Within the Inner Void of the Heart, the Life Death Talisman on the outside gradually pieced together a ring of Talisman Fragmentation Form, coalescing into a bead, perfectly round and flawless. This was the nascent form of the Constellations Life-Defining Golden Talisman. Yu Ci's thoughts followed the shimmering lines on its surface, eventually assembling seven complete Talismans:
The Nine Luminaries Dragon Abyss Sword Talisman, the Taiyi Star Pivot's Separate Consciousness and Thoughts, the Heavenly River Prayer Incantation, the Materializing and Dematerializing Flying Talisman, and the Taiyin Body Refining Technique. These were five of the Nine Luminaries Six Talismans. Moreover, from the Primordial Essence Six Talismans, the Void Divine Travel Talisman and the Lifeless Tribulation Star Soul-breaking Divine Light had also reached maturity, forming Seed True Talismans, now harbored within the cavities around his body, connecting and interacting with the Primordial Qi.
In the span of two years, to have formed seven Seed True Talismans would be considered a dazzling achievement for anyone cultivating Talismans, but it was still not enough.
What troubled Yu Ci the most was the Soul Restoring Star Fixing Curse. Despite not being inherently difficult, its effects were so unique that deliberate application rarely showed results. Even now, he lacked a layer of insight, thus barely missing complete mastery.
The maturation of the Constellations Life-Defining Golden Talisman was marked by stages: the Nine Luminaries, the Primordial Essence, the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, and the Celestial Stars Numerology (thirty-six), with the saying, "The Nine Luminaries give form, the Primordial Essence lays the foundation, the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions bring minor completion, and the Heavenly Cycle Numerology signifies full accomplishment." Among these, the Nine Luminaries and Primordial Essence each have six talismans, while the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions and Celestial Stars Numerology (thirty-six) each have twelve talismans, with the Nine Luminaries Six Talismans being merely the most basic requirement.
Getting stuck at this stage meant delaying the entire progress of the Life-Defining Golden Talisman.
Of course, the issue wasn't as simple as a single Soul Restoring Star Fixing Curse. From the minute details, Yu Ci discerned a much larger problem from his cultivation practices—a problem a hundred times more difficult than the current hurdle.
That is, his compatibility with the "Heavenly Flying Stars" series of Talismans, specifically those related to "refinement," or more precisely, Talismans involving Soul Returning to Life and Transcendence for the Departed, was not as seamless as it should be. The Soul Restoring Star Fixing Curse was just one example. Within the Primordial Essence Six Talismans, there were similar Talismans like the Life-Extending Disaster-Overcoming Original Star Curse, which also showed slow progress.
After numerous analyses with Shadow Ghost, Yu Ci roughly pinpointed the crux of the issue, and the answer was somewhat absurd: it was due to his overwhelming destructive power!
Whether it was the Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form or the increasingly sharp Sword aura, including the God-Slaying Stinger Born from the Ten Yin Transforming Radiance Veil, all contained a formidable force of ferocity and lethal intent. Of course, he was also responsible for a significant number of lives taken; in short, his Sha energy was excessively heavy.
If this continued, a nexus of Ferocious Kill would form, and Malicious Qi would deepen. Yu Ci himself, with a stable mind and spirit, could remain unfazed, but the nature of his soul's Primordial Qi would inevitably be affected. When employing such Talismans, the effort would be doubled for half the result, which was only logical.
Therefore, Yu Ci placed the Gang Geomancy Seven Stars Altar on his agenda.
This altar, from the "Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book," was a very important auxiliary Magical Instrument, with no fewer than a hundred common uses. It could be said that with one altar in hand, a Cultivator's Talisman power would leap several levels. However, Yu Ci's primary purpose for constructing this altar was to utilize its ability to transform nimbus Qi, to cleanse and shield against the surrounding Sha energy, allowing for a better grasp of the intricacies of Talismans like the Soul Restoring Star Fixing Curse. Naturally, it was also to facilitate the cultivation of the "big guns" within the "Heavenly Flying Stars" system, those of the Twenty-Eight Apertures and Thirty-Six Apertures.
Now was not the time to quibble with the Shadow Ghost. He could state unequivocally:
"The sooner the Gang Geomancy Seven Stars Altar is completed, the better!"
The Shadow Ghost was tactful, not uttering a word more. At least for the present, Yu Ci's life was its life, and Yu Ci's advancement was the harbinger of its own dawn. Nothing more.
※※※
With a determination smoldering within him, Yu Ci rose early the next day, casually slipping out of the Hundred-Turns Inn and headed to the bustling Commercial District of Yin Cave City, a place he had visited the day before.
He didn't bring Wan Quan along this time; the man had been quite worn out by his antics yesterday, and now, Yu Ci simply wasn't in the mood for it.
Yu Ci was aware that despite the North Wilderness's sparse resources, its trade was thriving. Still, a stroll through the market was enough to surprise and intrigue him, offering a refreshing change of scene.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Yesterday, Wan Quan had mainly shown him around "Nanhai Street," where the large merchants were located. Though crowded, the street was relatively orderly. But today, Yu Ci found himself just two blocks away from "Nanhai Street," in a place so lively and boisterous that it left him, who had not seen such bustle in years, somewhat dazed.
"Great Sun Sword, Moon-Ring Shuttle, the Sun and Moon Divine Weapons, a unique pair indeed!"
"Newly hunted beast bones, Great Demon Bloodline, reserve quickly."
