"You possess talent, will, a Cultivation Level, and methods. Yet, all these are inconsequential before the God Lord."
"What the God Lord requires is merely 'faith'... It's not that you 'lack faith,' you simply lack humility."
"The 'self' within your heart is too strong. If you were truly a Cultivator, it would be acceptable, but as a believer, where do you place the God Lord?"
"You are adept at communicating with the God Lord, receiving His favor and affection. Yet, you flatter Him like a cat or dog does its master. Have you not seen the cautionary tale of the Hook Jade Wolf Fox beneath the Sky Rift Valley?"
A cat or dog flattering its master? Is that how they see me?
What was the point of me giving up the dignity of a Cultivator to join the sect? Ah, yes, Wen Shifei. He killed my incapable elder brother and sought my life as well. I had no choice but to join the Rakshasa Sect. I only wanted to survive... Strange, why did I forget?
In her daze, the petite yet dignified female cultivator whispered in her ear, "Human desires are insatiable. Your downfall is due to your overambition, wanting too much. Now, the God Lord gives you another chance, as long as you understand what you truly need and what you are willing to give up!"
I want... I want immortality, power, the ability to control life and death!
Like thunder roaring in her ears and lightning tearing through the darkness, the female cultivator suddenly opened her eyes.
The deep, muddled air from the depths of the rock layer brought her back to reality. She paused, recalling that before she and her fellow Rakshasa Sect members entered the Sword Garden, they encountered Ye Ming from Half Mountain Island. The two factions, mortal enemies for a thousand years, clashed immediately.
That Ye Ming was indeed the legendary Sword Way genius. Despite both being at the upper level of the Golden Elixir, his micro Sword aura was deeply influenced by the Half Mountain Mirage. Her side suffered a crushing defeat and had to forcefully break into the Sword Garden, hoping to escape by exploiting the twisted spatial seal off. She didn't know about the others, but her luck was terrible. She was targeted by Ye Ming and his group. If it weren't for the interference of the Eastern Orthodox Sect and the Pan Emperor Sect, she would have already perished.
Then... then she encountered Yu Ci, and she couldn't hold on any longer, fainting.
"Awake?" The voice in the darkness was indeed Yu Ci's.
The female cultivator remained silent.
In this interval, she had used a Secret Method to examine her body and found that her illusion-technique-enhanced head cover had been tampered with. Even some key parts of her body had been touched. She didn't think that Yu Ci had lustful intentions. If he had any intentions, it was probably "suspicion"...
She quickly adapted to the dark crevice space but didn't see Yu Ci's figure. She realized that Yu Ci was keeping a safe distance from her, separated by numerous thick rock layers. He had left a Sound Transmission Talisman here, and the surface of the narrow rock crevice was covered with at least five powerful talismans. If she made any sudden movements, he would not be polite.
"Are you Incense Slave?"
Hearing the word "slave," the female cultivator's eyes darkened. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice so charmingly soft that even she was surprised and disgusted, "This humble servant is indeed Incense Slave. Thank you, Elder Yu Xian, for your rescue."
"Slave?" The two individuals conversing on either side of the rock layer felt a sense of discomfort. After a long pause, Yu Ci finally said, "You don't need to thank me. In Cliff City, I have some acquaintance with your masters, Bi Chao and Ming Lan. It would be wrong not to help when I see someone in danger."
After a moment, Yu Ci asked a few more questions about the situation. The female cultivator answered all his queries without hesitation. As for any omissions or concealments, she didn't bother to care, and Yu Ci didn't delve too deep. After understanding the situation, Yu Ci said, "This is where I hide. Now that you're in a difficult situation, I'll give it to you. I need to go find some opportunities..."
"Elder Yu Xian, wait! I should thank you in person!"
Was she really thanking him? The female cultivator wasn't sure. If they really met, would she disregard everything and kill Yu Ci on the spot? But Yu Ci didn't respond anymore, seemingly having left.
