The Heavy Weapon Sect had lost three... with their leader missing.
The informant delivered the news with a calm that betrayed no fluctuation in his tone.
A surge of Sword Energy that surpassed the level of True Immortal swept through, inundating everything within ten miles outside the light ring. It was said that not a single creature survived in that area. According to the latest intelligence, the party from the Heavy Weapon Sect had been within this very region, and their situation was naturally dire. Moreover, the attack from the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave was not only wildly ferocious but also exceedingly targeted. Within the tide of blood, there were peaks and troughs, claiming not only the two unfortunate souls who had charged ahead but also several Vacuum Walking Cultivators lurking in the shadows. And the Heavy Weapon Sect Leader, who had once posed the greatest threat, was certainly not spared.
Yet, the outcome somewhat defied Yu Ci's expectations.
Since his entrance into the Sword Garden, the Heavy Weapon Sect Leader had been the most enigmatic figure he had encountered, seemingly unfathomable. In comparison, even the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave seemed somewhat inferior. Even now, as the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave had seized the original Physical Body... ah, it seemed the tables were indeed turning.
Even so, could the Heavy Weapon Sect Leader have been so easily eradicated?
"No, he's still here," analyzed the informant, his voice still measured. "It's merely a projection. Losing it means little; it was a calculated risk, timely and appropriate. Besides, if we speak of the projection's vulnerabilities, they are at their greatest right now. After all, it is nothing but a 'minor figure.'"
"Ah?"
"The emotions of living beings are fickle. The most rugged individuals can have moments of tenderness, and the timid may find courage. Yet, one's nature is hard to change. All transformations require a desire for change, and it is at the height of its complacency that such a desire is absent. Its true nature, thus exposed, could not be more incompatible with Master Yuan Dao. Hence, a single wave of Sword Energy renders it a mere imitation, a dog trying to imitate a tiger, far inferior to you."
"..."
In matters of sword intent, the informant was an undisputed authority. Yu Ci himself could not discern whether this was meant as praise or not; it certainly didn't sound flattering. However, upon reflection, he had to admit there was some truth to it and chuckled:
"I admire your grasp of the human heart, senior."
It was meant as a polite remark, yet as soon as the words left his mouth, Yu Ci had an epiphany. If the informant had such a refined understanding of the human psyche, why would he engage in "idle chat" with him? There must be a deeper significance to his words: laying bare the human heart, revealing it before his eyes, was perhaps meant to bolster his spirits.
To be honest, it did indeed lift Yu Ci's confidence.
Yet, he was an exception. The firsthand experience of the Sword Energy's blood tide was enough to extinguish any aspirations a Golden Elixir cultivator might harbor—at least for the time being. For a full half-quarter of an hour after the shadow had dissipated, not a soul dared to step within ten miles of the light ring.
Still, Yu Ci waited patiently at the rear. The light ring continued to shrink, albeit slowly. At this rate, the Void Rift leading to the unknown would inevitably close. As this process continued, a stifling atmosphere spread.
"Men die for wealth, as birds perish for food."
Murmuring to himself, Yu Ci watched as a figure finally crossed the ten-mile threshold. At first cautious and vigilant, the person's pace quickened gradually until they plunged directly into the center of the light ring. While this individual was still en route, others began to follow—two, three, five... at least ten people, forming a wave of humanity surging forward.
From that moment, the cultivators delineated their paths: some charging forth, others observing from a distance, and yet others retreating outright.
Yu Ci silently edged closer, aligning himself with the onlookers. By his ear, a voice surged with enthusiasm, striking up a conversation with him:
"Admittedly, there are fools among us, but the wise are in greater number here. It is the wise who must vie more fervently, for the path to immortality is no leisurely embroidery or tea sipping. It brooks no dawdling or compliance, no calm or unhurried advance. Especially the higher one climbs, the pursuit of the immortal truth becomes less tolerant of dissent. When clashes arise, it's a fight to the death. Wasn't the western campaign of the Sword Cultivation born of this very struggle? A fine line of destiny, where my existence negates yours, a battle with no quarter given?"
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Hearing this, Yu Ci felt a tinge of nostalgia. Such debates on the Tao were once common in the Zhi Xin Observatory. But where Yu Zhou, the Old Daoist, always spoke of 'choice', here was talk of 'struggle', a markedly different perspective. This prompted Yu Ci to recall something he had previously settled, but now needed to verify once more for peace of mind:
"How fare my fellow sect members?"
"They have been led away. You needn't worry. Though that Taoist is hopelessly lost in the 'struggle', having severed his path to immortality, the rest are considered top choices... Ah, look ahead!"
The sudden warning prompted Yu Ci to glance back, but he detected nothing. However, trusting the signal, he soared forward as instructed, the voice continuing in his ear: "The Heavy Weapon Sect Leader has already entered, a master of concealment and stealth."
"Nothing about her surprises me."
