Ask the Mirror

Chapter 187: Traveling Together

You Gongquan halted his flying sword mid-air, a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

Judging by his attire, the young man below was dressed like a wild man. Yet his complexion was fair, and his bearing possessed a quiet dignity that discouraged any thought of taking him lightly.

It was then that You Gongquan also spotted the source of the commotion.

An ugly, greyish-black bird, large in size, was crouched with folded wings on a waist-high rock about ten paces behind the young man. Its demeanor was listless, yet it still stretched out its long neck to rub against the young man’s back. 

Seeing this, who wouldn’t know that the bird had an owner?

He cast a cold glance to the side. A figure lay collapsed there, unconscious or dead—likely the one who had sent the signal. Further off, the Zhao brothers had picked themselves up, apparently uninjured, but their faces were pale, as if they had received a great fright.

They too saw You Gongquan hovering above and were overjoyed. One of them called out, “Immortal You, this man’s sword is formidable!”

The other added, “He has a soul-startling demonic art!”

You Gongquan nodded. His sword light dimmed, and he landed on the ground, but he did not act rashly. He had no sect or master to rely on. Relying solely on his tenacious character, he had crawled up from being an insignificant insect-like figure over nearly two hundred years to ultimately achieve Core Formation—it could almost be called a minor legend. This life experience had made him shrewd and cautious; he never fought a battle without being sure of victory.

Assessing the situation, he had a good idea of the score. The hunting party was likely in the wrong here. Unless absolutely necessary, it was best not to resort to force.

He was just formulating his words, preparing to communicate with the man, when the young man spoke first: “You seem to be the leader here. May I ask where this place is? How far is it from the Mountain-Moving Cloud Boat dock? How far from Absolute Cliff City?”

The young man’s cultivation certainly hadn’t reached the Core Refinement realm, yet facing You Gongquan, who was a whole level above him, his expression was composed—a testament to his courage and experience.

Seeing this, You Gongquan felt the young man’s bearing was extraordinary, and his desire to avoid complications grew stronger. After a moment’s thought, he replied, “This is a branch range of the Broken Boundary Mountains. It’s relatively close to Absolute Cliff City—about fourteen thousand li to the northeast. The Mountain-Moving Cloud Boat dock is further away…”

His response immediately eased the tension. The young man nodded. “So I’ve strayed off course. Thank you for the guidance.”

The young man was, of course, Yu Ci. 

Two days prior, guiding the great bird, he had flown over a thousand li, reaching the eastern bank of the Heavens Rift Valley. The bird, now named ‘Hun Qiu,’ had flown non-stop for nearly a thousand li carrying them both and was utterly exhausted, on its last legs. Yu Ci had no choice but to continue on foot while also caring for his patient.

Ever since she had forcibly stimulated her qi to kill that bloated demon, Gan Shizhen’s condition had been unstable. She drifted in and out of consciousness, unconscious more often than awake. For most of the journey, Yu Ci had to carry her on his back.

By now, he was lost. He knew his directions—north, south, east, west—but couldn’t pinpoint the locations of the dock or Absolute Cliff City. Like a headless fly, he had wandered through the mountains for two days until he encountered this group. 

Hun Qiu had caused some trouble, leading to a couple of minor skirmishes, but he had finally gotten the information he needed.

By this time, the other members of the hunting party who had received the signal were converging on the spot. The sounds of clothing rustling through the air echoed in succession as figures emerged from the forest, gradually forming an encirclement that sealed off this woodland. Seeing the situation, the newcomers reacted with surprise, curiosity, or, like the one who had sent the initial signal, secret delight.

The hunting party was a mixed bag, with chaotic thoughts running through their minds. 

Yu Ci frowned slightly. 

Just then, Hun Qiu, who had been lying prone, let out a feeble cry, stretching its slender neck to rub its round head against Yu Ci’s shoulder and back. Yu Ci couldn’t help but smile. He gathered a ball of pure vital qi and stroked it along the bird’s head and neck, finally rousing its spirits a little. It let out a series of honking sounds, clearly enjoying the sensation.

Seeing him so composed even while surrounded by twenty or thirty people, some of the surrounding cultivators were annoyed, while others felt a measure of admiration.

Yu Ci, for his part, was also calculating. If these two or three dozen people surrounded him and things turned sour, he, alone and weak, would have no choice but to flee. That was one thing, but protecting the unconscious Gan Shizhen would require considerable effort and cunning.

At that moment, You Gongquan made a decision. “Fellow Daoist, are you heading to Absolute Cliff City? We happen to be returning from the Heavens Rift Valley and are going there ourselves to sell our goods. Why not travel together? If we encounter demons or fierce beasts along the way, we can look out for each other. What do you say?”

With this proposal, he was essentially recruiting the man, and the hostility from the surrounding cultivators diminished significantly.

A hunting party wasn’t a band of robbers. Although some so-called ‘hunting parties’ occasionally engaged in unprincipled business, it was a sideline, and not everyone did it. Besides, they were now returning from the Heavens Rift Valley, having struggled through days of life-and-death battles. Their haul was substantial. Catching the Golden-Eyed Poison Ape was a side objective; their desire for windfalls had waned. After all, no matter how good the loot, one needed to be alive to enjoy it.

Yu Ci’s thoughts turned. Recalling something, he nodded. “I appreciate the leader’s consideration, but I have a patient with me…”

Hearing this, You Gongquan’s eyes swept the area. Sure enough, beside the green rock where the large bird rested, he could vaguely make out a human figure, mostly hidden beneath the bird’s wing, indistinct. He didn’t mind. In fact, having a sick companion only reduced the potential risk posed by Yu Ci, making his recruitment offer all the more reassuring.

