No matter what, since Yu Ci had already agreed, there was no reason for the Three Families Market, which had intended to use force, to go back on their word. Under Boss third He's suspicious gaze, Yu Ci joined the team, and the group set out towards the outskirts of the city.
At this time, the battle for the "Hunting Ground" between two True Immortals was still in full swing. Every dozen breaths or so, there would be a violent tremor. Shadow Ghost deduced from the frequency of these tremors that one of the combatants must be slightly inferior in cultivation level, adopting a strategy of wide-ranging hit-and-run tactics, and was at a disadvantage. However, on the whole, the battle was still in a probing phase.
From this, one could further infer that the Demon Sect Cultivator using the Core-Melting Fiery Prison Technique was likely the one with the upper hand. Otherwise, given the nature of the Core-Melting Fiery Prison Technique, even if at a disadvantage, they would not adopt such a mobile fighting approach.
Upon hearing all this, Yu Ci gained a wealth of knowledge. Beyond basic reasoning and deduction, there were insights into the conventional thinking of True Immortals. For someone like Shadow Ghost, these insights were extremely practical. Yu Ci also determined the direction of the True Immortals' battle and breathed a sigh of relief—it was not in the direction they were heading.
However, during this process, Yu Ci noticed something else: although Boss third He and his party were heading towards the Abandoned Mine District, they were not traveling in a straight line, and their pace was not particularly fast. Especially when the tremors from the earth's strata hit, they would slightly adjust their direction, sometimes preferring to take a longer detour.
Once or twice might be overlooked, but such consistent behavior compelled Yu Ci to be extra vigilant. He asked Shadow Ghost, "What's going on here?"
"There seems to be a pattern," Shadow Ghost replied, not jumping to conclusions, and simply suggested, "Let's observe further."
What's there to observe? Yu Ci wasn't that curious. He had agreed to come because he was compelled by the circumstances, with no choice in the matter. His mind was always clear: in this world, nothing was more significant than life and death. The Soul Summoning Technique skirted the edge of life and death, often touching upon very sensitive matters. Whether others would mind at that point was entirely up to luck. In the North Wilderness, silencing someone through murder was all too easy...
Throughout the journey, he had been looking for a way out. Although Boss third He and his party seemed to underestimate him and paid him little attention, their guard was tight on the inside, with a relaxed exterior. They always maintained excellent positioning, naturally forming a sort of battle array, leaving no opportunity for Yu Ci to escape.
There was no time left for observation. The group, at the very least, possessed the Golden Elixir Cultivation Level, and even at their slowest, they moved faster than galloping horses. It was only about a hundred miles to the mining area outside the city, which they reached in less than half an hour.
"This is the place!" Boss Third He clenched his teeth as he surveyed the mining grounds, now unrecognizable under the ravages of molten lava. The flowing magma had cooled, but the relatively enclosed space trapped the heat, making the area stiflingly hot and markedly different from the outside world. After walking a distance inside, Boss Third He confirmed once again, "This was the battlefield."
What battlefield? It was more like a slaughterhouse. Having witnessed the Core-Melting Fiery Prison Technique of the Demon Sect Cultivator with his own eyes, Yu Ci doubted that Boss Fifth He had any chance to resist at that time.
The party navigated the uneven lava ground, and perhaps it was psychological, but the rocks underfoot still felt warm. Yu Ci sensed that from Boss Third He down to each of his followers, there was a palpable tension, their breaths nearly held in suspense.
They were aware of the gravity of the situation, so why take the risk to come here?
Amidst his confusion, Boss Third He beckoned him over. It was Yu Ci's first time near the Earth's Core Fire Eye that had been ravaged by the Demon Sect Cultivator. At a glance, he saw that the periphery of the Earth's Core Fire Eye had risen by more than half a foot since he last saw it, likely due to the cooling lava. As for the remains and relics, they might be there, but they were hard to spot with the naked eye beneath the pockmarked layers of solidified lava.
At this moment, all eyes turned to Yu Ci. Boss Third He's face, twisted with bulging muscles, still wore that look of suspicion, but he refrained from further comment and merely said, "This is the spot. Try to cast a spell and see if you can find any clues. Any remnants of souls or objects that respond, dig them all out, and don't you dare hide anything!"
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His words were anything but courteous, yet Yu Ci responded with calm, stepping forward and walking a circle around the chaotic scene, even peering into the Earth's Core Fire Eye to assess its condition.
The situation now was like being in the Red Tooth Store. Perhaps many there had a higher Cultivation Level than his, but when it came to the Art of Soul and Mind, no one could question his authority. He could take this opportunity to probe more thoroughly, preparing for any possible changes.
