"Do you know of the Heart-Splitting Sword Lock?"

As He Qing's intent penetrated directly, Yu Ci's thoughts nearly froze solid.

In the next moment, his Yin Spirit was blasted away by the overwhelming pressure, yet He Qing had not targeted him directly. With a counter-stroke of her Yang Spirit, Tie Lan, who was in the vicinity of his flesh body, was pierced through the chest. Fortunately, since Tie Lan was a soul without a physical form and protected by the exquisite sword techniques of the Sword Competing Pavilion, he was not fatally wounded, but his soul form was weakened further.

"Idiot, don't lose your footing in chaos!"

Shadow Ghost's thoughts transmitted, and it was apparent that he was somewhat nervous. What He Qing had mentioned was precisely the reason he had proactively reached out to Yu Ci. If this was seen through, their actions today would turn into a complete farce.

However, it was Yu Ci who recovered first. His and Shadow Ghost's planning relied entirely on mental communication, with at most the addition of a Xing Tian, who was either extremely tight-lipped or not likely to leak any secrets. It was impossible for He Qing, even as a True Immortal, to have foreknowledge. After all, this was nothing more than a coincidence.

Tie Lan, though taciturn, was quite intelligent. He now hid deep within the Sea of Spirit, blending seamlessly with the surrounding Primordial Qi, retreating back into the shadows. He Qing did not pursue, for she now had complete control over the situation.

Yet the most eye-catching feature on the Sea of Spirit was still the two overlapping "bright moons," whose blue radiance swept across miles, even suppressing the deep blue glow of the Sea of Spirit itself. Such a magnificent sight warranted a second look even from He Qing.

"What a marvelous treasure. If I were still practicing Vacuum Walking Cultivation, perhaps I could have attained enlightenment... Do you strike so ruthlessly because you think I won't kill you?"

The female cultivator smiled faintly: "Is that why you dare to make a move against me now?"

Yu Ci remained silent, for He Qing's perception was accurate. Whether he employed the Thunder-Slaying Tribulation-Dispelling Ukase or the Primordial Formless Sword, each of his actions appeared reckless, yet he always measured his force, suggesting more bark than bite. This led the sect elders to still see him as an emotionally charged but justifiable young man.

Especially since he faced He Qing directly, two realms his senior, no one would believe he could pose a threat to her. Instead, his "weakness" and "recklessness" inadvertently set the terms for how he would be dealt with amid the elders' irritation and helplessness.

The outcome might be dire, but it would certainly not include "execution."

But the gap between him and He Qing was still too vast. Even when he drew forth the female cultivator's Yang Spirit, wielded the Divine Bronze Mirror, and even mustered all his strength to use the Void Mirror Plate acquired from an Eastern Orthodox Sect Cultivator, reflecting its complete might alongside the Divine Bronze Mirror, he still could not trouble the female cultivator.

The aftereffects of using both mirrors simultaneously began to manifest themselves.

Behind him, the two mirrors formed a full moon as they came together.

Although the Void Mirror Plate was a one-time imitation of the Divine Bronze Mirror, its structure and mode of operation were more complete and meticulous than the genuine yet flawed Divine Bronze Mirror. For this reason, it consumed more energy when activated. I recall that time in the Sword Garden when thirteen Golden Elixir cultivators of the Eastern Orthodox Sect summoned its full might, with its reflective range covering a thousand miles. Now, Yu Ci, with the strength of a single person, was like trying to lift a mountain; missing his target meant that he also lost control over the Divine Bronze Mirror.

The merging of the mirrors behind him was no longer within Yu Ci's control. Instead, the immense pressure transmitted through their Heart-Mind connection made his Yin Spirit nearly buckle.

"To catch her off guard, yet to err in my cunning!" Shadow Ghost spat out disdainfully, with an unspoken thought: Facing a True Immortal, the lad surnamed Yu was indeed nervous, at least at that moment, he had lost his composure.

But such talk was futile. Yu Ci's current condition was dire. He Qing might have already noticed, and without her needing to lift a finger, the reaction caused by the merging mirrors would be enough to give Yu Ci a hard time!

If this continued, the ace in the hole would be rendered meaningless!

He Qing appeared increasingly nonchalant, her Body of the Yang Spirit even moved slightly closer to Yu Ci's position. She spoke softly as if discussing the weather, "You've gone to such lengths; you must truly despise me. Your deep bond with Yu Zhou is one reason to stand up for him; your pride, unable to bear those two instances of Divine Soul communion, is another. But I don't think these things are enough to make you risk your life to settle the score with me here. In fact, I thought you might flee far away, endure hardships to bide your time for another day... Do you know something else?"

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Yu Ci forced himself to remain calm, forgetting the dire outcome that had unfolded, and with a sneer on his Yin Spirit, he asked, "Are you referring to the 'Heart-Splitting Sword Lock'?"

"Oh, it seems you're quite close with the Power Guardian Saint."

He Qing's ability to infer so much from so little was admirable. Yu Ci found it odd; the former He Qing might have displayed the majesty of a powerful being, imposing her will on others, but rarely did she show off her cleverness to the point where her demeanor became lively, a stark contrast to her usual image.

The thought was fleeting. For that slim chance, Yu Ci was determined to blur the focus, and with a chuckle, he said, "Heart-Splitting Sword Lock? That's not all."

After a brief pause, during which he mustered some emotion, he grinned, "I know much more. From Uncle Master Lu, from Old Master Zhu, and of course, most of it comes from my own brain!"

