Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

When the auras in the sky faded, Li Guanqi let out a sigh of relief beneath the blanket. But his warm exhale made the woman beside him stir, her body shifting unconsciously.

The moment she moved, he realized his hand was resting somewhere it shouldn’t be.

What the fuck?! This talisman is terrible! It couldn’t even take me a hundred zhang away, and it’s randomized?!

His entire body was draped over the woman’s. His left hand was pressed over her mouth, and his right hand… wriggled instinctively.

“Mmmh…”

The soft moan shattered the tense silence between them. Li Guanqi sprang off the bed, flinging the blanket aside—though his left hand remained firmly over her mouth.

He extended his divine consciousness through the room and finally got a good look at her. She was beautiful, like something out of a poem: Eyebrows like distant mountains, curves as fine as willow branches. Her aura like the spring breeze, her smile worth more than gold.

The lines fit her perfectly.

The woman had gentle eyes, though they were now filled with embarrassment, anger, and discomfort. Li Guanqi placed a finger on his lips, and she nodded cooperatively.

He gripped his sword with his free hand, then moved his other hand away from her mouth.He couldn’t afford any missteps. No matter how beautiful she was, if she made one wrong move, he’d kill her and flee.

The woman sat up but didn’t speak or move. She looked at Li Guanqi with a trace of resentment and said in a soft, melodious voice, “Could you… turn around?”

Only then did Li Guanqi realize that she was clad in very thin sleepwear.

He cleared his throat. “Ahem… Just be quick.”

The woman grunted in response. The darkness of the room made her feel less exposed, and she dressed up quickly.

Then, firelight streamed into the room from outside the door, and they heard many footsteps.

Knock knock knock!

Li Guanqi slipped behind the bed’s chiffon curtains. Outside, a patrol guard barked, “Young Mistress, we’re under orders from Lord Fang to search the entire residence. Please open the door!”

Li Guanqi raised his eyebrows. Young Mistress?! She’s Fang Hao’s wife?!

The woman replied with annoyance, “Don’t rush me! Just wait outside!”

The guard quieted down. The woman faked some rustling noises, lit an oil lamp, and got up to open the door.

Li Guanqi watched her through his divine consciousness. She didn’t act suspiciously, not even a glance to alert the guard.

“Someone broke into the estate earlier,” the man said, looking behind her. “If you notice anything unusual, please call out immediately.”

She waved him off. “Fine.”

Bang!

She shut the door and leaned against it, breathing hard. She’d been nervous too.

After the guard had walked far away, she lit all the oil lamps outside her door so that the people outside would not see the shadows in her room.

Li Guanqi poured himself a cup of tea, calm now that the immediate danger had passed. He could’ve easliy killed her, but it would’ve been difficult to escape afterward.

She sat across from him and poured herself some tea, drinking it quickly. Her movements, even while rushed, carried the grace of someone born into nobility.

Li Guanqi glanced at the altar behind her. It bore two names: Fang Hao and Su Qiu.

“Su Qiu?”

The woman nodded. Her eyes had lost their earlier panic. She looked steadily at Li Guanqi, even though only his eyes were visible beneath his black clothes.

Li Guanqi could tell that the woman had some guesses about his identity, though she was not sure yet.

Su Qiu crossed her arms and asked, “Why didn’t you kill me?”

Li Guanqi looked outside the room. The number of guards had multiplied, and two cultivators were sweeping the area with their divine consciousness.

Sneaking out would be difficult now. Still, he had to return to his current identity’s post soon. Those men weren’t guards, but in a situation like this, the higher-ups would probably rouse everyone to join the search.

Li Guanqi shook his head and answered in a raspy, disguised voice, “You’re not my target.”

Su Qiu’s eyes lit up. Her voice was full of certainty. “You’re the one who killed Fang Hao.”

Li Guanqi narrowed his eyes, but Su Qiu looked at him with no fear. Suddenly, he smiled knowingly and said, “I killed your husband. Why isn’t there a hint of hatred in your eyes?”

Su Qiu laughed, not even attempting to hide her joy. She kept her voice low, only loud enough for him to hear. “Why would I hate you? If we didn’t have to keep quiet, I’d be kneeling right now to thank you. You’ve done me a huge favor.”

Li Guanqi’s mind raced. “Interesting. I think I still have time. Do you mind telling me your story?”

Su Qiu gave a bitter smile. “It’s nothing special. Just a stereotypical tale. I’m the princess of a fallen kingdom. My parents died, and the entire royal family was wiped out. Then, the enemy took me and forced me to marry one of them. Can you imagine? Sharing a bed with the man who killed my father, knowing I can’t kill him? I… I wish everyone here would die.”

By the end, her voice trembled. Her chest rose and fell with rage. Her eyes shimmered with hatred.

Li Guanqi studied her and determined she wasn’t lying. She really was a mortal princess from a mortal kingdom. As he observed her, a bold idea came to him.

She was useful, and he decided to start with her.

He took out his projection stone and injected a wisp of vital force. The projection materialized in front of Su Qiu. It was so explicit that she flushed red to the tips of her ears, though her eyes widened in shock.

Li Guanqi noticed her reaction and asked hurriedly, “Who’s the woman in the picture?”

“Guan Lin!” Su Qiu said. “But why… why would she be in Second Master’s room?!”

Her voice was full of disbelief, along with another emotion he couldn’t pinpoint.

“Who is she? Why are you so shocked?”

Su Qiu looked at him for a long moment. Then she leaned in close and whispered, “She’s Fang Yishan’s lover.”

Li Guanqi froze. “Zhongnan is sleeping with his cousin’s woman… Damn, so that’s why he said that.”

He stared down at the projection stone in his hand, and a daring plan took shape in his mind.