My Lips Are Sealed

*Boom!* A terrifying, irresistible force instantly swept through the entire space! Even Red Lotus shrank back dispiritedly, reining in its power for fear of angering the being above. Li Guanqi's feet slammed into the altar with a crash. Wearing a miserable expression, he muttered, "Sword Spirit Sister... it really had nothing to do with me." Pengluo was embedded straight into the floor, foaming at the mouth with its eyes rolled back. Yet the moment it heard Li Guanqi's words, it actually spat in his direction. "*Ptui!* "Isn't she... just a... broad... "What... are you so scared of her for!" The corner of Li Guanqi's mouth twitched. He stomped right on its face, delivering two hard kicks. "What 'broad'?!" he cursed, exasperated. "That's a fairy maiden! A magnificent, peerless fairy maiden from the highest heavens! "I'll teach you to run your mouth! I'll teach you to run your mouth!" *Thud! Thump, thump!* "Aargh! Ow! It hurts! "You... argh! Stop hitting me! "You're gonna stomp the shit right out of me!" *Hum!* Above the void, the phantom image of a scarlet broken sword abruptly manifested! This ethereal, hazy silhouette actually rent the entire space into countless cracks, large and small. Merely by appearing, its sheer might proved more than the surrounding void could endure. Even though not the slightest wisp of aura leaked out, a wave of terror arose unbidden in Li Guanqi's heart. Even Red Lotus was trembling violently right now, utterly terrified of the phantom broken sword. Beneath Li Guanqi's feet, Pengluo also finally perceived a terrifying power capable of destroying heaven and earth. Lying flat in the pit, a sharp light flashed across its eyes. Dragging its blood-soaked body out of the crater, Pengluo said in a grave voice, "This... is an aura that doesn't belong to the Spirit Realm! Who on earth are you, woman?" At those words, the sword spirit's brow furrowed faintly, her eyelids trembling slightly. Li Guanqi's eyes flickered, and a flash of killing intent crossed his gaze. Opening his left hand toward the air, Red Lotus flew into his palm without a moment's hesitation! *Boom!* In an instant, Li Guanqi's aura was forcibly driven up to the peak of the mid Soul Formation Realm! *Boom!* The primal energy within him roared, and boundless lightning surged forth, intermingling with the power of two heavenly flames to instantly form a terrifying cage! A scarlet sword ray pierced through Pengluo's body as swift as lightning, pinning it firmly in the pit. Gripping the hilt with both hands, Li Guanqi leaned over, glaring down at Pengluo as he demanded coldly, "What kind of creature are you, really?" Li Guanqi naturally could sense that the sword spirit was in a very delicate state right now. If she could fully integrate the bone sword this time, she would attain something akin to a semi-corporeal form. She would be able to cultivate on her own, without needing Li Guanqi to assist her. That way, she could help him far better, and could even walk freely between heaven and earth for brief periods. Yet... how could a mere mountain spirit from Mingchuan ever sense that the sword spirit did not belong to the Spirit Realm?! Pengluo was also thoroughly shaken. It had never imagined that Li Guanqi possessed such terrifying strength! In particular, it was entirely powerless to suppress the lightning wreaking havoc inside its body. The two frightening flames nearby struck even deeper terror into its heart. Pengluo's face had long lost its earlier flippant demeanor. It glanced at the slumbering sword spirit, then looked back at Li Guanqi. In a low voice, it said, "Because... I came down from the Immortal Realm! "That's why I can sense a bit of her unique aura." Killing intent churned in the depths of Li Guanqi's eyes. He would never allow anything that posed a threat to the sword spirit to exist. As the blade in his hands began to slide, Pengluo shouted in panic: "Don't kill me! I can sign a master-servant contract with you!" Li Guanqi froze slightly, then turned to look at the sword spirit. "Don't kill it. Sign." Li Guanqi's heart jolted. He transmitted his thoughts mentally: "Won't it affect you? It'd be safer to just kill it." "No... once it grows... it will become your... aid... "Besides... it cannot threaten me." Li Guanqi fell silent for a long moment before finally looking down at Pengluo. "Fine!" He jabbed a finger onto Pengluo's glabella, instantly extracting a wisp of spiritual light. Following the method taught by the sword spirit, Li Guanqi cut his finger and forced out a drop of essence blood. Immediately afterward, a profoundly intricate circular contract manifested in midair. As Pengluo bowed its head in submission, the glow of the master-servant contract dissolved into a beam of spiritual light that shot into both of their brows. Li Guanqi instantly became aware of everything about Pengluo; with a single thought, he could end its life! Li Guanqi slowly drew back his sword... Pengluo immediately flopped onto the ground, wailing, "Aaargh, it hurts so bad... I'm dying... I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die... "I want big sister to pet me..." Li Guanqi's face darkened at once. Reaching down, he grabbed it by the head and hauled it up. Solemnly, he warned, "You'd better show her some respect. "I was going to kill you. She's the one who told me to spare your life. "Keep a tight lid on your mouth. Don't go spouting things you shouldn't." Pengluo's eyes remained glued to the sword spirit. Folding its arms, it said, "You clearly haven't asked around. In all of Mingchuan, nobody has tighter lips than me, Pengluo. "Last time, someone beat me for three days and three nights, and I didn't utter a single word." The corner of Li Guanqi's mouth twitched. "What, did they gag you?" Pengluo froze, then peered furtively around. "You were there too?" Li Guanqi was amused to the point of exasperation. Paying it no further mind, he turned toward the sword spirit, raised his hand to erect a barrier, and crushed several hundred spirit stones inside it. Only then did he leave the place with Pengluo in tow. Leaving it here might lead to heaven knows what. The moment they emerged, Li Guanqi was still dangling Pengluo by the hand. The little fellow clicked its tongue in wonder. "What an incredible barrier space! It can actually store living things. "Practically rivals an independent grotto-heaven blessed land." Li Guanqi glanced at it and casually tossed it aside. "Either way, if you dare leak a single word about what just happened, I will slice you into pieces and boil you into soup." With that, he raised his wrist. Jiuxiao woke up rather disgruntled, shrinking into the length of a human arm. The moment Jiuxiao awakened, sheer terror flooded Pengluo's eyes. It tumbled to the ground and scrambled backward frantically. "Holy crap! A true dragon!" Jiuxiao, who had been nuzzling Li Guanqi affectionately, suddenly snapped its head toward Pengluo, greed flashing in its eyes. *Swish!* In the blink of an eye, Jiuxiao coiled right around Pengluo, hemming its entire body in, and looked down from above. Pengluo's pupils constricted. Frozen in place with a tear-stained face, it didn't dare twitch a muscle as Jiuxiao's tongue licked its face. Looking pleadingly at Li Guanqi, it begged, "Bro... Dad... I swear I won't tell anyone. "This... this is way too terrifying... "Could it be that you also... came down from above? "I'll be good, I swear! I won't cause trouble! Just tell Dragon Bro to stop licking me... I'm about to piss myself..."