At some unknown point, Ming Lan had walked over, responding to Little Nine girl's question with a beaming smile. This demeanor undoubtedly won the young girl over, making her feel fondness towards Ming Lan.
She politely expressed her gratitude, and the image of the handsome and proud figure from that day flashed through her mind. Suddenly, she felt a twinge of worry, "Will they be able to find that... Mr. Yu?"
Cheng Rong's face subtly changed, Ming Lan and Zheng Yan exchanged a glance, yet neither of them said anything. Ming Lan continued her cheerful explanation, "Judging from the situation by the creek, the last time Yu Ci took action, he was on the opposite bank, killing Lu Ding. Among the deceased, Lu Ding's emotional fluctuations were the greatest, and his resentment was the strongest. If they can't start from there, it would be a while before White Sun Mansion can find another way."
The young girl responded with an "Oh," but she still seemed somewhat confused. She was a good child who wasn't afraid to ask questions. Seeing Ming Lan's good temper, she immediately latched onto her query, "Why do you say that Lu Ding's emotional fluctuations were the greatest?"
Ming Lan merely smiled without answering, while on the other side, Zheng Yan chuckled. His laughter wasn't loud, but it carried a touch of raspy undertones, yet it clearly reached the ears of everyone in the valley:
"Young benefactor, you haven't looked closely. Do you see the color of that area under the man's crotch? Isn't it different from other places?"
Little Nine girl's face instantly turned red, but she couldn't resist her curiosity and took a few sneak peeks in that direction. Of course, the distance was too great, she couldn't see anything. At this point, Zheng Yan burst into hearty laughter. His sharp laughter pierced the ears of everyone present, and in an instant, some people's faces turned even redder than the young girl's!
Not far away, Manager Huang shot a cold glance back, locking eyes with Zheng Yan for a moment before finally turning his head away. Zheng Yan's laughter grew even more triumphant, he had done it on purpose.
This face, White Sun Mansion had definitely lost.
As Xu Elder, Zheng De, and Lu Quan disappeared, and rumors of the Ghost Beasts treasure were still rife, the impact this young man, who appeared out of nowhere, would have on the situation was a question worth exploring. Moreover, the focus of those present was not limited to the immediate matter, they were also thinking:
Would such a person bring about some kind of upheaval to the decades-long status quo of Cliff City?
While the adults were plotting and scheming, the young girl who had unintentionally triggered this invisible conflict wasn't thinking too much. The only things running through her little mind were much simpler than the adults around her, but also much more tangled:
"I didn't expect him to be so powerful... But what should I say if I meet him again?"
**************
Little Nine girl was eager to meet Yu Ci, to satisfy her growing curiosity and some other little thoughts. However, she hadn't expected their next meeting to happen so soon.
The day following the rendezvous in the valley, the reaction from the White Sun Mansion was not slow. Two stewards, Huang and Liu, along with twenty or so accompanying warriors, swept across hundreds of miles like rabid dogs. However, they were more akin to a group of headless flies, unable to find even a trace of Yu Ci.
The weather was pleasant that day. With Cheng Rong's approval, the young girl ascended into the sky atop the Blood Eagle to clear her mind. Looking down from her lofty height, she observed the frantic and frustrated state of the White Sun Mansion's men and couldn't help but chuckle. Yet, her laughter was tinged with worry. According to Cheng Rong, the Soul Search Mirror usually nurtures the captured Remnant Soul to a usable state within twelve hours. From the moment it is used until the Remnant Soul completely vanishes, there is a full seven days.
"I hope they don't find him. However, if they do, it would be interesting to see that guy's swordsmanship. Hmm, but the scene might be quite terrifying. I wonder if he would tell me how to practice that swordsmanship..."
Resting her chin on her hand, the young girl lost herself in thought high up in the sky. The magnificent landscapes below were like fleeting clouds to her, forgotten as soon as they passed from her sight.
Suddenly, the Blood Eagle beneath her let out a caw.
Birds like these, controlled by a soul attachment, had all their reactions, apart from the basic instinct to sustain life, under the control of the Spellcaster. They wouldn't cry out without reason. Each cry carried a different meaning, known only to the Spellcaster.
The young girl was not a Spellcaster, but she was very familiar with this. Knowing that the Blood Eagle had spotted something, she looked down. However, her vision couldn't compare to the Blood Eagle's. These creatures, which had thrived in the Sky Rift Valley for many years, had sharp eyes that could pierce through clouds and fog, spotting prey moving twenty miles away. The young girl didn't possess such ability.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
But she had a way. Closing her eyes, she adeptly formed a hand seal and placed it on the Blood Eagle's head. A grey cloud appeared before her eyes, and when it dispersed, she temporarily shared the Blood Eagle's vision, allowing her to see the distant target.
With just one glance, she almost slipped off the eagle's back.
Fortunately, knowing that she had ascended alone, Cheng Rong had not only arranged for his men to watch from behind but had also taken safety precautions. The young girl merely swayed a little, managing to stay on the eagle's back, but her mind had already flown away.
There, there... wasn't that him?
Right in the place where the twenty or so people from the White Sun Mansion had just searched, Yu Ci, who had become the focus of everyone, leisurely emerged. It was as if he had just casually brushed past them, with a timing so exquisite that it was infuriating.
