Before the departing Gu Sculpture could unleash its Eagle Feathers, their might unexpectedly extended for miles around. As they flew through the earth's strata, they gained speed, transforming into streaks of flowing light. Yu Ci, caught within the range of the attack, instinctively spread open his Flawless Sword Circle, attempting to deflect the oncoming Eagle Feathers.

However, Shadow Ghost's warning came a step too late. Yu Ci suddenly realized that the feathers released by the Gu Sculpture had the power to break through protective energies; no Sword Energy defense would suffice. It was then he knew he must dodge. Master of the Escape Technique and quick to react, Yu Ci managed to evade most of the Eagle Feathers, only to find misfortune strike as his path of escape crossed a metal vein. Though it did not block his way, it drastically reduced his speed of escape.

A pained cry followed.

In that critical moment, Yu Ci forcefully veered to the side, embedding half of his body into the metal-rich stratum, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow. Struggling to sit up, he found his left leg immobilized, pierced by at least three Eagle Feathers—two in the calf and one, most perilously, grazing the thigh, embedded deep in the bone. A deviation by mere inches, and Yu Ci might as well have been preparing for death.

Numbness spread through his entire leg and left hip; the Gu Sculpture's Lifebound Divine Ability was indeed venomous!

Yu Ci hurriedly pulled out the Eagle Feathers and crushed an antidote pill over the wounds, but to little avail. He then invoked the Heavenly River Prayer Incantation, managing to contain the poison. When it came to warding off evil and detoxifying, the Heavenly Flying Stars lineage had no better techniques. Nevertheless, a quick consultation of the "Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book" should offer some superior choices.

Even so, the art of "Heavenly Flying Stars" proved its intricacy as the Heavenly River Prayer Incantation successfully kept the poison at bay, preventing it from seeping further into the marrow. Breathing a sigh of relief, Yu Ci couldn't help but curse under his breath, venting the pressure and thrill of his narrow escape from death's jaws.

At that moment, someone approached and whispered:

"Do you need help?"

Of course, the only person who could speak in such a manner was Lu Qing. Her cultivator's aura was gradually retracting, and her realm was descending step by step. In the brief pause of conversation, she had already fallen back to the level of the Golden Elixir Upper Level.

"Uh, not for now."

Yu Ci lifted his head, his words somewhat vague. On one hand, he was unsure about the severity of the poison in his leg and did not want to speak too definitively; on the other, he hadn't yet decided how to interact with Lu Qing. In the end, he simply forced a bitter smile:

"So it turns out that Market Master Lu's cultivation level is so profound, you've really had me fooled... Did I look like a fool earlier?"

Lu Qing was taken aback for a moment, then her gaze gently fell: "I'm sorry."

Now it was Yu Ci's turn to be stunned. His complaint was actually a feigned ignorance. In the battle just now, he had discovered at least two secrets about Lu Qing: one was her Vacuum Walking Cultivation, and the other was naturally the Heavenly Demon Soul Split Incarnation. Especially the latter—if it could deceive him, how could it possibly deceive Shadow Ghost, who had once specialized in demonic arts?

However, Yu Ci knew the gravity of the situation. The Vacuum Walking Cultivation could be explained away as being unassuming, but that Heavenly Demon Soul Split Incarnation was an exquisite and superior method even within the Demonic Sect—how could an ordinary person cultivate it? And then there was the Supreme Blood-Transforming Blade, which according to Shadow Ghost, was also a notorious weapon within the Demonic Sect. With such resources at her disposal, she must be a branch of the Demonic Sect or an undercover spy.

Thus, Yu Ci focused solely on refining his Vacuum Walking Cultivation, feigning ignorance about the other secret as long as Lu Qing did not explicitly bring it up. He would steadfastly play the fool. However, Lu Qing's behavior was also peculiar—had the Vacuum Walking Cultivators of the day become so modest?

Yu Ci scrutinized the female cultivator before him more closely. He suddenly realized that his memories and understanding of Lu Qing were not as profound as he had thought. Upon closer examination, she even seemed a bit unfamiliar, as if he might not recognize her should they brush past each other in a different place.

She was indeed a beauty, with long, enchanting eyes that left a deep impression. How could he feel this sense of unfamiliarity? At that moment, Shadow Ghost interjected, "This woman has reached a certain level in concealing her aura, even managing to hide her inherent traits. Dwelling in Yin Cave City, her motives are either significant or..."

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

At that moment, Lu Qing asked again, "Are you sure you don't need help?"

If Yu Ci refused again, it would seem rather unkind. After a moment's thought, he said, "Is there a place to rest?"

"There was," the female cultivator sighed softly, then after a pause, added, "Wait here, I'll go tidy up."

Watching the female cultivator depart, Yu Ci grew increasingly puzzled, but he could sense her goodwill.

It must be the camaraderie forged in the battle they had just fought, mutual aid rendered time and again, making it hard to say who had helped whom. It was a bond formed in the heat of combat. Had Yu Ci ignored her earlier or had the female cultivator taken the chance to slip away, they would not need to consider the future—for by now, they would have been devoured by the two Great Demons.

Fingers tapping on his still numb left leg, Yu Ci felt a twinge of worry. If he couldn't rid himself of the poison, he was in for some real trouble. He wondered if there was anything else on him that could be effective...

