Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Li Guanqi’s gaze sharpened. The skin across his back suddenly split open in a spray of blood, and a terrifying force erupted from within him, one even Sha could not suppress.

The violent energy tore through Sha’s restraints and scattered the surrounding demonic qi. Sha was hurled several hundred zhang away.

He came to a halt with his arms hanging loosely at his sides. Beneath his mask, his eyes were sharp as blades. His red robe snapped wildly in the void.

Behind Li Guanqi stood Sword Spirit’s phantom, calm and expressionless. She pressed a slender, jade-like finger to his back, helping him fully unleash the power of the talismanic runes hidden within his flesh.

Once she had finished, Li Guanqi let out a beastlike roar, as if enduring unimaginable agony.

Sword Spirit’s gaze did not waver. “From here on, I will not appear again.”

Her phantom faded away, and a faint blood-red light flickered in Sha’s eyes. It was as though an inexplicable force had taken shape behind Li Guanqi, forming a vague illusory outline.

But Sha could neither sense it nor see it clearly, much less fathom it. He could discern only a formless current churning in the air, yet it gave off not the slightest trace of an aura.

Sha licked his lips and narrowed his eyes, sensing the spatial fluctuations emanating from the rune array taking shape.

The force from moments ago had shattered the restraints he’d placed on Li Guanqi as effortlessly as raising a hand. However, it had happened too fast for him to discern how it happened.The spirit runes blazed. Li Guanqi threw back his head and roared.

Behind his mask, Sha stared fixedly at the runes. Their power had already surpassed anything he could suppress or interrupt. He had confirmed that Peng Luo was inside the Daxia Sword Sect, and Li Guanqi carried no jade slips or talismans on his person.

He had never imagined Li Guanqi could be so ruthless toward himself that he would carve the rune array directly into his own flesh. The pain he must have endured was almost unimaginable.

At that same moment, Gu Li’s eyes blazed. “I can sense him!”

As soon as he spoke, Ye Xuan, Gu Changsheng, Meng Jiangchu, Nangong Xuandu, Tang Wei, and every major figure sensed the disturbance as well.

Qian Ze narrowed his eyes and tore open space with a wave of his hand. “Let’s go. I’ll lend a hand as well.”

Bzzz!

Hong Zhi suddenly stopped and narrowed her eyes. “Nangong, lead the way. Wu Mian, open the passage.”

The black-robed Wu Mian nodded.

Hong Zhi continued, “You Ming, help him stabilize the passage array.”

You Ming was unusually cooperative. He did not dare to anger Hong Zhi. With a shrug, he began inscribing the array.

Nangong Xuandu closed his eyes and followed the spatial fluctuations to locate the anchor point.

Wu Mian formed a series of hand seals and tore open the void before him. Powerful spatial fluctuations swept across hundreds of thousands of zhang.

Spirit runes flickered over Meng Jiangchu and the others. They stepped forward and vanished.

Ye Xuan slowly rose to his feet. The sword intent within his scabbard had already reached its peak.

A faint smile touched his lips. He took a single step and disappeared.

Rumble!

Above the Daxia Sword Sect, heavenly tribulation lightning rained down without pause upon three of the Three Thousand Peaks.

Three figures stood tall and proud. Though preoccupied, they remained fully vigilant as they faced the Heavenly Tribulation.

The void split open, and the three illusory spirits hidden in the shadows returned.

Ye Feng’s eyes flashed. He turned to Peng Luo beside him. “Once the three of us break through, take us there!”

Peng Luo nodded firmly, then withdrew from the range of the Heavenly Tribulation.

He landed atop Nine Heavens’ head and said gravely, “Nine Heavens, we’re probably in for a major battle.”

Nine Heavens shook his enormous head and sneezed. The strange look in his eyes seemed to say he had never feared anything.

Lu Kangnian stood somewhere in the distant void. No one had noticed when he appeared. A few strands of white hair now streaked his temples.

Peng Luo pursed his lips. He seemed to understand how Lu Kangnian felt. Although Lu Kangnian’s cultivation had advanced remarkably quickly, he still could not keep pace with Li Guanqi. At times like this, he could only watch from the sidelines, unable to help.

He had believed that a flourishing Daxia Sword Sect could serve as Li Guanqi’s backing, only to realize that Li Guanqi’s enemies and the conflicts surrounding him had far outgrown what the sect alone could handle. That sense of powerlessness left Lu Kangnian frustrated and angry with himself.

Peng Luo flashed onto Lu Kangnian’s shoulder, snapped off one of his own fingers, and held it to Lu Kangnian’s lips.

Lu Kangnian froze, then smiled and waved him off. “No need. Try not to break off too many. Save them for your own cultivation.”

Peng Luo was a little taken aback, and a warmth seemed to spread through his heart. Without another word, he stuffed the finger into Lu Kangnian’s mouth.

Lu Kangnian’s fatigue immediately eased. Peng Luo grinned foolishly. “Stop worrying about everything. The younger generation has its own path, and our master can handle this! All of you should just focus on cultivating. One day, when you ascend to the Immortal World, you’ll still be the sect master of the Daxia Sword Sect!”

Lu Kangnian burst out laughing. He lifted Peng Luo by the armpits and settled him on his shoulders. Gazing brightly at the three distant figures facing their tribulations, he sighed. “I truly hope that day comes. The prodigies of the Daxia Sword Sect will ascend to the Immortal World, and perhaps I will too. Once we’re there, we’ll reestablish the Daxia Sword Sect and welcome every disciple who ascends after us!”

It was the first time anyone had carried Peng Luo on their shoulders.

He clutched Lu Kangnian’s head with his jade-white fingers and grinned. “What’s impossible about that? If I have to, I’ll make radish soup for all of you every day. I refuse to believe I can’t send every one of you up there. It’s only ascension!”

Lu Kangnian laughed heartily. The two remained there, watching the distant figures beneath the rolling tribulation thunder.

The three figures shot skyward to meet the tribulation lightning head-on.

Back in the void, Sha sensed the spatial fluctuations around him and formed a series of hand seals. Demonic qi instantly surged forth and sealed heaven and earth.

Li Guanqi turned toward Sha with his face twisted into a vicious grin. “You filthy bastard... I’m going to kill you this time! Enjoy the gift I prepared for you!”

Boom!

Before Sha could react, silver light flashed within several spatial rifts in rapid succession.

Rumble!

Crack!

A sharp crack rang out from the demonic qi barrier. Spiderweb fissures raced across its surface before it finally exploded under the strain.

Immediately after, more than ten figures emerged from the void.

Clang!

Drenched in blood, Li Guanqi stood with the Red Lotus Sword in hand, gasping like a beast. Beside him stood Ye Xuan, Gu Changsheng, Meng Jiangchu, Nangong Xuandu, Hong Zhi, Chan Kongzi, Wu Mian, and You Ming.

Soon after, Tang Wei and Qian Ze also arrived. Nine Mahayana Realm cultivators had gathered, and among them were five of the Eight Generals.