Yu Ci almost instantly made his judgment—the scene before him bore a striking resemblance to the one described. He felt as if the very heavens and earth were steeped in Bloodthirsty Qi, now turned into burning oil, scorching his skin. Despite his full defenses, strands of this Qi still penetrated, transforming into a toxin ten times more domineering than the previous "ink," capable of burning scriptures and severing meridians, and even permeating his Five Viscera and Six Bowels.
Such was the formidable power of Bloodthirsty Qi, driven by instinct from a Xuan Huang who had lost his senses. Beyond the physical erosion, it exerted immense pressure on the Divine Soul level. It felt akin to the "Ten Orientation Hell Ghost Shaking Technique" unleashed by the Heavy Weapon Sect Leader, its intensity surpassing that technique, only slightly lacking in specificity.
One had said before that with Yu Ci's previous state, approaching within a li of the Xuan Huang Killing Sword spelled "death." Now, it seemed an understatement. Yu Ci felt that if he lingered here any longer, he might collapse on the spot.
As for the location of the Xuan Huang Killing Sword, conservatively, it was over twenty li away.
Yu Ci gazed toward the horizon where heaven and earth converged, his expression laden with worry. He could sense that Xuan Huang's current state was far from good. Like a madman in a frenzy, unleashing without restraint, the more he did so, the closer he slipped toward the abyss.
Standing up and turning in place, Yu Ci felt restless. Not far behind him was the Void Rift, where twisted light and shadow revealed a narrow crack, which was unusually quiet at the moment, with no one passing through. Looking in that direction, he cursed:
"Where have you run off to at such a critical time?"
No matter how much he complained, that person did not reappear.
Yu Ci gritted his teeth and took a step forward, but before he could cover ten feet, a surge of sword cries, ten times more intense than before, filled the blood-red world. The force was so strong that it materialized as a tangible wave of blood, emanating from the Xuan Huang Killing Sword twenty li away, spreading in all directions. It approached so swiftly that as soon as Yu Ci saw it, the tide was already upon him.
"Damn it!"
At that moment, Yu Ci could no longer afford to maintain his composure. He ducked and covered his head, feeling his scalp about to explode as the powerful impact whooshed by. His protective True Sha trembled and then disintegrated. Fortunately, Yu Ci released his Sword Energy in time, employing the principles of the Flawless Sword Circle to mitigate the shockwave's aftermath.
After the impact, piercing shrieks still echoed through the blood-colored world, filling his ears, as if the very air was chanting "kill, kill, kill."
Yu Ci looked up to find the sky and earth now tainted with an even denser red-black murkiness. This time, the color was not content with its current expanse. The surging blood tide breached the Void Rift, treating the spatial barrier as if it were nothing, spreading into the depths of the void.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Yu Ci instinctively reached out, attempting to pull back the blood tide. Of course, this was a futile gesture, so his hand froze midway. Now, no one could salvage the situation. The Bloodthirsty Qi that had broken through the spatial barrier was like the most dazzling flame in the darkness, declaring its presence to all nearby.
"That guy, have you not finished dealing with your 'trivial matters' yet?"
Yu Ci roared skyward, unsurprisingly receiving no response. But he delayed no longer; as the echo of his shout faded, he was already sprinting toward the location twenty li away.
A torrent of blood surged forth, its potent Bloodthirsty Qi ablaze and roaring, slicing past his ears as if to say, “Grazing the face like a blade.” Yu Ci gritted his teeth against the onslaught, refusing to slow his pace.
His hair remained as white as before, his loyalty as steadfast as ever.
Yu Ci had no desire to exaggerate his relationship with Xuan Huang, yet from the moment that fellow tricked him into Return Village, their bond naturally distinguished itself from the ordinary. The principle of "Respond to goodwill with goodwill" was precisely what Xuan Huang and Yu Ci had reciprocated in turn.
As the distance closed, the pressure of the blood tide grew stronger, its grandeur more imposing. The Xuan Huang Killing Sword indeed possessed such a majestic aura; the blood-red heavens themselves began to tremble—not from failing to withstand the sword's pressure, but from the interconnected and resonant Bloodthirsty Qi, repelling all dissimilar existences.
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When Yu Ci crossed the ten-mile threshold, he suddenly felt the pressure ahead intensify by several degrees, making each step a laborious struggle. Even the Flawless Sword Circle proved ineffective at this juncture.
He couldn't stop... to stop would mean being thrust back!
Yu Ci grimaced, standing firm against the onslaught without retreat, his clothes crisped by the fierce Bloodthirsty Qi, his skin flushed crimson as the oppressive force squeezed him, tiny blood vessels bursting open.
At this moment, a jarring noise infiltrated his ears:
"Such a fine sword, truly a fine sword!"
Yu Ci's heart chilled, his Heart-Mind unavoidably disturbed. Stumbling, his body was swept nearly a hundred yards by the blood tide. Fortunately, his swift reaction upon colliding with the ground allowed him to plunge his sharp sword deep into the earth, preventing his previous efforts from being in vain. However, the injury he had just managed to stabilize dealt him a vicious blow, a mouthful of blood choking him, causing intense distress.