Yu Ci replied, and with the realization that all players had taken the stage and played their parts, he spoke no more. Sword Riding into Mist, he cleaved through the air and vanished into the circle of light.
The world seemed to expand in an instant.
It was a pure sensation; before Yu Ci could discern this new realm, the chaotic void currents, sharp as blades, swept him up. His protective Sword Energy proved utterly ineffective, his eyes unable to open. It was only thanks to the prowess demonstrated by his companion in the Outer Realm of the Nine Heavens, who formed a barrier that repelled the turbulent flow, that his life was spared.
Enveloped by his companion, Yu Ci pressed on, delving deeper into the heart of this domain. After traversing more than ten li, the chaotic void currents suddenly ceased. It turned out that while the outer reaches were tumultuous, the inner sanctum was the 'eye of the storm', offering a moment of respite.
Yet even this short journey of ten li had shredded several unfortunate souls to pieces.
"This is the source of the void-breaking sword, the most stable core of the entire Sword Garden."
Listening to the guide, Yu Ci surveyed his surroundings. Perhaps because he had reached the very heart of the domain, the methods that once opened the void now failed. What Yu Ci saw was not the splendid gardens and wondrous landscapes, but the most ordinary barren mountains and snow-capped peaks, indistinguishable from the winter scenery of the Broken Realm Mountain Range.
It was still night.
Yu Ci looked up at the sky, feeling an increasing sense of familiarity. The pattern of the heavens here bore a resemblance to the Guixu, particularly the Guixu within the Star Track Sword Realm, where the sky was pieced together by intersecting Void Rifts, displaying thousands of night skies, magnificent and unparalleled. Yet here, the Void Rifts were closer together, even blending into one another, making the void tremors and frequent chaotic currents all the more natural.
The mountainous expanse, spanning dozens of miles, was vast, and within it, a dozen or so individuals were scattered, their shadows elusive in the briefest of moments.
Yu Ci, disinclined to ponder further, inquired directly, "Where are they?"
"Them" referred to the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave and the Heavy Weapon Sect Leader, two pivotal figures. The pair had previously become sworn enemies, and upon entering this place, their vendetta deepened with additional blood debts. Should they encounter each other, a cataclysmic battle was inevitable. Yu Ci might well exploit this to accomplish the unfinished business of the Xuan Huang legacy.
The mountain wind howled past his ears, yet it carried not a whisper of conversation.
A surge of excitement welled up in Yu Ci's heart, and he called out, "Senior?"
Another gust swept by, and this time, thankfully, there was a response, albeit fragmented and indistinct: "On the outskirts... the Void Array, at this point, a spent force... especially after interference."
The latter part of the message finally came through clearly, though the volume remained low. Yu Ci frowned; he was not one to rely on others for success, yet he possessed the self-awareness to recognize his place. In such a situation, a mere Golden Elixir Cultivator had no standing to intervene. Should the senior fail to exert their power, his presence here would indeed be troublesome!
As the saying goes, "Fear begets reality." Yu Ci's unease lingered, and even after a few more exchanges with the senior, their conversation ended abruptly and without warning. Even if temporary, it caused him a great headache.
He paced in circles on the spot, the atmospheric pressure hanging heavy like the shadow of a snow-capped peak upon his heart.
From the distant mountains, the faint sounds of combat reached him, growing more intense by the moment. Yu Ci glanced in that direction; judging solely by the pulse of the air, he sensed that it was merely a Golden Elixir-level conflict. Moreover, separated by two mountain ridges, three Golden Elixir cultivators were about to converge, likely leading to an unexpected skirmish.
There was more...
Yu Ci suddenly paused, taken aback. When had his senses become so acutely sharp?
Within a three-mile radius, his perception was intricate and detailed, discerning the subtlest breath as if it were before his eyes; within five miles, he could grasp the general scene. Even further afield, he retained some sense, and particularly intense signals were unmistakable. Such sensitivity was now nearly threefold what it had been, and he was oblivious to the change.
Yu Ci couldn't help but wonder, had he become too reliant on "that person" since leaving Return Village?
With a slight stirring in his heart, Yu Ci placed the sheathed Xuan Huang Killing Sword before his eyes. After a long contemplation, he smiled and said, "Old friend, bless me abundantly. What does it matter if I sacrifice a few dozen pounds of flesh today? Let's call it even, responding to goodwill with goodwill!"
Having murmured these words, he rose and headed deeper into the shadow of the snow peak. He needed to revise his plans, for there was someone there who was just the right candidate.
He quickly rounded a mountain ridge and entered a sensitive area. There was no need for him to call out; from atop the snow peak, a cold gaze, sharp as arrows and swords, pierced his face.
"What a coincidence to see you here, Immortal Yu."
"Incense Slave, you're here too."
Speaking in a now familiar tone, whether intentional or not, Yu Ci responded with a smile. It was a pity, though, that the female cultivator's countenance was completely obscured by the shadow of her hood, her emotions unreadable.
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