Seizing the Initiative

Xuanqing didn't know how to describe the absurdity of everything before him. It wasn't until the cold wind of late autumn blew into his collar, chilling him to the bone, that he awoke as if from a dream. He looked up at the figure opposite him, but the other person had already hidden in the darkness beyond the reach of the light, feeling like a predator, licking its claws.

The long sword fell to the ground. Xuanqing howled and lungled forward, reaching out to grab the few "lice" on the mountain ridge:

"Godfather, I'm here, Godfather! Come here, he's here, that scoundrel Yu Ci is here..."

His cry was comparable to the hooting of an owl in the night sky. He charged forward, his fingers brushing through the green light and mist, passing straight through it before he fell forward. Before he hit the ground, his neck felt a chill, his vision suddenly shifted to a strange angle, and then it was painted with a splash of blood red.

By the campfire, the atmosphere had become unsettling since Xuanqing and the cultivator lord had left. Xuanqing's group and the herb gatherers avoided each other's gazes, unsure how to face the "companions" they had spent nearly two months with.

It wasn't until half an hour later that Yu Ci emerged from the surrounding darkness at an unhurried pace, carrying something in his hand.

As he entered the firelight, the curious onlookers turned their attention to him, and then it was as if they had fallen into an icy abyss. "Brother Xuan... Xuanqing's head?"

Someone described the item, and a hush fell over the campfire before it erupted. At least seven or eight people screamed and scrambled to their feet to flee, while others knelt and begged for mercy. Some remained in their original positions, their eyes wide and unfocused, lost and bewildered.

Yu Ci paid no attention to whether they ran, knelt, or stared blankly. He grabbed Xuanqing's head by the hair and walked to the campfire. Suddenly, without warning, he kicked out. A gust of wind arose, and the blazing bonfire exploded, scattering in all directions, instantly dimming the valley.

Everyone flinched. Then, they heard Yu Ci's gentle voice:

"You can all go. Run far away and find another place to camp. I'll be entertaining guests here."

At that moment, a fierce cry echoed from the mountain peak on the south side of the valley: "Bai Ri Mansion's Lu Ding and Si Long are here! Yu Ci, you scoundrel, don't run!"

Amidst the cry, nine figures swooped down, startling the birds in the forest into a frenzy.

Yu Ci remained motionless, but most of the herb gatherers around him no longer had the courage to flee. Among Xuanqing's group, Zheng Da, who had just sold out his leader, had an opportunity to escape. However, in his panic, he ran in the wrong direction and almost collided with Yu Ci. Stumbling, he saw Xuanqing's head, contorted with fear and despair, and immediately sat down with a thud, wailing:

"I didn't say anything, I didn't say anything... Spare me, spare me!"

Yu Ci, deeming the man useless, casually tossed Xuanqing's head across the stream that ran through the valley, where it rolled to a stop at the feet of the Bai Ri Mansion cultivators who had just arrived at the foot of the mountain.

With a thud, Lu Ding kicked his godson's head into the stream, but his forward momentum was halted. He merely glared over, and after a long pause, said, "Is this Yu Ci?"

He was asking the accompanying warriors behind him. Someone replied that it was. It was too dark to see clearly, but they were likely the personal guards who had served Jin Huan.

Lu Ding chuckled, then spoke to Yu Ci, "You scoundrel are quite agile. If you know what's good for you, surrender and let me take you to the mansion to be dealt with by the Mansion Lord. Perhaps you'll even keep your life!"

Yu Ci had seen this person countless times in the Zhaoshen Map, but this was his first time seeing him in person. He found the man ten times more annoying than in the map and had no desire to engage with him. However, if it were anyone else with slightly more ability, he wouldn't have decided to face them head-on.

He shifted his gaze to Si Long, standing beside Lu Ding.

It was Si Long who had just let out the cry. His fierce face was unforgettable. Yu Ci had seen him twice in the Zhaoshen Map and knew he was a powerful martial artist. In his thirties, he was close to reaching the middle stage of Spirit 통, having condensed a Yin God. In terms of cultivation level, they were on par, but in terms of power, Si Long was slightly superior. However, this man lacked foresight. Although his position in the mansion was above Lu Ding's, when acting externally, he could only serve as a hired thug.

Regardless, this man was a formidable opponent.

Yu Ci's gaze shifted again, sweeping over the warriors behind the two stewards. Judging by their attire, these warriors were all personal guards of the Mansion Lord. They were all at the Luminous Aperture level, not far from the Spirit 통 realm. Having trained together for years, their coordination was astonishing. If their combined strength were directed at an opponent only at the early stage of Spirit 통, they might not be enough to defeat them. With such combat power, even the wealthy Bai Ri Mansion only had over fifty such individuals, all of them top talents within the mansion.

While assessing the enemy situation, he completely ignored Lu Ding. The always-bullying Lu Ding, who preyed on the weak, felt he had the upper hand and couldn't tolerate this. He spat and made a decisive move: "You refuse a toast and prefer a beating. Attack!"

As soon as the words fell, he remained still, while Si Long and the accompanying warriors charged forward, crossing the stream in an instant. The surrounding herb gatherers finally felt the urge to escape and scattered in all directions, leaving only Yu Ci standing motionless in the center of the clearing, his gaze fixed on Lu Ding, never wavering.

Being stared at by Yu Ci, Lu Ding felt a chill in his heart for some reason. He unconsciously retreated a few steps, then drew his personal sword, finally feeling a little relieved. He shouted again, "Form ranks! Life or death is irrelevant!"

Lu Ding believed this was the most secure approach. The moment he shouted, Yu Ci's figure dropped, and by the stream, still covered in snow, a crescent arc of light suddenly flashed. Its dark red hue struck towards Si Long and the others' lower legs. Its sharpness was such that no one dared to confront it, and they all dodged.

