Female Immortal

The immense force still had an effect. Yu Ci could no longer control his internal injuries, and a mouthful of blood surged into his throat. However, he gritted his teeth and forced the blood back down. All his strength burned in that instant of transition between old and new power, merging with the unique pulsation of his primordial spirit, and transforming into a blinding flame sword edge.

At this very moment, a force also fed back from the Nine Yang Talisman Sword, instantly integrating into the all-encompassing pulsation of his primordial spirit. Yu Ci felt his palm burning as well. He was no longer holding a wooden sword hilt, but a long spear forged entirely from raging flames!

The fiery light tore through the void, emitting a piercing shriek. With another clang, Yu Ci's mind jolted. He knew he had still missed his mark, not hitting the ghost beast's most vulnerable eyes as planned.

"...But what did I hit?"

In his confusion, his hand felt empty again. The sensation of the Nine Yang Talisman Sword vanished from his palm, as if it had evaporated into thin air under the sudden intense heat.

Simultaneously, all surrounding sounds disappeared. The suddenly silent space seemed filled with the ghost beast's incredulous emotions, so intense it was almost comical.

The next moment, a muffled thunderclap exploded in Yu Ci's ears.

He finally knew who the culprit was behind last night's commotion in Sky Rift!

With a buzz, Yu Ci faced the roar at close range, feeling as if he'd been hit on the head by a ten-thousand-pound hammer. For that instant, he even thought his brain matter would splatter out. His body was thrown backward uncontrollably, only stopping when he crashed into the rock face at the end of the slope.

Even in this situation, Yu Ci forced his eyes open. Through his blurred vision, he saw that after blasting him away with its roar, the ghost beast had slightly lowered its body, assuming a posture of gathering strength, as if preparing to charge again.

Yu Ci didn't want to end up like Hu Ke. He spat out the blood foam accumulated in his mouth and, leaning against the cliff face, struggled to stand. However, he was now empty-handed and injured. What could he do against this demon from the Ghost Prison Yellow Springs?

Right, that kid Ye Tu... wasn't he already trampled to death by the ghost beast?

As soon as this thought arose, the ghost beast leaped without any warning. It was still beyond Yu Ci's visual limit, but the next moment, it was as if it had been violently whipped. With a violent tremor, its entire body shifted backward. Midway, its massive form sprang again, transforming into a faint wisp of smoke and merging into the swirling mist.

Yu Ci stared in astonishment.

At this moment, the sky above suddenly lit up. Yu Ci snapped his head around, his vision blurring again. He saw the canyon mist from high above split open into a thin, long crevice, within which a faint light streaked. It was faster than the ghost beast, darting into the mist the very instant the beast leaped in. Only then did Yu Ci hear a faint, ethereal hum that seemed to come from beyond the heavens.

A piercing shriek then echoed from the mist, followed by the clouds and fog parting. The ghost beast's body leaped out, then plunged back in. In that instant, Yu Ci saw that the five orifices and seven openings on its head were all bleeding, twisted into a hideous shape, and then it vanished.

Yu Ci finally reacted, realizing someone had attacked the ghost beast, and it had to be someone quite powerful.

He was naturally curious about the identity of the newcomer, but that wasn't the priority. As soon as he recovered his strength, he ignored everything else and rushed to check on Ye Tu's condition. The result relieved him. The young man's breathing was still relatively strong, his internal organs stable, though his left upper arm, left shoulder blade, collarbone, and two ribs were broken by the ghost beast's blow. These were all external injuries that could be healed.

Judging by his appearance, the young man was more likely to have fainted from the pain.

He took several deep breaths, steadying his trembling hands from exhaustion, and prepared to set the boy's bones. As his fingers touched the clothing, he suddenly stiffened. A faint, subtle fragrance had seeped into his nostrils, reaching all seven orifices and lingering, refusing to dissipate.

A moment later, someone spoke gently by his ear, "Can I treat my disciple's injuries?"

Disciple?

Yu Ci steadied his mind and turned to look. His gaze fell upon a skirt made of light yellow silk, from which hung a jade pendant, weighing down the hem. Green silk tassels swayed in the wind, seemingly the source of the fragrance.

Following the silk tassels upward, Yu Ci's gaze was involuntarily drawn along the naturally narrowing curve, revealing a plain silk ribbon tied lightly around the waist. Outside of that, a layer of mist-like gauze was draped, woven with an elegant and delicate pattern using skillful techniques, though he couldn't discern the details.

Yu Ci didn't dare to stare, and the scene above flashed by like fleeting images, until he met a pair of eyes as clear as a calm lake.

To be honest, his feelings had been somewhat complex before, but the moment he met those bright eyes, all his inexplicable thoughts vanished. Because he saw that in those clear, bright eyes, the occasional rippling waves were like the flowing cold light and sword energy of a precious sword. While dazzling and captivating, they contained a heart-palpitating power.

The female cultivator had just said "disciple," so was she Ye Tu's master?

Yu Ci realized that during their time together, apart from the seemingly genius "A Chi," Ye Tu had never mentioned any information about his sect. He was also learning about this female master for the first time.

He didn't doubt the truth of the newcomer's words. In fact, with the strength the female cultivator had just displayed, if she had truly intended to harm them, she could have done so with a single sword strike, without any effort.

