Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

You Ming’s eyes gleamed with amusement.

Just as the two cloud boats gathered power to flee, they shuddered violently. Their massive hulls exploded, catching even Lu Hengtian and Zhu Ying off guard.

Beyond the Ancient Era barrier they had erected, a thick blood-red glow now blanketed the Gu clan’s entire territory.

You Ming strolled toward the cloud boats, hands clasped behind his back. Hidden in one palm, he had crushed and kneaded Yu Chang’an’s divine soul into a small turquoise sphere.

“Heh. You came all this way, and now you think you can just leave?” You Ming’s lips curled in amusement, as though their attempt to leave had personally offended him.

As soon as he finished speaking, the blood array that had killed Yu Chang’an flew over from the distance.

Lu Hengtian and Zhu Ying’s hearts leaped into their throats. They had witnessed the array’s power for themselves. If it enclosed them, even they wouldn’t be able to escape.

Beyond the void, a hidden observer watched everything unfolding inside the Gu clan’s territory. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, but his thoughts remained a mystery.

He turned to the countless shapeless runes drifting through the folds of the void, concealed between layers of space. Touch even one, and You Ming would know.

The black-robed man glanced at a nearby rune, then traced an ancient talisman in the air and pressed it to his chest. The runes drifted on and passed straight through him.Inside the territory, the cultivators from the Lu and Zhu clans panicked and took to the air at the sight of the enormous blood array.

Lu Hengtian and Zhu Ying exchanged a glance before launching a combined attack. Neither was weak, and together they brought the blood array’s advance to a halt.

Lu Hengtian immediately tossed out his array tray again. Demonic flames surged into the sky. You Ming studied the tray with interest, and his eyes gleamed.

He raised a hand, his expression calm. Three blood-colored arrays inscribed with different runes materialized in the surrounding sky. The arrays rose, enclosing every member of the invading clans.

You Ming smirked. “If you two keep resisting, I’ll look bad in front of everyone. It’s one thing if Nangong gets angry, but if Huaizhi gets angry too, even I’d be scared…”

As he spoke, he wove hand seals so fast his fingers blurred. Crimson light flooded the arrays and dyed half the Gu clan’s territory red as sunset clouds.

Cold sweat beaded on Lu Hengtian’s forehead. The pressure from those arrays was enough to crush both him and Zhu Ying.

Without warning, a pitch-black hand a hundred zhang wide tore through the barrier You Ming had erected. The hand was made of pure demonic qi, and in the blink of an eye, its dark energy flooded the entire domain.

You Ming narrowed his eyes and raised one hand. Four arrays lined up before him and unleashed thick beams of light.

Boom!

“Who is that?! Sha, the leader of that damned organization?”

The man hiding in the void shot forward, slipping silently through the crack into the Gu clan’s domain while both sides clashed. Once inside, he simply watched everything unfold.

The demonic palm slammed into You Ming’s blood array. A deafening explosion rang out as the array shattered, scattering broken runes across the sky.

You Ming slammed both palms against the void, his face twisted with rage. “Kui Lan, Blood Fiend Dragon!”

Boom!

The shattered blood array reassembled into a new array in an instant. A blood-red dragon over three hundred zhang long hurtled toward the ruptured void.

Beyond the void, Sha stood in blood-red robes with a mask over his face. He merely glanced at the dragon, then gave the enraged You Ming an unreadable look. With a wave of his hand, he swept both cloud boats away.

The hidden observer clenched his fists, only to slowly let them drop. Even if he attacked, there was no way he could restrain Sha. The man was far too strong.

He crushed a special talisman between his fingers and relayed everything that had happened within the domain. His figure flickered, and after gritting his teeth, he turned and left.

It was not yet time for him to reveal himself to the world.

You Ming hovered in midair, far less angry than one might have expected. He rubbed his chin and muttered, “Tch. He took the chubby kid and a few dozen alchemists. Great. I leave once, and I’m going to get yelled at again when I get back. Why is it so dangerous to try to have a little fun with Li Guanqi?”

A savage burst of sword qi tore a gash dozens of zhang wide in You Ming’s blood array.

You Ming frowned and turned toward the group rushing over. His eyes lit up, and he flickered to Ye Xuan’s side. “Oh, if it isn’t my dear Brother Ye! It’s been so many years, and you’re still as strapping as ever.”

Ye Xuan shuddered. The effeminate man beside him was already reaching toward him, and then the memory clicked into place. His eyes went wide. “You Ming! You’re still alive?”

You Ming withdrew his hand and twirled a lock of hair beside his temple, looking hurt. “Brother Ye, how heartless. We haven’t seen each other in years, and the first thing you say is that you wish I were dead?”

Li Guanqi was just as surprised to find You Ming here. None of this felt as simple as it looked...

Gu Changsheng was seething. The killing intent on his grim face had almost taken physical form. Gu Li’s expression shifted as well, and she flew into the pavilion to help Li Guanqi and the others tend to the wounded.

Gu Changsheng seethed, the killing intent in his grim expression almost palpable. Gu Li’s expression shifted as well. He hurried into the pavilion to help Li Guanqi and the others tend to the wounded.

Gu Lie only grew warier watching You Ming chat so amicably with the group. You Ming’s mood was fickle. One moment he could be laughing with you, and the next he might kill you.

Gu Lie found a tree on a nearby summit and settled onto one of its branches to treat his wounds. The two alchemists beside him bid Gu Changsheng farewell and left.

Gu Changsheng did not bother exchanging pleasantries. After everything that had happened, he was in no mood for them.

Gu Lie glanced at Meng Jiangchu in the distance and caught the grim look on his face.

Clutching his wound, Gu Lie muttered, “Maybe I really would be better off at the forge. The more I think about it, swinging a hammer doesn’t sound half bad.”

Meng Jiangchu and his companions helped the Gu clan clean up the mess.

You Ming turned to Li Guanqi and gave him a meaningful look. “Sorry. I got here a little late, so they took the chubby kid.”

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