To say that Yu Ci had passed out would not be entirely accurate. His thoughts continued to flow with clarity, but he simply had no spare energy to attend to anything else, including controlling his flesh body. To an outsider, he would appear no different from someone unconscious.
Once he had grasped the overall concept of the "Primordial Root Qi Method," the obstruction of space was no longer a problem. Despite his Divine Soul, flesh body, and Divine Bronze Mirror being separated by space, they were still connected by an Aura. Particularly the Fish-Dragon, due to the "Soul Feeding Method," had a close connection to Yu Ci's flesh body and Primordial Qi, unexpectedly acting as a bridge, helping Yu Ci's Divine Soul connect with his flesh body.
The "Inner Void of the Heart" was thus opened, marking the moment when Yu Ci's Divine Soul returned to its abode, and he could look upon others with open eyes.
As the "Inner Void of the Heart" unified the three entities into one, fragments of external information were transmitted through the Divine Bronze Mirror. The first thing Yu Ci became aware of was the conversation between Red Yin and Ming Lan. Hearing Red Yin's intention to return to the East Sea, Yu Ci did not believe that she would return the Treasure Mirror in her possession before she left!
Yu Ci had to stop her, but before that, he needed to stop another individual first.
Within the "Inner Void of the Heart," the scene of the Bright Moon Forest seemed to be facing an earthquake, or a raging hurricane. The entire space was shaking, and the cause of this chaos was a fiercely struggling Fish-Dragon!
More precisely, it was the "Spine," the core of the Fish-Dragon.
The moment the "Inner Void of the Heart" was successfully established, Yu Ci's Divine Soul and flesh body were once again fused into one. The Fish-Dragon, now unable to crush and devour, was thought to have a moment of respite. However, the "Spine," which had been controlling the Fish-Dragon's instincts, surprisingly abandoned the Fish-Dragon's flesh and Divine Soul and seized the opportunity of the construction of the "Inner Void of the Heart" to rush in!
The "Inner Void of the Heart" was immediately turned upside down!
Previously, the "Inner Void of the Heart" had a naturally presented center, which was the central lake, the place reflecting the Mental Image. It was like a coordinate, marking the structural clue of the "Inner Void of the Heart." But as soon as the Fish-Dragon's "Spine" entered, the first and only thing it did was to take over the central position of the central lake, displaying an unmatched directness and dominance!
The mountains and forests exist with it at their center, the small lake expands with it as the core, the bright moon, and even the entire void rotate around it!
Isn't this an attempt to seize control?
In that instant, Yu Ci suddenly understood the nature of the "Spine": as the central nerve of the Fish-Dragon, the "Spine" itself had no consciousness, but it possessed a powerful instinct to capture, control, and devour everything, making everything revolve around it, serving it, sacrificing for it.
What on earth is this thing?!
Yu Ci, of course, would not allow it to control the "Inner Void of the Heart", and hence control his flesh and Divine Soul. He immediately resisted, but the scene of this resistance was somewhat absurd:
When he reopened the "Inner Void of the Heart", his Yin Spirit was on the verge of destruction, his flesh body was extremely weak, and the Divine Bronze Mirror was not at hand. The ability to establish the "Inner Void of the Heart" was entirely due to the bridge function of the Fish-Dragon. When the Yin Spirit returned, it was the "Spine" that actively gave up the Fish-Dragon's flesh and Divine Soul, forcibly projecting his Yin Spirit into the body, making the process smooth.
In other words, at this time, Yu Ci and the Fish-Dragon's "Spine" were in a state of being two yet one, and one yet two. The "Spine" had no consciousness, and the so-called struggle for the control of the "Inner Void of the Heart" was actually a contest of control and counter-control between Yu Ci's will and the "Spine's" powerful instinct.
The "Inner Void of the Heart" was twisting and shaking, the bright moon was sinking and floating, the mountains and forests were turning upside down. Compared to the previous calm and quiet, the current "Inner Void of the Heart" was much more active and intense. However, no matter the situation, the "Inner Void of the Heart" was always changing around the center of this battle.
