Yu Ci’s cultivation was not as profound as Hu Dan’s, and his eyesight was also lacking in comparison. Observing the scene on Dan Cliff proved somewhat difficult for him. He could only make out a surge of golden light sweeping across, causing the densely packed forces of the Four Sects charging at the cliff to momentarily halt. The intense radiance was tinged with a blood-red hue, indicating heavy casualties. Seeing Hu Dan’s expression, he couldn’t help but ask in surprise: “What do you mean?”
Hu Dan stared unblinkingly at the golden light sweeping through the battlefield and explained, “This is the Ten Earthly Golden Light Formation, which releases 1,108 beams of golden light, scorching like fire and sharp as blades, cutting down everything in its path. However, these golden beams are pre-prepared and can only be used in a single burst. Once released, they take a long time to recharge. That’s why the formation is usually controlled by Tu Du. With his cultivation, he can freely manipulate all 1,108 beams for maximum lethality. But this latest burst was entirely uniform, showing no variations whatsoever. That means Tu Du wasn’t the one who activated it. If he still hasn’t appeared in this situation, he must be severely injured and unable to recover, forcing someone else to take over. It’s nothing more than a desperate struggle.”
Yu Ci nodded as he listened, then looked back toward the battlefield. As Hu Dan had described, the golden light did not persist for long before fading. The dramatic shifts in brightness and darkness across the battlefield were striking. Watching the golden light’s fluctuations, Yu Ci suddenly found them somewhat familiar.
“That… is that the Pure Yang Talisman Sword?”
Hu Dan had heard of Yu Ci’s past exploits and chuckled. “Exactly. The Pure Yang Talisman Swords crafted by the Sun Light Sect—ninety percent of them are reserved for this formation.”
Yu Ci understood immediately. From the very beginning, when he was involved in refining the Pure Yang Talisman Swords, he had sensed that despite being called swords, they were actually a special type of wooden talisman. They stored innate Qi and fire energy, which could be released all at once for maximum destructive power. He had never tested their might personally, but back in Sky Rift Valley, when he first encountered the demonic beast, he had activated the Nine Yang Talisman Sword and managed to slice off the beast’s “Heart-Binding Horn.” Its power had been formidable.
Now, seeing the full effect of the Pure Yang Talisman Sword in battle, he was convinced of its sheer lethality. But as Hu Dan had said, the Ten Earthly Golden Light Formation, powerful as it was, was nothing more than the Sun Light Sect’s last stand. While it momentarily disrupted the Four Sects’ assault, it couldn’t last long.
Within less than half a quarter of an hour, the inner defenses atop Dan Cliff completely collapsed. The elite forces of the Four Sects stormed into the sect grounds, launching into chaotic close-quarters combat. Given their numerical and strength advantages, victory was only a matter of time.
However, in the skies above, the battle among the Core Refinement-level cultivators took an unexpected turn.
Jin Huan harbored deep hatred for Dong Yan’s betrayal and had long been eager to slay him. Yet, Dong Yan’s sword flight was swift as lightning, making him difficult to catch. However, when the Ten Earthly Golden Light Formation activated, its golden light extended for over a mile into the sky. Coincidentally, one of the beams disrupted Dong Yan’s movement, causing a brief hesitation. Jin Huan seized the opportunity—his Myriad Rays Draping Cloud Pearl unleashed layer upon layer of dazzling light, crashing down on Dong Yan’s head and severely wounding him.
Dong Yan’s injury wasn’t the main issue; rather, it caused a delicate shift in the battlefield dynamics.
Jin Huan had originally been surrounded by four opponents: Shi Song, Dong Yan, Monk Yixin, and Lu Mingyue.
Chi Yin had disappeared without a trace.
Among them, Shi Song had an unending blood feud with Jin Huan and would never hold back. Dong Yan, having turned against Jin Huan, had no chance of reconciliation and thus fought with all his might. However, Monk Yixin and Lu Mingyue were unpredictable and had been holding back slightly.
