This was clearly an unexpected response. The so-called Sword Scripture and the tree canopy were understood by Yu Ci, but the latter part of the message carried a strong sense of ominous foreboding.
Yu Ci's complexion darkened as a cascade of thoughts rushed to him. The failure of Xuan Huang to promptly eliminate the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave indicated an unforeseen event, but the current situation had far exceeded his expectations.
"Hey, respond to me!"
Yu Ci once again summoned through the Divine consciousness starlight, but Xuan Huang remained silent thereafter. Not only that, but Yu Ci also gradually sensed that the distant Divine consciousness starlight was growing fainter, as if it were under tremendous pressure.
Knowing the power of the Xuan Huang Killing Sword, the Divine consciousness starlight should not have been able to fall. It lingered solely with the aid of Xuan Huang. What problem had now arisen that made Xuan Huang even begrudge that little bit of strength?
Yu Ci clenched his teeth and roughly estimated the distance, then shifted his Heart-Mind over.
The area of the Star Track Sword Realm was not very large; strictly speaking, the distance between Yu Ci and Xuan Huang was only about ten miles or so. However, with seals layered one upon another, it was nearly impossible for ordinary people to make any progress. But with the Divine consciousness starlight as a medium, the situation was naturally different.
With the prior experience of dealing with the "little fellow," transferring his Heart-Mind was not a challenge for Yu Ci. In a mere flicker of thought, a strand of Divine consciousness from his Divine Soul had already crossed the void, reaching the twenty-mile distance in the blink of an eye.
With a "clang" of resonance, Yu Ci had not yet fully merged when he was shaken by the clear and lofty sword chant. The reverberating feedback made him grunt. He quickly sat down cross-legged, managing to avoid being struck down by dizziness. Even so, the sword chant traveled from his Divine Soul to his physical body, grinding in along a line and causing his entire body's meridians to tremble, an experience far from pleasant.
"Let me in!"
Yu Ci was somewhat annoyed. His strand of Divine consciousness, spanning a mere twenty miles, could only sense the Divine consciousness starlight. If it were to be rejected by the Sword Energy, it would be utterly meaningless.
Xuan Huang did not respond.
Just as Yu Ci was about to attempt communication again, the Divine Bronze Mirror in his sleeve trembled lightly. In the next moment, a torrential Sword Energy burst forth, along with a bone-chilling, piercing killing intent, like a storm that instantly engulfed the Divine consciousness he had extended. Yu Ci didn't even have a chance to curse, for even earlier, the only channel of connection between him and Xuan Huang had been severed.
The Divine consciousness starlight, merged with Xuan Huang, was crushed to dust.
Yu Ci's eyes snapped open, yet he found himself in a daze. This was, after all, his first time "witnessing" the destruction of the Divine consciousness starlight, and his Divine Soul had suffered backlash and injury. But compared to the crisis lurking behind this event, such damage was utterly insignificant.
As the starlight of his divine consciousness shattered, his connection with the outside world was severed. The surrounding mist ebbed and flowed in silence, a desolate chill enveloping him in an unspeakable solitude.
With such thoughts, Yu Ci vehemently shook his head. Waiting idly here was not in his nature.
He sprang to his feet, disregarding Xuan Huang's instructions, and strode forward, eager to find a way out. Following the cloud path to the "tree trunk" where he had originally entered Return Village, the archway was nowhere to be seen. All Yu Ci could see was the endless azure sky, its edges elusive. A leap into the void would likely mean certain death.
The ability of the Thunderbolt-Free Great Immortals to "plant trees" in the void was truly breathtaking.
Yu Ci felt a headache coming on. Now in possession of the Seed True Talisman, he was a bona fide Golden Elixir Cultivator, but with his advancement being so recent, he had yet to fully develop the abilities expected of one. For instance, the vital skill of flying with the aid of instruments was still beyond his grasp.
He knew the method for such flight, which required not only a suitable Flying Instrument but also a considerable period of harmony between man and tool. If he had mastered this skill, Yu Ci might have dared to venture into the blue yonder... Ah, speaking of flying with instruments, he did have a treasure at hand.
Yu Ci flipped his palm and produced a folded piece of plain white gossamer. Absorbing the moisture from the air, it quickly expanded to a six-foot expanse, floating before his chest. This was the Ghost Yarn Cloud, which he had borrowed from Bao Guang after entering the Sect's Mountain Gate. Now was the perfect time to use it.
With a flick of his finger, he directed the Ghost Yarn Cloud towards the edge, preparing to leap atop it when suddenly his expression changed, and he shrank back, shuffling hastily.
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The Ghost Yarn Cloud, capable of floating thousands of miles, plummeted like a stone the moment it left the boundary of "Return Village." Had Yu Ci's reaction been a fraction slower, it would have been more than just an embarrassment. After landing, he stretched out a long arm and, just before the Ghost Yarn Cloud fell beyond control, he caught it, sparing himself the trouble of explaining and apologizing to Bao Guang later.
"What is this?"
Yu Ci had not anticipated that the void outside would be so bizarre. It was one thing for there to be no buoyancy, but for the light-as-a-feather Ghost Yarn Cloud to be pressed down like a stone was inexplicable.
After much thought, he grew frustrated, but more than that, he felt helpless. Return Village was most likely a creation of the one who had cut through three thousand worlds in search of the Eternal Abyss, whose mastery in Void Magic was profound. Perhaps this place was set in a corner of the void untouched by man. Yu Ci, having no concept of the "void," was truly trapped here.
