The sound of a sword's whistle echoed by Yu Ci's ears, as the soil around him dispersed, creating a spherical space about ten feet in diameter, nearly flawless in form. It was the secret technique of the Lichen Sect's Sword Way, the "Flawless Sword Circle," a defensive art that Yu Ci had mastered to perfection at his current stage.
In the next instant, an onslaught surged forward.
As the Sword Energy clashed with the shockwave, Yu Ci's form and his Brain Palace were violently shaken, yet he could not move an inch, forcibly pinned in place. With each swing of the impact, he could no longer hold back, a mouthful of fresh blood reaching his throat. But the external pressure was so immense that the blood could not escape and instead rushed back down.
For a fleeting moment, stars danced before Yu Ci's eyes. Fortunately, when the Flawless Sword Circle was deployed, the Primordial Qi around him automatically adjusted, creating a buffer. Within the void of his heart, the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form instinctively protected him, steadying his mind and ensuring the flow of Primordial Qi remained orderly. Otherwise, he would have been gravely injured and crushed into pieces like the unfortunate few before him.
It must be said, this disaster struck with unreasonable ferocity.
While observing from a distance, Yu Ci was very careful to maintain a safe distance from Xia Shuanghe, always exceeding fifty li. This was the average sensory range of a True Being Cultivator, as mentioned by Shadow Ghost. After some recent firsthand experiences, it seemed reliable. Should any problem arise, he would be able to react in time.
But he had never anticipated such a violent turn of events!
Two True Being Cultivators had returned from nearly a hundred li away in just about twenty breaths' time, colliding fiercely above the river of magma with tremendous force! Even for a True Immortal, it would be an impossible task to traverse a hundred li in such a short time under normal circumstances. One could only imagine that they must have employed some potent secret technique, the power invoked far exceeding any expectations. The resulting impact was naturally the strongest since the "Hunting Ground" battles began.
Had this strike hit the center of Yin Cave City, few would have survived. What, then, was fifty li?
Several defensive and escape techniques flashed through his mind, with the best being to summon Tie Lan. With the help of this Ghost Cultivator of the Vacuum Walking Tiers, the pressure would undoubtedly be alleviated significantly. However, Shadow Ghost urgently called for a halt. The aura of Vacuum Walking was entirely different from that of Golden Elixir, and to the two True Immortals, a Golden Elixir cultivator was not worth their concern. But if a Vacuum Walking master, completely different from anyone before, were to suddenly appear, it could draw their attention, and the situation might become far worse than it already was.
This method proved futile, and any other strategy seemed even less promising. In the briefest moment of thought, Yu Ci realized that aside from meeting the challenge head-on with his Flawless Sword Circle, he had no other option.
The shockwave reverberated once more. In truth, the collision of two True Being Cultivators at this stage couldn't possibly produce a more powerful impact than the initial one. However, the relentless succession of waves, one after another, created a reciprocating vibration that posed the greatest pressure Yu Ci currently faced.
If it were a single shockwave, Yu Ci had plenty of techniques to diffuse the force, but now he faced a continuous, unrelenting high-pressure oscillation, leaving him no time to cushion the blows. He could only stand his ground with his swordplay, and before long, his complexion was flushed with exertion, a vivid red threatening to spill over.
"Measure your output against your input!" Shadow Ghost warned loudly, "Do not, under any circumstances, stimulate your Innate Vital Energy..."
It is well known that the human body has its own self-protective mechanisms. For ordinary people, tapping into Innate Vital Energy to momentarily unleash the potential of life typically occurs in 'impossible' situations. For a regular Cultivator, achieving this also requires the practice of certain methods, such as the renowned Sky Demon Disassembly Technique.
However, for Yu Ci, who was afflicted by the Marrow-Burning Curse, his Blood Marrow Vital Energy was already more active than that of an ordinary person, making it easier to stimulate his body. The advantage was that he could always burst forth with strength beyond his limits; the downside, however, was that a single misstep could lead to excessive depletion of Innate Vital Energy and a consequent reduction in lifespan – a loss that would be difficult to recover from before reaching the Vacuum Walking Realm.
That was why Shadow Ghost urged him to exercise extreme caution. After all, this pattern of sustained high pressure and intense shockwaves was most likely to drain one's existing strength and directly stimulate the body's potential, precipitating a crisis. But as easy as it was to say, controlling oneself in the face of overwhelming power was far from simple. And besides, what use was lifespan if one's life was at stake?
Yu Ci did not deliberately control it, nor could he. In the space of a single breath, the Flawless Sword Circle, which spanned ten feet, was forcibly compressed to just over a foot from his body. Unable to fully wield the Seven Dipper Star Sword, Yu Ci had no choice but to hold the blade to his chest, relying purely on the force of his Sword Energy, which consumed even more of his strength.
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His gaze was level with the middle of the Sword Spine, and in the darkness, a faint Sword Light glimmered, reflecting the expression on his face, which was one of sweat pouring down like rain. Yu Ci was also observing the Seven Dipper Star Sword itself. Due to the full concentration of True Sha, the seven Morninglight Stones embedded within the sword's structure were being activated, causing the seven stars to extinguish one by one.
According to Lu Nan, the sword's forger, with each Starlight that faded, the sword's power would more than double, and the energy consumed would also increase exponentially. For Yu Ci, at his current level of Cultivation, the extinguishing of three stars was already pushing him to his limit. If another star's light were to go out, there was no doubt that he would exceed his threshold!