Unconsciously, the center was already set.
The only thing that needed to be determined was whether this "Inner Void of the Heart" was controlled by will or driven by instinct, nothing more.
*************
Hungry, so hungry!
I want to eat.
"Eat your head!"
A sudden shout exploded in the room, and at the same time, Yu Ci opened his eyes wide and sat up abruptly.
The room was quiet. Xie Yan was sitting at the edge of the table in the room, propping up his elbow, his fingers pinching his brow. Startled by the shout, he almost poked his finger into his eye. He turned his head to look at Yu Ci, who was sitting upright, and after a moment of surprise, he suddenly stood up:
"Awake, are you?"
Having said that, he felt he had lost his composure. However, he was not one to deliberately hide his emotions. His face tightened slightly, yet he couldn't help but smile. "Good, you woke up so quickly. It seems there's nothing serious!"
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"Elder Xie," Yu Ci called out, suddenly feeling a wave of darkness before his eyes, accompanied by intense dizziness.
Xie Yan walked to the bedside, gently placing his hand on Yu Ci's head. Yu Ci only felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, followed by a "clang" sound ringing in his ears, as if two swords were clashing. But it was not harsh, and his mind seemed to clear up a lot. Presumably, Xie Yan had used some technique to calm his spirit.
As expected, Xie Yan said, "Your divine soul has been damaged. Although we've used a spirit-nurturing spell and you've taken elixir and pills, recovery will still be difficult. In the following days, keep your thoughts at rest and focus on recuperation."
As he advised Yu Ci to rest and recuperate, Yu Ci showed a thoughtful look, interrupting him, "Elder Xie, is it the hour of Chen outside?"
Xie Yan was surprised. The room was sealed. Let alone Yu Ci, who was a patient just awakened from unconsciousness, even a healthy person would find it hard to discern the time, especially with such precision, based solely on the indoor light.
Without giving Xie Yan time to ponder, Yu Ci immediately asked, "Are we on Cinnabar Cliff? Are the leaders of all sects in Cliff City outside?"
Surprised by Yu Ci's accurate predictions, Xie Yan frowned, "Why do you care? You should no longer concern yourself with the affairs of Cliff City. Just focus on your recovery."
"Elder Xie!"
Yu Ci interrupted him again, suddenly bowing on the bed, "I have an impertinent request, I hope my elder can grant it."
Seeing his demeanor, the joy and excitement that Xie Yan had felt due to Yu Ci's early awakening gradually subsided. His water-colored eyes shifted on Yu Ci's face, his lips pursed, finally regaining the demeanor of a Lichen Sect elder. However, his response was not simple:
"As long as I can do it, speak!"
*********
Dawn had broken in Cliff City, but for many, a layer of gloom still lingered in their hearts.
To the vast majority of residents in Cliff City, White Sun Mansion was their sky. But overnight, their sky had collapsed. It was said that the entire White Sun Mansion had perished, replaced by the Thousands Spirits Sect, Pure Water Sect, No Return Sword Gate, and Xuan Yin Sect.
Of course, the so-called "replacement" was a perception that the city's residents gradually accumulated over a long period of time. At present, they were more concerned about whether their friends and relatives had suffered any misfortune the previous night, whether their houses needed repair, whether their workplaces had changed hands, and so on.
Their way of thinking was utterly different from the Cultivators dwelling in the city.
For those Cultivators who lived and practiced in and around Cliff City, adapting to life without the White Sun Mansion was the paramount issue of the day. Countless people cast hopeful glances at the city's newly minted elites, wondering if they should make efforts to form connections with them.
However, these "new elites" in their eyes harbored a different set of sentiments.
