Seeing the figure in front of him, Yu Ci looked a bit surprised. âMaster Ming, you’re here too?â
It was Ming Lan approaching from the wilderness. She looked travel-worn, likely dust-covered from the road, and her loose hair was streaked with gray and white, making her appear even older.
Having an elder of such age bow in greeting would normally put pressure on most people. But Yu Ci merely paused in silence for a moment, then smiled.
âForgive me? Master Ming, are you trying to get me to consider the bigger picture?â
Before Ming Lan could respond, Yu Ci had already turned away, striding toward the spot where Immortal Chi Yin and Elder He were standing. The movement came so suddenly that no one knew what he intended to do. Even Ming Lan stood frozen for a few moments before remembering to straighten her posture.
By now, Yu Ci had reached Immortal Chi Yin, standing just a few feet away.
On any normal day, at this distance, she could have killed him with a casual strike. But now, her body was still riddled with remnants of sword Qi, her spiritual flow disrupted. Elder He’s palm remained pressed against the back of her neck, sealing her central meridian completely. In such a state, even lifting a finger was difficult for her.
Their breaths mingled in the space between them, separated only by a curtain of hair.
Yu Ci could only see half of her faceâskin like porcelain, but bloodless. Her eyes were cold and deep, threatening at first glance, though the scattered light revealed a heart perhaps not as strong or stubborn as it appeared on the surface.
But none of that mattered now.
Yu Ci simply reached out, brushing past the edge of her hair curtain and slipping his hand through the gap torn in the front of her cloak.
At that moment, all eyes were on him. Yu Ci paid them no mind. His intent was crystal clear. Even as his fingers touched warm, soft skin and damp blood, he ignored it all, reaching until they came into contact with a patch of searing metal. The familiar sensation surged from his fingertips straight to his heart.
He grasped itâand pulled it out.
Long time no see, old friend.
Yu Ci held the uneven rim of the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror, its surface glowing with a faint green light. With a single glance, it pierced the soul with a chilling clarity, a stark contrast to the warmth of its temperature. Yu Ci was long used to this. Under the scrutiny of various watching eyes, he waved the mirror lightly in front of Immortal Chi Yin and said softly:
âThis mirror doesnât belong to the Rifting Earth Sect, nor to the Rakshasa Sect. Our grudge began over ten years ago, in the Twin Immortal Sect. Back then, you were a rogue cultivator, and I was your servant boyâneither of us had any ties to either sect, right?â
To have Yu Ci reach into her robe in front of everyone, touching her in such an intimate and hidden placeâeven though he had no intention of disrespectâit was an unbearable humiliation for Immortal Chi Yin. Her eyes, fixed on his face, were now bloodshot with fury.
Yu Ci met her gaze without flinching. He calmly tucked the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror into his robe and continued:
âThe night we attacked the Sun Light Sect, you recognized me. At that time, we had an allianceâwe were on the same side. But when my Yang Spirit left my body and tried to return, you released a fragrance meant to burn my soul. Thatâs what happened, isnât it?â
Without turning his head, he suddenly called out, âMaster Ming, what was that incense?â
After a pause, Ming Lan finally answered under the weight of everyone’s gaze, âIt was Soul-Burning Incense.â
The moment the words left her lips, Xie Yanâs gaze from the sky sliced across both her and Immortal Chi Yin like a blade. That night had been full of confusion, and Xie Yan had long suspected something was off. Ming Lanâs words were the missing piece.
Soul-Burning Incense, a poisonous fragrance from the Eastern Sea, specifically targeted the spirit. Upon contact, it would instantly ignite the heart fire, obliterating the soul in a single breath, leaving no trace behind. The fact that Immortal Chi Yin used it made her murderous intent toward Yu Ci unmistakably clear.
