Ming Lan shook her head slightly. “I don’t care for these lifeless things. I just gave them a cursory glance, unlike Master Zhengyan, who examined them closely. You should ask him. I am merely curious about that young man who was personally ordered by Lord Jin to be hunted down—what is his background?”
Master Ming implied that in the territory of Cliff City, no rogue cultivator had dared to slap the face of the Sun Light Sect openly for decades. What kind of confidence did this guy named Yu Ci have to do such a thing?
Was it the Rifting Earth Sect ?
Even Cheng Rong, who had dealings with Yu Ci, couldn’t easily draw a conclusion. He could only murmur an apology and walked over.
By the creek where nine c0rpses lay, Steward Huang had already noticed Cheng Rong approaching. His face was expressionless, only giving a tight nod as a greeting.
Cheng Rong smiled in response, which only darkened Steward Huang’s face further.
The enmity between the Sun Light Sect and the Thousand Spirit Gate had stretched over decades. The Sun Light Sect, leveraging its authority in “exclusive enforcement,” suppressed its only rival strong enough to pose a threat, forcing the Thousand Spirit Gate—despite having power second only to the Sun Light Sect—to retreat bitterly to the outskirts of Cliff City. Against this backdrop, both sides were anything but on amicable terms, showing no mercy to each other.
When Cheng Rong was about to approach further for some “friendly chat,” Steward Huang walked away, face still dark. Left with no choice, Cheng Rong suppressed his regret and lowered his head to carefully examine the condition of the c0rpses by the creek. After checking just a few bodies, his robe was tugged. Turning around, he found a young girl who had bravely run over but was now terrified by the gruesome scene before her.
“My lady!”
Cheng Rong tried to cover her eyes, but she dodged. The young girl squinted, wanting to look but too scared, hiding behind Cheng Rong. She peeked again once she gathered enough courage, repeating the process several times until she got somewhat used to it.
“As you wish!” Cheng Rong felt it was inappropriate but didn’t want to coddle a pampered young lady who couldn’t stand the sight of b1ood. Torn between options, he hastily glanced over, holding the young girl’s hand as they walked to the farthest body from the creek.
This c0rpse was Si Long’s. Sitting in front of it was Master Zhengyan from the Pure Water Altar.
The sight of a body with half of it blown apart was far from pleasant. This scene finally surpassed the young girl’s tolerance. She shrieked, quickly burying her face in Cheng Rong’s back, too scared to peek out again.
Even Cheng Rong, used to seeing b1oody scenes, didn’t favor the sight of the mangled c0rpse. He couldn’t fathom what Zhengyan’s intentions were, sitting there without moving. Shaking his head, Cheng Rong asked directly, “Master Zhengyan, have you discovered anything?”
The monk sitting cross-legged in front of the body chuckled faintly and lifted his sharp, thin head. “Ah, it’s Benefactor Cheng. I heard that the murderer has some connection with the Rifting Earth Sect?”
Under the monk’s sallow gaze, Cheng Rong instinctively frowned. He couldn’t understand what sort of techniques the Pure Water Altar practiced, but except for the abbot Yixin, all monks who had achieved mastery resembled venomous snakes both inside and out. If they hadn’t known each other for years, even Cheng Rong would have difficulty distinguishing between these monks at a glance.
Cheng Rong brushed off Zhengyan’s inquiry vaguely. The two sects had come to Sky Rift Valley for the same purpose, making them allies of sorts. However, when it came to “resources” like Yu Ci, the fewer people sharing, the better. Cheng Rong was more interested in Yu Ci’s abilities.
“What did Master Zhengyan see?”
“Not much, just that this Yu Ci kid is quite extraordinary.”
Zheng Yan stood up, solemnly muttering a Buddhist chant before grinning and saying, “Benefactor Cheng, take a look, and you’ll understand. Two stewards, seven personal guards—all killed cleanly, one after another. It seems like last night, that Yu Ci handled them as effortlessly as slicing melons. When did the elites of the Sun Light Sect become like fish on the chopping block, ready to be sliced at will?”
