Xuanqing had no words to describe the absurdity before him. Not until the chill of late autumn wind snuck into his collar, turning his whole body ice-cold, did he awaken from his stupor. He lifted his gaze to the figure opposite him, but the other had already vanished into the darkness where no light could reach. He sensed a predatory beast lurking there, licking its claws.
His sword fell to the ground. Xuanqing howled and lunged forward, reaching out to grab the few "lice" on the mountain ridge.
"Godfather, I'm here, godfather! Come here, he's here, that thief Yu Ci is here..."
His cries echoed like a night owl dancing in the night sky. He rushed forward, his fingers touched the green mist, but they passed right through, and he fell forward. Before he even hit the ground, a chill ran down his neck. His vision suddenly shifted to a strange angle, then smeared with a swath of blood-red.
By the bonfire, ever since Xuanqing and the old cultivator left one after another, the atmosphere had turned peculiar. Xuanqing's group and the herb gatherers avoided each other's gaze, uncertain of how to face their "companions" of nearly two months.
Half a quarter of an hour later, Yu Ci strolled out from the surrounding darkness at a leisurely pace, carrying something in his hand.
As he entered the range of the firelight, curious eyes turned towards him, only to feel as if they had plunged into an icy cave.
"Xuan... Brother Xuanqing... his head?"
Someone had identified the object he was carrying. There was a moment of silence around the bonfire, then it erupted into chaos. At least seven or eight people screamed and ran without a second thought. Some knelt down to beg for mercy, while others remained frozen in place, their eyes wide and lost.
Regardless of whether they were running, kneeling, or dazed, Yu Ci paid them no mind. He gripped Xuanqing's head by the hair and walked to the edge of the bonfire. Suddenly, without warning, he kicked. The raging fire scattered with a bang, and the light in the valley dimmed instantly.
Everyone shuddered. Then, they heard Yu Ci's gentle voice.
"Everyone, leave. Run far away, find another place to camp. I'll take this place to entertain my guests."
At that moment, from the southern hill of the valley, a sharp whistle echoed. "White Sun Mansion's Lu Ding and Si Long are here, Yu Ci, you cannot escape!"
With the whistle, nine figures swooped down, startling the birds in the forest into a chaotic flurry.
Yu Ci remained still, while most of the herb gatherers around him had lost even the courage to run. Among Xuanqing's group, Zheng Da, who had just betrayed their leader, had the chance to escape, but in his confusion, he ran in the wrong direction. He nearly bumped into Yu Ci, and in his stumble, he saw Xuanqing's head, twisted in fear and despair. He fell to his butt and started to wail.
"I didn't say anything, I didn't say anything... Spare me, please!"
Yu Ci couldn't be bothered with such a waste. He casually tossed Xuanqing's head to the other side of the small stream that ran through the valley. It rolled right to the feet of the White Sun Mansion cultivator who had rushed down the mountain.
With a thump, Lu Ding kicked his godson's head into the mountain stream, halting his forward momentum. He stared coldly at Yu Ci for a long moment before asking, "This is Yu Ci?"
He was asking the warrior behind him. Someone answered in the affirmative. It was too dark to see clearly, but it was likely one of the personal guards who had served Jin Huan.
Lu Ding gave a snort before addressing Yu Ci, "You're quite the clever little thief, understanding when to surrender. Let me take you to the mansion to await the Mansion Master's judgment. Perhaps you might even be spared a life."
Yu Ci had encountered this man countless times within the Divine Map, but this was their first meeting in reality. He found him to be ten times more detestable than his depiction in the map and had no desire to engage with him. However, if it had been someone else with a bit more ability, he wouldn't have decided to risk a direct confrontation.
His gaze shifted to the man standing beside Lu Ding, Si Long.