"What exactly do you need, and what are you willing to give up..." Bi Chao's voice echoed in her ears, cold and piercing, chilling her to the bone.
With a dull thud, her slender palm scraped away most of the cliff, destroying the talisman arranged on it, as if beheading the man right there. After this episode, she finally regained her sanity, suppressing the turbulent Qi and Blood within her, and tried to contact her fellow sect members using the sect's unique methods.
"This woman..."
Of course, Yu Ci didn't really leave. Through the Fish-Dragon Perspective, he watched the Incense Slave meet with her fellow sect members, his brows involuntarily furrowing. The doubts that had accumulated since he first met the Incense Slave did not dissipate but instead piled up, making him uneasy.
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So, Yu Ci decided to follow for a while, hoping to find some clues. Another important reason was that this group of Rakshasa Sect cultivators didn't delay. After a brief discussion, they headed towards the direction of Dongyang and Pan Emperor Sect. Before this, the Heavy Weapon Sect must have taken this route. Was this a pilgrimage?
It seemed like there was going to be a lively scene.
Yu Ci took out his compass, looking at the red needle pointing west. But the direction these people were heading deviated significantly. Perhaps the most important thing now was to follow the guidance of the compass, heading to the Eastern Marquis's tomb to meet with his fellow sect members. But what's the fun in doing everything by the book?
He had been holding back for too long. The wild factor within him had been churning and jumping - whether it was to retaliate for even the smallest grievance or to overestimate his abilities, he should do something!
"Why haven't we found it yet?"
In the roar, the blood pattern on Xiao Fuyun's forehead became even more brilliant. The surrounding cultivators, regardless of their cultivation level, remained silent. For ten whole hours, knowing that the enemy was wandering in these mountains, over forty people couldn't even catch a tail. If word got out, it would be enough to make the Eastern Orthodox Sect lose face.
Xiao Fuyun was indeed infuriated to the point of shame. He had, against all odds, rallied every cultivator who set foot in the Sword Garden under the banner of the Sect. His purpose was to vent his pent-up anger, to obliterate the audacious Cultivator of the Heavy Weapon Sect who dared to cross him. Yet, as matters stood now, he found himself in a predicament akin to riding a tiger with no easy way to dismount. If he couldn't handle this smoothly, he dreaded the gossip that would follow upon his return to the Sect...
Gritting his teeth, Xiao Fuyun ordered, "Use the Void Mirror Plate. I refuse to believe they can still escape our grasp!"
A stern-faced middle-aged cultivator next to him frowned, "Steward Xiao, the Void Mirror Plate was a gift from the elder, intended for searching for the Eastern Marquis's tomb. It can only be used once. Using it here seems inappropriate."
Xiao Fuyun, holding the Steward Title in the Eastern Orthodox Sect, held a higher status than all the cultivators present and was generally given respect. However, in the face of significant disagreement, two cultivators at the Golden Elixir upper stage, Ji Long and Lian Chang, had the right to object.
As Ji Long voiced his concerns, Lian Chang chimed in, "Outside the Sword Garden, Wen Shifei dispersed the Lichen Sect's formation with the Black Thunder Shuttle, temporarily reducing their combat power by at least twenty percent. This is a rare opportunity. If we can't resolve this quickly, it would be more appropriate to focus our efforts on the Eastern Marquis's tomb."
Xiao Fuyun's eyes were icy as he swept over them, "Isn't Wen Shifei's action proof that the Nine Mysteries Demon Sect he is backed by is also interested in the Eastern Marquis's tomb? Are you suggesting we should disrupt their battle now, or seize the advantage of the fisherman?"
Presenting a seemingly noble reason, Xiao Fuyun cut them off before they could respond. He took out a round mirror-like object from his Storage Ring and waved it before them, "As for having only one chance, that's not necessarily true... I have another mirror mold here!"
Ji Long and Lian Chang exchanged glances, left speechless.
