"Is she here?"
Yu Ci glanced up, his brow furrowed. From afar, a dazzling sword light streaked across the sky like a meteor, indicating the presence of a cultivator of no small skill. However, it wasn't the person he had expected.
Fortunately, the sword light veered off, hastily heading east. Once it had passed, Yu Ci bent down to pick up the Divine Bronze Mirror. Similar to the last time, the mirror was hot to the touch, its surface misty with heat. Despite having just withstood a blow from the Suppressing Energy Rod, it showed no visible damage.
As for internal damage... there shouldn't be any, right?
Yu Ci wasn't certain. Losing the Divine Map last time was not a pleasant memory. He was tempted to test the Divine consciousness starlight and other functions, so he braced himself and once again maneuvered the Treasure Mirror using his Yin Spirit. The moment he touched it, his heart jolted.
Within the Divine Bronze Mirror, a tremendous force roiled and boiled like a turbulent sea. The waves surged, and as Yu Ci's Yin Spirit controlled the mirror, it was like a small boat navigating stormy waves. This was the potential unleashed by the Treasure Mirror after a soul-devouring event. Yu Ci had no control over it and had to wait for it to subside on its own. However, during this tumultuous period, Yu Ci felt a faint response, vastly different from the overwhelming tidal force, like a drowning man struggling to stay afloat.
"Does the soul of the Blood Monk still exist?"
This thought flashed through Yu Ci's mind, but as soon as his Yin Spirit made contact, he realized something was wrong: "It's not the Blood Monk, it's Zheng Yan!"
The strange force within the Divine Bronze Mirror surged, capturing souls and devouring them en masse. Even a character like the Blood Monk, whose "seed" had not been planted for long and was far from his prime, couldn't resist and was instantly reduced to ashes. If this was the case for the Blood Monk, Zheng Yan, who shared the same origin, should have been even less capable of resistance.
However, there are always exceptions: because the residual soul of Zheng Yan was attached to the Divine consciousness starlight released by Yu Ci, they jointly resisted the Blood Monk's oppression. Unbeknownst to them, they had become closely connected. The Divine consciousness starlight, originating from the same source as the soul-devouring power of the Divine Bronze Mirror, served as a sanctuary for Zheng Yan, allowing him to linger on the brink of extinction.
Of course, saying that Zheng Yan was "lingering" was an overstatement. His consciousness was already dim and he was teetering on the edge of lucidity. In a few more moments, he would likely meet the same fate as the Blood Monk, reduced to ashes.
Suddenly, Yu Ci opened his eyes, holding the bronze mirror in his hand, silent.
Reflecting on the past, he had used the starlight of Divine consciousness to probe the secrets of Monk Zheng Yan's Brain Palace, connecting with the residual soul of Zheng Yan. Having planned tonight's scheme, he had informed him of the soul-devouring abilities of the Divine Bronze Mirror. He candidly stated that if he were to proceed with this method, Zheng Yan would have to perish along with the Blood Monk. At that time, he remembered a phrase from Zheng Yan:
"Neither human nor ghost, neither kind nor category, what joy is there in living, what fear is there in death!"
Monk Zheng Yan was ready to face death. Yu Ci had recently gained some understanding of Zheng Yan's background. He knew that Zheng Yan was originally the son of a moderately prosperous family in Cliff City. Because of his exceptional talent, he was taken away by the Blood Monk, taught the Heretical Method, and used as a vessel for Separate Consciousness and Thoughts. After several decades, Monk Zheng Yan's physical body had been deeply affected by the Heretical Method, his appearance greatly changed from his youth, and his Divine Soul Vitality subtly connected with the Blood Monk. The Blood Monk could inhabit his body with a mere thought, regardless of the distance.
In such a situation, how was Monk Zheng Yan different from a puppet? This realization filled him with resentment. Because his Divine Soul was controlled by others, under the pressure of many years, he developed the symptom of Spirit Dissociation. Besides the main soul, an Auxiliary Soul was born. Normally, when the main soul was active, the Auxiliary Soul was hidden, and vice versa. Over the decades, the two souls took turns resting. Even when ordinary people were unconscious, he remained spiritually aware. Therefore, when Yu Ci rescued him in Sky Rift Valley that day, he could not hide from him, and thus laid the groundwork for today's scheme against the Blood Monk.
Today, the Blood Monk's soul has scattered, and Zheng Yan's resentment has also disappeared. According to his words, he was "unafraid of death". Struggling for survival in the violent storm within the Treasure Mirror, Yu Ci did not believe that Zheng Yan's previous words were false. Even ordinary people knew the fear of death and the desire to live, let alone those who sought immortality through cultivation. For them, the desire to live was deeply ingrained, and the thought of death was nothing more than a dead wood, not human!
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His thoughts were in flux, but the temperature of the Divine Bronze Mirror in his hand seemed to be even higher, burning his palm.
However, at this moment, Yu Ci had a firm belief in his heart. He once again urged the Yin Spirit, like a boat sailing in an angry sea. He exerted strength in the storm within the mirror, and his brain "boomed", weakened by the tremendous backlash, the Yin Spirit could no longer control the mirror. But at this moment, a weak starlight, visible only to him, shot out from the mirror surface, and in an instant, it was two miles away, disappearing into the skin of the Monk.