Suddenly, Shadow Ghost interjected, "Have you forgotten something?"

"Ah, that's right!"

With a concerted effort, Yu Ci summoned the Jade White Dharma Seal that had sunk deep into the earth's layers, and stored it within the space of the Cloud Tower Tree form. This was the Jade Divine Cave Spirit Seal he had obtained from Yu Qingxuan's Separate Consciousness and Thoughts—a true trump card. However, the sudden turn of events had spared him from having to use it this time.

Shadow Ghost couldn't resist a jab, "It's only because that woman suddenly released her realm. Otherwise, what would your little schemes have amounted to?"

Yu Ci was unfazed. After all, his initial intent was simply to escape. Who could have anticipated that he would end up driving away two Great Demons from the Vacuum Walking Tiers?

"This grudge has certainly grown," he mused. "The Gu Sculpture aside, that burly man—with a tiger's head and wings, his hair bristling like a porcupine, and an aura filled with the ferocity of the wild ancient—very likely carries the bloodline of one of the Ancient Four Dire Beasts, the Qiongqi. That's not someone to be trifled with. And then there's the matter with Hao Dian..."

"Qiongqi!"

Yu Ci was familiar with the name, having seen it in legends and tales, resonating like thunder in his ears. But he couldn't understand how this being was connected to the Sword Immortal Hao Dian, who had fallen into the Eternal Abyss, and why there seemed to be such a deep-seated vendetta.

"In her time, Hao Dian traversed heaven and earth with her sword intent to reforge the God Slaying Sting. She battled her way in and out of the Blood Purgatory Ghost Mansion and the Outer Realm Void. She even used the Great Demons of the Six Barbarians Mountain Range to hone her swordsmanship. To my knowledge, the 'Hundred Spirits Transforming Radiance Veil' was created during that period. This demon is likely the descendant of one of those unfortunate victims from back then."

"Bai Ling?" Yu Ci paused, "Is it related to demon blood?"

Back then, Hao Dian recreated the God Slaying Sting with her sword intent, delving from the superficial to the profound, and took on the six parts: Bai Ling, Shi Yin, demon blood, Sky Demon, Slaying Dragon, and the main sect of Zhu Shen. Now, Yu Ci possessed three and a half of these parts: Bai Ling, Shi Yin, and Slaying Dragon, plus a half-completed main sect of Zhu Shen that even Hao Dian hadn't finished. Here, the power was clearly meant to increase step by step.

Shadow Ghost chuckled, "Demon blood refers to the Demons of the Blood Purgatory Ghost Mansion. The 'Ling' in Bai Ling actually refers to the living beings of the Cultivation World. You should know, although both 'Demon' and 'Demons' contain the character for demon, they are distinctly different. The latter are purely the products of the Malicious Qi of heaven and earth, with flesh and blood being merely derivatives; the former, like ordinary people, are born from the yin and yang energies of heaven and earth and continue their lineage through their bloodlines. So, if we're being precise, you and those birds and beasts are of one kind, the Blood Purgatory Demons are another, and the Outer Realm Sky Demons... they belong to yet another category..."

This was a categorization Yu Ci had rarely encountered, and while it might be displeasing to those who pride themselves as the most intelligent of beings, it did hold some truth.

Shadow Ghost did not mind offering another reminder, "Although 'Bai Ling Transformation' relies on external forces and follows a side method or sect, its power is truly formidable. In fact, if you really want to boost your combat strength significantly in a short period of time, practicing this would be quite excellent."

"Really?"

Yu Ci was somewhat perplexed. Previously, when he had to choose among the three types of Transforming Radiance Veils, he had forsaken the Hundred Spirits and Slaying Dragon for the Ten Yins. His choice was partly because the Slaying Dragon Transforming Radiance Veil was exceedingly difficult to master, and partly because the Hundred Spirits Transforming Radiance Veil relied more on external aids, involving less internal cultivation. It was less about sword training and more akin to refining a Magical Instrument. But now, it seemed there were other interpretations?

"The God Slaying Sting is essentially a unique magical treasure. It's just that Hao Dian favored its indomitable power, which is why she redefined it with her sword intent. From this perspective, the methods of the Hundred Spirits Transforming Radiance Veil are actually the most orthodox. Of course, if you could reach Hao Dian's realm, the internal cultivation techniques would naturally prevail, surpassing the original... as the saying goes, 'the blue is extracted from the indigo plant, but is more vivid than the plant itself.'"

Understood.

Yu Ci nodded repeatedly, about to delve further into the discussion with Shadow Ghost, when he was suddenly startled. In the Divine Chart that had been open all along, a gigantic winged monster appeared, hurtling through the earth's strata at a breakneck speed. Judging by its form and appearance, it was undoubtedly a Gu Sculpture.

Could this be a surprise return?

Yu Ci tried to brace himself to stand, but then he let out a sigh of relief. "Tie Lan!"

Upon closer inspection, the monster had none of the haze characteristic of Vacuum Walking Cultivation—it was merely an empty shell. And there, beside it, was Tie Lan, clearly the source of its propulsion... Wait, what?

Does that mean the Gu Sculpture is dead?

*******

I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e