Yu Ci did not keep them waiting for too long; his left hand ceased to manipulate the Seal Formula and instead, once again grasped the base of the Lunar Banner, smoothing out the trembling fabric. With a swift motion, his right hand struck down, hitting the center of the banner squarely. In that instant, Divine Light radiated like the turning of a wheel, reminiscent of the ripples created by a heavy stone cast into a lake, wave after wave of light unfurling. Next to him stood Bao Yun, a beauty in a red dress and snow-white skin, who under the illumination of the light waves, appeared as translucent and lustrous as fine jade. However, this time, no one's gaze lingered on her.
Whether they were connoisseurs or laymen, all eyes were fixed on the long banner in the courtyard, watching as the Talisman Pattern Fractal emerged and receded, the Divine Light rolling and swirling, until everything settled back to simplicity, leaving behind just a long, black banner.
But at this moment, everyone's perception had shifted.
On the black surface of the banner, a natural Divine Light began to emanate. It might have been laughably weak compared to the Magical Instruments commonly held in people's hands, but no one dared to underestimate it. For just a few breaths ago, this banner was nothing more than a "blank slate," and now...
It was unclear who let out a long sigh: "It's the completion of the Six-Layered Refinement Ritual... This is the technique of 'One Breath Through the Heavens'!"
The trailing words were soon drowned out by a buzzing murmur. In the light and in the shadows, countless eyes shifted back and forth between Yu Bei and the Lunar Banner in his hands. This was an instantaneous six-layer refinement—a full six layers!
Some tried to mimic the motion, pounding their fists into their palms as if by this thumping and bumping, the technique of refining six layers in a fleeting moment could fall into their own hands. In the art of refining Magical Instruments, six layers constitute one complete cycle, a relatively complete segment. From this point on, the Magical Instrument and the owner's Aura would be in unison, without any obstruction. This was the most fundamental aspect; achieving a perfect refinement was not extraordinary, but who else could enhance it in just a few breaths?
This was refinement, not dyeing fabric, and even dyeing fabric would require soaking for a while, wouldn't it?
To infer from the minute details, if this was the process for the first cycle, what about the second? The third? The fourth?
The more they pondered, the more entangled the onlookers became. It was no secret that for Cultivators, refinement was never an amusing task.
"If I could transfer the time spent on refining Magical Instruments to cultivation, would I still have a chance?" For many present, such thoughts often echoed like the whispers of a shadowy ghost, lingering in the ears and hearts.
The Cultivation World was never short of unfortunate souls who had their cultivation delayed due to the refinement of Magical Instruments, and in the North Wilderness, the proportion was even higher. In the Red Tooth Store alone, there was more than one such case. The stark contrast between painful experiences and the present reality was especially jarring. Regardless of Yu Ci's subsequent actions, these prominent figures of Yin Cave City would undoubtedly remember him well!
Yu Ci, holding aloft a long banner, began to adjust its angle. Observing the reactions of the surrounding cultivators, he knew that this time he was going to make a name for himself, yet he was aware that this act was more of a gimmick than anything else.
Two years earlier, he had already designed the structure of the Lunar Banner and other components of the Gang Geomancy Seven Stars Altar, following the descriptions in the Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book, which naturally included the methods of consecration. In this endeavor, he had honed his skills against the Jade Divine Cave Spirit Seal, a treasure of a seal that was considered the most valuable reference in the world. With a well-prepared plan, the enhancement of the Primordial Root Qi Method, and even half-hearted attempts at utilizing the Yin Yang Transformation Method, his efforts over the past two years would have been in vain if things didn't go smoothly now.
The phrase "a single breath pierces through the heavens" was nothing more than a display of proficiency. According to Old Master Zhu, it was merely a trick to bewilder the laymen who knew nothing—of course, in the old master's eyes, the true experts in this world were few and far between.
It was these very experts who were stunned by the "single breath pierces through the heavens" technique. However, anyone who gave it some thought would realize that even if one truly consecrated a layer of heaven, could it really surpass the power of the Soul Capturing Orb? In the end, the Lunar Banner was merely a facade; the true efficacy lay in his control of the banner through the Lunar Specter Prohibition Fierce Ghost Technique—a genuine application of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions Talisman. Even with Yu Ci's cultivation level having improved significantly, wielding it was still a strenuous task. Naturally, without the consecration of the Lunar Banner, even the most profound Ghost Prohibition Technique would be rendered ineffective.
In plain terms, this was all about creating momentum. Su Tong's strength may not have been top-notch, but he had almost dominated the situation previously due to his authoritative standing in the Art of Soul and Mind, which led people to naturally take his word as the standard. Now, with a clear intention to confront him, how could one break through this authoritative position without a challenge?
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Having emerged from the ranks of the Heretical Cult, Yu Ci was well-versed in their arcane tactics. With a casual flick of his hand, the effects of his blade test were quite satisfactory.
The long banner unfurled, a bright halo like that of the moon spilled forth, turning the pitch-black fabric into nothing more than a backdrop, fully absorbed into the darkness. With a slight motion from Yu Ci, the banner began to exert a tremendous suction force, effective even through ten zhang of solid rock.
Onlookers could see a fine mist of grey dust rising from the rock layers, which then gathered and funneled into the luminous moonlight emitted by the banner, in an unending, gentle flow.
Lu Qing felt the restless spirits within the Soul Capturing Orb rapidly diminishing, their explosive energy waning. Her expression remained unchanged as she catalyzed her fist strength, continuously applying pressure to the Orb to aid Yu Ci in extracting the spirits and transferring them to the Lunar Banner.
