Such intense and uncontrolled situations had only occurred once before, at the headwaters of Boundary River, when facing off against the Limitless Vacuum God attempting to seize the body of Qu Thunderbolt-Free.
For a fleeting moment, Yu Ci almost thought that the Treasure Mirror was about to fly out on its own accord again.
Fortunately, after a period of seclusive cultivation, Yu Ci's connection to the Divine Bronze Mirror's aura had grown increasingly tight. Sensing something amiss, he immediately poured his vital energy into it, regaining firm control over the Treasure Mirror.
The Treasure Mirror finally quieted down, but the disturbance had already spread. The Power Guardian Saint did not intercept it, but spoke in his usual vague voice, "Your mirror is responding to the Sky Demon's Evil Qi..."
The implication was clear: you wanted to watch the excitement? Well, now the show has come to you!
Yu Ci was speechless, realizing then that this seemingly reticent Tower Guardian Senior also had a knack for mischief.
With no time to examine the Divine Bronze Mirror's issues, the approaching entity was swift. Yet, when the target appeared before him, he was momentarily taken aback.
It was not the formless and shadowless Outer Realm Sky Demon, but an Immortal Crane with a sharp beak and white feathers. Yu Ci remembered that this Immortal Crane was raised by the Sect's Mountain Gate, intended to adorn the landscape. Situated in the lofty heights, even the cranes raised were of an unusual breed. This particular Immortal Crane had iron feathers, impervious to swords and spears, and could fly at extremely high speeds. It was capable of both offense and defense against a cultivator at the initial stage of Tongshen.
The Immortal Crane before him, however, had blood-red eyes and emitted a layer of black qi, a clear sign it had been possessed by a Sky Demon.
Behind the Immortal Crane, a cultivator wielding a sword pursued, shouting something from afar that Yu Ci didn't catch clearly, but it likely was along the lines of "Stop it!" Estimating the distance, Yu Ci took out his Shooting Star Plate, held it before his chest, and with a slight bow of his head, a white light shone from his forehead, hitting the center of the plate. In the blink of an eye, a beam of clear light shot out, emitting a sharp whistle, its cutting aura intense.
He had released the Nine Luminaries Dragon Abyss Sword Talisman. Now, this sword technique had become even more refined, with the clear light as faint as ripples on water, becoming nearly transparent midway and precisely intercepting the Immortal Crane's flight path. At this point, the talisman transformed vital energy, and the sword aura took command, unleashing a highly concentrated and sharp energy. The Immortal Crane continued to fly forward, but was abruptly bisected mid-flight, with a mist of blood spraying out.
"Excellent!"
The cultivator who had been pursuing from behind couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. As he drew closer, he called out loudly, "What a splendid sword technique... Eh? This junior brother seems unfamiliar. I am Tang Fu from the Theory Department. May I ask which Immortal Elder do you serve under?"
Yu Ci, an Outer Disciple from the Empirical Department, replied, "I have the honor of meeting Senior Brother Tang."
After receiving the Talisman Plate, Yu Ci bowed respectfully. The two quickly closed the distance, and once they were close enough to speak comfortably, Yu Ci inquired, “What’s happened to the Sect? Why have the Outer Realm Sky Demons also forced their way in... Hmm, we mustn’t let the Demon Spawn take advantage of this vulnerability.”
As he spoke, he revisited the protocols of engaging with Outer Realm Sky Demons in battle. Confident in his ability to slay a Sky Demon instantly, he knew that under normal circumstances, one must first ensure the stability of their own Heart-Mind, safeguarding it from the invasion of evil spirits. Without delay, Yu Ci fortified himself with a Heavenly River Prayer Incantation and, with a fluid motion, extended the same protection to the man in Tang attire.
Beneath the Clear Light Barrier, the man in Tang attire shuddered violently, his eyes suddenly blood-red. As Sword Light flared, the figure of Yu Ci before him twisted and vanished. When he looked again, he was surrounded by starlight, glittering like grains of sand, streaming down seemingly slowly. Yet by the time he noticed, the starlight had already taken effect, leaving the flesh unharmed but piercing straight through to the Brain Palace.
