[Junior Brother Yu Ci,
I hope this letter finds you well.
The atmosphere in the city is stifling, and I feel quite suffocated, so I decided to write a few letters to vent a little. The rest of the letters are attached at the end—please ask Junior Brother Bao Guang to have a messenger eagle take them back to the sect. If he forgets, remind him for me. Thanks.
You are currently cultivating the Qi Infusion Technique, and I regret that I can’t be of much help. This kind of profound and mysterious practice is impressive if mastered but not particularly rare if one fails. However, Uncle-Master Xie’s “Primordial Origin Qi Technique” is widely acknowledged as an excellent technique in the sect, so it would be best to seize this opportunity. You are now at the critical stage between the early and middle phases of Divine Connectivity, transitioning from “Splitting Awareness into Thought” to “Refining the Yin Spirit”, and shifting from acquired techniques to innate methods. If you can solidify your foundation now, your future Core Refinement stage will likely be much smoother than mine.
The turmoil in Sky Rift Valley has nearly subsided, and there have been no sightings of demons in Cliff City for days. However, according to the elders, some demons excel in concealing themselves, adapting swiftly to the valley’s environment before infiltrating the inland regions. Just yesterday, a powerful demon injured Monk Yixin of the Pure Water Altar. A few days ago, I also sensed something unusual in the city, but it was fleeting. Though Heart Prohibition Temple is quite far from Sky Rift Valley, its defenses are relatively weak, and you enjoy leaving the temple to cultivate. You must remain cautious.
Have there been any updates on Nan Songzi? By all reasoning, since his Yang Spirit has not fully formed and he has lost his physical body, his Yin Spirit should dissipate within a hundred days. We must guard against him becoming desperate.
How is Junior Sister Meng’s health? Though I wrote to ask her, she always downplays her condition and likely wouldn’t go into detail. If her injuries have worsened, please inform me immediately.]
*****
After reading the letter, Yu Ci couldn’t help but smile. This letter was clearly written by Li You out of sheer boredom, his thoughts meandering from one topic to another like a stream-of-consciousness journal.
However, Yu Ci still noticed the mention of Monk Yixin being injured by a demon.
‘A smokescreen, perhaps?’
Knowing the truth of the matter, that was Yu Ci’s first thought. But if the monk had resorted to self-harm to mislead others, did that mean he had also sensed something amiss? If so, that would be quite a welcome development.
Yu Ci put the matter aside for now—there was no point dwelling on things he couldn’t intervene in at the moment. His full focus was on cultivating the Qi Infusion Technique—or more precisely, on the crucial aspects of “Forming Apertures” and “Connecting Apertures” in talismanic practice.
Discovering the “aperture point” of a talisman was just as significant to his cultivation as successfully achieving “Splitting Awareness into Thought” and entering the Divine Connectivity stage.
Up until now, his foundational cultivation had primarily relied on the ordinary “Nine Paths of True Heavenly Mystery Scripture”, but much of his progress had actually been derived from studying talismanic principles and slowly piecing things together. His cultivation path had long been inseparably linked to talismanic arts.
Thus, advancing in talismanic techniques meant progressing in his overall cultivation. This was an internal, organic growth—unintentional yet natural—like a bundle of firecrackers igniting from a single fuse, setting off an unstoppable chain reaction.
Lately, Yu Ci had been completely engrossed in this pursuit. Talismanic principles occupied his every thought—whether awake or asleep, his mind was filled with the idea of “apertures” and how to form them, continuously practicing and verifying his understanding.
As night fell, after a full day of training, his body was exhausted. Yet, once again, he extended his hand, steadied his mind, and carefully traced the most complex talisman he currently understood.
Above, a bird soared in spirals. Below, a tiger leaped from its den. Together, they commanded the life essence of all beasts. On either side, a celestial map unfurled, delineating the cosmic structure of the heavens and earth. At the center, the ancient script for “Reflection” anchored the design, symbolizing clarity as radiant as a mirror, illuminating the vast world.
It was the Five Directions Spiritual Talisman.
Yu Ci had been continuously deepening his understanding of talismanic arts. His grasp of “aperture points” was becoming increasingly refined:
“Aperture points” were crucial, but focusing solely on them while neglecting everything else was not the right approach.
Apertures must interconnect, channeling Qi and gathering spiritual essence—this was the key to a talisman’s effectiveness. However, the “aperture points” within a talisman were not conjured out of thin air. Rather, they emerged naturally through the principle of “Pictographic Formation”—where intricate strokes guided potent energies, structuring them into self-reinforcing loops through precise articulation. Without this foundation, the Qi Infusion Technique would not deserve its name—it would simply be the Aperture Connecting Method instead.
Thus, only when “Qi Infusion” and “Pictographic Formation” complemented each other could the true essence of talismanic artistry be realized.
The pictographic strokes guided Qi into apertures, filling the talisman with spiritual energy; the flow of Qi interconnected the apertures, allowing the pictographic structure to resonate with the divine.
This was the difference and connection between “forming an aperture” and “opening an aperture.” Yu Ci did not comprehend this through sudden enlightenment but gradually refined it through countless rigorous practices.
As the talisman patterns became more intricate, Yu Ci felt increasingly exhilarated. Within the “river channel” formed by the two fundamental principles of “forming an aperture” and “opening an aperture,” his divine intent and vitality flowed like a surging river, twisting and turning. With just a slight focus, apertures would naturally form, with even more refined Qi flowing through them—far more profound and mystical than when he had previously concentrated all his attention.
