Ask the Mirror

Chapter 183: Holding the Center

“My apologies. I miscalculated.”

Yu Ci was practically carrying Gan Shizhen, one arm looped around her, as he sprinted up the cliff face.

The female cultivator let out a soft hum, a sound so brief it was impossible to tell if it was a response or a groan of pain.

No one had anticipated the ghostly beast’s true power. Yu Ci had, but he made the mistake of projecting his own capabilities onto others. He forgot that Gan Shizhen was not like him; she could not withstand the assault of the “Rakshasa Illusory Force” without fear. Thus, when the ghostly beast’s howling roar pierced her ears, she had been struck. Though her conscious mind remained intact, the shock to her Divine Spirit was not something that could be dispelled in a matter of moments.

Yet, her condition was still better than most. Behind them, the demon with the crystal embedded in its forehead was letting out a piercing shriek. Though the words were unintelligible, Yu Ci had no trouble interpreting it as the most venomous of curses.

The curse had not yet died away when the ghostly beast and that demon collided in the most direct of clashes. Perhaps the paralyzing effect of the Five Thunder Talisman had not yet worn off, for the demon’s method of dispersing the impact was utterly clumsy. Struck by the charge, it was driven straight into the cliff wall. Even from a hundred yards away, Yu Ci could feel the tremors from below—and not just a single one.

That was the ghostly beast, charging in.

Barely ten breaths had passed since he had lured the beast to this spot, and the formidable alliance of three Core Refinement Realm demons had already crumbled apart. The swiftness of it was as startling as it was decisive. At this moment, the ghostly beast was already displaying a fraction of the awe-inspiring might it had shown when it single-handedly fought off a thousand demons. It seemed that absorbing the “Rakshasa Illusory Force” had indeed been nourishing—at least for its physical body.

As these thoughts turned in his mind, the demon’s howls from below had already begun to fade.

“Having used the tiger to drive out the wolves, the tiger’s own ferocity remains undiminished.”

This was one of the worst possibilities Yu Ci had envisioned. He touched the gold-green palace sash tied at his waist. For the past few days, he had been attempting to control this treasure. In fact, ever since it had transformed from the hooked rope into this silken cord, the thing was no longer as deathly still as before. When he applied the Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends Refinement Method, it did show a reaction, but progress was far from satisfactory.

Yu Ci understood that without the “Rakshasa Illusory Force”, the process of refining the treasure was a case of diminishing returns. He truly had no idea how much time would be needed to erase the influence of its previous master. If the ghostly beast pursued them again now, could he use this treasure to frighten it off once more?

With one stride, he crested the cliff top. Without pausing, he fixed his direction and broke into a desperate run. The thunderous roar behind them ceased for a brief moment, then erupted again in his ears.

“Bird! Come!”

Yu Ci issued the command sharply. The large bird, startled into flight high above, hesitated for a moment before obeying the order, folding its wings and descending.

Though he was half-carrying someone, the female cultivator’s body was as supple as if she had no bones; looped in his arm, she felt almost weightless. Yu Ci used short, quick steps to build momentum while simultaneously empowering himself with a Divine Movement Talisman. In an instant, he had traversed the entire cliff top. Before him now lay a bottomless chasm, and without a moment’s hesitation, he leaped from the precipice.

Empowered by the talisman, Yu Ci glided through the air for at least fifty yards before he began to descend. At that point, the opposite mountain peak was still thirty yards away.

Just then, the large bird swooped down. Yu Ci planted his foot on its back, lightened his body, and rode the wind. In the blink of an eye, the thirty yards were crossed.

The large bird was still unaccustomed to carrying a passenger on its back, and Yu Ci didn’t believe it could outrun the ghostly beast, which moved like lightning. He immediately jumped off, landing on this side’s mountain peak, and resumed his frantic sprint. 

Halfway, he glanced back. 

The ghostly beast’s colossal form had already risen onto the cliff top behind them. Its body, wreathed in bluish-white ghostly fire, flickered in and out of view through the mist, appearing somewhat dazed.

