Yu Ci’s control over the talisman had a range of about a hundred feet, but the speed of Old Monster Tu Du was terrifyingly fast. When Yu Ci turned to activate the talisman, it caused a brief delay, allowing Tu Du to close the gap by two or three miles.
By the time the talisman extended beyond a hundred feet, Tu Du had already caught up.
“Hmm?”
Although the talisman’s power had yet to manifest, how could it escape the senses of Tu Du? He clearly felt the spreading talisman aura in the void. With his speed, avoiding the talisman’s range wouldn’t be difficult, but with his protective treasure, he wanted to test the junior’s strength, so he boldly faced it head-on.
His thoughts were exactly what Yu Ci had anticipated!
In the void, it seemed as if an angry voice roared, like a ghost messenger from the legendary Nether Realm had arrived and cast out a soul-reaping chain.
With a clattering sound, a thick black chain condensed out of thin air. At the same time, countless intricate talisman symbols spread across the chain like wildfire.
In an instant, a “whoosh” echoed, and the talisman symbols transformed into a sinister black flame, igniting the chain. Each flickering spark was a talisman designed to attack Yin spirits and innate Qi!
It was the “Sinister Yin Demon Binding Curse!”
Although the chain was condensed from the spirit light in the void, it was surprisingly solid and had a natural restraining force against all Yin spirits and souls. In comparison, Tu Du had already condensed his Yin Spirit, unleashing the deepest potential of his soul, further fortified by the dense refining after achieving Core Refinement. He was far superior to an ordinary Yin spirit.
The moment the two forces clashed, the howling winds around them came to an abrupt halt!
In the sudden silence, the chain in the void retracted, wrapping around Tu Du’s neck. The sharp sound of clinking metal was piercingly loud.
After his experience capturing the Flat-feathered Bird at Southern Frost Lake Lake, Yu Ci’s understanding of the curse had significantly improved. More importantly, during his observations of the two-headed demon’s unfinished astounding talisman art at the bottom of Sky Rift Valley, he had gained unprecedented insights into the mysteries of the demonic symbols and ghost patterns system.
Now, he stripped away all unnecessary changes, unleashing the curse’s most primal power, making it purer than ever.
Tu Du was somewhat surprised but eventually sneered, “This kind of thing!”
A sudden gust of Yin wind rose from the ground. A barrier of curse power instantly formed, blocking the retracting chain. Then, the curse power began to transform, as if a ferocious beast had taken shape, roaring to break the chain. It was indeed about to succeed, as the spirit-light-condensed chain trembled on the brink of collapse. However, the black flames burning on the chain only grew wilder.
Yin wind and black flames clashed repeatedly, with sparks flying everywhere, sizzling as they struck the curse barrier. Tu Du could clearly feel that his forward momentum had been forcibly halted!
Though the Yin Spirit had no physical limitations and could transition from extreme movement to complete stillness without discomfort, being “stopped” was a blow to his pride!
“This kind of thing!” He repeated, though this time, the meaning behind it had changed.
Only Tu Du himself knew what exactly had changed. Regardless, the external curse power suddenly surged to a higher level.
In the end, a single “Sinister Yin Demon Binding Curse” couldn’t withstand the might of Tu Du’s Yin Spirit. With a crisp sound, the chain was torn apart by the curse power, disintegrating into countless fragments of spirit light that scattered in all directions.
Freed from the restraint, Tu Du’s Yin Spirit accelerated once more, forcefully breaking through the scattered Spirit-light Talismans. The Yin wind he carried swept away the remaining black flames. Still, Tu Du couldn’t deny that, for a brief moment, his Yin Spirit felt a sudden shift between warmth and coldness, something completely out of the ordinary.
The chain that condensed in the void wasn’t particularly powerful, yet it seemed to carry the deadly force of the Netherworld, capable of destroying souls. It felt like a toxin aimed directly at his Yin Spirit, seeking to infiltrate it.
“That brat, though he walks toward his doom for the Ghostly Image Flower, seems well-prepared!”
Tu Du’s three hundred years of experience hadn’t been for nothing. Naturally, he could tell that the junior, though appearing panicked while fleeing, had been executing every move in an orderly fashion. Especially when he turned around to activate that talisman—remarkable.
