In any case, the straight-line distance of over seven hundred miles of mountain roads was an unimaginably long and arduous journey.

Even for a Golden Elixir cultivator, who had extreme control over their body, nearly twenty hours of non-stop travel inevitably led to fatigue, both physical and mental. Meng Wei, with her resilient will, didn't mind the physical toll; it was the monotony that numbed the senses, the long duration of repetitive motion that unconsciously made her seek a focal point. Naturally, her attention shifted to Yu Ci.

The two hadn't spoken for three to five hours. If monotony had a form, it was the unchanging rhythm of the man walking ahead, yet correspondingly, his aura was subtly fluctuating.

After observing for a long time, Meng Wei finally confirmed that Yu Ci was practicing some technique and had entered a state of self-forgetfulness. She couldn't help but smile wryly. Now was not only an inopportune time to persuade him, but she also had to be vigilant in taking care of him to prevent any adverse effects that might lead to cultivation deviation.

Since the start of their mountain ascent, she had been caught in Yu Ci's rhythm. Despite lengthy discussions, she had been unable to sway his convictions. What worried her most was that she still couldn't be sure what Yu Ci might do with his current state of mind.

At that moment, Yu Ci initiated a conversation: "The Self-Enquiry Route is nothing special after all."

She could still only see his back, but his tone was unmistakably laced with contemplation and mockery: "The so-called 'Self-Enquiry Route' is useful only when there's confusion in one's heart that seeks clarity. If one's mind is clear, this journey is nothing more than a way to loosen the muscles and exercise the legs."

After a moment's thought, Meng Wei asked, "Does junior brother harbor no doubts in his heart?"

"I would say it's clear."

Yu Ci replied nonchalantly, "Isn't it the same for senior sister? Your heart is clear, your beliefs steadfast. In the path of Discipline, you have your own mechanisms. You've adhered to them without fail over the years, clearly having set your own course. What use is there for you to accompany me on the Self-Enquiry Route?"

The female cultivator couldn't help but laugh softly, "And what about you? Where is your conviction not firm?"

"Ah, senior sister, I'm not afraid of your mockery. Since the age of thirteen, my resolve has grown stronger each day. To say 'I've yearned for immortality with unwavering determination' wouldn't be wrong. There's a phrase I've always held to..."

"Which is?"

"Immortality is the collection of all meanings!"

Yu Ci spoke leisurely, "It's not that immortality is my everything; rather, immortality must encompass all the meanings of my existence—love what I love, hate what I hate, know what I think, obtain what I desire. Without this, it cannot be called complete, nor can it be called immortality."

Meng Wei furrowed her brows at this. In a positive light, this was the essence of the carefree pursuit of immortality, a goal all beings aspire to. But on the negative side, it bordered on the path of the demonic—life and death, joy and sorrow, all at my whim, a single thought dictates all. This was worryingly close to the demonic way.

Was this truly what Yu Ci harbored in his heart, or was it just a moment of bravado? Even if it were the latter, it was still concerning. Especially the phrase "love what I love, hate what I hate" seemed to perfectly encapsulate the current situation!

"What use does Junior Brother Yu find on the Self-Enquiry Route?"

"His conviction is unwavering, yet the methods he employs are always open to question."

Yu Ci spoke in a calm tone, devoid of emotional fluctuations: "I used to be an independent cultivator, accustomed to solitude, and my cultivation was mostly a matter of personal exploration. It wasn't until I met the Temple Master that I joined the Sect and received teachings. But after all, the time has been too short, the learning not systematic. To maintain a consistent belief through it all is still a challenge..."

His words seemed to carry a deeper implication: "Now I understand, to speak of conviction one must also have the means and ability to carry it through. Otherwise, one might either be deemed outdated and ridiculed or be swept away with a wave of the hand, turning to dust. Then what's left of maintaining a consistent belief?"

Meng Wei no longer wished to engage in a guessing game with him. With her brows furrowed, she asked directly, "What do you mean, Junior Brother?"

"What I mean is..."

Yu Ci suddenly laughed, "Senior Sister, I recall there is a Discipline in our Sect."

"Yes?" Meng Wei was caught off guard by the sudden change of topic.

"It states that without the Sect's permission, no one is allowed to climb the Sky-Supporting Mountain Pillar. Violators face three months of facing the wall in penance and a year of penal servitude, correct?"

Meng Wei was stunned.

Yu Ci continued leisurely, "As for me, I still have sixteen days left of my cultivation time in the Star Plucking Main Tower. As long as this period is ongoing, I presume none of the Fellow Sect Members or elders tasked with upholding the rules will give me a hard time, right?"

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Meng Wei was at a loss for words. She should not have made such a basic mistake; it was her concern that led to chaos. What was worse, in her moment of shock, she forgot to move forward, another blunder, while Yu Ci continued to ascend without pause, widening the gap between them.

She was truly dumbfounded.

"Now, the purpose of climbing the Self-Enquiry Route is lost. Let's head back, Sister Meng. Others may defy the Discipline, but you cannot. For it is the very foundation of your beliefs and convictions. Once violated, how can you live with yourself?"

Yu Ci's figure grew more distant, his voice echoing back: "This time, my ascent is merely in accordance with my own convictions. If you, Senior Sister, truly wish to persuade me to return, how would defeating my convictions with your own be any different from He Qing's forceful actions against the Temple Master?"

"Junior Brother Yu..."

Yu Ci laughed abruptly, cutting off Meng Wei's final effort: "Senior Sister, in the end, are we to cross swords once again?"

Before Meng Wei could respond, the fierce Sword Energy had already swept across the mountain path.