Yu Ci heaved a sigh of relief. He had done his utmost, carrying the residual soul of Zheng Yan and implanting it into his flesh body, barely preserving a thread of life for Zheng Yan. However, Zheng Yan, having been drawn into the Treasure Mirror, had his Divine Soul severely damaged. Whether he could be revived depended on his fate.
As he pondered, he moved towards the area to assess the situation. However, after only a few steps, he abruptly looked up.
From the gloomy forest ahead, a figure emerged. In the hazy night, the face was indistinguishable. All he could tell was that the figure was tall and lean, moving with an eerie, swaying gait. As Yu Ci's gaze landed on him, the figure seemed to sense it, turning his head. His eyes glowed a chilling, eerie green, radiating an ominous aura.
Who was this person? Yu Ci halted in surprise.
"Ah, quite a good harvest today."
The tall, lean figure spoke in a raspy voice, oozing arrogance. He glanced at Yu Ci, then turned away, reaching for the jade Suppressing Energy Rod left behind by the fallen Blood Monk. Clearly, he recognized the value of the rod and intended to claim it for himself.
How many shameless rogues are there in this world! Yu Ci sneered coldly.
However, it would be wrong to say this man was completely oblivious to others. Despite his exhaustion, Yu Ci's Divine Soul perception remained sharp. He noticed a sharp aura swirling around the figure, indicative of a sword master. And it felt familiar. Realization dawned on him:
This was the same man who had flown by on his sword earlier. He must have sensed the upheaval here, feigned ignorance, and flown away, only to stealthily return, waiting for the situation to turn in his favor before stepping in to reap the benefits.
Yu Ci was not one to tolerate injustice. However, with the Blood Monk dead and all matters settled, and considering his current state of exhaustion, he should not stir up trouble. He did not care much for material possessions. If this man was only interested in the jade Suppressing Energy Rod, he could let him have it. But greed knows no bounds...
Sure enough, the man picked up the Suppressing Energy Rod, examining it up and down, praising it. But soon, his gaze shifted to Yu Ci. In the shadowy forest, the Divine Bronze Mirror in Yu Ci's hand emitted a misty, green glow, conspicuously eye-catching. Seeing it, the man chuckled.
"That mirror isn't bad either..."
Upon hearing those words, a chill flashed in Yu Ci's eyes. He was not one to be bullied. Just as he was about to retaliate, he felt a sudden chill at the back of his neck. Without thinking, his sword, Xi Guang Sword, clanged and flew out of its sheath, losing its form, flowing like a cloud, as illusory as a mirage.
The sword mist swept past behind him, enveloping a long, colorful object. When the mist cleared, the object revealed itself to be a venomous snake with a skin as hard as steel. Even the sharp Xi Guang Sword could not damage it. However, the Mirage Mountain Sword Qi had infiltrated and pulverized its internal organs. The snake fell to the ground, dead on the spot.
Yu Ci, with his sword raised high, did not pause for a moment. Gathering his last bit of strength, he swung his sword around, protecting his chest.
The tall, skinny figure had already approached, just as a venomous snake lunges from its hole. He collided with Yu Ci's Sword Energy, feeling a formidable force in front of him. Although it was a defensive stance, it was as deep and bottomless as an abyss, ready to unleash a powerful counterattack at any moment. This man, valuing his own life, was taken aback and extremely cautious when he saw Yu Ci slay his pet, the Eight-color Venomous Snake. He halted, taking in Yu Ci's pale face and then realized:
The youngster is exhausted, what is there to fear?
With a sinister smile, he turned, ready to attack. But his hesitation cost him a precious opportunity that was now lost forever.
Suddenly, his hand felt heavy. The unexpected weight made him stumble. It was the Jade Short Staff in his hand that had suddenly become thousands of times heavier. Even with his abilities, he almost threw his back out.
With a dull thud, the Suppressing Energy Rod fell to the ground, sinking nearly three feet into the earth.
"Damn it!"
The tall, skinny figure swiftly turned around and saw the monk, who had been playing dead, struggling to sit up. It was this monk who had remotely controlled the Suppressing Energy Rod, causing him trouble.
"Weird, weren't those two fighting to the death just now..."
The intruder was both shocked and angry. Although the Suppressing Energy Rod had left his hand, the gravity it radiated still enveloped him, making it difficult for him to move. His eyes burned with a murderous intent. As soon as he broke free from this gravitational field, he vowed to tear these two people to pieces.
But at this moment, a bright sword light came from the distant night sky.
Yu Ci looked up and immediately rejoiced. He flipped the Divine Bronze Mirror, and a beam of blue light shot into the sky. Although not intense, it was conspicuous in the dead of night.
The sword light in the night sky paused, then poured down.
Yu Ci burst into laughter, dropped his sword, and shouted: "Master Gan, over here!"
"Which Master Gan?"
The tall, skinny figure was taken aback at these words. He looked at the sword light pouring down and screamed: "Four-dimensional Heavenly Sword!"
In the midst of his screams, he somehow found the strength to break free from the gravitational field. He didn't even bother with Yu Ci, who was close at hand, and turned to flee. His speed was fast, but it was nothing compared to the accelerating sword light from the sky. The sword light was like a rainbow, causing dozens of trees to fly up. The attack was imminent.
The tall, skinny figure let out a sharp cry, and his body shrank drastically in an instant. He leapt twice and disappeared. But his scream was muffled at the end, indicating that he was injured.
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