"Idiot, the True Sha of the Six Meridians needs to be redirected here! The Rushing Meridians should be nurtured with yang energy... When vibrating, you must not exert your dantian so forcefully..."
In this critical moment, even Shadow Ghost could not concern himself with anything else. His thoughts were incessant, constantly guiding Yu Ci on the techniques of channeling Sword Energy, urging him to achieve the greatest effect with the least amount of effort. In terms of foundation, Shadow Ghost's mastery of the Sword Way could not be claimed to be "unmatched under the heavens," but it could certainly be considered "rarely rivaled." When it spoke, every word was a gem, directly pointing to the essence of the Sword Way.
On any other day, given such an opportunity, Yu Ci would have listened attentively. However, in the current situation, he could only borrow a bit of strength for minor adjustments. As time went on, all the phrases flowed past him like water. Whether he heard them or not, even he himself did not know. Perhaps the only answer lay in the dimming, yet persistently unextinguished, aura on the blade.
Time slowly passed in what could be described as his dazed or perhaps intensely focused state.
At some point, the Flawless Sword Circle had been utterly crushed, its sinews and flesh damaged, with the skin particularly affected. Under the immense pressure, it turned a scalding, blood-red hue, countless fine capillaries having burst. In some areas, the skin could no longer bear the strain and had torn open. Yet it was under these circumstances that Yu Ci's figure began to stir.
The pressure did not abate. On the contrary, as the two True Immortals clashed, the accumulating shockwaves exploded in all directions. Even Yu Ci's peripheral location could not escape, with the pressure increasing by a fifth, nearing the intensity of the initial explosive impact.
Even so, Yu Ci, with the Seven Dipper Star Sword in hand, moved like a fish... or more aptly, like an eel writhing in the mud, seemingly clumsy but in fact slippery and elusive. Amidst the crumbling earth, he became faster and more agile.
All the intense pressure around him either dissipated without impact, was redirected, or simply melted away on the spot. Throughout, strands of Sword Energy worked both visibly and invisibly, the marvel of its operation lying within the heart. Although the Sword Circle was destroyed, his sword intent became even more flawless and unobstructed.
Finally, Yu Ci felt a lightness of being as he broke free from the combat zone of the True Being Cultivators.
The sudden change in internal and external pressure nearly caused his organs to burst simultaneously, and the blood that had been building up for so long finally sprayed forth. It came not just from his mouth and nose but from all over his body, turning him into a blood-drenched figure in an instant.
His appearance was ghastly, but his spirit was surprisingly vigorous, his eyes shining with a fierce light. Despite the tumultuous events, he could not prevent the boiling of his blood and marrow. Threads of Innate Vital Energy were extracted, transformed into the purest True Sha, and infused drop by drop into his being. It was like mist rising and hues spreading across the sky, permeating his muscles and skin. In a blink, his body was much recovered, at the cost of at least three to five years of his lifespan.
Yu Ci clenched his fists, feeling the robust power within him. His Cultivation Level had increased by another ten percent. When the day came to form his Golden Elixir, his advantage over his peers should be even more pronounced—provided he could achieve it!
At that moment, the thoughts of Shadow Ghost entered his mind: "Hey, are you interested in switching to Sword cultivation?"
"Hmm?" Yu Ci was surprised. "What do you mean?"
"It's a rare opportunity. Under that high pressure, your mixed sword intent has further purified. Although it will never reach the highest standard, it's sufficient for most situations now. If you're willing, within three days, I can ensure your Sword Embryo takes initial shape. As for the cultivation that follows..."
Yu Ci exclaimed with a surge of excitement, "The Flying Immortal Sword Scripture?"
"Dream on!" Shadow Ghost sneered coldly. "You can forget about cultivating the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture in this lifetime! However, some of the superior methods derived from it are not out of reach. With your solid foundation and a potent method, it's not impossible for you to ascend to the ranks of Vacuum Walking within thirty years. By then, you'll have ample opportunity to extend your lifespan."
"Forget it."
Yu Ci shook his head decisively, unable to deny the allure, but he knew all too well that hesitation and a lack of focus were taboo on the path of cultivation. If he could practice the classic Sword Way of the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture, he might have taken the gamble. But for anything less, the investment simply wouldn't be worth the return.
After all, wasn't he just one step away from the initial formation of the Constellations Life-Defining Golden Talisman?
Shadow Ghost uttered a sly chuckle and said no more. In truth, he had his own calculations—if Yu Ci chose the path of sword cultivation, his achievements in life would be boundless, and to a large extent, they would depend on Shadow Ghost's guidance. Such an opportunity for a turnaround would be greatly increased. But since Yu Ci was not receptive, Shadow Ghost could not overstep, lest he arouse suspicion. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future.
With his mind made up, Yu Ci's spirit relaxed, and his thoughts began to wander. Suddenly, he recalled the Sword Path Secrets that Shadow Ghost had urgently infused into him during a moment of crisis. On reflection, the details were as clear as if they were laid out before his eyes. Contemplating them, many of the complexities of swordsmanship—and even those he hadn't realized were complexities—became lucid. This sparked a transformation in his aura, circulating from within to without, as if cleansed by clear water, greatly benefiting him.
Indeed, the practice of Sword Way was more direct than that of Talismans, a pity...
His thoughts were interrupted as the layers of earth above suddenly fell silent, and the oppressive pressure gradually eased. For a long while, no new assaults came.
Had the battle ended?
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