"To this day, I have not understood the true divine essence that Taoist Yu revealed to me on that day. But one thing I have come to realize: his personal demonstration and admonition on the cultivation path—the difference between 'striving' and 'not striving'—lies between him and He Qing. Senior Sister Meng Wei, the mountain path is too narrow for two to walk side by side. I shall take my leave first."

Sword energy, like water, like mist; it appears to leave yet lingers still. Even as Yu Ci had departed into the distance, his presence retained a considerable deterrent force. Meng Wei ultimately did not continue to pursue him. Watching his silhouette vanish into the mists, she stood still for a long while before finally exhaling deeply and shaking her head.

She could tell that had she truly gone forward just now, Yu Ci would not have hesitated to draw his sword!

Now she was out of options, or perhaps it was a futile effort from the start. She had been outmaneuvered by Yu Ci, trapped by her own actions.

Meng Wei wasn't angry, just worried. With Yu Ci's current state, should he cause a disturbance at the Star Plucking Tower, the consequences would likely be dire! Perhaps, she thought, she should ask Uncle Master Lu and the others...

The female cultivator pondered for a moment, then shook her head again. In the next instant, her sword light soared, taking flight from the mountain path and quickly disappearing into the distance.

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

"How rare, how rare, young man, you have come to an understanding!" A voice wafted through the clouds, elusive, permeating his ears and heart.

"Understood what?"

Yu Ci was indifferent to the words of this aged voice, Lord Xing Tian, continuing at his own pace and casually responding. In truth, Lord Xing Tian, along with the local Power Guardian Saint, had been following him for some time, and now finally had the chance to speak freely. It was Lord Xing Tian's idea to use the Discipline to send Meng Wei away earlier. He had no leisure to remember such rules; it must have been the Power Guardian Saint, most familiar with the local regulations, who had secretly informed him.

Xing Tian took on a tone of instruction: "For those who cultivate the Way, nothing is more precious than the 'Dao' itself, and only then comes one's 'nature' and life. Back in the day, when eight thousand sword cultivators marched westward, despite all the rhetoric, it boiled down to the seven words: 'Those not of our path do not scheme with us.'"

"Oh?"

"The path of sword cultivation is self-sufficient, holding life and death in one's own hands, independent of heavenly fate. Those monks in the west, who absurdly establish the six realms of reincarnation and manipulate the cycle of life and death, seeking liberation through entering before exiting. With the pride of sword cultivators, how could they allow those monks to control their fates in life or after death? Thus, even if the boundless Void God Lord hadn't meddled, this clash over the Great Way was inevitable... Heh, the matters of cultivation are just so."

Listening to Xing Tian rambling on about old tales, Yu Ci remained composed, waiting until he finished before speaking:

"What about the matter I mentioned? What are your thoughts on it?"

Xing Tian immediately fell silent. Its discussion of bygone matters was also a tactic to distract, sadly to little effect. Now directly questioned by Yu Ci, it could no longer delay and quickly replied:

"Taking lives is my duty, nothing extraordinary. However, I am bound by an oath, and with the spotlight on me recently, Fang Hui's watchful eyes have left me with the will but not the means."

"You can still come out while being under scrutiny?"

"Thanks to your blessing, the critical moment for the Great Yin-Yang Expansion's deduction is imminent, and a breakthrough might occur in the coming days, which has given me some leeway. But if I were to do as you have, I'd have to abandon all hope."

The phrase "thanks to your blessing" cuts like a knife. Yu Ci grunts softly, his mind still clear: "I understand if you won't help with this, but you can't keep making excuses for the other matter."

"A minor issue, don't worry... Protect the tower!"

The Power Guardian Saint, concealed within the mists, sends a stream of vapor across, which coalesces and glistens before Yu Ci, forming a human-sized Water Mirror. Moreover, it moves slowly in step with Yu Ci, maintaining a constant distance.

In the next moment, the mirror's surface flickers with colorful light, and a figure takes shape.

"He Qing!"

Upon seeing this person, Yu Ci's eyes narrow, but before he can take a closer look, a Sword Light flashes across the Water Mirror, and another person appears. Even with mental preparation, the sight of this individual causes Yu Ci a pang in his chest so severe he has to bite down on his lips to suppress a low cry.

The newcomer is Yu Zhou.

However, this is not reality, but merely a reflection of the past.

On the mirror's surface, Yu Zhou's hair and beard are black as ink, his demeanor carefree. When facing the woman, his expression remains unchanged. They must have had an agreement; Yu Zhou nods slightly and thrusts the Passing Water Sword hard into the Star-Gathering Platform. With a sweep of his robe, his body emanates a fierce Sword Energy, so intense that even as a mere reflection, Yu Ci feels a sting in his eyes, yet he forces them to stay open, unblinking.

The figure distorts in an instant, then transforms into a white rainbow that soars into the sky, circles the void, and then plummets down, merging into the Passing Water Sword.

The colors blur chaotically as He Qing swiftly retreats. Yu Ci rushes onto the Star-Gathering Platform, and the light and shadows flow rapidly until Yu Ci is swept away by Fang Hui's sleeve, returning to normal speed.

Yu Ci turns pale, forgetting everything around him, fixated on the changing light and shadow within the Water Mirror.

At that moment, He Qing, seated cross-legged beside the Passing Water Sword, draws the sword out a second time, her gaze pausing briefly over it before the watery blade points downward, aimed at her own chest...

And she thrusts it straight in!

Blood bursts forth.

The silent pantomime concludes, and Xing Tian's voiceover drifts in:

"Hey, so it was the He family's 'Heart-Splitting Sword Lock.' Both of them are ruthless characters indeed!"