What Is the Sword Coffin to You?

Upon leaving the Seventh Domain, Li Guanqi did not bid farewell to Su Xuan. His feelings were, in truth, deeply complicated. Ever since he had arrived in the Seventh Domain, he had been probing. Whether by making requests of his own or each time he met with Su Xuan, he had been waiting. He was waiting for Su Xuan to take the initiative and bring up the matter. Yet it was obvious that Su Xuan had never intended to tell him the truth from the very beginning. His suspicions had first begun after he reached the Golden Core realm... From that point on, he had buried this doubt deep within his heart! Had it not been so, his heart demon tribulations and heart demon illusions back then would not have revolved around his mother every single time! He had even... seen his own "father" in a heart demon illusion once. "Phoo..." Letting out a long breath, he suppressed the turbulent thoughts in his mind. If he remembered correctly, the first time this doubt had grown overwhelmingly intense was when he reached the peak of the Void Refinement realm. And... he was not the only one. Li Guanqi inquired of the sword spirit in his mind. "Sword spirit, are you there?" "Mm. What is it?" Li Guanqi's eyes flickered, and he spoke softly. "The sword coffin... to you, is it a sanctuary... or a cage?" The moment those words were spoken, the pitch-black void fell into a prolonged silence. The sword spirit remained silent for a long time, not uttering a word. Perhaps she too was pondering how to answer him. After a long pause, the sword spirit's ethereal, melodious voice slowly sounded in his mind. "It can be considered a sanctuary." "My... sword tip was shattered. Without the sword coffin, my true form would have crumbled long ago." "Now my true form is sound; there are only a few fragments left to gather." Hearing this, Li Guanqi finally felt a slight sense of relief. This was at least good news. Indirectly, it also proved that Su Xuan harbored genuine goodwill toward him, rather than any ulterior motives. The sword spirit's voice came once more. "However... much of my memory is missing. Many things I can only vaguely recall." "Perhaps only when all the fragments of my true form are gathered will I be able to restore all my original memories." Hearing this, Li Guanqi's expression turned solemn. So that was how it was... "I see... Still, as long as the sword coffin is beneficial to you, that's what matters." Hearing these words, the sword spirit felt deeply touched within. After all, she could hear the genuine care in his voice. If the sword coffin had truly been a cage for her, he would not have felt easy about it either. Li Guanqi traversed the world, tearing through the void to emerge into the outside realm. A myriad of mountains stretched out in unbroken continuity, the lush green ranges echoing now and then with the chirping of insects and the calls of beasts. The sunlight was gentle, not stifling. A mild breeze caressed his face, stirring the strands of hair on his forehead. Perhaps because it had just rained, the air was rich with the scent of damp earth and fresh grass. Li Guanqi took a deep breath, instantly feeling his mind clear significantly. Day after day inside the Seventh Domain, the sky had been lightless, filled only with the celestial spiritual energy permeating the void. Though it looked dreamlike and ethereal, it lacked a certain sense of reality. Staying in that silent, pitch-black void for too long tended to weigh down one's disposition. Li Guanqi seated himself upon the crown of an ancient tree, pulled out a flask of wine, and took small sips while gazing at the mountains. With the refreshing breeze brushing his face, Li Guanqi sat upon the treetop, drinking in measured sips. Occasionally, cultivators whistled past through the sky, or hunting squads of two or three darted through the mountain range. Yet upon seeing Li Guanqi, all of them chose to look away as if noticing nothing. Such was the cultivation world: as long as others did not provoke you, it was best not to provoke anyone else—especially someone whose aura they could not even detect. Li Guanqi was somewhat surprised, for he noticed that cultivators nowadays seemed considerably more cautious—much more so than when he had ventured out to train in the past. Yet on second thought, it made sense. The outside world had endured the rampage of the Six Domains' Abyss Demons and the emergence of the Ancient Clans, leaving everything in utter turmoil. Not only the Six Domains and the Ancient Clans, but even the Misty Immortal Domain was now gradually opening its teleportation channels, establishing contact with the outside world. Geniuses of every clan sprang up in endless succession, frictions between powers grew increasingly fierce, and conflicts sparked by the struggle for resources intensified day by day. Li Guanqi drifted through the air at an unhurried pace. Within range of his perception, he spotted several cultivators locked in covert battles to the death. Watching those Golden Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators fighting tooth and nail, Li Guanqi smiled involuntarily. Though their methods now seemed like child's play to him, it stirred a distinct feeling within his heart. For he, too, had walked this exact path step by step. When facing powerful foes, his heart had pounded wildly, yet he would never let a single chance slip by. Li Guanqi felt exceptionally calm within, soaking in the long-lost aura of the outside world. Meanwhile, after Li Guanqi's departure, everyone inside the White Jade Tower fell into a prolonged silence. Ye Feng was the first to speak, breaking the quiet. "Big Brother has laid everything out this plainly. I trust every one of you already has ideas of your own." No one responded; the atmosphere in the room grew heavy and subdued. Ye Feng slowly rose to his feet, preparing to enter the Nirvana Pagoda. Looking back, he said softly, "Honestly, if it were anyone else... no one would consider things for us the way Big Brother does." "We should count ourselves fortunate that we have him." Ye Feng's words struck them like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads. Gu Li stood up slowly with a complicated look in his eyes, having clearly realized Li Guanqi's thoughtful intentions. He walked out, heading to seek out an elder named Gu Lie. Tang Ru let out a sigh, got to his feet, walked out of the White Jade Tower, and took flight into the sky, heading straight for the Fourth Domain. Xiao Chen and Cao Yan were similarly pensive. Exchanging a glance, the two also rose and flew toward the Fourth Domain. Xiao Chen still planned to consult with Long Hou. As for Cao Yan, he went to seek out Xiang Huaizhi to ask for advice on utilizing flames and integrating them into fist techniques when facing enemies. Watching everyone disperse, the corners of Ye Feng's mouth curled up slightly. Upon arriving at the Nirvana Pagoda, he entered the third floor. Just as he stepped inside, Ye Feng froze for a moment. Hovering right before him was a bone sword, entirely snow-white! "The Spirit Fish Clan bone sword?" Indeed, Li Guanqi had not handed this bone sword over to the cultivators of the Seventh Domain. Instead, he had reserved the most powerful one specifically for Ye Feng. A warm current washed through Ye Feng's heart. Gazing at the bone sword before him, he bowed solemnly with a resolute expression! He naturally knew what this bone sword was, and he knew just as well that it represented Li Guanqi's trust in him. Receiving the bone sword with both hands, Ye Feng sat cross-legged at the center of the Nirvana Pagoda and slowly entered a state of cultivation. Though things were ambiguous between him and Li Qingchan at present, he understood full well that strength was what mattered most! He intended to refine the bone sword during this period of seclusion, then press forward in one fell swoop to break through to the Tribulation Transcendence realm! Scattered in different directions, Li Guanqi's sworn brothers began to confront their own cultivation weaknesses in earnest.