It finally dawned on him what this was—the wail of "Lifeless Tribulation Star Soul-breaking Divine Light" escaped him. He attempted to flee using Sword Control, but it was too late. The starry sands had already perforated his true form, riddling it with countless wounds. Any transformation he tried to employ was thwarted by the soul-breaking divine light, rendering him immobile.
Only then did Yu Ci reveal himself, eyeing the faint black qi rising from the Tang-clad figure with a slight smile. Though outwardly, the man showed no signs of anomaly, Yu Ci, well aware of the insidious nature of the formless Sky Demons, had long activated his Illuminating Soul Dharma Eye. He could see the demonic qi enveloping the Divine Soul layer like fog, ensuring he would not be deceived.
He hadn’t prepared a special Talisman, yet the rapid succession of three Talisman activations was enough to catch his opponent off guard. Normally, it would be impossible to conjure Talismans with such speed, but on one hand, he had gradually mastered the "Heavenly Flying Stars" Talisman, understanding the true divine nature of its thirty-six Talismans. On the other hand, the recently consecrated Tao Scripture Master Three Treasure Seal had significantly amplified his Talisman’s effects.
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This Outer Realm Sky Demon was indeed unlucky to have possessed a disciple at the Sect's Mountain Gate and, sensing unusual fluctuations here, came to investigate only to encounter Yu Ci—a master of Talismans, especially adept in attacking Divine Souls—and was swiftly overpowered.
Yu Ci confirmed that the Outer Realm Sky Demon was severely injured. While maintaining the effect of the soul-breaking divine light, he prepared to capture it. The man in Tang attire, now unable to speak, could only glare at him with bloodshot eyes. Yu Ci chuckled, closed in, and reached out to seize him.
Mid-reach, he shivered violently: “How could I have been so careless?”
In the flicker of a thought, his advancing figure abruptly halted, and with a backhanded palm strike, he sent the Tang-clad figure flying. But even so, he was a step too late. A sudden heaviness clouded his mind, and his Heart-Mind scattered, as if succumbing to an overwhelming sleepiness, all consciousness becoming a disordered, tangled mess.
As Yu Ci was on the verge of sinking his consciousness into the Inner Void of the Heart, he felt the solitary island plunge into darkness as a shadow spread out before him—a sign of an Outer Realm Demon's invasion.
"Begone!"
Yu Ci had never truly feared any assault on the Divine Soul, not even Yu Qingxuan's Ten Orientation Hell Ghost Shaking Technique could harm him. The techniques of the Outer Realm Sky Demon, though cunning, became tangible within the Inner Void of the Heart, losing their formless and intangible potency, and thus were of little consequence.
With his thoughts roaring, the island was illuminated by the radiance of various Divine Powers. Particularly, the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form, which had since the Return Village merged with its original essence, now possessed Divine Power. It swelled in size and soared from the island. Above its head, the characters "Dao Jing Shi Bao" were etched in a seal of bright white light. The hook and claw it transformed into resonated without movement, a clear and resonant sound, faintly revealing the presence of a thousand-zhang-long dragon, its majesty sweeping the clouds from the sky.
The might of the Primordial Heavenly Dragon filled the entire island, and in an instant, the layer of gloom was scattered to the winds, with stars sprinkling from the night sky—the effect of the Heavenly River Prayer Incantation manifesting itself.
Yu Ci opened his eyes, the threat of the Outer Realm Sky Demon receding from him, while the external void showed slight distortions—a result of the Sky Demon's injury, which prevented it from maintaining its innate formless and intangible Divine Power.
Indeed, the Sky Demonic Power held an unpredictable, ghostly might, having taken advantage of Yu Ci's mindset of assured victory to lay its trap, nearly succeeding in a stealthy assault. Although Yu Ci handled it properly, the close call still irked him, and he was more determined than ever not to let this creature escape. With an outstretched hand, the Nine Luminaries Dragon Abyss Sword Talisman took shape, and with a humming force, he thrust it forward.
