Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

When everyone returned to the Gu clan estate, Han Yuan and the others had already been waiting in the main hall for quite some time.

They were engaged in a loud argument as they waited.

Han Yuan slammed the table and glared at the others, his beard trembling. “I told you already. The method used to refine this spirit-tempering elixir has to differ from modern techniques! We normally extract the medicinal essence from each spirit herb separately at this stage, but this formula requires us to refine them all at once!”

Guo Feng raised his white brows and snapped, “The hell? You think I don’t know that? I don’t need you to tell me! The problem is that none of us can refine the spirit elixir from more than three hundred spirit herbs at once. That’s why I suggested we share a furnace and refine the pill together. When the time comes, all five of us can combine our efforts within a single pill furnace. That way, our chances during the pill-fusion stage would be much higher.”

Li Guanqi could not follow their discussion at all. Having never studied alchemy, he found the entire conversation incomprehensible.

As soon as Gu Li and the others returned, Jiang Qizhi, the old man with the goatee, pulled Gu Changsheng aside to explain his latest idea.

Gu Changsheng’s face darkened. “The idea has merit, but who the hell owns a pill furnace that large? If all five of us are going to refine the pill together, we’d need one more than ten zhang wide.”

His skepticism was understandable. The pill formula was simply too complicated. Not only did they have to find substitute spirit herbs with equivalent medicinal properties, but the refinement techniques recorded in the formula were also beyond their understanding.

Han Yuan took a sip of tea and cursed under his breath. “Were all ancient alchemists this insane? Refining the spirit elixir from more than a thousand spirit herbs at once... Weren’t they afraid the furnace would explode?”

Even listening from the side gave Li Guanqi a headache. “Sister Sword Spirit, don’t you know the refinement techniques used with this pill formula?”Sword Spirit’s voice sounded somewhat impatient. “I’m a sword spirit! A sword spirit! Why would I know so much about some damned alchemist’s business? The fact that I know these pill formulas at all is impressive enough. Now you expect me to know their alchemy techniques too? Do you think I’m omnipotent?”

Li Guanqi rubbed his nose and gave an awkward laugh.

He did not realize that Meng Wanshu had witnessed the entire exchange. A faint smile touched her lips, and her eyes gleamed thoughtfully.

By the end, Li Guanqi heard nothing but an endless litany of complaints. They couldn’t find this, they couldn’t make sense of that... Watching several dignified tier-eight alchemists scratch their heads in frustration only made his headache worse.

Gu Changsheng had completely forgotten about Li Guanqi and Meng Wanshu. He was too busy arguing with the other old men.

Li Guanqi rubbed his forehead and gently took Meng Wanshu’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go for a walk.”

Gu Changsheng paid them no mind, allowing them to leave freely.

Nine Heavens transformed into a hundred-zhang-long dragon, lifted its head, and let out a roar, signaling for them to stand atop its head.

The two exchanged glances and smiled faintly before stepping onto Nine Heavens’ head.

Nine Heavens reared up and surged into the sky with a roar, soaring toward the nine heavens above. It broke through the clouds into brilliant sunlight, its dragon scales seemingly draped in a mantle of gold.

Nine Heavens’ eyes shone with delight. Bathed in the warm sunlight, it looked utterly content. Lightning formed an invisible barrier around its body, shielding the two atop its head from the fierce astral winds.

They sat cross-legged and let Nine Heavens carry them wherever it pleased, passing over countless mountains and rivers.

Facing Meng Wanshu, Li Guanqi took out a small wooden table, then looked up at her with a smile. “Wine or tea?”

Meng Wanshu’s brows relaxed. She adjusted her skirt and smiled softly. “Wine.”

Li Guanqi prepared the drinks without another word. Both of them understood that it was time for a heartfelt conversation.

Meng Wanshu didn’t know why Li Guanqi had arranged this moment, but she didn’t ask. Once the wine was ready, he smiled and filled her cup.

Meng Wanshu watched him from across the table. “What are you smiling about?”

Li Guanqi set down the wine jug and gazed at her gently. “I just find it a little amusing. I never imagined there would come a day when I’d sit atop a true dragon with you, soaring through the skies while we drank wine and bared our hearts.”

Meng Wanshu raised a hand to hide her smile and lifted her wine cup. “Then you can start. What exactly have you been hiding from me?”

At her words, Sword Spirit appeared of her own accord. Li Guanqi turned toward her. She was wearing her usual red dress, but she looked even more beautiful than usual. Upon studying her closely, he noticed that despite wearing no makeup, her lips were as brilliant as the setting sun, and a subtle blend of tenderness and charm softened her proud features.

Li Guanqi coughed awkwardly, almost spilling the wine he was holding.

Sword Spirit said nothing. She lifted the hem of her dress and sat beside him, her calm gaze fixed on Meng Wanshu.

Meng Wanshu’s expression stiffened. Her chest rose and fell once, and her face darkened. Her icy gaze unconsciously drifted toward the empty space beside Li Guanqi. Although she could neither see nor clearly sense Sword Spirit, a woman’s intuition could sometimes prove more reliable than divine consciousness.

Meng Wanshu drained her wine in a single gulp and spoke with a smile that held no warmth. “Even if I can’t see this elder sister, I can still vaguely sense her. Well, Brother Qi... how long have you been hiding her from me? She’s been with you since the very beginning, hasn’t she?”

Li Guanqi’s expression turned grim. He had no idea why Sword Spirit had suddenly chosen to make her presence known today. She had even deliberately released a trace of her aura.

He rubbed his forehead as another headache set in. Just as he was about to explain, Sword Spirit’s voice sounded beside his ear.

“Tell her I’ve been with you from the very beginning.”

The last thing Li Guanqi wanted was to add fuel to the fire, so he replied through voice transmission, “Can you stop provoking Wanshu?”

Sword Spirit turned toward him, surprise flickering in her eyes. She had not expected Li Guanqi to side with Meng Wanshu.

After a moment, her slightly parted lips slowly closed. She met Li Guanqi’s gaze, and the light faded from her eyes.

Sword Spirit slowly turned away and pursed her lips. She lowered her gaze to her illusory form, seemingly lost in thought.

Seeing Li Guanqi’s expression stiffen as though he were communicating with someone, Meng Wanshu grew even angrier.

Bang! The wine cup in her hand exploded.

“Li Guanqi! Explain yourself clearly!”

Meng Wanshu shot to her feet and glared furiously at him. This time, she was genuinely angry. She had sensed that something unusual was happening.

Li Guanqi took a deep breath and softly said, “Sit down. I’ll tell you everything from beginning to end.”

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