Looking at He Qing's composed face, bathed in golden light, Yu Ci suddenly realized that the emotions he had deliberately stirred were beginning to ferment. He suddenly felt an urge to speak, "Actually, I've always struggled to find where I stand. Before tonight, between the Temple Master, Grandmaster Fang, and you, I've never understood the entanglements. With the Temple Master's attitude, if he truly bore no grudges, I would have no grounds to make a fuss, even if I wanted to. It's been frustrating..."

He paused once more, but this time, it was the impact of his turbulent thoughts that halted him. He Qing, on the other hand, seemed quite interested and gestured for him to continue.

Yu Ci became increasingly candid as he spoke: "To put it plainly, I was after my own satisfaction! So, I could only assume a stance of vengeance and then seek out evidence. From the moment we first met, I meticulously traced every step, not overlooking a single detail. And, surprisingly, I found quite a bit..."

The oppressive presence of the twin mirrors behind him was completely forgotten, his emotions churning violently: "Originally, because of my involvement in the destruction of White Sun Mansion, you were in charge of the investigation and punishment. Elder Xie and Master Jie Liang both thought I was doomed, but after you had a secret meeting with the Temple Master for half an hour, the outcome was unexpectedly lenient. Why? At that time, you surely hadn't yet noticed the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form within me, had you?"

Yu Ci watched her coldly: "It was a trade, wasn't it? I thought of it then, but couldn't find any evidence until the incident at the Star Plucking Tower with the Heart-Splitting Sword Lock..."

He Qing's lips curled into a slight, ambiguous smile, her Body of the Yang Spirit perfectly reflecting the nuances of her expression: "You've thought it through quite thoroughly."

Was this an admission? At that moment, echoing in Yu Ci's ears were the mournful verses of Old Daoist, "To face life and death is not difficult." He continued, "When did the Temple Master begin to harbor a death wish? I do not know. But it's clear that you played a role in his death, as did I... Some truths become apparent with just an extra layer of thought, one more question asked.

"I could never understand why, after I had already exchanged the Vacuum Energy Life Extension Pill for him—sixty years of lifespan—he should have known how much Elder Xie and his friends, and I myself, had struggled for that 'medicine'. And yet, he died just like that, leaving one to wonder where to place such sentiment.

"It wasn't until recently that I understood, at the source of the Boundary River, when I was gravely injured and on the brink of death, he used that 'medicine' to extend my life and nurture my essence. The effect was miraculous, and afterward, my recovery at the Star Plucking Tower was extraordinarily swift. Such a potent 'medicine' must be rare even within our Sect. And although our Sect is not renowned for its elixir arts, there may be divine pills that can cure chronic ailments, but their 'nature' would be too much for a Golden Elixir cultivator like me to bear. Thus, the only pill that could have such an effect, sparing me a decade of arduous cultivation and allowing me to reach the bottleneck of the Mechanism of the Cauldron ahead of time, other than the Vacuum Energy Life Extension Pill, what could it be?"

"He certainly intended to leave it for you!"

He Qing responded nonchalantly: "You bear such a resemblance to your younger self, yet you lack his fatal flaw. The so-called Successor of the Mantle, or to put it more sentimentally, is no different from a son. If he had already prepared for death, why would he waste the 'medicine'? I understood this back at the Sky Wing Tower, but you did not."

Even as a Yin Spirit, Yu Ci couldn't help but take a deep breath to steady the surge of emotions within his heart.

Indeed, what he displayed outwardly was a righteous indignation, a proud defiance, but deep within his core swirled a sense of panic and guilt, even regret, for being unable to repay Yu Zhou's kindness and grace.

How could he repay such a debt? With feelings that had never settled? A filial piety that came too late to be of any use? Or was it through the ludicrous divine comedy he played out with him in the city atop the sheer cliffs, within the Star Plucking Tower?

He had once suppressed these emotions firmly, yet inexplicably, he laid them all bare before He Qing. It was not a release; there was no relief. Instead, it was like a wildfire out of control, and Yu Ci knew that the poison in his heart would soon drive him mad!

And at that moment, He Qing added, "You seem to have missed something."

Yu Ci stared at her intently, only to see her smile as she began to speak, "It's about the details of the Heart-Splitting Sword Lock. Don't you want to know the vow I made with him when I borrowed his Passing Water Sword to create the 'Heart-Splitting Sword Lock'?"

The air in the Sea of Spirit grew tense, and in that instant, Yu Ci was utterly dumbstruck. Shadow Ghost called out through their mental link, "This woman is insane! We were about to unravel the very foundation of her vow, to tempt her into breaking it, and she's spilling it herself!"

He Qing seemed oblivious to the stupidity of her actions, as she methodically recited the original words:

"The Heart-Cleaving Curse, the Sword Edge Oath. Yu Zhou used the Heart's Blood Refinement on the Passing Water Sword for He Qing's 'Heart-Splitting Sword Lock'. He Qing would swear with her heart's blood as a curse, that in this life, she would not harm Yu Ci, nor even harbor the thought of doing so. Even if Yu Ci were to provoke her, the vow would remain unchanged. An Oath Breaker would face Ten Thousand Demons Devouring the Heart, Dissipation of Spiritual Wisdom, Dao Foundation Destruction, the obliteration of one's life force... That is how it stands."

Yu Ci was stunned, and so was Shadow Ghost; in fact, all beings nearby, whether openly or covertly observing, were shocked.

The only one who did not maintain her original demeanor was He Qing. She looked at Yu Ci and said softly:

"With this poisonous oath, I cannot harm you... Is that what you believe?"

"Run!"

The mental exclamation from Shadow Ghost and Xing Tian pierced his mind simultaneously, but as they did, a hand shimmering with golden light, as if made of colored glaze, had already pressed against the center of Yu Ci's Yin Spirit form.