Yu Ci stood up and turned. His height now surpassed the newcomer's, but he lowered his head slightly, raised his hand to his forehead, and bowed, expressing his gratitude: "Your life-saving grace will be repaid later. I am Yu Ci, a reclusive cultivator. May I ask your esteemed name, fellow Daoist!"

The address "fellow Daoist" was a bit presumptuous, but the female cultivator didn't mind, replying:

"Ye Bin of the East Sea."

With Yu Ci's limited cultivation knowledge, it was naturally impossible for him to know the reputation of this female cultivator in the cultivation world. He simply repeated the name in his mind, thinking about how to proceed, when the female cultivator thanked him first:

"My disciple is willful, hiding from her elders to travel far, and encountered this calamity. Although I tracked her here, I was still a step too late. If not for your selfless protection, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Ye Bin thanks you here!"

The female cultivator's tone remained gentle, showing no distance due to differences in status, nor coldness due to disparities in cultivation. She didn't mention her own life-saving grace towards Yu Ci but instead thanked him for taking care of Ye Tu. She seemed like a very approachable person.

But Yu Ci felt that this attitude, like the female cultivator's pure and clear eyes, was by no means as gentle and soft as it appeared on the surface.

This must be a legendary master.

Yu Ci knew that expecting to get the same or a similar impression from the female cultivator as he did from her disciple was absurd, so he didn't pay much attention. He changed his approach to communication, dealing with her as he would a stranger: "I am ashamed, my abilities are insufficient..."

"You are too modest, fellow Daoist. To be able to sever the 'Heart-Pulling Horn' of the Rakshasa Ghost King's favored beast with your Spirit 통 cultivation, how can you say your abilities are insufficient?"

"Rakshasa Ghost King? Heart-Pulling Horn?"

Yu Ci was first confused, then he saw a broken horn lying on the ravaged ground. It was only five fen long, pale blue in color, and appeared to be "half" of the three horns on the ghost beast's forehead. So, that strike that burned the Nine Yang Talisman Sword had resulted in such consequences. No wonder the behemoth was enraged, but what was a Rakshasa Ghost King?

Ye Bin didn't explain. She walked to the unconscious Ye Tu and crouched down to examine him.

Yu Ci quickly made way, but from his higher vantage point, he also saw the female cultivator's fair neck and back muscles. Her jade-colored skin, visible through the thin gauze, reflected a dazzling light. It was a mesmerizing sight, but Yu Ci quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to offend the beautiful woman before him in such a foolish way.

But he had to admit, since his birth, he had never seen a beauty like Ye Bin. Even the Crimson Yin Female Immortal, who possessed astonishing beauty back then, had her charm diminished by her cruel and bloodthirsty nature.

Ye Bin finished her examination quickly and said softly, "There are no serious injuries, but Sky Rift Valley is not a place to linger. My descent today might displease many people... Let's leave."

Before Yu Ci could respond, he felt a slight chill on his body, then he was lifted as if weightless. The scenery before his eyes blurred from clear to indistinct, accompanied by a slight dizziness. When all sensations disappeared, a warm light shone upon him. Looking up at the sky, he saw the long-lost sun.

In just a flash, he had reached the top of the Sky Rift Valley, crossing a distance of twenty li and three thousand zhang. The whistling sound of air friction only came now, causing the sea of clouds to ripple and surge. Before he could even marvel at this astonishing divine ability, he was drawn to a new sight.

Before his eyes, the female cultivator, her skirt draped with gauze, stood gracefully. Her back was to the surging sea of mist, her goose-yellow robe reflecting the direct sunlight, her entire being haloed, her jade cheeks aglow, almost like a celestial being. Yu Ci feared he would never forget this scene.

A female immortal, this one, is the true female immortal!

He lowered his eyelids, using the abilities of a well-trained deceiver to conceal his impolite thoughts, and then said, "Fairy Ye, has that ghost beast been vanquished?"

Under the sunlight, Ye Bin's smile became even more captivating. Yet, a subtle power controlled it, preventing the smile from being overly dazzling, possessing a unique, reserved beauty. She shook her head, and the single golden hairpin adorning her black bun swayed:

"It's not that easy. This beast originally belonged to the Rakshasa Ghost King, known as the 'Illusion Master' of the Blood Prison Ghost Manor. It was later abandoned and settled here. Other aspects aside, it spent years accompanying the Rakshasa Ghost King, its very being infused with the Ghost King's divine abilities. It developed an innate power of illusion that can bewitch spirits and souls. If it truly exerts itself, even a powerful Earth Immortal could be deceived if not careful... If the ghost beast really wants to escape, I won't be able to stop it."

This was the longest speech the female cultivator had given since her appearance. Yu Ci certainly gained knowledge, but he still felt there was something inexplicably strange about it. As he pondered this, his expression suddenly shifted. Just as he was about to speak, the female cultivator pursed her lips into a smile and shouted:

"Gotcha!"

With a muffled roar of "Moo," Yu Ci's mind went blank, and he nearly got blown away by the sonic force again. He steadied himself, not taking a single step back, and opened his eyes. He saw only the sea of clouds at the cliff's edge burning, churning out over a dozen massive bubbles, from which emanated a thick scent of blood.