Yu Ci remained entranced within the Inner Void of the Heart, his being transformed into a Fish-Dragon, meandering in the boundless night sky. Beside him, the rolling Cloud Sea reflected in, and in the distance, a bright place that seemed out of sync with the grand backdrop.

Information from afar was selected, filtered, and continuously transmitted. The images and sounds were synchronized, so real that it felt as if he was in the midst of it all, indicating the progress he had made in mastering the technique of Divine Consciousness Starlight.

On the hillside over there, the robust Lake Sea Wanderer stomped his feet, a picture of restlessness. He paid no heed to the rocky ground that he had messed up, turning to leave. By his side, a female cultivator, clad in fiery red, her face like a peach blossom, alluring and captivating. This was Yan Chu. The Golden Elixir cultivator, Fu Long, was nowhere to be seen.

The Lake Sea Wanderer seemed to be searching for something, but to no avail. His face was sullen, and no matter how the female cultivator tried to soothe him, it was to no avail. He finally reached out and released a bird.

Upon closer inspection, the bird was not a living creature, but a finely crafted wooden bird. With its wings spread and head held high, it looked vividly lifelike. The wooden bird was about eight feet long, with wings spanning twelve feet. It was unknown what type of wood it was made from, but it was sturdy and woven in a method similar to lock wedge weaving. The surface was engraved with Rune Patterns, the strokes extremely delicate.

The Lake Sea Wanderer and Yan Chu sat on the back of the wooden bird. A whirlwind rose beneath them, lifting them into the air. They flew into the clouds, heading north at a not-so-slow speed.

Other than the Ghost Yarn Cloud, this was the first time Yu Ci had seen such a device that could generate its own power and carry people in flight. He couldn't help but take a second look, but he had no intentions of following. At this time, the perception from Shan Gu indicated a faint "kin" aura in the vicinity.

The Lake Sea Wanderer might have some secrets that many people were "concerned" about, but whatever it was, it paled in comparison to the Fish-Dragon related to the life of Old Daoist Yu Zhou.

With a thought, the two Fish-Dragons from the inner and outer void descended in unison, circling around the mountain and heading towards the direction confirmed by the perception.

Soon, Yu Ci was disappointed. Shan Gu's perception was not wrong, but it was too sensitive. It detected not only the Fish-Dragon but also the Shrimp Whisker Grass and Fish Dragon Grass. The frequent false alarms in the past few days had led to more than ten instances of false joy for Yu Ci.

Yu Ci gradually understood that what Shan Gu was sensing was not its kin, but the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form contained within its kin. To Shan Gu, this was a great supplement. Therefore, each time a similar location was discovered, once Shan Gu passed through, the place would be left barren, showing its dominance.

For the subsequent seven or eight hours, Yu Ci was ceaselessly wandering among several peaks spanning hundreds of miles within the Cloud Sea.

Shrimp Whisker Grass and Fish Dragon Grass, both of the same lineage, require large trees for growth and mountains for support. Correspondingly, the living habits of the Fish-Dragon also rely on the mountain cliffs. Therefore, Yu Ci had to search for similar locations within the Cloud Sea. Thankfully, before his arrival, he had prepared a map of the Sky Rift Valley, sketched by a senior member of the Lichen Sect. Even though it wasn't detailed, it prevented him from aimlessly crashing around like a headless fly.

In this way, Yu Ci traversed over a dozen peaks. Relying on Shan Gu’s senses, he found quite a few Shrimp Whisker Grass and Fish Dragon Grass, but the most crucial Fish-Dragon remained elusive. By this time, the sky had darkened, and Shan Gu was silently moving through the mist. Eventually, they stopped in a relatively secluded place.

Yu Ci found a spot shielded from the wind, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate.

Yu Ci's cultivation had gradually formed a regular pattern. If time permitted, he would devote two to three hours each day to study Talismans, spend about four hours refining Magical Instruments, and use the remaining time to delve into the "Primordial Root Qi Method," perfecting his Inner Void of the Heart. In between, he would practice the Great Dream Yin-Yang Method to enhance his sensitivity to the external Primordial Qi.

If time was insufficient, he would forego studying Talismans and refining, focusing solely on the Inner Void of the Heart and the Great Dream Yin-Yang Method.

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The Method of Returning to Void and Combining and the Great Dream Yin-Yang Method that Yu Ci had previously studied were of the same lineage, yet they had distinct differences. The former was a method of dispelling foreign Qi, emphasizing practicality; the latter was a technique for advancing cultivation, requiring understanding and sensitivity. However, unlike the "Primordial Root Qi Method," which was abstract, the progress of the Great Dream Yin-Yang Method was evident each day, regardless of the degree of advancement. This was a clear and straightforward approach, embodying the typical style of the Empirical Department.

