Yu Ci was well aware that the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock Vein was nearby; it was, after all, the very reason for his journey. However, since he had been poisoned by the Gu Sculpture, his entire focus had shifted to finding an antidote. He spent every day engrossed in the study of talismans, with no time to spare and his condition not conducive to travel, the search for the mineral vein had been put on hold.
His earlier exclamation, "Time waits for no one," had been partly born from this very concern. Yet, to his surprise, Lu Qing, who had been by his side assisting with the talismans, had managed to resolve the issue in a single outing?
He stood in stunned silence for a long moment before stepping forward to inspect the find. Although he had never seen the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock in person, the "Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book" had described it in great detail. The stone before him glowed red-hot, yet a touch sent a chilling sensation straight through to his palm. Observing the patterns etched upon it, there was no doubt that it was indeed the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock, and of exceptionally high quality at that. It was just a shame that it was a bit on the small side...
"There's a larger one, submerged in the Magma Lake," Lu Qing remarked, as if she could see right through to one's heart. She briefly described the size of the piece, and Yu Ci couldn't help but be overjoyed.
"How far from here?"
"Roughly four hundred li."
Without hesitation, Yu Ci declared, "We mustn't delay; let's retrieve it at once."
As he spoke, a sudden pause overtook him, and a wave of realization washed over him, bringing a tide of questions to mind: "How did Market Master Lu come to think of searching for the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock?"
"You mentioned it."
"I did?"
"You said that with an altar, gathering the primordial Qi of heaven and earth would be much easier. When we were crafting the Lunar Banner, you also spoke of the need for a matching altar, and as for the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock..."
"Ah, now I remember, I did indeed mention it."
Yu Ci recalled that it had been a casual remark during a conversation with a female cultivator. Had Lu Qing not reminded him, he would have completely forgotten the matter. It was fortunate that Lu Qing had such a good memory. And there was another point: "But how did you find it, Market Master Lu, four hundred li away?"
Lu Qing responded with a touch of nonchalance, “I cultivate the Heavenly Demon Soul Split Incarnation, which allows my spirit to divide and exist in multiple places. While one spirit guards the core, the incarnations wander abroad. It’s not difficult to track them down.”
Her words were light, but the reality was astounding. While her true self was thoroughly attentive here, her incarnation could locate a magma pool four hundred miles away. Such divine power was indeed astonishing. Yet, it was uncertain how it compared to the Divine Chart. Yu Ci was simultaneously shocked and admiring, and of course, grateful. Although he had aided Lu Qing midway, the female cultivator had first offered him the Gu Sculpture's Inner Elixir, assisted him in laying out Rune Patterns for three days, and now had even taken the trouble to find the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock. How should he express his gratitude? It was a puzzle to him.
As he was contemplating, Lu Qing glanced at the structure of Rune Patterns on the ground and said softly, “There are things I’m not sure if I should mention.”
Yu Ci quickly composed himself and said, “Please speak.”
“I’m not versed in Talismans, but even I can tell that completing this Talisman is not the work of a single day. If we are to stay here for a few more days, we should consider the threat of the Qiongqi. It descends from the bloodline of the Ancient Four Dire Beasts, with a ferocity that no ordinary Great Demon can match. If it truly returns without restraint to kill, it will first gather information at the original battlefield... We are too close for comfort.”
Yu Ci nodded in agreement. He was not naive enough to believe that with two Vacuum Walking Cultivators here, they would be guaranteed victory against Qiongqi, even with the Divine Chart for prior control. In fact, with him being a “burden” now, both Tie Lan and Lu Qing would find it difficult to perform at their best.
“Additionally, there is the matter of your injury.”
Lu Qing had never used honorifics like “Daoist friend” but instead addressed him directly as “you,” which sounded peculiarly intimate. Moreover, Lu Qing was usually a woman of few words. It was rare for her to speak so much, which suggested that these words must have been weighed in her heart for a long time before being spoken, and were thus quite solemn.
"I have no intention of questioning your Symbol Arts Mastery, but in matters of detoxification and healing, success or failure could mean the difference between a whole body and a ruined one. One should not approach it with the mindset of gambling. If a talisman can cure, then well and good, but if it fails, alternative preparations should be in place."
Yu Ci did not take offense at her "doubts" and simply asked, "What preparations?"
Lu Qing glanced again at the talismanic pattern drawings on the ground and said, "One should not solely rely on talismanic healing but also seek medical examination."
Yu Ci smiled, "That's indeed a good idea, but this Gu carving poison is no common cold or minor ailment. We would need to find a renowned physician..."
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Lu Qing quickly responded, "Travel north from here for about seventy thousand li, and you will reach Huayan City. There lies the 'Evergreen Sect,' where many cultivators are skilled in the medical arts. Clan Leader Mr. Green Pine possesses the Vacuum Walking Cultivation, and his title as Rejuvenating Healer is renowned throughout the North Wilderness. Perhaps he could be of help."
"Seventy thousand li?"
Yu Ci shook his head, "Even if we don't consider the wear and tear and travel at full speed without any incidents, it would still take more than ten days. And that's not even guaranteeing results. Moreover, with my current physical state, short distances are manageable, but to run continuously for ten days... Heh..."
Lu Qing frowned slightly, "Why would it take ten days?"
"Well, I've only tried covering seven thousand li in a day, and that was by Sword Control flight, completely unimpeded. To do more would be deadly. If we're talking about ten consecutive days, it would certainly be slower."
Yu Ci was forthright, and looking at Lu Qing, he had a moment of realization, "You're not thinking of yourself, are you? I've heard that Vacuum Walking Cultivators, when pushing themselves, can cover over fifty thousand li in a day, but that's surely not the norm."
"Twenty thousand li in a day is not a problem... We can go together."
