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Lu Mingyue had intended to speak upon entering, but upon seeing the scene before him, he remained silent.
Golden light, like flowing water, poured down from the crown of the human body lying on the stone platform, spreading across the skin, seeping into bones and meridians. From Lu Mingyue’s vantage point, he could see that even the exposed bones in the body’s cracked wounds had been dyed gold.
The color was indeed infused into the bones rather than a mere illusion caused by the glow.
Then, the hundred or so wounds on the body atop the stone platform began to close and heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. During this process, the body sweated profusely, and its muscles twitched violently. Though unconscious, it seemed as if the immense pain would jolt it awake.
However, in the end, it did not wake up.
The golden light on the stone platform gradually faded. The monk standing before it remained focused on the body, examining it from head to toe several times, seemingly oblivious to the additional presence in the room. Observing his expression, Lu Mingyue dared not interrupt. After a long while, the monk finally exhaled and looked up to speak.
“What brings you here?”
Bloodstains spattered across the monk’s hands and robes, stark and striking. Yet, when he lifted his head, his features were sharp and dignified, with a well-groomed mustache that, like his eyebrows, was a mix of black and white. The only flaw was the few specks of blood marring his otherwise meticulous appearance.
In contrast, though Lu Mingyue was not particularly ugly, his complexion carried an unhealthy pallor tinged with green, and his sparse, yellowed beard made him look like a debauched drunkard. At this moment, his expression was even worse. Lowering the hand covering his nose, he spat on the ground.
“This Cliff City is no longer livable!”
“Because of Xie Yan’s sword?” the monk responded indifferently, his attention still mostly on the body on the platform.
Lu Mingyue was not surprised at the monk’s keen awareness of current affairs, even though the man had not stepped out of this underground chamber for half a month. Gritting his teeth, he said, “That brat Xie Yan! Back then, I could have crushed him with a single finger! How did it come to this humiliation?!”
The monk gave him a sidelong glance and shook his head. “Back then was back then. Decades ago, you could have easily defeated him, but he has advanced rapidly over the years. Even if you were at your peak now, facing him would, at best, be a bitter victory. Let alone in your current state… Saying such meaningless things—what’s the point?”
With that, he lowered his head and continued working on the body on the platform. However, as if suddenly recalling something, he cast another glance at Lu Mingyue.
“What’s the matter? You’ve suffered many humiliations before, yet endured them all. Why is it that you can’t bear it now?”
Perhaps because his work was progressing smoothly, the monk even made a rare jest. “I heard that you spent the night at the pleasure quarters with two Red Courtesans, completely indulging yourself.”
Lu Mingyue let out a cold chuckle. But as he laughed, the pallor of his face turned dark purple. Clenching his teeth, he spat out, “If I don’t vent my frustrations on w0men, should I just go fight Xie Yan to the death instead? Monk, you can see for yourself—if this continues, I am finished! Completely finished!”
His sudden emotional outburst had no warning. Even he did not understand why the rage in his heart had swelled so uncontrollably. He roared furiously, his voice shaking the sealed stone chamber. As he howled, he waved his arms wildly, his expression twisted in fury.
“Do you know what my cultivation was before?! A True Immortal! Have you ever seen a True Immortal crawling on the ground after being beaten by a mere Void Stepping junior? Have you ever seen a True Immortal relying on women just to feel balanced? Have you ever seen a True Immortal who can only shrink inside this damned husk of a body?!”
He pounded his chest and his head, but it wasn’t enough to vent his frustration. He then raised a fist and slammed it down onto the stone platform. With a resounding crack, the platform split apart, almost flipping the body lying on it.
The monk’s smile faded, his brows furrowing as he steadied his “work” with one hand, saying nothing.
“I had already achieved Yang Spirit, possessing a body of eternal longevity! And now? Look at what I’ve become! Feigning madness and indulging in debauchery every day—if this continues, I will be no different from a worthless parasite! How many more years do I have left like this? Ten? Five? Or will I just drop dead tomorrow?!”
Lu Mingyue’s bloodshot eyes locked onto the monk as if blaming him for his misfortune, ready to pounce on him at any moment.
Yet, through it all, the monk remained unfazed.
In such a tense atmosphere, no response was more powerful than his unwavering calm. Lu Mingyue glared at him for a long moment before suddenly deflating. Supporting himself on the cracked stone platform, he hung his head and said nothing more.
Only then did the monk finally speak.
“Before you arrived, an order came from the sect. You are to leave Cliff City within a month, return to the sect to report, and await further arrangements.”
Lu Mingyue froze.
The monk’s tone was light and casual. “You’ve indeed handled things here poorly, delaying the Sky Rift Valley matter indefinitely. Receiving reprimands from the sect is expected. However, you’ve served in Cliff City for decades—if not for merit, then at least for the suffering you’ve endured. Back then, you fought desperately, even to the point of losing your True Immortal Body. This, the Bodhisattva has not forgotten. Granting you a return to the sect is to prolong your lifespan, and beyond that, to give you another chance to make a contribution.”
Having said this, the monk’s gaze sharpened as he stared at Lu Mingyue.
“The Bodhisattva possesses boundless divine powers. Women cannot destroy you—but resentment and irreverence will drag you into eternal ruin. Since you have placed your faith in the Bodhisattva, you must never forget this!”