Fixing his divine sense on the figure ahead, he recalled what that fool Huang Tai had mentioned: “It seems this junior is very familiar with Sky Rift Valley, able to move in and out with ease… Heh, seems quite confident.”
Tu Du grasped what Yu Ci was relying on and couldn’t help but find it amusing.
“Foolish arrogance!”
That was Tu Du’s current assessment of Yu Ci.
With this judgment in mind, Tu Du initially intended to intercept Yu Ci immediately. However, after a moment’s hesitation, he delayed for a bit, and in that time, Yu Ci had already leaped over the cliff’s edge and plunged into the deep valley below.
As Yu Ci fell through the void, every bump and crevice of the cliffside flashed through his mind. Spotting an opportunity, he swiftly reached out and grabbed a thick branch. Like an old monkey accustomed to living in such terrain for decades, he used the branch and rocks to spring downward. In a few quick bounds, he descended several more miles, his speed increasing rapidly.
But after covering another half-mile, a cold laugh echoed in his mind. Looking up, he saw a faint figure floating in the misty clouds of the void, less than thirty feet away. He didn’t even know when Tu Du had passed him.
Yu Ci came to an abrupt stop midair.
Tu Du was quite pleased to see the change in expression on the junior’s face, if only because it made that face look a little less composed. He should exude more authority, but something about that handsome face made him want to mock him.
“Why aren’t you running anymore?”
Yu Ci seemed calm, at least composed enough to laugh at himself. “I thought you’d still be a hundred miles behind, Elder Tu. I didn’t expect you to catch up so quickly.”
As he spoke, he clasped his sword and cupped his fists in greeting, with proper etiquette: “Greetings to the esteemed Elder Tu. I have long heard of your great name. It has been a while since we last met, and it is my honor to see you today!”
Tu Du also smiled, but his heart was not as pleased. What he originally wanted to see was Yu Ci’s panicked expression, but this young man had a strong mind, and he was still behaving with composure and propriety!
Thus, there was a hint of sharpness in his laugh, lacking in politeness: “Your name has been buzzing in my ears for the past few days, and it’s been quite annoying! However, when the Sect Leader mentioned you, he said that back at the Heart Prohibition Monastery, you didn’t behave like this at all… Apparently, you were quite arrogant!”
Arrogant, was that the impression he gave Jin Huan? Yu Ci grinned, “I wouldn’t dare. Compared to the fearsome reputation of Elder Tu, who can even make children stop crying, I am far inferior.”
This was a jab at Tu Du for losing his dignity by targeting children. However, having cultivated for over three hundred years, Tu Du didn’t take such words to heart. Even while conversing, his sinister and sharp divine intent never left Yu Ci. The moment this young man showed any weakness, he wouldn’t show any mercy!
At this moment, though, the protective charm was still in effect, keeping Yu Ci’s spirit stable. Moreover, this youth had a deep mind, and even when pressured, he didn’t lose his composure. Tu Du scanned him several times with his divine intent but found no obvious flaws, making him hesitant.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t strike directly, but using curse power to attack the soul would likely result in Yu Ci becoming a fool, or even killing him outright. Yet, Tu Du still harbored the thought of capturing him alive.
Given the situation, Tu Du hesitated.
The secret of the Dragon Fish was truly too valuable, and the Sun Light Sect couldn’t afford to overlook it. Moreover, before Tu Du came, Jin Huan had repeatedly reminded him that this youth had some connection with the old daoist Yu Zhou of the Heart Prohibition Monastery. For the future benefit of the Sun Light Sect, cutting off this connection was a last resort. The best course was to make him work for them.
Even if Jin Huan hadn’t mentioned it, Tu Du had always been wary of that old daoist. Decades ago, during the chaos caused by demons in Sky Rift Valley, the Rifting Earth Sect and the Sunset Valley Sect had joined forces to suppress it, inviting experts from all major sects.
Tu Du had been there, participating with his Core Refinement-level cultivation. Among the most outstanding cultivators of that time was none other than Yu Zhou. After all, he was the only one with Core Refinement cultivation who achieved victories beyond what Void Stepping cultivators could.
In the decades since, Yu Zhou seemed to have experienced a great personal setback and chose to retire as the head of the Heart Prohibition Monastery, spending his days in relative obscurity. But even now, his fearsome reputation remained. Anyone who had lived through that time would be reluctant to provoke such a terrifying figure.
