Watching the scattered starlight burst forth like a fireworks, Yu Ci suddenly understood.
The operation of the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror’s power was neither chaotic nor altered. It still followed its predetermined path, and the suction was merely a natural demand generated by the Yin Spirit controlling the mirror. However, because the rotation speed was too fast, the required soul force had multiplied accordingly, creating the sensation that the Yin Spirit was being torn apart.
Soul force had its limits—it needed rest and replenishment. Previously, because Yu Ci possessed innate Qi, the connection between his soul and vitality far surpassed that of an ordinary Divine Connectivity cultivator. Even when his soul force was heavily depleted, his vitality would naturally convert and replenish it, so the strain wasn’t obvious. But now, with his Yin Spirit out of his body and lacking a physical anchor, relying solely on the soul itself was unsustainable.
“I still need to slow down the rotation speed!”
Strangely enough, the moment this thought crystallized, the speed of the external force actually decreased. It was unclear whether Jin Huan’s residual impact had faded or if the long-established resonance of Qi and the mental connection formed through months of refining the mirror had played a role.
The “vortex” became gentler but did not disappear, continuing to demand soul force. Ultimately, as long as Yu Ci remained in the state of Yin Spirit Weapon Manipulation, maintaining this state would continuously weaken his Yin Spirit. But breaking this state…
“D8mn!”
His Yin Spirit trembled violently, nearly scattering. Fortunately, he steadied himself in time and re-entered the Yin Spirit Weapon Manipulation state.
This single attempt left him shaken. Ending the Yin Spirit Weapon Manipulation state wasn’t the problem—the issue was that once he did, he recognized the mirror, but the mirror no longer recognized him!
At that moment, Yu Ci nearly suffered the same fate as the Yin Demon that had been devoured earlier!
The mirror had an extraordinary interest in Yin Spirit-type entities, almost as if it possessed an instinct to devour them. The moment he abandoned control, he immediately became the mirror’s enemy. In that instant, the operation of the surrounding forces even showed signs of a violent shift—and the direction of that shift was certainly not in his favor.
If not for the fact that Yu Ci had shared a Qi resonance with the mirror for over a decade, giving him just a sliver of connection to reclaim control in time, he might already have been swallowed and digested. Compared to this, the suction of the “deep-sea vortex” earlier had been downright gentle.
From this, it seemed the mirror’s internal power had at least two operational modes: one that enhanced soul resonance and another that devoured Yin Demons and the like.
Not a bad new discovery.
Yu Ci found some bitter amusement in the situation. He then silently recited the “Thought Preservation” mantra from the Primordial Origin Qi Method to calm his mind. He wasn’t completely helpless—at the very least, a risky idea had just formed in his mind. If things became truly desperate, he could always gamble with his life.
But for now, the situation didn’t seem that dire. Perhaps he could still seek help.
His Yin Spirit remained trapped in the mirror, but as the starlight scattered, igniting the brain chambers of living beings in the mountain forest, he regained a connection to the outside world. His soul perception was still functioning—he wasn’t truly blind. He even realized that the divine starlight he had cast from the Heavenly Wings Pavilion earlier still lingered, clearly reflecting the situation on the distant cliffs.
In contrast, this shaded slope, where a group of Core Refinement cultivators had gathered, remained impenetrable. No matter how densely the starlight radiated, it couldn’t break through their powerful barriers. He could only vaguely sense the mingled auras of formidable experts—nothing more.
Jin Huan had seemed cornered earlier and might have already been slain. If so, he could definitely seek help from someone trustworthy. Unfortunately, there were no birds or similar creatures nearby…
Yu Ci had long noticed that the starlight didn’t only affect humans. Any living being—birds, beasts, insects, snakes—as long as it possessed a basic soul, could be marked by the starlight, opening their unique perspectives. However, the range of perception varied depending on their sensitivity.
This shaded slope, due to the earlier battle, had scared off all birds and beasts, leaving only tiny crawling insects. How could they possibly form a complete field of vision? Without a complete field of vision, how could he find someone trustworthy to help?
The situation was bizarre. Even though a mountain stood between them, the Heavenly Wings Pavilion a mile away remained crystal clear to Yu Ci, yet the events on the shaded slope right beside him were invisible. The area simply lacked a living being capable of bearing his divine starlight while also having a sufficiently broad perception range.
At this thought, Yu Ci’s mind stirred. There was actually one such creature.
Beyond the mountain, on the crumbling Heavenly Wings Pavilion, a small creature leisurely wandered among the ruined beams and broken pillars, a stark contrast to the people hastily fleeing downstairs.
It was the Dragon Fish.
When Yu Ci had set off his “fireworks” on the Heavenly Wings Pavilion, the divine starlight had automatically sought living hosts, and the Dragon Fish was no exception. But when Yu Ci was suddenly attacked by the Shadow Puppet, he had no time to tend to it, leaving the creature behind.
The Dragon Fish had a simple mind and a unique constitution—the Shadow Puppet’s “Void Heart Demon Spider Shadow Curse” couldn’t affect it. Instead, the remnants of the dead cultivators’ scattered souls became a delicacy for it. After circling a few times, it devoured these lingering traces of soul energy like a light snack.
