Within the Still Heart Temple, those who were familiar with Yu Ci knew that the young man, greatly favored by the Temple Master, had been in a rather gloomy mood these past couple of days, becoming much more silent. It seemed as if his training had hit a bottleneck. But this was not a problem. On the path of cultivation, who could always sail with the wind?

Thus, when those familiar with him met him, they would offer a few words of comfort, but would not say much else.

In fact, what Yu Ci was currently concerned with was entirely different from what they imagined, but it was indeed a headache:

The Divine Map, was gone!

On the desk in front of him, the Divine Bronze Mirror was placed upright. Its flawless round shape bore no damage, and the mirror's surface was as smooth as if it had just been polished, emanating a hazy blue glow, cold to the touch.

After a long period of calming his breath and quieting his mind, Yu Ci opened his eyes and looked at the Treasure Mirror, activating it with his thoughts:

"Divine Map!"

A ring of blue mist spread out, making the room flicker with light and shadow. However, that was all.

Yu Ci let out a sigh. He had tried multiple times over the past two days, always with the same result, but he was becoming increasingly calm. Over these two days, he discovered that the ability of the Divine Bronze Mirror to transform True Breath during refining had not changed. Only the Divine Map, like a dream, had disappeared without a trace.

This seemed to be a residual effect from his battle with Nan Songzi. However, after two days of refining, Yu Ci felt that even if there had been a problem at the time, the state of the Divine Bronze Mirror was now perfectly normal. No, it was even better than before. After all, having absorbed such a monster as nourishment, the exchange of Aura during refining was noticeably more lively, and the effects were more obvious.

Of course, his own condition was also fine. His minor internal injuries had healed, and he was now in peak condition.

Under such circumstances, the Divine Map still did not appear. The problem could only lie in the connection between him and the Divine Bronze Mirror, the link that allowed him to communicate with the mirror and activate the Divine Map. That link had been severed during the tumultuous events of that day. Yu Ci had been trying to reestablish it for the past two days, but to no avail.

However, his silence, or perhaps his contemplation, was not solely due to this. If he was merely frustrated with the setback before him, his twelve years of wandering would have long ago worn down his ambition, and there would absolutely not be the Yu Ci of today.

In fact, Yu Ci had been pondering over some words spoken by Old Daoist Yu Zhou. Specifically, the words he had dismissed when he had returned to the western garden's plum grove.

At the time, the Old Daoist had said that while a mind unmoved by external things was good, it was a grave mistake on the path to immortality. He then expanded on the concepts of "Fish-Dragon" and "Choosing and Discarding" to prove his point. But until the end, the Old Daoist had not convinced him, and due to his stubborn words, he had touched upon a painful memory and left in a huff.

Even now, there were many points in the Old Daoist's seemingly insincere theories that Yu Ci still disagreed with. However, after his battle with Nan Songzi, he had to admit that in terms of "external things", the Old Daoist's theories were more realistic and accurate than his own.

The role of "external things" was far greater than he had imagined.

He placed various items on the table one by one.

The Divine Bronze Mirror, the Heart-Tugging Horn, the Pure Yang Talisman Sword - these were items he frequently used. Without the Divine Bronze Mirror, there would be no Divine Map, no "Imitation Primordial Qi"; without the Heart-Tugging Horn, he would have died early in the Sky Rift Valley, not to mention the means to resist Nan Songzi's Divine Soul attack; the Pure Yang Talisman Sword, this weapon was extremely handy for him. Without it, would he have to spend time forming a seven-star sword talisman when facing an enemy?

As for the Hook Rope, which he had only used once, it had directly saved his life.

Moreover, the treasure he had just obtained from Nan Songzi, the True Purple Smoke Warm Jade, the ultimate treasure of the Ten Thousand Images Sect, was of great importance to cultivation. The Red Veil, possessed by the Yin Demon, was undoubtedly not ordinary, and could be considered at the level of a Magical Instrument.

Each of these items had their unique uses for self-defense, combating enemies, and cultivation. When used properly, each could yield tremendous effects.

However, he had not devoted much attention to these items, including those still gathering dust in his Storage Ring. The most typical examples were the Divine Bronze Mirror and Hook Rope. He had turned the daily ritual of refining the former into a routine, never thinking to delve deeper into the formation mechanism of the Divine Map. As for the latter, if not for the threat of Nan Songzi, he would have likely forgotten about this treasure entirely.

This situation undoubtedly called for self-reflection.

Yu Ci was not a fanatic who disregarded the function of all external objects, nor had he reached the level of being "unmoved by external things". He simply had a scale in his heart, distinguishing what was primary and secondary to him, what must be strived for, and what could be abandoned.

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In the past, Yu Ci believed that Longevity Methods and his own Cultivation Level were primary and must be strived for, whereas external objects and tools were not as important in comparison.

Now, he still held the belief that Longevity Methods and his own Cultivation Level were of utmost importance. He didn't think there was anything wrong with focusing on cultivation. However, did he need to divert some energy to familiarize himself with the properties of the various Magical Instruments he possessed and establish stronger connections?

At the very least, if he were to face a sudden situation like the one on the mountain path again, his response would be much more composed.

But a reality lay before him: cultivation required total commitment. Even in his current state of obsession, when he was deeply studying the Primordial Root Qi Method, he found time flying by. A single meditation session would take two or three hours. Performing a task in the "Inner Void of the Heart" would take another two or three hours, plus refining the Treasure Mirror and practicing Talisman. With only twelve hours in a day, time truly flew by, making him wish he could split a day into two. Under such circumstances, how could he have the energy to be distracted?

