Chapter 125: The True Meaning of So-Called Summoning

Ji Yao was far from as relaxed as she appeared.

"Tell the little girl beside you to seal your heart meridians and place your body in a state of sensory deprivation."

Ji Yao opened her eyes and, with great effort, raised her hand to release the Heavenly Star Disk. After tapping it a few times, the disk rose into the air, and she turned her gaze toward Ling Ru.

"Ling Ru, help me seal my heart meridians. I need to enter secluded meditation."

In her current state, Xuan Yi did not seem to mind. Black mist surged, obscuring her form. Whenever sword energy touched the mist, that area would divide into stark black and white zones, struggling against one another. The sword energy was gradually exhausted, yet the black mist did not dissipate, continuing to roil in that space.

Gu Qiu sensed that this woman was no longer as weak as when he first encountered her. It was clear that this strange state, while formidable, simply made her immune to his attacks. He had unleashed several sword strikes, which the opponent handled with ease, yet she constantly evaded, using the movement to exhaust the duration of his sword energy. She never once counterattacked, likely for reasons unknown to them.

Ji Yao’s condition seemed poor, and it appeared the opponent was exploiting this to drain their spiritual energy. Once again, black mist began to rise, engulfing Gu Qiu and his companions.

After coughing up blood, Ji Yao had been struggling to communicate with Situ Jing through her divine sense.

"Senior, this poison seems far from simple. I wasn't injured earlier; why did the poison in my body suddenly erupt just because of a few words from her?"

Situ Jing pondered for a moment. "Perhaps I was careless. The methods of the Demon Race have been passed down for so many ages, yet very few have truly surfaced and become understood by those in the Immortal Realm. Even if they are known, it is often just the surface manifestation. Because these involve such ancient techniques, unknown to the later cultivation world, I am not entirely certain myself."

Ji Yao felt a growing sense of panic. Her constant obsession had been to purge this poison, which felt like a ticking time bomb. If even Situ Jing did not understand it, could she truly continue to live in the present with any peace of mind?

Situ Jing seemed to sense her distress, her tone becoming stern. "After struggling for so long, are you going to give up now?"

"How could I? If I gave up now, everything I've done would become a joke." Ji Yao had never considered giving up; who would want to die if they could live? She was merely anxious about the solution.

"I just probed your internal condition, and it is no worse than before," Situ Jing explained, finally offering comfort. "The method I mentioned earlier can still neutralize the poison. In your current situation, you might even find unexpected benefits after the detoxification."

"Benefits?"

Were these benefits from the poison, or the antidote? If it meant refining the Essence of Wood, Ji Yao could believe in subsequent benefits, but if it referred to the poison itself, she lacked the imagination to see how.

Situ Jing was thoughtful. "The person opposite you mentioned a 'summons'—that she wanted you to feel a summons, correct?"

"Yes, that is what she said."

"Then try to sense it. Where is this connected summons pointing?"

Ji Yao clutched her heart. The pain made it impossible to focus; even communicating with Situ Jing took all her willpower. After trying for a while, she felt her energy waning, the pain clinging to her like a shadow.

"Senior, it's no use. My concentration keeps being broken."

"Enough. This is not the right time. We must find a quiet place as soon as possible." As Situ Jing finished speaking, Ji Yao felt a tingling sensation enter her meridians. Though the pain remained, she regained the ability to move, which caused Ling Ru, who had been watching her closely, to sigh in relief.

"Are you alright?" Ling Ru asked, looking at Ji Yao, who had stood up, unable to hide her worry.

Ji Yao returned a smile and raised her hand to release the Heavenly Star Disk. "I am fine. Let us help our senior brother. We cannot remain in this stalemate, or we will all be in danger."

Although Ling Ru did not believe Ji Yao had fully recovered, she knew the current environment was unsuitable for rest. She, like Gu Qiu, had long since realized the enemy's objective but had hesitated to act due to the uncertainty of Ji Yao’s condition. Now that Ji Yao could manipulate her magical artifact and seemed capable of holding on, Ling Ru did not hesitate; she gripped her flying sword, ready to charge.

"Coordinate with Senior Brother. I will help distract her."

Before Ling Ru could refuse, Ji Yao had already leaped onto her hovering Snow Dust Sword, the black Heavenly Star Disk glowing brightly in her hand.

"Junior Sister, come back!" Gu Qiu’s pupils constricted as he saw her suddenly soar into the sky behind him.

Ling Ru spoke up at the right moment, "Senior Brother Gu, let us not waste Ji Yao's efforts!"

Stepping on her sword and holding the Heavenly Star Disk, Ji Yao reached the space above the black mist where Xuan Yi resided. True to expectations, Xuan Yi, who had remained silent ever since Gu Qiu began his attack, finally spoke again upon seeing Ji Yao recklessly approach.

"What, no longer hiding behind a man to be protected? Are you foolish enough to throw your life away? He will be heartbroken, you know!"

With these words, Xuan Yi’s form was revealed—at least, from Ji Yao’s perspective; she remained invisible to Ling Ru and Gu Qiu.

Ji Yao smiled, ignoring the insinuation. "You didn't come here today for me, did you?"

Xuan Yi sneered with disdain, "You aren't worth it!"

"You've obtained what you came for; why haven't you left yet?" Ji Yao tapped her fingers rapidly across the Heavenly Star Disk. "Aren't you afraid you won't be able to leave today?"

"You think you can stop me?" Xuan Yi laughed, her entire body trembling.

"Why not try and see? Look, I've already forced you to reveal yourself, haven't I?"

As soon as Ji Yao finished speaking, the Heavenly Star Disk began to spin, growing larger and larger, shedding rays of starlight as it whirled. Before Xuan Yi could react, the grand formation Ji Yao had laid out was complete, shrouding the entire area where the four of them stood.

Only when the Heavenly Star Disk ceased its ascent did Ji Yao smile confidently. "There. Now it is your turn to try. Let’s see if the three of us can keep you here today."

Ji Yao’s fingers flew through the hand seals, and the formation began to churn.

"Senior Brother, Ling Ru, enter the formation!" Ji Yao pointed to the two eyes of the formation she had specially created. Without a word, Gu Qiu and Ling Ru flashed into position.

Once they entered, the formation split into Yin and Yang, a realm of ice and fire. Ling Ru’s fire-attribute sword energy and Gu Qiu’s frost-attribute power were amplified. The two poles complemented each other, spiraling toward the black mist in the center.

Xuan Yi’s situation took a sharp turn for the worse. Despite her best efforts to dodge the sword energy, her protective black mist was whittled away layer by layer, soon leaving her with nowhere to hide.

Xuan Yi roared in fury, "You are courting death!"

A surge of black energy lashed out toward Ji Yao, only to be blocked halfway by a light barrier, unable to advance even an inch.

Ji Yao offered Xuan Yi a look of utter disdain. "Did you really think I would be foolish enough not to account for that?"