Gazing at the figure before him, Yu Ci expressed surprise, "Master Ming has arrived as well?"
The one who had come from the wilderness was none other than Ming Lan. She appeared travel-worn, likely stained by dust, her disheveled hair more gray than usual.
To be greeted with a bow by such an aged person would likely put pressure on anyone else. However, after a moment of silence, Yu Ci broke into a smile.
"Do you ask for understanding? Does Master Ming mean to ask me to consider the bigger picture?"
Before Ming Lan could respond, Yu Ci disregarded her, turning and striding towards where Red Yin and Master He were standing. This sudden move left everyone puzzled, including Ming Lan, who stood there stunned, only remembering to straighten up after a while.
By then, Yu Ci had already reached Red Yin, standing only a few feet away. On any other day, at this distance, Red Yin could have easily killed him with a casual swipe. But now, the residual Sword Energy within the female cultivator was still present, her Aura was in disarray, and Master He's palm was firmly placed on the back of her neck, completely locking her central system. Under such circumstances, even the slightest movement from Red Yin was difficult.
The two were close, separated only by a layer of hair curtain. Yu Ci could only see half of Red Yin's face. Her skin was porcelain-like, bloodless, her eyes cold and deep, seemingly threatening at first glance. However, her gaze was scattered, and her inner state might not be as strong and stubborn as her exterior suggested.
But none of that mattered now.
Yu Ci extended his hand, brushing the lower edge of the hair curtain, and reached into the opening of Red Yin's cloak at her chest.
At this moment, all eyes were on him, but Yu Ci seemed oblivious. His goal was clear. Even if his fingers touched the soft jade-like warmth, or the damp traces of blood, he ignored them all until his fingers came into contact with a piece of scorching metal. A familiar sensation spread from his fingertips to his heart.
Yu Ci gripped it and pulled it out.
Long time no see, old friend.
Holding the unevenly edged Divine Bronze Mirror in his hand, the mirror reflected a green light, instantly chilling to the bone, contrasting sharply with its temperature. Yu Ci was accustomed to this. Under the watchful eyes of those around him, he waved the mirror in front of Red Yin, whispering,
"This mirror belongs neither to the Lichen Sect nor the Rakshasa Sect. Our grudge began more than a decade ago in the Twin Immortal Sect. Back then, you were a Lone Cultivator, and I was your servant. It has nothing to do with the two sects, right?"
Having been touched in such a private manner by him in front of others, even though Yu Ci had no lustful intentions, it was a great humiliation for Red Yin. She simply stared at Yu Ci's face, her eyes filled with blood.
Facing such a gaze, Yu Ci remained calm. He put the Divine Bronze Mirror into his chest and continued, "On the night of the attack on the White Sun Mansion, you recognized me. At that time, we were allies. But when my Yin Spirit was out of control and I wanted to return to my body, you released a scent that burnt my Divine Soul, didn't you?"
Upon saying this, he didn't turn around. Suddenly, he raised his voice, "Master Ming, what kind of incense is that?"
Ming Lan remained silent for a moment, finally speaking under the gaze of the crowd, "It's the Incense of Extinguishing Life."
As soon as the words left her lips, the gaze of Xie Yan in the sky sliced across her face and Red Yin's like a blade. The events of that night were complicated and puzzling. Only upon hearing Ming Lan's words did everything start to make sense for Xie Yan.
The Incense of Extinguishing Life, a poisonous fragrance produced in the East Sea, specifically targeted the Divine Soul. Upon contact, it ignited the heart's flame and within a breath's time, could extinguish a person's Divine Soul, leaving no trace behind. Red Yin's use of this incense was undoubtedly an attempt on Yu Ci's life.
Upon receiving a definite answer, Yu Ci chuckled darkly, continuing, "I won't deny that since the night I woke up, I've been setting traps in Cliff City, luring you here, wanting to bring this grudge to light. My ultimate goal is to eliminate future threats. Otherwise, you, as a Golden Elixir cultivator, constantly seeking my life, I can't keep up..."
His voice abruptly stopped, staring directly into Red Yin's cold eyes, nodding, confirming once again, "I really can't keep up!"
As the last word left his lips, a flash of sword light.
The Pure Yang Talisman Sword suddenly lunged forward, pressing against Red Yin's chest, the blunt sword tip pushed into the hollow behind the female cultivator's chin. It didn't penetrate deep, but the upward force propped up the female cultivator's pretty face, causing her to tilt her head back in what seemed like a habitual arrogant posture. Yet, on the female cultivator's face, apart from shock, there was only confusion.
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The blunt sword tip might not be lethal, but the Mirage Mountain Sword Qi that Yu Ci had released with all his might had already broken open her skull and killed her central nervous system. As Red Yin's Golden Elixir True Fiend instinctively protected her, it flowed down from her Brain Palace. Although most of it was blocked by True Sha, a few strands of Sword Energy broke through the layers of obstruction, striking a point in Red Yin's heart meridian!
With a "bang", Red Yin's Protective True Evil finally exerted force, sending Yu Ci flying far away.
Yu Ci slid a couple of yards on the ground, feeling a stifling sensation in his chest and as if his brain had been hit by a heavy hammer. Nevertheless, he held onto the hilt of the Pure Yang Talisman Sword tightly, struggling to get up.
The wilderness was silent, but the wind carried a strong sense of absurd shock. Everyone was looking at Yu Ci with fresh eyes, trying to understand what was going on in his mind.
