"What material is this bluestone made of? It holds such high heat, yet shows no trace on the surface?"
Yu Ci used his Pure Yang Talisman Sword to strike it, but no matter how he looked at it, the stone didn't seem capable of retaining heat. He circled around the bluestone a few times, and with a thought, his talisman sword suddenly plunged into the intersection of the ground and the bluestone, where there was a tiny crack.
As soon as he drew his sword, Yu Ci's vital essence naturally poured into the blade, as if his hand-eye coordination extended outwards, giving him a clear understanding of the conditions at the tip of the sword. He let out a soft shout, subtly channeling his strength, and with exquisite force, the half-man-high, several hundred pounds heavy bluestone was lifted into the air, revealing a dark hole underneath of unknown depth. It turned out that this stone and the rock layer underneath were not one piece, but had been moved here by someone unknown.
Were there signs of human activity here?
As he moved the bluestone aside, a warm current of air rushed out, dispersing the surrounding mist. Yu Ci, standing nearby, didn't feel the temperature to be particularly high.
The bluestone landed with a thud, making a loud noise. Just as Yu Ci was about to peer into the hole, his heart suddenly jolted, not because of the bluestone, but due to another sound that rang out simultaneously.
He turned around like a whirlwind, his gaze piercing through the fog of the pit. A massive shadow had just slid down from another cliff wall and was slowly moving closer.
At this time, the Sky Rift Valley had already fallen into night, and the light in the pit was dim. Yet around that massive shadow, sparks flickered, and what was brighter than the sparks were a pair of blood-red beast eyes. The brutal and ruthless glow, combined with the beast's face under the flickering firelight, displayed the purest ferocity and savagery.
Without a doubt, this was a Ghost Beast!
What a small world... or perhaps, this place was its lair?
The image of the bluestone blocking the hole flashed through Yu Ci's mind, and he immediately dismissed all distractions, gripping his Pure Yang Talisman Sword tightly. He activated the power of the talisman sword, and a dazzling ring of fire ignited with a "boom", expanding and contracting with the rise and fall of his Primordial Qi, illuminating the pit as bright as day.
The light was dazzling, and the Ghost Beast's blood-red eyes squinted slightly. Its stride grew larger, stepping on the crumbling ground, but only making a very low rustling sound.
Man and beast rapidly closed in on each other.
To be honest, this was Yu Ci's first time confronting a Ghost Beast head-on since their last encounter. The feeling... wasn't great!
In fact, Yu Ci had only encountered a Ghost Beast once before. That was when he and Ye Tu ran into one. At that time, they were like bugs in the eyes of the Ghost Beast, which initially disregarded Yu Ci completely, like a bull swatting at flies. However, it was enraged when Yu Ci used his Nine Yang Talisman Sword to cut off one of its Heart-Tugging Horns. Yu Ci was blown away on the spot, not even having the chance to face it directly.
Half a year later, Yu Ci stood before the Ghost Beast again. He might still be no match for it, but this time was different!
He slowly raised his sword, showing clear hostility. The Ghost Beast was provoked by this, its huge mouth wide open, letting out a roar like thunder. The howling wind it roared out rolled over, crushing everything in its path.
Facing the immense pressure, Yu Ci's external Flawless Sword Circle expanded, humming and revolving, forming a perfect sphere, embodying the profound principle of the immovable river stone that diverts force. Despite the powerful howling gusts of the Ghost Beasts, Yu Ci was only pushed back a few feet, stopping right by the cave entrance.
It may have seemed effortless, but in reality, Yu Ci was far from comfortable. Resisting the Ghost Beasts' howling wind pressure, even with his exquisite ability to divert force, felt like being hit by a thousand-pound hammer. His chest tightened, and for a moment, he couldn't catch his breath, just as the massive body of the Ghost Beasts lunged at him.
