In just a few breaths, the resonating sound that filled the valley transformed into a persistent humming, spreading to every corner of the valley. As the sound waves rippled outward, the light waves of the Tranquil Heart Talisman diffused.
This spiritual light was unlike the usual Tranquil Heart Talisman. Upon contact, it seeped into the body like flowing water, cleansing every limb and bone from the outside in. For a moment, the entire body felt pure and ethereal, with a surge of clarity rising straight into the Niwan Palace, sharpening the senses and rejuvenating the mind, making one feel as though they had been reborn.
The usual Tranquil Heart Talisman could never achieve such an effect. Yu Ci sighed in delight; this was the “Qi Infusion Technique.” It wasn’t merely a case of one plus one but a substantial qualitative enhancement.
Yet, compared to the Qi Infusion Technique, Yu Ci felt that discovering the “insight” and “connection” within the talisman arts was his greatest gain over these past days. Reflecting on it now, it was likely that Xie Liang’s insistence on him practicing the Qi Infusion Technique had the ultimate goal of helping him grasp the “pivot points” within the talisman arts and truly master the fundamentals.
With the momentum of his initial success in the Qi Infusion Technique, Yu Ci painted more than ten Tranquil Heart Talismans in one go. Some employed the Qi Infusion Technique, while others did not, but his grasp of the pivot points became increasingly precise.
However, Yu Ci was well aware that he was still far from fully mastering the Qi Infusion Technique. Thus far, he had only unraveled the mysteries of the pivot point for the Tranquil Heart Talisman. To extend this understanding to the Five Thunder Talisman, Void Stepping Talisman, Great Sun Talisman, and other talismans he was skilled at, and to successfully infuse Qi into them, would require immense effort and dedication.
But he didn’t mind. Yu Ci had already discovered a joy in this process that no amount of hardship could overshadow.
*****
While Yu Ci was immersed in the joy of cultivation in the mountains, Murong Qingyan, who was “traveling through the mountains and rivers,” arrived outside Cliff City after a twenty-day journey.
It was deep into the night when the female cultivator stood atop a mountain outside the city, overlooking the massive settlement below.
The nightscape of Cliff City was sharply divided. To the north, the Scarlet Cliff was mostly shrouded in darkness, resembling a crouching beast watching the brightly lit new city on the opposite side, constantly asserting its territorial presence. Meanwhile, the old city nestled in the center glimmered faintly, serving as the subdued backdrop for this static tableau.
The cold mountain winds howled, rustling her robes. Murong Qingyan gently brushed aside her drifting hair, her gaze passing over the physical expanse of the city and settling on the dark, cloudy skies above.
To ordinary people, it seemed like typical overcast weather with a chill that hinted at impending snowfall. However, Murong Qingyan’s perception differed. Through a special sensory technique, she could discern a massive, extremely cold force towering like an iceberg above the clouds, spreading its chilling presence within the cloud layers and brewing an unusual storm.
After waiting a moment and estimating that the cold energy in the sky had reached its peak, she parted her lips slightly. A strange undulation reverberated through her entire body, amplifying and spreading outward.
There was no sound. The vibrations traveled through the air, sweeping from the mountain peak behind the city to the brightly lit new city below, then through the central old city, across the Scarlet Cliff, and finally dissipating into the void.
*****
Atop the Scarlet Cliff, Li You sat sulking in a courtyard specially arranged for him by the Sun Light Sect.
He had been in a foul mood for some time, and the smile that once adorned his face had largely vanished.
Everything stemmed from the battle at Southern Frost Lake. He and Meng Wei had gone together to meet Murong Qingyan, only to encounter Nan Songzi. After just a few exchanges, that bastard trapped them in an illusion formation. Meng Wei broke out quickly, but Li You struggled within it for quite some time before finally escaping.
By the time he arrived, the battle at Southern Frost Lake was over. From start to finish, he had been a mere bystander, while Meng Wei suffered serious injuries, with her newly formed Core at risk of shattering.
Li You was furious!
Only afterward did he learn that Meng Wei had successfully stabilized her foundation two months prior, forming her Core Refinement. This did not surprise or envy him; he was well aware of Meng Wei’s exceptional talent. After all, how many disciples, even among the Disciplinary Hall, had dared at the tender age of seven to stand before the sect’s supreme ancestor, confront him boldly, and reprimand him righteously?
In the seventy or eighty years since that incident, Meng Wei had been the only one.
The sect had long determined that Meng Wei was the strongest candidate to lead the Disciplinary Hall in the future. That she surpassed him in cultivation progress was something Li You accepted without complaint.
But this could not excuse his inaction that night.
Compared to his peers in the sect, Li You was outstanding, but compared to the vast world beyond, his strength was insignificant.
At the very least, he had to achieve Core Refinement! In a grand sect like the Rifting Earth Sect, only those who had achieved Core Refinement could be considered truly independent.
His desire to return to the sect for seclusion and cultivation grew more urgent. But for now, he had to remain in Cliff City as the Rifting Earth Sect’s representative, uniting the city’s forces to withstand the chaos spilling from Sky Rift Valley.
It seemed there would still be a long wait before he could return to the sect.