Yu Ci didn't care what others thought. He took a deep breath, steadied the internal injuries, and stared intently at Red Yin's face.
The violent head tilt earlier had caused Red Yin's hair to be flung back, revealing her pale face. She maintained this tilted head position, but her slender body had lost its supporting strength, forming a curve as she slowly collapsed.
On one side, Uncle He was still clutching the back of Red Yin’s neck, but at this moment, she shook her head, released her grip, and allowed Red Yin's body to fall to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.
Simultaneously, in Yu Ci's Soul Sensing, Red Yin's vitality was rapidly fading, momentarily becoming a weak flame. With a gust of wind across the wilderness, it was extinguished.
Yu Ci took a long sigh, the clear sound of his exhalation resonating in everyone's ears.
Red Yin was dead, as Yu Ci had just confirmed.
On any ordinary day, a Golden Elixir Upper Stage Cultivator like Red Yin, even if she stood still and let him kill her, he might not be able to succeed immediately. But now, Red Yin was restrained by Uncle He, her Golden Elixir circulation was impaired. While observing Old Daoist Yu Zhou's swordplay, Yu Ci had already gained a deep understanding of his Sword Aura and knew the extent of the internal injury caused by his Sword Energy, which could be used as a reference.
The real key was that Yu Ci's determination to kill had long been unwavering. While he was speaking, he was continuously gathering his strength. The skull-piercing strike seemed sudden, but in reality, he had poured all his strength into the Mirage Mountain Sword Qi, without any reservation.
After entering the body, the Mirage Mountain Sword Qi displayed its sharp and unparalleled destructive power, further stimulating the residual Sword Energy left by Yu Zhou in the female cultivator's body. The two forces combined, causing the female cultivator's heart meridians to break inch by inch, and her life force to cease instantly!
After exhaling, Yu Ci no longer looked at the fallen Red Yin, but turned to Uncle He, holding his sword in salute:
"According to Master Ming's view, Red Yin's attempt to kill me was a private matter, and thus could be forgiven; but my killing of Red Yin will cause enmity between two sects, and is seen as disregarding the bigger picture. This is the logic of the sword at the throat, and the power in the hand. If we speak of reason, there is no such reason in the world. If we speak of force, it is much simpler! What I have done is based on my own heart. As for whether it hinders the relationship between the two sects, I leave it to the Immortal Elder to judge."
His voice was clear and resounding, heard across the wilderness. But as his gaze suggested, his words were meant for Immortal He alone.
Yu Ci was best at understanding people's hearts. In the few sentences just now, he had seen that Immortal He seemed not to be on the same side as Yu Zhou, Xie Yan, Elder Jie Liang, and others. When Yu Zhou had mentioned his close friends previously, Immortal He's name was not among them.
In fact, ever since Yu Zhou and the others had appeared, he had been puzzled: before he returned to the Still Heart Temple, he indeed mentioned some matters about Red Yin in a private letter to Yu Zhou. If Yu Zhou felt it wasn't secure enough and came to meet him personally, it would be understandable. But what about Elder Jie Liang and Immortal He? What was their part in all of this?
You must understand, before the incident occurred, no one knew of the formidable "Moon Demon" lurking behind. Surely, it was not necessary for three Vacuum Walking practitioners and a Golden Elixir advanced Cultivator to join forces to eliminate a mere Red Yin, was it? Especially that Immortal He, whose behavior was peculiarly odd. While she appeared to be assisting, her actions suggested she might be a hindrance.
Yu Ci was utterly perplexed, but since he couldn't comprehend, he decided to stop pondering.
He had been suppressing his feelings for a long time. Not just today, but from the moment he saw Red Yin again at Cliff City, or even earlier, at Nanfrost Lake, a burning fire ignited within his heart. It wasn't until the night White Sun Mansion was destroyed, due to Red Yin's ruthless methods, that his emotions exploded.
Because of his lack of power, he had endured for twenty whole days. Now, he neither wanted nor needed to tolerate it any longer!
The intervention of Immortal He and Ming Lan complicated matters. His task was to sever the entangling vines before they grew rampant – as for the consequences, wouldn't he know once he cut them off?
"Excellent!"
This was Xie Yan's cheer from the sky.
Unlike Immortal He, the attitudes of the Lichen Sect's Cultivators were very clear. Birds of a feather flock together. Yu Zhou, Xie Yan, and Elder Jie Liang became inseparable friends because they were all passionate individuals who appreciated a spirited personality.
This was the logic, but Yu Ci did not consider this before he acted. Because of this, he, Yu Zhou, and the third person belonged to the same category.
"He's a straightforward man."
There was no reprimand, and certainly no praise. Immortal He's comment on Yu Ci was light and indifferent. Her lips were still pursed, and it was unclear whether she was pleased or displeased.
However, she soon turned to Ming Lan, nodding slightly at her:
"Stealing the sky and changing the day. The Rakshasa Illusion Technique is indeed a peerless Divine Power that can deceive even the God of Death and the King of Hell."
The Dharma Transmission Immortal Master of the Xuan Yin Sect had been silent for too long. Since responding to Yu Ci's question, she hadn't spoken, even when Red Yin was killed by Sword Energy. But after Immortal He's comment, she began to cough incessantly. When everyone turned to look, they saw Ming Lan the Mage covering her mouth, unable to suppress the fresh blood coughed out.
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e