A Blind Swordsman's Sword Coffin

Li Guanqi’s eyes snapped open, determination flashing within them. The Purple Sun Pavilion had far exceeded his expectations—it was many times stronger than the Daxia Sword Sect, standing among the top factions in the entire Daxia Territory. The tournament’s strongest contenders would likely come from there.

But Li Guanqi pushed those thoughts aside. This was a rare chance to test himself against the most gifted prodigies from other sects. Besides, a sect’s ranking depended on the performance of its entire team.

The following morning, Li Guanqi rose from cultivation feeling refreshed. He exhaled a long breath that carried away lingering impurities. The pure vital force coursing through his meridians made him feel more energetic. His control over his vital force had become second nature.

He flew on his sword through the skies, eyes closed, savoring the rush of wind and the distant cries of cranes in the skies.

Despite dying thrice in the Hundred Prides Illusory Realm the previous night, his mind remained completely calm. He was used to it.

It still made him nauseous, but there was no changing that reality. All he could do was grow stronger and lengthen his lifespan in the realm, thus avoiding the times he died there.

However, Sword Spirit often appeared to remind him not to open the Hundred Prides Illusory Realm too often. It was very mentally taxing for both of them.

More importantly, Sword Spirit was worried that repeated brushes with death might diminish its gravity in Li Guanqi’s mind. This could lead to a loss of respect and a healthy fear of death in real-world battles.

At the very least, Sword Spirit was glad he had come to realize this himself.

In his last three battles in the realm, he’d caught himself considering reckless, high-risk moves just to win. Recognizing this dangerous mindset, he decided to avoid the realm and focus on cultivation.

By the time Li Guanqi arrived at the summit of Heavenly Pillar Mountain, Gu Ran was already there, waiting. As they prepared to enter the Scripture Pavilion, a rustling sound reached Li Guanqi’s ears.

“Don’t just stand there! I know you’re blind, but how can you be so clueless? Can’t you see I’m sweeping?”

Li Guanqi turned and saw a gray-robed man with disheveled hair—Gao Qiwen. A sour stench emanated from him. Through the tangled mess of hair, Li Guanqi could just barely make out his face. His face was thoroughly weathered, with tanned skin and a messy stubble. However, his features were still quite handsome, as he had a very masculine look.

Unfortunately, his gaze was empty. His eyes were bloodshot, and he seemed half-drunk.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

He swept his broken broom at Li Guanqi’s feet repeatedly. Gu Ran dragged Li Guanqi aside and whispered, “Don’t provoke Old Gao. He has a strange temper. Let’s enter the Scripture Pavilion.”

But Li Guanqi smiled and bowed to the man. “Drink less. It’s very harmful for you.”

As he turned to leave, the silent Gao Qiwen suddenly spoke.

“If you go to the Tournament of a Hundred Sects as you are right now, you’ll be dead before you know what hit you.”

Li Guanqi paused for a moment, then continued on toward the Scripture Pavilion. He didn’t know what Gao Qiwen had experienced, but the tournament was an opportunity he refused to miss. Li Guanqi wanted to broaden his horizons and face stronger opponents. He wouldn’t let the opportunity slip.

Gao Qiwen looked down and merely watched Li Guanqi leave without a word. Then, he bent down and continued to sweep the dust on the ground.

Rustle... Rustle...

The broom slowed, each pass more sluggish than the last. After a while, he muttered, “Ling Daoyan, are you really comfortable letting him participate? You know as well as I do that plenty of sects hold grudges against the Daxia Sword Sect. If he—”

The voice of an old man rang in his ear. “Qiwen, some advice is best left unsaid on the path to immortality. Stopping him now might break the kid’s spirit.”

Rustle rustle...

Gao Qiwen shuffled around. An indignant expression lurked beneath his disheveled hair. It was unclear what he was thinking about.

Meanwhile, Li Guanqi and Gu Ran made their way to the back of the mountain, where the Scripture Pavilion stood. It was a forbidden area within the sect. To reach it, they had to pass through a bamboo forest. The bamboo was completely green, making it look like green jade. Sect Master Lu Kangnian had personally planted it many years ago.

Li Guanqi stood before the bamboo forest, then took out his identity jade slip and tossed it up in the air. The jade slip shone, and the bamboo forest parted to form a path.

Li Guanqi said, “Let’s go.”

Soon, they arrived in front of a large tower. This Scripture Pavilion was a crucial part of the sect; even inner sect disciples could not freely go there.

Li Guanqi saw the old man from before and bowed with a smile. “Greetings, Old Ling.”

The old man had a dazed look in his eyes and reeked of alcohol. He looked at Li Guanqi and smiled. “It’s you again, brat. Alright, just go in.”

With a wave of his hand, the door behind him slowly opened. The smell of ancient scriptures and thick spirit qi washed over them.

The old man leaned back in his rocking chair and closed his eyes. “Those scriptures are ancient—handle them with care. Each of you may choose one sprint technique and one sword technique.”

They bowed, then entered the Scripture Pavilion.

The shelves for the technique-based scriptures were ten zhang tall. Tens of such shelves were densely packed together.

Even though he’d prepared himself mentally, Li Guanqi was still awed by the sheer number of scriptures. Gu Ran, too, was stunned. She stood frozen, unsure where to begin.

Li Guanqi made his way to the sword technique section. He knew exactly what he was looking for. He didn’t want the most advanced or sophisticated technique, but rather something that truly suited him.

“Sword Spirit, I’m looking for a sword technique that will let me use my strengths to their fullest. Can you help me find the one that suits me best?”

Sword Spirit scanned all the scriptures on the shelf, then pointed to an old, tattered book resting at the very bottom of the shelf. Li Guanqi frowned. Why would Sword Spirit choose something stored so low?

Still, he climbed down the ladder and picked up the book. The cover read: Purple Ripple Demon Sword Technique.

Upon opening the book, he discovered it contained only the first two sword techniques from the original set. Then, viewing it from another angle, a realization struck him. Even with just the first two techniques, this book was valuable enough to earn its place in the Scripture Pavilion!

Li Guanqi smiled and said telepathically to Sword Spirit, “Sword Spirit, would you be able to recreate the missing sword techniques and sutra?”

Sword Spirit’s haughty voice rang out in his mind. “A mere Earth-tier sword technique is child’s play. Why wouldn’t I be able to recreate it? Just choose this one. This set of sword techniques will help you maximize your speed and deliver devastating power when paired with your Lightning Spirit Root.”