The actions of the Incense Slave caught Yu Ci off guard, prompting him to look up and inquire. Just as the female cultivator turned her head, the shadow of her hood revealed only a glimpse of her eyes, twinkling coldly like stars. Yu Ci's brows furrowed slightly, and the voice echoed in his ears: "Does she have a poor impression of you?"

"Perhaps... I suppose so."

Yu Ci smiled, though his entire body was tense like a drawn bow, ready to react at any moment.

At that instant, a fine rumbling echoed through the continuous snow-capped mountains. The sound waves, after several avalanches, shook loose the overly softened snow on the mountain summit once more. However, to Yu Ci, the most noticeable change was the chaos in the void currents, as if a stick had been thrust in and was stirring vigorously.

"Is that shadow causing mischief?" Yu Ci asked.

"Yes, the pathways here are clear, and the void is neatly segmented, making it simple to search for clues. What is it doing... who is it contacting?"

"Contacting?"

Yu Ci was somewhat puzzled, but even more perplexed by the reaction of the Incense Slave. As the situation changed, the female cultivator seemed less concerned than before, instead casting her gaze beyond his shoulder and deep into the turmoil of the void currents, taking a long while before retracting her eyes.

"The murderous intent is like boiling oil; it's hard to tell whom it targets. This young lady is enduring quite the hardship."

While the two whispered in secret, the Incense Slave finally swayed her robe sleeves and moved forward again. Yu Ci promptly ceased speaking and observed her actions closely.

The female cultivator stopped at the edge of the void's chaotic currents, raised her arm, and reached out, her palm seemingly piercing through the tumult.

Yu Ci's brow twitched; on either side, one side of the void was chaotic, the other calm, creating an immense pressure differential. Had it been him reaching out, his arm would likely be rendered useless by now. He assumed the Incense Slave was under no small amount of pressure, yet not a trace of it showed. As he pondered this, a circle of grey-white flame burst from the outside of the female cultivator's black robe, searing like fire. The light was not intense, yet looking directly at it felt like needles pricking the eyes, sending a chill through his heart: "It's the Illusion Power of Rakshasa!"

And it was the purest kind...

Before he could hear further opinions, Yu Ci's eardrums suddenly vibrated. He opened his mouth, only to find that his entire being, the whole area, the entire world, seemed affected. Perhaps his eyes were also impacted, as his vision blurred and the surroundings distorted significantly. He felt dizzy, a familiar sensation!

It was like in the Sky Rift Valley...

"Run!"

The sharp warning exploded in his head, and Yu Ci forcefully cut off his thoughts, propelling his body to the side. No sooner had he left his original spot than scorching Sword Energy, mingled with the roar of the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave, sliced into the void's chaotic flow, instantly generating a blazing storm. The force of the impact was so strong that it leveled the narrow void interval on this side, causing both sides of the void to collide and a large chunk of space to collapse.

Yu Ci flew out, grazing the tail end of the storm. Despite being affected by the sudden dizziness, he crashed into the void's chaotic currents. However, he wasn't too worried; the one who hadn't been blocked out yet was still quite trustworthy.

He extended a barrier around himself, shielding against the void's chaotic currents, and moved to another relatively stable location. A moment earlier than him, the Incense Slave, swift as a Flying Soul Illusion, had already escaped the danger zone. But the others weren't so fortunate.

It was unclear what the Incense Slave had done, but at this moment, the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave was in a towering rage. A storm of Sword Energy swept across the land, repeatedly plunging into the surrounding void's turbulent currents, throwing the world into utter chaos. The Cultivators who had just charged into the void to seize treasures were unfortunate collateral damage. The Bloodthirsty Sword Qi swept back and forth in the violently unstable void, leaving countless individuals retching blood and in the utmost disarray.

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Yet, in the midst of this turmoil, a piercing cry rose, and a distorted gleam of light shot forth, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Soon after, shouts erupted: "Di Tianluo has seized the treasure... and he's escaped!"

The outcry spread, and the atmosphere of this realm shifted instantly.

Ah, what a perfect excuse!

Yu Ci could sense that with the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave's demonic fury unleashed and venting wildly, almost no one wished to linger in this place any longer. Di Tianluo, having successfully snatched the treasure and fleeing, was simply the best catalyst for the Cultivators to depart.

One by one, they left...

In Yu Ci's ears, someone was counting. In barely more than ten breaths, the Cultivators who had ventured into the source of this Boundary River had all but retreated, leaving only a few behind...