Under Yu Ci's astonished gaze, Lu Qing took out an object. It was a small, dark-grey boat-shaped item, no longer than half a foot, seemingly made of wood. In the center, a canopy was supported, intricately carved with dense rune patterns. The female cultivator, seeing Yu Ci's gaze fixed on the boat's canopy, simply handed it to him and said softly, "Here."
“This object is known as the ‘Clear Sky Gang Thunder Boat.’ By manipulating it with a spell, it can expand a hundredfold and is used to carry people in flight. In a day, it can travel up to thirty thousand li, and I can push it to about twenty thousand li. Thus, if all goes well, we should reach Huayan City in at most four to five days’ time.”
Yu Ci held the boat in his hand, turning it over and examining it. The rune patterns etched upon it were profoundly mysterious, and he couldn't help but praise, “What a marvelous treasure.”
He had previously ridden on the Lichen Sect’s ‘Tai Yin Water Origin Flying Boat,’ a large flying magical instrument capable of carrying dozens, if not hundreds of passengers, with both speed and defense being exceptional. However, a sect’s communal property and a personal belonging felt inherently different. Moreover, according to Lu Qing, in terms of speed alone, this ‘Clear Sky Gang Thunder Boat’ would far surpass the former.
Yu Ci found himself increasingly persuaded by Lu Qing's words, yet he still harbored some doubts: “This boat... it can’t travel underground, can it?”
“Indeed, it must be above the ground, beyond the black sand storms.”
Yu Ci then remembered the colossal airborne ship he had seen in the skies above the North Wilderness on the night of his arrival at Yin Cave City, as well as the manned flying shuttle lurking in the shadows. The cultivator in the flying shuttle who had encountered that sword-wielding madman on the ship had been decidedly unlucky. However, that incident did prove that the airspace above the North Wilderness was indeed navigable.
If it was a matter of four to five days, it was worth considering.
“Furthermore, regarding this talisman…”
As she spoke, the female cultivator pointed towards the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock and channeled a seal into it. The five-foot square crimson rock began to levitate, moving to the center of the Melting Cave, directly above the space where Yu Ci had drawn the Talisman Fragmentation Form.
Under Yu Ci’s watchful gaze, a beam of indescribable light shone down, connecting the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock and the rune patterns on the ground. Then, as the light vanished and Yu Ci was still puzzling over the event, a line pattern emerged on the upper surface of the rock. It spread like an intricate network of roots, with countless rune patterns unfurling simultaneously. Divine light radiated in all directions, and in the blink of an eye, the formation was complete.
The structure of these Rune Patterns... identical in every way!
Yu Ci felt a chill emanating from between his teeth. The Rune Patterns that had just appeared on the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock were indistinguishable from those on the ground. It wasn't just their outward form that was the same, but also the corresponding Qi Mechanism Response. This indicated that what had just occurred was no simple imprint of patterns; it was a complete transfer of the Talismanic Mystic Light that Yu Ci had painstakingly infused over the past three days onto the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock. The Aura involved in the process was immeasurable, easily in the hundreds of thousands!
From the shadows, Shadow Ghost marveled, "She must be utilizing the technique of 'Soul Splitting and Incarnation.' This woman's Cultivation Level may be average, but her ability to adapt and apply methods is truly remarkable."
Such praise from Shadow Ghost was the highest commendation one could receive.
This miraculous feat, however, was not without its cost. Lu Qing's Aura had dimmed slightly, a sign of significant expenditure of energy. Yet she seemed unconcerned and advised Yu Ci, "As this is but an imprint, for the sake of thoroughness, it would be best to infuse it once more. Still, this should save us some effort."
Yu Ci nodded absentmindedly as he stared at the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock. He now understood why the female cultivator had not chosen any of the other rocks but had instead moved one of such size. Using the Mysterious Water Gleaming Rock as a platform for transforming Earthly Qi would undoubtedly yield far superior results than an ordinary layer of soil. Not only was the material itself vastly stronger, but its connection to Earthly Qi was unquestionably secure. Yu Ci could even simplify the Rune Patterns further, stripping away the Fractal Structures designed to prevent the platform from disintegrating, allowing the Talisman to activate more smoothly when in motion.
Yu Ci now understood that Lu Qing must have had a plan in mind all along for duplicating the Rune Patterns and hastening their journey by shuttle. She had kept silent at first, likely assessing his capabilities, and only when she deemed them insufficiently secure did she propose her idea.
Indeed, she was exceedingly cautious.
Yu Ci's gaze swept across Lu Qing's face. He wasn't one to feel jealousy or dissatisfaction over such matters, but he couldn't help but be curious. What kind of place could have nurtured a female cultivator as remarkable as Lu Qing? And why would she be running the modest Red Tooth Store in the North Wilderness?
Lost in his thoughts, he stared a moment too long, prompting Lu Qing to ask if something was amiss.
"Nothing," he replied.
Despite the awkward moment, Yu Ci didn't blush—his skin was thick enough for that. But the interruption made him realize he had already made up his mind. He nodded, ready to agree, yet the words that came to his lips were different:
"Market Master Lu, my thanks to you!"
Lu Qing simply smiled and shook her head without a word.
With a chuckle and a sigh, Yu Ci suddenly flipped his hand and drew the Seven Dipper Star Sword. Under Lu Qing's puzzled gaze, he reversed the blade, and with a chilling sword energy, he shaved the beard that had grown for two years, letting the bristles fall.
"Since we're setting out, I must prepare thoroughly. I've made many enemies, and changing my appearance before venturing out is for the best."
Once he was clean-shaven, he sheathed his sword and gave Lu Qing a respectful bow: "Wandering Cultivator Yu Ci, at your service, Market Master Lu!"
*******
I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e