Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Rumble!

A vast mass of tribulation clouds blanketed almost all of Nanze City. The moment they gathered, panic swept the streets. Everyone scattered, aware that if they were still in the vicinity when the heavenly tribulation formed, it would target them too.

Beneath the terrifying sky, Li Guanqi’s lips curved upward. He paid the tribulation no mind.

Zheng Deyuan and the old man watched in bitter silence. They could do nothing until Li Guanqi passed the trial.

The heavenly tribulation made no distinction between friend and foe. It would target anyone who lingered within its reach.

Buzz!

A strange force rippled through the entire space, a crushing divine might bearing down on the city.

Countless cultivators halted mid-air, staring at the tribulation clouds in shock. They had seen Nascent Soul Realm heavenly tribulations before, but never one stretching nearly a thousand zhang across. Even the strongest Golden Core Realm cultivators could summon at most an eight-hundred-zhang tribulation.

Many swallowed hard and whispered, “What kind of golden core does this guy have?!”

No one could guess his golden core quality, but everyone recognized him as an incredibly gifted prodigy. He had to be among the top ten in the entire Daxia Territory.Shock, fear, and respect filled every gaze turned his way.

Consumed by fury, Zheng Deyuan could think of nothing but revenge. He wanted to kill him.

Then the weight of heaven bore down, and Li Guanqi’s eyelids grew heavy. He closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

Lightning roared and countless bolts of lightning crashed to the ground, bathing the city in electric light. Yet amidst the storm, one youth slumbered deeply.

The old man beside Zheng Deyuan narrowed his eyes. “The Inner Demon Tribulation has begun.”

Black qi coiled around Li Guanqi, who drifted unaware. His half-conscious mind was pulled back to a certain snowy night.

Creak.

The gate of the Zhao Mansion opened, and a ray of light spilled across his face. Li Guanqi shuddered, his neck stiff as he turned. He had a bad feeling.

A girl in a tattered floral coat stepped out, clutching a bundle wrapped in wax paper. Smiling warmly, she saw his thin clothing and hurriedly unbuttoned her coat, pulling him into her arms.

“Little brother! What were you thinking? Why come out in such cold?”

Her voice was achingly familiar. Li Guanqi trembled, a searing pain exploding in his head.

It was the voice of someone he thought of day and night.

Feeling Li Cuiwei’s warmth, he was suddenly unsure if she was a part of a dream or a hallucination. He murmured shakily, ”Elder Sister...”

He clung to her, reaching up to touch her chin.

“Where’s the scar…?”

Li Cuiwei only turned with a bright smile, waving to someone behind her. “Brother Qing, you did us a great favor today! Thanks for all the food.”

The youth, Brother Qing, smiled and waved back. “You don’t have to thank me. It’s not a big deal. It’s getting dark, so get your little brother home safe.”

He nodded kindly, then shut the mansion’s door.

His voice struck Li Guanqi as familiar, although he couldn’t figure out why. He also had a vague memory that his elder sister had a scar on her chin, but he could only recall vague, blurry images.

Seeing him dazed, Li Cuiwei thought he was getting too cold, so she quickly wrapped him tightly in her coat. With a smile on her face, she said, “Guanqi, you don’t know how nice Brother Qing is. He gave me the roast duck leftovers from the mansion. Today, the four of us can eat a hearty dinner!”

Buried in her embrace, Li Guanqi trembled, a wave of emotions washing over him. He distinctly remembered his family having only three people. When had a fourth one appeared?

Li Cuiwei held his hand tightly, afraid that he would slip on the snowy ground.

Very soon, they arrived in a courtyard he remembered amidst the heavy snow.

Li Guanqi paused at the entrance, running his hand over the wooden door. Something was wrong. He remembered that his house door had been old and broken, yet now it stood whole. The more he thought about it, the more his head hurt.

“Cuiwei, Guanqi! Why are you standing outside? Come in quickly!”

When he heard his mother’s voice, tears streamed down his face. The image of her loving expression filled his mind. A deep, gentle male voice rang in his ear, overwhelming him with emotion.

“Silly boy. Why didn’t you put on warmer clothes before meeting Cuiwei?”

Creak… creak…

The snow creaked as a man trudged through the snow toward them.

Li Guanqi flinched back, but strong, warm arms lifted him up. The man draped his coat over him, then, worried about the cold wind, wrapped Li Guanqi snugly inside it.

The clothes still held the man’s body heat. The unfamiliar kindness panicked Li Guanqi. He did not even recognize him, yet from his words… he knew the man had to be his father.

“Father?”

The word felt foreign on his tongue. Hesitantly, he reached to touch the man’s face.

He was a thin man with big eyes, slightly thin lips, and sharp features.

Li Guanqi’s first thought was how striking he looked. The man was very similar to him.

The man chuckled at the touch. He turned toward the woman, who was busy lighting a fire to cook. “Wanrong, look! Our son is stroking my face.”

Song Wanrong glanced back with a gentle smile. Meanwhile, Li Cuiwei placed the roast duck in the pot.

“Hehe! Guanqi was so good today, coming to get me in the heavy snow,” Li Cuiwei said.

Song Wanrong sat by the stove, lighting the fire. She looked up with a smile. “Alright, alright, go wash up. I made rice today. It’ll go well with the duck you brought.”

As warmth and laughter filled the home, the man scooped up Li Cuiwei as well. Holding a child in each arm, he strode inside. “Come, wash up so we can eat!”

Nestled against him, Li Guanqi felt unbearably drowsy.