The Quick Sword Art finally broke through to the early Nascent Soul realm.
Yuyi slowly opened his eyes. Spiritual power surged through his body like a rushing river, and the nascent form of a Nascent Soul had begun to take shape in his dantian. He drew the spirit sword from his waist, circulated his technique, and with a clear shout, eight sword qi burst forth from his body as the center. An ancient tree fifty zhang away crashed down, sword qi lingering at the break, not dissipating for a long time.
A satisfied smile appeared at the corner of Yuyi's mouth. He put away his spirit sword, leaned down by the lake to drink a few mouthfuls of spirit spring water, then sat cross-legged and immersed himself once more in the meditative state of cultivation.
One day, Muxue entered the Emerald Spirit Lake area humming a tune, carrying wine and food, only to discover that the wine and food she had brought last time had turned black and spoiled—obviously Yuyi hadn't touched them at all. She frowned and, after hesitating for a moment, called out: "Senior Brother! Senior Brother!"
Yuyi opened his eyes somewhat helplessly: "Muxue, what's wrong?"
"Didn't you eat any of the wine and food I brought last time?"
"Sorry, I was at a critical point in cultivation and didn't notice."
Muxue made a helpless expression, then suddenly remembered something and said urgently: "Then you didn't see the shadow-recording jade talisman I left either?"
Yuyi was startled: "What shadow-recording jade talisman? I didn't see it."
"That day someone delivered a shadow-recording jade talisman to Xuantian Sect addressed to you, so I accepted it on your behalf. It was sent by someone named Lingxiao, saying he will hold a wedding with Yunzhi on the first day of the tenth month, and hopes you won't miss it."
Yuyi exclaimed "Ah!" in surprise: "What's the date today?"
Muxue thought for a moment: "The fourth day of the ninth month."
Yuyi pondered for a moment, a trace of urgency flashing in his eyes: "There's still time. Thank you, Muxue."
"Senior Brother, eat something before continuing to cultivate."
Yuyi looked at Muxue's concerned gaze, his heart softened, and he nodded: "Alright, let's eat together."
Muxue sat down as instructed. Yuyi ate while listening to Muxue talk about various matters in the Nine Provinces cultivation world, thinking that he had indeed been disconnected from the cultivation world for too long, so he listened carefully. Naturally, he didn't forget to devote half his consciousness to continuing to cultivate the Hunyuan Mental Method—though the effectiveness was halved, it was still better than not cultivating at all.
"What? Daozun fell? He fell by his own hand?" Yuyi's wine cup fell to the ground, his face full of shock.
Muxue said in surprise: "Yes, Senior Brother, did you know him? He fell by his own hand long ago. But recently there's a rumor that someone saw a Tianjian Sect disciple using the Heaven Sword Nine Forms to cultivate comprehension points in a hidden place. The speculation is that it might be Daozun. Some guess he fell because he discovered the cultivation method for the Heaven Sword Nine Forms."
Yuyi murmured "Heaven Sword Nine Forms" several times, then looked up: "How powerful is the Heaven Sword Nine Forms that it could make Daozun give up everything and start over?"
Muxue said helplessly: "I'm afraid only Daozun knows that. But since the Heaven Sword Nine Forms is classified as an ultimate art, it must have amazing power."
Yuyi finished his meal absent-mindedly, and Muxue took her leave. He murmured: "Daozun, have you once again taken the lead over everyone? But ultimate arts aren't something you can learn just because you want to. I should focus on cultivating my own techniques properly."
Yuyi pushed aside his scattered thoughts and immersed himself once more in cultivation.
Several more days passed, and the Hunyuan Mental Method finally advanced to the mid-Nascent Soul realm. Yuyi could now defeat spirit puppets with extreme ease. With four spirit puppets outside the two wooden huts, Yuyi stood in the space between them, raised his sword, and all four immediately fell.
After ten days of accumulating comprehension points, he had saved a full ten million. Yuyi calculated silently—even cultivating day and night without stopping, it would be enough for two months. He simply gathered his things, left Emerald Spirit Lake, and rushed at top speed toward Xuantian City using his movement technique.
Yuyi's movement technique realm had now been self-cultivated to early Nascent Soul. His running speed was astonishing—probably not inferior to a thousand-li flying horse. He had reached the profound realm of treading on water.
At the Spirit Treasure Pavilion in Xuantian City, Yuyi retrieved his stored dharma robes and spirit sword. Touching the clothes in his hand, he thought of Yunzhi again.
"Yunzhi, starting today I will wear the dharma robes and spirit sword you gave me. I now have the ability to protect them."
Yuyi carried his storage ring, still wearing his comprehension dharma robes, and stepped into Yunzhi's shop—but Yunzhi was nowhere to be seen. After calling out a few times, a haggard-looking Lingxiao emerged from inside.
Yuyi's eyebrows jumped: "Lingxiao, what happened? Where's Yunzhi?"
Lingxiao's eyes were desolate and sorrowful: "She was captured."
Yuyi's heart went cold, his pupils constricting sharply: "Someone discovered your identity? They're coming for you?"
Lingxiao's pale lips moved slightly: "Yes, it must be the Anti-Firmament Alliance."
Yuyi gritted his teeth in anger: "Where's their headquarters? Let's go save her together!"
Lingxiao gently shook his head: "It's useless, she's not there. My informants can't find her hiding place, otherwise I would have gone long ago."
Yuyi's sword-gripping hand turned pale from excessive force as he said in a low voice: "Any leads?"
"No, we can only wait. They captured Yunzhi definitely to get to me. They haven't come to find me yet, so they must be planning to threaten me into doing something. When they think the time is right, they'll come find me. Yunzhi shouldn't be harmed for now."
Yuyi forced himself to calm down, pondered for a moment, then looked up: "I'll find a way to join the Anti-Firmament Alliance. I will definitely save her."
As he turned to leave, Lingxiao called out to stop him: "Thank you. I can see your techniques are no longer what they used to be—you'll surely be valued by them. But I'm too well-known, and with my deep connections to the Firmament Alliance, they would never believe I'm sincerely joining. I don't have anyone capable under me either, otherwise I wouldn't have waited until now. This is very dangerous. These Cloud-Chasing Boots—I give them to you. I believe they'll help you."
Yuyi firmly refused: "No need. I'm saving her because she's my important friend."
Lingxiao urgently said: "Take them, Yuyi, for Yunzhi's sake. With just the Battle Soul Dharma Robe's attack power alone, your offensive capability might not be enough if you need to break out." He paused: "I've wronged her, I've dragged her down. Actually, not long after meeting her, I wanted to retire, but I owe the Firmament Alliance too much. If one day the Firmament Alliance regains its prestige and is no longer threatened by the Anti-Firmament Alliance, I can leave. For these two years, we've been in constant crisis—how could I ignore all the past bonds and walk away?"
Yuyi's heart ached at these words. He no longer refused and accepted the spirit boots Lingxiao gave him: "I won't decline anymore. In the future, I'll definitely repay you with the materials to make these boots."
Lingxiao smiled lightly: "I've been a hall master in the Firmament Alliance for over sixty years. I have extra pairs of these spirit boots. Don't worry about it. Thank you, Yuyi."
Yuyi gritted his teeth: "If Yunzhi is mistreated, I will repay it with ten thousand times the lives from the Anti-Firmament Alliance!"
With those words, he employed his movement technique, his figure flashing and disappearing into the distance. Lingxiao was slightly stunned, then shook his head: "Each generation surpasses the last. Yuyi, I never imagined that in just under two years, your techniques would reach this level." Then his gaze turned to the crafting table in the shop, murmuring: "Yunzhi..."
Yuyi rushed straight toward Zhongzhou City using his movement technique. He knew he didn't know many people, and even fewer with whom he had real connections. After thinking it over, his only option was to find the manager of Tianbao Pavilion in Zhongzhou City—with his connections, there might be a way to find a path into the Anti-Firmament Alliance at a relatively high position. Otherwise, if he had to start as a regular member, there wouldn't be enough time.
"I'm panicking and getting confused!"
Yuyi turned back to Xuantian City, boarded a flying boat at the relay station, and composed himself to sit cross-legged and cultivate. Time was precious—Yuyi had long decided never to waste any opportunity to cultivate. Though using his movement technique to reach Zhongzhou City would be a day faster than taking the flying boat, he couldn't cultivate during that time. The current matter was urgent, but not so urgent that one or two days would matter—better to use the time on the flying boat to continue cultivating.
The noisy atmosphere on the flying boat couldn't disturb Yuyi's cultivation at all. His expensive comprehension dharma robes made the other cultivators on board afraid to provoke him—anyone who could wear such dharma robes must have some background, so why ask for trouble unless necessary?
After disembarking, Yuyi headed straight for the manager's home wearing his golden Cloud-Thread Immortal Robe. The manager's wife greeted Yuyi very warmly and invited him in. They chatted for a while about what had happened since they parted, then Yuyi apologized and continued cultivating while waiting for the manager's return. The manager's wife looked at the transformed Yuyi with a sense of relief—she had always liked Yuyi very much. Even setting aside his generosity and thoughtfulness toward them both, she would still welcome him. Now that Yuyi faintly showed the bearing of a master of his generation, how could she not feel happy about it?
"Old man, look who's here." As soon as the manager entered the house, his wife hurried forward to take his outer robe.
The manager turned his gaze to the seated Yuyi, and his face immediately filled with a warm smile: "It's Yuyi! Haven't seen you in almost two years. From your appearance, your cultivation must have achieved great success."
Yuyi revealed a gentle smile: "Somewhat. After so long, Big Brother, you're still as spirited as ever."
The two chatted about their recent situations, then Yuyi finally spoke: "Big Brother, I came to find you this time because I need your help with something very important. I want to join the Anti-Firmament Alliance, and I need someone with significant status within the alliance to recommend me."
The manager frowned slightly and pondered: "Yuyi, if you're hoping to have some status after joining, I can help with that. But if you have other purposes and want to infiltrate their core management, old brother really can't help with that."
Yuyi's heart sank, and he sighed: "I know it's very difficult. I was just hoping to try. Big Brother, don't worry about it—my situation is unusual."
The manager said with some guilt: "Yuyi, I'll still ask around for you—more possibilities are better. You should stay at my place for now."
"Big Brother, thank you for your kindness, but I'll stay at Tianxiang Pavilion. The matter is very urgent, and I need to find other ways to infiltrate the Anti-Firmament Alliance quickly. When this is over, I'll definitely come bother you for a while."
The manager nodded: "Very well. If you say so, the matter must be very serious. I won't insist. I'll do my best to contact people, and I'll notify you at the inn as soon as there's news."
Yuyi sighed: "Big Brother, this matter is no small thing. If it weren't absolutely necessary, I wouldn't want to risk involving you."
The manager laughed heartily: "That's not right. I'm just a sect administrator—what's the big deal? Even if I can help, whatever happens afterward, what can they do to me?"
Yuyi couldn't help but laugh.
After eating at the manager's home, Yuyi walked toward Tianxiang Pavilion with a furrowed brow. The only promising path had essentially been cut off. The people Yuyi knew who might be able to help with this matter could be counted on ten fingers. And among them, Youying and Lingxiao were people he absolutely didn't want to seek out—which left essentially no one.
"I can't just charge into the Anti-Firmament Alliance's main hall and force them to hand her over, can I?"
Yuyi smiled self-deprecatingly. That would be practically suicide. Though Yuyi was confident in his current strength, he didn't think he was Daozun, capable of moving through a group of first-rate experts as if no one were there.
As he was thinking, he suddenly heard the sound of spiritual power clashing.
"Why mind other people's business."
Yuyi continued walking, then suddenly heard a voice: "Little Ying, you all go first, I'll hold them off!"