Si Long, the one who had just roared, had a fierce countenance that made one's heart quiver at first sight. Yu Ci had encountered him twice in the Divine Map and knew of his formidable strength. At around thirty years of age, he was on the verge of entering the Nature-Connecting Middle Stage, condensing his Yin Spirit. In terms of cultivation, he was on par with Yu Ci, but in terms of power, he was a bit superior. However, this man was not particularly astute. Despite his higher status within the mansion, he was only a henchman when dealing with external affairs.
Regardless, this man was a formidable opponent.
Yu Ci shifted his gaze again, sweeping over the warriors standing behind the two stewards. Judging by their outfits, these warriors were all personal guards of the Mansion Master. They were all at the Acupoint Developing level, not far from the Nature-Connecting Realm. They had cultivated together for many years and their coordination was astonishing. The combined strength of these seven men was enough to challenge an opponent at the Nature-Connecting Initial Stage. With such a force, even the affluent White Sun Mansion could only boast of about fifty such individuals, all of them being the cream of the crop.
While he was assessing the situation, he completely ignored Lu Ding. As someone who was always bullying the weak and fearing the strong, Chief Steward Lu, believing he had the upper hand, couldn't tolerate this. He spat and gave a clear command, "If you refuse a toast, you must drink a forfeit. Attack!"
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As his words fell, he stood still while Si Long and the accompanying warriors charged forward, crossing the mountain stream in an instant. The surrounding Herb Gatherers finally found their survival instincts and scattered, leaving only Yu Ci standing unmoved in the center of the field, his gaze locked on Lu Ding, not wavering in the slightest.
Under Yu Ci's gaze, Lu Ding felt a chill in his heart. He involuntarily took a few steps back, drew his Treasure Sword, and breathed a sigh of relief. He then yelled, "Formation Setup, life and death disregarded!"
Lu Ding believed that he had taken the safest course of action. But at the moment he yelled, Yu Ci moved swiftly. At the edge of the snow-covered mountain stream, a half-moon arc of dark red light suddenly flashed, aiming at the lower legs of Si Long and the others. Its sharp edge was so intimidating that no one dared to confront it, and they all swiftly dodged.
Si Long, being a skilled and courageous man, only jumped at the last moment, using his Protective True Qi and Sword Energy to lightly collide with it to test its depth. Amidst the hissing sound, he suddenly felt a very familiar burning sensation seeping up from the soles of his feet. At first, it was like warm water, but in an instant, it turned into molten iron, pouring in. Where the sword light passed, the snow on the bank of the stream melted, leaving no trace.
"Nine Yang... no, Pure Yang Talisman Sword!"
Amidst the roar, Si Long tumbled awkwardly to the side, bouncing back a great distance.
Unlike the domineering Nine Yang Talisman Sword, the Pure Yang Talisman Sword, after being sealed off at a higher level, held its Sha energy in a concentrated form, unnoticeable at first glance, yet its lethality was at least fifty percent stronger than the former. Si Long understood this all too well. He landed in the distance, buying time to neutralize the fiery force invading his body. Freed from the interference of this Nature-Connecting Cultivator, Yu Ci let out a low roar, his figure suddenly rising. The Pure Yang Talisman Sword struck repeatedly in the void, almost simultaneously attacking seven warriors.
These warriors were all elites from the White Sun Mansion, their willpower firm and incomparable to ordinary people. As soon as Lu Ding ordered the Formation Setup, they disregarded everything else. Even if Si Long was repelled by a single sword strike, it wouldn't disrupt their resolve. In the blink of an eye, they dispersed and regrouped, adjusting their positions. In just a moment, they formed a rough arc, their long swords humming in resonance, focusing on Yu Ci at the center.
At this moment, the sword light from Yu Ci's Pure Yang Talisman Sword twisted and blurred, nearly distorting the focused gaze of the crowd.
No matter how well-trained the warriors were, they were momentarily stunned. By the time they reacted, they saw that Yu Ci, with his sword integrated into his body, had already reached the top of their Formation Setup. There, three people were blocking his path!