The monk had a firm grasp of Lu Mingyue’s emotions. At this moment, caught between shock and joy, Lu Mingyue was left speechless and could only nod repeatedly.
The monk saw his expression and said no more, changing the topic directly. “The Moonfiend Puppet was severely damaged by Liu Guan, and I find it difficult to repair. When you return this time, take it with you—there are arrangements within the sect. Hmm, I tried to patch it up a little. Try it out first and see if there are any issues with controlling it.”
“Alright, alright!”
Lu Mingyue finally confirmed that the monk wasn’t joking. The sudden shift between fury and joy made it even harder for him to control his emotions. At this moment, whatever the monk said was absolute. He turned his head toward the gray-white puppet sitting cross-legged in the corner of the stone chamber. Without hesitation, he also sat cross-legged on the ground, formed a hand seal, and sent a stream of spiritual light bursting from the crown of his head into the puppet.
Soon, the Moonfiend Puppet began to move. Given its nearly ten-foot-tall frame, the stone chamber seemed a bit cramped, so it did not stand up, only flexing its limbs in place.
However, not long after, the puppet’s movements abruptly froze.
The monk was a little surprised. “What is it? Something wrong?”
Lu Mingyue didn’t respond immediately. After a moment, a muffled voice came from the puppet’s throat. “I just remembered something.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m trying to recall… something about fragrance, sword Qi, wind direction… wind direction… Right! The scent—there was a scent that the puppet recorded at Heavenly Wings Pavilion!”
His fragmented and disjointed words were difficult to understand, but the monk somehow managed.
He set down the item in his hand, his cold eyes gleaming.
*****
To those who were prepared, time passed in an orderly manner.
Yu Ci was one such person. Each day, he used spirit-controlling techniques to rear dragon fish, refined his two magical artifacts—the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror and the Scripture Mastery Path Treasure Seal—and occasionally handled some city affairs, most of which were related to the Treasured Exchange Banquet. Thus, the days passed clearly before him until the banquet finally arrived.
It was now afternoon, and Heavenly Wings Pavilion was bustling with people. Most of the crowd gathered along the enclosed bridge corridors on both sides. This was where those with some status in the city lingered—they were merely here to spectate. The main hall of Heavenly Wings Pavilion, however, was fully occupied by cultivators from all over.
Due to an ambush during their journey, the merchants of Heart’s Desire Pavilion had arrived late, reaching Cliff City only that morning. They had been busy making preparations ever since.
As per their usual practice, the Treasured Exchange Banquet was held in two separate locations. The first was on the first, second, and third floors of the main hall, where common magical artifacts were displayed and traded among cultivators—essentially an open marketplace. Occasionally, rare treasures would surface, drawing eager competition.
The top floor, however, was reserved for showcasing high-grade artifacts, accessible only to cultivators of considerable status and wealth. There was also an unspoken rule: only cultivators at the Core Refinement stage or higher were permitted entry.
Of course, this rule had no effect on Yu Ci. In the current Cliff City, no one dared to bar him from entering.
The other day, Xie Yan had made his stance clear with his sword strike from beyond the heavens, solidifying Yu Ci’s position as the representative of the Rifting Earth Sect. Compared to the ever-elusive Xie Yan, who vanished for nine out of every ten days, Yu Ci was much more present in the eyes of Cliff City’s various factions.
Thus, he successfully established an image, and that image was becoming reality—The will of the Rifting Earth Sect was conveyed through this young man.
Now, people understood who truly held authority in Cliff City. Accordingly, attitudes and behaviors shifted—some changes were reserved and gradual, while others were far more direct.
The man before Yu Ci clearly belonged to the latter group.
“We brothers are new to this land and were ignorant of the rules. Our actions were reckless, and we are deeply grateful for your magnanimity in not holding it against us, Daoist Yu. Please accept this humble gift as a token of our appreciation.”
The mountain wind howled. A fat cat lay basking in the sunlight, dozing, while its owner—an elegant and fair-faced young man—wore a sincere smile as he respectfully presented a flat jade box with both hands.
“This is the renowned spiritual medicine of the Northern Wasteland—Black Tide Blood Balm. It is made from the natural scent glands of the spirit beasts of the Black Tide, blended with various medicinal ingredients. Simply inhaling its fragrance can calm the mind and aid cultivation…”
The speaker was Zhao Ziyue. At this moment, he did not appear to be a powerful mid-stage Core Refinement cultivator. Instead, he stood before Yu Ci—who was an entire cultivation realm below him—with complete humility. The guest from the Northern Wasteland was formally apologizing for the conflict that had occurred eight days ago, with impeccable courtesy.
Yu Ci did not act distant or aloof. He did not refuse the gift with a cold face. Instead, he smiled, bowed slightly, and accepted the jade box without even inspecting its contents before casually setting it aside.
For the past eight days, Zhao Ziyue had not met with him directly but had expressed his apologies through various channels. Only today, when the timing was right, did he personally visit.
Or perhaps that was inaccurate.
For there were no doors or walls surrounding them—Yu Ci was atop the cliff, above Heavenly Wings Pavilion.
There were still three hours before the Treasured Exchange Banquet officially began.
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