Watching the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit fall, Yu Ci exhaled deeply, muttering, "This fellow..."
He attempted to step forward, but his legs gave way. He quickly braced himself against the cliff wall, yet he couldn't support the sudden, overwhelming heaviness of his body and slowly sank to the ground. Worse still, waves of an irresistible drowsiness assailed him, his eyelids fighting a losing battle, while the thick layer of earth beneath seemed to beckon him to lie back.
"Whatever you do, don't fall asleep, or you'll suffer severe damage to your Yin Spirit, even if it doesn't kill you!" Shadow Ghost loudly cautioned in his ear.
"Nonsense!"
Yu Ci almost gritted his teeth as he squeezed out the two words from his throat.
He had just used the "Inner and Outer Completion" technique, quickly resolving the fight with the God Slaying Sting, precisely because the effects of the Bewitching Fragrance had already erupted within him. With one strike, he had slain the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit. As his focus relaxed, his body began to falter, nearly losing consciousness.
Fortunately, he had the True Purple Smoke Warm Jade. Its misty purple aura, although somewhat "off-target," could still wash away the remnants of the Bewitching Fragrance, maintaining the coherence of his Spiritual Intelligence.
He forced himself to think about things, such as the short yet fierce battle that had just occurred: he and the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit had each used their most powerful techniques in a head-on clash, all offense and no defense, both sustaining solid hits. His survival hinged on his direct approach to life and death, more so than the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit. Had he hesitated even slightly, the outcome might have been quite embarrassing.
He didn't know how long he had been in this drowsy state, but eventually, the residual effects of the Bewitching Fragrance dissipated, and Yu Ci recovered from his semi-conscious state. He took a breath of air, not so fresh, and confirmed that the remnants of the Bewitching Fragrance had also evaporated. He let out a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, during this time, no one had passed by, sparing him a lot of trouble.
He walked back to the extinguished campfire, his gaze sweeping over the three corpses nearby before finally settling on the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit. The man's face still bore an expression of disbelief, his eyes and mouth slightly open, the very picture of death with eyes unshut. Yu Ci shook his head and started to search for the "Spoils of War." Soon, the bronze artifact that had sparked this deadly skirmish was in Yu Ci's hands. He weighed it, feeling its heft, and due to the lack of lighting, its surface appeared dull and lusterless.
This is the Mysterious Nimbus Guide, which Yu Ci had heard about long ago in a conversation between the Lake Sea Wanderer and Chu Yan. It seemed that this oddly shaped object was the key to unlocking the "Underworld Secret Mansion." Beyond that, he knew nothing more, and for the time being, he had no inclination to learn.
Today's conflict was entirely accidental. Had the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit not discovered him, Yu Ci would have likely done nothing more than watch from a distance.
The Underworld Secret Mansion? That truly wasn't part of his plans.
In recent years, an Underworld Secret Mansion had thrown half of the Cultivation World into chaos, resulting in the deaths of countless cultivators, with no end to the turmoil in sight. Recalling the encounter with Boss Fifth He at the Dustless Market, and now witnessing the fate of the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit, Yu Ci had no interest in repeating such an episode.
Of course, to say he was completely uninterested in the "Underworld Secret Mansion" would be a lie. However, at this stage, he genuinely lacked a clear understanding of the so-called Fairyland Grotto-Heaven: Could it help him solve the riddle of the Constellations Life-Defining Golden Talisman? Could it help him eradicate the damage from the Marrow-Burning Curse?
Perhaps it could, but it was too illusory. Yu Ci knew better than to indulge in unrestrained fantasies about the unknown, especially when a clear path lay before him. To choose another path, one entirely unfamiliar out of greed, would be the height of folly!
The trouble now was how to extricate himself from the situation.
That aged Spiritual Witch, Yu Ci was extremely wary of her; she was a type he could not yet comprehend.
After some thought, he waved his hand, releasing a cloud of mist that descended upon the corpse of the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit. In the blink of an eye, the body vanished without a trace.
The majority of the architecture in Yin Cave City was built according to the terrain, with a distinct underground character. The structures, predominantly rock caves and earthen stones, were relatively rugged. In contrast, the Red Tooth Store, located in the backstreet of South Sea Street, was renowned for its pure wooden buildings and exquisite elegance. Although not expansive in size, it held a significant place in the hearts of the city's cultivators.
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The Red Tooth Store functioned as a somewhat informal middleman agency, with only one dedicated middleman on staff—Little Wan . Despite his hard work, it was impossible for one person to maintain such a courtyard facade in the expensive vicinity of South Sea Street.
Yet, the Red Tooth Store thrived, bustling with activity day in and day out. People flocked there for two main reasons: to conduct business or to gaze upon beauties.
Speaking of business, the Red Tooth Store provided various temporary and fixed-time gathering spaces. Here, a couple of rounds of cards might lead to a lucrative opportunity; the store also took on commissions, providing a marketplace for goods that were otherwise difficult to sell, facilitating exchanges between parties.
