The clash between two Golden Elixir cultivators was potent enough to obliterate any tangible objects within its vicinity. Yu Ci, a man, could see clearly. Even the Curse Sword Conch Shell, at this moment, bore subtle signs of damage. But what Yu Ci noticed was that within a five-foot radius beneath Pang Ji, aside from the scorch marks of thunder and fire, there were surprisingly no traces of the potent effects of Xiao Fuyun's forceful feeding suggestion. Compared to the outer area, it was glaringly different.
Yu Ci approached Pang Ji, carefully scrutinizing him for a moment before abruptly reaching out to tug a necklace from beneath his charred and tattered clothes. Dangling from the necklace was an irregular piece of iron, its shape as if it had been haphazardly cut. Yet it was densely covered with intricate patterns. Yu Ci weighed it in his hand, finding it surprisingly lightweight.
During his months at the Mountain Gate of the Lichen Sect, Yu Ci had heard of many such peculiar objects. He quickly channeled his divine consciousness to scan it. Following the sect's secret teachings, he rapidly pieced together the fragmented information on it in various ways, finding the most coherent translation format. Realization dawned upon him.
After encountering the Cultivator of the Heavy Weapon Sect and Xiao Fuyun, Yu Ci had seen the caliber of cultivators who could enter the Sword Garden. As such, he had harbored a doubt. Although Pang Ji and his band of thieves were at the Nature-Connecting Upper Stage in cultivation level, none of them seemed to be a notable figure based on their combat. How then, had they bypassed the Sword Intent Prohibition at the periphery of the Sword Garden?
Now, the truth was clear.
This iron piece was indeed an interesting treasure. According to its explanation, with this piece in possession, one could autonomously protect oneself three times a day, dissolving deadly Sword Energy, especially within this Sword Garden, where it could purify the air and refine Innate Geng Metal Qi.
In retrospect, it was fortunate that Yu Ci's Nine Luminaries Dragon Abyss Sword Talisman was shaped like a sword but functioned as a talisman, killing from afar. Otherwise, with this treasure in Pang Ji's hand, it wouldn't have been easy for Yu Ci to execute such a clean and decisive strike.
Tossing the iron piece in his hand, Yu Ci shook his head again. The crux of the matter was not here. More importantly, this iron piece was actually a token from a Senior Sword Cultivator who had died here, sent out of the Sword Garden before his time was up. With this token, a cultivator of fate could safely pass through the peripheral seal off, arriving at the predecessor's tomb to inherit the mantle. This item had been passed down for many years, somehow ending up in Pang Ji's hands.
Of course, Yu Ci could guess without much thought that the Sword Cultivator's Tomb was likely empty by now. If not, Yu Ci didn't believe that Pang Ji and the others would be calmly engaging in their murderous and looting activities. Their familiarity with the area suggested that this was not their first time.
The iron plate served as a passport, guiding them into the Sword Garden, a place fraught with danger yet brimming with opportunities. And then...
Yu Ci shook his head. In this situation, it didn't matter whether there were treasures in the tomb of the Senior Sword Cultivator or not. The important thing was that Yu Ci had found a place to go.
Having temporarily escaped the gaze of the Heavy Weapon Sect and Xiao Fuyun, Yu Ci dared not claim to be completely free of them. Especially Xiao Fuyun, who was obsessed with the tomb of the Eastern Marquis, would not easily give up. It would be best for him to lie low for a few days to avoid revealing the location of the tomb and bringing trouble to the Sect.
The tomb of the Senior Sword Cultivator was only about two hundred li away, making it a suitable temporary hideout.
The distinction between night and day in the Sword Garden was incredibly vague. The changes in daylight were not clear, and only those who were constantly vigilant could grasp the flow of time. However, if one entered a deep meditative state during this period, all bets were off.
Such was the case with Yu Ci. Not long ago, he had entered a deep meditation in the toxic marsh and had lost track of time.
Time was difficult to measure, but it was extremely important to the cultivators in the Sword Garden. The Garden was only open to the outside world for about a month. If one did not exit in time, they would be trapped inside until the following year.
Although before coming here, the Sect's Mountain Gate had prepared a large number of Breatharianism Pills and Water Condensing Pills for each disciple, Yu Ci was still unwilling to be trapped here. Therefore, he racked his brains, trying to estimate his own limits. By the time he arrived at the tomb of the Senior Sword Cultivator, he had calculated that he had been in the Sword Garden for about ten hours. But this was just a rough estimate and could not be relied upon.
"According to the plan, after the Sect's cultivators enter the Garden, they will wander outside for five to seven days. After causing some confusion, they will enter the Eastern Marquis's tomb in batches. So, do I have ample time?"
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Yu Ci held a small compass in his hand, deep in thought. The compass was incredibly simple, indicating only the eight directions and devoid of any other layers. Yu Ci used his divine sense to operate it, and the bright red needle was always pointing to the southwest.
Its function was just that, measuring the general direction in the twisted space of the Sword Garden was already quite impressive. As for whether one should go a hundred li, a thousand li, or ten thousand li in that direction, it all depended on luck.
Yu Ci put away the compass. Knowing the general direction was enough. In the next few days, he wouldn't go that way. In front of him was the tomb of a Senior Sword Cultivator, which would be his refuge for the next few days.
