The incantation was extremely brief, much like the many preparations preceding it, all designed to minimize the time spent, to deal with the worst-case scenarios.
To be prepared is to succeed, to be unprepared is to fail.
Yu Ci was not the type to meticulously plan and leave no stone unturned, otherwise he wouldn't have put himself in such a perilous situation as he was now. But he was no slacker either. He knew well in advance that a great battle was brewing tonight, and he was well aware of the true nature of his adversary. How could he be unprepared?
Beneath the cliff, a tide of fear, born from the negative emotions of hundreds of people, surged up like a crashing wave, signifying that "Tu Du" had caught up.
Yu Ci glanced at the Divine Bronze Mirror suspended in mid-air. On its polished surface, a ring of radiant light spread out, blurring the seven drops of blood within it. At first glance, they resembled seven glowing rubies, echoing the light emitted by the Tao Scripture Master Three Treasure Seal on his shoulder. In fact, the auras of both were indeed connected.
Linked to the two auras was the Pure Yang Talisman Sword.
Below the cliff, shadows roiled upwards. "Tu Du's" shadowy ghost seemed to be cloaked in a battle cape, the shadows forming a curtain that continued to expand. In the eyes of the shadowy ghost, a fierce light was emitted, not looking at Yu Ci, but fixated on the Treasure Mirror suspended in mid-air.
Yu Ci noticed his attitude, but at this critical moment, such a small sensation was like a passing cloud, easily dispersed by the wind.
Exhaling the turbid breath accumulated in his chest, he pointed his Pure Yang Talisman Sword forward. At this moment, the Sword Technique, Dharma Seal, and Treasure Mirror, which had previously lacked a focal point and were loosely connected, along with the Jade Talisman he held in his hand, serving as the true core of the connection, suddenly underwent a major shift in aura, focusing on "Tu Du's" shadowy ghost.
The shift in aura was like a mountain casting a stone, the tremendous pull almost yanked Yu Ci's Yin Spirit out of his flesh body.
Under such circumstances, Yu Ci had no other choice. He gave it his all!
The Yin Spirit drove all the power of the Divine Soul, and under the state of embracing the "Primordial Qi", it even stirred the surrounding Primordial Qi into a rolling boil, almost drawing out the strength from the tips of his hair, applying it to the Yin Spirit. At the same time, the Jade Talisman in his hand shattered with a bang, the Divine Light mixed with fresh blood to create a reaction, instantly igniting like the fuse of a firecracker, triggering a tremendous force, rumbling and rolling.
"Tu Du's" shadowy cape that had just formed around him was shaken. However, this massive force, while aimed at "Tu Du", did not directly act on him. Instead, the suspended Divine Bronze Mirror tilted slightly, though slanted, it was still aimed at "Tu Du". The ruby-like blood light on the mirror surface flashed violently, causing the entire mirror to tremble.
Yu Ci was controlling a force far beyond his limit.
Back in the day, in the Moral Hall, when Elder Jie Liang was lecturing, Kuang Yan Qi had asked about the way of the Talisman, stating that it was not very useful when it came to close combat. This was true, but conversely, when one knew their opponent and was prepared in advance, the Talisman could be very useful.
Because it can accumulate vast, even terror-inducing forces that far exceed one's own limits in advance, releasing them all at once at the opportune moment, achieving the goal of catching the enemy off guard and triumphing over the strong with the weak. Elder Jie Liang's Five Thunder Talisman Bead, which he has meticulously crafted for decades, is the most typical and extreme example. Yu Ci, lacking Elder Jie Liang's cultivation level, still managed to impress greatly with his previous Ninefold Piercing Qi "Yin Du's Black Law Binding Ghost Symbol".
However, what's more important is, if the user of the talisman dares to take a step further based on this foundation...
"Tu Du", regardless of what Yu Ci was planning, his advantage in cultivation level meant he wouldn't bother to counter each move, but would take the initiative and control the situation.
As the shadowy cloak fell like a vast covering, simultaneously, "Tu Du" shook the shadowy web. With just one shake, countless bound cultivators on the web suffered heavy injuries or even death. A massive amount of Divine Soul power was extracted, shattered, and filled into the riddled shadowy ghost.
His previous words to Kuang Yan Qi were no empty talk. Tu Du's Yin Spirit, due to the heavy damage from the Sky Rift Valley and the rapid aging of his flesh body, as well as the brutal implantation of the Heavenly Demon Seed, was already overburdened and on the verge of collapse at any moment. The reason he could still appear formidable was entirely due to his supreme battle consciousness and experience, squeezing out every bit of potential from his Yin Spirit. Furthermore, he had no choice but to set up a shadowy web through the "Void Heart Demon Spider Shadow Curse", drawing external forces to temporarily maintain his state.
"Strike swiftly and decisively! Once the Treasure Mirror is obtained, immediately refine it with the Lifebound Divine Ability, then control the mirror to return to the Northland, that would be a profit."
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With this thought in mind, the shadowy curtain had already covered Yu Ci and the few magical instruments, rolling inwards. The shadows flowed with a bloody scent, which was the "Blood Transformation Spell" imbued within. Anyone who entered would be transformed into a pool of filthy blood within moments, all their essence drawn away to nourish the Yin Spirit.
Facing the impending shadows, Yu Ci turned a blind eye. Even though his vision was completely obscured and the burning pain stimulated his skin, he ignored it all. His entire focus was now concentrated on driving the talisman. His exceptionally sharp spiritual sense, honed by his focused attention, told him that as long as he remained calm and made no mistakes, there would be enough time!