This process was much slower than the 'One Breath Pierces the Heavens' technique, leaving some of the spectators, who were hoping for more excitement, somewhat disappointed. However, Su Tong, as one of the few true insiders, watched with his eyes twitching and a pang of pain in his chest.
He vaguely discerned the operating mechanism of the Lunar Banner, which used the spirits from the Soul Capturing Orb as raw material, refining them before swiftly accumulating yin energy. While he couldn't fault the technique, in his view, it still amounted to a wasteful squandering of resources.
"If I had those tens of thousands of spirits, using the art of Gu nurturing, it wouldn't be impossible for me to raise a few superior Yin Demons. Unlike this Soul Chaser..."
Unable to watch any further, he turned on his heel and left, marking the third footnote in their ongoing conflict.
Su Tong's departure set a precedent, and whether it was the powerful reinforcements or the surrounding spectators, they couldn't stay forever to watch Yu Ci capture spirits. After a commotion, a group of them left. Wan Quan and Bao Yun seized the opportunity to re-establish the nearby Magical Formation Protection, effectively signaling it was time to 'see the guests out.'
"Quite interesting indeed."
From the shadows beneath the Artificial Mountain, the corner of a figure's lips curled up, sharp as the edge of a blade. As the dispersing crowd moved away, the figure stepped forward, but at that moment, a sudden premonition struck. Pausing briefly to ponder, the figure then took a step and vanished without a trace.
Yu Ci had finally absorbed nearly all of the Yin souls within the Soul Capturing Orb, leaving only a few that exceeded the Lunar Banner's capacity. These remnants, though, were more than enough to occupy the Lunar Banner for several months, given that it was a newly crafted Magical Instrument with a limited appetite.
He didn't mind, though. With a flip of his hand, he unleashed the Lifeless Tribulation Star Soul-breaking Divine Light, piercing ten feet into the ground and scattering the remaining Malicious Qi of the Yin souls in one fell swoop. This method was far more efficient than the Lunar Banner. Lu Qing, on the other hand, was not concerned; she had finally found her release and had to deal with the masters who were coming to their aid from outside, as there were many matters at hand. However, Bao Yun, who had just humiliated Su Tong and was still reveling in excitement, was now playfully chiding, clinging to Yu Ci's arm in annoyance:
"With such powerful techniques at your disposal, why didn't you use them sooner?"
Could this be interpreted as coquetry? Yu Ci smiled and glanced at her. Bao Yun, sharp as ever, knew when to back off. She let go of his arm but not before deliberately brushing against him with her ample bosom, then straightened her slightly disheveled clothes with a flirtatious smile.
Seeing her seductive behavior, Yu Ci, who had been long deprived of carnal pleasures, felt a surge of desire. Yet it was at this moment that he remembered the strange man who had toyed with the beauty before him to the point of life and death. Hesitating, he still asked the question.
Of course, the question was somewhat impertinent, but Bao Yun's thick skin was above average; her cheeks blushed slightly as she burst into laughter as if she had discovered some great secret: "So the esteemed Soul Chaser Senior has a taste for that sort of thing..."
"Ah? What?"
It was a moment of semi-comprehension when suddenly the ground shook beneath them. At first, it was barely perceptible, but in the blink of an eye, the earth was shaking violently, with a continuous crashing sound. The walls and houses around them began to collapse, and in an instant, the Red Tooth Store was in ruins.
Bao Yun let out a cry, almost leaping into Yu Ci's arms, and in her haste, she clung tightly to his arm, pressing half her body against him. Yet her tone was far from pleasant:
"Hey, didn't you take care of the Soul Capturing Orb? What's going on now?"
"It's not the Soul Capturing Orb," Yu Ci responded succinctly, but to be honest, he found himself somewhat at a loss with this enchanting and bold woman. He gestured for Wan Quan to come over and forcibly removed Bao Yun from his presence.
With a moment's peace, Yu Ci focused his senses. Although the tremors here were intense, the epicenter was still dozens of miles away. Could such a magnitude indicate an earthquake?
"No, it's two True Immortals vying for a Hunting Ground," Shadow Ghost disclosed with a sinister tone, unveiling the mystery.
True Immortals! Yu Ci's heart skipped a beat. He immediately thought of the incidents from the past few days. Counting them up, one had used the Core-Melting Fiery Prison Technique, and another had attempted to assassinate Elder Spirit Witch—weren't they the very two?
"It must be them," Shadow Ghost concluded preliminarily. "A place as small as Yin Cave City is already at its limit housing two True Immortals. If they harbor enmity, a clash over the Hunting Ground is inevitable. What we're witnessing is merely the outbreak of their conflict, and the fight has just begun!"
"Hunting Ground?" Yu Ci was struck by Shadow Ghost's repeated use of the term.
"Yes, Hunting Ground. It's like a ferocious beast marking its territory. True Being Cultivators are not much different. Once one enters the realm of True Immortal and completes their Yang Spirit, their sensory range can easily span dozens or even hundreds of miles, like your Divine Map, claiming a vast area as their domain. In this territory, their Primordial Qi and Aura fluctuations are extremely sensitive. The weaker ones are mere 'prey' that can be ignored, but should an equally matched contender appear... can one mountain accommodate two tigers?"
Shadow Ghost chuckled, "It's like two people standing too close, constantly breathing down each other's necks. If they were a handsome man and a beautiful woman, that's one thing, but if not—ha, then there's a fight brewing. I was wondering why these two had been so accommodating. Now it seems they were just slow to show their true colors!"
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e