Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Yu Bo’s chest rose and fell as he let out a slow breath. The ease in his eyes gave way to a hint of seriousness. He had seen the grandeur of the Daxia Sword Sect, and the assumptions he carried in had already begun to crumble.

So this is the true show of strength?

He had believed he stood on equal footing. But now, his gaze drifted across the seven main peaks surrounding Heavenly Sword Peak. On each peak lingered a faint yet intimidating presence.

Even the emerald-green peak among them was the same, though the figure standing atop Heavenly Wood Peak was no longer its true master, Yu Mu, who had been exiled as a traitor. In his place stood Ling Daoyan.

Yu Bo stood shaken by the foundation and majesty of the Daxia Sword Sect, especially the thirty-some colossal statues towering over the plaza. Their stone faces alone radiated a suffocating power.

When his eyes fell on a few of those statues, his pupils abruptly contracted, a storm raging in his heart.

“Ascension… statues of ascended mighty ones!”

“This Daxia Sword Sect is extraordinary.”

Not just him, but everyone behind him was craning their necks, their eyes brimming with shock.

Wu Bing continued to lead the way, very satisfied with their reaction. Soon, they arrived at the sect’s main hall. He stopped before the great doors, bowed deeply, and announced, “Disciple Wu Bing, leading the Spiritfish Clan, requests an audience.”At that, even Yu Bo unconsciously straightened his stooped back. Those behind him grew solemn, certain the sect master himself would appear.

Instead, from within the hall came the voice of a young man, low and steady. “Enter.”

Yu Bo’s face shifted slightly. He recognized that voice.

Creak.

The ten-zhang crimson doors swung open. At the center of the vast hall sat a young man in white robes.

Yu Bo’s heart sank the moment he saw him.

Li Guanqi’s presence was far more terrifying than before. The invisible weight in the air made many struggle for breath. Only those in the Divine Transformation Realm could even perceive it.

Di Cheng frowned at the sight of Li Guanqi, who barely looked seventeen or eighteen. He let out a cold snort. “Hmph. Is this how the Daxia Sword Sect receives the Spiritfish Clan? First a so-called chief disciple, and now a boy to negotiate? Is there no one in charge here?”

Smack!

Yu Bo abruptly turned and slapped him hard across the face. The strike was so fierce it tore scales from his cheek, and blood welled instantly.

Di Cheng clutched his face, stunned, but Yu Bo’s glare cut like a blade. “Silence! Know your place. When was it ever your turn to speak here?”

Di Cheng glanced from Li Guanqi to Yu Bo, ready to argue, but Lan Xun seized his arm. In that instant, she had caught Li Guanqi’s gaze brushing over Di Cheng, and it terrified her. Lowering her head, she whispered through voice transmission, “Are you trying to die? Do you even know who that blind youth is? That’s Li Guanqi! Just days ago, he became an elder of the Daxia Sword Sect. His rank matches the seven peak masters now, and he’s even third on the Nascent Soul Leaderboard! You’ll drag the entire clan into the grave!”

Li Guanqi stayed seated, expression unreadable. He didn’t so much as lift a finger.

Yu Bo bowed. The crowd behind him followed in unison. “This old man has brought his clan to join the Daxia Sword Sect. Could you inform Sect Master Lu?”

Li Guanqi showed no emotion. He answered calmly, “The sect master is in seclusion. As for merging, there is no rush to discuss it.”

He lifted his hand slightly. At once, dark rifts tore open around the hall. Three white jade seats slid from the void and settled beside Yu Bo. The intent was obvious: only the three Divine Transformation Realm cultivators were qualified to sit.

Yu Han stood beside his father, his stern face darkening as he suppressed his anger.

Li Guanqi spoke in a flat, unyielding tone. “Sit.”

Yu Bo chuckled lightly. “Haha, yes, yes. Let’s sit and talk.”

Once they were seated, he introduced the two beside him—He Ying, the white-bearded elder Li Guanqi had once seen during the Xuan Qing incident, and Yu Han, his son, likewise in the early Divine Transformation Realm.

Though the Spiritfish Clan was naturally attuned to spirit qi and bore little demonic taint, the scales near their temples and ears marked them unmistakably as non-human.

As for the rest of the group, Li Guanqi didn’t spare them a glance.

“From this moment forward,” he said, “I will have full authority over your Spiritfish Clan’s integration into the Daxia Sword Sect.”

Yu Han let out a quiet sneer. “This is a weighty matter. What gives a mere youth like you the authority to make such decisions?”

Li Guanqi’s eyes flicked toward him. In the next instant, an overwhelming pressure exploded outward and crashed down on Yu Han. His chair shattered, and he slammed into the stone floor.

Bang!

Li Guanqi looked down at him and spoke softly. “Authority? If you do not wish to join, take your people and leave.”

His tone was calm, almost casual.

Yu Bo’s face tensed. Vital force surged from him and He Ying as they fought the pressure and hauled Yu Han upright.

The repeated humiliations stoked anger in Yu Bo’s heart, his eyes darkening as he said, “If the Daxia Sword Sect does not wish to speak properly, then let us end things here. There is no need for this.”

Li Guanqi let out a low, cold laugh.

“No need? Tell me, what has the Daxia Sword Sect done to wrong you? Everyone else is in seclusion. We sent the heir apparent, the future sect master himself, to meet you. You call that disrespect? Do you believe your clan stands equal to the Daxia Sword Sect or even above it?”

He continued, “Who gave you that courage? The three of you at the Divine Transformation Realm?”

Boom!