Yuyi's heart jumped—he would never forget that voice. It was Shaying's. He immediately opened his storage ring, equipped his treasure spirit sword, and rushed toward the source of the sound at top speed.
In a street, he saw seven female cultivators all dressed in white. Two wore Tianyin Pavilion robes, while the other five were disciples of another Tianyin Pavilion lineage. Currently, four on Shaying's side were injured and barely holding on—only Shaying alone was勉强 supporting herself against two attackers, but clearly she wouldn't last much longer.
Yuyi shouted and leaped into the center of the battlefield: "Stop!"
Then Yuyi froze. The two Tianyin Pavilion disciples were actually Hanshuang and Xuying. Everyone turned their gaze to Yuyi. Shaying revealed a look of surprise: "Yuyi! You've come out of seclusion?"
Yuyi was jolted back to awareness by Shaying's words. He nodded and smiled: "Just recently. I'm handling some urgent business. But why are you all fighting?"
Xuying laughed charmingly: "I didn't expect it to be you. Long time no see. Hmm, your techniques seem much more impressive than before."
Hanshuang also lowered her guard and laughed softly: "Since we all know each other, let's stop fighting." Her gesture gave Yuyi plenty of face, and he felt secretly grateful.
Xuying's eyes darted around: "Since Sister Hanshuang says we stop, we stop. But Yuyi, you must make some compensation for your mistake."
Yuyi was confused: "What mistake did I make?"
Xuying glared at Yuyi: "You have to ask? If you had arrived earlier and we knew you knew her, we wouldn't have started fighting just because of a verbal clash with her junior sister. Isn't that your mistake?"
Hanshuang giggled, knowing Xuying was teasing Yuyi again. Shaying watched with a smile. Yuyi was stunned for a while: "Well, what you say makes some sense, but I came as soon as I heard the sound—how could I have been faster?"
Xuying feigned anger: "You're still making excuses? If you had walked faster, wouldn't you have encountered us earlier?"
"Well, Xuying, you're right. I did walk too slowly today. So how should I compensate?"
Hanshuang covered her mouth and laughed even harder. Even Shaying couldn't help but be amused—she never expected Yuyi wouldn't realize Xuying was joking.
Xuying said with pretended difficulty: "How about this—look, they were injured because you arrived late, and we expended a lot of spiritual power because you arrived late, nearly getting injured ourselves. The good relationship between our two sides was broken because of you. Just compensate each of us five hundred thousand Spirit Stones."
Yuyi glanced at the four injured Tianyin Pavilion disciples and genuinely felt guilty. He nodded: "What you say makes sense!"
He took out ten Spirit Stone vouchers from his storage ring and handed them to Xuying and Shaying respectively. Shaying smiled and was about to decline, but Xuying kept winking at her, so she accepted them. The four Tianyin Pavilion disciples took some pills and circulated their energy for a while, their injuries improving significantly.
Xuying added: "Next, you should treat us to a meal—a reconciliation feast."
Yuyi agreed without thinking and led everyone into Tianxiang Pavilion. Along the way, he kept hearing the laughter of the women behind him and felt somewhat gloomy.
After the food was served, Yuyi, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly exclaimed: "Alright, Xuying, you tricked me! How is your fighting my fault? It wasn't caused by any verbal clash because of me."
"Hahaha..." All the women at the table laughed uncontrollably. Hanshuang wiped tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes: "Yuyi, you... you only realized now?"
"No! Xuying, Shaying, you must return my hard-earned Spirit Stones. This is fraud! It's too much, utilizing my kindness to toy with me like this."
Xuying immediately said: "No returns! What can you do about it? Bite me?"
Shaying, seemingly infected by Xuying's mood, turned her head away and pretended not to see Yuyi's pleading gaze, though the corner of her mouth couldn't help curling into an amused smile.
Seeing no hope of getting his money back, Yuyi could only hold his aching heart and silently curse his own stupidity. Thinking about how the Spirit Stones in his storage ring had been reduced to just over two million, he felt another pang of heart-wrenching pain.