Yu Ci was unaware of the conversation happening deep within the Mystery Seeking Palace of the Mysterious Moon Sect that involved him. However, he was now quite certain about the thoughts of the people in Sun Light Sect.
After leaving Mystery Seeking Palace, Yu Ci entered the city and headed straight for Dan Cliff, where Sun Light Sect was located. His journey was completely unimpeded. Nearly everyone on Dan Cliff recognized him, and though there was no shortage of malicious intent, no one dared to act against him. The decree from Heart Prohibition Temple had already reached the sect, and upon receiving the news, Li Youâwho had been restless and nearly going mad from boredomâimmediately rushed down the mountain to greet him, clasping his arm as they ascended together.
“Itâs been almost a month since my sect sent word permitting my return! I figured that even if my replacement took their time sightseeing along the way, they should have arrived by now. Turns out, Uncle Yu was actually waiting for you⌠I heard youâve achieved Yin Spirit mastery and made great progress in your cultivation. Now that you’re back, letâs spar sometime!”
It was clear that, with his return to the sect imminent, Li You was genuinely excited. Originally a warm and friendly person, he was now even more affectionate. Seeing his enthusiasm, Yu Ci glanced sideways and remarked, “Looking at you, Iâd say things in Cliff City must have been mind-numbingly dull.”
Li You wasnât a fool. He was aware of the grudge between Sun Light Sect and Yu Ci. Seeing Yu Ciâs half-smiling expression, he chuckled, “It was boring, yeah, but these past couple of days have been more interesting. The nearby demons and monsters seem to have caught wind of your arrival and are running amok. Elder Tu is still severely injured and remains in seclusion, unable to contribute much. To stabilize the situation, Sect Master Jin has been away for several days⌔
In other words, Jin Huan was deliberately avoiding him.
That was well within Yu Ciâs expectations. Right now, Jin Huan likely wished nothing more than to grind his bones to dust. However, faced with such an awkward situation, the only way for him to maintain his dignity was to make himself scarce.
But while Jin Huan could find an excuse to avoid him, not everyone had that optionâespecially people like Jin Chuan and Kuang Yanqi. Their positions were particularly awkward. On one hand, they were rising stars of Sun Light Sect; on the other, they were burdened with Rifting Earth Sectâs directive to “mediate between both sides.” No matter what, they couldnât sidestep the situation. They had no choice but to accompany Li You down the mountain to greet Yu Ci.
Kuang Yanqi managed to keep his composure, but Jin Chuanâs expression was visibly stiff. As they ascended Dan Cliff, he kept his head down and walked briskly, pretending to be both deaf and mute.
Yu Ci couldnât be bothered to fuss over these juniors. He had come not only to take control of the situation in Cliff City but also for another matter. However, when he reached the meeting hall, he found only the fake smiles of Lu Yang, Kuang Zheng, and other sect officialsâhis expected contact was nowhere in sight.
Puzzled, Yu Ci shook the cloth-covered birdcage in his hand and asked Li You, “Where is Immortal Xie? This is the item he requested; I brought it along the way.”
At those words, Li Youâs expression turned slightly strange. “Uncle Xie is as elusive as a dragon, rarely staying in the mansion. But since youâre here, he should come to find you.”
Saying this, he pulled Yu Ci aside and lowered his voice. “You need to be extremely careful. Uncle Xie is eccentric and very difficult to deal with, especially towards us sword practitioners. Heâs exceptionally harsh. Be prepared.”
“Sword practitioners?” Yu Ci was bewildered.
Spending the night in an environment filled with hostility and even outright hatred might have seemed dangerous, but Yu Ci remained completely at ease.
His handover with Li You was uneventful. He made no comments on the recent arrangements in Cliff City, merely stating that everything should proceed as usual. Then, using the excuse of travel fatigue, he requested a private courtyard for rest, maintaining a low profile.
Of course, such a low profile wouldnât make Sun Light Sect drop their guard. If anything, it would make them even more paranoid. But Yu Ci couldn’t care less. He hadnât come to Cliff City to humiliate anyoneâhe had come to get things done.