Yu Ci hoped the beast would find the plump, greasy demon on the other side more interesting. Unfortunately, the ghostly beast ultimately chose to pursue the one who had just struck it with a Five Thunder Talisman. Its roar shook the clouds and mist as it bore down on them.

By now, Yu Ci had followed the mountain ridge to the next spot that would test his nerve. Repeating the same tactic, he leaped out, and the large bird, following his command, flew to the predicted meeting point to receive him.

As Yu Ci’s body soared through the air, just as he was about to step onto the bird’s back, the ghostly beast’s roar arrived unexpectedly.

The roar was ineffective against Yu Ci, but the large bird could not withstand it. With a terrified cry, it flapped its wings wildly, swerving off course, and completely abandoned Yu Ci to his fate!

“You idiot… from now on, you’re Idiot!”

Yu Ci resolved on the spot to officially name the bird “Idiot.” But that didn’t help his current predicament; he plummeted rapidly downward. The residual spiritual light of the Divine Movement Talisman had not yet faded, and applying another would only disrupt the talisman’s energy. He could only attempt to activate his Mist Sword Intent, preparing for a second glide to crash into the mountainside below.

Just then, the weight on him suddenly lightened.

“Go quickly!”

The female cultivator’s voice was as faint as a silk thread, weak yet clear. In the next instant, Yu Ci felt as if he were riding the clouds, flying across the void and mist to land on the opposite cliff. Meanwhile, the female cultivator, who had been cradled in his arm, now hung suspended over the bottomless chasm. Her skirt drifted in the wind, and the gauze-like cloak wrapped around her made her appear even more delicate and frail.

Across the way, the ghostly beast roared as it charged, its massive frame as imposing as a mountain.

Even from over a hundred yards away, the mountain Yu Ci stood on trembled slightly. The female cultivator, facing the beast directly, must have been enduring an unimaginable impact. Yet at this moment, despite her slender form seeming as if a gust of wind might carry it away, she remained steadily fixed in the void, completely unmoved by the assault.

Yu Ci was stunned for a moment. Then he realized: against spiritual assaults like illusions, cultivators with profound cultivation and unwavering willpower did have ways to temporarily strengthen their own soul’s barriers to resist. But this was merely a temporary measure. The fundamental way to resist illusory techniques lay in possessing a soul level far surpassing one’s opponent.

Clearly, the female cultivator had not yet reached that level.

The ghostly beast came rushing forward. 

Gan Shizhen exhaled slowly, her mind clear and calm. She raised the short sword in her hand level, assuming a stance where the sword was drawn but not yet unleashed.

This was the opening posture of the Four Clarities Sect’s “Holding the Center Dharma Sword”. It derived from the principle: “The gentleman draws the bow but does not release… taking his stand in the center, those of ability follow him.” Translated into sword logic, it meant distinguishing the pure from the impure, establishing a clear standard, so that those aligned with the Dao might follow, and those unaligned might depart.

The vibration of her sword-qi spread through the mist. Wherever it reached, the female cultivator herself became an unalterable standard, commanding the primordial energy of the void, forcing it to resonate with her. 

The ghostly beast, arriving with heaven-shaking killing intent, was utterly incompatible with this void, and immediately triggered a powerful backlash.

The void twisted sharply. In that moment, the beast was no longer charging at Gan Shizhen herself, but at an entire expanse of heaven and earth that was connected to and merged with her. The beast did indeed crash into it, but its terrifying speed decreased with an almost inconceivable suddenness. The misty void seemed to transform into a quagmire, trapping its limbs.

The female cultivator’s delicate, beautiful face was drained of all color, yet her eyes remained clear and bright. 

As her gaze swept forth, it carried a fierce sword-intent, piercing skin and hair across a thousand feet of void.

*****

The battle in the void was just unfolding, its violent tremors carrying for dozens of miles and still retaining their force. Creatures with keen senses could glean a wealth of information from them.

Daguo’s body stirred, and the dozens of bones shattered by the ghostly beast all groaned in unison, but this did not hinder its acute perception:

“They’re finally fighting!”