The heads of the four major forces—Thousands Spirits Sect, Pure Water Sect, No Return Sword Gate, and Xuan Yin Sect—that had jointly annihilated the White Sun Mansion, along with their trusted subordinates, were the ultimate beneficiaries of this grand conflict. They should be discussing substantial matters now, and indeed they were, but all issues had to be postponed due to the hurried arrival of a disciple from the Thousands Spirits Sect.
The disciple came to deliver a message: Immortal Yu of Lichen Sect, and Yu Ci, extended an invitation.
"He's awake? So soon?" The speaker was Lu Mingyue. As he spoke, he turned to Monk Yi Xin, who remained silent with a serene expression, his eyes lowered and his brows furrowed.
In the council hall, the first to rise was Shi Song. He had lost an arm in the fierce battle the previous night, and his face was pale with a hint of blue. Yet, upon hearing the news, he was overjoyed, "Really?"
After confirmation, he turned to the others in the hall, smiling, "Since Immortal Yu has summoned us, let's all go. As long as he is unharmed, the events of last night can be considered a success!"
Without waiting for the others' reactions, he called out to Hu Dan, and the two of them led the way out of the hall. The other leaders, each with their own thoughts, followed in a single file.
They soon arrived at the room where Yu Ci was recovering. Xie Yan was still in the room, sitting in a corner with his eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to everyone else. The leaders first paid their respects to him before greeting Yu Ci, expressing surprise at his rapid recovery.
Yu Ci was comfortably reclining on the bed. He managed a polite smile in response to their courtesies, his gaze sweeping over each face, confirming that his target was not among them. Then, he leisurely said:
"The White Sun Mansion colluded with Demons, causing chaos throughout the city. Fortunately, you all stepped in and uprooted their influence completely, a great merit indeed. However, the White Sun Mansion has been entrenched in Cliff City for decades, their influence deeply rooted and pervasive. Now that they have been eradicated overnight, the vacuum left behind urgently needs to be filled, and the resources they left behind urgently need to be allocated. These are matters that must be considered and negotiated as soon as possible. Weren't you all discussing this earlier?"
No one had expected Yu Ci to speak in such a forthright manner. His words directly touched upon the vested interests of all sects, which inevitably aroused concern and urgency among some. Dong Yan, the master of the No Return Sword Gate, was one of the most concerned. His injuries were more severe than those of Shi Song, yet he forcefully dragged his ailing body to participate in the prior discussions. Upon hearing Yu Ci's words, he immediately asked:
"Does Immortal Yu already have a plan in mind?"
At these words, the expressions of Shi Song and others changed subtly. Yu Ci observed their reactions and gave a slight smile, "There are some ideas, but they need to be discussed collectively by the sect masters. Why isn't Master Red Yin here?"
His sudden change of topic seemed abrupt, but Ming Lan seemed to be prepared. With a slight smile on her round face, she stepped forward and softly said, "To inform Immortal Yu, our Master was injured in the battle with Jin Huan last night. She is currently recuperating in the palace and cannot attend. We hope for your understanding."
Yu Ci interrupted her, "Does Master Red Yin mean to have Master Ming represent the Xuan Yin Sect?"
As Ming Lan was about to respond with "Yes," Yu Ci already spoke with dissatisfaction:
"Master Red Yin has not considered thoroughly. Although Master Ming is highly respected, some issues need to be discussed directly with the sect master. How can we make things clear otherwise? How can we explain them clearly? If misunderstandings arise from unclear discussions, and the Xuan Yin Sect loses its deserved benefits, who should be blamed? Master Ming, you might as well explain this to Master Red Yin."
Everyone in the room was taken aback, unable to understand Yu Ci's attitude at this moment.
Yu Ci looked at Ming Lan, whose brows were gradually furrowing, and smiled, "Fortunately, You Qiu Palace is not far from Cinnabar Cliff. It won't take too long to travel back and forth. As for Master Red Yin's injuries..."
He paused, then grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth:
"Surely, her injuries are not so severe that she needs to return to the East Sea for treatment?"
***********
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