Li Guanqi’s scalp tingled at those words.

The metal spirit from the Immortal World alone was extraordinary enough, and any spirit from the Immortal World tied to an elemental affinity was bound to be anything but ordinary. Li Guanqi’s own lightning spirit wasn’t even a true lightning-type spirit, and yet getting it had required Meng Jiangchu to pull out everything he had. Even the most common metal-element spirit physique was incredibly rare in the Human World.

And yet, faced with this metal spirit, Sword Spirit had only taken one look at the furious Wrathful Slaughter sword spirit void before calmly declaring that Ye Feng would be fine.

“You’re that certain?” Li Guanqi asked, puzzled.

Sword Spirit let out a scornful laugh, crossed her arms, and said with lofty arrogance, “This is a sword spirit that nearly rivals me. Naturally, this much is nothing.”

Li Guanqi shrugged. He had long grown tired of her arrogant tone. She often spoke as though nothing beneath the heavens could compare to her.

Still, what mattered was that Ye Feng would be okay.

As for Ye Feng’s sword spirit void, Wrathful Slaughter... the aura it unleashed was staggering enough to make even Li Guanqi’s heart jump. Yet even a sword spirit void of that caliber had lowered its head before Sword Spirit, not daring to show the slightest discontent. Its lowered head and gaze had even appeared like that of a subject before its sovereign.

Sword Spirit was very secretive about her past, though Li Guanqi understood why. She didn’t want him to know too much. The more he knew, the greater the burden he would carry. But as his strength grew, more would come to light. Like right now. He had learned that Sword Spirit could reopen spirit voids and even control the type and quality of the artifacts within them. She could even give weapons from her memories a chance to appear again.

Just like his grandfather, she was wrapped in layer upon layer of mystery. But those mysteries were still beyond him. All he could do was keep growing stronger.

With that thought in mind, Li Guanqi said, “I want to raise my clone’s strength as quickly as possible.”

Sword Spirit spoke with casual indifference. “Isn’t that simple for you? Just pour resources into him. Besides, now that the ancient clans have entered the world, you can send Coward Li out to challenge their prodigies.”

Li Guanqi gave a slight smile. Sword Spirit’s proposed method seemed quite viable. Since Coward Li was his clone, Li Guanqi could continually help him and have him challenge the heavens’ chosen. By the time Li Guanqi merged with his clone, all those insights would become his as well.

He watched Ye Feng’s aura stabilize and rise, then let out a breath.

All of them, including Ye Feng, had long since created clones. They had simply kept this fact quiet. Furthermore, all of their clones had been quietly cultivating and improving on their own.

Looks like before long, everyone will step into the Combined Body Realm, Li Guanqi thought. And by then... perhaps we’ll have the standing to see through some of the fog.

There had always been much about himself that he didn’t understand. His origins, for one. Who exactly was his father? If his parents had truly been ordinary people from the streets, why did he possess such a unique physique? How had his grandfather found him, of all people? Why had he passed the sword coffin down to him? As for Sword Spirit, was the sword coffin a place to dwell, or was it a cage?

These questions Li Guanqi had always quietly buried in his heart, because he knew full well that none of those secrets were yet within his reach. Everything came down to strength.

Suddenly, Ji Yuchuan’s worried voice reached Li Guanqi’s ears. “Pavilion Master, the ancient clans are making their moves one after another! There are many formidable cultivators among them. Their strength is likely beyond what cultivators of the same realm in our world today can match.”

But Li Guanqi had long since expected this. Whether it was the cultivation methods of the ancient clans, or the body tempering and qi refinement their disciples underwent from childhood, none of it could be matched by cultivators of the outside world.

The difference in foundation between starting cultivation at three and beginning in one’s teens was simply too vast.

Li Guanqi thought for a moment before speaking softly. “Pull back the Guanyun Pavilion’s forces for now. Tell Su You not to rush into the ancient clans’ sphere of influence. The situation remains unclear, and we should avoid disclosing too much. As for the realm... move it inside the Daxia Sword Sect. It’s better if we can support each other.”

Ji Yuchuan’s eyes flickered. He replied firmly, “Understood.”

Buzz!

Li Guanqi looked down at the jade slip in his hand. It was from Tang Wei, Tang Ru’s father.

—Young friend, I owe you a great debt this time! Had you not brought that array master to reinforce the seal, the Tang family would have suffered terrible losses. There is one more matter. The masters of the Hundred Treasures Pavilions from the other five territories would also like to find an opportunity to meet with you. Would that be...

Li Guanqi thought it over and replied, “For now, I’d ask all the seniors to tend to matters at hand first. As for meeting up, we can talk about that when there’s time.”

He set down the jade slip and glanced at Ye Feng, then let out a breath of relief and flashed to the sect’s main plaza.

A clamor filled his ears. The Daxia Sword Sect had already received tens of thousands of injured cultivators from other clans and sects.

A man in ornate robes, his face drenched in blood, had both hands clamped around the wrist of an unconscious woman. “Stop it! What right do you have to take her? I told you that she’s fine!”

A young man in Daxia Sword Sect disciple robes frowned and said coldly, “Let go. I’m telling you, we’re trying to save her. If you wait any longer, the demonic qi could reach her soul. By then, there will be no saving her!”

The man in ornate robes glared at the disciple and roared, “No, she’s fine! Let go! I won’t let you take her away! Who knows what the Daxia Sword Sect is up to!”

With that, he leaped into the air and shouted for all to hear. “Everyone, pay attention! The Daxia Sword Sect is carrying out secret killings! If any prodigies in your sect were injured and taken away, it’s because they’re using the opportunity to kill them off! They’re afraid we’ll band together and oppose them!”

The shout, laced with vital force, spread across the entire plaza. More than a few cultivators slumped on the ground started looking around warily. Almost every sect had disciples who had been taken away, and not one of them had returned. Also, those taken were all disciples of exceptional talent within their sects.

Eyes darted around the crowd, a sense of unease spreading. Several people had already stood up.

The disciples who had come to tend the wounded turned pale.

“Silence!” one of them shouted furiously. “Stop slandering us! The Daxia Sword Sect dispatched over ten thousand cultivators as reinforcements! We’ve suffered heavy casualties ourselves, yet not once have we complained. Elder Li has already tested and confirmed this: anyone with too much demonic qi pent up inside will become an Abyssal Demon if left untreated. Secret killings? What a joke! The Daxia Sword Sect acts with integrity and transparency. We already have so many prodigies of our own. Why would we need to kill anyone to secure our position?”

The young man drew his sword in fury and pointed it at the man in the air, shouting until his voice turned hoarse.