The speed was beyond the realm of thought. Yan Daoist didn't even have time to change his expression before he was slain by a single stroke. The Nine Yang Talisman Sword still clutched in his hand, his robust body still standing, but he was indeed dead, cleanly and neatly, to the point of absurdity.
Yu Ci didn't even blink, staring at the scene unfolding before him until the other's head fell to the ground.
"The vibration must be from the Divine Soul. How fascinating!"
Actually, referring to the Seven Dipper Star Sword Talisman as a "Sword Technique" is not entirely accurate. Even though it can condense the Primordial Qi of heaven and earth, using refined blood as a framework to transform into a tangible object, it is, after all, a Talisman. Since it's a Talisman, it naturally needs a Spiritual Response. The unprecedented sensation of the Divine Soul vibrating, creating a void, and the simultaneous occurrence of Spiritual Response was exhilarating.
Yu Ci savored this experience and
With a casual wave, a humming sound filled the air, lacking the sensation of a sharp blade cutting through the wind. Only when he injected True Qi did it emit the brilliant Red Glow he had seen the night before. Yet even though the sword's aura spanned the sky, accompanied by the sound of a golden blade cleaving the wind, it still didn't feel as sharp as it did in Yan Daoist's hands.
Was this a difference in their realms? Yu Ci didn't care and began to search Yan Daoist's body again, wondering if there were any treasures on him.
The result was extremely strange.
"There's... nothing?"
After a long search, he found nothing. Not only were there no treasures, but even the items one would typically carry when traveling were completely absent. It was as if this villain, aside from his sword technique and clothing, was utterly destitute, which was clearly impossible!
Yu Ci himself wasn't wealthy, but living on the road meant one needed to carry some essential items. Over the years, he had accumulated quite a bit, stuffing his Hundred-Treasure Pouch full year-round. By extension, those who traveled all corners of rivers and lakes should be no different. Yet Yan Daoist was incredibly clean. Could it be that he truly had no worldly desires, that stripping him of his clothes would leave him stark naked and unencumbered?
Impossible. Yan Daoist had infiltrated the Herb Gatherers under the guise of picking Shrimp Whisker Grass. Surely he would have prepared a Stone Box?
Grasping this inconsistency, Yu Ci didn't feel the slightest bit discouraged. His gaze swept over Yan Daoist's body again and again.
Suddenly, his gaze focused on Yan Daoist's left pinky finger.
There was a black line there, like a ring at the base of the finger. For some reason, when Yu Ci's gaze landed on the ring, his head seemed to thud as if two forces had collided. It was faint but clear.
What was that?
With that thought in mind, Yu Ci bent down to remove the ring and examined it closely.
The touch of his fingers felt ordinary, and upon closer inspection, both the material and craftsmanship of the ring were unremarkable. However, Yu Ci had a feeling that this ring was merely a shell, hiding something within.
"Perhaps, I should break it open?"
With this absurd thought in mind, Yu Ci clenched the ring in his palm. Of course, he didn't exert any force, but the sensation in his palm was very real, so much so that the size and shape of the ring were imprinted in his mind in great detail.
Then, something miraculous happened.
A small hammer appeared out of nowhere and with a bang, it shattered the image of the ring in his mind. Immediately after, Yu Ci's mind was filled with numerous things; it was as if an entire room had been stuffed into his head.
He jerked violently as the overflowing sensation shifted from his mind to his palm. In that moment, his palm seemed to swell up. What he held was no longer a small ring, but a room filled with all sorts of miscellaneous items.
Yu Ci drew a deep breath, and then he fully understood.
"Storage Ring!"
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Reality finally merged with the fragments of past memories. Yes, this was it - the legendary Portable Space possessed by the Cultivators, a divine power capable of holding as much as a mustard seed can. As a youth, he had seen it on the Twin Immortals. It was a symbolic object closely associated with the identity of a Cultivator.
"Such a treasure…" Just as this thought surfaced, Yu Ci suddenly froze. An incredibly vague thought had shot out from the depths of his mind, like a hurricane erupting from a calm sea. His emotions churned like raging tides, engulfing his heart.
This surge of emotion was contradictory to the Storage Ring itself. He still held the ring, the swelling sense of fulfillment clear and discernible. The objects arranged layer upon layer within the ring's space seemed ready to overflow. Yet, he completely ignored them.
At the peak of his emotional tide, his remaining rationality roared:
Is it there? Is it still there?
He didn't care about this ring, at least compared to that thing, he really didn't care. He just wanted to know if that "little hammer" - the one that had just come from the void and shattered the outer shell of the Storage Ring - was still there? Where was it?
