"Apologies, I miscalculated."
Yu Ci, nearly half-supporting Gan Shi Zhen's body, dashed upward along the cliff edge.
The female cultivator let out a soft 'mm', concise to the point of ambiguity, leaving one unsure if it was an acknowledgment or a moan.
No one had anticipated the power of the Ghost Beasts. Yu Ci had, but he made the mistake of judging others by his own measure. He had forgotten that unlike him, Gan Shi Zhen was not capable of withstanding the onslaught of the 'Illusion Power of Rakshasa'. Consequently, the female cultivator fell into the trap the moment the roar of the Ghost Beasts pierced her ears. Even if her spiritual intelligence remained intact, the impact on her Divine Soul was not something that could be dissipated in a short while.
Yet her condition was somewhat better than others. The Demons with embedded forehead crystals were letting out shrill screams. Although incomprehensible, Yu Ci could interpret them as the most malicious curses.
Before the sound of the curse even faded, the Ghost Beasts clashed head-on with the Demons. Perhaps the numbness caused by the Five-Thunder Talismans had not yet worn off, the Demons' way of neutralizing force was rather clumsy. Taking this hit, they were driven straight into the cliff. Even from dozens of feet away, Yu Ci could feel the ground shaking below, and not just once.
The Ghost Beasts had charged in.
From the moment they had lured the Ghost Beasts here, it had taken merely a dozen breaths of time for the powerful alliance of three Golden Elixir Stage demons to fall apart. This unexpected turn of events was not only clean-cut but also surprising. At this point, the Ghost Beasts faintly displayed the might they had when they had once fought against hundreds of Demons. It seemed that absorbing the 'Illusion Power of Rakshasa' had indeed been beneficial—at least physically.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, the screams of the Demons below had already weakened.
"Even after the tiger has devoured the wolf, the tiger's might remains."
This was one of the worst possibilities Yu Ci had envisioned. He touched the Palace Tassel tied around his waist. He had been trying to control this treasure for the past few days. In fact, ever since the Hook Rope had transformed into a ribbon, it had not been as lifeless as before. When he used the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Refining Method, it responded, but the progress was not satisfactory.
Yu Ci understood that without the 'Illusion Power of Rakshasa', the refining process was twice as hard with half the results. He didn't know how much time it would take to erase the previous owner's influence on this treasure. If the Ghost Beasts were to pursue him again, could he still use this treasure to scare them off?
Stepping onto the cliff top in one stride, Yu Ci didn't pause, he identified a direction and sprinted, the thunderous roar pausing briefly before booming in his ears again.
"Birdie, come!"
Yu Ci issued a strong command. The large bird startled into flight in the sky hesitated for a moment but ultimately obeyed, folding its wings and descending.
Though he was half-supporting a person, the female cultivator's body was as soft as boneless, feeling almost weightless in his grasp. Yu Ci gathered his strength in small steps, simultaneously casting a Godspeed Talisman on himself. In an instant, he had traversed the entire cliff top. With a yawning abyss ahead, he didn't hesitate and leaped off the cliff.
With the aid of the Talisman, Yu Ci glided at least fifty meters in the void before showing any signs of descent. At this point, the opposite mountain peak was still thirty meters away.
Just then, a large bird swooped in. Yu Ci stepped onto its back, lightened his body, and proceeded against the wind. In a blink, the thirty meters were traversed.
The bird, unaccustomed to bearing a rider, and Yu Ci, doubting its ability to outrun the lightning-fast Ghost Beasts, immediately jumped down onto this side of the mountain peak and sprinted forward. Looking back midway, the massive body of the Ghost Beasts had already ascended the opposite cliff, its greenish-white fiery glow faintly visible in the mist, appearing somewhat stunned.
Yu Ci hoped the Ghost Beasts would be more interested in the fat-laden Demons on the other side. Unfortunately, the Ghost Beasts ultimately chose the one who had just struck it with a five-thunder strike. Its roar stirred the clouds and fog, rolling towards him.
At this point, Yu Ci had already sprinted along the ridge to the next nerve-wracking spot. Like before, he leaped out, and the bird flew to the spot he had anticipated to meet him.
Yu Ci's body was in mid-air, just about to step onto the bird's back, when the roar of the Ghost Beasts came unexpectedly.
The roar had no effect on Yu Ci, but the bird couldn't bear it. In its frightened squawk, it flapped its wings chaotically, leaving Yu Ci hanging!
"You jerk... you're such a jerk!"
Yu Ci had made up his mind to name the bird "Jerk", but that was useless as he was plummeting down. The residual Divine Light of the Godspeed Talisman had not dissipated yet, and to add more would only cause the power of the talisman to become chaotic. He could only try to activate the Foggy Sword Divine, preparing to glide for the second time and crash into the mountainside below.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
Just then, he suddenly felt lighter.
"Go quickly!"
The female cultivator's voice was as thin as a thread, weak but clear. Yu Ci then flew across the void like riding a cloud, landing on the opposite cliff. The female cultivator, who had been hanging on his arm, was suspended above the abyss, her skirt fluttering, her cloak enveloping her body like a light gauze, making her appear even more delicate.
The Ghost Beasts roared on the opposite side, its massive body as majestic as a mountain.
Separated by more than a hundred meters, the mountain where Yu Ci was standing also slightly trembled. The female cultivator facing the Ghost Beasts must have endured a tremendous impact. However, at this moment, her slender body, which seemed to be swept away by the wind, still stood firm in the void, showing no abnormality.