"Zhang the heartless swindler, you dare to cheat your own uncle?"
Some approached him directly, peddling their peculiar wares: "Esteemed sir, a personage as distinguished as yourself would perfectly suit this Purple Mist Crown. With a bit of consecration, you'd have a Purple Gold Divine Halo upon your shoulders, and your presence would be unmatched, simply 'peerless'..."
Observing the man's Cultivation Level, which was at least at the Nature-Connecting Middle Stage, and his mercenary smile, Yu Ci frowned briefly before offering a smile, a wave of his hand dismissing the man.
He looked out across the expanse and realized that the marketplace was actually nestled within a vast depression, its upper rim spanning at least seven or eight miles in diameter, tapering as it descended. The sides were honeycombed with countless rock caves, and amidst them floated platforms akin to ghost yarn clouds, forming cloud barrier platforms. There were also rudimentary stalls propped up by scaffolding, all interconnected by floating ladders, creating a crisscrossing network.
Cultivators either used the floating ladders or simply climbed with hands and feet to navigate the space. Yet, despite watching for a long while, he saw not one who could fly with their instruments.
As he observed, a commotion suddenly erupted from a rock cave in the distance. Someone screamed as they were flung out, their body engulfed in flames, plummeting downwards and crashing through three or five external stalls before slamming into the crowd and hitting the ground with a heavy thud. It was clear they were beyond saving.
Heads poked out from rock caves and stalls alike, while the crowd around the corpse drew back. The disrupted stalls were left in disarray, eliciting a few indistinct curses. But soon after, the flow of people gradually resumed its normal pace. Someone stepped forward, wrapped the charred body, and walked away. Most people merely glanced twice, investing no further attention—such sights were all too common here.
True enough, in less than half an hour, another brawl erupted at the edge of the market, collapsing two rock caves and burying who knows how many beneath.
"Yin Cave City still hasn't fallen. That's truly remarkable."
Yu Ci couldn't help but express his amazement. The chaos of the market alone was indicative of the kind of environment Yin Cave City was. This was just the work of some spirit-communicating cultivators. If Golden Elixir experts were to join the fray a few times, this Hollow Market would surely be reduced to ruins after one fight.
He also knew that behind this chaos, there had to be some rules that people abided by, but clearly, he had no need to know too much. Yu Ci realized he shouldn't have come here; high-end materials were unlikely to appear in this place, and he was bound to leave empty-handed.
Shaking his head, he turned to leave but then paused, his gaze caught by a fleeting figure in the distant flow of people—someone vaguely familiar.
Hmm, perhaps it was because she was beautiful?
The woman was in the company of several others, seemingly in a leading role, strolling leisurely through the market. The more Yu Ci looked, the more familiar she seemed, the name almost on the tip of his tongue when suddenly, someone behind him exclaimed:
"Soul Chaser Senior?"
Yu Ci turned around, saw the newcomer, and couldn't help but smile: "You've followed closely."
The newcomer had a delicate face and a childlike countenance, always wearing a smile. It was Wan Quan.
He pretended to have stumbled upon Yu Ci by chance, grinning: "This junior went to the guesthouse this morning and didn't find the senior. Thinking you might have gone out for a stroll, I came here to look. And to my surprise, I actually found you."
Upon seeing his smiling face, Yu Ci was reminded of something. "Have you taken care of the materials I mentioned to you yesterday?"
Wan Quan promptly replied, "Yes, I've posted inquiries at various shops. If there are any leads, they will notify us immediately. Senior can rest assured."
Yu Ci suddenly noticed that Wan Quan seemed to be in a much better mood today, a stark contrast to his indecisive demeanor from the day before. He found it hard to believe that the young man could adjust his state of mind so quickly. Could something have changed last night?
After his battle with the sword cultivator the previous evening, Yu Ci had returned with his emotions surging and had neglected to regain control of the situation. Fortunately, for him, regaining control was something he could do anytime and anywhere at will.
Yu Ci fell silent, allowing Wan Quan to lead the way. His eyes were half-open, giving off an imposing air, yet no one knew that before him, a broader and more detailed world was unfolding. The bustling marketplace suddenly fell silent, and the world expanded rapidly. Rows of houses and buildings, caves and tunnels, all pieced together, while streams of people joined in one after another.
His attention focused on Wan Quan ahead, the middleman turned back with a smile, saying something to him. With just a thought from Yu Ci, the sound waves became crystal clear:
"Usually, all transactions in Yin Cave City require some 'courtesy' to be shown towards the Great Hammer Hall and the like, whether more or less. However, there are those who disregard these conventions. These are either temporary trades that even the Great Hammer Hall cannot oversee, or they are conducted by truly powerful individuals who sell particularly valuable items. I didn't get a chance to introduce this to Senior yesterday due to an urgent matter, so I'll make up for it today..."
Wan Quan's mood was indeed different; he wouldn't have spoken about the Great Hammer Hall so casually the day before.
Yu Ci made no comment on Wan Quan's introduction; in fact, his thoughts had already shifted, reaching out to the edges of the expanded world, thankfully within the fifty-mile limit of the Great Hammer Hall's location.
As Yu Ci's thoughts reached that area, it seemed to brighten under the touch of an immortal's finger. The comings and goings of people, their attire, and expressions were all vividly detailed. At the same time, sound waves from various sources converged and were then meticulously separated, clear and distinct, and delivered directly to Yu Ci's ears for his discernment.
Indeed, this was the power of the Divine Chart.
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e