Xuanqing had no idea how to describe the absurdity before him. It wasn’t until the cold wind of late autumn blew into his collar, chilling him to the bone, that he finally woke up as if from a dream. He looked up at the figure across from him, but the other party was already hidden in the darkness beyond the reach of the light, like a predator licking its claws.
The long sword fell to the ground, and Xuanqing howled as he lunged forward, reaching out to grab the “lice” on the mountain ridge:
“Godfather, I’m here! Godfather! Come here, he’s here, that little thief Yu Ci is here…”
His cries were like a night owl flapping through the sky. He charged forward, his fingers touched the green mist, but passed straight through it, and then he dove forward. Before he could land, his neck went cold, and suddenly his vision shifted to a bizarre angle, splashed with a wash of b1ood red.
By the campfire, ever since Xuanqing and the other cultivator had left, the atmosphere had turned tense. Xuanqing’s group and the herb gatherers avoided each other’s gaze, unsure how to deal with the “companions” they had been with for nearly two months.
Half a moment later, Yu Ci walked out from the outer darkness, pacing slowly and steadily, holding something in his hand.
As he entered the firelight, the curious onlookers turned their gaze towards him, only to feel as if they had fallen into an icy pit.
“Xuan…Xuanqing’s…head?”
Someone muttered what the item was, and the area around the campfire fell silent for a moment before erupting into chaos. At least seven or eight people screamed, scrambling to flee. Some knelt down to beg for mercy, while others stayed frozen in their original positions, staring blankly, overwhelmed by confusion.
Yu Ci ignored them all—those running, kneeling, or stunned. He clutched the hair knot of Xuanqing’s sev*ered head and walked to the campfire. Suddenly, without warning, he kicked, sending the blazing fire pit scattering with a loud bang, plunging the valley into darkness.
Everyone shuddered. Then, they heard Yu Ci’s calm voice:
“Leave now, go far away, find another place to camp. I’ll be entertaining guests here.”
At that moment, a sharp howl came from the mountain peak on the southern side of the valley: “Lu Ding and Si Long of the Sun Light Sect are here! Yu Ci, you little thief, don’t run!”
Amidst the howl, nine figures swooped down, startling the roosting birds and creating a flurry of chaos.
Yu Ci stood motionless, but most of the herb gatherers around him were too frightened to even try to run.
Among Xuanqing’s group, Zheng Da, who had just betrayed his own boss, initially had a chance to escape. But in his panic, he ran in the wrong direction, nearly colliding with Yu Ci. Stumbling, he saw Xuanqing’s head, grotesquely twisted in fear and despair, and immediately collapsed, wailing:
“I didn’t say anything! I didn’t say anything…spare me, spare me!”
Yu Ci couldn’t be bothered with such worthless people. He casually tossed Xuanqing’s head across the stream that ran through the valley, and it rolled to a stop right in front of the cultivators of the Sun Light Sect who had just rushed down the mountain.
With a loud thud, Lu Ding kicked his godson’s head into the mountain stream, but his forward momentum halted there. He cast a cold glance over, pausing for a moment before asking, “Is this Yu Ci?”
He was asking the accompanying warriors behind him, and someone confirmed with a “Yes.”
It was hard to see clearly in the darkness, but it was likely one of the bodyguards who had once served beside Jin Huan.
Lu Ding let out a sneer before addressing Yu Ci, “Little thief, you’re quick-witted. Surrender now and let me take you to the Sun Light Sect for judgment. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll get to keep your life!”
Yu Ci had seen this man countless times in the Divine Map, but it was his first time encountering him in real life. He found Lu Ding to be ten times more obnoxious than in the map and had no desire to engage. That said, if it had been a more formidable opponent, Yu Ci wouldn’t have chosen to take the risk of facing them head-on.
His gaze shifted to Si Long, who stood next to Lu Ding.
It was Si Long who had just howled. With his fierce appearance, he was hard to forget at first sight.