“Damn Sky Rift Valley, damn Cliff City, damn—huh?”
Li You frowned. Though still young, as a cultivator of the Practical Hall, he had undergone countless battles. The experience had honed his sensitivity, an instinct for danger and pressure that he trusted implicitly.
Just now, a similar sensation flashed through him.
Gripping his sword, he stepped outside his courtyard. The Scarlet Cliff was eerily quiet, with no apparent changes. The overcast sky, however, seemed heavier, pressing down further. Gazing upward, he noticed faint snowflakes drifting down.
“It’s snowing.”
*****
The female cultivator extended her finger, catching the tiny ice crystals drifting down. The crystals quickly melted under her body heat, leaving a lingering chill that harmonized with the snowflakes falling around her, causing the temperature to drop even further.
At this moment, a voice behind her spoke, tinged with confusion: “You called me here?”
The female cultivator turned calmly, bowed slightly, and said, “Junior Murong Qingyan greets Senior Liu.”
The person she addressed was mostly hidden under a cloak woven from shadows, revealing not even a trace of their face. The place where they stood was noticeably darker than the surroundings, as if the faint light of the night was being completely absorbed into the shadows.
Murong Qingyan smiled gently at this person. “Congratulations, Senior Liu. After a century of wandering, you have finally returned. I imagine that now, beyond the infinite void, you are already under the favor and grace of the Divine Lord. Your cultivation has likely returned to its peak, if not advanced even further—it is only a matter of time.”
Unfortunately, her goodwill and smile received no response. In an instant, the light around her dimmed drastically, and the cold coalesced into a tangible force, like countless sharp blades suspended in the air, making one wonder if the person before her would hesitate to shred her flawless body into pieces.
The figure in the shadows made no effort to hide their irritation. “Enough chatter, girl. You are not an emissary of the Divine Lord. What is the meaning of this ‘Demon Soul Summoning Divine Art’?”
Murong Qingyan replied unhurriedly, “Senior Liu, there is no need for suspicion. This junior has a unique constitution and was fortunate enough to gain the favor of your sect’s Divine Lord, granting me access to a few divine techniques to serve as a messenger and relay information for your sect.”
“Oh?”
A pair of sharp eyes glimmered under the shadowy hood, scrutinizing her delicate figure. Murong Qingyan remained composed, lowering her gaze slightly with a faint smile, allowing the other party to examine her at will.
After a while, the shadowed figure seemed uncertain and murmured, “A Boundary Messenger?”
Murong Qingyan’s smile blossomed like a flower. “Senior Liu, your insight is truly remarkable.”
Her compliment was met with a cold chuckle from the shadowed figure. “I thought it was someone important, but it turns out to be just an intelligence broker.”
Murong Qingyan was unbothered by the remark. She bowed slightly, as if reintroducing herself, and greeted the other party again.
The so-called “Boundary Messenger,” often referred to as “Spirit Mediums,” were individuals with a rare and unique bloodline. Born with an innate connection to mysterious entities, they could traverse realms and adapt to environments that ordinary people could not imagine. They moved freely between the mortal cultivation world, the Blood Demon Restricted Realm, and even the special terrains of the Nine Heavens Outer Realms.
According to the shadowed figure’s understanding, some exceptionally talented Spirit Mediums could even establish contact with legendary Divine Lords of immense power. Through sacrifices or certain costs, they could gain temporary abilities from these beings, despite not being their devoted followers. Clearly, Murong Qingyan was one of these individuals.
While Spirit Mediums appeared extraordinary, their abilities came with limitations. Due to their unique constitutions, they found it challenging to achieve significant cultivation progress. Reaching Core Refinement was considered an exceptional accomplishment, and their lifespans were relatively short, making it difficult for them to leave a lasting legacy in this realm.
Typically, Spirit Mediums served as intermediaries between factions, using their special channels to exchange information and foster relationships. The shadowed figure’s remark of “intelligence broker” was a fitting description.
Now that he understood Murong Qingyan’s identity, the shadowed figure found the situation intriguing. Liu Guan, having just escaped a century-long imprisonment in the Blood Demon Restricted Realm, wondered who in the sect that had expelled him had gone to such lengths to send a Spirit Medium to contact him.
Murong Qingyan smiled faintly and produced a walnut-sized bell, its deep purple-red surface glowing softly in the night. She shook it lightly, and the crisp, fragmented sound immediately drew Liu Guan’s attention.
“Half a year ago, when Senior Liu made the bold decision to offer a divine sacrifice and regain recognition, the bell’s owner sensed it. I was specifically asked to travel to the Blood Demon Restricted Realm to find you. However, upon arriving, I discovered that you had already departed, driving the cold tide ahead of you. Following your trail, I came to Sky Rift Valley, where I finally encountered you.”
Liu Guan’s face remained hidden in the shadows, but Murong Qingyan could sense his intense interest in the bell she held. She smiled, extended her hand, and offered the bell to him.
Her slender hand reached into the shadows, momentarily feeling a chill. The bell vanished from her fingertips. Retracting her hand, she spoke softly: “The bell’s owner asked me to relay a message to you: ‘The matters of the past are settled. You have once again received the grace of the Divine Lord. Why not return swiftly, junior brother?'”
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