Upon hearing this, Cheng Rong remained composed, but the young girl behind him curiously poked her head out. However, she quickly recoiled in fear when she met Zheng Yan’s murky eyes, though she kept her ears perked, listening intently.
Cheng Rong had glanced over hastily earlier, but now, hearing these words, he was surprised. “Slicing melons and vegetables?”
Zheng Yan chuckled softly. “You couldn’t see it clearly on Si Long’s body. Go look at the three c0rpses by the stream—they died in the exact same way. I swear on the Buddha, those three were slain within half a breath. Tsk, the manner of death…”
Curiosity piqued, Cheng Rong quickened his pace to the three c0rpses by the stream mentioned by the monk. Upon closer inspection, he immediately gasped.
“What formidable sword Qi!”
At this point, the upper garments of the three bodies had been removed, revealing their bare chests. Cheng Rong could clearly see that aside from the relatively clean area at the center of their chests, the rest of their torsos were covered in dense specks of b1ood. In areas where the skin was thinner, tiny gashes had formed, looking as unsettling as small infant mouths.
“The sword Qi pierced through the chest, entering silently and without a trace, subtle and profound. Once inside, it erupted violently, washing through the entire body from the inside out. The force sent b1ood spurting from their pores, completely extinguishing their lives. It was ruthless to the extreme. And the fact that all three strikes were almost simultaneous, achieving the same effect… heh!”
Zheng Yan’s thin, sinister laughter matched the chilling atmosphere perfectly. “With just this one strike, even counting those esteemed individuals, there are no more than five people in Cliff City who could execute it. No, even if someone had the cultivation level to match, who could wield such lethal sword Qi with such finesse?”
“Perhaps only Master Mingyue.”
Cheng Rong referred to Lu Mingyue, the top rogue cultivator in Cliff City. Although Lu Mingyue was only at the initial stage of Core Refinement and ranked below the top five in Cliff City, his swordsmanship, ‘A Thousand Threads in One Mind,’ was undeniably unmatched in the city, making his combat prowess quite terrifying. Cheng Rong knew that comparing Yu Ci to Lu Mingyue was a bit absurd, but at the moment, he couldn’t think of anyone more suitable.
“Master Mingyue’s top disciple, Junior Brother Lu Qu, might barely be able to achieve this. However, there is one thing he absolutely cannot do—look at the traces by the stream.”
Cheng Rong, being perceptive, quickly noticed the subtle clues by the stream that Zheng Yan had pointed out.
“The seven formed a battle formation, their sword Qi converging, but someone seized the moment just before the Qi coalesced to strike a lethal blow in an instant. It’s akin to a butcher carving up an ox.”
Zheng Yan’s slitted eyes narrowed further, gleaming with a cold, piercing light. “I’m well aware of Lu Qu’s cultivation level. He could brutally dismantle this battle formation of seven, but he could never make it look this effortless. Lu Qu has followed Master Mingyue for nearly fifty years and has attained Yang Spirit; he’s not much weaker than I am. So, just who is this Yu Ci?”
This was the second time such a question had been asked, and Cheng Rong still had no answer. Although he had met Yu Ci and even had some interaction, he suddenly realized that he might be even more puzzled than Ming Lan and Zheng Yan. The Yu Ci he had met was difficult to reconcile with the image suggested by these nine c0rpses before him.
Clearly, his earlier assessment of Yu Ci had been an underestimation. This wasn’t surprising, considering that in Thousand Spirit Gate, their primary interest had been Yu Ci’s connection to the Rifting Earth Sect, inadvertently overlooking his personal strength. Now, it seemed that such preconceived notions were truly misleading.
