The Qianhuan Mirror

Outside the burial chamber, the fluctuations of the restrictions grew increasingly violent. Qin Sang was on the verge of catching up. Old Man Yanshan dared not hesitate. Flashing to the edge of the spirit array, he cast a glance over it, raised his hand, and unleashed a burst of silver light from his palm, hurling the One-Origin Heavy Water toward the array. The purpose of this array was merely to extract the chill fiend qi from the ice disc to power the decoy tomb above; it had not been set up specifically to protect the disc itself. Even so, Old Man Yanshan's attempt to seize the ice disc directly still triggered the array's retaliation. *Pfft!* The One-Origin Heavy Water penetrated the spiritual light along the outer perimeter, forcibly disrupting the spirit array. Ripples of cold light surged through the array, causing the ice disc to tremble slightly. The array's formation shifted drastically as the chill fiend qi instantly condensed into a crescent-shaped ice blade and vanished in a flash. The ice blade had not truly vanished; it was simply moving at extreme speed, aimed squarely at Old Man Yanshan. A chill gripped Old Man Yanshan's heart. Without a second thought, he shifted several fathoms sideways, leaving an illusory afterimage that was pierced on the spot by the blade. Had his reaction been even a fraction slower, a bloody hole would have been bored through his chest. Even so, the ice blade slashed open a gash across his left shoulder. His protective true essence offered no resistance whatsoever and was pierced through with ease. Before his blood could even spill, it froze solid, and a thin layer of ice coated his shoulder, continuing to spread. Old Man Yanshan hastily urged his true essence to expel the cold qi from his body. *Crack!* The ice blade shattered midair, reverting to pure chill fiend qi, and returned to the spirit array to resume its operation. Old Man Yanshan broke into a cold sweat as he stared at the spot where the blade had broken. The Water Element Master had not forgotten to lay traps even inside the burial chamber. For a true inheritor of the Water Element, breaking the spirit array and retrieving the ice disc would not have been difficult. Yet he could not even be considered half an inheritor; what he had learned was merely skin-deep. Even if he had a way to forcibly break the array, doing so would inevitably cost time, and with pursuers closing in from behind, time was precisely what he lacked. If even Luye was no match for them, how could Old Man Yanshan dare linger in this chamber alone? *Boom!* The burial chamber suddenly shuddered violently several times. Old Man Yanshan glanced back outside. With the naked eye, he could see chaotic flashes of light and shadow filtering down from the collapsing restrictions. Forcibly taking the ice disc would not only fail to yield the treasure, but it would also cost him his life! He pulled his gaze back to the ice disc, feeling immense heartache. Finally, with a sigh, he beckoned with his hand to retrieve the One-Origin Heavy Water, decisively abandoning the disc. Skirting around the spirit array, he moved to take the jade boxes atop the ice bed. Although seals also protected the jade boxes, breaking them would be far easier. Old Man Yanshan cast an unknown hand sign. His eyes closed and reopened, their depths turning into dark, bottomless pools. His gaze swept rapidly across the three jade boxes, fixing upon the middle one. *Smack!* The One-Origin Heavy Water flew from his hand, spreading into a thin film of water that enveloped the central jade box. The ice bed trembled gently as an intense blue light erupted from its surface, bathing the entire chamber in azure radiance. Undaunted, Old Man Yanshan moved his fingers like a spinning wheel, swiftly completing his seals. With a low bark, he shouted, "Open!" The One-Origin Heavy Water rapidly constricted, wrapping tightly around the jade box. With a sharp snap, the seal on the box shattered. Breaking free from the ice bed, it flew automatically into Old Man Yanshan's grasp. Without taking time to inspect it, Old Man Yanshan repeated the process and claimed the second jade box. Just as he moved to unseal and take the third jade box as well, a thunderous roar echoed from outside the chamber. Countless restriction fragments showered down like rain. Two formidable auras surged violently downward, casting two blurred silhouettes onto the icy floor below. Sensing the sudden arrival, Old Man Yanshan did not even turn his head. He lunged toward the rear of the chamber, raised his right hand, and hastily pressed the circular mirror he had been gripping in his palm against the wall. The circular mirror vanished, leaving behind a person-sized circular pattern on the wall with rippling water inside, resembling a water gate or a newly opened well. However, this well stood upright, its depths bottomless, leading to who knew where. With a leap, