Yu Ci had just unleashed two sword strikes, fast as lightning, their speed and power unparalleled. Yet, amidst the rapid descent, he demonstrated precise timing and control, even leveraging the momentum to regain balance. His mastery was clearly the result of relentless practice, unlike those who relied solely on top-tier sword techniques to overwhelm others.
At this moment, Tu Du began to understand Huang Tai’s defense: “If he possesses such skills, along with that cunning mind, it’s no surprise Liu Siwei died by his sword.”
However, the more Tu Du recognized Yu Ci's abilities, the more intense the fire in his heart burned.
“A lively little brat, huh? Do you think you can humiliate an old man like me?”
The thought of his frail, dying body thousands of miles away only fueled his anger. He wanted to grit his teeth in frustration, only to recall that he hadn’t felt the sensation of clenching his jaw in a long time.
Yu Ci remained oblivious to Tu Du’s seething hatred—he had no time for such concerns. His mind was consumed by the unprecedented danger and excitement surrounding him.
He had never counted on Tu Du adhering to any so-called restrictions, nor did he ever plan to simply escape his pursuit. On the contrary, he wanted Tu Du to follow him—to chase him deep into the "Sky Rift Valley", ideally into the dark depths over forty miles down.
From the moment their clash began, Yu Ci had been baiting Tu Du without pushing him into a full rage. His actions were like a fishing line cast into the water, with himself as the bait, luring Tu Du ever deeper.
And indeed, Tu Du followed.
Hundreds—no, by now it should be "thousands"—of demons had already spread throughout the dark regions, like a deadly plague racing through the valley.
In the past few days, when the "Ghostly Image Flower" had not yet arrived, demons had continuously surged through the “entrance.” Most had fallen into the void, but some survived, gradually forming a menacing presence.
Yu Ci had never counted exactly how many demons were gathering in the Sky Rift Valley, nor did he know why these savage creatures hadn’t climbed further upward. But that didn’t stop him from using them to set a trap for Tu Du.
He was relying on what the old daoist Yu Zhou had once told him:
“Once a cultivator reaches "Core Refinement", their qi spreads far and wide. Their flesh and soul become precious nourishment for demons, who can sense this aura from a hundred miles away and hunt them down.”
Yu Ci’s plan was simple: make the demons sense Tu Du’s presence, regard him as a feast, and swarm after him!
Without a doubt, this was risky.
Yu Ci knew full well that basing his plan solely on a casual conversation with Yu Zhou was reckless at best, and outright foolish at worst. Yet, he chose this path, putting in all his effort while leaving the outcome to fate. If fate wasn’t on his side, he still planned to fight back!
It seemed fate wasn’t eager to let him succeed—perhaps the heavens didn’t want another schemer as skilled as Yu Ci running around.
According to Yu Zhou’s theory, the demons should have already sensed Tu Du’s "Yin Spirit" when he was atop the cliff, his "Yin Spirit" roaming freely. Perhaps the demons, wary of the natural order within the Sky Rift Valley, had refrained from acting initially. But deep within the valley, could they truly resist any longer?
With this in mind, Yu Ci plunged downward, headfirst into the depths. But fate decided to toy with him.
The demons held back.
Ten miles… twenty miles… thirty miles… The deeper he went, the more evident it became that his plan was spiraling out of control. Despite the insane sprint that had carried him nearly twenty miles into the valley, the demons below showed no reaction.
Even with the "Innate Qi" flowing through him and the "Heart-Binding Horn" protecting his spirit, the relentless pressure from Tu Du bore down on him like a burning-hot iron ball rolling across his back.
The chaotic interference disrupted his qi flow, causing his physical body to consume 10% more energy with every movement.
When such small increments accumulated like a snowball, Yu Ci began to lose control. His speed exceeded his limits, and his feet struggled to grip the cliff walls. Turning or dodging hazards became impossible.
If not for his meticulous preparation—choosing the ideal path for such a high-speed descent and memorizing the terrain over forty miles—he would have already been crushed by the countless obstacles along the way.
Yet even now, nearly thirty miles deep, the demons remained eerily silent. The thick stench of demonic aura rose with the air currents, swirling around his nose, yet none of the creatures showed any sign of attacking.
Amidst the howling winds, it felt as if a massive hand from the abyss was reaching out, taunting him with a sneer that echoed through the mountains, ready to drag him down.
And if he truly fell—well, it would only take a single moment.
