Yu Ci was actually feeling quite worried for the young girl.
The girl’s cultivation was still relatively weak, and the creatures below, attracted by the bait, were unusually active. She barely lasted for half a quarter of an hour before her breathing grew heavier. However, what was impressive was her ability to maintain a steady rhythm between each breath, even as her hands trembled, the rhythm never faltered.
“For someone so young to have such willpower, she’s remarkable. Shi Song has taught her well.”
Yu Ci slowly paced forward, but the young girl was so focused on her struggle with the fierce creatures below that she didn’t notice his approach. It was clear that she had reached a point where it was hard for her to back down.
Suddenly, a loud howl came from below, startling the girl. She quickly let go of the fishing rod in her hands, but it was already too late. A flying ape, commonly seen in Sky Rift Valley, had been hooked and, sensing its target above, leapt towards her with its fleshy wings flapping furiously. Two more large creatures followed behind it, eager for the commotion.
“Ah!”
The girl tried to stand and run, but it was too late. Just as the flying ape’s wing was about to strike her, a sudden flash of light, as if the clouds and mist of Sky Rift Valley had surged up, wrapped around the ape and swept it away. When she regained her senses, Yu Ci was already standing in front of her, his Pure Yang Talisman Sword shining brightly as he pulled it from the ape’s chest.
The corpse of the ape, which stood over a meter tall, was kicked down the cliff. The two other creatures hesitated, unsure whether to advance or retreat. Before they could make up their minds, Yu Ci swiftly leapt off the cliff, sword Qi whistling in the air, and dispatched them both in an instant.
The bloodied bodies fell below, surely triggering a fierce battle among the creatures down there. Yu Ci paid no mind to what would happen next, quickly leaping back up the cliff in a few swift movements. On his way up, he even managed to grab the fishing rod that the girl had flung aside.
“It’s all because of you…”
The girl, still shaken from the ordeal, needed someone to vent her frustration on. But when she saw Yu Ci’s smiling expression, she deflated instantly, her head drooping as she murmured a soft, “Thank you, Mr. Yu.”
Her voice was barely louder than a mosquito.
After this incident, the two finally had a reason to talk. They sat side by side at the edge of the cliff, their legs dangling in the mist below as if soaking in a clear stream, feeling quite content.
The girl, taking responsibility, admitted her mistake. The “Spirit Fishing Technique” she had used earlier was indeed not suited for this place. In fact, she had only ever practiced it in ponds where a few large fish swam. This time, pushed by Yu Ci’s teasing, she tried to show off, nearly losing her life in the process.
Of course, the girl didn’t forget to defend her sect’s technique:
“Just because I couldn’t do it doesn’t mean our Thousand Spirit Gate is lacking! When my grandfather demonstrates the Spirit Fishing Technique, it’s right here in Sky Rift Valley. He casts his rod for a hundred zhang, with fishing lines stretching ten li below, attracting at least a thousand powerful creatures. And they all obediently let him reel them in, one after another!”
Yu Ci chuckled at this.
Of course they were obedient. The girl’s grandfather, Shi Song, was none other than the master of Thousand Spirit Gate, a renowned expert in the Core Refinement realm. His strength ranked among the top five in Cliff City. Doing something like that would be a breeze for him.
Still, Yu Ci offered her a few words of comfort before teasing her again, “Look at the people in the sky—they’re scared out of their wits because of you. Let’s make a bet. I’d say within a quarter of an hour, your Uncle Cheng will come rushing over. Want to bet?”
The girl hung her head, too embarrassed to reply.
Yu Ci had already noticed the Thousand Spirit Gate escorts following behind Shi Xin, riding blood eagles and trailing from afar. When Shi Xin flew down earlier, they hesitated and only circled above. But when the girl got into trouble, they immediately charged toward her without a second thought. Even though the danger had passed, those guards were probably on the verge of collapsing from the stress. They definitely wouldn’t let the girl act recklessly again.
And it wasn’t just Cheng Rong who had been drawn over.
Thousand Spirit Gate’s Spirit Binding Technique was incredibly famous, their presence towering above others without trying to conceal it. Anyone within a hundred miles could see them clearly. After that little commotion, anyone with a hint of curiosity would come to take a look—especially the White Sun Sect people, who now acted like mad dogs.
Calculating the time, they should be arriving in about half an hour.
As Yu Ci calculated this, the girl, having recovered from her earlier gloom, carefully glanced at his expression and spoke softly, “Mr. Yu, the Sun Light Sect is looking for you.”
Yu Ci swung his legs leisurely, smiling as he replied, “Aren’t they trying to kill me?”
Seeing his carefree attitude, the young girl relaxed a lot, but still had some concerns. “But they’re really powerful too. Oh, right, and they have the Soul Capture Mirror.”
Once she started talking, the girl couldn’t stop. She chattered away, telling everything she had seen and heard yesterday, and even added some “intel” she later got from questioning Cheng Rong. She really seemed like a diligent little spy.
Yu Ci already knew most of this, but he still expressed his sincere thanks. It was the first time the girl had ever heard him say “thank you,” and for a moment, she was so giddy and dizzy with happiness that she couldn’t stop grinning.
At this point, the conversation between them expanded. Yu Ci talked about matters related to the Twin Immortal Sect, leaving the young girl astonished and sympathetic. Then, he shared some of his experiences from his wandering life, feeding her curiosity about adventure. The girl, who initially acted mature, discussing the situation in Cliff City, soon revealed her true nature.