He was determined to make his mark in Cliff City. Otherwise, how could he sharpen his mind, solidify his beliefs, and seize the opportunity to advance his cultivation?
From this perspective, his visit to Cliff City was never about avoiding trouble.
He was absolutely certain of that.
The private chamber was illuminated not by oil lamps but by luminous pearls, emitting a soft, comfortable glow.
Yu Ci remained unaffected by the external environment and focused on his own matters. He took out the talisman seal given to him by the old daoist and played with it in his hand. The seal bore the four ancient characters “Scripture Mastery Path Treasure Seal” (éçťĺ¸ĺŽ), their engravings still fresh. Under the pearlâs glow, the grooves of the inscriptions seemed to shimmer with a subtle light.
The “Scripture Mastery Path Treasure Seal” was a fundamental talisman seal, applicable to all spellcraft, making it an excellent aid for refining and utilizing talismanic arts.
Calming his mind, he placed the seal on the table before him, freed his hands, and slowly formed a hand seal. The air trembled with a low hum. Swept by the vibration, the talisman seal bounced into the air. As it spun, Yu Ci shifted his hand seal, forming a talisman character in the void and embedding it into the seal, which immediately stabilized in midair.
He continued, forming dozens of talisman patterns in succession. They flickered with radiant light, aligning themselves in the void according to his will, eventually forming a more complex talisman array that encircled the seal. The talismanâs brilliance intertwined with the sealâs glow, resonating in harmony. Gradually, the talisman seal absorbed the light of the symbols, its radiance growing until it reached its peak before receding, returning to its seemingly ordinary form.
Yet now, with just a breath, Yu Ci could see a faint light rising from the seal, revealing vague shifting imagesâgods commanding thunder, phantoms soaring through the windâconstantly shifting and transforming.
With this, the second layer of talisman refinement was complete.
The refinement of the “Scripture Mastery Path Treasure Seal” had gone exceptionally smoothly. Even though the first three to five layers of the Heavenly Stems Earthly Branches Refinement Method were relatively easy to apply, completing two layers in just half a month was remarkably fast. This was partly due to the superior quality of the seal and its exquisite craftsmanship. More importantly, it was because Yu Ci had achieved Yin Spirit mastery, unleashing his potential and advancing his cultivation at an astonishing pace. Moreover, due to the unique nature of the Primordial Origin Qi Method, his proficiency in talismanic arts had skyrocketed.
Now that the seal bore two layers of talismanic refinement, it was ready for preliminary control.
Of course, this required the use of “Yin Spirit Weapon Manipulation” techniques.
The so-called “Yin Spirit Weapon Manipulation” refers to using the rapidly increasing power of the soul after condensing the Yang Spirit to control magical artifacts for both offense and defense. Especially when the Yang Spirit exits the body, this method allows one to break free from physical limitations, greatly expanding the range of attack and defense while fully utilizing the artifactâs power to achieve many incredible effects.
Back in Sky Rift Valley, Tu Du controlled the Sun Soul Banner, using the “Flying Star Yin Slaying Technique” to strike across dozens of miles, injuring Yu Ci in a single blow. And letâs not forget, before this, his Yang Spirit and physical body were separated by tens of thousands of miles!
According to Elder Yu Zhou, the art of Yin Spirit Weapon Manipulation is not considered a profound daoist teaching but rather a technique for wielding magical artifacts. However, it is extremely practicalâevery cultivator who has achieved Yang Spirit mastery must diligently practice it for both offense and self-defense. After all, if an artifact cannot be controlled by the Yang Spirit, can it truly be called a magical artifact?
Yu Ci casually drew a talisman. As he did so, the Daoist Treasure Seal floated above his shoulder, glowing brilliantly, resonating with his Qi, increasing the speed of talisman inscription by at least ten percent, and enhancing its power.
However, this was not the true function of the seal. Its real potential could only be fully displayed when applied to more complex talismans.
