Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Li Guanqi stood at the gate with a conflicted expression, gripping the hem of his robe with both hands, revealing his unease.

Ye Qing’er’s face changed the moment she saw his expression. Her face paled, and she staggered slightly, one hand gripping the doorframe, unable to even lift her gaze to meet his.

By then, Ye Tianying and Ye Feng’s mother had rushed over. Ye Tianying only saw Li Guanqi standing there with a conflicted expression. He instinctively looked around, but Ye Feng was nowhere to be seen. Ye Tianying’s throat tightened. He stared at Li Guanqi, his brows deeply furrowed and his lips trembling.

Then, the gentle Su Xi’s eyes turned red. She covered her mouth with trembling hands, suppressing the sob that was about to break free.

Li Guanqi took a deep breath. Before coming to the Ye family, he had prepared himself for anything: accusations, anger, even violence.

He spoke slowly, his voice slightly hoarse. “Uncle, Aunt. Ye Feng isn’t dead.”

All three of them let out a breath. Ye Tianying hurried up to him, his face urgent. “Then what happened to Feng’er? Is he hurt? Where is he? I still have some high-tier healing pills on me. Wait here, I’ll go get them!”

Su Xi nodded quickly. “Yes, yes! There are still some at home!”

Ye Qing’er did not move. From Li Guanqi’s expression, she knew that even if her brother was still alive, the news could not be good.

She stood directly in front of Li Guanqi, ignoring her parents behind her. She met his gaze, and after a long silence, she finally asked, “My brother… what happened to him? He’s not dead, but he hasn’t returned, so where is he?”Ye Tianying had already stepped inside, but he froze at her question. He slowly turned back and stiffly stared at Li Guanqi, waiting to hear what the answer would be.

Li Guanqi lowered his head slightly. His voice turned even hoarser. “Ye Feng… was captured by Sha. Close to twenty Mahayana Realm cultivators, and we still couldn’t kill Sha. Ye Feng’s Ghost Arm… was a backdoor Sha left there on purpose. I had subjugated a demonic spirit in the arm, thinking that was enough. But there was another.”

As he spoke, the guilt and self-reproach on his face deepened. His voice sank lower and lower. His aura even seemed to dim slightly, as though his entire spirit had collapsed a fraction.

He truly regretted not finding the demonic spirit in Ye Feng’s Ghost Arm sooner.

If only…

Sometimes, things simply moved in directions no one wanted.

Ye Tianying remained silent for a long time. Then he murmured softly, “Oh… captured.”

He raised his head slowly. “Before he was captured… was my son brave?”

There were tears in his eyes. Perhaps he had already guessed what came after.

Su Xi crumpled into Ye Tianying’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Li Guanqi closed his eyes. His throat bobbed slightly, and he murmured, “Very brave.”

He flipped his hand, revealing Ye Feng’s life jade slip.

He bowed deeply. “Uncle, Aunt, please rest assured. Ye Feng is not only your son; he is also my brother. From this day on, I will do everything I can to find him. One day, I will bring him home.”

Ye Tianying’s eyes were red. He nodded repeatedly, fighting back tears. His shoulders sank heavily, as if he had aged decades. He looked at the jade slip in Li Guanqi’s hand but did not ask for a copy. He had seen the unshakable resolve in Li Guanqi’s eyes, and he believed the young man would give everything he had to find Ye Feng.

Su Xi gently pulled away from Ye Tianying and walked toward Li Guanqi on her own, her elegant golden robe swaying softly with each step. Her eyes were red-rimmed. She reached out, taking his hands in hers. They were warm and soft, her touch gentle, as though she feared hurting him.

Her voice quivered. “Child... we don’t blame you. Just bring him back. Even if he’s crippled, that’s okay.”

Li Guanqi’s brows eased slightly. He replied softly, “Aunt Su… don’t worry. I will definitely bring him back.”

After leaving the Ye family residence, Ye Qing’er personally escorted him out.

She said softly, “Li Guanqi.”

“Mm?”

“You had already guessed Sha would target us, didn’t you? That’s why you moved us here in secret ahead of time. The Xiao family too.”

Li Guanqi stood with his back to her, the wind stirring his disheveled hair. He did not turn around. “And what good did knowing do? I still couldn’t stop him. Ye Feng… The truth is, he did it for—”

Ye Qing’er gently pushed him toward the gate. “Don’t say it. I know exactly what kind of person my brother is.”

She kept her head bowed, her lips pressed tight and her nose crinkling, as though refusing to let herself cry.

Ye Qing’er pinched the hem of her robe. “Li Guanqi. You’re a real man. Before, I only thought of you as a genius. A monstrous talent. Someone standing above the clouds.”

She abruptly raised her head. Her gaze was firm. “But what I see now is someone willing to take responsibility. At the very least, you weren’t too much of a coward to face us.”

With that, Ye Qing’er turned back toward the courtyard. Before entering, she asked softly, “How is Xiao Chen?”

Li Guanqi paused. “He’s in the Purple Spirit Paradise Realm. Badly hurt, but his life isn’t in danger.”

Ye Qing’er nodded, then closed the door.

Li Guanqi didn’t head straight for the Daxia Sword Sect. Instead, he took to the winds, covering thousands of zhang in a single bound.

Unknowingly, he arrived at a mountain peak filled with blooming flowers. A solitary grave stood there.

Li Guanqi froze. The world around him became quiet.

Ning Xiu…

He stepped forward and gently wiped the tombstone clean with his sleeve. Then he carefully arranged the offerings, most of them sweets.

After lighting some incense, he sat down beside the grave. He took a severed head out of his storage ring. It belonged to Chen Zhi, the man who had killed Ning Xiu.

Li Guanqi brought out the vermilion wine gourd and sat cross-legged beside the tombstone. Birds chirped intermittently as a light breeze brushed his face and made the old trees behind him rustle.

Around him, the world fell still.

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