Spitting Slander!

Hearing those words, Li Guanqi could not help feeling his scalp tingle. The mere fact that it was an Immortal Realm Geng Metal Spirit had already made Li Guanqi realize this thing was far from ordinary. Could anything recognized in the Immortal Realm as an elemental spirit be simple? Even the most ordinary metal-attribute spirit entity was exceedingly difficult to find here in the Human Spirit Realm. His own lightning spirit was not even a proper lightning-element spirit, yet acquiring it had required digging out everything Meng Jiangchu had to his name. Yet faced with such a Geng Metal Spirit, the sword spirit had boldly declared Ye Feng would be fine the moment she saw the Sword Ruins Nu Sha manifest its anger. Puzzled, Li Guanqi asked, "You're that certain?" Hearing this, the sword spirit scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest with supreme arrogance. "For a sword spirit that nearly rivaled me, isn't something like this only natural?" Li Guanqi shrugged. He had long grown accustomed to her boasting—she always carried herself as though she reigned supreme throughout the heavens and earth. Regardless, as long as Ye Feng was fine, that was all that mattered. Furthermore, earlier, Ye Feng's Sword Ruins Nu Sha... The terrifying momentum it had unleashed had shaken even Li Guanqi. Yet even such a formidable Sword Ruins had been suppressed by the sword spirit, daring not display the slightest hint of discontent. At first, its lowered head and downcast gaze had even resembled a subject paying homage to an emperor. Regarding her past, the sword spirit remained tight-lipped. Li Guanqi knew she simply did not want him to learn too much about those matters. The more he knew, the heavier the burden on his shoulders would be. So she told him nothing for now; as his strength grew, the things he would be privy to would naturally increase. Just as right now, he had discovered she possessed the ability to reopen spirit ruins. Moreover, she could even control the categories of ruins artifacts that appeared within them! She could even guide karmic affinities based on the weapons in her memory, causing them to re-emerge! Just like his grandfather, she was shrouded in countless enigmas. He lacked the ability to unravel these mysteries for now, so all he could do was relentlessly improve his strength! At that thought, Li Guanqi suddenly spoke, "I want to raise my clone's strength as soon as possible." The sword spirit replied nonchalantly, "Isn't that an easy matter for you? Just pile resources onto him. Besides, with the so-called Ancient Clans now stepping into the world, you can completely let Li Song go challenge the prodigies from all sides." A faint smile curled at Li Guanqi's lips. What the sword spirit suggested actually sounded feasible. He could continually build up his clone's strength, then have Li Song challenge prodigies everywhere to hone his capabilities. Once Body Integration arrived, all those insights would merge into his own being. It truly was an excellent strategy. Watching Ye Feng's aura steadily stabilize and rise, Li Guanqi finally let out a sigh of relief. In truth, Ye Feng and the others had each fashioned their own clones long ago; it was just that they all kept it secret and spoke of it to no one. Furthermore, those clones were quietly cultivating and elevating themselves. Li Guanqi muttered inwardly, *Looks like it won't be long before we can all step into the Body Integration Realm! Perhaps... by then, we will be qualified to see through some of the fog?* As for himself, he had always felt there were many unclear matters... For instance... his own origins! Who exactly was his father? If his parents had truly been mere mortals of the common market, why did he possess such an extraordinary constitution? Why had Grandfather just happened to find him? Why had Grandfather passed down the sword coffin to him? To the sword spirit... was the sword coffin a sanctuary, or a cage? He had always kept these questions quietly buried in his heart. Because he knew full well that his current self was nowhere near capable of touching a single one of these secrets. Therefore, strength. Everything came down to strength! "Pavilion Master, the Ancient Clans have begun taking action one after another!" "There are many experts! Far too many!" "Their prowess... is likely beyond what our present cultivators of the same realm can match." Ji Yuchuan's voice betrayed an inevitable trace of worry. Yet Li Guanqi had long anticipated this situation. Whether it was how the Ancient Clans circulated their cultivation methods or how their disciples underwent Body Tempering and Qi Refinement from childhood, outside cultivators could not compare. Beginning cultivation at age three versus one's teenage years created a vast disparity in foundational depth. Li Guanqi pondered for a moment before speaking softly, "For now, draw back Guanyun Pavilion's forces. Tell Su You not to rush into infiltrating the Ancient Clans' factions. The situation remains murky, so avoid exposing too much of ourselves. As for the domain realm... relocate it inside the Great Xia Sword Sect. It will be safer for us to rely on each other." Ji Yuchuan's eyes flickered, and he replied in a deep voice, "Understood! I'll see to it." Li Guanqi looked down at the jade slip in his hand. Unexpectedly, the message was from Tang Ru's father, Tang Wei. "Young friend, this time we owe everything to you!! If you had not brought that array master to reinforce the seal, our Tang family would likely have suffered catastrophic losses! By the way, the pavilion masters of the Treasure Pavilions in the other five domains also wish to find time to meet with you. What do you think...?" Li Guanqi considered it briefly before replying, "For now, please tell the seniors to focus on resolving the pressing matters at hand. As for meeting... we can discuss it once things settle down." Putting away the jade slip, Li Guanqi glanced at Ye Feng, sighed in relief, and flashed out, reappearing above the sect square. Clamorous noise immediately filled his ears. The Great Xia Sword Sect had taken in at least tens of thousands of injured members from various sects and clans. "No!! On what grounds are you taking her away?! I told you, she's fine!!!" A youth clad in the robes of a Great Xia Sword Sect disciple frowned, his voice cold. "Let go! I already told you, we are trying to save her! If you wait any longer and the demonic qi seeps into her divine soul, she will be beyond saving!!" Dressed in opulent robes and covered in blood, a man gripped the wrist of an unconscious woman with white knuckles. He glared at the disciple and roared, "No, she's fine! You let go!! I won't let you take her away! Who knows what malicious intentions your Great Xia Sword Sect harbors?!" With that, the man suddenly soared into the air, hovering midair as he shouted at the top of his lungs: "Everyone, open your eyes!! The Great Xia Sword Sect is secretly murdering people!! "Whenever your sect or clan has an injured chosen prodigy, they take them away under false pretenses just to slaughter them!! "You're terrified that we'll join forces to resist you!!" Infused with primal energy, his roaring voice echoed across the entire square. The expressions of many cultivators slumping on the ground shifted subtly. Almost every sect had injured disciples taken away, and so far, not a single one of them had returned. What was more, every single one of those taken was an extraordinarily gifted disciple from their respective clans and sects. Hearing the man's shout, their eyes darted with suspicion. Commotion stirred in the crowd, and quite a few people rose to their feet. The disciples attending to the wounded saw this, and their faces turned pale with outrage. One of them roared furiously, "Shut your mouth! Don't you dare stand there spitting slander!! "Our Great Xia Sword Sect has dispatched over ten thousand cultivators to aid others! We have suffered heavy casualties ourselves! "Yet... yet not a single word of complaint has passed our lips! "Elder Li has already examined them—if those with demonic qi congesting their bodies are not treated, it won't be long before they are corrupted into demons!! "Murder? Ridiculous!! Our Great Xia Sword Sect acts upright and aboveboard, boasting countless chosen prodigies of our own! Why would we ever need murder to secure our position?!" Enraged, the youth drew his sword, pointing it at the man in midair as he berated him with all his might.