As for the beauties, they were an indispensable spice to the gatherings and transactions, offering a more pleasurable experience than the stern-faced dealings.
"Little Wan , Little Wan !"
The coquettish and flirtatious Bao Yun occasionally showed a feigned annoyance that kindled a fire in the hearts of many cultivators. Yet, these usually unruly individuals dared not act out. Perhaps it was because Bao Yun was adept at socializing with her wide connections and a special status that made her approachable to the influential figures of Yin Cave City. To act recklessly was possible, but there were many who yearned for such a stepping stone to get closer to the beauty.
"Sister Bao , what's the matter?"
Little Wan dashed over, only to be scolded by Bao Yun : "Look at the fine mess you've made, bringing that fellow here was one thing, but to give him a prime spot, no less! The card game I arranged yesterday was completely ruined. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Why didn't you talk to him about it?
This was something Little Wan dared not voice out loud, so he could only lament, "I'm at his mercy, with him holding something over me. I can barely stand straight when I speak to him, what can I do? Besides, that gentleman was here on serious business, and things will soon be settled on Sister Lu's end..."
As the conversation unfolded, new information arrived: "The Dark Gold Silkworm Silk has just been drawn... Doesn't that free up some space?"
With that, he ceased his entanglement with Bao Yun and dashed off in a flash.
Guided by Wan Quan, Yu Ci arrived at the Artifact Workshop located directly below the Red Tooth Store, where he once again encountered the Sister Lu spoken of so highly by Wan Quan.
This renowned Artifact Refinement master of Yin Cave City was quite the departure from Yu Ci's expectations. He had imagined someone involved in Artifact Refinement to be like Uncle Lu De—rough with a touch of delicacy, and being the person in charge of the Red Tooth Store, presumably more smooth and tactful.
However, "Sister Lu" was slender and her demeanor cool, lacking the Red Tooth Store's usual flair for grace and sociability. Yet upon closer inspection, there seemed to be another flavor to her; especially those bright eyes, slightly upturned, both long and enchanting. If they were softened just a touch, they might captivate souls.
This woman wore no makeup, starkly different from the other lavishly adorned women around. When they first met upstairs, she was dressed in a simple blue-and-white printed ruqun, refreshing in its simplicity. Now, she had changed into a coarse cloth dress for ease of work. This image reminded Yu Ci of the female cultivators from the Lichen Sect's Mountain Gate, those dedicated to the pursuit of immortality, and he found it somewhat endearing.
He inquired with Wan Quan and learned that "Sister Lu" was actually named Lu Qing, a remarkably ordinary name that was ambiguous in gender and quite understated compared to her beauty.
Any extraneous thoughts were fleeting, as Yu Ci's gaze settled on the desk where the process of drawing and unraveling the silk had concluded. Lined up were three bundles of Dark Gold Silkworm Silk, the very product of the Dark Golden Silkworm Cocoons he had purchased.
The Dark Golden Silkworm Cocoon was a marvel in this realm, its value not only in its existence but in the Dark Gold Silk it produced, which was exceptionally tough and highly conductive. Through special methods of cultivation and feeding, the silkworms had reached the critical stage of spinning their cocoons. These past days, they had finally begun to form cocoons, and it was necessary to process them promptly to prevent the mature insects from breaking out and transforming into moths.
Yu Ci had only just arrived at the Red Tooth Store, seeking the assistance of Lu Qing, the city's widely acknowledged master of artifact refinement.
"Market Master Lu, will this Dark Gold Silkworm Silk suffice?" he inquired.
Lu Qing nodded, but picked up the flag design Yu Ci had drawn: "If that's all, there should be no problem. But these rune patterns, they seem to be incomplete?"
Yu Ci nodded in confirmation, "Indeed, there is more, but it's unrelated to this banner."
The intricate rune patterns on the flag's design were merely a part of the overall talisman structure of the Gang Geomancy Seven Stars Altar. This was one of the altar's exquisite features: although it was comprised of seemingly independent magical instruments like the sacrificial tablet, command token, dharma seal, and banners, they actually converged into a single entity. When consecrated and utilized later, they could be treated as one complete magical instrument, negating the need to be distracted by multiple elements.
Such a structure was certainly ingenious, but it came with its own set of challenges, particularly in the crafting and refinement process. The main functionality aside, the real difficulty lay in the connections between the various structural components. For Lu Qing, lacking an overarching perspective, it was challenging to grasp the true intentions of the rune patterns. A slight misstep could lead to a grave error, and this was no laughing matter.
If Yu Ci were to take on the task himself, such troubles would be non-existent. In fact, had it been any other part, he might have boldly tackled it himself, but this needlework was a task that made his head spin just thinking about it. Left with no choice, he had to entrust the work to another. Now, it seemed, he would have to exert some effort.
He sighed and sat down in front of Lu Qing, "Let's discuss wherever there's a problem in detail."
At that moment, a considerable commotion came from the neighboring room.
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e