It took nearly a quarter of an hour just to walk the ground, and Boss Third He was clearly growing impatient. Yu Ci, however, was unconcerned and instead tilted his chin up, addressing him, "Either contain your aura or stand further back. With you lot here, even if there were any Remnant Souls, they would be eradicated!"
This was still an act of authority, and also a way for him to secure an escape route. At this point, Boss Third He calmed down, signaling the others to retreat a distance and sealed off his own aura. He then bared his teeth in a smile at Yu Ci, resembling a black bear before its prey.
How could Yu Ci not know that this man was harboring a murderous intent? Yet, he showed no sign of it on his face. Planting his feet firmly, he slightly closed his eyes and began to draw talismans.
In truth, although he hadn't condensed the Soul Restoring Star Fixing Curse into a Seed True Talisman, he had already reached the level where he could activate it with a mere thought, without needing these preliminaries. The reality was that he had spent too much time walking the ground and setting the stage, like an appetizer before the main course. If the main dish were to come too easily, Boss Third He would likely strangle him on the spot.
Shadow Ghost scoffed, "Futile effort! The Core-Melting Fiery Prison Technique is a domineering method that can even incinerate Divine Souls. You're probably about to lose face again!"
Yu Ci felt the same. From the Elder Spirit Witch to Boss Fifth He, if he botched two deals in a row, his reputation would be nearly ruined, giving others an excuse to trouble him. It was time to prepare...
As the thought passed, the talisman was complete. The divine light of the talisman transformed into a wave of light that existed between the tangible and the intangible, radiating outward in all directions.
"Eh?" Yu Ci was suddenly startled. Was there really a response?
The operational principle of the Soul Restoring Star Fixing Curse was to emit spirit waves that would react upon encountering a target related to soul intention. It would then use the feedback to identify the nature of the target and gather targets of the same nature. Theoretically, it could reassemble a soul shattered into thousands of pieces and return it to the body of someone on the brink of death.
This time, the target that Yu Ci sensed was faint, akin to a Remnant Soul, but it was indeed present and of various natures.
Shadow Ghost immediately fell silent. In the blink of an eye, the situation had drastically changed, and Yu Ci had to adapt accordingly.
After some thought, he took out the Lunar Banner. If the Remnant Soul was too weak, it would be difficult to collect, and one misstep could lead to its annihilation. It was safer to use a tool to ensure a greater chance of success.
As the towering banner unfurled, Boss Third He was initially startled, yet he quickly noticed the sparse divine light upon it. This brusque, bear-like man was not one to spare others' feelings, and he bellowed, "Hey, are you up to the task or not?"
To the eyes of a true master, the pitiable Six-Layered Refinement Ritual was nothing short of laughable. Yu Ci paid him no heed, shifting his position and vigorously shaking the banner. A rich layer of yin energy spread out, the result of a massive amount of yin souls he had absorbed not long before, which had yet to be fully digested and refined. Otherwise, this yin energy should have been faint, almost imperceptible.
Yu Ci manipulated the yin energy, sweeping it through the air. Despite the stifling heat, a cool breeze seemed to arise. Seizing the opportunity, Yu Ci employed techniques from the Lunar Specter Prohibition Fierce Ghost Technique, establishing two seals to protect the energy from dissipating and to mark the area.
Just as he was about to proceed further, a voice suddenly rang by his ear, "Wait!"
Yu Ci turned around to see the effeminate man who had previously mediated between him and Boss Third He now speaking up, then stepping into the mist of yin energy. Having learned on his way that the man's surname was Xia, Yu Ci queried, "Mr. Xia?"
The effeminate man offered a slight smile. "Brother Soul Chaser truly lives up to his reputation. For safety's sake, there's no need for you to take further action."
With that, he moved forward, taking a circuitous path toward a particular spot. Yu Ci's brow furrowed slightly; it was one of the targets he had identified.
Could this man sense it as well?
Entertaining this thought, Yu Ci focused his mind in that direction. Their auras connected through the pervasive yin energy, and Yu Ci felt a jolt: "Spiritual Witch!"
The man's aura faintly carried the Operational Regulations of the deceased Master Zhang Ye—a sensation pure and unmistakable. Had Yu Ci not previously encountered the Incense Tip during a spirit invocation, making him sensitive to such auras, he might well have missed it.
If it were the enigmatic Spiritual Witch, Yu Ci would not be surprised. Born with a natural connection to the ethereal realms, Spiritual Witches were innately sensitive to yin souls and the like. Yet, if that was the case, why involve him at all?
At that moment, the effeminate man reached the spot above the target. With meticulous care, he excavated the rock layer and extracted an object.
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e