A Blind Swordsman's Sword Coffin

The crowd watched grimly. Based on how the situation was unfolding, they likely wouldn’t get the sword peak’s treasure either.

Someone turned to glance at the remaining mountain and smiled bitterly. “Damn it! That guy with the sword box took the Heavenly Lightning Orb, then Ming Xiao took the invisible sword. And if I had to guess, Xuan Lin already claimed the last peak’s treasure. After all that effort, I got absolutely nothing!”

Frustration rippled through the crowd. The spirit herbs and immortal fruits scattered across the outer mountains were valuable, but they were trash compared to those three treasures.

Li Guanqi licked his lips. Facing the powerful Ming Xiao, fighting spirit burned within him like a fire. “I’m Li Guanqi from the Azure Cloud Continent. Though I prefer the nickname I gave myself—Yanluo.”

Ming Xiao burst into laughter, bending backward as he cackled at the sky, like he’d heard the funniest joke in the world. “Yanluo? Hahahaha! How bold! Even after successfully cultivating the Ghost King Physique, I still wouldn’t dare call myself Yanluo. What gives you the right?”

Whoosh!

Before he finished speaking, a cold light flashed. A lock of hair by his ear drifted to the ground.

Sssss!

“That was quick!”

“Did you see that?”

“I didn’t even see him move...”

The crowd drew a sharp breath at the long, bloody line across Ming Xiao’s neck.

Li Guanqi pointed his Red Lotus Sword at him, eyes full of contempt. “You call it the Ghost King Physique, but I don’t think you’re ghostly enough. As for whether I deserve the name ‘Yanluo,’ feel free to test me.”

As he spoke, his eyes darted to the sword in Ming Xiao’s hand. The sword coffin trembled, excited.

That sword must be excellent... Li Guanqi thought.

Ming Xiao touched his neck and looked at the cold blood on his fingers.

Killing intent flashed in his eyes. His pupils trembled violently, blood vessels spreading across the whites. Having lost his composure, black qi engulfed him.

His body began to swell. Thick black liquid wrapped around him, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a frightening ghost. His aura radiated across the sky and land, approaching the peak of the Divine Transformation Realm.

Li Guanqi squinted, his expression grim.

That was Ming Xiao’s true form, and the reason he felt so threatened.

Boom!

Pitch-black gashes appeared in the surrounding space.

Li Guanqi pressed down on his wrist. Nine Heavens, glaring at Ming Xiao from within, calmed down. Li Guanqi stopped it from revealing itself just in time.

“Fight!” Li Guanqi roared from the depths of his heart. Red Lotus Sword in hand, he charged.

The other cultivators were shocked. They hadn’t expected Li Guanqi to be so fearless in the face of such terrifying pressure.

Instead of retreating, he attacked first.

Ming Xiao huffed coldly. With the Shadowless Sword in hand, he became a black streak, hurtling toward Li Guanqi.

Boom! Boom!

Sparks flew from their colliding blades like rain.

Li Guanqi’s left hand blurred with afterimages, his sword moving incredibly fast.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Brilliant yin hell sword light shot around him.

Clang clang clang!

Metal shrieked against metal. Explosions boomed one after another. They pushed their speed to the absolute limit.

Ming Xiao’s superior cultivation suppressed Li Guanqi’s abilities significantly. They exchanged blows, flashing across the sky in constant motion.

Another ray of sword light burst forth, forcing the bystanders back another thousand zhang. One touch of that light meant severe injury, if not death.

Rumble!

The mountain peak exploded. Deep trenches appeared in the land below, gouged by their sword lights. The lingering electricity and yin hell qi sent terror through the onlookers.

That was when many noticed something abnormal.

“Gulp... That guy...”

“Such frightening lightning vital force! He’s actually holding his own against Ming Xiao’s Ghost King Physique!”

Whoosh!

Li Guanqi cocked his head sideways. Half his ear flew off. A long, bloody cut appeared on his cheek.

His Red Lotus Sword shone with red light. He thrust in a half-circle past Ming Xiao’s sword, piercing through his cheek. At the same time, Li Guanqi’s sword erupted with brilliant lightning, and two bursts of fire shot into Ming Xiao’s mouth.

Boom!

Ming Xiao’s eyes went wide. He grabbed the Red Lotus Sword’s blade and flew backward.

“Now!” Li Guanqi roared.

Boom!

The dim sky split open with a terrifying burst of fire and lightning. Ming Xiao, engulfed in flames, retreated hundreds of zhang in an instant. Terrifying lightning tore through his body. Flames erupted.

Li Guanqi touched his sliced ear with a flaming fingertip.

Sizzle...

Peng Luo, hiding in the realm within the sword box, gulped. Does he always treat himself this harshly?

Suddenly, a powerful force suppressed the roaring flames.

A burned, muscular figure walked out of the fire. Ming Xiao, still in his Ghost King Physique, looked thinner than before. Yin hell force surged through him. His burned skin fell away in large sheets, taking the fire and lightning with it.

Ming Xiao glared coldly at Li Guanqi, chest heaving.

“I admit it—you’re powerful. I thought Xuan Lin was the only one worth my attention on the entire Soaring Heavens Continent. It seems I’ve underestimated the talent here...”

Buzz...

Li Guanqi squinted. He sensed that Ming Xiao was about to reveal his true strength.

Whoosh!

Ming Xiao swung his sword. The boulders on the mountain peak behind him shattered.

Boom!

“Enough testing the waters. If you don’t use your true strength, you won’t be able to kill me.”

Sss...

The bystanders’ hearts skipped a beat. They looked at the pockmarked land below and the broken peaks around them.

They were only testing each other just now?

Li Guanqi smirked and exhaled slowly. A wisp of white smoke drifted from his mouth.

Boom!

He activated the Dragon-Elephant Subduing Sutra. Vital force surged through his meridians, and his body swelled. The Face-Changing Bug, no longer able to withstand the pressure, was forced off his face.

The lotuses on his Red Lotus Sword bloomed. He unfolded the sword prison domain.

Boundless lightning and fire erupted into action.

He no longer suppressed his sword intent. His sword spirit void trembled, the Red Lotus Sword blazing with brilliant red light.