Zheng Yan, still brimming with enthusiasm, pointed towards the spot where Si Long’s body lay. “And that’s not all. Did you notice the soft armor Si Long was wearing? That armor was top-notch, purchased from Sui Xin Pavilion. I own a similar one myself. Infused with True Qi, it can rival the protection of triple-layered Xuan iron heavy armor. Normally, it would be impervious to cuts from swords or axes. Yet now, it’s been blasted to bits along with half of his torso… What do you make of that wound?”
“The True Qi that penetrated was indeed formidable, as expected. But the explosive force—was it from the Nine Yang Talisman Sword or the Pure Yang Talisman Sword?” Cheng Rong showcased his own keen perception, not wanting to be underestimated by Zheng Yan. The two exchanged a knowing glance and chuckled. This matter was proving to be quite intriguing.
In the current power structure of Cliff City, only five factions were notable. In order of strength, they were the Sun Light Sect, Thousand Spirit Gate, Mysterious Moon Sect, Clear Water Altar, and the Immortal Sword Sect. The Immortal Sword Sect was unique, with a very small population—just thirteen members, including the sect leader. Though each member was an elite, their overall strength was limited. Eventually, they formed a defensive alliance with the Sun Light Sect, effectively making them dependent on the Sun Light Sect’s protection.
Of the remaining three factions, Mysterious Moon Sect was an outsider with a deep background, but their focus was on garnering faith from commoners and they rarely clashed with other sects, occupying a neutral position.
As for Thousand Spirit Gate and Clear Water Altar, one had longstanding enmity with the Sun Light Sect, and the other was unruly and defiant, making it impossible for either to maintain good relations with the Sun Light Sect. Their combined strength was relatively weaker, so naturally, they allied with each other as unspoken allies.
This was the general situation in Cliff City. Overall, the Sun Light Sect, with the tacit approval of the Rifting Earth Sect, was indeed at its zenith in Cliff City, with no one daring to directly challenge them. Thousand Spirit Gate and Clear Water Altar were usually stifled and frustrated, so witnessing the Sun Light Sect suffer a setback brought them no small amount of joy.
At this moment, the girl tugged on Cheng Rong’s hem again, asking, “Uncle Cheng, what is that person over there doing?”
Cheng Rong turned as she asked and saw another steward from the Sun Light Sect, named Liu Siwei. He was seated cross-legged on the opposite side of the stream, with a mirror-like object on his lap. The mirror was dark, appearing as if forged from black iron, including the reflective surface. Liu Siwei’s hands were forming incantation seals, and he was muttering something under his breath, though it was too distant to hear clearly.
“This is…?”
“This is an artifact of the Sun Light Sect, called the Soul Searching Mirror. It’s rumored to be a replica of a powerful magical treasure. It can absorb the lingering souls of the deceased, and after a period of nurturing, it can sense the attachments of the dead’s resentment and point towards the location of the perpetrator. It also has soul-preserving and soul-refining capabilities, making it quite a useful magical tool. However, whether it succeeds depends on the depth of the deceased’s resentment and, of course, a bit of luck.”
HELP:
During the recent unrest in the country I am from, our family hardware store was broken into and looted by thugs. I don’t know why they did it, since my family has always been minding our own business, without bothering anyone else. I’m guessing some people are taking advantage of the current lawless and chaotic state of the country.
Anyways, the incident now leaves me as the only earning member of my family. Long time readers know that I was already dealing with a mountain of trouble (that I inherited from my father), and was already struggling. I had created a plan of action, and was steadily moving forward. But this incident destroyed whatever plans I had, again. I don’t know why bad things keep happening to me again and again. I might as well be cursed or something.
So here I am, after much hesitation, once again asking for your support. If you are reading this, please help if you are able to, I repeat, help only if you are able to. I am not asking something for free, you can become a Patron at Patreon to gain access to more chapters, or sponsor as many chapters you can from any of the novels you enjoy on Goblinslate here at BuymeaCoffee. Or if you just want to help, you can donate any amount at the Wishlist at BuymeaCoffee.
Thank you.