Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman - Chapter 16 Peak Entrance Ceremony

The next day.

Li Guanqi had already gotten up and prepared at the hour of the Rabbit. (TL note: Between 5:00 – 7:00AM)

In the backyard, he practiced his punches on the wooden stakes dozens of times, feeling the rush of blood and sweat streaming down his back. After a quick check on the sky, he decided to take off his grandfather’s box from his back and started boiling water to prepare for a bath. As for why his grandfather referred to this box as a “sword coffin,” he still had no idea.

At the same time…

The main hall of Heavenly Thunder Peak was bustling with activity, as nearly all the disciples who resided on the peak had gathered.

For three years, Li Guanqi had been the only new disciple taken in at Heavenly Thunder Peak. Not to mention, he was considered a monstrous genius with a legendary Saint-grade Spiritual Root!

In a secluded courtyard at the back of Heavenly Thunder Peak…

A young maid dressed in a floral robe had just finished hanging up laundry, letting out a tired sigh. She squatted at the door, took a bun from her pocket, and started drooling over it.

With one bite, almost half of the bun was in her mouth. The bun had a thin crust and a generous filling, and the aroma lingered in the air.

After another bite, there were oil stains around the young maid’s mouth.

“Grandpa Li, aren’t you going to the entrance ceremony for the new disciple today?”

A slightly tipsy voice emanated from inside the room, “I’m not going.”

The young maid nodded, unsurprised at the answer.

Talking to herself, she said, “Why choose a Thunder-based spiritual root for the Saint-grade… He’s truly blind.”

A gentle snoring sound came from inside the room. The young maid got up and hurriedly ran towards the direction of the main temple.

Raising her hands, she resembled a running goose spreading its wings.

“Stop gawking! Follow me.”

The voice of Gu Ran came, and Li Guanqi, carrying the sword box on his back, quickly walked toward the main temple.

On a square that was hundreds of feet in size, many people had already gathered. Not only were all the disciples of Heavenly Thunder Peak present, but even the Sect Master, Lu Kangnian, himself had come, along with the elders from various peaks. They all wanted to see under whose tutelage this new disciple would be placed.

But at this moment, there was only Xu Zhengjie, a single elder of Heavenly Thunder Peak, present among the elders.

Heavenly Thunder Peak only had one Peak Master and two elders, managing a total of thirty-seven disciples under their branch.

The Peak Master, Lei Yingze, was at the peak of the Golden Core stage, currently in seclusion, attempting a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm.

Moreover, the Grand Elder rarely made an appearance. It was the Second Elder, Xu Zhengjie, that had been managing all the affairs within the peak.

When Lu Kangnian saw that Li Guanqi had already arrived, with only Xu Zhengjie present among the Heavenly Thunder Peak’s elders, he furrowed his brow.

“Hmph, Li Nanting won’t even show his face on a day like this?”

When the Sect Master made this comment, no one dared to say anything, but the others couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Li Nanting, the Grand Elder of Heavenly Thunder Peak, was indeed a very special figure within the Great Xia Sword Sect.

None of the elders of any peak dared act casually in front of Li Nanting. This was because he used to be the Head Law Enforcer of the Great Xia Sword Sect!

Buzz!

Suddenly, a figure in a white robe appeared next to Lu Kangnian. The newcomer had a tall and straight figure, resembling a sword. Despite being an elder, he bore no signs of aging. His features were sharp, with eyes as keen as an eagle’s! Looking at this figure, Lu Kangnian smiled and remarked, “I thought you wouldn’t come.”

The elder chuckled softly, “Heavenly Thunder Peak hasn’t seen such liveliness in three years. I had to come and see.”

Lu Kangnian nodded and asked, “And where’s the little bun?”

“Eh.”

Li Nanting pointed to the roof of the main temple, where a young maid in a floral robe was munching on a carrot, her head peering out.

Lu Kangnian gestured, and the young maid flew down into his arms.

With stubble on his chin, Lu Kangnian continuously nuzzled against the delicate face of the young maid. She frowned, directly stuffing the carrot in her hand into Lu Kangnian’s mouth. Lu Kangnian laughed, giving her a piggyback ride atop his shoulders. “Now that everyone is here, let the entrance ceremony for the disciple Li Guanqi officially begin!”

“Beat the drums! Offer incense! Pay respects to the ancestral image!”

“Dong! Dong dong!”

