"The lake" first sensed the disturbance, its surface rippling, its obscure and hazy state also in turmoil.
In the midst of this turmoil, the lake had already responded, a blurred figure emerging from the Heart of the Lake. But at this moment, the profound state was on the brink of collapse, leaving him unable to make further judgments.
Then, his five senses and the sixth sense gradually returned. Amidst this slightly chaotic situation, under the relatively simple aura environment around him, Yu Ci detected a familiar scent, which was an important factor for him to make a judgment.
The figure of the newcomer had already clearly presented itself. Also, at this moment, the obscure and hazy state completely collapsed, and Yu Ci was once again restored to an ordinary mortal, and phenomena like "the lake" no longer appeared.
Finally, his rationality made the final judgment, determining the identity of the newcomer.
After a full ten breaths, he heard the hurried footsteps of the visitor. After another five breaths, the person stopped at the entrance of his solitary courtyard, knocking on the door.
"Mr. Yu, are you there?"
The one using this address was clearly not Bao Guang, and the voice was not very familiar either. But Yu Ci had already made up his mind, so he went to open the door.
Standing outside was a middle-aged Taoist dressed in a blue Taoist robe, utterly average from top to bottom, very unremarkable, the kind that could be easily forgotten with a single glance.
However, Yu Ci addressed him very accurately:
"So it's Taoist Xu Song, a rare visitor indeed, please come in."
Xu Song was a very ordinary Freelance Daoist in the Still Heart Temple, with average qualifications and cultivation level. He had been in the temple for ten years, but his cultivation level was still at the upper stage of the clear aperture, never able to step into the Nature-Connecting Realm. He was quite friendly, had conversed with Yu Ci twice, and was somewhat familiar.
Their relationship was not to the point where a special visit was necessary. Yu Ci was a bit puzzled, but still invited him in and led him into the main hall.
Just as they entered the room, the Taoist Xu bowed to the ground:
"Xu Song, a disciple of the Thousands Spirits Sect, is here on the order of the Clan Leader to congratulate Mr. Yu."
Thousands Spirits Sect?
Yu Ci narrowed his eyes, slightly dazed for a moment, a lively and adorable little girl image emerged from the Heart of the Lake, giving him a bright smile, then he remembered what the Thousands Spirits Sect was.
It had only been a few days, why did it feel like the matters of the Sky Rift Valley were so far away from him?
His state of mind finally shifted from cultivation, and Yu Ci glanced at Xu Song. He had known that the Thousands Spirits Sect had spies in the Still Heart Temple, but he didn't expect them to expose themselves voluntarily. Was it really just to congratulate him?
Moreover, congratulate him on what?
"Mr. Yu is about to be accepted into the Lichen Sect, and from then on, the path to immortality is clear. Isn't that worth celebrating?"
These words might not be too exaggerated. Yu Ci didn't bother to explain the intricacies to him, and directly let this topic pass. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Is Little Nine doing well?"
Xu Song was obviously prepared and immediately responded, "Miss Nine's Divine Soul was injured and she is not yet fully recovered, sometimes unconscious. The Clan Leader plans to send Miss to the south to an old friend for good recuperation."
"Oh?"
Yu Ci was somewhat taken aback. Was the young girl's condition so dire? Elder Yu Xuan and Monk Zheng Yan had not made such an assessment.
Something felt amiss, and moreover, the south?
Months ago, during a "lecture" by Ye Tu, Yu Ci had gained a general understanding of the geographical concept of the Cultivation World. His knowledge was further clarified during his days at the Still Heart Temple, while chatting with Bao Guang.
The Cultivation World traditionally divided the entire world into relative regions of "east-west" or "north-south".
Geographically, this realm was divided into north and south, with the Broken Realm Mountain Range, the Cloud Mountain Range, and the Cang River as the boundaries.
