With this thought in mind, Yu Ci traveled two more miles uphill. Suddenly, a whistling sound echoed from afar. Glancing at the Divine Map, he saw that the tens of thousands of demons at the “entrance” seemed to have received an order and once again launched an assault on the invisible barrier. Ugly bl0od blossoms bloomed one after another, and the shadows below surged like a rolling black tide, pushing forward in waves.
Demons continuously squeezed out from within, only to fall into the bottomless abyss. However, stronger demons managed to break through. In just a few moments, the lower part of the Divine Map was swarming with demons. Although they didn’t seem to have the desire to expand upward, who could predict what might happen?
At this moment, the effects of the “One Breath, Three Calls” technique finally wore off, and a shadow quickly covered the map. The “entrance” area at the bottom was especially affected, as the overwhelming demonic energy disrupted the view, turning it into nothingness.
“This place is off-limits from now on.”
Yu Ci suddenly remembered that in the jade slip Elder Daoist Yu Zhou gave him, one of the medicinal herbs listed grew in such an environment. However, with the current situation, he would have to take a detour in the future. Right now, the most important thing was to get this information to the Rifting Earth Sect as soon as possible.
He quickened his climb, all the while pondering: “The demons were scattered and fleeing just moments ago, so how did they regroup and organize another assault so quickly? Could there be a demon lord pulling the strings from the shadows? Why are they targeting the ghost beast?”
And what about the figure he had speculated about earlier? Could that individual also be interested in this place?
Though Yu Ci longed for answers, he knew these matters were beyond his reach. Perhaps leaving them for the Rifting Earth Sect to handle was the best course of action.
*****
Winter had swiftly taken hold of Sky Rift Valley. In just two or three days, the cold had grown even more severe. The howling northern wind chilled people to their bones. Unless one’s body, energy, and spirit were as one, having achieved the so-called Core Refinement stage, no one could truly claim to be impervious to the extremes of heat and cold.
Even cultivators like Cheng Rong, who had already formed their Yin Spirit, had to wear thicker clothes to keep warm. Flying through the sky in such conditions was an arduous task. Time was precious, so Cheng Rong had reduced the amount of time his warriors spent patrolling on their steeds, not wanting anyone to fall ill from the cold.
However, there was one person who seemed determined to challenge the harsh weather. Instead of reducing her flights, she increased them. This person was none other than the cherished young Miss of the Thousand Spirit Gate, Shi Xin, also known as Ninth Miss.
Cheng Rong understood the girl’s thoughts well, and while he didn’t outright stop her, he assigned stricter tasks as a senior, hoping to drain her energy and occupy her time.
This strategy helped a little, but it wasn’t a permanent fix. Whenever the girl had a bit of free time, she would ride her bl0od eagle and circle above Sky Rift Valley.
Cheng Rong couldn’t intervene too harshly, so he let her be.
This pattern continued for four days.
In truth, Cheng Rong didn’t have much time to discipline her. The situation around Sky Rift Valley was in their favor. The Sun Light Sect had sent all their elite forces into the valley to hunt Yu Ci. With no interference from them, Thousand Spirit Gate and the other factions could proceed with their plans unimpeded. Most importantly, the three factions—Thousand Spirit Gate, Pure Water Altar, and the Mysterious Moon Sect—had developed a subtle understanding.
Aside from minor personal conflicts, the three factions worked together in harmony. Each sought their own objectives—territory, revenge, and treasure. Over time, their goals blurred, but the mutual understanding gradually became clearer.
On this day, Master Ming Lan of the Mysterious Moon Sect and Chief Disciple Zheng Yan of the Pure Water Altar came together, seeking to resolve a small dispute from the day before. Cheng Rong, fully aware of the situation, invited them to his tent for a discussion.
They talked for about half an hour when a sudden scream pierced the air.
At first, Cheng Rong didn’t react, but when he realized what it meant, his heart almost leaped into his throat. He rushed outside the tent, barely able to comprehend the situation when Ninth Miss descended with her eagle, her face filled with fear and panic.
“The people from the Sun Light Sect have returned! They’ve come back… what about Mr. Yu?”
Before Cheng Rong could process this, Ming Lan smiled gently and said, “The return of the Sun Light Sect doesn’t necessarily mean they succeeded. Mr. Yu is a skilled swordsman and very sharp. It’s entirely possible he escaped unscathed.”
Listening to her tone, one might think she and Yu Ci were old friends. Cheng Rong could only respond with a wry smile, “Ninth Miss, Master Ming Lan is right. Mr. Yu is formidable. The Sun Light Sect won’t capture him so easily…”
Unexpectedly, Monk Zheng Yan joined in, chanting a low Buddha’s name before chuckling, “If you’re really worried about Mr. Yu, why not ask them directly? I’d be curious to see what face Huang Tai’s group will return with after wandering in the valley for three or four days.”
Upon hearing this, the young girl could barely contain her excitement. Cheng Rong felt a headache coming on. He wasn’t the type to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. With the factions pressing in on him, and the delicate balance of their alliance in mind, he relented, “The Sun Light Sect has been in the valley for many days. They might have new information. We should go and test the waters.”
Despite Ninth Miss’s eagerness, this reason sounded rather weak.