A punch from the Turtle Fist was just a punch. A punch delivered with a steady stance and proper force transmission was also a punch, yet the power difference between the two was as vast as heaven and earth! The difference was nothing but a single key technique!
It was not just the talisman that had “opened an aperture”—Yu Ci himself had undergone the same transformation!
In the blink of an eye, the talisman was complete. Its radiant light spiraled outward at high speed, flooding the small valley and even piercing through the sheer cliffs and massive boulders as if they were nothing. The reactions of the nearby living creatures flowed into his mind like water, clear and profound. Yu Ci closed his eyes, leaned back, and fell directly onto the ground covered in withered grass.
Fatigue surged through him, and he longed for a deep sleep. However, he forced himself to maintain a state between wakefulness and slumber.
The effect of the Five Directions Spiritual Talisman was still ongoing, transmitting the movements of the surrounding creatures directly into his mind. Unconsciously, Yu Ci’s spiritual perception activated. Centered around him, a vast series of concentric circles spread outward. The dim light at the center flickered, driving the outer rings, expanding like ripples on a lake after rain.
One layer inward, one layer outward—two sensations overlapped, leading to an astonishing transformation.
The information captured by the Five Directions Spiritual Talisman was refined as if filtered through the “lake water,” making it increasingly distinct. Through this process, the vague sources of aura—the birds and beasts in the vicinity—seemed to come to life in his mind, vividly detailed: the sparrow hopping, the hare dashing, the snow eagle soaring. Though some elements were blended with imagination, the experience was undeniably fascinating.
Meanwhile, the “lake” continued to expand rapidly under the influence of the Five Directions Spiritual Talisman’s effects.
Perception itself was both an active and passive process. Yu Ci’s active perception had its limits, but the information he received was amplified by the Five Directions Spiritual Talisman. This, in turn, extended his sensory boundaries from another angle, instantly doubling or even tripling his range of awareness, while the amount of information he received increased tenfold, even dozens of times over.
The more information there was, the richer the layers of perception. The richer the layers, the more precise his reasoning became. The more precise his reasoning, the clearer his awareness of the world within his sensory field. As more refined details flooded in, the cycle repeated itself, continuously constructing a more complete mental image of the external world—a self-reinforcing, highly beneficial loop.
A few days prior, Yu Ci had discovered that merging his spiritual perception with the Five Directions Spiritual Talisman resulted in this remarkable effect. Since then, he made it a habit to experience its wonders after each practice session.
During these moments, he always thought of the Divine Map.
The sensations were remarkably similar. However, the Divine Map’s scope was far broader, and its clarity was far superior. Yet, using the Divine Map ultimately required observing with both mind and eyes, without truly understanding its internal workings. It always felt like there was a layer of separation—like relying on a friend to complete a task. Though the results were excellent, he never fully grasped how they were achieved. No matter how many times he used it, the skill never truly became his own.
On the other hand, combining his spiritual perception with the Five Directions Spiritual Talisman provided direct and concise feedback, allowing him to react more instinctively. Most importantly, this was his own ability—something he did not need external assistance to achieve.
If he could somehow integrate both methods…
As his thoughts drifted, an abnormal signal was suddenly transmitted to his mind. This was where the precision and immediacy of spiritual perception truly shone.
The target was moving at high speed, originating from five miles away—the very edge of his sensory range. The moment it appeared, it was imprinted in his mind. When it closed in to within a mile, its general shape and outline became distinct. As it drew even closer, he could even make rough judgments about the shifting environment around it—mountain winds, grass, stones, birds, and beasts.
At that moment, Yu Ci’s mind unfolded a simplified version of the Divine Map, though its range was limited and its images were blurry. However, this projection was entirely embedded in his consciousness, and every shift within it elicited an immediate reaction from him.
The closer the target got, the clearer it became.
During the earlier expansion of his spiritual perception, Yu Ci had already thoroughly assessed and understood his immediate surroundings. With a more accurate grasp of the environment, the moment the target entered this well-defined space, its “colors” instantly brightened.
“Not a friendly presence!”
Yu Ci had no idea why he came to this conclusion. However, even before the thought had fully formed in his mind, his body was already in motion.
Drawing his sword, channeling his strength, shifting his position, and leaping—all in one fluid motion. Using the valley wall as a foothold, Yu Ci propelled himself upward like a wisp of smoke, shooting out of the valley entrance and soaring ten feet into the air. The mist-like effect… no, perhaps it was the Mirage Sword Intent activating. A wisp of sword Qi sliced through the air with a soft “hiss,” perfectly synchronized with his movements.
More than ten feet above him, a bird was flying at high speed, passing directly through that space. The sword Qi swept over it, causing the bird to shudder and plummet sharply. Though it managed to flap its wings and continue flying, it did not make it beyond a mile before it crashed to the ground.
The moment the sword Qi was unleashed, the intricate and vividly layered world of spiritual perception shattered. Yu Ci could no longer maintain that extraordinary state—his five senses and six perceptions returned to normal. Then, his eyes finally saw the target’s true form.
A crow?
Yu Ci did not understand why he had instinctively labeled it “not a friendly presence.” Moreover, its actual form differed slightly from what he had perceived through his spiritual sense.
Was his judgment inaccurate?
Already exhausted, Yu Ci had expended the last of his strength surging up the valley, moving through the air, and striking with his sword. He could only watch as the crow disappeared beyond the mountain ridge.
Landing lightly, he looked up, debating whether to investigate.
Just then, from beyond the ridge, a figure flew into view. The moment he recognized the person’s silhouette, Yu Ci was greatly surprised.
“Daoist Master Xie?”
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