The chaos wrought by the sudden rear attack exceeded the limits of Yuan Wang's tolerance; everyone was unprepared for Yu Ci's abrupt assault.

Cultivators of the Ice Snow Demon Palace had long grown accustomed to the routine of Yuan Wang and his cohorts guarding the exit, passing through in an orderly fashion. The previous thwarted attempts by Yu Ci had only solidified their complacent mindset. When the situation took a sudden turn, they were caught off guard.

A sword light shredded an unfortunate soul attempting to cross the Void Rift, dragging him back into the original space. Yuan Wang and the others lacked the Divine Bronze Mirror and could not sense the situation on the other side of the rift, so they had no choice but to rush back. By then, the chaos Yu Ci had caused had turned the area around the Void Rift into a tumultuous mess.

Even the well-trained Cultivators of the Ice Snow Demon Palace were momentarily stunned by this unexpected strike. Some pursued, some defended, and some even fled through the rift to avoid the onslaught. It was only when their senior brother, who commanded the rear, ordered a defensive formation that a shocking event unfolded.

With a single sword strike from over fifty feet away, Yu Ci executed a remote slash through the air, splattering blood over the head of the senior brother who had just bellowed to hold the line. Half of his head flew off, his Initial Stage of Golden Elixir cultivation proving to be a cruel joke as he fell dead on the spot.

For a moment, the scene fell eerily silent, only to erupt into even greater chaos. Yu Ci, wielding the momentum of his sword that had felled a formidable foe, burst through the ranks of about a dozen men, slaying another before his form dissipated into mist, and he fled far away on his sword.

By the time Yuan Wang, seething with rage, returned and stabilized the formation, Yu Ci had vanished without a trace.

The idea of forcing Yu Ci to "lead the way" was now as distant as the thirty-third heaven. Yuan Wang's first impulse was to chase down the youth and tear him to pieces. With his Upper Level Golden Elixir cultivation, he might well be able to catch up if he pursued with all his might.

"De Rong!"

Yuan Wang called out, and a figure beside him responded. De Rong appeared thin and insignificant, with a sullen face, but he was the second most skilled Cultivator in the Ice Snow Demon Palace, just after Yuan Wang. With De Rong and Yuan Wang joining forces, the demise of Yu Ci was all but assured.

However, at that moment, the faint aura of Yu Ci in the distance suddenly split, diverging in opposite directions. At first, there were slender strands of aura to track, but soon they became so ethereal as to be nearly imperceptible.

Yuan Wang hesitated, his face darkening ominously.

************

"The young have learned quite a mix."

The voice by Yu Ci's ear was ambiguous, carrying either praise or mockery, but Yu Ci paid it no mind. His series of maneuvers, utilizing the Shadow Concealment Technique and the Supreme Polaris Star Pivot Avatar among several other practical tactics, had indeed caught the Ice Snow Demon Palace Cultivators off guard, to great effect. However, this was far from the standard set by that certain individual.

Yu Ci was resolute and had a good understanding of the Sword Way, but the method suggested by the other—binding his own hands in a crisis to seek a breakthrough—was only worth a try. After all, he was a person of conviction, with a clear sense of priorities.

"There will be more opportunities ahead. With the Ice Snow Demon Palace here, the others won't be far behind."

Saying this, Yu Ci looked back. The decoy effect of the Supreme Polaris Star Pivot Avatar was already excellent, and given Yu Ci's recent battle experience and advancement in cultivation, his Primordial Root Qi Method elevated his Talismanic Cultivation Level, making his applications even more adept and refined. With no response from the Ice Snow Demon Palace Cultivators thus far, it seemed they had indeed been fooled.

Yu Ci had seen through the machinations of the cultivators from the Ice Snow Demon Palace; the Void Rift he had just traversed was certainly not the main path. When the time came to aid Xuan Huang, would it not be burdensome to be trailed by a long string of followers?

With the stratagem of a retreating lunge, Yu Ci cleaved three men with his sword, aiming not just to eliminate them but to intimidate the boot-following ghosts. They might soon catch up, but having witnessed his resolve, they would now think twice before pursuing him through the Void Rift, no matter how formidable they were. This would grant Yu Ci increasingly greater room to maneuver.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Indeed, subsequent events unfolded much as Yu Ci had anticipated. There were occasions when two Golden Elixir cultivators from the Ice Snow Demon Palace, reckless of their own safety, launched ferocious attacks. Yet, he evaded them with a mix of luck and skill. After several such exchanges, within half an hour and using a lone cultivator's unexpected thrust from an oblique angle, Yu Ci finally shook off his pursuers and delved deeper into the Boundary River.

He was now not far from Xuan Huang's location.

"Just two more times..."

That voice, which had never manifested itself physically but had been constantly shadowing Yu Ci without the slightest delay, led him to suspect that this master was hidden nearby. Despite several scans with his divine consciousness starlight, he found no trace and ultimately could only admire the master's skill with the utmost respect.