Shi Xin covered her mouth, fearing that her outcry would alert the villains from the White Sun Mansion. Only when the two groups were far enough apart did she take a breath, and slapped the Blood Eagle's head in excitement.
"Hurry, fly faster, my eagle!"
She commanded the Blood Eagle to swoop towards the direction, but the little girl truly did not know what she could possibly do when she got there.
Yu Ci, despite the imminent retaliation from the White Sun Mansion, did not choose to flee. Even after terminating Si Long and his nine companions, he leisurely lingered near the scene for almost two days. Through the Divine Map, he observed the reaction of the White Sun Mansion.
Winter had arrived in the Sky Rift Valley. It was foreseeable that apart from the six medicinal herbs of Yu Zhou, Yu Ci had no other pressing tasks for a considerable amount of time. He could afford to spend a few days dealing with the White Sun Mansion.
His purpose was simple. He needed to make Jin Huan understand that to rashly issue a warrant for his arrest was a colossal mistake. Since it was a mistake, a price must be paid.
However, what surprised him was that while the White Sun Mansion failed to locate his whereabouts, a young girl managed to find him...
Yu Ci had long known that the Blood Eagle of the Thousands Spirits Sect was hovering nearby. But from what he saw on the Divine Map, the eagle had no connection to the White Sun Mansion. It seemed more like a bystander enjoying the show, so he paid it no mind. Yet, moments later, the Blood Eagle flew straight towards him, landing by his side.
No one jumped off the eagle's back. Instead, a pair of big eyes peeked from behind the eagle's feathers, stealthily observing him.
This made Yu Ci smile.
Yu Ci had a fondness for children. During his time at the Twin Immortal Sect, apart from the Twin Immortals themselves, he interacted the most with a group of so-called Immortal Child jade maidens, who shared his status. They were but children, most of whom joined the sect with dreams in their hearts. Innocence, naivety, and purity were their shared characteristics.
But soon, the harsh reality would distort these children, forcing them to learn flattery and deceit. The more this happened, the more Yu Ci missed the fleeting precious memories, the siblings who once called him "Big Brother Fishbone" in their unclear speech.
The little girl Shi Xin, now half-hidden behind the eagle, only her eyes, as glossy as lacquer, peeked out - curious and timid, quite unlike when they first met.
Something seemed to strike Yu Ci's heart, and he unconsciously broke into a smile. Copying Cheng Rong's address, he said:
"Little Nine girl, are you here to play?"
The little girl was startled before understanding what Yu Ci was saying. Burying her mouth in the eagle's feathers, she muttered, "Not at all."
"What are you here for?"
Yu Ci had long noticed the young girl's desire to communicate with him, and he was more than willing to tease her for a bit.
Taking two steps forward, he noticed the sudden nervousness in her eyes as she looked at the carved feathers. He finally understood that she was probably startled by yesterday's scene. Yu Ci, using the Divine Map, had almost entirely monitored the negotiation process of several sects, so he was very clear about the details.
He didn't stop walking, but instead, opened his arms in amusement and said with a smile, "I see, you want someone to carry you down, come, let uncle give you a hug!"
"Who told you to hug!"
The Little Nine girl couldn't bear it any longer. She slid down from the other side of the eagle's back, scrutinized Yu Ci through the Blood Eagle for a while, and saw that Yu Ci was only talking, without any intention to approach, which eased her mind a bit. After thinking for a while, she found a reason.
"I didn't come to find you, I came to fish!"
"Fishing?"
Yu Ci looked around and within several miles, the only thing that could be related to fish and water was the cloud "sea" rushing in the Sky Rift Valley. Was the little one planning to fish here?
Just as he was about to laugh, he saw a young girl in a light green jacket and silk trousers, really coming out from the other side with a fishing rod and line, even carrying a straw mat.
Seeing Yu Ci's genuine surprised expression, the little girl felt she had regained her dignity. Her fear of Yu Ci flew away. She hummed and walked past Yu Ci arrogantly, all the way to the edge of the cliff.
Yu Ci watched with interest as the little girl seriously baited the hook and cast the rod. She then sat on the straw mat, holding a fishing rod no more than four feet long, deliberately ignoring him. After a few moments, a faint "ding" sound came, which was the sound of the metal hook at the end of the line hitting the cliff below.
"Huh?"
Yu Ci suddenly realized that the little girl's so-called fishing wasn't entirely unreasonable.
Of course, it wasn't really fishing, he guessed, she was "fishing for Qi".
While the little girl had her back to him, Yu Ci glanced at the Divine Map. He saw clearly that when the fish hook fell below the cliff, a certain fragrance smeared on it began to work, attracting nearby living beings to visit, while Shi Xin above sensed the situation below through the swaying of the fishing line, driving the fish hook with True Qi to find a suitable target. Combined with a unique breathing technique, from inside out, then from outside in, it was a very sophisticated method of cultivating True Qi.
But, did the Thousands Spirits Sect train their juniors in this way - wasn't it a bit dangerous?
After all, what floated in the Sky Rift Valley were not gentle fish, but bloodthirsty Birds of Prey. Were these fierce creatures used for practice?
************
Because of revisions, there's a crisis with the saved drafts... but I still want to add more. Brothers and sisters, let's push harder, let me continue to struggle!
I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e