He lay half-prostrate on the ground, turning to look. Amid the overwhelming blood tide, he could hardly discern the distant scenery, but that person's laughter brazenly carried over: "Fortune finally smiles upon me, Daoist I! Such a sword is either a divine instrument of punishment or a demonic seed of slaughter, excellent, excellent!"
"Excellent my foot..."
Yu Ci cursed under his breath, yet he knew he had been disregarded by this abrupt interloper. What irked him even more was that, although he was closer to the Xuan Huang Killing Sword, that person's ease was too pronounced. He could feel that the other was in the sky, far more composed than he, who was so desperate he could hardly coordinate his limbs.
Was such cultivation a bit off?
Amidst his doubts, within the roaring blood tide, another voice arose: "Seven Injuries Elder, do not let greed consume you. Is such a sword really something a lonely ghost like you can handle? If you know what's good for you, return to your business of cutting paths. Those Golden Elixir juniors should suffice for your consumption..."
A realization struck Yu Ci: The newcomer was not a Golden Elixir Cultivator!
A Vacuous Walker? A True Person? The former seemed more likely, for the latter was among the eternally living, of an extraordinary realm, and with the consideration of transcending tribulations, unlikely to engage in such strong-arming tactics. It was indeed certain Vacuum Walking Cultivators, coveting the Sword Garden Legacy, who would venture near during the aftermath of the Sword Garden Grand Gathering. Those with principles engaged in trade, while the unscrupulous resorted to outright robbery—a recurring event each year.
Of course, that wasn't the key point. The fact that Yu Ci encountered these two in the Boundary River only proved one thing: The seal off of the Sword Garden had completely collapsed!
Thus, the two Vacuum Walking Cultivators were able to traverse unobstructed, storming directly into the Boundary River. Behind them, countless formidable figures, already eyeing their prey, swarmed in pursuit.
Yu Ci pressed his lips together, momentarily uncertain of his next move. It was at this juncture that the overwhelming tide of blood underwent a transformation.
No matter how formidable the force, it must adhere to the heavenly principles and laws; where there is a crest, there must also be a trough. The raging tide that had surged violently for so long was naturally entering a phase of decline. Yu Ci felt a lightness overcome him, his aura rising naturally around him. With a metallic ring, the sword that had been deeply embedded in the earth sprang forth, piercing through the fading blood tide and propelling Yu Ci forward at breakneck speed, covering two li in the blink of an eye.
Of course, Yu Ci's movements did not go unnoticed, but the two Vacuum Walking Cultivators paid him no mind—for to them, he was merely at the Initial Stage of Golden Elixir, a level they could extinguish with a mere wave of the hand.
After their verbal sparring proved futile and they began a standoff, attempting to seize the initiative, Yu Ci had already brazenly penetrated within three li of the Xuan Huang Killing Sword, his speed still escalating.
Only then did the two Vacuum Walking Cultivators realize something was amiss. The exquisite and fierce precision of Yu Ci's sword control was far beyond what any ordinary practitioner at the Initial Stage of Golden Elixir could match. Moreover, although the Bloodthirsty Qi of the Xuan Huang Killing Sword had ebbed, the potent psychic assault persisted, and Yu Ci regarded it as if it were nothing—a detail that warranted their attention.
The Seven Injuries Elder grunted in anger, employing some technique to send several arrow-like streams of qi slicing through the air. Though they were greatly eroded by the Bloodthirsty Qi mid-flight, they retained their extraordinary sharpness. Yu Ci, quick to react, transformed his Sword Light into mist, narrowly evading the attack, then steadied his stance, advancing no further.
"The lad's finally showing some sense... Huh?"
The Seven Injuries Elder suddenly paused, taken aback. He saw Yu Ci halt his advance, but then turn around, sword in hand, poised and ready, with the sharp blade tilting slightly upward, pointing in their direction. Before he could respond, a mocking laughter echoed from afar:
"To cut off one's livelihood is akin to slaying one's parents, Seven Injuries Elder, you seem to have made a grave mistake."
Up to this point, the two might have reassessed their view, yet still, no one perceived Yu Ci as a threat, at most considering him as a "prop" to provoke each other. Indeed, within the realm of the sword garden, these two did possess the privilege to disdain the vast majority of the participants.
Yu Ci saw through their thoughts as if they were crystal clear. His own heart-lake was utterly tranquil, free from worry and anger, and within it, a series of Rune Patterns began to swim and subsequently coalesce into form.
Seven pivotal fractals, sixty-four key points.
This was the Talisman that Yu Ci had condensed in his mind. However, he had no intention of manifesting this symbol; instead, he submerged it into his Heart-Mind, meticulously grasping the profound meanings contained within...
No, it was the essence of the sword!
Three kilometers behind him, a persistent Sword Resonance began to build, swiftly swelling into a tide, its clamor shaking the heavens and the earth!