Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Everyone who witnessed it was shocked. No one even dared to breathe.

Ming Xiao was famous for his power throughout the entire Hell Rivers region. Even before cultivating the Ghost King Physique, he had been stronger than Xuan Lin. No one had imagined he would lose to an outsider.

“Li Guanqi of the Azure Cloud Continent, Yanluo Sword…”

Li Guanqi’s nickname would forever be remembered.

Someone finally snapped out of their shock and shouted, “Li Guanqi of the Azure Cloud Continent! It really is him! The Bloody Butcher!”

Many started connecting the dots. Li Guanqi was simply too famous on the Azure Cloud Continent.

“He isn’t trying to kill Ming Xiao, is he?” someone said. “Hasn’t he heard the rumor?”

“Heh. You really think that rumor is true? Ming Xiao just shares a surname with the Hell King, that’s all.”

“He’s an outsider. How could he have heard a local rumor?”

Li Guanqi rested the Red Lotus Sword on Ming Xiao’s neck.Ming Xiao looked up with great difficulty, then burst into maniacal laughter. “That was incredible. It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun in a fight… Come. Just kill me.”

Li Guanqi’s expression didn’t change. He calmly looked into the madness in Ming Xiao’s eyes. He raised his sword to chop off Ming Xiao’s head.

Then he felt a chilling hand gently grasp his wrist.

His heart raced. The broken red sword in his spirit void erupted with a powerful aura, and the Red Lotus Sword blazed with terrifying red light.

The blooming lotus flowers on the blade closed. The sword buzzed and lengthened past its initial three chi.

Inside the sword box, Peng Luo leaped to his feet. “Fuck! The Heaven-Opening Tier! It’s the Heaven-Opening Tier! He’s about to awaken it! But the fucking Hell King is here!”

A man appeared before Li Guanqi—the Hell King, Ming Li, ruler of the Hell Rivers.

Ming Li gazed calmly at Li Guanqi and did not move. There was no emotion in his dark eyes. He made no attempt to stop Li Guanqi from awakening the second phase of the Red Lotus Sword.

Yet, despite that calm, Li Guanqi felt as if he had plunged into ice. He couldn’t move a muscle.

Ming Li turned slowly and looked down at the kneeling Ming Xiao. His face darkened, and he snorted with a cold smirk. Without another glance at Li Guanqi, he said, “Keep him alive. No matter what, this idiot is still my son.”

Ming Xiao, barely conscious, exploded with rage as if rallying before death.[1] He glared at Ming Li, his features contorting. “Why?! Li Guanqi! Just kill me! Kill me! Ptui! My father?! I, Ming Xiao, only have one father, Li Cheng! The one you killed! You fucking bastard! You killed my father in front of me! Li Guanqi, I’m begging you! Please kill me!

“I don’t need your pity! Don’t put on this nauseating act of fatherly love in front of me! Hahahaha! Don’t you want to know how your youngest son died?”

Yin hell force surged through the manic Ming Xiao. He fully transformed into his Ghost King form, towering three zhang tall. His wound still burned, making death only a matter of time. Yet he forced himself to turn larger than usual, as if deliberately flaunting his strength to the Hell King. His eyes blazed with fury, resentment, and killing intent.

“Hahahaha! I killed him! It’s all that bitch’s fault… Hahahaha! You all looked down on me! And then? He still ended up on his knees, begging me not to kill him.”

Ming Li’s face darkened. He hadn’t known that Ming Xiao was the person who had killed his youngest son.

Ming Xiao laughed maniacally as he revealed the truth he had hidden for more than ten years, savoring the Hell King’s darkened expression.

Then Ming Xiao’s own face darkened too. His Ghost King Physique shattered, and he transformed backreturning him into a pale-faced youth. He slumped to the ground and watched the Hell King’s projection gradually disappear, a smirk on his lips. “Day and night, all I thought about was killing you myself! You call yourself my father? You don’t deserve it.”

Ignoring the Hell King, he turned to Li Guanqi and smiled. “Li Guanqi. Do you dare kill me? Come. Kill me.”

The Hell King smirked. “Trash like you will still be trash when you die. Hehe. But you’re still useful to me, so you can’t die just yet.”

He raised his hand and tapped the space before him.

A strange wisp of energy shot into Ming Xiao’s body. The roaring heavenly flames died instantly.

When Ming Xiao felt the flames disappear, he looked up and roared, “No!”

The Hell King looked down arrogantly, voice flat. “Ming Xiao, you will never escape my control. This place will reopen in half a month at most. When it does, I’m taking you back to the Hell Palace.”

Throughout the entire exchange, Li Guanqi was under the pressure of the Hell King’s aura. He felt as if he had fallen into ice, staring straight at the face of death.

He didn’t know why the Hell King’s clone had appeared in the secret realm, but he knew the clone could use some of the main body’s powers. After all, he had effortlessly extinguished Li Guanqi’s heavenly flames.

Ming Xiao had a terrible feeling. If the Hell King was coming to take him away, he had to have a secret plan.

He turned to Li Guanqi and roared, “Li Guanqi! Kill me! You must kill me! I’d rather die by your hands than let him take me away!”

The Hell King merely glanced at Li Guanqi and snorted. “Why are you resisting? In front of someone stronger than you, it’s easier to kneel and keep your head on the ground.”

Li Guanqi lifted his head with great difficulty and glared coldly at him. The Hell King furrowed his brow, then gently pressed his palm down.

His aura erupted. Li Guanqi was slammed down mid-air, completely defenseless. The Hell King pressed his foot on Li Guanqi’s face and twisted hard. Beneath the sole of his shoe, the skin on Li Guanqi’s face became a bloody mess.

He looked down at Li Guanqi. “I don’t like the way you look at me.”

In the sword box, Peng Luo shot to his feet. Purple patterns flashed across his snow-white skin. Powerful energy radiated from him as he stared out with determination, ready to act at any moment.

Li Guanqi mentally suppressed Nine Heavens, ensuring the Hell King wouldn’t find out.

But inside, he burned with humiliation, fury, and resentment.

What gave you the right to do this?!

1. A phenomenon where someone on the brink of death suddenly becomes energetic before dying shortly after. ☜