Over the next few days, Li Guanqi was almost completely immersed in the Illusionary Realm of Baihao.

During this time, the Sword Spirit, watching Li Guanqi’s pale face as he retched continuously, couldn’t help but speak out, “You’re not dead yet! So keep going!”

The Sword Spirit was like an extremely strict master these past few days.

Even though Li Guanqi was stretched to his mental limit, she would still relentlessly push him.

Li Guanqi’s progress over these days was astonishing; he could now survive the duration of a stick of incense without dying.

And he could even injure the swordsman’s phantom, but he still couldn’t manage to kill it!

The Sword Spirit was shocked by Li Guanqi’s capacity for comprehension, his rate of improvement was terrifying, visibly growing at an observable pace.

Each time he lasted longer in the illusion, and the time he spent reflecting and understanding afterward grew shorter and shorter.

Seven days later.

When Ye Feng came looking for Li Guanqi, he found his door tightly shut, with no response to his calls.

Ye Feng muttered, “Could he still be cultivating? The trial realm is going to open in just two more hours.”

Inside the illusion, Li Guanqi’s sword speed in his right hand had now reached four strikes in a single breath!

This was the fastest speed he had ever achieved with his left hand, which he had kept as his trump card!

Gradually, two figures were darting and weaving atop a vast platform.

Suddenly!

A cold light flashed in Li Guanqi’s eyes, and his sword took an extremely tricky angle to bypass the opponent’s longsword, fiercely piercing the opponent’s throat!

At the same time, the opponent’s ethereal longsword also stabbed into his chest.

Li Guanqi gasped for breath, using his ribs to tightly clamp down on the opponent’s longsword.

With a fierce grin, he whispered softly, “I won!!”

Buzz!!

The phantom collapsed, turning into specks of Spirit Light that dissipated into the void.

But then, the Spirit Light began to gather again, and Li Guanqi frowned, staring intently at the void before him.

Before long, the figure formed by the Spirit Light looked almost identical to him!

Only the features were much clearer, and one could vaguely make out that it resembled his own face.

The Sword Spirit’s voice slowly rose, “Congratulations, you have slain a strand of the Baihao Heroic Spirit, and your projection will become one of the new Baihao!”

“You did it in just three and a half days, impressive!”

This praise was a sincere exclamation from the Sword Spirit, who had not expected Li Guanqi to slay a phantom in such a short time.

Li Guanqi smiled faintly, feeling his strength had soared over the past few days!

If he were to encounter that black-robed man at the later stage of Foundation Establishment again, he was confident he could slay him within ten moves!

Buzz!!

Li Guanqi slowly exited the space of the Sword Box Altar.

Looking at the mere five thousand Spirit Stones he had left, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pain.

However, that feeling of heartache vanished in an instant, as he felt the Spirit Stones were well spent compared to what he had gained!

After sensing Ye Feng outside, Li Guanqi tidied up a bit and then slowly pushed open the door.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Ye Feng sitting in the Gathering Spirit Array at the peak, cultivating.

Ye Feng slowly opened his eyes, and just as he was about to speak, he saw the weary face of Li Guanqi.

Then, frowning, he said, “I feel… you’re a bit different?”

Li Guanqi smiled slightly, “Oh? Different how?”

Ye Feng seriously circled Li Guanqi, and Li Guanqi’s body tensed unconsciously.

Ye Feng faced Li Guanqi and said gravely, “I can’t quite put my finger on it, but you just seem different.”

“It’s like… if you wanted to kill me before, it might have taken quite an effort.”

“But now, the feeling you give me is… you could draw your sword and kill me at any moment!”

Li Guanqi laughed helplessly, “Why would I kill you? Aren’t you here to go to the Sect with me? Let’s hurry.”

“There’s still some time, I’ll go back and change my clothes and get ready.”

Ye Feng nodded and followed Li Guanqi back to his residence.

After Li Guanqi had bathed, most of his fatigue was washed away.

Looking at the blood-colored patterns on his body that had faded even more than before, Li Guanqi frowned and murmured to himself.

“Why is this thing gradually disappearing?”

But no one responded to him. If the Sword Spirit had heard him, she would surely know why,

Because Li Guanqi’s Ethereal Dao Body was gradually unlocking its seal.

However, the Sword Spirit did not miss Li Guanqi’s muttering; she simply chose not to tell him the reason.

The Sword Spirit’s eyes flickered as she murmured to herself, “The Great Sumi Nine Palaces Extermination Pattern, Su Xuan, who could inscribe such a celestial pattern, how could he merely seal the Ethereal Dao Body?”

“Heh… Since you could inscribe this celestial pattern, you naturally know its other purpose!”

Ye Feng and Li Guanqi flew together on their swords towards Heavenly Sword Peak.

Along the way, Li Guanqi frowned and said, “You’ve been advancing quite fast recently, almost reaching the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, haven’t you?”

He said so because he felt Ye Feng’s aura was somewhat unstable.

Ye Feng nodded seriously and said in a low voice, “The reason for this is also for the upcoming trial realm.”

“After all, it only requires five hundred points to enter, and the Sect has spent many resources on this.”

“I just wanted to maximize my strength before entering.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll pay attention to my foundation.”

When the two arrived at the grand plaza of Heavenly Sword Peak, there were already many Sect disciples gathered.

At a glance, there were more than forty people.

Moreover, many of the disciples were older than the two of them. Li Guanqi then realized that among their batch of disciples,

Only he, Ye Feng, Zhong Lin, and Lin Dong had broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

And Lin Dong, due to injuries, did not participate in this trial realm.

The Elders from various peaks each sent an Elder to assist, and the one presiding over the opening of the secret realm was Tu Kui of the Elemental Infant Realm.

Tu Kui smiled and nodded slightly when he saw Ye Feng, then his eyes suddenly sharpened when he saw Li Guanqi!

He transmitted a message to Li Nanting, “Your disciple… have you been giving him special training recently?”

“Although he’s blind, his gaze has become even sharper!”

“Not only that, look at his stance, it’s clearly one that’s ready to strike at any moment.”

Li Nanting’s expression remained unchanged, and although he had many questions in his heart, he still pretended to be calm on the surface.

“Jealous, are you?”

“Aren’t you the one who found all sorts of heavenly treasures for your disciple, just be careful not to destabilize his foundation.”

Tu Kui just smiled and didn’t say much more, as everything he gave Ye Feng was the least harmful and would definitely not force growth.

Boom!!

An immense pressure suddenly erupted, Tu Kui’s robes fluttered in the wind, and he looked down at the disciples below and spoke in a deep voice.

“We don’t know what this trial realm is,”

“But remember, opportunity often comes with danger!”

“Some may perish within, but we cultivators must strive against heaven, earth, and ourselves!”

“If you fear death and do not advance, how can you ascend to the heavens and witness the splendid world below!”

Buzz!!