Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Cao Zhennan was genuinely afraid. Li Guanqi’s abilities had far exceeded his imagination. He knew Li Guanqi was strong, but not this strong.

Boom!

Li Guanqi stepped forward, lightning spreading from his foot in all directions. With one sword in each hand, he slashed downward, making two long tears in space.

Cao Zhennan inhaled deeply. Firelight blazed beneath his feet, and the lightning rain around him was blasted away, carving out a circular space a hundred zhang wide.

Li Guanqi’s aura flared, then he disappeared. A deafening explosion rang out as a streak of firelight and a streak of lightning collided. The impact sent terrifying shockwaves outwards, and for a moment, every raindrop halted mid-air.

Li Guanqi narrowed his eyes. He’s not as weak as I thought.

Cao Zhennan glared fiercely at Li Guanqi. “You think I’m called the Southern Heavenly King for nothing?”

Li Guanqi raised the Red Lotus Sword to block Cao Zhennan’s blade, then raised the Yanluo Sword. Lightning crackled along the black blade as he struck down.

The bystanders were stunned. It was just a thin sword, but it carried the force of a tall mountain. Cao Zhennan’s eyes widened. He chanted rapidly, and countless strange fiery runes appeared before him, merging into a blue, fiery barrier.

Boom!The sword struck the barrier with mighty force, shattering the surrounding space for hundreds of zhang. The pitch-black void gaped open, countless air currents flowing haphazardly through the cracks.

The runes making up the barrier began to shatter. But despite the cracks spreading through it, the barrier held.

The impact blasted Cao Zhennan back. Both cultivators were shocked.

Cao Zhennan had obtained his rune technique from an ancient secret realm. It was supposed to block attacks from cultivators at his level without issue, and it had never failed him before. Now, it had cracked after just one strike.

Li Guanqi squinted and smirked. If ten thousand jun isn’t enough... then a hundred thousand.

There was a blur of motion. Li Guanqi disappeared, leaving behind only afterimages.

Cao Zhennan flew backward, slashing multiple times. Runes appeared around him, turning into an airtight barrier.

The moment Li Guanqi’s sword landed again, Cao Zhennan pulled out an ancient, golden-yellow shield without hesitation.

Boom! Crack‌!

The tough shield exploded upon impact.

The muscles on Li Guanqi’s right arm swelled as the Yanluo Sword cut through the shield with ease. Simultaneously, the Red Lotus Sword shone with bright red light as he thrust it at Cao Zhennan.

The two swords collided.

Li Guanqi flicked the Red Lotus Sword upward with his left hand, swinging it around Cao Zhennan’s blade. The edge cut two of Cao Zhennan’s ribs, and Li Guanqi flicked it upward again.

Cao Zhennan’s fist landed on Li Guanqi’s chest. He used the momentum to retreat backward before he could be injured further. Li Guanqi reappeared beside him in a flash.

Both cultivators showered each other with attacks. The space around them shattered as they moved at high speed, and the surrounding cultivators saw only glints of light reflecting off their blades amid the blur of motion. Every strike was filled with killing intent.

The crowd realized Cao Zhennan was using his full strength, yet he could not return any of their attacks. Instead, the blind swordsman consistently beat him backward. Cao Zhennan gritted his teeth and pulled out an ice-blue pill from his storage ring. The pill was strangely fragrant, covered in carved patterns, and burned with a flickering light-blue flame.

He narrowed his eyes and swallowed it.

Boom!

Li Guanqi’s killing intent surged. He glared coldly at Cao Zhennan. “You think you’re so great, Southern Heavenly King? Hehe. You’re just a man who dared extract his own nephew’s natural Saint Spirit Root. A man who personally killed his own sister’s whole family. How vicious.”

The crowd gasped.

A dozen years ago, the Southern Heavenly King’s family had disappeared without explanation, and Cao Zhennan ascended to the throne. Many people had their suspicions at the time, but without solid evidence, no one dared make accusations. Furthermore, Cao Zhennan’s position was undisputed, so no one was foolish enough to challenge him. It was a sensitive topic.

But today, four Illusory Refinement Realm cultivators had come to the Realm of the Southern Heavenly King to disrupt his birthday party. Anyone with any sense could guess their objective.

“That youth whose skin was flayed off… Could he be the previous Southern Heavenly King’s son?!” someone shouted.

Cao Zhennan’s expression changed multiple times. He squinted at Li Guanqi. “Heh. What evidence do you have to make such accusations? Besides, you’re never leaving alive.”

Boom!

Cao Zhennan gave Li Guanqi no chance to speak, charging at him with his sword raised.

Blood surged through Li Guanqi’s body. He raised his hand to block Cao Zhennan’s attack, turned, and swung his foot like a great axe at Cao Zhennan’s head.

Bam!

The kick threw Cao Zhennan thousands of zhang back, breaking his left arm. If he hadn’t blocked, the consequences would’ve been far more disastrous.

Li Guanqi snorted. “The former Southern Heavenly King’s family trusted you so much, but you repaid their kindness with treachery. You forced the couple out of their realm, then used their young son Cao Yan to blackmail them so they could do nothing. In the end, you killed them both. If they hadn’t worked together to send Cao Yan away, you would’ve killed him too.”

Li Guanqi’s divine consciousness surged, and the scenes of what he’d witnessed when he first met Cao Yan were displayed for all to see.