Just now, Yu Ci had swiftly unleashed two strikes of his sword, as swift and dazzling as lightning, not only was the speed and sword energy unparalleled, but even in a high-speed state, the timing was impeccably precise, even managing to slow down the nearly out-of-control speed. This kind of skill and technique, upon one glance, is clearly the result of relentless training, completely different from those who merely rely on superior swordsmanship to oppress others.

At this moment, Tu Du began to understand Huang Tai's defense: "If he is of such caliber, coupled with his cunning mind, Liu Siwei's death under his sword is not unjust."

However, the more he understood Yu Ci's skill level, the more a flame burned fiercely in his heart.

Is this youngster so lively? Mocking the old man as a lump of rotting flesh, thinking he can't compare to you?

Thinking of his frail body far away, which could potentially expire at any moment, Tu Du wanted to grit his teeth, but quickly remembered that it's been a long time since he tasted the sensation of "gritting his teeth."

Yu Ci was unaware that he was hated by Tu Du to the point of gnashing his teeth because at this moment, he had no time for anything else. His mind and heart were completely filled with unprecedented danger and excitement.

He had never pinned his life on the hope that Tu Du would abide by the so-called prohibition, nor did he ever believe that his goal was to shake off Tu Du's pursuit and escape safely. On the contrary, he wanted Tu Du to chase him, to chase him into the depths of the Sky Rift Valley, preferably all the way to the dark areas forty miles below.

Therefore, from the beginning of the confrontation from a distance, he had been provoking but never truly infuriating Tu Du. The whole process was like casting a fishing line, and he himself was the bait on the hook, leading Tu Du to come.

Tu Du indeed followed him.

According to the most ideal situation, Yu Ci's plan should have reached its end. Because right below this area, there was a situation that Tu Du would never expect:

Hundreds, no, now it should be thousands of Demons, had already spread out in the dark region, like a deadly plague, spreading rapidly.

In the days when the Ghost-Face Flower had not yet arrived, Demons were constantly pouring into the "entrance". Most of them fell into the abyss in the void without anything to rely on, but some survived and gradually formed a scale.

Yu Ci had not specifically counted how many Demons were gathered in the Sky Rift Valley, nor did he know why these ferocious monsters did not continue to climb up. But this did not prevent him from using this opportunity to set a trap for Tu Du.

What he relied on was what Old Daoist Yu Zhou had once told him in the Still Heart Temple:

For those above the level of Golden Elixir cultivator, their aura radiates too far, and their flesh and Divine Soul are great supplements for Demons. Some Demons can sense this aura from hundreds of miles away and chase after it!

Yu Ci's plan was to lure the demons with Tu Du's scent, enticing them to see him as a sumptuous meal and then pursue him!

Undoubtedly, it was a gamble.

Yu Ci was well aware that without any trials, his plan was based solely on Yu Zhou's casual conversations. To put it lightly, it was a risk; to put it harshly, it was foolishness. Yet, he chose this path, doing his best and leaving the rest to fate... Of course, if the heavens were truly against him, he would still put up a fight!

Perhaps the heavens were indeed reluctant to have another cunning individual besides themselves. Their reluctance was palpable.

According to Yu Zhou's theory, the demons should have noticed the Yin Spirit-adorned Tu Du on the cliff. Perhaps due to some conflict with the species of Sky Rift Valley, the demons refrained from acting rashly. But once they reached the depths of the valley, would they still hold back?

With this thought in mind, Yu Ci plunged headlong into the depths, only for the heavens to play a joke on him.

The demons indeed held back.

Ten miles, twenty miles, thirty miles... As the depth increased, apart from the initial entrance to the valley, under Tu Du's deliberate indulgence, Yu Ci had sprinted a full twenty miles. Yet, there was still no movement from the demons below.

The situation was spiraling out of control.

Even with the "Primordial Qi" by his side, and the Heart-Tugging Horn protecting his Divine Soul, under Tu Du's continuous oppressive force, the heat from the Sun Soul Banner felt like a red-hot iron ball rolling on his back.

The turbulent energy interfered with his Primordial Qi circulation, affecting his physical body, causing each of his movements to consume ten percent more energy than usual.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

As countless "ten percents" accumulated, like a snowball growing larger, Yu Ci began to lose control. His speed exceeded his control limit, his feet gradually losing grip on the cliff wall. As for changing direction or avoiding danger, it was out of the question!

Had he not meticulously chosen a path best suited for a high-speed sprint before this night, and memorized the terrain for over forty miles, he would have been shattered to pieces by the numerous obstacles by now.

Up until now, nearly thirty miles deep, there was still no sign of movement from the demons below. At this distance, the heavy scent of the demons was carried up by the rising air currents, swirling around his nose, yet showing no intention of advancing further!

In the howling wind, this scent seemed like a giant hand reaching out from the abyss, pulling him down amidst the mocking laughter echoing around the mountains.

If he were to fall, it would only be a matter of moments!

Under such circumstances, Yu Ci's state of mind, paradoxically, found tranquility.