Yu Ci had seen him twice in the Divine Map and knew he was exceptionally strong. Around thirty years old, Si Long was on the verge of reaching mid-level Divine Connectivity, close to forming his Yin Spirit. In terms of realm, he was on par with Yu Ci, but his power was slightly superior. However, Si Long lacked intelligence; despite his high status in the Sun Light Sect, when dealing with outsiders, he was often relegated to being a mere enforcer.
Regardless, this man was a formidable opponent.
Yu Ci’s gaze then swept over the warriors behind the two officials. Judging by their attire, these warriors were all personal guards of the Sect Leader. They were all at the Enlightened Spirit level, not far from Divine Connectivity. Having trained together for years, they had remarkable synergy. Seven of them working in unison could potentially overwhelm an opponent at the initial stage of Divine Connectivity. Even for a powerful sect like the Sun Light Sect, having over fifty such elite guards was a testament to their formidable strength.
While Yu Ci assessed the enemy, he completely ignored Lu Ding. Used to bullying the weak and fearing the strong, Lu Ding believed he had the upper hand. Feeling snubbed, he spat and barked, “You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit—attack!”
As his words fell, Lu Ding remained still, while Si Long and the accompanying warriors surged forward, leaping across the mountain stream in an instant. The surrounding herb gatherers finally found the courage to flee, scattering in all directions, leaving only Yu Ci standing motionless in the center, his gaze locked on Lu Ding without wavering.
Under Yu Ci’s stare, Lu Ding felt an inexplicable chill and involuntarily took a few steps back. Only after drawing his treasured sword did he catch his breath and shout, “Form up! No mercy!”
Lu Ding believed this to be the most secure approach. However, at the moment of his shout, Yu Ci’s body dropped low, and near the snow-covered stream, a half-moon arc of dark red light suddenly flared, slicing towards the legs of Si Long and his men. The arc’s sharpness was undeniable, forcing the warriors to quickly dodge.
Si Long, emboldened by his skill, leapt at the last second, lightly touching the arc with his protective True Qi and sword Qi to test its depth. Amidst the sharp hissing, he suddenly froze as a familiar scorching sensation shot up from his feet. What started as a lukewarm feeling quickly transformed into the searing heat of molten iron, burning straight into his body.
As the sword light passed, the snow along the stream melted without leaving a trace.
“Nine Yang… No, Pure Yang Talisman Sword!”
Si Long shouted angrily, flipping awkwardly and leaping far away.
Unlike the domineering Nine Yang Talisman Sword, the Pure Yang Talisman Sword had undergone higher-level refining, condensing the sword’s fierce Qi without dispersing it. At first glance, it might not seem impressive, but its killing power was at least fifty percent stronger than the former.
Si Long knew this all too well. As he landed at a distance to deal with the fiery force attacking his body, with this Divine Connectivity cultivator momentarily out of the way, Yu Ci let out a low whistle. His figure soared, and the Pure Yang Talisman Sword slashed repeatedly in the void, simultaneously targeting the seven warriors.
The warriors were all elite members of the Sun Light Sect, with resolute minds far beyond the ordinary. Once Lu Ding gave the order to form a formation, they ignored everything else, and even though Si Long was repelled by a single sword strike, it didn’t waver their determination. In the blink of an eye, they scattered and regrouped, adjusting their positions. Within just a breath, they formed a rough arc, their long swords in hand humming and resonating with each other, their combined focus locking onto Yu Ci.
At that moment, the sword light of the Pure Yang Talisman Sword in Yu Ci’s hand twisted and blurred, nearly distorting the gaze fixed upon him by the crowd.
No matter how well-trained the warriors were, they inevitably lost their focus for that brief moment. By the time they reacted, they saw Yu Ci, now merged with his sword, already attacking the top of their formation arc, where three men stood blocking him!