Cheng Rong and the other leaders, each with a few followers, quickly followed the bl0od eagle’s lead. In less than half an hour, they “accidentally” ran into Huang Tai’s group. As soon as they met, Huang Tai’s face turned pale, and his steps faltered, unable to decide whether to advance or retreat.
Everyone present was experienced enough to know something was wrong. A quick glance behind Huang Tai revealed several missing members, including Liu Siwei, the steward, who was nowhere to be seen.
Cheng Rong and Ming Lan were both shocked but knew better than to poke at a sore spot. They silently pondered how best to extract information. However, they had forgotten about one big problem: Monk Zheng Yan. Far more direct than the other two, he hissed with laughter, “It’s been a while, Brother Huang. I wonder what you found in the valley… Hmm? Where is Steward Liu?”
As soon as the words were spoken, Huang Tai’s face turned ashen. Cheng Rong and Ming Lan exchanged glances, both showing helplessness. The people from the Pure Water Altar were indeed troublemakers. Just this one sentence, and Huang Tai would hate them for life.
It had to be said, Ninth Miss was a sharp and clever child. She quickly sensed the change in the atmosphere and even guessed the reason behind it. The little girl became excited at once, poking her head out from behind Cheng Rong to carefully study the expression on Manager Huang’s face. After confirming her guess, she tugged hard on Cheng Rong’s robe, her little face turning bright red:
“Hey, Uncle Cheng, did Mr. Yu win? Look…”
Cheng Rong muttered a quick, “My little ancestor,” and hurriedly pulled the girl back behind him. It wasn’t that he was afraid of offending someone like Huang Tai, but he knew well the fierceness of the other party’s “Thousand Mouth Bee” magical tool. If things got too intense at such a close distance, the girl’s safety would be at risk.
Ninth Miss struggled a couple of times but couldn’t break free from Cheng Rong’s grip, so she muttered from behind him:
“Mr. Yu must have won. Look at that man’s face, it looks so awful!”
“Yeah, it really does look terrible, terribly so!”
A light voice sounded by her ear, but it wasn’t from anyone she was familiar with. Then, she saw Cheng Rong, Ming Lan, and Zheng De in front of her all turn their heads at once, their expressions varied but each showing shock, especially Cheng Rong.
Their gazes all went past the top of her head. Curious, the little girl wanted to turn around to see, but a hand suddenly reached from behind her head and lightly patted her cheek:
“Such a cute little girl!”
The cold fingers stung slightly as they touched her face, devoid of any kindness. But Ninth Miss wasn’t one to be easily bullied. Her eyebrows shot up, and she twisted to break free. However, as soon as she moved, that cold hand became insubstantial!
The transparent fingers passed through the side of her face, brushed past her throat, and withdrew from the other side. Throughout the process, no organ was harmed, as the hand was merely an illusion, lacking any substance. Yet, wherever it touched, a biting cold spread, filling her throat and extending to her jaw and cheeks, freezing her expression in place.
More importantly, she saw it—those five thin, sharp fingers, like five knives, cutting into and out of her head, even seeming to stir inside her skull. That sensation…
The little girl’s eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.
As darkness enveloped her, she faintly heard Uncle Cheng’s roar: “Old Monster Tu…”
At this moment, Cheng Rong’s heart truly shattered. He watched helplessly as the little girl collapsed, and a string in his heart suddenly snapped. In that instant, he forgot the identity of the person before him, charging forward like a beast that had lost its mind, roaring.
“She’s a good kid, just a bit timid. It was just a joke, no need to take it so seriously.”
The person responded, his tone remaining unchanged from beginning to end. Even as Cheng Rong charged at him, he didn’t dodge, letting Cheng Rong’s fist, burning with the soul flame of decay, strike his face.
The punch didn’t hit anything solid. The soul flame merely scorched the air, leaving nothing but a ripple in the void. Then, the two figures brushed past each other and separated. Cheng Rong couldn’t stop his momentum and rushed forward. Throughout, he never touched anything real. The figure that had spoken earlier appeared entirely illusory.
With his punch landing on empty air, Cheng Rong’s mind cleared a little. His arm muscles relaxed, and the two rings clasped on his upper arm slipped into his hands. In an instant, they were enveloped by a layer of the soul flame of decay, activating the restrictions on the rings, which hummed loudly with a fearsome aura.
Unfortunately, that was all he could do.
A piercing howl suddenly rang out.
The howl exploded directly in Cheng Rong’s skull, shocking his spirit. His vital energy became unstable, and cold energy pierced through his protective True Qi, heading straight for the back of his head.
In an instant, the cold energy seeped into his Niwan Palace and spread downward. While his physical body remained unharmed, his soul couldn’t bear it. The Yin Spirit he had meticulously refined suddenly weakened, trembling like a lamb facing a predator when confronted with the cold.
With a cry, Cheng Rong finally remembered—he was merely a cultivator who had just formed his Yin Spirit. How could he stand against Tu Du, the chief elder of the Sun Light Sect, who had already been a Core Refinement expert for over a hundred years?
At this moment, he was facing the infamous “Soul-Grabbing Yin Claw,” one of Old Monster Tu’s signature techniques, designed to bypass physical defenses and directly attack the soul. At its extreme, it could even pull a soul out of a body.
And now, that was exactly what Old Monster Tu intended to do.
“Elder Tu, it was just a joke, is this really necessary?”
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