The swords clashed, ringing out a "clang". Yu Ci's Sword Technique condensed fire into a blade, and with one strike, he knocked the leading warrior's long sword out of the Central Palace. At the same time, the Sword Energy from the warriors on both sides pierced into his ribs. The leading warrior, despite his wide-open stance, did not dodge or evade. As long as he could hold off Yu Ci for a moment, the converging Sword Energy from all sides would secure their victory, even if it cost him his life.
"Excellent!" Lu Ding, who had a clear view from the back, praised. This time, bringing the Mansion Master's personal guards to Sky Rift Valley was indeed a brilliant move. If it were anyone else, even the other stewards of the mansion, they wouldn't have achieved such a clean victory.
However, in the next moment, he saw the blood mist splattering in all directions and, behind the blood mist, Yu Ci's cold eyes.
No one knew what had happened in the previous instant. The two stewards and the remaining warriors on the scene only saw the three people blocking Yu Ci's path covered in blood, a large amount of blood mist spraying out, falling down like wooden logs. Yu Ci, without any pause, charged through the blood mist, wielding his sword towards the immobile Manager Ding on the opposite side of the stream.
In terms of Cultivation Level, Lu Ding was superior to any of the personal guards, but in terms of willpower and grit, he, who had been dealing with the mansion's miscellaneous affairs, had long lost his vigorous and progressive momentum of the past. Seeing Yu Ci approaching, covered in blood and brandishing his sword, his first reaction was not to draw his sword in defense, but to retreat, stepping back seven or eight steps. Seeing that no one could catch up, he waved his sword in panic, trying to block Yu Ci's unpredictable swordsmanship.
In a flash, Yu Ci lunged forward, his sword shimmering with a dark red hue, the clanging sound of steel on steel forming a continuous symphony. A miracle occurred. Lu Ding, with his haphazard swordsmanship, managed to block the majority of the Sword Energy. The few that slipped past did not hit any vital spots. He endured... No, he held his ground against Yu Ci for a full two breaths of time. This short interval was enough for Si Long and the personal guards to come to his aid, forming a three-pronged assault!
The first to rush over was Si Long. As the real power behind the White Sun Mansion, when had he ever suffered such a setback in recent years? Filled with humiliation and anger, he exerted all his strength after dispelling the internal heat within his body, seizing the opportunity when Lu Ding was holding off the opponent.
Si Long was one of the five chief stewards in the mansion who had personally learned the Great Dazzling Extreme Yang Method from Jin Huan. If not for his lack of cunning, his status would be higher. However, due to his nature, his Cultivation Level advanced rapidly. In terms of seniority, he was far behind Lu Ding, but when it came to Cultivation Level, it was the other way around.
As he exerted all his strength, it was as if a sun had truly risen before everyone's eyes. The scorching heat wave swept over them, dispelling the chill of the Late Autumn Mountain in an instant. Wherever the light touched, not to mention the snow by the stream, even the icy water was on the verge of boiling. The steaming Fire Poison invaded their senses, causing their minds to become sluggish. Some Herb Gatherers who hadn't run far enough collapsed on the spot, unable to get up again.
Seeing the heat wave approaching, Lu Ding knew that his companion had come to his aid. His morale was greatly boosted, and he yelled and roared, wielding his sword like a raging storm, keeping Yu Ci at bay. It was not until Si Long, accompanied by the rolling heat wave, rushed forward ahead of the other warriors to launch an attack.
Five meters away, Si Long formed a seal with both hands, the perfect distance for him to unleash the full power of the Great Dazzling Extreme Yang Method.
As he formed the seal with his hands, the roaring heat wave solidified into a substantial glow that swept across. Yu Ci, with his back to him, was oblivious, but Lu Ding, who was facing him, was taken aback by this sight. This "Fire Cloud" technique could potentially incinerate both of them, friend or foe, who were entangled in combat!
A chill ran down his spine, and he immediately withdrew his sword to retreat. Having the upper hand at the moment, he found it easy to retreat. Yu Ci, seemingly affected by the attack from behind, did not attempt to hold him back, but instead turned around.
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e