Beneath the bamboo hat, a pair of profound eyes cast a deep gaze at the old man before the figure turned and walked away as if nothing had happened.
"Meng Wanshu is heading to the Heaven-Slaughtering Sea alone. Should we send people to protect her in secret?"
Soon, the jade pendant flickered slightly, and an aged voice transmitted from within, speaking in a low tone.
"Three great shadow guards have already set out. Keep an eye on the Ancient Clan lately... they are growing somewhat restless!"
The man nodded, then furrowed his brow. "Three Tianji Guard shadow guards... It seems the Pavilion's attitude toward the Shenbao Domain is rather ambiguous."
Yet no sooner had he spoken than he gave a wry smile and shook his head to banish these cluttered thoughts. After all, he had just warned someone else; how was it that he was overthinking things himself?
And so, Meng Wanshu set off alone with Jiuxiao and Pengluo for the Heaven-Slaughtering Sea on the Xuanming Continent.
***
Inside the cultivation cave.
Primal energy and divine sense roared incessantly within Li Guanqi's body, his cultivation technique circulating to its utmost limit. Only after reeling the rampaging primal energy back into the Heavenly Thunder Bead did he let out a slight breath of relief.
A somewhat hoarse voice slowly sounded in the ears of Ye Feng and the others.
"Leave the items behind... and step outside."
"Except for... Wanshu, no one is permitted to enter!"
Ye Feng and the others placed the items beside him before backing out.
Once they withdrew, Lu Kangnian immediately ordered the entire rear mountain sealed off as a forbidden zone! Any disciple or elder who ventured there without permission would have their cultivation crippled and be expelled from the sect!
The moment this order was issued, everyone understood how grave the consequences were.
All kept the order firmly engraved in their hearts.
Li Guanqi gently exhaled a breath of turbid air. As the void beside him warped slightly, the figure of a woman with a graceful silhouette slowly materialized.
The sword spirit looked at the items prepared in the chest and nodded slightly, especially at the Oblivion Thunder Spirit!
Reaching out, she drew it into her palm, examined it for a moment, and said softly, "A fine treasure. Using it to forge your void avatar will grant a considerable boost to your strength when you undergo Integration in the future."
Then her tone shifted, and she asked with a solemn expression, "Are you certain you want to merge the Purple Dragon Thunder Flame into the void avatar as well?"
Li Guanqi nodded without hesitation. Sitting cross-legged atop the ice lotus, he said in a deep voice, "I wish to scale the peak of the Sword Dao relying on my own strength. Though the Purple Dragon Thunder Flame has aided me greatly, I still want to temper my true self right now."
The sword spirit nodded silently, her gaze distant as she said softly, "That girl treats you well. She knows what you lack..."
Li Guanqi said nothing. He naturally knew Meng Wanshu had gone to find the heart's blood of a great demon for him. Otherwise, he would never have let Pengluo and Jiuxiao accompany her. He could never use Jiuxiao's heart's blood to cast a void avatar, so this was the only way...
The sword spirit leaned forward slowly, her stunning face suddenly drawing close to Li Guanqi. Yet this time, he showed none of his past fluster.
Seeing this, the corners of the sword spirit's lips curled into a slight smile, and she even took the leisure to tease him:
"Is this the difference between a boy and a man?"
"Quite a big change indeed..."
As she spoke, she raised a hand and pressed a finger against the center of Li Guanqi's brow.
In an instant, countless characters flooded into Li Guanqi's mind.
"Taixuan Void Returning Art!"
Seeing this name, Li Guanqi froze slightly. The characters felt exceedingly abstruse to him.
Their complexity was even more difficult to comprehend than the Heaven Breaker Sword Art!
The sword spirit said softly, "Even in the Immortal Realm, this Void Returning art would count as a top-tier cultivation technique."
"Throughout the entire Void Refining Realm, I only require you to forge this single void avatar. You are not permitted to forge useless incarnations at will!"
Li Guanqi frowned and nodded. Though he did not know why she cautioned him this way, he chose to trust her!
Then, the sword spirit sat cross-legged in the void across from Li Guanqi and began explaining the contents of the Taixuan Void Returning Art character by character, line by line.
Gradually, Li Guanqi entered an enlightened state, rapidly grasping everything.