In this situation, Yu Ci's state of mind surprisingly stabilized.
Just as he had assessed the Sun Light Sect guards who fought desperately in the forest earlier:
"Fighting with despair in your heart will only seal your own fate!"
Yu Ci was qualified to say such words.
Years of hovering on the edge of life and death had taught him one thing: The more critical the moment, the stronger your will to win must be. You have to believe in yourself and confidently seize control of your fate. In such moments, unnecessary thoughts are distractions. You must firmly trust in your plan without wavering—this is the most effective way to defeat your enemies!
Thus, all distracting thoughts in Yu Ci’s mind dissipated, leaving only one simple fact:
‘I foresaw this scenario as well!'
Unshaken, Yu Ci began to wield his sword!
However, using the sword did not mean physically drawing it to fight Tu Du head-on. In that moment, Yu Ci understood who his true enemy was. It was not just the relentless pursuit from Tu Du, nor the boulders and vegetation hurtling toward him, threatening to crush him into pieces. It was not even the ferocious beasts circling above and below, waiting to tear him apart.
At least, not entirely. The real enemy was the entirety of this environment—this valley’s terrain, its hidden dangers, and its intricate interactions. His opponent was the combined force of everything that existed here.
The key was to simplify the overwhelming complexity, just as he distilled every combat technique into two words: life and death. He condensed every tangled thought into one driving force and cut through it all with a single strike!
This was Yu Ci’s way of wielding the sword—the essence of his swordsmanship.
Since a physical sword was useless in this valley, Yu Ci refrained from drawing it. Instead, he channeled his sword intent through his body, making his own flesh the sword. Amid the rushing boulders and tangled vegetation, he searched for gaps to exploit, carving a path between life and death.
He contained his sword intent without releasing it, building layers of sword Qi within himself. These layers resisted the mounting external pressure and speed, creating a dangerous equilibrium.
This was how Yu Ci fought against the entire valley.
He had already crossed more than thirty miles!
Inside the Sun Soul Banner, Tu Du’s surprise grew with every passing moment. He had been waiting for Yu Ci’s physical and mental collapse, convinced that it was only a matter of time. From the top of the valley to this point, mere minutes had passed, and with every moment, Yu Ci looked as if he was about to shatter under the impact. His body had clearly reached its limit—Tu Du could even hear the faint creaks of muscles and bones nearing collapse through his Yin Spirit senses.
But the next moment, Yu Ci was still alive, narrowly escaping disaster time and time again.
Once, twice, three times… five times…
Would this never end?
During this descent, Yu Ci traversed four sections of treacherous terrain and killed over a dozen beasts trying to take advantage of him. More creatures lay in wait, but none could keep up with his insane speed.
Balance—it was all about balance. Yu Ci's speed teetered on the edge of total loss of control, but he never crossed that threshold. He kept moving along the brink of life and death, maintaining a fragile equilibrium, rushing headlong toward the bottomless abyss.
In less than fifteen minutes, this frantic descent brought him to a point nearly forty miles deep into Sky Rift Valley.
Here, the light of day was completely absorbed by layers of mist, and it was night. The valley lay in utter darkness. Although Tu Du didn’t rely on sight, even his Yin Spirit sensing was limited in this environment, leaving him with an uneasy feeling.
Tu Du had fought in battles against demons here before, which made him particularly wary of this place.
He knew it was time to act decisively. There was no more room for indulgence—he had to crush Yu Ci now!
The Sun Soul Banner suddenly accelerated downward. At the same time, Tu Du invoked a talisman called the “Flame Prison of the Ghost Realm,” intending to trap Yu Ci inside and subject him to a slow, excruciating roast.
As the spell surged forth, the clouds split apart, revealing a path.
In the middle of the open cloud corridor, Yu Ci's figure appeared, seemingly startled by the sudden light.
But under the glow of the Sun Soul Banner, strange, writhing shadows emerged from the dark depths of the mist. Their breaths merged with the fog, steaming upward.
A shockwave of emotion rippled through Tu Du’s spirit, almost causing him to lose control of the banner. It wasn’t his eyes but his Yin Spirit senses that confirmed what lay below. This was no illusion—those were real demons, and there were many of them!
How could there be so many demons gathered here?
After his initial shock, his first thought was relief—thankfully, his protections had held after entering the valley. Otherwise, the demons would have been upon him by now, and things could have gone terribly wrong.
But just as this thought formed, Yu Ci shot back—