“I don’t like the name Shi Xin; it’s unpleasant and doesn’t sound good…”
“I think it’s fine. Uh, if you don’t like it, I’ll just call you Little Jiu… Or, how about Ah Jiu?”
He changed the name three times in one sentence, finally earning a radiant smile from the young girl. From then on, “Ah Jiu” became lively, her conversation gradually shifting towards pets. Of course, the pets collected by the Shi family girl were no ordinary animals, something the average girl her age couldn’t even imagine.
Yu Ci listened with a smile, without the slightest hint of impatience. In fact, he really enjoyed listening to this, as it was a world he had never ventured into but had always yearned for.
“…Old Bai was a gift from my Second Grandpa, though that was the only one he gave me, and it was when I was just a month old, so I don’t remember it. Second Grandpa is really young, even younger than my father. He looks about the same age as you, Mr. Yu, but not as handsome as you.”
Ah Jiu’s words were well-meaning, but her description left Yu Ci both amused and speechless. The “Second Grandpa” she spoke of was Hu Dan, the top expert of the Thousand Spirit Gate. In his prime, Hu Dan was a renowned figure in Cliff City, reaching Core Refinement by the time he was in his thirties. He, along with Shi Song, the master of Thousand Spirit Gate, fought the Sun Light Sect Master Jin Huan in a legendary battle. Although they ultimately lost, it did nothing to tarnish their reputation.
“Second Grandpa is the most powerful expert in the sect, but I rarely see him. I’ve heard people say he’s always out training, trying to find a way to deal with Jin Huan. Grandpa, Second Grandpa, and everyone in the sect are trying to figure out a way, but so far, none of it has worked.”
The girl sighed like a grown-up. Despite its name, the Sun Light Sect felt more like a heavy cloud looming over the Thousand Spirit Gate, suffocating everyone under its shadow.
That “cloud” was about to press down.
Yu Ci smiled and asked, “Do you hate the Sun Light Sect?”
“Yes.”
The young girl responded as a matter of course: “Father said that a long time ago, before I was born, Second Grandpa had just broken through to the Core Refinement stage. That scoundrel Jin Huan thought that Second Grandpa had extraordinary talent and was afraid that one day he’d surpass him. So, while Second Grandpa was still unsteady after his breakthrough, Jin Huan challenged us to a fight. After that battle, Second Grandpa’s vital acupoint was injured. It took him years to recover, but his cultivation had already been delayed… That scoundrel, I hate him the most!”
Words like “extraordinary talent” and “unsteady foundation” were clearly not from the young girl herself, but something she’d memorized from listening to adults over the years. For them to discuss such things with a seven or eight-year-old child showed that the hatred between the Thousand Spirit Gate and the Sun Light Sect ran deeper than Yu Ci had initially imagined.
But what were these sects like—the Sun Light Sect and the Thousand Spirit Gate? Were they really focused on cultivation, or just fighting over territory?
While pondering this, Yu Ci smiled and said, “Really? Then you should get going too, so you don’t run into those people you hate so much.”
“Huh?”
Hearing this, the young girl was startled again. Meanwhile, the Thousand Spirit Gate guardians circling in the sky could no longer sit still. They began sending messages while guiding the blood eagle to descend, clearly aware of the Sun Light Sect’s movements.
Unless Jin Huan decided to fully turn against the Thousand Spirit Gate, it was unlikely he’d do anything to the girl. However, after years of hearing her family talk about it, the young girl was understandably nervous. She frantically started packing her things and whistled for the distant blood eagle to come over.
Yu Ci watched her with a smile, his leisurely demeanor almost irritating compared to her flustered actions. Even the young girl, Ah Jiu, could sense his calm attitude.
“Mr. Yu…” she asked, a bit confused, “Aren’t you leaving soon?”
“I still need to gather herbs. Remember? I told you that gathering herbs is the reason I’m here.”
His reply was cryptic, but the meaning was clear.
“But… there are a lot of people over there.”
Despite her words, the young girl was inwardly excited.
With her simple mindset, she didn’t yet fully grasp the concept of strength and weakness. But after seeing the nine corpses by the snowy stream and hearing the high praise from various factions, admiration naturally arose. What should have been respect directed toward her elders was instead transferred to Yu Ci. And he didn’t disappoint.
“Those people? Let them come find me in Sky Rift Valley. I’ll be sure to give them a warm welcome.”
With that, he kindly picked up the young girl and placed her on the blood eagle’s back. After double-checking her safety gear, he waved with a smile, sending her off. From beginning to end, Ah Jiu didn’t resist, her face flushed red.
At this time, the Thousand Spirit Gate guardians had descended to within ten meters, while the Sun Light Sect’s forces had arrived within twenty miles, separated only by a hill. As for Cheng Rong, he was still fifty miles away and rushing over.
Yu Ci waved again, watching as Ah Jiu’s blood eagle soared into the sky. On its back, the young girl couldn’t help but wave her sword and shout, “Mr. Yu, keep going!”
“Little girl, they can definitely hear you over there!”
Yu Ci chuckled, scratching his head as he watched the Sun Light Sect forces crest the hill. Smiling, he walked over to the cliff’s edge and leaped off.
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