Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Who would do something like this? And it sounds like I was the target from the start.

Cang Lu?

The moment the idea surfaced, Li Guanqi dismissed it. The timing didn’t match, and even if it did, Cang Lu didn’t have the strength to control a Divine Transformation Realm cultivator.

Yu Mu’s fear told him everything. The enemy’s power far exceeded his, and even after breaking through, Yu Mu still wasn’t on the same level.

Who could it be? Why did they order him to monitor me?

A boundless surge of soul power erupted from Li Guanqi. It surged outwards like a raging flood, instantly knocking Yu Mu unconscious.

A cold glint flickered through Li Guanqi’s eyes. His fingers curled like talons, clamping down on Yu Mu’s skull. He lowered his gaze and growled, voice low and rough, saying, “Soul Search.”

Rumble!

Silver threads shot from between his fingers as his grip tightened. Beneath their glow, a translucent soul was wrenched out of Yu Mu’s body.

Li Guanqi’s face went paper-white. He hadn’t expected the technique to drain him so much. His divine consciousness was vanishing at an alarming pace.A flash of silver lit his eyes, and Yu Mu’s memories poured into his mind. Yet just as the image of the mysterious man came into focus, a violent tide of silver sword light exploded toward him.

The divine consciousness attack hit without warning, recklessly burning away Yu Mu’s own essence.

Boom!

Li Guanqi’s expression darkened. His divine consciousness surged like crashing waves, shattering blade after blade of sword light. The assault didn’t let up. There were so many that even he couldn’t hold them all back.

Dozens of spirit swords hacked into the Dao Platform within his mind, carving cracks across its once-smooth surface.

Li Guanqi’s face turned deathly pale, blood streaming from his seven orifices.

He dropped to one knee, breath ragged, gaze unfocused. Sweat streamed down his face. Only after a long while did he slowly come to his senses. He wiped the blood away, his chest still heaving.

He hurriedly grabbed several pills from his storage ring and swallowed them, though they barely stabilized his sea of consciousness. Medicines that could truly nourish it were far too rare.

When he stood, the world spun. He staggered, forcing himself upright. His eyes grew cold. If his divine consciousness hadn’t already reached the mid Divine Transformation Realm, that attack would’ve done far more damage.

A cold shiver ran through him. His thoughts churned as he narrowed his eyes.

Hmph. I didn’t expect them to account for even this step. What a meticulous plan.

He looked at Yu Mu. The man hadn’t lied.

He had already told him everything he knew. Killing him wouldn’t reveal the mysterious man’s identity or goal. A flash of killing intent crossed Li Guanqi’s gaze. He lifted a hand and shattered Yu Mu’s nascent soul.

Bang!

The pain ripped Yu Mu awake. His scream echoed across the void before his eyes went blank and he fainted again. Li Guanqi withdrew the lightning spears, his head throbbing as if ready to explode.

Rip!

In the stillness of the hall, another pitch-black rift tore open. Yu Mu’s crippled body flew out and crashed onto the floor.

Lu Kangnian tightened his grip on the armrest, veins bulging, though he forced himself not to rise. He turned toward Li Guanqi, brows furrowed. He could feel Li Guanqi’s qi trembling wildly.

“What happened? Your sea of consciousness is injured?” Lu Kangnian said, his voice low and heavy.

Li Guanqi scanned the surroundings but found nothing unusual. Remaining cautious, he said, “Sect Master, let’s speak in the study.”

Lu Kangnian stood and nodded, dismissing the others. Li Nanting shot Li Guanqi a worried look but obeyed the command and left with the rest.

One of the peak masters was dead, and the Heavenly Wood Peak Master was a traitor. The news shook the entire sect.

None of the other peak masters felt like cultivating. They gathered at Li Nanting’s residence on the Heavenly Lightning Peak, trying to piece together what had happened.

Once the others left, Qin Xian looked at Yu Mu’s unconscious body, his expression conflicted. Yu Mu was, after all, his junior.

But he understood Li Guanqi and Lu Kangnian’s choice.

As the Daxia Sword Sect’s disciplinarian, he couldn’t let someone like Yu Mu stay around. Qin Xian grabbed him by the collar and teleported away, flickering across the mountainside until they stood beyond the sect’s borders.

“From now on, live as a mortal,” he murmured with a bitter voice.

Then he departed, leaving only a faint trace of his aura behind.

In the study, Lu Kangnian’s voice rose in shock.

“What? This happened right under my nose? I didn’t sense a thing.”

He had never imagined someone else was pulling the strings.

Li Guanqi frowned. “The opponent’s strength is extraordinary, at least above ours. Yu Mu’s divine consciousness was never that powerful, and he’d only just broken through, so that attack was only at the mid Divine Transformation Realm. My divine consciousness is strong, so I got away with light injuries.”

His expression grew solemn. “Sect Master, if this is true, the enemy is terrifyingly strong. What I can’t figure out is why they’d go to such lengths if they’re truly interested in me.”

Lu Kangnian fell silent. He thought for a long time, then his gaze sharpened. “Could it be they wanted to confirm something from you?”

Li Guanqi froze, his brows knitting together. “Confirm? What?”

Then a sudden realization struck him like a hammer.

His heart clenched so hard he could barely breathe. It even missed a beat. But his face stayed calm, showing no emotion.

Lu Kangnian noticed nothing unusual, only giving him a faint smile. “Thank you.”

Li Guanqi stayed silent. He knew Lu Kangnian was rattled too. They sat in uneasy silence until Lu Kangnian finally asked, “By the way, what about Cang Lu?”

Li Guanqi was so lost in thought he didn’t register the question until it came again.

“Hmm? What?”

“I asked about Cang Lu.”

Li Guanqi thought for a moment, then answered quietly, “It’s a small matter. I’ll go find him myself later.”

Lu Kangnian nodded and waved him off. “Handle it as you see fit. Go rest. I want some time alone.”

Li Guanqi stood up without a word, then set a few jars of liquor on the table before leaving.