“Your friend is seriously ill? We have someone here with some medical knowledge. And if travel is difficult, we also have a Cloud-Driven Floating Cart specially made by the Three Rarities Hall. It would be perfect for transporting a patient. However, powering it consumes considerable resources, so you would need to pay a fee, Fellow Daoist.”

His words carried a mercantile air, but at least he was frank. Yu Ci relaxed a little more. He nodded again, went behind the rock, and emerged carrying Gan Shizhen.

The female cultivator was still unconscious, her pale cheeks partially hidden behind the curtain of her lowered hair. But even from what was visible, her delicate and pitiable beauty was fully apparent.

For an instant, sharp intakes of breath sounded from many of those nearby, the combined effect quite noticeable.

After months in the mountains, seeing only ugly demons and bloody slaughter, who wouldn’t be captivated by such a fragile and lovely beauty?

Witnessing this scene, You Gongquan felt a headache coming on.

******

Yu Ci had a dream.

He dreamed of the Heavens Rift Valley, heavy with clouds and mist. A patch of shadow grew with the wind, expanding from infinitesimally small to infinitely large, until it filled heaven and earth—majestic, vast, and mighty, seated amidst the mountains, perfectly integrated and indistinguishable.

What left a deep impression on him was that atop this object, there seemed to be a floral crown?

Just as he tried to look closer, the mountain-like colossus crumbled and collapsed, bearing down upon him. Yu Ci startled awake.

He was in the carriage. Wind rustled the curtain; outside, it was still dark.

He had been sitting in meditation cultivation when he suddenly fell asleep. But upon waking, he was full of energy. His cultivation at the upper stage of Divine Connectivity had solidified, his whole body seemingly brimming with inexhaustible strength. Deeper in the carriage, the delicate female cultivator breathed softly, her eyes still closed in slumber.

Although she had been drifting in and out, this bout of unconsciousness was particularly long. Yu Ci didn’t know what was wrong with her and dared not disturb her. He simply cared for her attentively, hoping to return to the sect quickly so an elder could diagnose her.

Dawn was still some way off. Yu Ci knew his mind had just been disturbed by the ‘iceberg’ in his memory interval, causing some discomfort. After a moment’s thought, he once again sank his mind into stillness. The Inner Void of his Heart spread out, the Dragon Fish swimming within it, as if painted by a master’s hand, blending seamlessly with the bright moon in the sky and the small lake on the ground.

However, the Inner Void of his Heart now contained two new things.

One was the lofty mountain. It seemed to have transformed from the ‘iceberg’ within his memory interval, merging indistinctly with some unknown distant void, shifting and elusive. Only the faint outline of a mountain range was visible; the rest was shadow. Staring at it too long, one felt as if it were floating in the air, like a celestial mountain.

The other was a wisp of fiery smoke and light mist. This one was much closer, wrapped around the Mental Image of the Dragon Fish like a thin, translucent layer, appearing and disappearing. At first glance, it looked like the Dragon Fish breathing out clouds and mist—quite an impressive sight. 

Yu Ci was certain this must be the Rakshasa Illusory Force.

He must have unintentionally absorbed a strand of it back in the breach space. As for why it was absorbed, Yu Ci had a few guesses.

It was the ability to draw energy into the body…

This Primordial Origin Qi Method had unknowingly reached its second stage. Drawing external energy into the Inner Void of the Heart, the path ahead now transcended the Innate Qi Method; it was a self-imposed lesson. How was he supposed to proceed? Just as he was about to organize his thoughts further, someone called to him from outside the carriage.

“Immortal Yu! Immortal Yu, are you there?”

Yu Ci lifted the curtain and was greeted by a middle-aged man, hunched over and standing there. Seeing Yu Ci emerge, he bowed even lower and spoke with careful deference. “Immortal Yu, forgive the intrusion…”

The man was of medium build and had a perpetually fearful expression. Yu Ci recognized him.

His name was Fan Lao, though most in the hunting party called him ‘Old Fan’—a nickname born from his face, which bore the weathered, worried look of a much older man. In truth, he was only in his forties, one of the younger members of the group. The title ‘Old Fan’ carried more than a hint of mockery.

Fan Lao’s position in the party was rather ambiguous. Although he was also a cultivator at the realm of Divine Connectivity, his combat prowess was weak, and he was usually of little help. The reason he could remain in the hunting party was his role as a sort of itinerant trader. He would buy up small odds and ends at favorable prices, saving the party considerable trouble.

Yu Ci nodded to him, then closed the curtain and sat on the carriage shaft to speak. “Brother Fan, what brings you here?”

His speaking voice stirred Hun Qiu on top of the carriage. The large bird rubbed its head against him again, and Yu Ci pushed it away with a smile. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Fan Lao surreptitiously reaching out to touch the bird’s wing where it hung over the side of the carriage. 

Hun Qiu, utterly oblivious, just curled up and squinted its eyes, dozing off.

Noticing Yu Ci’s gaze, Fan Lao’s face reddened. But he mustered his courage and leaned in closer. “Immortal Yu, are you absolutely sure you won’t part with this bird?”

Yu Ci shook his head with a smile. 

Fan Lao wasn’t the first to ask. Over the past two days, many, including You Gongquan, had expressed a desire to buy the large bird. In truth, Yu Ci had originally regarded the bird as a temporary means of transport; selling it or not wasn’t a big deal. But it had been instrumental during those days and nights crossing the Heavens Rift Valley. Yu Ci wasn’t the type to kick someone after crossing the bridge. He planned to take the bird back to the Tranquil Heart Temple, let its injuries heal, and then decide.

Fan Lao looked disappointed. But he gritted his teeth and finally spoke again.

“Immortal Yu, if you’re willing to reconsider, I’d trade you a ring for it! You lack a storage ring, isn’t that right?”