Yu Ci was stunned for a moment, then realized that against a Divine Soul attack like the Illusion technique, a cultivator with a deep Cultivation Level and a firm will could indeed temporarily strengthen their own Divine Soul barrier to resist it. However, this was just a temporary solution. The key to resisting the Illusion technique lay in possessing a Soul Level far superior to the opponent's.
Evidently, the female cultivator had not yet reached this level.
Ghost Beasts howled towards her, and Gan Shi Zhen, the female cultivator, exhaled gently, her mind crystal clear. She raised her short sword evenly, adopting a stance of drawing the sword but not striking.
This was the starting move of the Four Clarity Sect's "Sword of Holding the Middle Way". It drew from the idea of "A gentleman draws but does not strike... stands in the middle way, the capable follow him", interpreting the principles of the sword. It differentiated between clarity and turbidity, establishing a standard, guiding those who followed the path, and repelling those who did not.
The vibration of the sword energy spread through the mist, and wherever it reached, the female cultivator herself became an immutable standard, controlling the void Primordial Qi, making it harmonize with her own being. The Ghost Beasts, full of murderous intent, were incompatible with this void and instantly triggered a powerful backlash.
The void twisted suddenly, and at this moment, the Ghost Beasts were not attacking the female cultivator herself, but the heaven and earth connected to her. The Ghost Beasts did indeed crash in, but their astonishing speed dropped dramatically as if the cloudy and misty void had turned into a quagmire, trapping their limbs.
The female cultivator's delicate and beautiful face was devoid of color, yet her eyes were clear and bright, her gaze filled with the chilling sword energy, piercing through a thousand feet of void, chilling to the bone.
The battle in the void was far from over, and the intense vibrations could be felt dozens of miles away. Living beings with keen senses could glean a wealth of information from it.
Da Guo twitched, the dozens of bones in his body that had been crushed by the Ghost Beasts groaned in unison. However, this didn't impede his keen senses: "Finally, the fight has begun!"
As the temporary leader of the demons, Da Guo's cultivation level and experience were extraordinary, but his most remarkable skill was his patience and endurance. As soon as he collided with the Ghost Beasts, he knew there was no chance of victory. He steeled himself, held his breath, played dead, and allowed the Ghost Beasts to trample and bite him. Despite his severe injuries, he didn't move, earning himself a slim chance of survival.
Now that the Ghost Beasts had met a formidable opponent and were unlikely to defeat her quickly, this was his best chance to escape.
Having gathered his vital essence, he was about to move when his heart sank.
The faint sound of footsteps drew closer, each step resonating in his heart. The jewel on his forehead flickered faintly, casting the approaching figure's shadow. The figure's plump body, filled with fat, contrasted sharply with the light footsteps.
"Huff, huff, Da Guo, you look terrible!" The sudden voice was as shrill and unpleasant as a pig being slaughtered.
"Ba Shi, you..." Da Guo began, his voice sharp, but before he could finish, a large foot stomped down heavily, caving in his chest. After the blow, blood spurted from all the orifices on Da Guo's face. However, his vitality was extremely strong, and he didn't die immediately. Instead, he gurgled in his throat, unable to speak.
"Da Guo, you understand, the Ghost Beasts now are the most precious. After the grand ceremony, its former master completely severed ties with it. Now, its 'Illusion Power of Rakshasa' belongs to no one. If we can get it, it would be ten times better than the 'Illusion Power of Rakshasa' seeds we've collected... But once we have it, why should we return it?"
The corpulent demon, Chifei, cackled loudly, "Once I devour the flesh and blood of the Ghost Beasts, digesting their masterless 'Illusion Power of Rakshasa', I can fully comprehend the ultimate path of gods and demons. Given time, I will become another Demon King of the Blood Purgatory Ghost Mansion!"
"You fool!"
Blood and curses spewed from Da Guo's throat, "Your brain must have been fried by the Illusion Power of Rakshasa. You can't possibly defeat the Ghost Beasts, you...ugh!"
A small image was reflected in the crystal on his forehead. Chifei Demons twiddled it with his thick fingers, swaying slightly,
"Look, the Heart-Tugging Horn! The greatest deed done by Lord Di Luo. He knocked this thing off the head of the Ghost Beasts, and now it's in my hands. With this, the Illusionary Power wielded by the Ghost Beasts is a joke!"
With that, Ba Shi prepared to put the Heart-Tugging Horn into his mouth but paused,
"Right, I almost forgot. There is a gap in strength between me and the Ghost Beasts. Although the beast might be severely injured after the battle with that woman, just to be safe, Da Guo, you must help me... Come, soon, you, me, the Ghost Beasts, and of course, the Illusion Power of Rakshasa, will all merge into one. You can witness the birth of a new Demon King. I'm giving you this opportunity!"
In the piercing laughter, Da Guo's body trembled violently. He wanted to struggle and flee, but all was in vain. On Ba Shi's face reflected in the crystal on his forehead, the black hole grew larger and larger until darkness swallowed everything, including the desperate screams.
Master Gan, seemingly frail, was truly capable of contending with the Ghost Beasts!
Yu Ci felt that all the surprises of the day combined could not surpass the sense of absurdity he felt at this moment.
The female cultivator and the Ghost Beasts moved at high speed, the void between the two mountains becoming their battlefield. The flickering shadows and the spreading Sword Energy rendered the thousand-foot cloud mist completely clear when Yu Ci came back to his senses.
Without the clouds to reflect them, the trajectory of the Sword Energy and the impact of the Qi became even more elusive. But setting these appearances aside, it was easier to see the essence within.
A ripple of azure void appeared in Yu Ci's mind. When this opportunity emerged, his aura underwent a slight change, ultimately affecting his eyes.
The world in front of him changed in an instant.
...