Here at the foot of the mountain range bordering the wasteland, a distant view revealed the massive mountain body standing tall and proud through the mist, resembling a dragon. This was indeed the semblance of the Broken Realm Mountain Range. The wasteland-like area, likely a by-product of spatial distortion, was seldom chosen by Senior Sword Cultivators as a burial place. There had long been a saying within the Sect's Mountain Gate about the "Treasure Mountain Wasteland." As Yu Ci stepped into the mountain, it was clear he was heading in the right direction, entering the more central area of the Sword Garden.
It was unknown whether the Sword Cultivation predecessor had found a Successor of the Mantle, but from Yu Ci's perspective, even if one had been found, their strength would be limited.
The tomb of the Senior Sword Cultivator was hidden deep within the mountain belly, divided into two layers. The inner layer was the burial place, while the outer layer, consisting of three rooms and nine chambers, was prepared for the disciples inheriting the mantle, all guarded by the Sword Array. The arrangements were meticulous. However, by the time Yu Ci arrived, the Sword Array had been thoroughly destroyed. The Treasure Swords used for the formation, except for a few severely damaged ones, had all been robbed clean during the Thunderbolt Tribulation.
The outer Stone Chamber was in better condition, but the inner tomb was in disarray. The bones of the Senior Sword Cultivator had been dug out, scattered and broken, with more than half missing. The Sword Cultivation that had gained longevity would undoubtedly be Physical and Spiritual Cultivation, their bones already at the True Form Level. These could be used to create quite impressive Magical Instruments. The person who raided the tomb during the Thunderbolt Tribulation obviously had this in mind.
The idea of inheriting the Sword Cultivation mantle was out of the question... Was it the work of Pang Ji and his gang? Even if it was them, it must have been during the earlier openings of the Sword Garden.
The remaining traces in the tomb were quite old, hence Yu Ci's speculation. It was a sigh-inducing sight to see the remains of a once world-dominating Sword Cultivation powerhouse treated this way. Looking at these predecessors' bones, Yu Ci thought for a moment but did not disturb them, instead, he simply bowed his head in respect.
"I'm currently facing some difficulties, but when I leave, I will find another place to bury the predecessors."
After doing all this, Yu Ci closed his eyes slightly, sensing the position of the Fish-Dragon. Speaking of which, he hadn't seen any local creatures in the Sword Garden during his half-day visit, and the only Divine Consciousness Starlight was the Fish-Dragon, a Parasitic Target, which rapidly increased its importance.
With the divine speed of the Fish-Dragon, it wouldn't take too long to fly over a fifty-mile radius. Yu Ci had a general understanding of the surrounding environment and felt relieved. Few people would bother with a tomb that had been severely damaged, and certainly not people like Xiao Fuyun.
Of course, even so, it was utterly unthinkable for Yu Ci to dwell within the tomb. To him, this place served only as a cover. His real abode was nestled within a natural crevice not far from the tomb, a space just sufficient for a man to sit or lie down once slightly cleared. While some may be driven by curiosity to venture into the tomb, none would be interested in its nearby surroundings. Yu Ci refrained from burying any skeletons in the tomb, a precaution to avoid stirring up unwanted attention.
Sitting within the confined space, Yu Ci found himself comfortably settled. Not long ago, in the toxic marsh, his Inner Void of the Heart had absorbed an excessive amount of exogenous Qi. His Subside Void technique was inadequate, and he needed to meticulously repeat the process a few more times.
With practiced ease, he entered the Inner Void of the Heart, dispelling the poisonous gas and the remnants of the Innate Geng Metal Qi. Simultaneously, the Fish-Dragon, his Mental Image, was greedily devouring the beneficial Primordial Qi. This was a fascinating situation, where the Fish-Dragon Mental Image seemed to come alive, and the surrounding void mimicked the world outside, inviting contemplation about what if this were indeed true.
Shaking his head, Yu Ci discarded this thought, as Old Master Zhu's words echoed in his mind. These were the old man's views when they occasionally discussed the Primordial Root Qi Method. For some reason, Yu Ci suddenly recalled them:
"The Primordial Root Qi Method, or the Cloud Qi Method, is not about pondering over profound mysteries. It is primarily a Qi technique, a tool for transforming the Primordial Qi within you into Innate Qi. Once this effect is achieved, we can discuss other matters. And what are these 'other matters'? Aren't they Talismans?"
Even in his meditative state, Yu Ci wanted to laugh. Old Master Zhu indeed couldn't go three sentences without mentioning his profession. However, his words held profound implications. Yu Ci had been pondering them carefully and was gradually gaining insights.
A soft hissing sound interrupted his thoughts. It was the External Primordial Qi suddenly fluctuating, its source only two miles away, alarmingly close. Yu Ci's train of thought was broken, and with a frown, he sent the Fish-Dragon, which was in tune with his intentions, to investigate, only to witness a strange sight.
One after another, figures emerged from the void. They did not fly in, but appeared out of thin air. Waves of ripples radiated around them, causing the Primordial Qi to tremble. Voices floated in the air:
"The Rakshasa Evil disappeared right here."
"Should we investigate thoroughly?"
"Wait a bit more... Who's there?"
Along with the voices, piercing eyes, sharp as swords, shot in their direction.
Yu Ci was irritated. Why was his usually infallible Fish-Dragon reconnaissance encountering so many obstacles these days?
...