Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

The air grew heavy. Wu Kun had called out a price one and a half times higher than before, already beyond what many were willing to pay. To them, spending so much on a jade pendant fragment they knew nothing about wasn’t worth it. One by one, they leaned back in their chairs and dropped out.

Beneath his cloak, Wu Kun’s palms were damp with sweat. Excitement flickered in his eyes as he glanced around. At last, it seemed the pendant would be his.

This will make Old Chu happy for sure!

The old man called out the price several times. Just as he was about to strike his hammer and close the deal, a calm voice cut through the hall.

“Four thousand.”

Li Guanqi’s bid shattered Wu Kun’s dreams. Wu Kun snapped his gaze toward the cloaked figure before him. He glared at Li Guanqi, then narrowed his eyes, thinking he looked familiar.

Grinding his teeth as he counted his spirit stones, Wu Kun barked, “Four thousand two hundred!”

“Five thousand,” Li Guanqi replied, almost lazily.

Wu Kun slammed a fist on the table.

Thud!“Are you fucking with me? Do you know who I am?!”

He hadn’t expected anyone to cut in at the last moment. He’d already offered his maximum bid, convinced the pendant was his.

The other attendees had no intention of wasting a fortune on something they were uncertain about. But now…

Beneath his hood, Li Guanqi narrowed his eyes at Wu Kun and tilted his head ever so slightly. This slight movement caused another wave of cold sweat to break out on Wu Kun’s forehead.

The crowd also caught the faint pressure radiating from Li Guanqi.

Wu Kun regretted his impulsiveness a little. Everyone at the auction was either a powerful cultivator or someone with considerable status. The old woman at the entrance wasn’t letting just anyone through.

Even Wu Kun had needed his grandfather to talk to her for a long while before he was allowed inside.

Li Guanqi stayed silent, idly tapping his knuckles against his armrest. At last, he turned to the old auctioneer.

The man looked awkward at first, then his expression turned cold. He glared at Wu Kun with some hostility. “I don’t care if this is a black market or not. Some rules aren’t just for show. If you want it, pay. If you can’t, get out!”

Boom!

A crushing pressure burst from the old man. Even Li Guanqi felt inwardly shocked. This was no ordinary auctioneer.

Wu Kun froze. At only the Golden Core Realm, he couldn’t withstand the old man’s pressure. He trembled, knowing that he had crossed a line.

The old man looked around and said, “Since no one else is bidding, this pendant shall go to this Daoist.”

He then handed the jade pendant fragment to Li Guanqi, who touched it briefly and confirmed it was the matching half to his own. Suppressing his excitement, he put the pendant away.

He didn’t leave right after paying. He stayed to look at the other items, though nothing else caught his eye. They were just more magical items and cultivation techniques. With Sword Spirit at his side, Earth-tier techniques no longer held any appeal. Every technique she’d taught him was Heaven-tier or better.

But that didn’t mean others weren’t interested.

The remaining guests fought tooth and nail over the cultivation techniques. They could be passed down through sects and families for generations, and Earth-tier techniques commanded astronomical prices on outside markets, though their questionable origins prevented sales through legitimate channels.

Two hours later, Li Guanqi left the auction by teleportation, bored. Wu Kun watched him go, panting heavily. The moment he was gone, Wu Kun hurried to summon his sect elders for protection, terrified that Li Guanqi might ambush and murder him.

He had spent a fortune on a magical item, never realizing Li Guanqi couldn’t care less. To him, Wu Kun was nothing but a clown.

The only figure who caught his eye was the six-fingered youth at Wu Kun’s side. His aura was stable and powerful, and his slim fingers suggested he didn’t rely on conventional weapons like swords or knives.

Back at the inn, Li Guanqi opened the door to find an old man sitting at his desk.

The old man slowly stood up and smiled as he saw Li Guanqi, who was still dressed in a black cloak.

Li Guanqi’s eyes narrowed in surprise. Peering suspiciously at the old man, he asked, “Who are you?”

Even though he sensed no hostility from the old man, he could hardly expect someone who’d barged into his room uninvited to be up to any good.

The man was Chu Xingxian. He regarded Li Guanqi with curiosity, amused by his disguise.

Chu Xingxian smiled. “You’re quite a cautious person. That’s good.”

Then, he took out a jade slip and tossed it at Li Guanqi. “I am Chu Xingxian, Sect Master of the Phoenix Lightning Sect. Lu Kangnian and I go way back. I came here because I wanted to meet you and invite you to visit my sect as a guest.”

Li Guanqi froze. He hadn’t expected to encounter one of Sect Master Lu Kangnian’s friends. But… their age gap was quite big.

He caught the jade slip, still skeptical. When he examined it with his divine consciousness, he confirmed it really was Lu Kangnian’s—the spiritual imprint was unmistakably his.

Even with his sharp senses, Li Guanqi had failed to notice Chu Xingxian before entering the room. Chu Xingxian’s aura was like a bottomless sea. When Li Guanqi probed, he found only unfathomable depth. They were worlds apart.

If the man had meant him harm, Li Guanqi would already be dead. Still, he secretly sent word to his master, Li Nanting.

Soon, Li Nanting’s surprised voice came from Li Guanqi’s jade slip.

—That old fart Chu Xingxian went to see you? Guanqi, listen to me. Ignore whatever he offers you! The Daxia Sword Sect can give you whatever you want! Don’t you jump ship!

—Hey, old bastard, are you listening? I’m warning you, don’t poach my disciple!

Li Guanqi’s face fell. He had simply wanted to ask his master how Chu Xingxian and Lu Kangnian were related.