He suddenly understood why those legendary Cultivators in the tales would retreat for ten or even a hundred years at a time. Perhaps in their eyes, time was even more pressing.

Now, he needed to find a method that could cater to both sides and ensure efficiency. It wasn't about being distracted, it was about striking a balance!

Time slipped away in contemplation. Yu Ci felt the change of light outside and tidied up all the items on the table. In the morning, Bao Guang had informed him that around this time, Yu Zhou would have something to discuss with him. Thus, Yu Ci prepared to head over.

When Yu Ci entered Yu Zhou's study, Yu Zhou was engrossed in examining a square seal the size of a fist. Lost in thought, he placed the seal on the table upon seeing Yu Ci, next to a jade slip.

"Temple Master," Yu Ci greeted as his gaze swept over.

"Sit."

Yu Zhou, who usually conversed with him in a casual and unceremonious manner, wasn't one for formalities. Yu Ci, likewise, made himself comfortable and sat on the square stool by the desk.

The old Daoist scrutinized his complexion carefully before speaking, "You've been practicing hard recently, but don't overdo it. Balance is the way of both literature and martial arts. There's no need to cultivate to the point of suffering."

The old Daoist had evidently misunderstood. Yu Ci found it difficult to explain the matter of the Divine Bronze Mirror and Hook Rope, so he had kept quiet about his battle with Nan Songzi. The illusion array that day had been very tightly concealed, and no one in the Daoist temple, located more than ten miles away, had noticed. He could only respond vaguely, feeling both awkward and grateful.

As for such matters, Yu Zhou usually touched upon them briefly without dwelling. He moved on to the main topic, "The Passage Between Two Realms in the Sky Rift Valley has been sealed."

Yu Ci, who had been diligently practicing for many days, was momentarily taken aback before he smiled, "That's good news."

"Indeed it is. Additionally, the hunt for demons inside and outside the valley is nearing its end. Now, we are merely mopping up. There won't be any major movements for a while."

Seeing Yu Ci deep in thought, the old Daoist paused before adding, "The Sect has decided to order all disciples to return, leaving only a few to guard key points. Cliff City is home to a million civilians. Any mishap would be catastrophic, so this matter is of utmost importance."

Yu Ci responded with an acknowledgment, "Brother Li is there."

"Li You may be a top-notch talent, but without a formed Golden Elixir, he can't hold the fort. The main responsibility still lies with Senior Brother Xie Yan."

Yu Zhou added, then chuckled, "However, Li You has already written to the Sect, stating that he is at a crucial stage of the Mechanism of the Cauldron and Forming the Golden Elixir. He has requested to return to the Sect's Mountain Gate for seclusion. The Sect has confirmed with Senior Brother Xie and granted his request."

Upon hearing this, Yu Ci also smiled. He wasn't sure how much truth there was in Li You's request, but what he could ascertain was that the lively and free-spirited senior brother had finally found his release.

Old Daoist had more to say, "Thus, in Cliff City, only Senior Brother Xie remains. I deeply admire Senior Brother Xie's cultivation level and swordsmanship. With him guarding Cliff City, the demons will find it difficult to wreak havoc. However, to be frank, Senior Brother Xie is reclusive and idiosyncratic. Without someone to mediate, given his temperament, he probably wouldn't have the patience to deal with the city's inhabitants. For caution's sake, now that Li You has returned to the mountain, we need to send another person to support him."

Yu Ci blinked, understanding Old Daoist's implication. As expected, Old Daoist then asked, "Are you interested?"

"Me?"

Yu Ci shook his head repeatedly, then laughed, "Impossible. If I go to Cliff City, who knows what kind of face White Sun Mansion will show."

"Wouldn't that be interesting?"

Old Daoist smiled, but his words were chilling, "If Jin Huan knows the importance of this, it would be best. If he insists on going his own way, he should know that Senior Brother Xie's reputation for helping friends but not principles is not unfounded."

Yu Ci was taken aback.

Seeing his expression, Old Daoist laughed and said, "If you go to Cliff City, you will represent my Lichen Sect. Others will see you differently, and you should also view yourself differently. In the million miles around the Broken Realm Mountain and Sky Rift Valley where the Sect's Mountain Gate is located, Lichen Sect is the sky, the earth, the ruler. This is a fact, and no one is allowed to doubt it. Without this kind of courage and determination, how could the Sect stand for tens of thousands of years?"

This seemed like encouragement, but he did not pressure Yu Ci to make an immediate decision:

"Cultivation is naturally the first priority, depending on your plans. You are currently at a very important juncture, and breaking through in one fell swoop would be best, delay might dull your edge. Remember, sometimes cultivation requires silence and patience, but sometimes it requires chaos and change. I'm just suggesting that if you're truly at a loss, consider changing the situation, you might gain something."

So, it all comes back to cultivation. This was Old Daoist's ultimate goal.

Yu Ci understood, he responded solemnly that he would consider it carefully.

At this point, Old Daoist brought up another matter: "As for the matter of me asking Brother Qian Bao for insights into the Primordial Root Qi Method on your behalf, there's also progress. Regarding cultivation, he indeed has a great tip."

"A tip?"

*************

To celebrate the arrival of the new year, to wish for a fresh start for the Divine Map, and to celebrate the first time of having a stitched wound, an extra chapter will be added tomorrow, a total of two chapters, corresponding to the two stitches on the knee. Well, the stitches are black, but I want red votes! And favorites!

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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e