Xia Boyang muttered a curse under his breath. He was infuriated at having been narrowly outdone by Di Tianluo – that woman. But what was done was done, and there was no point dwelling on it. He had intended to leave as well, yet his gaze shifted and caught sight of a figure completely shrouded in a black robe at the edge of the void's turbulent flow. A sudden warmth surged in his heart.

When he had previously revealed the identity of the female cultivator, his words were a mix of truth and falsehood, but one thing was genuine: he had indeed been moved by the female cultivator. The memory of her sharp and cold demeanor, ever-changing and vibrant, was like a magnificent piece of ice crystal—chilling to the touch, yet refracting rainbow hues under the sunlight.

Years later, upon their reunion, the female cultivator had become much more reserved, like an ice crystal locked away in a box. Despite his regret, this only intensified his desire to break the Seal and reveal her brilliance once more.

With this thought, he deliberately took a detour, calling out, "Hurry up and leave!"

This was his way of showing care. He rushed over, intending to pull the female cultivator along with him. Of course, there was a ninety percent chance she would avoid him, but the gesture was what mattered. As he drew near, he reached out, almost touching the Incense Slave's shoulder, yet the female cultivator still gave no response.

"Eh?"

In a moment of confusion, the Incense Slave turned her head, and their eyes met.

Their gazes locked, and Xia Boyang's body shook violently, his mouth agape, unable to utter a word. The moment froze for a brief instant before he, as if awakening from a dream, hastily bowed with a clasped fist, giving a slight nod before remembering to bend at the waist. As he bowed deeper, his entire spine felt icy and rigid.

The Incense Slave gave no indication of acknowledgment, merely turning her face away once more.

Seeing the female cultivator no longer looking at him, Xia Boyang finally felt his spine thaw slightly, softening a touch. He said nothing more, bowing deeply to the ground before turning and walking away. In an instant, he had vanished into the chaotic void, leaving no trace.

"Hey, hey..."

The nearby space was silent and chaotic, leaving only Yu Ci as the sole witness. Witnessing this unbelievable scene, he wasn't even sure whom he was calling out to; anyone to share the absurdity of the moment would suffice. Soon, a voice rang in his ear.

"Silence!"

Yu Ci obediently closed his mouth and then watched as the Incense Slave stepped out of the range of the chaotic void currents.

With a thunderous boom, another snow peak collapsed. Amidst the flying rocks and snow, the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave hovered in midair, surrounded by a halo of Bloodthirsty Qi, his gaze piercingly cold as he stared across the distance. The Incense Slave slightly tilted her head upwards, meeting his eyes without a hint of fear.

The echoes lingered in the air, yet the atmosphere had become so tense it was almost suffocating.

"How can she withstand it?"

The Bloodthirsty Sword Qi of the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave was truly fierce and unmatched. Even amidst the chaotic void currents, with completely misaligned directions and angles, Yu Ci felt his skin heat up from the mere residual effects. However, the Incense Slave seemed utterly unaffected.

No, it was more than that. Around her, a greyish-white flame burned, its heat radiating outward, distorting the surrounding terrain and lending an eerie quality to her figure.

Seeing this, Yu Ci had a guess in his mind, but someone else knew better: "She's been blessed with divine power! That girl has connected with the God Lord she worships, drawing forth strength. It seems like a temporary, massive investment..."

Yu Ci was not surprised by this. When he first entered the Sword Immortal's Secret Domain, he had noticed that the Incense Slave seemed to be communicating with the outside world through a Void Rift. Now it seemed that the Divine Power of the Rakshasa Ghost King she worshiped was vast indeed. If she were to be supported, wouldn't it be effortless to make something happen?

Wait, the Rakshasa Ghost King?

Yu Ci pressed his forehead, preparing himself for battle with formidable opponents. However, the constant emergence of a "top-tier Big Shot" gave him an absurd sense of being trapped in a nightmare.

Voices continued to analyze the situation in his ears: "The intensity of the divine power is still rising. Good grief, is the other side trying to create a Separate Consciousness and Thoughts? That shadow should act early..."

The voice abruptly cut off.

In the blink of an eye, a figure appeared out of nowhere, its metallic luster glaring under the greyish-white flame.

The Incense Slave was already on alert, the distortion around her intensifying rapidly. Yet, the figure seemed like a demon god emerging from her very spot, unaffected by any distortion, extending a thumb to lightly press against the female cultivator's back heart.

The Illusion Power of Rakshasa's flames vanished abruptly, and the newcomer took advantage of the situation to grasp the Incense Slave's neck, lifting her up forcefully.

"What's going on?"

Yu Ci's hand froze on his forehead, momentarily forgetting to take it down.

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

Additionally, the plot of the Sword Garden is approaching its climax and conclusion. Please, my brothers and sisters, patiently await its arrival.

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