The Void Mirror Plate was an extremely expensive consumable within the Eastern Orthodox Sect, specifically used to operate the "Limitless Vacuum Soul-searching Demon Transforming Method". It was so rare that one might not be produced in decades. The original infinite-use treasure was lost over a century ago during the fragmentation of the Northern Demon Sect and was reluctantly replaced by this consumable.
The fact that an elder had gifted one demonstrated the importance of this Sword Garden Grand Gathering. Xiao Fuyun casually producing another one only underscored his confidence and extravagance.
At that moment, thirteen Golden Elixir cultivators formed a circle, led by Xiao Fuyun, to chant a verse praising the Limitless Vacuum God from the "Primordial Heavenly Demon Fundamental Scripture". The Original Demon Lord, the shared ruler of the Sky Demons beyond this realm, had countless incarnations, and the Limitless Vacuum God was one of them. While not among the Six Great Divine Lords, it was worshipped in the Primordial Hall, the fundamental sacred site of the Northern Land Demon Gate, and possessed boundless divine power.
The eulogy has ended, and the mirror disc in Xiao Fuyun's hand floated spontaneously in the center of the Thirteen Golden Elixir Cultivators, emanating a green light like a mist.
At this moment, the thirteen cultivators simultaneously activated the Seal Formula, injecting the pure Golden Elixir True Sha into it. For a time, the green light flourished, and a series of human shadows flickered on the mirror surface, slowly becoming clear after streaking past like flowing light. These were the images of all living beings within a thousand miles radius. If they were outside, where life was abundant, a higher-level mystical incantation would be needed for filtering. But in the Sword Garden, aside from cultivators, there were no other living beings, making the process much easier.
Light flickered in Xiao Fuyun's eyes as he clearly understood:
"Heh heh, Pan Emperor's Three Swords, this Bu Cuo bastard must also be trying to profit from the fisherman's benefit, let's ignore him!
"Is this the Rakshasa Sect? A bunch of third-rate juniors, coming to seek death? Hmm, this woman is quite interesting, why does she transform her body with the illusion technique? Too bad she can't fool my divine power!"
"This one... Eh? A junior from the Lichen Sect!"
Xiao Fuyun's voice suddenly rose in surprise, followed by triumphant laughter: "Demon Lord's Blessing, we must have great fortune, who said the Eastern Marquis's tomb, isn't this key delivering itself to our doorstep?"
The others were speechless with surprise, did this Xiao really have great luck?
Immediately, Xiao Fuyun issued an order to send ten people outside to capture the Lichen Sect junior. No matter how refined the junior's swordsmanship was, there was no chance of escape under such a disadvantage.
At this time, the more careful Ji Long suddenly paused: "Wait!"
"What's wrong?"
"The mirror disc's reaction is strange... what is this junior carrying? Quick, turn the mystical incantation, Star Fixing Plate, Dispel Falsehood, go!"
Thirteen Golden Elixir cultivators under his command simultaneously changed their methods. In an instant, the Central Void Mirror Plate's light flourished, and the green light soared into the sky, transforming into a Light Pillar visible within a hundred miles radius, piercing the Cloud Sky.
Xiao Fuyun was completely stunned, his hand began to tremble: "It is, it is..."
"Fortune, fortune, it's truly fortune!"
Ji Long shouted "fortune" three times, overjoyed. At this moment, neither the Heavy Weapon Sect nor the Eastern Marquis's tomb mattered, only the Unusual Artifact shining in the green light was their greatest gain. He disregarded Xiao Fuyun's position and shouted over his rank:
"Quick..."
His voice abruptly stopped as if cut by a sharp blade. Thirteen Golden Elixir cultivators and more than thirty followers were all stunned. They saw a figure clad in Azure Heavy Armor with two flags on his back, stepping out from the soaring green light, saying:
"So annoying!"
The Void Mirror Plate shattered with a bang...
...