Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Li Guanqi’s brows drew together. He repeatedly questioned Sword Spirit through voice transmission, but she did not respond.

He was baffled. It almost felt as though... Sword Spirit was angry? But he had done nothing to provoke her.

And why did she always stop halfway through her explanations?

Li Guanqi combed through his memories but could not recall ever having heard of the Ice Fork World.

With no other choice, he set the matter aside. He turned to Meng Wanshu, his expression grave. “Have you ever felt anything unusual from this inheritance?”

Meng Wanshu answered seriously, “No. Not even once. It feels as though... it was simply handed to me outright. There’s nothing about the original owner’s identity or memories.”

Li Guanqi found it astonishing as well, but he did not believe such an opportunity could simply fall into someone’s lap without a price.

He stood and looked at Meng Wanshu solemnly. “Next, I need you to open your mind completely. Whatever happens, don’t resist.”

Meng Wanshu had already guessed what he intended. Sitting cross-legged atop Nine Heavens’ head, she slowly closed her eyes and began cultivating.

Li Guanqi stepped behind her and called out, “Red Lotus Sword!”The sword coffin showed no reaction whatsoever. The Red Lotus Sword had ignored his summons.

Inside the sword coffin, Red Lotus huddled furtively beside Sword Spirit.

Sword Spirit looked utterly indifferent. She glanced at the sword by her feet. “If you want to go, then go. Why are you staring at me?!”

Since manifesting its form and receiving Sword Spirit’s gift, Red Lotus was no less perceptive than an adult. It could tell the atmosphere was strange, and even with Sword Spirit’s permission, it did not dare to leave.

Red Lotus let out a soft hum, seemingly puzzled about why Sword Spirit was angry.

Sword Spirit irritably kicked its hilt, sending the Red Lotus Sword flying out.

The Red Lotus Sword shot outward, its tip wobbling back toward the sword coffin as though still confused. Then it turned and flew to Li Guanqi.

Li Guanqi frowned. Never before had the Red Lotus Sword taken so long to answer his summons.

Still, he did not dwell on it. The sword spirit void between his brows vibrated as he shouted, “Sword spirit void, open! Spirit Pardon!”

Boom!

Li Guanqi went rigid. Some mysterious force had suppressed Spirit Pardon’s blood threads, leaving him with only a pitiful handful. The corner of his mouth twitched.

“Sister Sword Spirit... are you angry?”

Sword Spirit’s voice drifted out, dripping with sarcasm. “Angry? Why would I be angry? Go take care of your little girlfriend instead. These threads are plenty for your investigation. I couldn’t care less. It’s not as though I’d get jealous.”

Dense as Li Guanqi was, even he finally understood what was going on.

A complicated look crossed his face as a headache set in. He truly had no idea how to handle this sort of situation. Besides, he had only ever seen Sword Spirit as a teacher and a friend.

He looked at the handful of crimson threads beside him, took a deep breath, and carefully guided them into Meng Wanshu’s body. The threads coursed through her like an emperor surveying his domain, imperiously searching for hidden threats.

But even after a complete circuit, the threads found nothing suspicious.

With that, Li Guanqi finally relaxed, certain that no remnant soul or anything of the sort lurked within Meng Wanshu. After all, in Sword Spirit’s own words, few souls in this world could remain unfazed before her.

The crimson threads dissipated. Meng Wanshu opened her eyes and softly asked, “How was it?”

Li Guanqi sat down beside her and smiled. “It’s fine. I didn’t find any hidden dangers.”

As for the chaotic inherited memories, he was not concerned. They were only fragments, after all. As long as no remnant soul was trying to possess her, everything else was manageable.

Li Guanqi sighed emotionally. “No wonder your strength and cultivation have improved so quickly. You’ve always managed to stay a step ahead of me.”

Emotion welled up within Meng Wanshu. She covered her mouth and laughed softly. Apparently, surpassing Li Guanqi in strength delighted her to no end.

“What, you don’t like being outdone by me?” Meng Wanshu asked with a faint grin.

A mischievous smile tugged at the corner of Li Guanqi’s lips. “Oh, I rather enjoy being under you.”

Smack!

Meng Wanshu gave Li Guanqi a light punch on the chest and pretended to glare at him. “Can you be serious for once?”

Their eyes met, emotion rippling between them.

This time, Meng Wanshu took the initiative. She rested both hands against Li Guanqi’s chest and kissed him. Only when their breathing grew ragged and her blush spread all the way down her neck did they finally draw apart.

After speaking so openly with each other, they felt closer than ever.

Just as Li Guanqi tried to take things a step further, Meng Wanshu grabbed his wandering hand.

Leaning against his chest, she murmured, “In the future... can we not stay apart for so long anymore?”

Her voice was thick with grievance, but beneath it lay an inexplicable heartache.

Li Guanqi’s heart clenched. He did not know what had brought this on, but he nodded and said softly, “Alright. From now on, we’ll stay together.”

Meng Wanshu finally smiled, though only faintly.

It was simple, really. After her breakthrough, Meng Wanshu’s father had told her everything Li Guanqi had endured, and it pained her deeply. Her heart ached whenever she imagined him enduring it all alone.

If not for Ye Feng and the others, the wager arena battle between the Daxia Sword Sect and the Lu clan would have ended in total defeat. And knowing Li Guanqi, he would have blamed himself afterward.

If only I had been there, everything would have been easier for him.

A glimmer flashed through Nine Heavens’ eyes as it carried the two of them to the peak of a lush, beautiful mountain.

A sea of clouds stretched below the summit, glowing in the light of the setting sun. They leaped down and sat atop the peak, drinking wine and chatting as they watched the sunset glow and the lone wild geese.

Nine Heavens, meanwhile, shrank down and lay quietly beside them, eyes closed in contentment. It refined the remaining power within its body, fully consolidating its cultivation at the seventh tier.

Then it slowly raised its head, looking at the vast heavens above, its gaze flickering as though lost in thought. A trace of sorrow crept into its eyes. The higher its strength and realm climbed, the sharper its intelligence grew, and questions it had never once considered now surfaced on their own.

Why, for instance, had it appeared in a lower realm where spirit tools were so scarce?

Meanwhile, Li Guanqi had formed a bold speculation of his own about the Ice Fork World Lord’s mysterious inheritance.

The saying that beneath the Immortal World lay three thousand lower worlds was no joke. A ruler of an entire realm... The owner of that inheritance was very likely a powerhouse on Su Xuan’s level.

The more contact he had with the Eight Generals, the deeper his suspicions about his grandfather’s identity grew.

The ruler of the Six Territories? Heh. My scruffy old man might actually be the master of this entire world—the World Lord of the Human World!

No matter how he looked at it, the Seventh Territory’s strength far surpassed that of every other territory. Even the Ethereal Immortal Territory was no match for it.