Precisely because of this clarity, Yu Ci had recently felt a bit troubled. He found that without He Qing's guidance, the progress of cultivating the Great Dream Yin-Yang Method had noticeably declined. Moreover, the intense pleasure derived from cultivation had also become blurred and thin, as if separated by a thick cloth, always just out of reach, leaving him itching for more.

Day after day, this continued. Yu Ci was growing restless. He had never considered himself to be someone who rode on other people's coattails. He could accept a slower progress without He Qing's guidance, but the significant decrease was a blow to his pride.

Had he been practicing incorrectly?

Yu Ci tried to meditate several times, but it felt increasingly difficult. He opened his eyes and pondered deeply.

He was also worried about the "Heart Demon". The elders and Gan Shi Zhen had mentioned it recently, and he had felt some signs of it. This was something to guard against. But if he were truly possessed by a Heart Demon, why was the True Purple Smoke Warm Jade showing no reaction?

While he was thinking, he felt a sensation in his heart. It was the Divine consciousness starlight, attached to Lake Sea Wanderer's Divine Soul, entering his fifty-mile range of perception. Yu Ci furrowed his brows and focused his attention on it. He found it strange - why were these two people coming and going incessantly?

It seemed he was not the only one with such thoughts.

"Haven't we been here earlier?" The voice belonged to the woman in the red robe, Chu Yan.

"I feel we didn't examine it thoroughly last time. Let's take another look while we still remember," Lake Sea Wanderer replied calmly, but his mustache twitched, revealing his unstable emotions.

After another futile search lasting more than half an hour, the female cultivator's disappointment was evident on her face, "It's not here. Can you think of any other places your senior brother might have passed during his escape?"

"How should I know!"

Lake Sea Wanderer suddenly roared, his forehead veins throbbing, his emotions on the brink of explosion.

The female cultivator quickly tried to console him, "You can't rush these things. Take your time to think..."

Lake Sea Wanderer glared at her, his anger flaring, "We finally managed to get away from that scheming Fu Long. Shouldn't we hurry before he comes to snatch it away?"

Yu Ci couldn't help but laugh silently on the side. Lake Sea Wanderer was not stupid, but he seemed unaware that the "scheming person" should also include the people by his side to be accurate.

Recalling the past scene, when Lake Sea Wanderer was unconscious, Yan Chu, with her face covered, snatched the person from him and You Gongquan. With God Slaying Sting in her hand, she was invincible. Then she naturally commanded Fu Long, who was at the Golden Elixir cultivation level. What a grand style! But now, Lake Sea Wanderer was awake, and the female cultivator was acting like a delicate bird, seducing with her beauty. The term "scheming" couldn't be more fitting.

Lake Sea Wanderer, however, seemed oblivious to the situation. He was pacing back and forth within a few feet, muttering under his breath, his agitation seemingly reaching a boiling point.

Yu Ci's eyebrows twitched at the sight.

Upon witnessing Lake Sea Wanderer's state, a red-clad female cultivator moved closer, intending to soothe him. Suddenly, he reached out, grabbing the female cultivator's creamy, smooth wrist and yanking her into his arms. Without a second thought, he opened his mouth wide and began to gnaw at her fair face, his hands wandering up and down her body while he growled like a wild beast.

Lake Sea Wanderer was venting his frustrations, his actions lacking in gentleness. The female cultivator let out a small cry and struggled briefly, but soon she was writhing like a live snake in his arms, her breath coming out in soft pants, her clothes disheveled.

Yu Ci's brow furrowed even more, realizing he was probably going to witness this entire erotic display from beginning to end.

Indeed, the two of them were quite the spectacle, only ceasing their activities after a good half an hour. The female cultivator lay naked in Lake Sea Wanderer's arms, still responding to his caresses. She let out a few soft moans before panting out:

"Hey, are you sure your senior brother didn't lie to you?"

Lake Sea Wanderer closed his eyes, chuckling darkly. "A dying man's words are good. My senior brother was at his last breath when he gave me this information, how could he have lied to me?"

With that, he gathered his energy and sat up, declaring proudly, "Rest assured, if I could follow the clues to find this place, I won't return empty-handed. I will definitely find the Mysterious Nimbus Guide. Then, you and I can unlock the secret vault, ascend together, and attain immortality. Wouldn't that be delightful?"

Upon hearing his words, the female cultivator was overjoyed, showering him with kisses, the atmosphere heating up once more.

Yu Ci, observing from a distance, narrowed his eyes, his interest piqued.

Once Lake Sea Wanderer was satisfied again, the female cultivator was half-real, half-pretend, limp as mud. Lake Sea Wanderer, looking immensely pleased, rose and walked naked to the rocks behind them, presumably to relieve himself.

The spring night breeze still held a touch of chill. The female cultivator pulled over the scattered clothing nearby, half-covering her body, and closed her eyes to wait.

After a while, she suddenly felt something was amiss. Her face paled, and without caring about her disheveled state, she darted to the rocks behind them. But where was Lake Sea Wanderer to be found?

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