Among them, the Broken Realm Mountain Range, adjacent to the Sky Rift Valley, was one of the markers dividing the east-west Cultivation World. It was the source of two major rivers, the Cang River and the Li Luo River; the Cloud Mountain Range, renowned for being in the center of the world, was the richest area for cultivation resources; The Cang River, originating from the Broken Realm Mountain Range, flowed from west to east, almost traversing the entire Cultivation World, gathering hundreds of tributaries to form a river, its momentum vast as it widened into a thousand-mile river, eventually pouring into the East Sea.
This was the standard boundary.
However, traditionally, or in the consciousness of the Cultivators in this realm, the so-called "south" was actually much narrower. It was meant to refer to the area south of the Cang River, east of the middle and lower reaches of the Li Luo River, i.e., the southeastern part of the Cultivation World.
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Like the Cang River, the Li Luo River also originated from the Broken Realm Mountain Range, its tributary, the Ba River, even flowed through the outskirts of Sheer Cliff City. As the second largest river in this realm, it was much more winding than the Cang River. Its main stream originally flowed eastward, but midway it turned south, dividing the geographical south into two.
The two banks of the Li Luo River were two different worlds.
On the west bank of the great river, lay the infamous dangerous lands of the Great Thunder Marsh and the Six Barbarians Mountain Range, teeming with countless demons; on the other side, known as the Six Lakes and Three Rivers, was a thriving region filled with craftsmen and numerous sects, the most prosperous place in this realm.
The "south" Xu Song spoke of undoubtedly referred to the area among the southeastern water system, which was why Yu Ci found it strange.
You see, the vastness of the Cultivation World was beyond the imagination of ordinary people. For example, Yu Ci, who had rebelled against the Twin Immortal Sect and wandered for twelve years, had traveled far, but in reality, he had always been circling around the Broken Realm Mountain Range; for the residents of Sheer Cliff City, a city and its surrounding area were almost the entirety of their world.
According to Xu Song, sending Little Nine to the south for recuperation was a good idea, but the journey from Sheer Cliff City to there was not just thousands or tens of thousands of miles, it was at least a million miles of long-distance trekking. It might take a year and a half to get there. Was it worth it?
"Is there another plan behind sending Little Nine away from Sheer Cliff City at this time?"
Regarding this, Xu Song offered some explanation: "The turmoil of the Sky Rift Valley Demons, though suppressed by the hands of the Immortal Elders of Lichen Sect and Sunset Sect, still allows some to slip through the net. Recently, Sheer Cliff City has been repeatedly troubled by them, with many people falling victim. The Clan Leader probably considered this and decided to have the family temporarily move to the south to avoid danger, taking advantage of the return journey of the Mountain Moving Cloud Boat."
Yu Ci responded with a simple "Oh, the Mountain Moving Cloud Boat?"
He had heard about it from Ye Tu before. Apparently, the "Mountain Moving Cloud Boat" was an extraordinary magical artifact belonging to a major merchant in the southeast. It was as large as a mountain, yet it could fly at high speed among the clouds. It could carry more than ten thousand people, traveling from east to west and then from west to east, providing services to Cultivators who lacked the ability for long-distance flight. It made a round trip every half a year.
Ye Tu had traveled from the distant East Sea to the Sky Rift Valley on this very boat.
However, this reason still seemed insufficient.
After some thought, Yu Ci suddenly asked, "How has the White Sun Mansion been recently?"
Xu Song gave him a thumbs up: "Speaking of the White Sun Mansion, we can't help but admire Mr. Yu's capabilities. You killed three of the twelve stewards of the White Sun Mansion and almost wiped out half of the fifty personal guards in the mansion. These were their most elite forces. Although Jin Huan is too proud to admit it, such matters can't be kept secret. Now, in Sheer Cliff City, who doesn't know of your fame? Who doesn't know that the face of the White Sun Mansion has been completely lost?"