Because of this, Yu Ci had begun studying a new talisman in hopes of unlocking the full potential of the treasure seal.
After completing his training for the night, Yu Ci put away the seal and turned his gaze toward the “birdcage” at his side.
At this moment, the covering on the cage had long been removed, revealing the Dragon Fish inside. The Dragon Fish was imprisoned by the “Three Yin Soul Snare,” making it too lazy to move. However, by instinct, it continued to absorb the natural spiritual energy of the world and the life force of nearby creatures. While refining the treasure seal earlier, Yu Ci had faintly sensed the creatureâs influence.
He found it difficult to estimate the little creatureâs value, but since Immortal Xie Yan had specifically requested it for display at the “Treasure Exchange Banquet,” it was unlikely to be insignificant.
Just as he was about to take another closer look, a sudden sense of danger surged in his heart.
Before the crisis fully unfolded, Yu Ci’s body instinctively reactedâhe shrank back, launched himself forward, grabbed the “birdcage,” and dashed straight toward the nearest wall.
The expected impact never came. At the last moment, a fierce storm of sword Qi swept through, obliterating everything inside and outside the meditation chamber. Half of the secluded courtyard he resided in collapsed into dust within the swirling mist of destruction.
“Has the Sun Light Sect made a move?”
The thought flashed through his mind, but he immediately dismissed the possibility.
Then, he realized who the attacker was. Just as he was about to speak, an overwhelming sword aura pressed down upon him, accompanied by a cold voice:
“Speak with your sword!”
Within the suffocating sword aura, a small gap appearedâit was an opening for him to draw his sword.
Without hesitation, Yu Ci threw the birdcage aside and unsheathed his Pure Yang Talisman Sword. The fiery blade slashed through the air.
A resounding “clang” echoed as the flaming sword collided with the opponent’s blade. There was no doubtâthe challenger had come for him on purpose.
A violent storm of sword Qi erupted.
Yu Ci had once crossed swords with Elder Yu Zhou. That was the first time he had fought an expert whose cultivation and swordsmanship completely overwhelmed him. The outcome had been predictable, but during that battle, Yu Ci had experienced firsthand the elderâs precise, refined, and masterful control of the sword.
However, this time, facing Yu Zhouâs fellow sect brother, his feelings were entirely different.
The superior sword intents of the cultivation world generally followed two paths: one was extreme refinement, and the other was overwhelming momentum. More vividly, they were described as mist-like and rainbow-like.
The first emphasized precision and mastery, refining sword Qi into fine threads, mist-like wisps, or even rendering it formless and intangible. Examples included Yu Ciâs inexplicably learned “Half-Mountain Mirage,” the legendary killing art “Heavenly Escape Sword,” and the Rifting Earth Sectâs “Dispersing Mist Sword Technique,” in which Elder Yu Zhou was highly accomplished.
The second path did not focus on refining and purifying sword Qi but instead sought to infinitely amplify its powerâsplitting mountains, severing seas, and even slicing through the heavens. At its peak, the sword light would transform into a brilliant arc spanning a thousand miles, its momentum unmatched.
This intruder clearly followed the “rainbow-like” path. Every sword strike carried immense force, his sword Qi surging like hurricanes, tidal waves, and raging thunder⌠Yu Ci could only perceive this much because, with the next strike, all his thoughts were erased.
The crushing sword aura swept over like an unstoppable tidal wave, nearly tearing him to shreds. Even though he knew the opponentâs identity, his instincts overrode all reasonâin that moment, he was certain he was about to die!
In that instant, Yu Ci forgot everything. Only the sword in his hand remainedâthe sole anchor keeping him in this world.
When he regained clarity, he found himself poised with his sword. The fire of the Pure Yang Talisman Sword had already extinguished, and its tip was pressed against his opponentâs throat. The dull blade pressed into the soft skin of the manâs neck, slightly denting it. Yet, the man remained completely unaffected, his voice cold:
“You reckless brat, do you dare try to kill me?”
“Senior Uncle Xie!”
Li You, who had just rushed over, called out in alarm.
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