Chapter 154: Strange

“Punished? What punishment?”

Just from Bao Guang’s expression, Yu Ci could tell that no matter how bad the result was, it wouldn’t be ‘that’ bad.

The young daoist ran up, panting slightly before he said, “I don’t know the exact situation, but Master had a private conversation with ‘that person’ for over half an hour. He seemed relaxed when he came out. I tried to get some information out of him, and he only said we should follow that person’s arrangements. But honestly, it didn’t seem like there was any major issue.”

The “that person” he mentioned was He Qing. Yu Ci knew this must’ve been Daoist Yu Zhou working on his behalf, and he was naturally grateful. But a private conversation?

That part struck him as strange. 

Over the past couple of days, Xie Yan, Xie Liang, and Yu Zhou had been discussing and negotiating with the mountain sect delegates led by He Qing over the matter of Cliff City. The three of them were clearly on the same page, advancing and retreating together. So under these circumstances, for Yu Zhou to speak privately with He Qing… Wait a second!

Yu Ci suddenly noticed that Bao Guang’s way of referring to He Qing wasn’t exactly respectful — not how a junior should be addressing a senior.

He furrowed his brows, just about to ask more when Bao Guang noticed the Dragon Fish floating beside him. Reaching out to poke it, he called, “Hey there, little guy.”

Since coming under Yu Ci’s care, the Dragon Fish hadn’t been given a proper name. Over time, “little guy” became the default. Surprisingly, the Dragon Fish, dim-witted as it was, actually responded to the nickname. Yu Ci couldn’t be bothered to change it now and just let people call it whatever they wanted.

After teasing the Dragon Fish a bit, Bao Guang let out a sigh. “People always say comparing makes you miserable. Same goes for Dragon Fishes! Look at ‘hers’ and then look at ‘ours’ — the difference is just too much!”

There was a trace of bitterness in the young daoist’s voice, though everything he said was true. Compared to the massive serpent-like figure coiling above Heart Prohibition Temple right now, the little guy by their side really did seem pathetic.

Though both were Dragon Fishes, there was an enormous difference in size. If the one in the sky resembled a giant python, then this one was more like an earthworm — a shriveled one at that. Back when Hu Dan handed it over, it had been in even worse shape. What little vitality it had now came from Yu Ci’s habit of using beast-nurturing techniques to feed it, bringing some gloss back to its scales and restoring its basic life force.

But that was only the surface.

Internally, the difference was far more drastic.

Ever since the “Spinal Core” had transferred all of the Dragon Fish’s innate Qi into the void within Yu Ci’s heart, its potential had plummeted. The horn-like protuberance that had been forming on its head had completely vanished. It had fallen from the “Marrow-Born Crown” level straight down to the “Flesh-Scaled” tier. The difference between these levels was vast — an insurmountable gap that might take the Dragon Fish thousands or even tens of thousands of years to cross.

What’s more, without the Spinal Core, its innate abilities had diminished sharply. It still liked to cling to Yu Ci and absorb his energy, but it could no longer be called a “glutton.” It only needed to consume a tiny bit each day to sustain normal growth. At this rate, in a few millennia, its peers would’ve long since left it behind… It’d probably end up as nothing more than a pet.

Yu Ci glanced again at the serpent shadow in the sky. He had already mentally prepared for this, so he didn’t feel much. Bao Guang, on the other hand — though often a bit careless — was always polite to elders. Yet when he referred to He Qing, it was either “she” or “that person,” with no sign of respect. Odd, wasn’t it?

Thinking it over, Yu Ci asked, “Is there some kind of conflict between Immortal He Qing and Temple Master Yu?”

The young daoist was terrible at hiding things. His face changed the moment he heard the question. He opened his mouth, ready to speak — but then, surprisingly, held back that famously loose tongue of his. He only coughed and said, “I’m not really sure… Anyway, I need to get back to serve Master. I’ll head off now, Senior Brother Yu, you go on!”

With that, he turned and ran off, not bothering to explain further. Yu Ci watched his retreating figure and couldn’t help but smile wryly.

There was definitely a story here — and a messy one at that. Bao Guang’s reaction alone was enough to give some clues. But since Bao Guang wasn’t willing to talk, and the elders like Yu Zhou hadn’t mentioned anything to him, there was no point pressing the issue.

Shaking his head, he walked a few steps deeper into the woods. Logically, since the temple had already reached a decision, now would be the perfect time for him to return. But he suddenly felt a bit reflective. Instead, he looked for a clean spot and sat down.

Leaning against a tree trunk, he gazed up at the sky. The massive serpent shadow was still coiling above. The longer he stared at it, the more it looked like a rope — and something about that just felt wrong.

Yu Ci understood. It was a form of restraint — an inevitable consequence of joining the Rifting Earth Sect. Here, he had gained guidance from Immortals, inherited secret arts, and gained access to resources he never could’ve imagined before. His cultivation had advanced rapidly, and his path forward suddenly looked smooth and open. But in return, he had to bear certain responsibilities and abide by certain rules.

For outer disciples, this restraint was minor. But having spent over a decade roaming freely, doing as he pleased without worrying about consequences, the contrast now felt stark.

He couldn’t help wondering: was there a way in this world to cultivate freely while staying completely unbound? But thinking further, he realized how greedy that sounded. Wasn’t that just wanting all the benefits without any cost?