Just as he had once assessed the guards of White Sun Mansion who had chosen to fight to the death in the forest: Those who fight with desperation ultimately only hasten their own demise!

Yu Ci had every right to make such a statement.

Having spent years on the brink of life and death, he understood better than anyone: The more perilous the situation, the more one must harbor a heart set on victory and the confidence to control one's fate. At this moment, there was no need to consider any extraneous matters. All he needed was faith in himself, unwavering belief in his premeditated plan. This was the strongest and most reliable strategy to defeat the enemy!

Therefore, all stray thoughts in Yu Ci's mind evaporated, leaving only a simple truth:

I have anticipated this situation!

Yu Ci remained unshaken and, as such, he began to wield his sword.

Wielding a sword did not mean he literally drew his sword to fight Tu Du. At this moment, he understood where the true enemy lay. It wasn't the looming threat of Tu Du overhead, like a maggot burrowing into bone, nor was it the rushing, flashing rocks and plants that could pulverize him at any moment. It wasn't even the ferocious Birds of Prey circling and leaping around him.

At least, not just these... The real enemy was the combination of these three factors, intertwined and transformed, forming a whole. Or to put it more plainly, it was the entire valley landscape he was perceiving, stepping on, experiencing, and even combating.

He simplified the complex, just as he had transformed all his combat techniques into the simple concept of life and death, condensing thousands of threads into one, and severing it with a single sword stroke!

This was Yu Ci's method of wielding a sword, the essence of his sword art.

The sword was useless against the valley landscape, so Yu Ci did not unsheathe it. Instead, he channeled his Sword aura, using his body as a medium, transforming his flesh into a "sword". Amid the rushing rocks and plants, he sought gaps and struck at weaknesses, carving a path from the brink of life and death.

The Sword aura was contained but not released. The driving Sword Energy accumulated within his body, layer upon layer, counteracting the increasing pressure from the outside world until a dangerous equilibrium was achieved.

This was how he confronted the valley landscape.

He had already surpassed thirty miles!

Inside the Sun Soul Banner, Tu Du's surprise deepened. He had been waiting for the moment when Yu Ci's physical and mental states would completely collapse. In fact, he felt that moment was not far off. From the top of the valley to this point, less than half an hour had passed. Every instant, Yu Ci seemed on the verge of being shattered by the impact. His physical body had clearly reached its limit. Under his Yin Spirit Sensing, Tu Du could even hear the faint sound of Yu Ci's muscles and bones on the brink of collapse.

But in the next moment, Yu Ci was still alive. He managed to narrowly escape from the dire situation, continuing to fall.

Once, twice, three times, four times... it kept happening.

Would it ever end?

In this process, Yu Ci had navigated at least four treacherously steep terrains and slain over a dozen opportunistic Birds of Prey. Numerous other beasts yearned to devour this "delicious meal", but they could only sigh helplessly in the face of his breakneck speed.

Balance—it all came down to balance. Perhaps Yu Ci's speed was teetering on the brink of total loss of control, but it was only on the brink. Straddling the precipice of life and death, Yu Ci maintained a balance that could crumble at any moment, taking long strides towards the bottomless abyss.

This round of frantic descent lasted no more than fifteen minutes, but with astonishing speed, he had plunged nearly forty miles deep into the Sky Rift Valley.

Here, the daylight was completely absorbed by layers of clouds. Not to mention, it was night time, and the valley was shrouded in darkness. Tu Du didn't rely on his eyes for observation, but even his Yin Spirit Sensing was severely limited in this region, making him uncomfortable.

Tu Du had participated in the war against the Demons years ago, so this place inevitably provoked some apprehension.

Ultimately, he was decisive and believed he couldn't delay any longer. He wiped away the slight amusement he felt and decided to use his own methods to break Yu Ci's last straw!

The Sun Soul Banner suddenly accelerated its descent, while the Yin Spirit within it activated Curse Power, initiating a spell called "Ghost Realm Flame Prison". The plan was to trap Yu Ci inside and let him taste the flavor of being roasted. As the Curse Power surged, a thousand-foot cloud split open, parting to both sides.

In the center of the split cloud tunnel, Yu Ci's figure appeared. The Yu Ci below seemed to sense something, turning his head as if stunned by the strong light shining down.

But at this moment, under the illumination of the Sun Soul Banner's firelight, a group of oddly shaped shadows writhed in the depths of the dark clouds. Their breath mixed with the mist, billowing upwards.

Was that...

"Demons!"

Inside the Sun Soul Banner, a sudden emotional shock almost made Tu Du lose control of the banner. He wasn't using his eyes but his Yin Spirit Sensing to detect the astonishing scene below. This was no illusion!

How could there be Demons here? And such a teeming crowd?

After the shock, his first thought was relief—thank goodness he was well-prepared after entering the valley. Otherwise, these Demons would have swarmed up at the first whiff of danger, leading to a disastrous situation.

Before he could finish his thought, under the firelight, Yu Ci bounced back.

He actually bounced back!

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