Li Guanqi, having just broken through in strength, moved with incredible speed, his affinity for lightning enhancing his swiftness even further.

As he soared past on his sword, many noticed his fleeting figure, the subtle pressure he emitted sending a chill through their hearts.

Despite the warnings from his fellow disciples to be cautious as the number of enemies was unknown, Li Guanqi merely nodded, accelerating his sword to its limits as Lin Dong had yet to respond.

Whoosh!

Under the moonlight, Li Guanqi’s silhouette blurred into a shadow streaking across the sky.

The Great Xia Sword Sect’s territory spanned fifty miles, but only the peaks within had barriers.

Thus, on normal days, only Foundation Establishment disciples patrolled the area.

Behind Qianfeng Mountain lay the continuous Jiyang Mountain Range, with trees towering up to twenty meters, dense and impenetrable.

Swoosh!

Li Guanqi arrived swiftly at the location from where the signal had been sent, only to find a deep pit and some bloodstains, but no other clues.

Pulling out his Sect’s Identity Jade Token, he saw nearly a hundred light points racing towards this direction, while three converged in a different direction within the mountain range, one of which was a thousand meters away, motionless.

“It’s Lin Dong!”

Thud!

Li Guanqi’s sword box thumped against his back as he leaped into the dark forest like a hunting leopard, the silence within eerie and unbroken even by the occasional beastly roars.

His Divine Sense extended, bringing everything within fifty meters under his control.

He soon spotted bloodstains on tree trunks and approached the location a thousand meters away to find a torn white robe and a blood-stained jade token, with two severed fingers beneath it.

It was Lin Dong’s!

Li Guanqi’s expression darkened as thoughts raced through his mind.

“Who would dare to invade the Great Xia Sword Sect at this time? Could it be the Orient Loong Island or the Seven Strings Sect, with whom we’ve had friction?”

“But… with just their forces, how could they dare to confront the Great Xia Sword Sect directly?”

Closing his eyes, Li Guanqi’s senses sharpened to the extreme, not missing a single detail within fifty meters.

He quickly noticed two trees with freshly broken branches to his right.

Taking out his Sect’s Identity Jade Token, he spoke with a grave voice, “One thousand five hundred meters southeast in the Jiyang Mountain Range, that’s their direction!”

“The Identity Jade Token of Lin Dong from Heavenly Earth Peak is with me, one thousand five hundred meters southeast in the Jiyang Mountain Range!”

With the jade token in hand, Li Guanqi surged towards the southeast.

Sword in his right hand, Divine Sense extended, disciples in the sky immediately changed their sword flight direction towards the southeast of the Jiyang Mountain Range.

If Li Guanqi were to check the Sect’s jade token now, he would see all the light points shifting direction almost instantly.

Suddenly, Li Guanqi’s jade token flickered, and Gu Ran’s voice came through, heavy with concern, “Junior brother, be careful. According to three disciples who just escaped, there are three attackers. The weakest is in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, and one black-clothed person is in the late stage!”

Li Guanqi replied through the jade token, “Don’t worry, senior sister.”

Moving through the mountains like a wild man, Li Guanqi’s every step and leap were swift, with occasional flashes of purple light under his feet.

Swoosh!

He silently leaped onto a tree trunk, spotting several figures in the distance speeding through the mountain range, each with a yellow talisman underfoot, moving at incredible speeds.

One figure, tucked under an arm, drew Li Guanqi’s attention with its striking white robe.

Narrowing his eyes, Li Guanqi donned a black robe and melded into the darkness.

The three black-clothed people, silent, pushed their Primordial Energy to the limit as they fled deeper into the mountains.

Li Guanqi, hidden in the shadows and only a hundred meters away, made no sound.

The disciples of the Great Xia Sword Sect, having received Gu Ran’s message, descended from the sky and began racing through the mountains, fearing their flight might alert the enemies.

The news quickly reached the Sect, and in an instant, three Golden Elixir Realm Elders transformed into streaks of light, flying towards the Jiyang Mountain Range.

Li Nanting’s voice was cold as he muttered, “Hmph! Now any Tom, Dick, or Harry dares to run wild in the Great Xia Sword Sect!”

Li Guanqi kept pace with the attackers, calculating in his mind.

“Two at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, one at the late stage… likely a recent breakthrough.”

In a moment, Li Guanqi decided, slowly shifting his sword to his calloused left hand.

But as he switched hands, a cold glint flashed in his eyes!

Thud!

Twisting his body, he shattered a thick branch and burst towards the three with explosive speed!

A loud crack sounded, and the leading black-clothed person realized something was amiss, shouting, “Watch out!”

The three drew their swords, but the closest to Li Guanqi only saw a pair of ghastly white eyes!

Clang!

As the sword was thrust forward, three flashes of cold light passed by!

All three strikes pierced his body, his hands clutching his throat as blood gushed out.

“Cough cough… such… fast swordsmanship…”

Bloodied, Li Guanqi didn’t even blink as he grabbed the man’s body and hurled it at the leader!

The leader tossed Lin Dong to another, but the shadow before him rapidly enlarged.

With no time to think, he cleaved his comrade in two with a surge of Primordial Energy!

Blood and viscera scattered in the air, the sickly sweet stench spreading.

But then, Li Guanqi’s figure vanished from his sight!

Without a second to spare, the man turned and yelled, “Hu San, be careful!”

The black-clothed person holding Lin Dong had no time to react, suddenly feeling a warm breath on his neck!

The shouting man watched in horror as Li Guanqi’s figure, unbeknownst to him, had already closed in behind Hu San.

Hu San’s eyes flashed with ruthlessness as he turned his sword towards his own shoulder in a desperate move!

But Li Guanqi wouldn’t give him the chance.

As the sword nearly pierced through his back, Li Guanqi pulled on the man’s shoulder, twisting his own position to dodge.

His left-handed sword swiftly circled the man’s neck!

Catching Lin Dong with one hand, he quickly retreated into the shadows!