After the Pure Yang Talisman Sword had guided him to his target, it was of no further use. He discarded the sword technique, clasped his hands over the Dharma Seal Button, lifted the seal over his head like supporting a mountain, and pressed it down forcefully.
The seal, a symbol of the might of the celestial and earthly spirits, represents an unwavering resolve. Once the seal is set, it is as though a decree has been issued to the spirits of heaven and earth, immutable and unalterable.
Atop the cliff, it was as if a giant bell had been struck. The reverberating hum echoed from the void, sweeping across the entire cliff top.
Within the rumbling sound, the "weathered traces" pre-existing on the cliff began to peel away. It was as if the tangible Divine Light used this as a conduit, rushing in all directions, sharing the unbearable power that Yu Ci was shouldering. Meanwhile, on the surface of the Divine Bronze Mirror, the blood stains had somehow been washed away, leaving only the granular radiance still sparkling, as if several dazzling star diamonds had been embedded into the mirror.
The radiance of the star diamonds broke through the encircling shadows, reflecting directly into the eye sockets of "Tu Du" Yin Spirit. The dazzling light even prevented him from opening his eyes.
"Tu Du" had been waiting for Yu Ci to disintegrate into bone and flesh. But this light left him momentarily stunned.
Yin Spirits have no physical substance. Their five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, need to be transformed through the method of "Sensory Perception", converting sensory consciousness into tangible feelings. Therefore, the light that makes a Yin Spirit feel dazzled is not actually that intense, but it poses a sensory stimulation and threat to the Yin Spirit!
He suddenly looked up.
In the vast, endless night sky, a few lonely stars twinkled, seeming quite ordinary. However, in "Tu Du"’s perception, behind the dark curtain of the sky, there was clearly the operation of star power, even though it was faint, it was also clear!
The source of power was in the sky, but the point of exertion was in the mirror!
This was precisely the extra step that Yu Ci had taken: it was good to accumulate power through the Talisman in advance, but it was better to leverage power, using this power to leverage even greater power!
"Mysterious Celestial Star Major Refining Technique!"
This Talisman belonged to the cloud thunder scripts system, which resonated with the grand and majestic star power in the endless void, hooked the Divine Soul, used the star projection for transposition, and infused life and death, extremely sharp.
From his first encounter with Tu Du in the Sky Rift Valley, Yu Ci seemed to always be dealing with non-material things like Yin Spirits and demon souls. After a series of events, Yu Ci inevitably devoted more thoughts to Exorcism and Soul Refining and other Talismans. Therefore, when refining the Tao Scripture Master Three Treasure Seal, reaching a two-layer Talisman overlay, and choosing to practice Talismans that enhance the effect of Dharma Seal, he prioritized the one most suited to handle such situations, namely the "Mysterious Celestial Star Major Refining Technique".
In the "Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book", the two characters "Star Axis" subtly hint that the Talismans related to stars in the scripture are all extraordinary. This Talisman is also the same, originally this Talisman required at least the Cultivation Level of Yin Spirit out of the body to barely use. But Yu Ci, using the Talisman to accumulate power as a lever, ingeniously resonated with the power of the stars, even though it was only through the Treasure Mirror reflecting the star projection, he truly applied this technique!
At some unknown point in time, the radiant star diamonds on the Divine Bronze Mirror quietly shifted their positions, silently rotating. The mirror's surface then flickered, projecting a beam of light that pierced through the shadows ahead, accurately illuminating its target.
"Young one!"
"Tu Du" let out a short cry, and his Yin Spirit suddenly rippled greatly, like the reflection on the surface of a lake that shatters into pieces when a stone is thrown into it. Within his distorted shadowy ghost, seven points of light bobbed up and down, shining with the brilliance of star diamonds.
This was the starlight projected by the Treasure Mirror, which was then reflected onto "Tu Du's" shadowy ghost. After two transfers, the power of the stars had weakened by seventy to eighty percent, yet it still possessed the power to annihilate souls and shatter spirits.
The power of the stars erupted one after another, slicing through the Divine Soul like a sharp blade, directly striking the very core of the Original Soul Source. On Yu Ci's side, he could even hear the sizzling sound of "Tu Du's" Yin Spirit being cut and evaporated by the power of the stars.
In just a blink, "Tu Du's" shadowy ghost shrank by two full circles.
The once engulfing shadows suddenly faded, then turned into a wisp of smoke and dissipated into nothingness. Yu Ci's vision was restored, and he quickly saw "Tu Du's" twisted face. He grinned, and the corresponding star diamond lights in the Divine Bronze Mirror and within the shadowy ghost once again shifted.
However, at this moment, the shadow web formed by the "Void Heart Demon Spider Shadow Curse" became active again.
Yu Ci's hands holding the seal trembled slightly. He felt that the power of the stars acting on "Tu Du's" Yin Spirit was being pulled apart and transferred to the ordinary cultivators at the end of the large web under the ripple of the shadow web.
"Is this even possible?"
Yu Ci's heart tightened, and he heard "Tu Du's" hoarse laughter in his ear: "I underestimated you just now. However, under the Void Heart Demon Spider Shadow Curse, my Yin Spirit is connected to those people's Divine Souls through the web. Not only can it gather nourishment, but it can also share the damage. Let's see if your grand refining technique can kill these hundreds of people below?"
This was definitely a ploy to disrupt his focus. He knew that "Tu Du" was still unable to break free from the restraint of the star power, and his Yin Spirit was continuously weakening. However, it couldn't be denied that his disruptive words were based on facts.
Yu Ci remained silent.
Suddenly, the Pure Yang Talisman Sword that had fallen to the ground earlier jumped up!
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e