At first, even with two of them conserving their strength, the four-on-one advantage still ensured their dominance. But with Dong Yan severely injured and plummeting from the sky, the monk and the daoist continued their passive stance, shifting the pressure onto Shi Song alone.
Meanwhile, Jin Huan, now utterly bloodthirsty, remained silent, fully unleashing his Great Radiant Sun Technique. He drove the Myriad Rays Draping Cloud Pearl to its limit, and with every pulse of its light, his innate Qi boiled and surged. Within a three-mile radius, everything was within his attack range. The sheer shockwaves caused the cliffs below to crumble, sending boulders tumbling, buildings collapsing, and structures reduced to rubble. Fortunately, this was near Dan Cliff, so civilian casualties were minimal.
Witnessing the unfolding scene, Yu Ci let out a cold chuckle and turned to Hu Dan. “They say Elder Hu’s Corpse-Flame Soulfire has reached perfection, capable of summoning a procession of a hundred ghosts. Well, I’d like to see it for myself tonight.”
Hu Dan understood instantly. He had been held in reserve as the strongest backup precisely for situations like this. With a nod to Yu Ci, he shot forward.
A ring of gray-white flames suddenly ignited in the night sky, flickering with eerie brilliance. Within the flames, countless shadowy figures struggled to emerge, shrouding Hu Dan himself in a spectral haze.
In the blink of an eye, he traversed several miles, carving out a territory of his own within the sea of raging fire. Hu Dan and Jin Huan were long-standing adversaries, well acquainted with each other’s tactics. Thus, their first exchange was a battle of deadly techniques.
Hu Dan’s temperament was resolute, and he wielded his sinister Corpse-Flame Soulfire with immense force. In an instant, countless ghostly figures surged forth, spreading the eerie flames in layered waves. It was as if the gates of the underworld had swung open, unleashing a legion of vengeful spirits hungry for flesh. Hu Dan’s figure flitted among the spectral inferno, stirring up howling tempests at every turn.
Shi Song, who had fought alongside Hu Dan for over a hundred years, immediately seized the opportunity to counterattack, quickly shifting the tide of battle. Seeing this, Monk Yixin and Lu Mingyue finally exerted their full strength—Lu Mingyue’s sword light pierced through Jin Huan’s shoulder, sending a trail of blood flying.
From his vantage point atop the Skywing Tower, Yu Ci observed the unfolding battle with an icy smirk.
“Sooner or later, their true colors will be exposed.”
Yu Ci was fully aware of his purpose in coming to Cliff City. Beyond advancing his cultivation, he had three primary goals: defending against demons, securing access to key channels, and uncovering hidden truths. He had carefully weighed their importance. That was why he had orchestrated a change of power in Cliff City, ensuring that the Four Sect Alliance replaced the Sun Light Sect, but he had deliberately limited the time frame to a single night—to minimize the chaos. Once tonight’s battle concluded, he would focus entirely on those two individuals.
After all, with Cliff City under his control, he would have ample opportunities to probe their secrets.
At that moment, a hesitant voice spoke behind him. “Immortal Yu… I… I…”
Yu Ci recognized the voice of Geng Fu and chuckled. This plump shopkeeper might appear timid, but he was actually quite decisive. Back when Yu Ci had clashed with Zhao Ziyue and his group, Geng Fu had stepped forward with a timely remark that defused the situation. The man had potential.
Now, Geng Fu’s hesitation seemed more like an attempt to curry favor than genuine fear.
Yu Ci didn’t dislike this person, but what caught his attention even more was the peculiar change he sensed in the man’s soul before the banquet began—something that was connected to the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror…
Turning back, he fixed his gaze on the fat man. For some reason, the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror inside his left sleeve grew hot again.
Yu Ci’s heart trembled. It was as if an inexplicable force from the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror was drawing his divine intent, naturally pulling his focus toward the bronze mirror. Because he had not entered the “Void Within the Mind,” Yu Ci had a more direct grasp of both his soul and the mirror.
As the three-layered structure of his soul unfolded, the core primordial spirit radiated divine awareness and thoughts, unifying them into a force of divine intent that penetrated the outer layers and projected into the central aperture of the treasured mirror. In that moment, he felt an immense energy within the mirror!