Si Long, with his superior skill and courage, jumped up at the last moment, lightly colliding his protective true qi and sword qi to test its depth. Amidst the hissing sounds, he suddenly froze. An extremely familiar burning sensation surged up from the soles of his feet. At first, it was like warm water, but in an instant, it turned into molten iron, pouring directly in. Where the sword light passed, the snow by the stream melted, leaving no trace.

"Nine Yang... No, Pure Yang Talisman Sword!"

With a furious roar, Si Long rolled away in great disarray, bouncing far away.

Unlike the overbearing nature of the Nine Yang Talisman Sword, the Pure Yang Talisman Sword, after a high-level sealing, had its Sha condensed without dispersing. At first glance, it didn't seem remarkable, but its lethality was at least fifty percent stronger than the former. Si Long understood this clearly. He fell to a distance, creating time to dissipate the fire energy that had invaded his body. With this Spirit 통 cultivator no longer a hindrance, Yu Ci let out a low whistle, his figure erupting. The Pure Yang Talisman Sword stabbed out repeatedly in the air, attacking the seven warriors almost simultaneously.

The warriors were all elites of Bai Ri Mansion, with firm resolve, incomparable to ordinary people. Since Lu Ding had ordered them to form ranks, they ignored everything else. Even though Si Long was repelled by a sword, it did not waver their will. In an instant, they dispersed and reformed, adjusting their positions. In just a breath, they formed a rough arc, their long swords humming and resonating with each other. The center of their convergence locked onto Yu Ci.

At this moment, the sword light of the Pure Yang Talisman Sword in Yu Ci's hand twisted and blurred, almost distorting the vision that the warriors had focused on it.

No matter how well-trained the warriors were, they couldn't help but be momentarily dazed. When they reacted, they saw Yu Ci, sword and body as one, had already reached the apex of their formation. There, three people were blocking him!

The swords clashed, and a "clang" sound echoed. The talisman sword in Yu Ci's hand condensed fire into a blade, and with one strike, it knocked the leading warrior's sword out of the center. At the same time, the sword qi from the warriors on either side pierced into his ribs. Although the leading warrior's center was wide open, he didn't dodge or evade. As long as he could block Yu Ci for a moment, with the convergence of the four streams of sword qi, even if he died, they would surely win.

"Good!" Lu Ding exclaimed from behind, seeing clearly. Bringing the Mansion Lord's personal guards to Sky Rift Valley this time was a brilliant move. Anyone else, even other stewards from the mansion, wouldn't have won so cleanly and decisively.

However, the next moment, he saw the blood mist splattering in all directions, and beyond the blood mist, Yu Ci's cold eyes.

No one knew what had happened in the preceding moment. The two stewards present and the remaining warriors only saw the three people blocking Yu Ci's path spewing blood, large clouds of blood mist erupting, and falling like logs. Yu Ci, without pausing, broke through the blood mist and charged towards the motionless steward Zheng Da across the stream, sword in hand.

In terms of pure cultivation, Lu Ding surpassed any personal guard, but in terms of will and courage, he, who had always handled the mansion's miscellaneous affairs, had long lost the vigor of his younger days. Seeing Yu Ci charging towards him, covered in blood and wielding his sword, his first reaction was not to draw his sword to defend, but to shout and retreat further. He retreated seven or eight steps. Seeing that no one could catch up, he then wildly swung his sword, trying to block Yu Ci's unpredictable swordplay.

In an instant, Yu Ci pounced, the dark red sword light flashing, the ringing sounds forming a continuous stream. A miracle occurred. Lu Ding's scattered sword defense blocked most of the sword qi, and any that leaked through did not strike vital points. He actually held on... No, he blocked Yu Ci for a full two breaths, and this time was enough for Si Long and the personal guards to reinforce and form a three-sided pincer attack!

The first to arrive was Si Long. As a figure of authority in Bai Ri Mansion, how long had it been since he had suffered such a loss? Filled with shame and anger, the moment he dissipated the fire energy within him, he exerted his full strength to catch up. Taking advantage of Lu Ding blocking the opponent, he launched his full power.

Si Long was one of the five stewards personally taught the Supreme Blazing Sun Method by Jin Huan. If he hadn't been poor at strategizing, his position would have been higher. However, due to his personality, his cultivation had advanced rapidly. In terms of seniority, he was far behind Lu Ding, but in terms of cultivation, it was the reverse.

As he unleashed his full power, it was as if a sun had lit up before everyone's eyes. The scorching heat wave pressed forward, dispelling the coolness of the late autumn mountains in an instant. Where the light passed, not only did the snow by the stream melt, but even the cold stream water began to boil. Furthermore, the corrosive fire poison entered their senses, making their minds sluggish. Some herb gatherers who hadn't run far away collapsed, unable to get up.

Seeing the heat wave rushing towards him, Lu Ding knew his companion had come to his aid, and his morale surged. He let out a sharp cry and roared, wielding his sharp sword like a storm, blocking Yu Ci on the periphery. It wasn't until Si Long, carrying the rolling heat wave, pursued them ahead of the warriors.

From fifty feet away, Si Long formed seals with both hands. This was the distance at which he could unleash the full power of the Supreme Blazing Sun Method.

As his hands formed seals, the roaring heat wave condensed into a tangible ray of light, sweeping forward. Yu Ci still had his back to him and couldn't perceive it, but Lu Ding saw it clearly. Seeing this momentum, he was startled. This "fire cloud" technique was indiscriminate, and it could potentially burn both of them to ashes!

His heart faltered, and he immediately drew his sword and retreated. He had the advantage, so retreating was easy. Yu Ci seemed to be affected by the attack from behind and didn't linger, instead turning his head back.