"It's not your run-of-the-mill Misty Flowing Beast, but one that's been demonized. It also goes by the name of Azure Void Demon Shadow. Only by slaying or capturing such a creature can one exchange for Merit Points. Otherwise, even if you capture thousands, it would be utterly pointless."
The Tu Brothers' perception of Yu Ci changed daily, yet they maintained their stubborn refusal to admit defeat. Tu Rifei sneered, "The Azure Void Demon Shadow isn't so easily subdued. I suggest you prepare yourself for copying scriptures as a form of punishment. This might actually be beneficial for you. I heard your residence is nearly overstuffed with challenge letters. Your relocation from the Law Sky Secret Realm to the Reflection Cliff might save you some trouble."
Yu Ci took no offense at these words. After spending several days together, he had come to understand that the brothers were all talk and no action, and it was pointless to take them seriously. He merely responded with a smile:
"So, do you esteemed brothers have a method to hunt down this Azure Void Demon Shadow?"
The Tu Brothers were no fools. Seeing Yu Ci's demeanor, they knew he had a plan in mind and scoffed in unison, "With Senior Brother Zhang around, why should we make a fool of ourselves? We're just passing by for some cultivation. Speaking of which, our Yin Spirit has solidified quite a bit."
The spiritual energy contained within the Sea of Spirit was incredibly rich. The Tu Brothers, who traveled with their Yin Spirits, had a keen sensitivity to Primordial Qi. As long as they could withstand the lethal effects of the surging Primordial Qi, it was akin to refining iron in a furnace, naturally resulting in significant progress. Next, they would have to endure the refining process of the Gang wind Belt. Although this was more painful than seclusive cultivation, the benefits were immense.
Of course, the same applied to Yu Ci.
"What a pity, if only we could take this route on our return journey."
The brothers were jubilant, but they were only speaking in jest. They knew that the gateways for Primordial Qi conversion were all tightly sealed off. Cultivators could exit but not enter. Forced entry would undoubtedly provoke a terrifying backlash from the seals of the Sea of Spirit. Even those capable of Vacuum Walking or at the level of True Men would struggle to escape unscathed.
The vast Sea of Spirit could be considered the foundation of the Lichen Sect's Mountain Gate. It not only supported the Law Sky Secret Realm but also encompassed almost all the cultivation hotspots within the Sect's Mountain Gate. This strategic arrangement was made with the safety of the Sect's Mountain Gate in mind.
If Yu Ci and the others wanted to return, they would have to take a detour and cross the Heavenly Passage River.
The two brothers were brimming with excitement here, but Zhang Yan's sharp eyes scanned a radius of more than ten miles within the void, whispering softly:
"Everything else can be discussed in this Gang wind Belt, but remember one thing, never proceed upward. This is already the top of the Gang wind Belt, almost blending with the Azure Sky Domain, the boundary is extremely blurred. If you accidentally step into it, you'll face the constant attacks of Primordial Magnetic Divine Light and the Turquoise Wind Disaster, and even the occasional projection of Outer Realm Sky Demons, who delight in hunting living beings. Even those who have mastered Vacuum Walking find it extremely difficult. You wouldn't go there seeking death, would you?"
The Tu Brothers shook their heads vigorously. Yu Ci asked, "Where are those Misty Flowing Beasts, uh, I mean Azure Void Demon Shadows? They can't possibly be..."
He pointed upwards, Zhang Yan understood and nodded, then shook his head.
What did he mean?
Zhang Yan was a lazy man, having said a lot earlier, he was now unwilling to speak, because someone naturally helped him to explain. Tu Rifei on the side was busy imparting this knowledge to Yu Ci:
"The Azure Void Demon Shadows can indeed survive in the Azure Sky Domain. They were originally some powerful Misty Flowing Beasts that have developed a simple consciousness, capable of resisting the harsh environment of the Azure Sky Domain, but were accidentally contaminated by the projection of Outer Realm Sky Demons there, eventually becoming demonic. These creatures, appearing and disappearing without a trace, can sometimes infiltrate the outskirts despite the protection of the Sect's Mountain Gate formation, harming our Sect's disciples. In the past ten years, three of our Sect members have been killed, their vital essences completely drained, dying unspeakably gruesome deaths!"