It contained the accumulation of energy within the treasured mirror over countless years, as well as the power it had gained after devouring the Yin Demon that day. But regardless of the source, this was the first time Yu Ci had so clearly perceived its existence and its dynamic flow. Then, the divine intent he had sent out was suddenly drawn in, swept along like a drifting current!
Yu Ci was startled and tried to withdraw his divine intent, but the energy within the mirror was far stronger than he had imagined. For a brief moment of distraction, he felt as if he was floating—not his body, but his very soul!
It was as if he were flying a kite, but the wind was so strong that it had lifted not just the kite but his entire being.
Fortunately, Yu Ci had already reached the mid-stage of Divine Connectivity. His soul had attained the Yin Spirit state, and under the stimulation of latent potential, it had become increasingly stable and powerful—far beyond what it had been in the past. Moreover, he had been meticulously studying the Spirit Control Technique in recent days. The moment he sensed something was wrong, his consciousness shifted from a chaotic and passive state to one of firm resolve.
The barely mastered Spirit Control Technique activated instantly, allowing him to direct his soul power in an orderly manner. The synergy built over months of refining the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror provided a tremendous advantage, enabling his soul force to smoothly reach the key position within the treasured mirror and successfully exert control!
A deep, resonant hum echoed in Yu Ci’s ears—and in his mind. The temperature of the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror suddenly dropped, but that was only on the surface. Through his soul power, Yu Ci could feel that within the treasured mirror, the energy was surging more violently than ever. However, its movement patterns had also become increasingly clear.
So clear that Yu Ci felt he could take advantage of this momentum to do something.
Then, the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror began to move. Because Geng Fu was right in front of him, the movement was confined within his sleeve. But Yu Ci was certain—he had not used any physical muscle or True Qi; it was purely his soul power that caused the treasured mirror to slide along his arm.
For the first time, Yu Ci had successfully used his Yin Spirit to control a magical artifact!
Taking a deep breath, Yu Ci kept his gaze locked onto Geng Fu, as if trying to uncover some earth-shattering secret from his round face. However, all he saw was bewilderment.
*****
The Heavenly Wings Pavilion was brightly illuminated, casting interwoven shadows across the cliff face to which it was attached. The shifting contrast of light and dark blurred the pathways and ravines, and no one paid attention to this area.
Kuang Yanqi was hidden in a shadowed rock crevice, shivering uncontrollably as he muttered curses under his breath.
He had always thought himself to be quite courageous, someone who could withstand any situation. Yet, when catastrophe struck, he was paralyzed—his mind went completely blank. Finding this hiding spot wasn’t his own doing; it was thanks to the “shadow” lurking deep within him.
“What the hell is going on?”
“What should I do next?”
“Should I go back to the sect?”
“Say something, d*mn it!”
The young man finally lost control, though he still didn’t dare to shout. His suppressed roar came out as a guttural growl, like a beast snarling from deep within its throat. His neck muscles tensed, his voice hoarse. But the response he awaited was silence.
Kuang Yanqi was on the verge of going insane. He slammed his forehead against the cliff wall, bashing it until blood ran down his face—all in a desperate attempt to force out the “shadow” that had entered his body.
He had wanted to do this for days.
This time, the voice he had been yearning for finally spoke, though it brought up a completely unrelated topic:
“This feels familiar. What treasure is being displayed at Heavenly Wings Pavilion?”
Kuang Yanqi turned his head sharply and saw a shadowy figure materializing within the darkness of the cliff wall.
It was a withered, frail figure cloaked in flowing black robes. Anyone from the Sun Light Sect would recognize this sight instantly—it had once been one of the manor’s greatest assets for a long time.
But now, Kuang Yanqi’s lips trembled. He didn’t even know how to address him.
The figure, however, paid no attention to him. He simply lifted his head toward Heavenly Wings Pavilion.
“A split soul’s memory is always incomplete. This aura is so familiar, yet I can’t recall it when it’s right in front of me.”