Did Xuan Huang know this would happen, which is why he sent him here? If so, it seemed this place was still safe…
Yu Ci offered a self-deprecating smile, his desire to depart still burning fiercely, though now slightly restrained. He turned and began to retrace his steps. Midway, he halted abruptly:
"Sword Scripture?"
Xuan Huang had just sent word, claiming "above the canopy lies the Sword Scripture." The so-called Sword Scripture could be none other than the "Upper True Nine Heavens Flying Immortal Sword Scripture," a reward long promised by Xuan Huang. As for the "canopy," it must refer to the environment surrounding Yu Ci. The Return Village where he currently resided was an immense tree suspended in the void, with Hao Dian's solitary courtyard perched upon a branch that extended from the tree's side. From his vantage point, the location of the "canopy" was self-evident.
Regardless, the "Upper True Nine Heavens Flying Immortal Sword Scripture" was a cultivation method of the highest echelon in this realm, surpassing even the Lichen Sect's "Heavenly Mansion Nine Degrees Book" in status and value. Such a precious Sword Scripture could not be overlooked, and by all logic, the "end of the road" should be the most probable escape, should it not?
"The canopy."
Yu Ci continued along the cloud-paved path, which was in fact an ascent. The terrain grew ever higher, and occasionally he glanced back to see the sprawling branches and the faintly discernible buildings amidst the mist. Some were simple, others ornate, some majestic, and some bizarre, each distinctly different in style. Counting them, there were precisely seventeen.
Seventeen, corresponding to the seventeen Sword Immortals trapped in the Eternal Abyss.
Ascending further, the clouds grew denser, swirling and cascading down in a spectacle resembling a canopy, covering more than fifteen acres—a truly magnificent sight.
"Is the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture inside?"
Gazing at the swirling clouds that refused to disperse, Yu Ci did not act rashly. He recalled the wondrous Illusionary Appearance before Hao Dian's Former Residence and the numerous warnings from Xuan Huang about the dangers of encountering the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture without sufficient cultivation.
In the end, he decided it was safer to probe the way ahead with his Divine Soul.
Staying at the periphery of the clouds, a wisp of Divine consciousness reached in, probing like the delicate whiskers of a cat. Gradually it delved ten zhang, then twenty, nearing the heart of the "canopy" without any discovery or danger.
"Hmm..."
Yu Ci was deep in thought when suddenly the sensation changed dramatically. The shift was so swift, it left him no chance to react, and before he could even process it, an overwhelming force exploded within his Brain Palace. His mind went blank, and his body was flung backward as if riding the clouds, tumbling down the path he had just ascended, unconscious before he even hit the ground.
************
"This is the infamous demonic sword technique known as the Five Poison Edge, which predates the Five Thunderbolt Tribulation!"
"The Fire Cloud Ring, refined through the Ten Heavens process..."
"My goodness, that's a house constructed from Wheel-less Wood, isn't it? If turned into a Magical Instrument, it would fetch an astronomical price with the greatest of ease!"
"Back off! Whoever dares to snatch this Thunder Marsh Sword will be declaring enmity against my entire clan!"
"I will annihilate your entire clan!"
"Mine, mine, all mine!"
The clamor converged, intertwined, and spread out, fleeting shadows flickering and distorting beneath the endless expanse of the starry sky.
It's true that Guixu, the boundless abyss, is vast, but there are limits after all. When tens of thousands of Cultivators broke through the collapsing Three-layer Talisman Seal, swarming in, the situation descended into utter chaos. This was still the outcome when a large majority were trapped within the outer Void Interlayer. Yet, as time marched on, more and more would extricate themselves, and the scene within Guixu would only worsen.
In the eyes of the majority of Cultivators, with the Three-layer Talisman Seal gone, the Sword Immortal's Secret domain was like a disrobed beauty, vulnerable to their every whim. Despite numerous individual seals and mechanisms within the Sword Immortal's Secret domain, after the toll of numerous lives, the Cultivators learned to circumvent and avoid them. Some even seized the opportunity to discern their patterns, breaking through in one fell swoop and reaping bounties that turned everyone green with envy.
A single bout of envy was enough to drench Guixu in a sea of blood-red.
No one knows who struck first, but in an instant, the starry sky was crisscrossed with murderous intent. At least a hundred people lay dead in the initial clash, countless more injured. From then on, there was no hope for Guixu to ever return to normalcy.
"So much trouble now in the Sword Garden!" Li Hong scratched his head.
"Does it even have the chance to see more trouble?" Wang Jiu sneered coldly.
The other two, namely Hua Xifeng and Xiao Lu, remained silent. In a corner of the Lifeless Deathless Garden, four rising stars from the reclusive Lichen Sect, through strenuous efforts, had finally come together, their combined strength greatly enhanced. Yet, they found no joy in their hearts. Their seemingly antagonistic dialogue was, in fact, circling around the same concern.
Moreover, almost all Cultivators had forgotten one thing—the collapse of the Three-layer Talisman Seal had not only lifted restrictions on Cultivators but also unleashed another force that had been sealed within the Talisman Seal. Now unrestrained, after a period of turmoil, they swarmed towards the places brimming with the most life force.
The quartet from the Lichen Sect, now mere bystanders amidst the chaos, were clear-headed enough that Li Hong could even afford to take pleasure in the misfortune of others, remarking, "Look, those shadows have now entered the fray!"
...