Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

There was no denying it: Lu Wuhen was the most formidable opponent Li Guanqi had ever faced among cultivators of the same realm. In spirit root, natural talent, or quality of their spirit void, none could compare.

Lu Wuhen’s composure was especially unnerving. He laid out plans casually but concealed countless contingencies, enough to send a chill through Li Guanqi.

Hum!

The Red Lotus Sword broke free of its seal.

Screech!

A furious sword cry rang out as a dazzling crimson streak shot into Li Guanqi’s grasp. With the Red Lotus Sword in his left hand and the Yanluo Sword in his right, he swung both blades and forced Lu Wuhen back.

The Red Lotus Sword bloomed and trembled faintly, exuding icy killing intent and rage.

Few had ever seen Li Guanqi like this. Gripping both swords, he drew a slow breath, the vein on his forehead pulsing rhythmically. He stared unblinkingly at Lu Wuhen, who met his gaze with equal caution. Both men knew the battle ahead would only grow more dangerous.

“Even with a sword void as powerful as yours, you can’t possibly wield two swords at once,” Lu Wuhen said with a cold smile. “What are you holding them both for?”

Li Guanqi’s mouth curved into a faint, inscrutable smile. Hum!

“Heaven-Opening Tier, Red Lotus Heavenly Dance!”

Lu Wuhen’s eyes widened. An overwhelming sense of dread surged through him. Impossible! That’s… impossible! Could it be that… the fragment in his sword void is far larger than mine?!

Li Guanqi let out a cold laugh. Controlling the Red Lotus Sword and the Yanluo Sword at the same time was nothing to him. Even with ten more swords, he could still command them all.

Lu Wuhen exhaled slowly and drew his sword back. Standing straight, he smoothed his disheveled hair with both hands and looked at Li Guanqi.

“You’re incredibly strong,” Lu Wuhen murmured. “I never thought you’d force me to play my last card. I underestimated you.”

At those cryptic words, Li Guanqi’s eyes narrowed, and he whipped his head toward Lu Kangnian. Lu Kangnian understood at once and sent a voice transmission. “What’s the situation?!”

Behind Lu Wuhen, the void slowly warped and twisted. The sight shocked everyone present, and many understood what was happening immediately.

“Is he... is he choosing to break through to the Combined Body Realm right now?! Is he out of his mind?!”

“He’s attempting to enter the Combined Body Realm with no preparation?! Is Lu Wuhen really that confident?!”

Hum!

A formidable aura swept outward as a tall figure stepped out of the distorted space. The man bore a striking resemblance to Lu Wuhen, and his surging aura marked him as a peak Illusory Refinement Realm cultivator.

Shock flashed through Li Guanqi’s eyes, and his expression turned graver. A summoned clone could ignore any spatial barrier; its origin was the cultivator himself, so no barrier could keep it out.

Lu Wuhen gave Li Guanqi one long, meaningful look, his voice drifting softly to Li Guanqi’s ear. “You and I are alike. We both believe we have what it takes to ascend to the Immortal World, sever our three hun and seven po, and break free of cause and effect. I know you’ve made your preparations as well. Come! Let us have our final showdown!”

Yet at that very moment, Lu Wuhen’s clone shuddered, seized by an irresistible pull. Many Combined Body Realm elders smiled knowingly at the sight.

A terrifying force engulfed Lu Wuhen, but he showed no panic. He raised a hand, and the suppressive force of his origin essence burst outward, as if he had long known his illusory spirit would try to rebel. Against that suppression, the illusory spirit’s resistance was futile.

The instant the clone acted, Li Guanqi vanished. Twisting both wrists inward, he drew his swords to his sides in a reverse grip and roared, “Heaven-Opening Tier, Sword-Unsheathing Technique!”

Two sword lights, one crimson and one black, erupted as one. The beams shot forward side by side, each a full hundred zhang long, and cleaved the platform clean into three. Those two strikes nearly drained the vital force from Li Guanqi’s dantian.

Lu Wuhen hadn’t expected Li Guanqi to unleash such terrifying power. He clapped a hand over the clone’s skull, shattering its flesh, seizing its primordial soul, and forcibly merging it into himself.

Boom!

A savage aura surged upward, shattering the limit of the half-step Combined Body Realm in the blink of an eye. Two violent golden sword beams shot skyward.

The sword lights collided and exploded. The resulting shockwave sent Li Guanqi hurtling back more than a thousand zhang, slamming him into the barrier and making him spit a mouthful of blood. Wave after wave of explosive force crashed into him, shattering dozens of layers of his vital force shield in a single breath. He could do nothing but endure.

The impact persisted for several breaths. The martial stage, now split into three pieces, crashed into the void below. Through the billowing dust and smoke stood a sword-bearing figure, proud and still. With his long hair flowing wildly behind him, Lu Wuhen disdainfully looked at Li Guanqi.

Above the crowd, a massive tribulation cloud had gathered, spanning ten thousand zhang. Nangong Xuandu frowned at the sight. Even the barrier he had erected could not suppress the auras of Lu Wuhen and Li Guanqi.

“All of you, withdraw beyond the range of the Heavenly Tribulation,” Nangong Xuandu said.

At their level, there was no evading or concealing a Heavenly Tribulation.

Lu Wuhen’s mouth curved into a cold smirk. The two slashes had left deep gashes across his chest and nearly cleaved him apart; had he not fused with the illusory spirit at the critical moment, he would not have survived.

Sensing the tribulation lightning about to descend, he frowned at Li Guanqi. “What are you still waiting for?”

Blood seeped from the corner of Li Guanqi’s mouth. He slowly raised his head and exhaled.

So it’s come to this after all...

“Coward Li... Are... you ready?”

Silence fell across the void. Then Lu Wuhen erupted into laughter. “You’re discussing it with your illusory spirit? Li Guanqi, are you trying to make me laugh myself to death? Hahaha! Don’t tell me you actually plan to let your illusory spirit become an independent person!”

However, Lu Wuhen’s expression suddenly sharpened, and he icily stared at Li Guanqi. “You should know very well what happens if you don’t fully absorb your illusory spirit! Are you truly confident you can preserve him while keeping that formless shackle from breaking? Your three hun and seven po are not whole. Aren’t you afraid of dying beneath the Heavenly Tribulation?!”

Li Guanqi smiled, his eyes serene. “You are not me, and neither is he. He is Coward Li! He will grow into a sword genius whose name strikes fear across the Six Territories!”

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