Two swords clashed, ringing out with a sharp “clang.” The talisman sword in Yu Ci’s hand turned into a fiery blade, and with one strike, he knocked the leading warrior’s sword out of his grip. At the same time, the sword Qi from the warriors on both sides stabbed at Yu Ci’s flanks. Even though the leading warrior’s guard was wide open, he neither dodged nor retreated. As long as he could stall Yu Ci for a moment, the converging sword Qi from all sides would mean that even if he perished, victory would still belong to his side.
“Well done!” Lu Ding watched from the rear and couldn’t help but praise. Bringing the Sect Leader’s personal guards to Sky Rift Valley was truly a clever move. If it had been anyone else, even other stewards from the sect, they wouldn’t have achieved such a clean and decisive result.
However, in the next moment, he saw a mist of b1ood spraying in all directions, and beyond it, Yu Ci’s cold, piercing eyes.
No one knew what happened in that split second. The two stewards and the remaining warriors only saw the three men in front of Yu Ci get splattered with b1ood, a large mist of b1ood erupting, and they fell like logs.
Yu Ci, without pausing, broke through the b1ood mist and charged toward Steward Ding on the opposite side of the mountain stream, who stood motionless.
In terms of cultivation, Lu Ding was superior to any of the personal guards, but in terms of willpower and resolve, his years of handling sect affairs had long eroded the bold and fierce spirit of his youth. Seeing Yu Ci charging at him with a b1ood-stained sword, his first reaction was not to defend but to scream and retreat, taking seven or eight steps back. Seeing no one able to rush over, he finally swung his sword haphazardly, trying to block Yu Ci’s elusive sword techniques.
In a flash, Yu Ci lunged, the dark red sword light flashing, creating a continuous ringing sound. A miracle occurred: Lu Ding’s haphazard swordplay managed to deflect most of the sword Qi, and the few that slipped through did not hit any vital spots. He actually managed to hold off Yu Ci… no, he lasted for a full two breaths of time. And in that time, it was enough for Si Long and the personal guards to return and form a three-pronged attack!
Si Long was the first to arrive. As a key figure of the Sun Light Sect, how many years had it been since he had suffered such a setback? Humiliated and furious, as soon as he neutralized the fiery energy within, he rushed forward, seizing the opportunity as Lu Ding held the enemy back to launch a full-force attack.
Si Long was one of the five chief stewards personally trained in the Great Radiant Sun Technique by Jin Huan. If not for his lack of scheming, his status would have been higher. Yet, due to his straightforward nature, his cultivation progressed rapidly. Though his seniority lagged significantly behind Lu Ding, in terms of cultivation, it was quite the opposite.
At this moment, as he unleashed his full power, it truly seemed as if a sun had risen before everyone’s eyes. The searing heat waves rolled in, dispelling the autumn chill of the mountains in an instant. As the light swept by, not only did the snow on the stream banks melt, but even the cold stream water seemed about to boil. Moreover, the scorching fire toxin filled the senses, overwhelming the mind. Some herb gatherers who hadn’t fled far collapsed on the spot, unable to rise again.
Seeing the heat waves rushing in, Lu Ding knew that his companion had come to help, and his morale surged. He let out a piercing shout, and his swordplay became as fierce as a raging storm, keeping Yu Ci at bay. Meanwhile, Si Long, accompanied by the rolling heat waves, charged forward, overtaking the warriors.
From five zhang away, Si Long formed seals with both hands, this being the optimal distance for him to unleash the full might of the Great Radiant Sun Technique.
As his hands completed the seals, the roaring heat waves almost solidified into a tangible sheet of red clouds, sweeping across. Yu Ci, still facing away from him, seemed unaware, but Lu Ding saw it all clearly and was startled by the sheer force of this “Burning Cloud” move, which spared neither friend nor foe, potentially turning both entangled combatants into ashes!
Fear struck his heart, and he immediately pulled back his sword to retreat. With the upper hand at this moment, he naturally found it easy to withdraw.
Yu Ci, seemingly affected by the attack from behind, also turned his head instead of engaging further.
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