At some unknown time, Ming Lan walked over and smiled as she responded to the little girl’s question. This demeanor undoubtedly won the little girl, Shi Xin’s favor.
After thanking her obediently, the little girl recalled the handsome and proud figure from that day. She suddenly felt a bit worried and asked, “Will they be able to find that Daoist Yu?”
Cheng Rong’s expression changed slightly, and Ming Lan exchanged a glance with Zheng Yan, but neither said anything. Ming Lan continued to smile as she answered, “From the situation by the stream, Daoist Yu’s last action was to kill Lu Ding on the opposite shore. Among the dead, Lu Ding had the most intense emotional fluctuations and the strongest resentment. If they can’t make a move from there, the Sun Light Sect won’t find another way in a short time.”
The little girl responded with an “oh,” but she still seemed puzzled. Being a good child who asked questions when she didn’t understand, she seized the opportunity to press further, “Why did you say Lu Ding had the most intense emotional fluctuations?”
Ming Lan smiled without speaking, while Zheng Yan began to laugh. His laughter was not loud but carried a peculiar sound that clearly reached everyone’s ears in the valley:
“Little benefactor, you must not be very observant. Look at that person’s lower region; isn’t the color different from other places?”
The little girl’s face turned red instantly, but her curiosity got the better of her, and she stole a glance in that direction. Of course, the distance was too great for her to see anything clearly.
At this moment, Zheng Yan burst into loud laughter, and his sharp laughter pierced everyone’s ears like knives. In an instant, some people’s faces turned even redder than the little girl’s!
Not far away, Steward Huang glanced coldly at Zheng Yan, locking eyes with him for a moment before finally turning away.
Zheng Yan’s smile grew more smug; he had done it intentionally.
The Sun Light Sect’s reputation was ruined.
Meanwhile, with the disappearance of Old Xu, Zheng De, and Lu Quan, and the rumors of the demonic beast treasure still circulating, the appearance of this young man had a significant impact. It was worth exploring what influence he would have on the situation. The onlookers were not only focused on the current events but were also wondering:
Would such a person cause any impact on the decades-long stalemate in Cliff City?
As the adults engaged in their scheming, the little girl, who had unintentionally triggered this invisible conflict, did not think too much about it. Her mind, simpler but more troubled than the adults around her, was occupied with thoughts:
“I didn’t expect him to be so impressive… But if I see him again, what should I say?”
***
The little girl was eager to see Yu Ci again to satisfy her growing curiosity and other small thoughts. However, she didn’t expect to meet him so soon.
The day after the meeting in the valley, the Sun Light Sect’s response was not slow. Stewards Huang and Liu, along with twenty to thirty accompanying warriors, scoured the area within hundreds of miles like feral dogs. But they resembled headless flies, unable to find any trace of Yu Ci.
The weather was good today.
The little girl, having obtained Cheng Rong’s permission, took to the sky on the Blood Eagle to clear her mind. From her high vantage point, she could see the Sun Light Sect’s forces frantically searching below, which made her laugh. But after laughing, she felt some concern: According to Cheng Rong and the others, the Soul Capture Mirror generally takes twelve hours to nourish the captured remnant soul to a usable state, and from its initial use until the remnant soul completely disappears, it takes a full seven days.
“Hopefully, they can’t find him. But if they do, it would be great to see his swordsmanship. Hmm, but that scene looked pretty frightening. If I ask him how to practice that swordsmanship, will he tell me…?”
The little girl rested her chin on her hand and let her thoughts wander in the sky. The majestic mountain scenery below seemed like floating clouds to her, forgotten as soon as she glanced at them.
Suddenly, the Blood Eagle beneath her let out a sharp cry.
Birds controlled by soul-binding spells have their reactions entirely under the control of the spellcaster, aside from the basic instincts required to sustain life. They do not make calls without reason; each call has a different meaning known to the spellcaster.
The young girl was not the spellcaster, but she was very familiar with this. She knew that the Blood Eagle had spotted something, so she looked down. However, her vision was no match for that of the Blood Eagle. The Blood Eagle, having thrived in Sky Rift Valley for many years, had eyes sharp enough to pierce through clouds and mist to see prey twenty miles away. The young girl did not possess such abilities.
But she had another method. Closing her eyes, she skillfully formed a hand seal and pressed it onto the Blood Eagle’s head. A gray cloud rose before her eyes, and when it dispersed, the Blood Eagle’s vision was temporarily shared with her, allowing her to see the distant target.
At first glance, she nearly slipped off the eagle’s back.
Fortunately, Cheng Rong, knowing she was flying alone, had arranged for subordinates to keep watch from behind and ensured ample safety measures. The young girl only swayed slightly but ultimately stayed firmly on the eagle’s back. Nevertheless, her thoughts had already flown far away.
Over there… isn’t that the guy?
In the very spot just searched by the dozens from the Sun Light Sect, Yu Ci, who had become the focus of everyone, leisurely emerged as if he had merely brushed past them by chance. The timing was so skillful it made one want to spit blood.