The hundred-foot distance was merely a two-step sprint for the Ghost Beasts. Its colossal body made surprisingly little noise as it charged through the air, its powerful pressure waiting to explode only upon contact with its target. Aside from its illusion technique, the Ghost Beasts didn't possess any curse techniques, but it excelled in close combat. This method had been ingrained into its blood, always ready to be utilized to its greatest advantage.
If this collision was successful, Yu Ci would be reduced to a pile of flesh on the spot.
The fog churned as the massive body of the Ghost Beasts charged past. The muffled roar was heavy enough to sink one's heart, yet no collision occurred.
The Ghost Beasts passed the cave and only stopped after charging another seventy to eighty feet. It turned its head, somewhat bewildered.
Where did its target go?
Yu Ci was falling down the cave. He had jumped intentionally, knowing that the cave's entrance could only accommodate one person, and certainly not the Ghost Beasts with its massive body.
Below the cave was a straight vertical tunnel, its walls as smooth as glazed glass. While confronting the Ghost Beasts, Yu Ci had sent a Divine consciousness starlight down the tunnel. Without a host body, the starlight's senses were vague, but it had detected that the tunnel was approximately one hundred and twenty feet deep and led to a space filled with restless Primordial Qi, with no imminent danger detected.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Yu Ci didn't intend to slide all the way down; he only wanted to use the tunnel to quickly increase the distance between him and the Ghost Beasts. He lightly pushed off the walls to control his descent while keeping an eye on the Ghost Beasts, ready to employ the "Light Extinguishing Escape Method" and vanish into the surrounding rock layers at any moment. Earth Escape was risky, but at this point, he had no other choice.
The roar of the Ghost Beasts echoed from above, sounding like muffled thunder after being funneled through the tunnel, but Yu Ci could withstand it.
After descending another few dozen feet and feeling it was about time to use his Escape Technique, a wave of heat surged from behind him.
The temperature didn't seem too high, but a swooshing sound by his ear made Yu Ci feel as if his eardrums were swelling. A force, like a sudden high tide in the dead of night, surged up, threatening to engulf him.
Yu Ci didn't even have time to gauge the strength of the force when a sudden shock hit his mind. It felt as if someone had choked him and sucked all the air out of his lungs. The feeling of suffocation surged up, and his mind went blank. His thoughts came to a halt. Simultaneously, his body seemed to lock up in an instant, his internal organs, meridians, and Qi channels all froze. His body stiffened like a stone, dropping straight down the tunnel, falling a hundred feet in the blink of an eye.
At this speed, once he hits the ground, he will inevitably be smashed into a pulp.
Death is near!
This is not a clear consciousness, but the instinct of a living being sensing death. It is like a red-hot iron needle, issuing the final warning to Yu Ci!
At the deepest level of Yu Ci's consciousness, in the midst of deathly silence, a sudden wave arises.
Under the strong prohibition, instinct may not necessarily awaken consciousness, but instinct can certainly stir instinct!
In the boundless darkness, sound waves spread. At first, they are as fine as silk, appearing and disappearing intermittently, but later on, they seem magnificent and profound, making one feel as if a myriad of clouds have gathered, stirring up thunderous sounds.
As the thunderous sound rolls over, Yu Ci's silent consciousness trembles slightly, and a vague thought suddenly breaks through the strong prohibition, following the direction of the thunder, leaping high into the air.
In his daze, Yu Ci feels as though he is winding through the boundless void, controlling the clouds, wielding the thunder, swallowing the Yin and Yang energies of the heavens and the earth, without a beginning or an end, free and at ease. But for some reason, there is an invisible pressure constantly pressing on him, trying to destroy his leisurely ease.
He is infuriated. Therefore, in his passionate emotion, he raises his head and tail, and lets out a long howl.
Dragon's Roar!
An invisible prohibition shatters with a bang.