Hundreds of disciples energetically beat the rhythmic war drums. A bronze cauldron, about a dozen yards in size, resounded as it fell in the center on the square. Statues, each several dozen yards high, thunderously descended! More than thirty statues fell, each one vividly capturing the features of their subjects. These were the successive Sect Masters of the Great Xia Sword Sect.

Lu Kangnian’s voice echoed throughout the entire sect. “Since the founding of the Great Xia Sword Sect, it has thrived for 13,298 years!”

“The title of Sect Master has been passed down for thirty-eight generations.”

“One who transcended Tribulation and became an Ascendant, two Divinities, three in Unity, none in Void Refinement, and fifteen in the Godly Foundation stage!”

“Today, upon joining the sect, you are a disciple of the Great Xia Sword Sect for this lifetime!”

“Starting from now, as you embark on the immortal path, as long as you walk righteously…”

“The sect will do everything to protect all its disciples!”

“The motto of the Great Xia Sword Sect! The sword in hand does not target the weak! The sword in the heart fears no enemy!”

“Set right what is wrong in the world! Slay those who need to be slain!”

“If one day, you encounter a formidable enemy due to following the sect’s motto, the Great Xia Sword Sect will surely exert all its might to protect you!”

“Li Guanqi, are you willing to join the Great Xia Sword Sect and become a member of Heavenly Thunder Peak?”

Li Guanqi stood in place and slowly removed the blindfold from his eyes. He locked onto Lu Kangnian’s gaze, holding an incense stick aloft and stated firmly, “I, disciple Li Guanqi, am willing to join the Great Xia Sword Sect and become a member of Heavenly Thunder Peak!”

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The war drums beat vigorously, resonating throughout Heavenly Thunder Peak.

Lu Kangnian’s expression turned serious, and he pronounced solemnly, “The incense has been offered! The ceremony is complete!”

The subsequent ritual was quite straightforward. At this point, Lu Kangnian walked with purpose to Li Guanqi and offered him a small white jade token.

The jade token was palm-sized, bearing the emblem of the Great Xia Sword Sect on the front with the name of the sect inscribed below the emblem.

On the back, it bore his name and the mountainous visage of Heavenly Thunder Peak.

“This is your identity token. Remember never to lose it!”

“As for the purpose of this token, you can study it at your own pace.”

Saying this, Lu Kangnian suddenly turned to the seemingly unapproachable elder beside him and spoke softly.

“Now then…”

“Li Nanting, would you like to take him as your disciple?”

The second elder, Xu Zhengjie, looked resentful as he glanced at Lu Kangnian. The Sect Master didn’t discuss this with him, nor did he consult with the Peak Master.

Li Guanqi stood still and didn’t say anything. After all, if the Sect Master arranged a suitable mentor for him, he had no objections.

“Why does it have to be me? Old Xu can do it too.”

Lu Kangnian shook his head and whispered, “The Great Xia Sword Sect has only produced two outstanding talents in so many years. Since he has chosen the Thunder Spirit Root…”

“Then among all of Heavenly Thunder Peak, you are the most suitable candidate!”

“Be it sword techniques, cultivation methods, the use of Thunder elemental power, or even proficiency in spells.”

“Among the Elders of the Eight Peaks, you are the most proficient in all of these. I’m not at ease if Li Guanqi becomes a disciple under anyone else.”

Li Nanting fell silent. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to minding his own business. But facing a disciple with a Saint-grade spiritual root, he was genuinely tempted!

The hope of reaching the Nascent Soul realm in his lifetime was becoming more and more of a fantasy. He wanted to pass on what he had learned to someone. The last talent they had, Wu Bing, had a Metal Spirit Root, making him incompatible.

Li Nanting came to Li Guanqi and slowly crouched down, softly asking, “Youngster, I’m offering to be your mentor. Are you… willing?”

The elder’s voice carried a slight tremor and a trace of anxiety. But Li Guanqi felt the sincerity and carefulness in the elder’s demeanor. In the elder’s eyes, there was hope and expectation. This look shook Li Guanqi, and he slowly knelt down, lifting the hem of his robe.

In a deep voice, he said, “Disciple Li Guanqi, is willing to be your student!”

As he heard this, a few traces of moisture appeared in the Elder’s eyes. He spoke with a trembling voice, “Good… good, very good!”

Standing the youth up with both hands, he solemnly proclaimed to the crowd, “Today I, Li Nanting, accept Li Guanqi as my closed-door disciple!”

“In the future, I hope the Elders of the Eight Peaks will take good care of him!”