The Outer Realm Sky Demon excelled in adapting to circumstances and changing its form accordingly. Even injured, it was confident it could evade the lock of the Sword Energy. However, Yu Ci's sword pierced the void, with the Sword Energy as a feint, its domineering and brilliant essence revealing its true nature. By the time the Sky Demon realized this, the surrounding void had already solidified, and an overwhelming pressure forced it to sense and pour its focus, and at that moment, it saw a pair of crimson-gold eyes with vertical pupils, fierce like a wild beast, yet bearing an air of proud defiance.
"Aoo!"
A lofty howl echoed through the heavens, yet in a paradox of great sound and silence, this extreme cry did not spread any tangible sound waves. Instead, it directly imprinted the deeply embedded intent into the heart of the Outer Realm Sky Demon.
This strike, like a sun exploding in the darkness, instantly swept away all in its blinding brilliance. The Outer Realm Sky Demon, at the level of a "Gathering Yin Sha Demon," lacked even the strength to struggle and dissipated into a wisp of smoke, which, upon a gust of wind, vanished completely from the world.
"True Essence of the Heavenly Dragon?"
A familiar voice came from above, and Yu Ci looked up to see a figure approaching from afar—it was He Qing. In her hand, she held a golden ring, her personal Magical Instrument "Law Sky Prison." Clearly, she had been about to intervene but had instead witnessed Yu Ci's slaying of the Outer Realm Sky Demon.
Yu Ci broke into a smile, about to speak, when suddenly, a thunderous boom echoed from within the layers of clouds. A burst of flames exploded a couple of miles away, and from within it, a figure emerged, striding through the fire. A burly man with a full beard on his face, Yu Ci recognized him immediately—it was none other than Uncle Lu De, his martial uncle.
Before he could get a clear view of the people here, Uncle Lu De bellowed, "Where's that demon spawn?"
What a coincidence this was.
Yu Ci was about to greet him, but quickly, he was forced to swallow his words for the second time. The reason was Uncle Lu De's piercing gaze, fixated on He Qing without wavering. His face, marked by the distinct aura of the rivers and lakes, turned a shade of iron blue, filled with an emotion that...
Well, it was a profound hostility that Yu Ci found impossible to ignore.
In response, He Qing merely shifted her gaze lightly towards Yu Ci, a movement that seemed like a normal redirection of her eyes, yet it seemed to hold another meaning. Before Yu Ci could comprehend it, Uncle Lu De clenched his teeth, averted his gaze from her, and turned it back to Yu Ci, where it stayed:
"Are you alright?"
Yu Ci knew what he was concerned about and shook his head with a smile, "Disciple has some tricks up his sleeve on the Way of the Soul, nothing to worry about."
"The Sky Demon is formless, swaying the hearts of men, all in a single thought. Do not be complacent, carelessness is not permissible."
Uncle Lu De was a rough and straightforward man, and his concern came across almost like a reprimand. Yu Ci, having met him before, understood this and responded earnestly. At this moment, it seemed that He Qing was smiling at Uncle Lu De's groundless worries. Because of the angle, Uncle Lu De couldn't see it, but Yu Ci saw it clearly.
Fortunately, Uncle Lu De, despite his bad temper, knew restraint and didn't prattle on. After a few words, he got straight to the point, "Your sword has been forged, made entirely according to your specifications. See if it suits you."
There was a hint of reservation in his words. The "your specifications" referred to the Sword-Casting Secret Art that Yu Ci had provided him. In the Cultivation World, such methods were considered unorthodox, not part of the path to immortality. However, Uncle Lu De, with his profound knowledge in Artifact Refinement, recognized the exceptional nature of it at a glance. But given his temperament, and more importantly, his friendship with Yu Zhou, Uncle Lu De wouldn't inquire unless Yu Ci volunteered the information. He simply forged the sword weapon to the best of his ability as requested.
As they talked, Uncle Lu De tossed the sheathed longsword over.
Yu Ci caught it without affectation, thanked him loudly, and with a "hum", the Treasure Sword was unsheathed by three inches.
The cold blade shimmered like the waters of a lake under a starry sky, its brilliance flashing in the stillness.
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