At this moment, the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form that Yu Ci has absorbed finally shows its powerful instinct. The pride and domineering nature of the ancient heavenly dragon, while may not necessarily suppress the opponent in terms of level, will never allow itself to be suppressed. Therefore, the deep instinct awakens, breaking through the boundless Black Tide in the void.
The Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form has become one with Yu Ci, its instinct is equal to Yu Ci's instinct, causing an impact like a series of exploding firecrackers, setting off wave after wave of shock in the deepest part of Yu Ci's consciousness. In the shock, the fire of spiritual wisdom, which was almost extinguished by the higher-level power, suddenly ignites.
Yu Ci suddenly wakes up.
At this moment, his thoughts ride the dragon into the sky!
Although he lost consciousness for a considerable period, his active instinct still gives him enough information. As soon as Yu Ci wakes up, he knows the situation is critical. His body is only ten feet from the ground, and the speed at which he is falling from a hundred feet in the sky has not slowed down at all. He immediately lets out a sharp yell.
Sword Energy spreads, just as Yu Ci's body bursts out of the long tunnel, falling into a vast space.
Half Mountain Mirage is activated, Yu Ci's body turns into mist, perhaps slightly sluggish, but in the nick of time, the pure downward force is shifted to the side.
With a loud bang, Yu Ci's body hits the ground, then is thrown to the side. The fine Sword Energy shreds the rocky ground, plowing a deep furrow. Most of the huge downward force is transferred here, and although Yu Ci is hit hard enough to turn his insides, he is ultimately not in mortal danger.
Yu Ci was gasping for breath on the ground, feeling a discomfort pressing down on his chest. He assumed it was due to his injuries and paid it no mind, but when he tried to rise, his heart gave a jolt.
He couldn't move!
His consciousness had broken free from its shackles, yet within this vast expanse, a tide-like, vast, and heavy force was surging, firmly sealing his body. Including his muscles, bones, tendons, internal organs, Qi and Blood meridians, his heart was almost at a standstill. It was only because of the will that tamed the dragon and soared into the sky, which triggered the Half-Mountain Mirage Sword Intent, breaking through the solid ice, that he managed to keep a thread of life.
The situation had become very strange. Yu Ci's consciousness was incredibly active, brimming with vitality, but his body was rigid on the ground, not even a little finger could move.
Not only that, the heavy power from the outside was constantly crushing him. In the void, there was a powerful vortex, almost distorting space, sweeping that unique ripple over Yu Ci's body.
Yu Ci felt his physical body bearing tremendous pressure, and his clothing, much more fragile than his body, had begun to disintegrate. Not just the clothing, all the items on his body were under the intense pressure. The Divine Bronze Mirror and the True Purple Smoke Warm Jade were exceptional items and could hold up, but his Storage Ring on his finger couldn't bear it.
With a slight "crack," the Storage Ring showed fine cracks. Yu Ci's heart jolted, and before he could even send out a thought, the ring shattered with a bang.
Countless items were ejected from the void, exploding into dust in mid-air before they even landed. The many Pills, medicinal materials, and Magical Instruments he had collected over several months since he got the ring were all reduced to ashes in an instant.
Yu Ci watched helplessly as the jade medicinal hoe gifted by Ye Tu, a tool of great sentimental value, distorted and exploded in the void, scattering in all directions.
However, some items, due to their unique materials, remained intact.
The Tao Scripture Master Three Treasure Seal, which had undergone four layers of refining over several months, was now radiating a faint glow under the heavy pressure, landing at his feet.
A red veil, confiscated from Nan Songzi, though its name was unknown, was the Magical Instrument where Golden Elixir cultivators stored their Yin Demons. It gently drifted down, its red glow undiminished.
The Double-headed Hook Rope, obtained from the Ghost Beasts' nest, was now ringing on its own, its grey-green body twisting like a live snake, eerily bizarre.
Some trinkets collected by Yu Ci also survived under the heavy pressure, but they exploded out of sight and could not be seen for a while.
Great waves wash the sand, leaving only the finest behind.
...