After listening to Guan Xunzhi's explanation, Xiao Lingchen immediately understood. This guy turned out to be a filial son who abandoned the sword to practice medicine to save his father. In this regard, Xiao Lingchen found himself quite similar to him. Just for this reason, Xiao Lingchen couldn't possibly leave him here unattended.

  "I can take you along," he said. "But let me be clear, these skeleton soldiers are very strange. If I can't handle them halfway and you become a burden, I won't hesitate to leave you behind."

  Guan Xunzhi immediately smiled and said, "Sure! Brother Lingchen, I'm already deeply grateful that you're willing to take me along. If we truly encounter danger, feel free to leave me behind!"

  Xiao Lingchen nodded and then led Guan Xunzhi forward, fighting their way through. Initially, he considered putting Guan Xunzhi into the Secret Realm of the Cauldron of Fate, but found that the Cauldron and other space-related Divine Artifacts like the Storage Ring were all ineffective. Helplessly, he could only take him along.

  Seasons passed. Xiao Lingchen traveled with Guan Xunzhi through the wilderness for three years. At first, Xiao Lingchen was obsessed with the supreme opportunity in the True Martial Space. But apart from endless skeleton soldiers, there was not even a shadow of an opportunity in this vast wilderness! Later, Elder Yunzhu never appeared to take him back. He thought Elder Yunzhu had lost his way and wanted to return, but he could no longer find the way back. He could only keep moving forward with Guan Xunzhi.

  Three years passed. The two traveled over tens of thousands of miles. Fortunately, the strength of those skeleton soldiers peaked at the Breaking Illusions Realm, and no stronger skeleton soldiers appeared. The two could keep traveling without getting injured by these skeleton soldiers.

  In the fifth year, they finally left the wilderness. In the sixth year, they returned to Guan Xunzhi's hometown. But now, Guan Xunzhi's hometown was already in ruins, with his father, family, and townsfolk all reduced to skeletons. Guan Xunzhi was heartbroken. People from the neighboring town said that shortly after he left home, his town was raided by bandits. The men were slaughtered, and the women were taken back to the bandit camp. Years of hard work in medicine turned to nothing in an instant, driving Guan Xunzhi nearly insane. A strange light seemed to bloom within him.

  The next day, he reported to the authorities but received no response. On the third day, he took up his sword and slaughtered all the bandits on the mountain, only to be captured by the soldiers. He then realized that the officials were colluding with the bandits, and the world was cold and harsh. He apprenticed himself to Xiao Lingchen, using his terrifying talent to enhance his swordsmanship.

  In the seventh year, he single-handedly killed all those corrupt officials, winning the people's hearts but becoming wanted by the court. In the ninth year, he was surrounded by a million soldiers and saw the person who wanted to capture him—it was the reigning Empress, his own younger sister by blood. He was stunned to realize that the one who killed his parents was not some bandit, but his sister who didn't want to be burdened by their parents! His sister stepped over their parents' corpses to reach her current position and now wanted to kill him herself.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  At that moment, Guan Xunzhi went completely mad. The strange light within him bloomed again, and his Realm skyrocketed. He slaughtered the million soldiers and personally killed his sister. In the tenth year, the dynasty collapsed. Guan Xunzhi returned to the town, paid his respects to his parents, drank all the wine at his waist, and then plunged a sword into his chest. He took out a bone resembling a sword and handed it to Xiao Lingchen.

  "What are you doing?" Xiao Lingchen asked in horror.

  Guan Xunzhi, lying in Xiao Lingchen's arms, said with a bitter smile, "Master... this is the Innate Sword Bone, something I was born with... Before this, it was just an ordinary bone, hidden and dusty within me, only able to transform after experiencing great joy and sorrow in life. Now, this supreme Sword Bone is complete and I give it to you, Master."

  Xiao Lingchen angrily said, "Who wants your Sword Bone? Take it back, or you'll die!"

  As he spoke, Xiao Lingchen tried to put the Sword Bone back into Guan Xunzhi's body. Guan Xunzhi, blood spilling from his mouth and face pale, said, "It's useless, Master... Once the Sword Bone leaves the body, it can never return. Originally, I thought of using my Essence Blood to cure my father's chronic illness and then giving the Sword Bone to you, Master. But I didn't expect so much to happen, delaying for so long. Now, all my family is gone, my great revenge is fulfilled, and I have no more attachments. I give this Sword Bone to you, Master. Once you refine it, you'll benefit immensely, as a token of my gratitude."

  "In the end, I just want to say... knowing you, a master who is both a teacher and a friend, I have no regrets in death. Just one last trouble for you, Master. After I die, please bury me with my parents."

  "Disciple... is leaving..."

  With his last words, Guan Xunzhi exhausted his final breath and collapsed in Xiao Lingchen's arms. Looking at the deceased Guan Xunzhi, Xiao Lingchen was overwhelmed with grief. After ten years together, they were both teacher and friend. To say he had no feelings for him was impossible. However, in the end, nothing could be changed.

  Xiao Lingchen buried Guan Xunzhi beside his parents' grave and lit three sticks of incense. Suddenly, the surroundings shifted, and everything returned to nothingness. A vortex exit appeared before him, and Elder Yunzhu's voice called out:

  "Lingchen, the three months are up, you can come out now!"

  At this moment, Xiao Lingchen awoke as if from a dream. Only then did he realize that the past ten years were merely an illusion created by the True Martial Space!

  Composing himself, Xiao Lingchen walked towards the exit. In the next second, he returned to the place filled with Spiritual Qi and profound mystery. In front of him were the elders of thirteen sects, with Elder Yunzhu among them. Seeing Xiao Lingchen emerge, Elder Yunzhu breathed a sigh of relief, feeling great:

  "Luckily, you came out, and you're not hurt, right?"

  Xiao Lingchen shook his head, "No."

  At this moment, he was fully awake, realizing he had left the True Martial Space. Everything he experienced before was just an illusion. Elder Yunzhu grabbed Xiao Lingchen's hand and said, "We shouldn't delay, let's hurry back!"

  With that, Elder Yunzhu was eager to take Xiao Lingchen away. They couldn't afford to delay! Knowing that Xiao Lingchen would come out of the True Martial Space today, the people of the Tianyan Sect had been waiting outside, wanting to punish Xiao Lingchen. Fortunately, Elder Yunzhu had foresight and brought people from the Supreme Mystical Sect to block the Tianyan Sect, buying them time to leave.

  Just as they were about to leave, Elder Xinghe blocked their path, "Xiao Lingchen, do you think you can just leave?"

  "Today, my Tianyan Sect wants you..."

  However, before Elder Xinghe could finish his sentence, his head was already severed.

  Pawread.