Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Li Guanqi’s remark travelled across the crowd. Every Daxia Sword Sect disciple flying in the sky fell solemn, then murmured, “I have no regrets joining the Daxia Sword Sect!”

Their low murmurs swelled into a roaring current, their passion surging like a swift river that filled every space with its roar. Every person’s heart trembled.

Many rogue cultivators looked on with admiration.

The unity displayed by the Daxia Sword Sect was something these rogue cultivators had never known. The feeling of having a support system, no longer fighting alone in the world, overwhelmed them with emotion.

Lu Kangnian walked out of the palace, his eyes shining with wild ambition—something never seen before. His heart blazed with determination to lead his sect to glory.

Clutching the storage ring, he gazed at the disciples filling the skies. When he listened to their declaration, his heart swelled with pride.

All disciples looked at Lu Kangnian, sword light swirling around him. His Adam’s apple trembled as he tried to contain his emotions. Then he called out, “Come! Let’s go home!”

Everyone laughed.

Yes—home.

They had faced the far mightier Purple Sun Pavilion fair and square. And they had won.The disciples entered the transport array leading back to the sect in an orderly fashion. Li Guanqi walked among his seniors and entered the array.

He was still overwhelmed by what had unfolded—not only the battle itself, but the actions of his peers, seniors, elders, and even the sect master. It gave him a sense of security, telling him that even if he had been someone else, the sect would have acted no differently. For the first time, he felt that he truly belonged.

After a long time, they were finally back in the familiar sect grounds. Upon arrival, Lu Kangnian’s first order of business was to announce the rewards bestowed upon them by the Northern Heavenly King, Long Qu.

Buzz!

A hundred-zhang-long spirit vein appeared in the sky above. The spirit qi across the whole sect territory stirred, and a thin mist even formed above the plaza. The disciples were ecstatic.

A high-grade spirit vein! Even the Purple Sun Pavilion only had two of them.

With all the disciples watching, Lu Kangnian fixed the gigantic spirit vein on Heavenly Pillar Peak, choosing this location for its spirit vein array that could distribute the spirit qi in all directions.

Lu Kangnian said, “Beyond our spirit ascension platforms, which have been crucial all this time, this spirit vein shall elevate your cultivation for the next hundred years!”

His actions greatly motivated all disciples. They’d expected such a precious resource to be reserved for Golden Core Realm and Nascent Soul Realm elders, but Lu Kangnian surprised them by allowing every disciple to use it. After all, Lu Kangnian knew that if the sect was to flourish across generations, it had to invest in its youth.

Boom!

Lu Kangnian raised his hand. A large, green light barrier expanded outward, covering the entire sect. Sweeping his gaze across the crowd, he said, “We all stood together against the Purple Sun Pavilion today—and we won!”

The disciples standing below the platform erupted in cheers.

Outsiders always found the Daxia Sword Sect peculiar—an unremarkable sect with oddly strict rules. No one ever understood their rigid adherence to them.

But now, every disciple understood their rules on a deeper level. Even some elders who had been with the sect for decades or even a century gained insights. Several Golden Core Realm cultivators stood with tears in their eyes, whispering, “Perhaps… this is the true meaning of the sect rules.”

Lu Kangnian let the disciples cheer with their hands in the air. He turned to look at Li Guanqi, who had not spoken, and said gently, “I’m sure by now you’ve all heard what happened. There’s only one thing I want to say: Li Guanqi has done nothing wrong. Some of you may ask—why couldn’t he have held his anger until after the finals?”

He paused, then looked at Li Guanqi. “Guanqi, tell us why.”

Li Guanqi’s lips parted, but he only spoke after thinking for a long time. “The sect spent a lot of resources raising me, so I did want to wait. But the anger kept burning in my chest, and I couldn’t suppress it any longer. After the finals, those Purple Sun Pavilion disciples would have left with their sect leaders, and we might never have gotten justice for Yu Sui’an.”

Li Guanqi looked up at Lu Kangnian. “So if you ask me why… It’s because I was afraid. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to kill every last one of those bastards!”

His voice rang across the plaza, filled with strength and killing intent. Many people’s views of him began to change.

Lu Kangnian raised his hand and said, “Perhaps some of you still think he acted recklessly. However, this is what it means to be a swordsman! If you’ve made your choice, then draw your blade and strike without hesitation! And don’t forget…”

Lu Kangnian stepped forward, walking on air until he was above the center of the crowd. His sharp gaze swept across the sea of young faces. “He was the one who started the Hell Challenge. He stood alone against a hundred sects! The Daxia Sword Sect should’ve been eliminated, but he dragged us back into the game. Step by step, we climbed our way to the finals!”

He pointed at Li Guanqi, his eyes filled with pain. “Do you know what condition he was in when he left that stage? At one point, his body bore more than sixty sword wounds. Sixty! There wasn’t a single patch of flesh left untouched! So what if he didn’t win us the championship? For the sect, he’s already done more than enough!”

Boom!

An incomparably powerful aura erupted from Lu Kangnian, causing the wind to stir. His white robes started to flap loudly in the wind. “As such, what’s the problem if he left the rest to us? It’s just the Purple Sun Pavilion. There’s nothing for the Daxia Sword Sect to be afraid of!”