Yu Ci, satisfied with the answer, gave a low chuckle and went on:
âI wonât deny it. After I woke up that night, I deliberately laid a trap in Cliff City to lure you hereâjust to bring this old grudge into the open. My final goal was to end this threat once and for all. Otherwise, with you, a high-level Core Refinement cultivator, trying to kill me at any timeâI wouldn’t be able to stop youâŚâ
He cut off mid-sentence, staring directly into Immortal Chi Yinâs cold gaze. He nodded slightly and confirmed again:
âReally, I wouldnât be able to stop you.â
The last word fellâand a flash of sword light burst forth.
The Pure Yang Talisman Sword shot upward abruptly, the dull blade brushing her chest. Its blunt tip pierced the hollow beneath her jawlineânot too deepâbut the force behind it forced her head back, lifting her chin high. It was a posture of habitual pride, yet now her beautiful face was filled with nothing but shock and confusion.
The dull sword tip may not have been fatal, but the Half-Mountain Mirage sword Qi Yu Ci unleashed with all his might had already torn through her skull, shredding her central nervous system. Even as her Golden Coreâs true essence rushed to protect her, the Qi spilled downward through her Niwan Palace. Though most of it was blocked by the true essence, a few threads still pierced through the layers of defenseâstriking her heart vessel.
With a loud “bang”, Immortal Chi Yinâs bodyguarding true Qi finally reacted, blasting Yu Ci away.
He was sent flying, sliding several yards across the ground. His chest felt heavy, his head rang as if struck by a hammerâbut he still clung tightly to the Pure Yang Talisman Sword, struggling to stand back up.
The wilderness was silent, but the wind carried a strong sense of absurd shock.
Everyone looked at Yu Ci with a new perspective, trying to figure out what exactly was going on in his mind.
Yu Ci didnât care what the others were thinking. He took a deep breath, steadying the internal injuries from the shock, and stared intently at Chi Yinâs face.
Moments ago, when her head was violently thrown back, Chi Yinâs long hair had swept aside completely, revealing her pale face. She had maintained that posture since, but her long, graceful body had already lost all strength, forming a curve as she slowly collapsed.
Beside her, Elder He still held Chi Yin by the nape of the neck. But now, she shook her head and released her grip, letting Chi Yinâs body fall to the ground, kicking up a light cloud of dust.
At the same moment, in Yu Ciâs spiritual perception, Chi Yinâs life force was rapidly fading. In the blink of an eye, it became a tiny flickering flame that was instantly snuffed out by the wind sweeping across the wilderness.
Yu Ci let out a long breath, the sound of his exhale echoing in everyoneâs ears.
Chi Yin was deadâYu Ci had just confirmed it.
On a normal day, a late-stage Core Refinement cultivator like Chi Yin wouldnât be someone he could take down, even if she just stood still and let him attack. But this time, Chi Yinâs vital meridians had been locked down by Elder He, leaving her Golden Core unable to circulate properly. Moreover, from observing Daoist Yu Zhouâs sword strike, Yu Ci had come to understand the flow of his sword intent very well. He had also grasped most of the hidden injuries caused by the sword qiâinsights he could draw on and exploit.
The truly decisive factor, though, was that Yu Ci had long since resolved to kill. Even as he was speaking, he had been gathering strength. That seemingly sudden strike to the head was actually the culmination of all his power, channeled through the Mirage of the Half-Mountain Sword Qi with not a shred of reservation.
Once it pierced through her, the sword qi of the Half-Mountain Mirage sword revealed its deadly sharpness, even stirring the lingering sword qi Daoist Yu Zhou had left inside the female cultivatorâs body. The two combined, and her heart vessels were torn apart inch by inchâsnuffing out her vitality entirely.
After exhaling, Yu Ci didnât spare another glance at Chi Yinâs fallen body. Instead, he turned toward Elder He, cupped his hands around his sword, and said:
âIf we go by what Master Ming believes, then Chi Yin trying to kill me was just a personal affairâpunishable, but forgivable. But if I kill Chi Yin, that would make it a grudge between our two sects, ignoring the bigger picture. This is the logic of swords at one’s throat versus strength in oneâs hands. If weâre talking reason, thereâs no reason like that in the world. But if weâre talking powerâthen things get a lot simpler! What I did, I did from the heart. Whether it affects the relationship between our sectsâIâll leave that to the Immortal to judge.â
His voice was loud and clear, heard across the entire wilderness. But as his gaze suggested, his words were meant only for Elder He.