Despite his unimpressive appearance, this undercover agent from the Thousands Spirits Sect was skilled at flattery, especially when he expressed his admiration with a sincere face: "What's most admirable is that with your Divine communication cultivation level, you could calmly escape from Tu Du. On the contrary, that old monster suffered severe injuries due to the Demons' cold wave. After returning to his mansion, he has been in seclusion for healing. It is rumored that it might take him eight to ten years to fully recover, sir."
"Return to his mansion? In seclusion?"
Yu Ci interrupted him, leaned forward slightly, stared at Xu Song, and slowly asked, "You mean, Tu Du has returned to his mansion?"
Xu Song was taken aback, but under such circumstances, he could only nod.
Yu Ci fell silent for a while. When he opened his mouth again, he only said, "Does Brother Xu have any other matters?"
Xu Song's visit this time was actually to probe attitudes and build relationships according to the sect's instructions. How could he not know when to leave? He quickly paid his respects and left. He didn't even sit down or drink a sip of tea.
Watching Xu Song leave the courtyard, Yu Ci pondered for a while before taking out the Divine Bronze Mirror and simultaneously opening the Divine Map.
The Still Heart Temple, and indeed the entire hill where the Daoist temple resides, were all under the cover of the Divine Map. The human figures coming and going within the buildings, the grand halls, and the gardens were all under its control. However, Yu Ci's mind was not focused on this.
He stared at the Divine Map, his thoughts returning to the eve of his departure from the Sky Rift Valley. In his mind's eye, he saw the shadow that had expanded in an instant, engulfing everything, and the shattered Sun Soul Banner.
"This situation, why is it becoming more and more incomprehensible?"
Yu Ci sat in the main hall, the Divine Map surrounded by a halo of green light and cloud, with silent shadows moving within. The hall was silent.
After a long while, Yu Ci suddenly laughed, "Human curiosity is indeed a dangerous thing. Despite being on the verge of climbing the high mountain, a single piece of news can bring one back. Are we so eager to seek death under the foot of a giant?"
Having realized this, Yu Ci shook his head, closed his eyes, and slowly calmed his thoughts. After an unknown amount of time, when the light in the hall had somewhat dimmed, he opened his eyes. The information he had just obtained sank to the bottom of the Lake of the Heart, piled together with similar matters, without any reaction.
Yu Ci had returned to his usual state and rhythm. The ease of this transition was undoubtedly a result of his constant mental immersion over the past ten days.
After completely shifting his thoughts, he embedded his consciousness into the Divine Map. Following his impressions, he quickly found several key nodes.
He was still more interested in the phenomenon of the "Concentric Circle".
Initially, he sensed Xu Song's position was still within the Daoist temple's inner courtyard. Later, he distinguished his scent near the entrance of the western courtyard. By the time he heard footsteps, it was already outside his own courtyard.
The later nodes were easier to understand, given his keen sense of smell, which was exceptional. However, the first node was quite astonishing. The Divine Map displayed it very clearly. It was two miles away, separated by a large garden and several courtyards. No matter how sharp his six senses were, it was impossible to detect the situation there.
"This is Soul Sensing."
The mysteries of the Divine Soul were truly incredible. This was an unprecedented experience since he entered the Nature-Connecting Realm.
In the past, Yu Ci always used the Divine Map to reflect his surroundings. Both the range and clarity were far superior to this sensing. However, compared to it, Soul Sensing had an indescribable profundity.
At this moment, he thought of the mental image change that naturally corresponded with the "Concentric Circle Theory", and the cycle of the "faint light" illuminating the "lake". This was sensing, but not purely sensing, it carried a wonderful aspect of enriching oneself and advancing one's cultivation.
Indeed, while the Divine Map was good, Soul Sensing should not be neglected. This was something Yu Ci kept in mind.
Just as Yu Ci was about to attempt to enter the state of Soul Sensing again, there was a knock at the door from outside the courtyard. This time, however, it was a familiar person.
Used to his ways, Bao Guang knocked on the door and then directly pushed it open. Seeing Yu Ci standing in the courtyard, he joyfully exclaimed, "Brother Yu, what a great opportunity."
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