Tu Rilun added from the side: "Our Sect makes great efforts every year to clear the surrounding Azure Void Demon Shadows, and even the number of Misty Flowing Beasts, to prevent these demons from proliferating. But in the high sky, Misty Flowing Beasts are born and die endlessly, the Sect can only limit them. Clearing one batch, another batch grows in a few years, it's so annoying!"
His voice suddenly stopped, and his Yin Spirit projection displayed a wide-eyed expression, looking over Yu Ci's shoulder, towards the distance.
Without a doubt, among the four here, Zhang Yan had the quickest reaction. With a "shh" sound in the void, Zhang Yan swung his sword, transforming it into a rainbow. The tail of the glow pierced two miles away, pulling back in the air. Under the illumination of the sword aura, a pale blue shadow appeared out of thin air, struggling to escape. However, with the Sword Energy looming overhead, it was reduced to ashes with a single twist.
"There's more!" The Tu Brothers cried out in unison, their Yin Spirits back-to-back, activating their protective Magical Instruments.
But Yu Ci was quicker than them. With a flick of his robe, specks of star sand scattered, covering an area of ten square feet. The star sand, as fine as dust, hardly glowed under the blindingly bright sky. However, once it fell, a faint azure phantom appeared within the area, just ten feet away from the Tu Brothers.
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An unknown amount of star sand fell onto the phantom. In the blink of an eye, the Merit man seemed to be ensnared by countless hooks, his speed slowing down to a snail's pace. The contrast between his previous lightning speed and his current sluggishness was stark.
Yu Ci had released the "Star Sand Mechanism Incantation" that he had prepared in the Divine Bronze Mirror beforehand. It was a rather obscure talisman, specifically used to detect and control invisible or semi-ethereal beings. He had specifically requested it from Old Master Zhu to deal with the Azure Void Demon Shadow. It was a new skill he had just learned, and its effect was quite satisfactory.
Having immobilized the Azure Void Demon Shadow, Yu Ci moved swiftly, physically grasping this creature that existed between the tangible and intangible, holding it up for inspection.
To call this entity a "Demon Shadow" was indeed justified. Despite the "Star Sand Mechanism Incantation" revealing its semi-invisible state, Yu Ci's fingers still seemed unable to grasp a solid object. All he saw was a patch of thin mist about a foot in diameter on his hand, trying to seep through his fingers. Upon closer inspection, a faint, greyish shadow could be seen deep within the mist, constantly twisting.
"Hisss"
Seeing Yu Ci easily contain the Azure Void Demon Shadow, Tu Rifei, who had just been mocking him, seemed to have completely forgotten about it. He drew in a cold breath, urgently shouting: "Seal it, seal it! With this thing, we can create Azure Void Thunderfire. It can be used alone or stored in a Magical Instrument. One can be exchanged for a hundred Merit Points!"
Yu Ci was moved and said, "Equivalent to a Water Mimic Bird, that's quite good."
He was well prepared, immediately taking out a wide-mouthed jade bottle. With a slight shake, it created a suction force, drawing the faint azure phantom inside, leaving no trace. This was the "Subduing Shadow Vase" available for sale in the Sect's Mountain Gate, specifically designed to subdue the Azure Void Demon Shadow. It cost two hundred Merit Points, nearly leaving Yu Ci penniless.
"One is done, to fully compensate, we need to catch another one hundred and forty-nine of these things."
"How is that possible?"
Tu Rifei, fully displaying their forgetful nature, vehemently shook his head: "This must be a coincidence. The Azure Void Demon Shadow can reach the speed of a Vacuum Walking Cultivator at its fastest. Perhaps Senior Brother Zhang's Sword Energy can catch up, but it can only kill them. Just now, on one hand, the Demon Shadow got too close; on the other hand, your talisman was instantaneously activated, catching it off guard."
"Furthermore, the Azure Void Demon Shadow is still immature, its inner Demon Shadow merely a fledgling form, likely only recently demonized. If it had been demonized for many years, its entire body would have transformed into an intangible shadow, impervious to common Magical Instruments and Flying Swords. Our options are either to extinguish them with Talisman Curse techniques, or rely on Senior Brother Zhang's Sword Intent to Break Evil Illusions. As for capture, only a master like Senior Brother Zhou Yu could accomplish such a feat!"