Yu Ci was always best at reading people. In just a few exchanges, heâd already figured out that this Elder He didnât seem to be on the same side as Yu Zhou, Xie Yan, and Xie Liang. Back when Yu Zhou had mentioned his closest friends, he hadnât named this Elder He.
Truthfully, ever since the group had appeared, Yu Ci had been puzzled. Before returning to the Heart Prohibition Temple, he had indeed mentioned Chi Yin in a private message to Yu Zhou. If Yu Zhou had felt things were too risky and came in person to support him, that might barely make sense. But what were Xie Liang and Elder He doing here?
After all, before this incident, no one had any idea that such a powerful âMoon Demonâ was tailing them. For a mere Chi Yin, there was no need for three Void Stepping cultivators and one high-level Core Refinement expert to ambush her. Especially Elder Heâher behavior was downright strange. Though she seemed to help, her words and actions often felt like deadweight.
Yu Ci truly couldnât figure it out, and since he couldnât, he simply chose not to dwell on it.
He had been holding back for a long timeânot just today, but ever since he saw Chi Yin again on Southern Frost Lake, maybe even since Cliff City. From that moment on, a blazing fire had started to burn inside him. On the night the Sun Light Sect was destroyed, that fire finally exploded because of Chi Yinâs ruthless methods.
Due to his lack of strength, he had endured for twenty whole days. But nowâhe didnât want to endure anymore. Nor did he need to!
Elder He and Ming Lanâs involvement had complicated things, so he chose to cut the vines before they tangled any furtherâas for what came next, heâd find out after the cut was made.
âGood!â
That was a cheer from Xie Yan in the sky.
Unlike Elder He, the cultivators of the Rifting Earth Sect made their stance very clear. Birds of a feather flock together, and people align by temperament. Yu Zhou, Xie Yan, and Xie Liang were so close precisely because they were all passionate, straightforward individuals. What they admired most was a bold, unyielding nature.
That was the reasoning, but Yu Ci hadnât been thinking of any of this when he struck. And it was precisely because of that that he was one of their kind.
âA straightforward man.â
There was no rebuke, but also no praise. Elder He spoke with calm indifference, as if stating a simple fact about Yu Ci. Her lips were still pressed together, revealing neither joy nor displeasure.
But then, she turned to Ming Lan and gave her a slight nod.
âSwapping heaven and earth, transmuting death into life. The Illusory Rakshasa Technique truly are a peerless divine power, even able to deceive the Reaper and the Lord of the Underworld.â
The master of the Mysterious Moon Sect had been silent for far too long. Ever since answering Yu Ciâs question, she hadnât spokenâeven when Chi Yinâs head was split open by sword qi.
But after Elder Heâs remark, she started coughingâa deep, unstoppable cough.
When everyone looked over, they saw that this Master Ming Lan had covered her mouth, yet still couldnât stop the fresh blood pouring through her fingers.
When I first took up Ask the Mirror, I was painfully unaware of just how difficult it would be to translate it. The words used in it are complex, and the unique terms in this novels are as numerous as the starts in the sky. They often appear randomly even after 60-70 chapter, which is enough for my inferior brain to forget them. And some of the terms can be translated in other ways as well, so I sometimes end up translating them differently. None of the novels I worked on before had writing like this.
And that’s why there might be some inconsistencies of a few terms in a few chapters. But, the moment I realized the nature of the writing, I started taking notes (sometimes I forget about that too), so that can solve the Term Consistency issue in future chapters. Now, for the chapters that have the inconsistent terms, I request you help. Please, please, do comment the issue if you find it. I will fix them immediately!