As the temporary leader of this group of demons, Daguo possessed extraordinary cultivation and insight. But its most remarkable trait was its ability to bide its time. When it had first clashed with the ghostly beast, it knew instantly there was no chance of victory. So, with fierce resolve, it held its breath and played dead. Allowing the beast to trample and tear at it, leaving its body a wreck, it never moved a muscle, and thus managed to buy a sliver of hope for survival.

Now that the ghostly beast had encountered a formidable foe and might not be able to finish the job quickly, this was its best chance to escape.

Gathering a mouthful of vital energy, it was about to move when its heart suddenly sank.

Faint footsteps slowly approached, each one striking directly against its heart. The crystal on its forehead flickered with light, reflecting the image of the approaching figure—a stark contrast to the light footsteps was the figure’s corpulent body, seemingly overflowing with grease.

“Hoo hoo, Daguo, how did you end up in such a miserable state?” The sudden voice was as piercing and unpleasant as a pig being slaughtered.

“Bashi, you…”

Daguo started to speak, its voice sharp, but before the sound could spread, a large, fat foot stomped down heavily, crushing its entire chest. 

After that single blow, blood sprayed from all the orifices on Daguo’s face. Yet its vitality was tenacious; it did not die immediately, though its throat gurgled, unable to form words.

“Daguo, you understand. The ghostly beast, as it is now, is an exceedingly rare treasure. After the great sacrifice, its former master completely severed their connection with it. Now, all the Rakshasa Illusory Force within it is masterless. If I can obtain it, it would be ten times better than the seeds of Rakshasa Illusory Force we’ve been collecting. But after obtaining it… why should I send it back?”

The corpulent demon laughed shrilly: “Once I devour the ghostly beast’s flesh and blood and digest its masterless Rakshasa Illusory Force, I can certainly comprehend the ultimate path of the demonic divinity from it. Give me some time, and I will become another demon king of the Blood Prison Ghostly Domain!”

“You idiot!”

Bloody foam sprayed from Daguo’s throat, along with garbled curses: “The Rakshasa Illusory Force has fried your brain! You cannot possibly defeat the ghostly beast, you… ugh!”

The light on its forehead crystal flashed repeatedly, reflecting a small, delicate object. The corpulent demon pinched the thing between its thick fingers and waved it gently:

“See this? The Heart-Binding Horn! The one great thing Diro did—it knocked this thing right off the ghostly beast’s head. Now it’s in my hands. With this little toy, the paltry illusory force the beast can muster is nothing but a joke!”

As he spoke, Bashi prepared to pop the “Heart-Binding Horn” into his gaping maw, but then paused:

“Oh, right, I almost forgot. In terms of raw power, I’m still a bit behind the beast. Although it’s highly likely to be severely wounded after fighting that woman, just to be safe, Daguo, you have to help me out with this one… Come on, soon, you, me, the ghostly beast, and of course, the Rakshasa Illusory Force, will all become one. You can witness the birth of a new demon king. I’m giving you this opportunity!”

Amidst the piercing laughter, Daguo’s body trembled violently. It struggled to escape, but all efforts were futile. 

In the reflection of its forehead crystal, on Ba Shi’s face, the pitch-black hole of its mouth stretched wider and wider, until the darkness swallowed everything—including that string of desperate, despairing howls.

*****

“This seemingly incomparably delicate person, Martial Aunt Gan, can actually stand up to the ghostly beast?”

Yu Ci felt that all the astonishment of this day could not compare to the sheer wrongness of this scene.

The forms of the female cultivator and the ghostly beast flowed at high speed. The void between the two mountain peaks had become a battlefield. Figures that flickered in and out of existence and wild bursts of sword-qi burst outward. 

By the time Yu Ci snapped out of his shock, a thousand feet of mist had been swept clean, leaving behind a tranquil emptiness.

Without the mist to carry and reflect the images, the trajectories of the sword-qi and the impact of the energy streams became harder to grasp. Yet, stripped of these external manifestations, it became easier to perceive something more essential within.

Within Yu Ci’s mind, the vibration of that expanse of azure void re-emerged. Seizing this opportune moment, the energy within his body underwent a subtle change, which ultimately manifested in his eyes.

The world before him was, in an instant, transformed.