Shi Xin covered her mouth, afraid that her exclamation might alert those troublemakers from the Sun Light Sect. Only when the two groups were far enough apart did she breathe a sigh of relief and vigorously pat the Blood Eagle’s head.
“Faster, eagle, fly faster!”
She directed the Blood Eagle toward that direction, but the young girl really didn’t know what she could do once she arrived.
Yu Ci did not flee due to the expected revenge from the Sun Light Sect. After killing Si Long and the other nine, he remained leisurely near the incident site for nearly two days, using the Celestial Qi Gathering Secret Talisman Manual to observe the Sun Light Sect’s reactions.
With winter having arrived in Sky Rift Valley, Yu Ci had no other pressing tasks apart from the six medicinal herbs for Yu Zhou. He could easily spend a few days maneuvering with the Sun Light Sect.
His goal was simple: he needed to make Jin Huan understand that the hasty bounty on him was a massive mistake, and since it was a mistake, it had to be paid for.
However, he was somewhat surprised to find that while the Sun Light Sect had not located him, a young girl with yellow hair had discovered him…
Yu Ci had long known that the spirit bound Blood Eagle of the Thousand Spirit Gate was hovering nearby. From the Celestial Qi Gathering Secret Talisman Manual, he could see that it had no direct connection with the Sun Light Sect and seemed to be merely observing the commotion, so he ignored it. But shortly after, the Blood Eagle flew straight toward him and landed right beside him.
No one jumped off the eagle’s back, but a pair of large eyes peeked out from behind its feathers, furtively observing him.
Yu Ci smiled.
Yu Ci liked children.
During his time with the Twin Immortal Sect, aside from the two immortals, he mostly interacted with a group of so-called “celestial children” and “jade maidens” of similar status. They were only eight or nine years old at the time, and most had joined the sect with high hopes. Innocence and purity were their common traits.
But soon, the harsh reality would twist these children, forcing them to learn flattery and deceit. The more it was so, the more Yu Ci missed those fleeting, precious memories and the siblings who once shyly called him “Big Brother Yu Ci.”
At this moment, the young girl, Shi Xin, had half her body hidden behind the eagle’s back. Only a pair of glistening eyes peered out, appearing both curious and timid, quite different from when they first met.
Yu Ci felt as if something had lightly bumped into him, causing him to unconsciously smile. Mimicking Cheng Rong’s way of addressing, he said,
“Little Shi, are you here to collect a debt?”
The little girl was momentarily confused before she understood what Yu Ci was saying. She buried her face in the carved feather and mumbled, “No, I’m not.”
“Then why are you here?”
Yu Ci had already noticed the little girl’s desire to interact with him, but he was quite happy to tease her for a while.
Taking a few steps forward and seeing the nervous look in the carved feather’s eyes, he finally realized that the little girl was likely startled by yesterday’s scene. Yu Ci had used the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror to closely monitor the negotiations between the sects, so he was very aware of the details involved.
He didn’t stop but instead opened his arms with a playful smile and said, “I see, you want someone to carry you down. Come on, Uncle will give you a hug!”
“Who wants you to hug me!”
Little Shi couldn’t take it anymore and quickly slid down from the other side of the curved feather. She looked at Yu Ci again through the Blood Eagle and noticed that he was merely joking and had no intention of approaching. Her mood calmed down a bit. After a few moments of thought, she found a reason:
“I’m not here to see you. I’m here to fish!”
“Fish?”
Yu Ci looked around. The only thing remotely related to fish or water in the vicinity was the cloud “sea” flowing through the Sky Rift Valley. Was the little girl planning to fish here?
Just as he was about to laugh, he saw the little girl in a light green silk dress, emerging from the other side with a fishing rod and even carrying a mat.
Seeing Yu Ci’s genuine look of surprise, the little girl felt she had regained some pride. The slight fear she had towards Yu Ci vanished into thin air. With a huff, she walked past Yu Ci in a haughty manner and went straight to the edge of the cliff.
Yu Ci watched with interest as the little girl seriously set up her line and cast the rod. She then sat down on the mat, deliberately ignoring him.
After a few breaths, a very faint “clink” sound came up, which was the sound of the metal hook at the end of the line hitting the cliff face below.
“Eh?”
Yu Ci suddenly realized that the little girl’s so-called fishing wasn’t entirely without reason.
Of course, it wasn’t fishing in the usual sense; it was likely a way to “fish for Qi.”
Taking advantage of the little girl’s back being turned, Yu Ci glanced at the Divine Illumination Bronze Mirror.
He saw clearly that when the hook fell below the cliff, a certain kind of scent applied to it began to attract nearby creatures. Meanwhile, the fishhook’s movement was sensed by the little girl above, with Qi driving the hook to find a suitable target. Combined with a unique breathing method, this was an extremely sophisticated way to train Qi.
However, was this method used by the Thousand Spirit Gate to train their juniors? Wasn’t it a bit dangerous?
After all, what floated in the Sky Rift Valley were not tame fish but bloodthirsty beasts. Using these fierce creatures as practice partners?
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