With a dry chuckle, he realized his thoughts were becoming a bit too idealistic. So, he drew his Pure Yang Talisman Sword.

With one swing, the sword qi cut through all those scattered, conflicted thoughts.

Ever since that day he slew the Yin fiend, Yu Ci found himself more and more drawn to the sword. In that state, all chaotic thoughts faded, and he could resolve even the most complicated problems in the most direct, straightforward way.

Compared to that, all the other types of cultivation—whether it was the ‘Primordial Origin Qi Method’, talisman training, divine soul sensing, or sacrificial refinement—while they all allowed him to reach a state of focus and often brought a strong sense of accomplishment, none of them made him feel as exhilarated as sword training.

This aligned with how he had always felt: he was skilled in talismans, but he loved the sword more!

As he fiddled with the Pure Yang Talisman Sword, the wooden blade, just over a foot long, bore clearly visible talisman patterns. When he injected ‘innate Qi’, a nearly two-foot-long flame blade extended from the sword. With a simple swing, the fiery edge let out a piercing whistle, easily slicing into a tree trunk to the side and leaving a deep, scorched groove.

If Yu Ci wanted to, he could easily sever that thick, two-person-arm-span tree in a single strike. A year ago, that would’ve been nothing short of a fantasy.

This transformation wasn’t just due to splitting consciousness and entering the Divine Connectivity realm. More importantly, it was because of the Sword Intent of the Half-Mountain Mirage, a gift from Ye Bin, which had taken his swordsmanship to a whole new level. Under the guidance of that Sword Intent, cultivators of the same realm stood no chance against him. He could even threaten Core Refinement cultivators above his level.

Back on the wasteland, Xie Yan had taught him a sword technique that pierced through falsehood and evil—just a small trick, really—but it had deepened his understanding of sword intent. For the past two days, he’d been mulling over a certain problem, hoping for another breakthrough in his sword cultivation…

Maybe he had been sitting too long. The Dragon Fish swam over, swaying its head and tail, rubbing up against him while absorbing the increasingly flavorful spiritual energy enhanced by the ‘Spirit Feeding Method’. Yu Ci didn’t stop it. Without the “Spinal Core” node, the little guy posed almost no threat. If it overindulged, it might even end up bursting.

The little creature had long lost its “ambitions” and now simply swam around him playfully, having a great time. But after only a few breaths, it suddenly trembled. Because of their spiritual link, Yu Ci sensed something too. He looked up—and the light dimmed.

Above the maple forest, a long snake-like silhouette spiraled downward. It didn’t enter the forest, but its fist-sized head, connected to a slender neck, dipped low. Atop its head were two stubby, deer-antler-like horns, dark in color, but with golden-yellow branching tips.

Yu Ci noticed its facial features were distinct, but its eyes were still just narrow slits, completely dark and unreadable. Clearly, this creature, despite its size, was still in the “Marrow-Born Crown” phase. It hadn’t undergone the Dragon Transformation or awakened the Dragon Soul—hadn’t become a full ‘heavenly dragon’.

Of course, if it ‘had’ become a heavenly dragon, it would never accept being raised by humans.

That thought flashed through his mind as Yu Ci stood and bowed toward the human figure beside the dragon fish’s head. “Immortal He.”

He Qing had just stepped out from the forest’s edge. She wore a short jacket and long skirt in very muted tones. Her expression was as stern as ever, a habitual look that left shallow creases on her cheeks, making her seem like she was always facing the world with a rigid demeanor.

In fact, since they’d met, Yu Ci had never once seen her smile.

He Qing swept her gaze over him. “Yu Ci.”

He thought she was going to speak about his punishment and replied, “Yes, Immortal.”

“You’re good with the sword?”

Yu Ci was stunned. That had nothing to do with punishment. Was she just… making conversation?

It struck him as odd, but her question happened to touch on exactly what he’d been thinking about earlier, so he smiled and replied boldly, “Immortal, this disciple loves the sword.”

He Qing fixed her gaze on his face and nodded slightly. “How do you use your sword?”

Yu Ci still couldn’t guess her intent. But since her last two questions had both struck a chord with him, he didn’t overthink it and simply smiled again. “To stake life and death with my sword—that’s all.”

“Oh? That doesn’t sound like something you just said casually.”

Although her expression hadn’t changed much, He Qing’s tone had become noticeably more relaxed. She stepped closer, narrowing the distance between them, and said softly, “Explain that?”

By now, Yu Ci had nothing to hide. He straightened his back and answered clearly, “This disciple only wishes to use the sword to erase any gap between myself and a powerful enemy…”

He wasn’t trying to dress up his words—just expressing his true thoughts plainly.

To erase the gap didn’t mean he wanted to cleave all before him in one stroke. It meant that under his sword, no matter how powerful the enemy, he could drag them onto the line between life and death. Even if the opponent could annihilate him with a flick of the hand, as long as he could strike their vital point ‘first’, end their life ‘first’, that would be enough.

He Qing said nothing, her gaze finally shifting away from his face. She shook her head slightly. “You are… and yet you’re not…”

Her voice suddenly cut off. For the first time, a look of genuine shock appeared on her face as she looked toward Yu Ci’s side. Confused, he followed her gaze—and found it landing squarely on the little swimming creature.

Her tone dropped several notches, becoming low and heavy:

“This Dragon Fish—where is its ‘Innate Qi’?”