Yet when they reached the end, Li Guanqi exclaimed in shock:
"What? Tear apart the three ethereal and seven corporeal souls of my origin soul to place into it?"
"Then... doesn't that forge another me?"
The sword spirit smiled faintly and said softly, "Exactly. I want you to return to the void and bring forth another you!"
"A sword cultivator with no painful childhood, free to act entirely as his heart desires!"
Li Guanqi took a deep breath, gradually understanding why she wanted this.
She wanted him to forge a void avatar that followed his true heart completely!
Li Guanqi frowned. "If that's the case, wouldn't it be impossible to predict what the void avatar will ultimately turn into?"
The sword spirit sneered. "What meaning is there in creating an avatar of yourself that remains perpetually shackled to you?"
"But isn't that what everyone else does?"
The sword spirit cast him a sidelong glance and scoffed coldly, "That is why they can never become supreme sovereigns!"
The sword spirit spoke with immense arrogance and overwhelming confidence.
Yet Li Guanqi felt that what she said made great sense.
"Phew... I understand."
With that, Li Guanqi swallowed the Mind-Calming Pill Meng Wanshu had prepared for him and entered a state of complete cultivation.
He needed to clear all stray thoughts and adjust himself to his peak condition.
As for returning to the void... he would wait for Meng Wanshu to return!
Within the pitch-black cave abode, only the ice lotus shimmered with a faint glow. The surrounding space was dense and heavy, viscous as honey.
The rich spiritual energy in the cave abode had fully merged into the icy pool beneath the ice lotus.
***
Meanwhile, after Meng Wanshu departed, Ye Feng and the others followed Lu Kangnian to the sect's main hall to discuss what to do next.
"Sigh, I wonder how long Boss will be in secluded cultivation this time."
"Second Brother, don't worry. Boss will definitely be fine."
Suddenly, Cao Yan and Ye Feng froze!
Li Guanqi's voice rang in their ears.
Then, two beams of spiritual light shot out from the rear mountain and plunged into their foreheads!
Xiao Chen heard Li Guanqi's voice as well, but there were only two beams of spiritual light.
Xiao Chen shrugged. It turned out Li Guanqi was imparting techniques to the two of them. Too bad he had already forged his void avatar, so he had no use for it anymore.
The two opened their eyes and looked at each other, both seeing the shock in the other's eyes.
At this time, Lu Kangnian also asked with a furrowed brow, "Ye Feng, are you about to break through to Void Returning as well?"
Ye Feng nodded and said softly, "Sect Master... it seems I need to enter seclusion too..."
Right then, an announcement came from outside the hall.
"Sect Master, First Elder Tian Yuan of the Yuncang Sect requests an audience."
Lu Kangnian's expression became rather colorful, especially now that he knew Tian Yuan was actually an agent of the Tianji Pavilion.
Upon arriving, the old man handed a special golden storage ring directly to Ye Feng, then took out a fiery-red storage ring and handed it to Cao Yan.
Turning to cup his hands in salute to Lu Kangnian, he departed at once.
Just as Xiao Chen was about to make a playful remark, his expression suddenly shifted!
Ye Feng noticed the unnatural look on his face. "Fourth Brother, what's wrong?"
With an uneasy look, Xiao Chen said, "Second Brother, Third Brother, something's happened at my family's estate. I have to rush back right away!"
Ye Feng's eyes flickered. He naturally knew Xiao Chen had a bad relationship with his family, so for him to return home because of family matters now, it was probably no small matter!
"Do you need help?"
Xiao Chen forced a smile and waved his hands. "If I need help later, I'll call on you guys."
Xiao Chen rose, bowed to Lu Kangnian, and explained the reason. Only after Lu Kangnian nodded did he turn and leave.
Ye Feng still felt uneasy. Just as he flew out of the sect's main hall, he saw Xiao Chen leaning down, deeply kissing a young woman.
*Clang—!*
"Xiao Chen!! You bastard!!!"
"Brother!!"
Their lips parted, and Xiao Chen bolted: "Second Brother-in-Law... Something really did happen at home! I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to Qing'er, could I..."
"Get lost!! I'm hacking you to pieces today!"
"Second Brother-in-Law, hear me out while I make excuses—no, wait, hear my explanation!"
Chapter 584