Yu Ci raised an eyebrow but before he could respond, Zhang Yan abruptly warned, "Be careful, there is an unusual gathering of Azure Void Demon Shadows on the perimeter, their number is overwhelming."
"Eh?"
The Tu Brothers were startled by this, looking up to see the boundless azure sky overhead now shrouded in a grey haze. Those were all Azure Void Demon Shadows, numbering in the hundreds, possibly thousands?
"How can there be so many!" The Tu Brothers were taken aback, their Yin Spirits wavering.
Yu Ci's brow furrowed as he turned to Zhang Yan. It had to be said, in such circumstances, this Senior Brother, who often teetered on the brink of degradation, was their most crucial combatant.
Zhang Yan glanced back at him, "This is a bit tricky. I will have to maneuver around the perimeter shortly and won't be able to carry you. Can you manage?"
"Rest assured, Senior Brother."
Yu Ci nodded and smiled, flipping his hand to reveal the square Shooting Star Plate nestled in his palm. Correspondingly, the Tao Scripture Master Three Treasure Seal hung over his shoulder, radiating a white light. Then, with a sweep of his robe, a cloud made from layers of fine white gossamer materialized under his feet. It was the Ghost Yarn Cloud.
This unique treasure, although not renowned for its speed, was a rare Artisan Tool that required no user exertion to control. He had acquired it after seeking Bao Guang's help due to the inconvenience of traversing the Sect's Mountain Gate on foot. Just a few days ago, Bao Guang had arranged for it to be delivered to the Sect's Mountain Gate.
While Zhang Yan was a Golden Elixir cultivator and the Tu Brothers traveled using their Yin Spirits, walking on air as if on solid ground, only Yu Ci was a burden, needing Zhang Yan's assistance. But with the Ghost Yarn Cloud, this was no longer an issue. However, it was precisely because of this object that Yu Ci had decided to hunt Azure Void Demon Shadows outside the Sect's Mountain Gate to repay his debts, inadvertently stumbling into this predicament. Who knew what sort of karma this was?
The Tu Brothers gathered their wits, gritting their teeth in frustration, "Someone must have laid a bait here to lure the Azure Void Demon Shadow, and then abandoned their plan halfway, leaving us to clean up the mess."
"Enough with the chatter!"
Zhang Yan pointed to the dense clouds beyond the sluice gate, "We will circumvent the clouds, not getting too close to avoid a surprise attack from the Azure Void Demon Shadow. We head west, enter the Heavenly Passage River from there. A journey of about seven hundred miles, could there be a better cultivation opportunity than this?"
"Nonsense!"
Amidst the groans of the Tu Brothers, Zhang Yan's sword rainbow soared across the sky, circling once in the air, then, with Yu Ci and others, they burst towards the west.
This movement stirred the malice of the Azure Void Demon Shadow in the sky above. Without a sound, hundreds of Demon Shadows swooped down, some even sped up, circling around to the front. These Azure Void Demon Shadows, tainted by the Outer Realm Sky Demon, were already quite intelligent, far from being mindless fools.
Zhang Yan suddenly let out a long, piercing howl. His unparalleled Sword Energy transformed into a substantial shock wave, instantly obliterating dozens of incoming Demon Shadows. The sky cleared, and a sword light, swift as a darting fish, shot out from the middle, disappearing into the horizon in a blink.
This was the Sect's Warning Flying Sword, superior to the Alert Meteor, but could only be used near the Sect. Zhang Yan was not a man to be concerned with saving face. With Yu Ci and other fellow disciples by his side, he could not afford any mishaps.
With the release of the Flying Sword, Zhang Yan's mind became more settled. His century-long refined Sun Piercing Sword Method roared into action. Eight rainbow bridges were erected, each extending two miles away. Between the rainbow bridges, Sword Energy flew in a chaotic pattern, stirring up a massive wave of empty space, scattering the gathering Azure Void Demon Shadows.
Almost simultaneously, on the Ghost Yarn Cloud, Yu Ci held the edges of the Shooting Star Plate with both hands, muttering the Curse Sound. A faint starlight gathered and evolved within the square inch of the Talisman Plate.
"The Big Dipper hangs high, Two stars assisting, pointing to the seasons, Dragon Abyss Nine Luminaries!"
As the Curse Sound fell, a dazzling sword light burst out from the center of the Talisman Plate, flashing like lightning in the sky, nearly blinding the Tu Brothers.
...