A Blind Swordsman's Sword Coffin

Li Guanqi waved the withered branch as he walked through the void with his eyes half-closed. Slowly raising his arm, he extended the branch as though it were a sword.

Deep within a mysterious and imposing pavilion, the eyes of an enigmatic statue nearly eight chi tall suddenly gleamed.

A voice that sounded neither male nor female echoed through the pavilion. “He’s here.”

Swoosh!

A man seated on a magnificent golden throne slowly opened his eyes and murmured, “He’s here, huh...”

Zhang Qixuan’s eyes flickered as he said gravely, “What if I make a move this time and that old bastard notices again? If he decides to kill me, I won’t even be able to fight back!”

The stone statue remained silent.

Zhang Qixuan turned and said coldly, “Don’t think I don’t know what happened. After that great battle three years ago, the Immortal World tried to force its way down here. But in the end, weren’t all the attackers slaughtered by the Four Kings and that old bastard? Heh. And if I’m not mistaken, Su Xuan gravely wounded the one up there too, didn’t he? Unless there’s something in it for me, I won’t lift a finger this time!”

The statue remained silent for a long while, as though consulting someone. Then powerful spatial fluctuations enveloped the entire pavilion. A wisp of spirit light floated out from the statue and hovered before Zhang Qixuan.

This time, the voice that spoke was deep and mellow, unmistakably male. “When the plan succeeds, you may use this token to come and serve under me.”

Thud!

Zhang Qixuan dropped to his knees and raised both hands above his head, cradling the wisp of spirit light like a priceless treasure. “I would gladly give my life for you, my lord!”

The man’s voice sounded again. “Even if he discovers you, it doesn’t matter. You can seek out that person. At the very least, you won’t truly die.”

Zhang Qixuan lowered his head, a glint in his eyes. He had clearly guessed whom the man was referring to.

Gritting his teeth, he said solemnly, “I’ll do everything I can!”

Buzz!

The mysterious presence faded, and Zhang Qixuan collapsed onto the floor, utterly drained. The man hadn’t released even a trace of aura or pressure, yet he exerted the natural authority of one who stood above all others. The sheer weight of it left Zhang Qixuan’s back prickling, as if pierced by countless needles.

Zhang Qixuan climbed to his feet and straightened his clothes, once again assuming the lofty bearing of the Black Sect Territory Lord. He pressed a hand to his forehead and rubbed his throbbing temples. Su Xuan terrified him. The mere thought of that old man made his heart tremble.

He had never considered Su Xuan a fool. If he were, how could he have single-handedly blocked all travel between the Immortal World and the Lower World for ten thousand years? Those denied ascension undoubtedly resented him. But no matter how deeply they loathed him, they had no choice but to submit. They could only endure until their lifespans ran out, knowing full well the difference between dying of old age and throwing their lives away.

The Yu clan’s ancestor was a late Tribulation Realm cultivator, one of the strongest in the world. Yet, when he and eight Tribulation Realm cultivators conspired to pressure Su Xuan, Su Xuan crossed multiple territories and returned just fifteen minutes later with the ancestor’s head. Against someone like that, what did the Tribulation Realm even amount to?

“Why else would those old freaks in the Ascension Realm remain in hiding? The nine clans had made fools of themselves trying to force Su Xuan’s hand. Still, perhaps I could join forces with the Yu clan this time. Li Guanqi, Li Guanqi... What secrets does that sword coffin of yours hold? And why does Su Xuan treat you like his own grandson? No, I still can’t get personally involved...”

His muttering gradually faded through the pavilion. The moment he disappeared, an identical Zhang Qixuan took his place on the throne and resumed handling affairs as usual. Even his origin aura was indistinguishable from the real Zhang Qixuan’s.

The real Zhang Qixuan draped himself in a black robe and disappeared amid the shimmering light of an array, murmuring, “That was my last Divine Dao puppet clone... What a pity.”

A cold smile curved his lips. “Doesn’t Li Guanqi value his relationships above all else? Then that’s where I’ll start. That master of his is a master in name only. He should be easy enough to get at.”

Buzz!

A mysterious spatial fluctuation faded as Zhang Qixuan slipped out of the territory lord’s domain. He had no idea Li Guanqi was already on his way to the Black Sect Territory.

Faced with the vast barrier separating the territories, Li Guanqi closed his eyes and examined it. Once he found a weak point, he slashed with the withered branch.

Rip! The barrier tore open like a thin veil, leaving a gap several zhang wide.

Li Guanqi entered the Black Sect Territory and casually sealed the opening behind him. After altering his appearance and subtly disguising his aura, he traveled undetected through the void interlayer. He intended to inspect the ruins of the two sects without alerting anyone to his presence.

He stepped forward and vanished, murmuring, “The Three Clearings Sword Sect and Guiyuan Hall...”

Taking out his jade pendant, he said, “Look into the Three Clearings Sword Sect and Guiyuan Hall for me. Have either of them produced any remarkable young cultivators in the past two years?”

Li Guanqi knew that the massacres always ended with taking someone from the faction they attacked. Their captives either possessed special physiques or were exceptionally gifted.

Xi Yunhuai’s voice soon came through the pendant.

—Pavilion Master, the intelligence division just sent word. You were right! Around three years ago, the Guiyuan Hall and the Three Clearings Sword Sect each produced an extraordinary prodigy. Both possessed Saint Spirit Roots and unusual physiques.

Li Guanqi nodded solemnly. His suspicions had been confirmed. “Get me a map of the area around those two factions.”

Buzz!

The jade pendant glimmered, and a vast map appeared before Li Guanqi. He checked the two glowing points marked on it, then vanished in a flash of lightning beneath his feet. “Is Kong Yan back already?”

Xi Yunhuai paused briefly before replying softly.

—Mm. He’s back.

Li Guanqi stopped and frowned. “Did something happen?”

—Nothing much. Perhaps Kong Yan’s injuries are serious. He’s taken quite a few pills from the sect lately. I also heard from Qian Qiusui that he’s been using your reputation to withdraw spirit stones through the merchant guild.

Li Guanqi frowned. “What did Wu Bing say?”

—Wu Bing did rein him in somewhat, though he wasn’t too harsh with him. But... I discovered that he filed an assassination mission against Kong Yan through the Guanyun Pavilion. He hasn’t set it in motion yet, though.

Li Guanqi smiled faintly. Senior Brother Wu certainly knew how to handle things. “Look into Kong Yan for me. Find out why the Luo clan of the Ethereal Immortal Territory captured him back then. And please keep an eye on the sect, Old Xi. I still have a great deal to take care of and likely won’t return for some time. I’ll have to leave things there in your hands.”

Xi Yunhuai laughed.

—Leave it to me. Oh, and there’s one more thing. Li Nanting recently broke through to the Divine Transformation Realm.

Li Guanqi paused in surprise, then smiled. “That’s good. I suppose Master has finally put his troubles to rest...”

With that, he put away the jade pendant and headed straight for the Three Clearings Sword Sect.