Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Boom!

Li Guanqi’s furious roar echoed across the skies. His dwindling sword intent surged back to life, even showing faint signs of breaking through.

Inwardly, Chen Zhi was shocked. He’d intended to crush Li Guanqi’s will with his Sword Courage Realm sword intent, but his plan backfired. It was pushing Li Guanqi toward the Sword Courage Realm himself.

A few lines of the blood-colored patterns beneath Li Guanqi’s skin faded, unnoticed by anyone.

Boom!

Li Guanqi stepped forward and launched himself at Chen Zhi.

They collided midair. Black flames and lightning exploded outward in all directions. Explosions ripped through Yin Hell Valley as they traded blows.

Terrifying power erupted in the sky. For a moment, neither gained ground.

But Li Guanqi knew he was losing. If Chen Zhi got even one second to catch his breath, he’d break through to the half-step Illusory Refinement Realm. When that happened, Li Guanqi’s chances would plummet. Both of them recognized this, and neither dared let down their guard.

Nerves taut, they fought, exchanging hundreds of blows with every collision.Li Guanqi’s sword blurred in his left hand, so fast that Chen Zhi could only dodge on instinct alone. Many cuts opened across Chen Zhi’s body.

But Li Guanqi didn’t fare much better. Chen Zhi’s technique was unpredictable, agile as a snake.

Li Guanqi twisted at the waist and thrust his sword backward. Chen Zhi stood behind him, unable to see the blade change direction.

Anyone without a strong divine consciousness wouldn’t be able to follow their battle at all.

Pfft!

Li Guanqi’s sword pierced through Chen Zhi’s shoulder.

Chen Zhi slammed his palm into Li Guanqi’s back. They flew dozens of zhang apart.

Chen Zhi panted heavily. Li Guanqi’s sword qi had turned his chest into a bloody mess—he’d barely deflected the blade sideways at the last moment, pushing it two fingers’ width away from his heart.

When he looked at Li Guanqi again, his gaze had changed. He hadn’t expected Li Guanqi to be so vicious, willing to injure himself to land a killing blow.

Li Guanqi’s eye was twitching. Chen Zhi was tougher than he’d expected. But what truly surprised him was Chen Zhi’s mastery of the sword Dao, which was slightly better than his own.

“Lightning Warp!”

Whoosh!

Chen Zhi’s eyes went wide. His vision blurred. In the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of lightning. He raised his sword and thrust it forward.

Boom!

A fist crashed into his face.

He nearly blacked out. Blood sprayed from his mouth along with several teeth. His nose collapsed inward, gushing with blood.

“That punch was a small payment for Ning Xiu’s death,” Li Guanqi said, killing intent thick in his voice. “Don’t worry. I’ll let you die—after ten thousand cuts.”

Chen Zhi steadied himself after much struggle. He snorted. “What? That bitch was your former lover, wasn’t she? Why won’t you admit it? Ptui…”

He spat blood, then his face darkened. He formed a hand seal with his left hand. Vital force surged through him, and his aura strengthened once more.

Li Guanqi stopped holding back. His sword moved even faster.

They traded blows once more. Dark clouds gathered overhead, and lightning spears rained down.

Several lightning snakes shot toward Chen Zhi.

Chen Zhi launched sword attacks while releasing powerful flames to destroy the lightning snakes. Dodging the falling spears, he swung his sword abruptly and forced Li Guanqi back.

“Black Tortoise Technique, Dancing Flame Slash!”

Boom!

Black flame erupted. Hundreds of black flaming sword lights shot out, tearing countless rips in space within thirty zhang.

Li Guanqi crouched. He didn’t panic.

He swung his sword in an unpredictable arc and murmured, “Heavenly Destruction Sword Sutra, Crouching Demon!”

The Red Lotus Sword shone with a bright red light.

His sword spirit void hummed. His Red Lotus Sword became incredibly destructive. Even Blade Breaker activated.

Boom!

He released a ray of sword light wrapped in black lightning, streaking into the dark night.

Their attacks were evenly matched. They collided and detonated in a chain of explosions. The shockwaves sent both of them flying hundreds of zhang back.

The moment the explosions started, Li Guanqi closed his eyes midair.

“Shadow Demon Slash, Dark Night!”

The star-filled sky went black, as if all light had vanished from the world for a moment.

Chen Zhi’s eyes widened. He flicked his sword in his bloody right hand, launching a powerful ray of sword light.

His strike burned with black flames, the width of his palm. Vital force surged through him. His eyes turned bloodshot, a vein bulging from his forehead.

“Yin Hell Technique, Flaming Heart!”

Boom!

Yin Hellfire ignited inside Li Guanqi’s body, interrupting his sword attack. Black flames rose from within him, threatening to burn him to ashes from the inside out.

The Lightning Dragon Flame inside him roared to life, reacting as if it were an elder who had been slighted by a junior.

Terrifying flames blazed across the sky. In one dramatic surge, they consumed all the Yin Hellfire in his body.

“You really do have it!” Chen Zhi cried out in surprise.

Flames poured from Chen Zhi’s body as he released his essence power without regard for consequences.

Chen Zhi grinned maniacally. Then he bit down hard, shattering a tooth in his mouth.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Chen Zhi’s aura shattered the barrier of the late Divine Transformation Realm. He was now half a step into the Illusory Refinement Realm.

He pressed his palms together and formed several complicated hand seals.

A flaming mark appeared between his eyebrows.

“Nine Heavens Flame-Devouring Technique! Hahaha! The Lightning Dragon Flame is mine!”

What happened next was strange.

The Lightning Dragon Flame in Li Guanqi’s body seemed triggered by something that shared the same quality as Yin Hellfire. That something was devouring the root energy of the Lightning Dragon Flame itself.

Li Guanqi’s eyes widened.

This technique… is much stronger than the Flame Devouring Sutra.

Li Guanqi smirked.

He hung his sword at his waist. A lightning sword sheath materialized in his right palm. Incredible power began to gather in the sheath.