With a soft "ding", the Storage Ring slipped from his palm, hit a protruding rock, and bounced far away.
This was intentional on Yu Ci's part. He didn't immediately pick up the ring but stood in place for a while. During this time, he forced himself to forget the feelings and memories from just now, to make his mind a blank slate before stepping forward, bending down, and picking up the ring again.
Yes, he wanted to try again.
His breathing was somewhat difficult, and the hand holding the ring was even trembling.
Taking a deep breath, Yu Ci wanted to exert force. If possible, he even wanted to crush this precious Storage Ring. However, there was no need for such trouble anymore. As soon as he had the thought in his mind, the ring in his hand vibrated slightly in an almost imperceptible manner. Then, a real sense of fullness surpassed the limitation of his physical body and directly fed back into his mind.
Everything was as he wished!
A dizzying happiness spread out. Yu Ci had to use all his strength to keep his last bit of rationality and issue one final command.
With a "whoosh" sound, countless miscellaneous items poured out from his half-open palm. More real than mental fulfillment were these tangible objects that had appeared out of thin air and piled up into a small mountain in front of Yu Ci.
Valuable or worthless, useful or useless… no matter what they were, they were indeed real. More importantly, they were taken out of that miraculous Storage Ring by Yu Ci himself.
Yu Ci no longer needed to search for any "little hammer". Because that hammer was himself. That miraculous power originated from his Divine Soul within him, fused with his life. Born with a thought, gone with a thought, it was as instinctual as breathing.
He remembered a long time ago, the only time Red Yin Immortal described the Cultivation Realm:
"Separate Consciousness & Thoughts, round and turn the divine intent, that is Nature-Connecting."
Yes, only when the Divine Soul is strong and the divine intent is achieved; only when the divine intent is differentiated and the Soul Thoughts are reborn, can the Storage Ring be opened.
What does this mean?
It signifies that he has truly transcended the "Three Barriers of the Mundane," truly possesses the Mystical Divine Techniques, and has truly entered the realm of "Nature-Connecting."
Yu Ci could feel his blood rushing to his face, causing his lips to tingle. He struggled to maintain the vestiges of rationality in his mind. Then, he extended his hand, not activating the Divine Bronze Mirror, but using his own fingers to trace in the air the paths he was so familiar with.
With the movement of his fingertips, his heartbeat unexpectedly calmed. Simultaneously, the wonderful pulsations of his Divine Soul appeared again. Yu Ci seemed to have gained another "self," but as he adjusted his heartbeat, the two pulses of his Divine Soul and heart began to resonate at an astonishing speed, eventually merging into one.
Perhaps a Divine Light gathered on his fingertips, or perhaps not, but in Yu Ci's eyes and heart, a world that seemed vaguely familiar unfolded before him.
Within the chaotic void, it was vast and dark. Yet, Yu Ci's fingers seemed to possess a magical power. Each movement lit up a star and pulled a bright line from it. As if slow yet urgent, hundreds of stars lit up, becoming brilliant nodes in the void's canvas.
Talisman became Spiritual Response. In this drizzling weather, in a corner of the vast forest, a huge blue electric arc suddenly lit up, piercing the sky and merging with the overhead clouds. It was like reversed lightning, strange and beautiful, followed by the rumbling sound of thunder.
A Five-Thunder Talisman that operated the pivot drained all of Yu Ci's strength. His knees trembled uncontrollably as he bent over half of his body, gasping for breath. Yet, his panting looked more like a hoarse and exhausted laughter.
Nature-Connecting is an invisible and insurmountable wall, marking the start point for a mortal to truly embark on The Path to Immortality.
At this moment, this wall crumbled before Yu Ci, reduced to ashes!
"Ah!"
In a roar, Yu Ci kicked out fiercely. The pile of debris in front of him collapsed with a loud noise, and broken parts scattered in all directions.
This burst of emotion seemed to come out of nowhere but was indeed pent up deep within Yu Ci.
When a long life journey has only one clear goal, and years of hard work still leave it out of reach, frustration is inevitable, hesitation is inevitable, despair is inevitable. Yet all these were suppressed by Yu Ci's willpower and carried by his solitary courage, like a lone wolf marching on a seemingly endless road.
The pressure never lessened; it just buried deeper. Over the years, it accumulated day by day, finally erupting under today's joy and in this nearly mad roar.
Nature-Connecting, Cultivator, became Yu Ci's newest identity. The world he faced had entirely changed!
*************
The pressure never lessened; it just buried deeper. I hope that one day I can roar like Brother Fish Bone. Until then, only the collection and votes of my readers can alleviate the pressure.
I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e