It was a notorious glutton, and these scraps of soul energy couldn’t satisfy it. Instinct drove it to search for more food. And now, the “feast” that had been diligently feeding it these past few days was once again emitting a faint, tantalizing “fragrance,” luring it closer.
Without the slightest hesitation, the Dragon Fish’s slender body coiled and then sprang through the void, transforming into a streak of dark light that shot forward, clearing the cliff in an instant.
Yet it was unaware that as it moved, a faint glow flickered atop its tiny head, layers of color rapidly spreading along its flight path.
“Little one! Come, come!”
Yu Ci hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. As his soul sense revived and expanded, he reestablished connections with several external targets—naturally, those already deeply intertwined with his own qi. His physical body, just a few dozen feet away, was one. The treasure seal he had refined inside his sleeve was another.
And the last… was the Dragon Fish.
After ten days of nurturing through the Spirit Control Technique, the Dragon Fish had long since synchronized with his will, capable of following simple commands. Though controlling it wasn’t yet effortless, using his own aura as bait worked perfectly.
The Dragon Fish demonstrated its astonishing speed, darting over the mountain in an instant. By the time it reached the area, it no longer needed Yu Ci’s guidance—it immediately located his physical body and gleefully swooped toward it, eager for its usual feast.
And through its senses, Yu Ci saw everything he needed to see.
*****
The atmosphere on the shaded slope was tense.
When Immortal Chi Yin took the Myriad Rays Draping Cloud Pearl into her hand, someone sneered coldly. Had it been anyone else, she would have made them regret it—but the speaker was none other than Xu Hui of Sunset Valley, his scorched-yellow beard and hair serving as his unmistakable trademark.
A grand Void Stepping realm master at the peak stage, even someone as proud as her couldn’t act recklessly against him.
Yet Xu Hui was seething. He and Xie Yan had fought bitterly high in the sky, nearly shattering a century-old camaraderie, only to descend and find Jin Huan’s corpse missing. How could he face his elders now?
Just then, Immortal Chi Yin’s act of pocketing the pearl ignited his fury. He strode forward.
“This Myriad Rays Draping Cloud Pearl was bestowed by my sect’s Elder Jin upon his mortal descendants. Now that his bloodline is severed, it should be returned to its rightful owner.”
As he spoke, he closed the distance, reaching out to take it. He had already decided—if Immortal Chi Yin resisted even slightly, he would seize the opportunity to vent his rage. At the very least, he would slaughter most of these Core Refinement juniors who had ganged up on Jin Huan.
But her reaction caught him off guard.
The typically haughty female cultivator wore a faint smile. “So it’s Xu Hui, the ‘Sun-Holding Spear.’ Your magnanimity in seeing through life and death is truly admirable. Since this pearl belongs to your sect, returning it is only proper—lest we fame-seeking opportunists taint its purity.”
With delicate fingers, she placed the pearl lightly onto Xu Hui’s outstretched palm.
It was a masterful act of claiming the moral high ground while twisting the knife. Xu Hui narrowed his eyes. If Xie Yan weren’t here, he wouldn’t care about her provocations—he’d have cut her down on the spot. But Xie Yan had already framed this as an internal matter of the Rifting Earth Sect. If he forced the issue now, he’d likely end up fighting Xie Yan again…
And right now, Xie Yan was in an exceptionally foul mood.
Xie Yan stood rigidly, his pale eyes brimming with undisguised gloom and frost.
Shi Song and Hu Dan, both formidable figures in their own right, felt as if their spines had been soaked in ice, their backs unable to straighten.
Shi Song had already briefed Xie Yan on the situation and Yu Ci’s current state. Now, despite his injuries, he forced himself to stand and await judgment.
At this moment, his heart was filled with both bitterness and resignation. With the Sun Light Sect wiped out, the Thousand Spirit Gate should have naturally ascended as Cliff City’s new ruler. But fate had other plans—Yu Ci, the key figure in their victory, had ended up in this state. Forget replacing the Sun Light Sect; whether they could even survive the wrath of Xie Yan, Yu Zhou, and the Rifting Earth Sect was now uncertain.
He had already prepared for the worst.
Yet, to his surprise, Xie Yan said nothing. Instead, he bent down, heedless of the muddy snow, and lifted Yu Ci into his arms—as if preparing to leave immediately.
‘He can’t leave now!’
Through the Fish Dragon’s astral projection, Yu Ci took in the scene around him. Seeing Xie Yan’s demeanor, his heart sank.
He understood Xie Yan all too well. The man was a true sentimentalist. Seeing Yu Ci like this, he must have assumed the worst—consumed by regret and self-blame, he would want to properly lay Yu Ci’s “remains” to rest and would not linger here.
But if he left now, the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror—the very artifact sealing Yu Ci’s Yin Spirit—could not be left behind!
Deep in the forest, the mirror, half-buried in the snow, suddenly twitched.
Yu Ci attempted to use his Yin Spirit to levitate the treasure, hoping to draw Xie Yan’s attention. But his earlier exhaustion had been far worse than he realized. Even with all his effort, the mirror barely shifted, and his unstable Yin Spirit nearly dispersed entirely.
Worse still, instead of alerting Xie Yan, the movement drew Immortal Chi Yin’s cold gaze.