Li Guanqi followed one of the gate masters toward the heart of the Six Gates Holy Sect.

Throughout the journey, the old man was deeply uneasy. Li Guanqi’s strength and methods had filled him with nothing but dread.

Anyone could tell that Li Guanqi and Sun Zhen had known each other before. And yet, the instant Sun Zhen’s eyes betrayed his hatred, Li Guanqi struck without hesitation. It was a rare quality, and deep down, the old man admired it.

Li Guanqi’s conflict with the Sun clan had been irreconcilable ever since Sun Tianqi’s death. Killing one or killing a hundred made no difference.

Sensing the shifts in the old man’s thoughts and emotions, Li Guanqi laughed. “Elder, what’s been on your mind this whole time?”

Li Guanqi’s teasing tone helped the old man ease up. The old man chuckled and said, “I was just wondering... why didn’t you kill the rest of the Sun clan?”

Hands clasped behind his back, Li Guanqi smiled faintly. “Because they pose no threat to me. If I wanted to kill them, it would take no more than a breath.”

The old man's face lit up with understanding. It seemed Li Guanqi had absolute confidence in his own strength.

They walked through pavilions and terraces, passing many disciples of the Six Gates Holy Sect. Each disciple stopped in their tracks and bowed respectfully. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Li Guanqi swept his gaze across the surrounding peaks. Six towering stone gates, each a hundred zhang tall, dominated the view.

“There’s a story behind these six gates, isn’t there?” Li Guanqi said softly.

The old man nodded slightly and said quietly, “These six stone gates are ancient treasure artifacts passed down from our predecessors.”

Li Guanqi smiled faintly. “They must form a complete set, no?”

The old man glanced at him in surprise. This was a secret known only to the six gate masters and the sect master, yet Li Guanqi had deduced it through his senses alone.

The old man did not deny it. “The six stone gates correspond to the six desires: joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, and aversion!”

Li Guanqi nodded in silence. The gates’ trials were clearly formidable. As for why Zhou Shiyu had only broken through five, the Gate of Aversion had likely been too dangerous for him.

The old man smiled. “The Six Desire Gates should pose no challenge to you whatsoever.”

Li Guanqi laughed and shook his head. “I’m more interested in the gate that appears after all six gates become one.”

The old man hesitated. “That’s not something I can decide. I’m afraid it would require the sect master’s approval. Also, we’ve almost arrived.”

The old man moved on, leading Li Guanqi through layer upon layer of sealing barriers until they descended into an underground chamber within the mountain hollow.

Buzz!

Passing through the barrier seals, Li Guanqi found himself before an array altar a full hundred zhang across.

Built from massive pitch-black stones, the altar was covered in extraordinarily dense and complex array runes. Their complexity made even Li Guanqi unconsciously furrow his brow.

The altar stood about a zhang tall. Li Guanqi reached out and touched one of the black stones. It was ice-cold, faintly imbued with a sealing force.

Li Guanqi gently pulled his palm away. “What kind of stone is this?”

The old man smiled. “This is a Daochan Stone, a rare mineral found only in the Daochan Territory. The Dao Comprehension Platform constantly radiates spiritual resonance, so Daochan Stones are used to seal it.”

Li Guanqi nodded slightly. The old man added casually, “If you would like some, Sword Sovereign, I can have someone check the storeroom.”

Li Guanqi grinned. “Then I’ll trouble you to do so.”

Twisted layers of crimson-red barriers concealed what lay atop the altar. The old man drew out an identity token and slotted it into the groove. He formed hand seals, gathered spirit light at his fingertips, and sent a blast surging into the barrier.

“Sword Sovereign, please enter. There is no time limit. You may use it for as long as you wish.”

Li Guanqi smiled, gave a cupped-fist salute, and entered the barrier.

Buzz!

The instant the barrier closed, countless intricate golden patterns slowly emerged across the pitch-black stones of the altar below.

The old man muttered with a pained expression, “The old sect master really went all out this time...”

This altar consumed fifteen thousand high-grade spirit stones every two hours.

Li Guanqi looked down. At the center of the black altar lay an irregularly shaped stone, only about a zhang across. The great stone was purple-black, its surface smooth as a mirror.

Sword Spirit appeared beside him. She looked at the stone and murmured, “A Dao Resonance Stone.”

Li Guanqi’s brow furrowed. “You know what this is?”

Sword Spirit nodded and stepped beside the stone, reaching out to touch it gently. Her expression turned slightly disappointed. “This is something from the Immortal World. However, this particular stone doesn’t contain much spiritual resonance. It’s the lowest grade of its kind. Still, it will be more than enough for you. You can use its power to fully master your current strength.”

Li Guanqi rubbed his hands together eagerly. He flickered down and sat cross-legged atop the Dao Resonance Stone.

Hum!

The great stone trembled faintly, and a moment later, an inexplicable aura enveloped Li Guanqi. From afar, he appeared to be wrapped in a mass of purple mist.

In what felt like only a breath, Li Guanqi’s entire consciousness sank into a hazy void.

Epiphany!

Every doubt that had clouded his mind became crystal clear in that instant. Brilliant clarity suffused his consciousness, and he felt more awake than ever before.

Countless phantoms of himself appeared in his mind, throwing punches and training with the sword. The two sword techniques he had been contemplating gradually took shape.

Gradually, countless phantoms of lightning took shape around him. These illusions shifted and changed ceaselessly, each one demonstrating a complete sword technique. The vital force within him surged and circulated, attempting different patterns again and again.

The first sword technique he had in mind shared its name with his alias: Wuji[1]. Its core principle was simple: to strike without restraint.

The second sword technique was more difficult. It was the manifestation of his killing intent, something he had first glimpsed when he annihilated the Liu clan. He wanted to forge a sword technique of pure slaughter, one entirely his own.

As time passed, Li Guanqi’s understanding of the two sword techniques grew deeper and deeper.

In the main hall of the Six Gates Holy Sect, Zhou Shiyu slowly opened his eyes, his aura still faint. His cultivation had not dropped. In fact, he had steadied himself firmly in the late Illusory Refinement Realm. What’s more, the spirit treasure chain had been refined and assimilated into his sea of consciousness’ Dao platform, repairing the cracks there and becoming its precious guardian.

From Gu Huai’s words, Zhou Shiyu had come to understand everything. A sharp gleam flickered in his eyes as he murmured, “So he is Li Guanqi...”

1. Because his alias is Li Wuji ☜