Tu Du had enough experience and ruthlessness, but he wasn’t the most cunning person. Faced with this dilemma, he could only think of ways to break through Yu Ci’s mental defenses first…
However, Yu Ci struck first: “It is truly a privilege to meet Elder Tu, but this situation leaves one cold.”
Yu Ci remained calm and composed internally while speaking with sharp words, “I was ordered by Master Yu to enter Sky Rift Valley to gather six types of medicinal herbs, including Azure Sky Orchid and Ghostly Image Flower. Yet, two of your sect’s stewards, Si and Ding, obstructed me. What was their intent? I helped your sect clean house, and not only did I not receive thanks, but your sect attacked me. How is this justified? I had hoped for fairness after Elder Tu arrived, but this is the scene I am greeted with. What’s the meaning of this?”
The reason for collecting medicinal herbs was something Tu Du was hearing for the first time, which increased his doubts. Additionally, with such an accusation thrown at him, he had to respond. His sinister divine intent pressed down, and even through the barrier of charm power, his voice came through clearly:
“Youngster, stop your nonsense. With Brother Yu’s abilities, does he need someone like you to gather herbs? Spreading lies and deceiving—do you really think others are as foolish as you?”
Yu Ci let out a short laugh: “Sky Rift Valley is no ordinary place. Does Elder Tu truly believe the world is unaware of its dangers?”
Tu Du suddenly fell silent, not because he was convinced by Yu Ci’s words, but because an idea had sparked in his mind.
As he contemplated, Yu Ci gritted his teeth and said: “The Restriction Steles, erected by the Rifting Earth Sect and Sunset Valley Sects, seems like dirt in the eyes of Elder Tu. With such audacity, I, as a junior, can only stand in awe!” (G: In chapter 35, I mistranslated the Sunset Valley (lou ri) Sect as the Sun Light (bai ri) Sect. I already fixed the error. Apologies.)
Finally, the youngster showed a sign of weakness!
Upon hearing this, Tu Du didn’t become angry; instead, he was pleased.
At that moment, he fully understood Yu Ci’s intentions. His divine spirit vibrated, letting out a sharp, grating laugh: “Oh, you’re referring to the Restriction Steles! Indeed, the two sects erected it to warn future generations to stop at the valley and avoid bringing trouble to the sects above. A noble reason, very admirable. I am truly terrified of it. So you are implying that what if the Rifting Earth Sect or Sunset Valley Sects come knocking? What would I do then?”
After his eerie voice faded, he suddenly feigned surprise: “Oh, but now that I think of it, you’re the only witness to my entrance here. Are you reminding me that I should kill you to keep my secret?”
As soon as these words fell, Yu Ci leapt away like a startled rabbit, plummeting downwards.
Tu Du sneered, and with a burst of fierce divine intent, he shattered the invisible barrier formed by the protective charm, launching an attack straight at him.
Things are Not Looking Good:
Yes, things are not looking good. As you know, translation requires a lot of time and energy. I translate, edit and proofread the chapters on my own. I will be honest here, I started translating as a hobby, then it evolved to a hope of earning a living by doing something I enjoy.
However, I suffered a chain of misfortunes during and after the pandemic, and earnings from FSM and RTV helped me a lot. It became a significant part of my life. As long as my monthly income bordered around $200, I could make the time to translate in the middle of other works. Then RTV ended, and the earning decreased. Now, it has decreased to around $90-$100. And with PETTV nearing completion, that would decrease even more. A*dsence gets me about $ 0.50 per day, and you can’t get the payment until it reaches $100, so I can’t depend on that either.
It wouldn’t be an issue in normal circumstances, but it matters a lot to me since I am still dealing with a lot of financial troubles. I am currently looking for a job, and will have to invest my time and energy in it once I get it.
Long story short, if you enjoy reading this novel, support the translation if you can, either by becoming a Patron in Patreon, or sponsoring chapters at BuymeaCoffee. You can also take some time to watch a*ds to increase the revenue on A*dsence. Grains of sand together can form a desert.
FSM supporters has been supporting me from the start no matter what, so I would continue to translate FSM as long as I am alive. But for the other projects, I now desperately need your support so that I can spend the time and energy to serve them to you all. That’s all. Thank you.