Now, the Void Rift leading to the next node of the Boundary River was right before him. Yu Ci did not wish to delay and was about to enter when the voice cautioned, "Hold on, aren't you being careless? Have you not discerned the true nature of what lies ahead?"

"You were silent before," Yu Ci remarked with a laugh, realizing he had become too reliant on this informant. He decided to extend his divine consciousness starlight to peer through. What he saw changed his expression instantly.

"What is this accursed place?"

"Beyond here, according to Qu Thunderbolt-Free's judgment, lies the most likely location of the Eternal Abyss, naturally fraught with peril. However, there are differences. The next one is merely an ordinary corner of the Outer Realm of the Nine Heavens, even quite close to your Lichen Sect."

Yu Ci was momentarily at a loss for words. There were no living beings on the other side, and the sensation from his divine consciousness starlight was abstract. He could only confirm that the concentration of Primordial Qi on the other side was more scarce than anything he had ever encountered. Yet, there was an intense reaction from the surroundings, like a high-temperature furnace, with movements swift and sharp, like arrows or lightning, a scene that was hard to imagine through sensation alone.

So this was the Outer Realm of the Nine Heavens?

For a cultivator like Yu Ci, who was not yet qualified to partake in its mysteries, the Outer Realm of the Nine Heavens held a certain mystique.

Yu Ci knew that after a cultivator broke through to the Vacuum Walking Realm, one could traverse the Nine Heavenly Gang wind with their physical body alone and reach that place. There, one could absorb what was called the "Quintessential Mysterious Truth" for the refinement of body and spirit. Such a journey often lasted three to five years, during which one had to endure not only the harsh environment of the Outer Domain Space but also contend with the rampant extraterritorial demons. Of course, there were also those despicable "woodworms" who instigated bloody battles of robbery and counter-robbery.

There, lay the path of cultivation for the Vacuum Walking Cultivator—the most expedient, arduous, and perilous of routes.

Even for the Vacuum Walking Cultivator, it was so; what of him, who merely grazed the lower bounds of the Golden Elixir Stage? Could he truly traverse it unscathed?

To this concern, the one beside him had replied with disarming simplicity: "I shall protect you as we cross."

Yu Ci's lips curled into a wry half-smile. "Well then, my thanks."

His voice dripped with a trace of irony, yet his actions bore no hint of hesitation. If the other intended harm, there was no need for such elaborate subterfuge. Heeding the advice given, Yu Ci gathered his Primordial Qi close, subdued the sword intent to a quiet storm within, and stepped through the fissure.

Darkness enveloped him, then gave way to light. The void around him trembled as if whipped by fierce winds. In reality, it was the lively dance of Qi around him, with countless streaks of lightning birthing and dying within it, nearly blinding Yu Ci with their brilliance.

It was to last but five breaths.

This was the time limit given by his companion to traverse this segment of the Outer Domain Space. Recognizing the rarity of the opportunity, Yu Ci widened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. Through the electric flashes, the scene bore a vague familiarity—the somber, unsupported void, the distant stars that blinked intermittently, reminiscent of the Inner Void of the Heart before its transformation.

Yet Yu Ci also noted the differences. Below and to the side, a deep azure "ocean" stretched out, its surface aglow with a shimmering mist, extending towards the unseen horizon. As Yu Ci gazed intently, at the edge of this "sea," a ring of dazzling light suddenly arose, its intensity such that it made the luminescence of the "sea" pale in comparison.

Even sooner, the Qi around Yu Ci accelerated its flow, the resulting lightning veiling much of the intense light. His companion spoke, "The ascent of the True Sun, the True Solar Fire could ignite you in an instant. Though my Sword Energy shields you, the light remains fierce. Young one, it's best to close your eyes."

Yu Ci hesitated, but obediently shut his eyes.

Perhaps as a reward for his compliance, his companion began to divulge some information: "The deep azure region you will see below is the Cultivation World. The 'shimmering light' atop it is the layer of the Nine Heavenly Gang Wind, varying in thickness. The thinnest part is but a mere thousand li, while the thickest exceeds two hundred thousand li. Within it dwell not only Outer Realm Sky Demons but also some peculiar living beings of considerable value. Of course, what you're seeing now is still veiled by a seal, its actual location and such distorted. Don't take it at face value, just be aware... We've arrived!"

The familiar sensation of dizziness from passing through the Void Rift subsided, and Yu Ci opened his eyes to survey his new surroundings. Suddenly, a muffled grunt sounded beside him:

"To guard against me as one would a thief, no wonder such disgraceful acts have been committed. The caliber of each generation truly diminishes..."

"What?"

"Young one, meddle not in matters that don't concern you."

The mood of his companion seemed to sour considerably, the reply coming forth tersely, followed by, "I have matters to attend to on my end and must leave you for a while. Stay put, do not act rashly, and wait for my return!"

With these cryptic words hanging in the air, the voice ceased. Yu Ci called out twice, but no response came.