sect?”

Gu Li’s eyes widened. The old man was no simple opponent.

He raised both hands, flinging out thousands of talismans to shield himself. Then he drew six violet talismans between his fingers and flung them out. Six streaks of light intertwined, forming a hundred-zhang formation. Violet radiance surged as countless lightning bolts spread into a vast web and swept toward the old man.

Boom! Boom boom!Talismans shattered. Spiritual light and fist imprints exploded one after another.

Gu Li teleported out through the raging spatial turbulence.

The old man’s brow furrowed. “He dares teleport through that erupting vital force?”

Under Gu Li’s arm, a silver-white talisman blazed with flame. He scrambled to tear it free with both hands.

Boundless lightning engulfed the old man.

The old man let out a cold snort and swung his wide sleeve. White barriers sprang up in layers, deflecting the lightning.

Just as the two were about to clash in earnest, Ye Xuan emerged from Ye Bingxin’s quarters. He crossed the distance in a single stride and appeared between them, catching both attacks with his bare hands.

At Ye Xuan’s appearance, the old man bowed deeply. “Greetings, Sect Master! Sect Master, this young man—”

Ye Xuan raised a hand, cutting him off. His gaze fell on Gu Li and spoke with a hint of admiration. “The young are truly formidable. Are you Gu Changsheng’s son?”

Gu Li’s playful expression faded as he clasped his fists together in a respectful bow. “Junior Gu Li, from the Gu clan, greets Uncle Ye.”

Ye Xuan smiled, nodded, and reached out to help him to his feet. “No need for such formality. Though your father and I are not particularly close, I have long admired him. Is the true dragon you mentioned Li Guanqi’s companion beast?”

“Not a companion beast. Nine Heavens is Li Guanqi’s friend. But Uncle Ye, I’ve heard about the matter with Ye Bingxin. It was a misunderstanding. I worked very hard to convince Brother Li to agree to this arrangement.”

Ye Xuan’s eyes flickered. He had no reason to doubt Gu Li’s words.

A true dragon with sufficiently potent yang qi would almost certainly sire offspring. Four of the sect’s nine ink jiao dragons were female. If they mated with a true dragon, their bloodline could draw closer to that of a true dragon in the coming generations. The sect could then raise the descendants as important cultivators.

Ye Xuan maintained a casual expression. “As I understand it, Li Guanqi only recently broke through to the Combined Body Realm, and his lightning dragon is merely at the peak of the sixth tier. Meanwhile, all four of our Nine Dragon Immortal Sect’s female jiao dragons are at the peak of the seventh tier. Wouldn’t we be getting the short end of the bargain?”

Gu Li pursed his lips, turned on his heel, and walked away without hesitation. “Tsk, tsk. So Uncle Ye can’t recognize a treasure even when it’s right in front of him. Well, then, I wish you the best of luck finding a second true dragon in the Human World. As for those nine ink jiao dragons hoping to attain full dragonhood... what a shame. Nine Heavens just devoured the Dragon Scale Divine Wood and reverted to its pure-blooded lineage. Its yang body hasn’t broken yet, either, as this would be its first time mating. With the Gu clan’s support, it’s currently in a lightning pool, preparing for its breakthrough to tier seven.”

Though Gu Li had turned away, he took only three steps as he said all this, glancing back over his shoulder the whole while. The message was clear: declining this offer would be a massive loss.

But it also left Ye Xuan room to step down gracefully, should he choose to take it.

Ye Xuan felt a headache coming on. As much as he hated to admit it, Gu Li had a point. He rubbed his brow, then called out to the young man who had already stepped three zhang away.

“Alright, alright. I’ll accept this favor you’re bringing to my door, young man.”

Gu Li turned back with a grin, marveling inwardly. Tsk, I really am something. Though at least a third of the credit for these social skills must go to Brother Coward Li’s influence. No, maybe just two-tenths. Hmm… two-tenths sounds right. Although… if he were here instead, he’d probably be sworn brothers with Ye Xuan by now…

“Come. I’ll take you to see the ink jiao dragons,” Ye Xuan said. “You can take them with you when you leave. As for the gifts, should I send them directly to Li Guanqi or to the Daxia Sword Sect?”

Gu Li casually linked arms with Ye Xuan, startling the old gate guardian behind them. Even the Ye family’s own juniors didn’t act so casually with him.

“Why choose one or the other? Can’t you send gifts to both? The Daxia Sword Sect is flourishing, and Li Guanqi is deeply devoted to it. The more the sect prospers, the more grateful he’ll be to you. For Brother Li, send something useful to a true dragon. In return, you get four ink jiao dragons with a chance to ascend to full dragonhood through a spirit link, or to carry true dragon offspring. Either way, the Nine Dragon Immortal Sect comes out ahead.”

He continued, “Uncle Ye, I’m not complaining, but I had to pour my heart into convincing Brother Li. It took a long time before he agreed.”

Ye Xuan hurriedly freed his arm. “Alright, alright, alright. I understand. I’ll prepare three gifts. One for Li Guanqi, one for the Daxia Sword Sect, one for you.”

Gu Li opened his mouth, but then Ye Xuan cut in. “Four. You are you, and the Gu clan is the Gu clan.”

Gu Li shook his head in admiration. “No wonder the Nine Dragon Immortal Sect has flourished so greatly under your leadership. You’re truly generous!”

Before long, a young man in brocade robes soared into the sky atop an enormous ink jiao dragon over a hundred and fifty zhang long. Four ink jiao dragons shattered the void, and in a flash of talisman light, one man and four dragons vanished into the void.

Inside the lightning pool, Nine Heavens stirred abruptly. Its dragon eyes gleamed with eagerness.

In the distance, four black jiao dragons emerged from the void. Gu Li waved triumphantly. “Brother Nine! Four of them! I brought all four!”

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