Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

As they headed to the Baizhang Sect, Qian Qiusui asked, “Li Wuji, aren’t you afraid I might take you somewhere dangerous?”

Li Guanqi shrugged and chuckled. “You’re coming too. Unless you’re looking to die and want company on the way down, I don’t see a reason to refuse.”

Qian Qiusui found the young man rather amusing. She smiled.

Looking at the grand sect built halfway up the mountain, she said, “I need to visit the Baizhang Sect to discuss some matters. I run an auction house. Their latest batch of pills has been overdue for quite a while, so I decided to come in person.”

Li Guanqi frowned. He knew of the Yunding Auction House, but he hadn’t expected Qian Qiusui’s operation to source pills from the Falling Sunset Territory.

“What’s so special about these pills that you’d come in person?”

Qian Qiusui shot him a look but didn’t answer. She trusted him for reasons she couldn’t quite explain, yet she still kept her guard up. “Hehe, let’s just say they’re very important.”

“Fine. None of my business anyway.”

The two had little time for idle talk. The jade slip in Qian Qiusui’s hand pulsed, urging her to hurry.

Buzz!A turquoise barrier blocked them from entering.

Qian Qiusui cupped her fists and called out with a smile, “Qian Qiusui from the Yunding Auction House requests to see Sect Master Wei.”

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Two disciples in purple robes flew over. Their eyes lit up when they saw Qian Qiusui.

“Do you have the sect master’s token?”

Her face turned cold, her beautiful eyes narrowing. Then she straightened, pride returning, and said, “Hey, kid. Sect Master Wei invited me here. You’d better go ask him.”

The gaunt youth snorted. “Without the sect master’s token, why should I believe you? You could be here to steal from our Baizhang Sect. No token, no entry.”

Li Guanqi chuckled. “No matter where I go, there’s always a barking dog.”

“What did you say?! Say it again!”

Li Guanqi shrugged, stepped forward, and pressed his slender hand against the barrier.

“Hmph, arrogant fool. This is our Baizhang Sect’s unique array formation. Hahaha, idiot.”

Even Qian Qiusui warned him worriedly, “Don’t act recklessly. We still have business here…”

Seeing her near-pleading expression, Li Guanqi lifted his hand and shrugged. “Do you have another way?”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three figures rushed over from afar. Their jade slips glowed, letting them pass through the barrier unhindered.

The two outer sect disciples bowed hurriedly and called out, “Welcome back, Senior Brother Sun!”

But the three newcomers froze. Sun Zhen swallowed hard, stiff in midair. The moment he recognized Li Guanqi, his heart lurched. He hurried over, bowed deeply, and said, “Uh… Senior, may I ask why you’re here?”

Li Guanqi pointed at the two disciples. “I came with a friend on business. Your sect master invited us, but these two refused to let us in.”

Sun Zhen bent low, cold sweat running down his face. He opened the barrier and led them through. “Apologies, seniors. The juniors were ignorant… Please don’t take it to heart.”

“Senior Brother Sun, they don’t have—”

Smack!

“Get lost!”

The two outer sect disciples lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

As Li Guanqi passed, he glanced back at the barrier and gave it a yank.

Boom! Crack! Crack!

The entire outer barrier of the Baizhang Sect tore like cloth.

Li Guanqi leaned close to the gaunt disciple’s face and pointed at the broken barrier with a smile. “See? Very fragile.”

Qian Qiusui stared. The aura he’d just revealed seemed to be a half-step into the Illusory Refinement Realm. What terrifying strength…

The shattered barrier reformed moments later. Li Guanqi turned to Qian Qiusui. “Let’s go. Weren’t you in a hurry?”

“Oh, right.”

The two flew toward the Violet Golden Pavilion atop the mountain peak. The disciple stood respectfully behind them until they were out of sight.

Qian Qiusui glanced at Li Guanqi, impressed. “I didn’t expect you to know an inner sect disciple of the Baizhang Sect. Are you from the Falling Sunset Territory? The cultivation gap between you two is enormous. ”

Li Guanqi smiled but said nothing. Suddenly, he looked up.

Buzz!

A powerful aura descended upon them.

Qian Qiusui’s face turned pale, and Li Guanqi pretended to struggle under it.

The space above twisted, and a man in flowing purple-gold robes appeared ten feet away. He was plump, and his eyes were so narrow they seemed shut. His robes strained against his girth. He clasped his hands behind his back, or tried to, but couldn’t quite reach.

“Hmph! Qian Qiusui, the man you brought is bold indeed. He even dared to break our Baizhang Sect’s outer barrier!”

Her face went white. She bowed low and said, “Forgive me, Sect Master Wei. My guard did not respect the sect’s etiquette. I will compensate your sect double for the damage.”

She sent Li Guanqi a silent voice transmission as she spoke. From her transmission, Li Guanqi learned that the man was Wei Qian, the sect master of the Baizhang Sect.

Li Guanqi nearly laughed out loud. “Wei Qian… ‘For money’?”[1]

Qian Qiusui glared at him.

Wei Qian huffed coldly, but his expression eased at the mention of compensation.

“Come. Whatever business you have, we’ll discuss it in the main pavilion.”

He vanished, and the pressure he was exerting eased. Qian Qiusui exhaled in relief. “Don’t speak carelessly. He has a bad temper.”

Li Guanqi nodded with a smile.

Soon, they reached the grand hall. At the entrance, Li Guanqi frowned. He could sense many people inside, yet the doors remained tightly shut.

Qian Qiusui’s face darkened. Clearly, they intended to humiliate her. She could feel the hall packed with onlookers, all waiting to watch her embarrass herself.

Suppressing her anger, she bowed and knocked on the door. “Qian Qiusui of the Yunding Auction House requests to see Sect Master Wei.”

Mocking laughter echoed from within.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Qian Qiusui of the Yunding Auction House requests to see Sect Master Wei!”

No response came.

Seeing her face go livid, Li Guanqi sighed. He raised his foot and kicked.

Bang!

The massive redwood doors, three zhang tall, shattered and flew inward like two sharp blades.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

They shot past Wei Qian and buried themselves in the floor.

Li Guanqi folded his hands in his sleeves, turned to the pale-faced Qian Qiusui, and smiled. “See? The door is open now. But please don’t imitate me. I did that because I have the strength to back it up.”

As Li Guanqi entered the hall, he thought, Sometimes, acting on impulse feels pretty good.

1. 魏乾 (Wei Qian) sounds the same as 为钱, which means “[doing something] for money” ☜