Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

The top floor of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was Tang Ru’s private area. No one could enter without his permission.

Tang Ru led Li Guanqi straight to his study, then dismissed the servant girls.

The moment Li Guanqi stepped in, he caught the faint scent of mind-calming incense. He was inwardly surprised.

The incense clearly wasn’t cheap. He turned to glance at Tang Ru. He must have a lot on his mind.

The study had an antique style, with two large windows open to the night sky. The room itself was huge, yet every corner was packed with shelves filled with ledgers. A large desk held three long abacuses and a disorganized pile of various ledgers.

After closing the door, Tang Ru asked excitedly, “Why are you here?”

Li Guanqi shrugged and took a seat opposite him with a grin. “I left the sect to train on my own. Just happened to pass through this city.”

Tang Ru nodded and paused. “Tea or wine?”

Li Guanqi eyed the tea set on the table and smiled. “Tea. If I picked wine, I’d probably take up too much of your time.”

Tang Ru waved him off with a laugh as he quickly cleared the desk. “Normally I’d drink tea too, but since fate brought us together again, I’ll have to open some wine tonight!”He took out two jars of excellent wine from his storage ring. Even before opening them, the fragrance filled the room.

Li Guanqi sniffed. He was practically drooling.

Tang Ru laughed. “See? You said tea, but your nose says wine!”

Then, Tang Ru sat down opposite him and took out two clear crystal cups with a light layer of condensation on them. “This is a type of ice cup. Good wine should be served in good cups.”

With a flick of his wrist, the slightly thick, golden liquid arced elegantly into the cups.

Li Guanqi picked the cup up excitedly and sniffed. “This is great wine!”

He took a small sip, then downed the rest in one go. Warmth surged down his throat, spreading through his body until fire blazed in his dantian and rushed back up to his mouth.

His face flushed, blood surging through his veins. He opened his eyes. “Damn, that’s strong!”

Tang Ru laughed heartily.

Clink.

Their cups met, and Tang Ru said, “Honestly, I hadn’t expected you to be that fearless that day! You were fucking bold! Were you ready to stake your life?”

Li Guanqi pressed his lips together. “I was.”

The two sat in the quiet study, cicadas chirping outside as they reminisced over wine. After three cups, Tang Ru repeatedly stole glances at Li Guanqi, hesitant to speak.

Li Guanqi chuckled. “If you’ve got something to say, just say it.”

Tang Ru studied him for a while. His eyes were slightly bloodshot and his expression weary, as if he hadn’t slept properly in days. After a long pause, he asked, “What’s your cultivation level now?”

Li Guanqi blinked, surprised by the question. Still, he answered, “Mid Nascent Soul Realm.”

Then he glanced toward a corner of the room. “Hasn’t that man already sensed it?”

Tang Ru’s eyes went wide. He hadn’t expected Li Guanqi to notice the man so easily. Old Qian was a late Nascent Soul cultivator.

The shadow in the corner rippled, and an old man emerged. Dressed in black robes that gleamed occasionally, he stood with a slight hunch and two knives at his waist. His silver hair was neatly tied, not a strand out of place.

His sunken eyes made his glare especially intimidating.

However, Li Guanqi remained unfazed, sipping his wine as if nothing had happened.

The old man studied him, then bowed lightly. “My name is Qian Feng. I serve as Tang Ru’s bodyguard.”

Li Guanqi stood up and returned the gesture, seeing it as a greeting.

Tang Ru observed wistfully, then stared at Li Guanqi. “Brother Li, who’d win in a fight? You or Old Qian?”

To most, it would’ve been a ridiculous question. How could a newly advanced mid Nascent Soul Realm cultivator beat a late Nascent Soul Realm expert who’d lived for centuries? But Tang Ru knew Li Guanqi wasn’t bound by ordinary logic.

Qian Feng frowned. Though he recognized Li Guanqi’s strength, the question still stung his pride. “Young Master, do you want me to test him? Your friend is the strongest person I’ve met from your generation, but I don’t think I’d lose.”

Li Guanqi met Tang Ru’s eyes. The question clearly mattered to him. After some thought, he said calmly, “If it were a death match, I’d say I would win.”

Tang Ru’s eyes lit up. Qian Feng, however, huffed with irritation. “Hmph! Arrogant brat! I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice!”

Li Guanqi pursed his lips. “Then maybe stop eating so much salt, old man. It’s not good for you.”

“You—”

Tang Ru quickly stepped between them. “Old Qian, don’t be angry. He didn’t mean it.”

But the old man ignored him, still glaring at Li Guanqi. “Young Master, you know what’s at stake! If this fails, the consequences will be irreversible! I can’t hand this matter over to an outsider. But since he claims he’d beat me, let him prove it!”

Li Guanqi shrugged. He still didn’t know what they were talking about—or whether he even wanted to get involved—but somehow, it already felt like he’d been pulled in.

Still…

Li Guanqi smirked with amusement. He turned to look at Qian Feng, then slowly walked up to him.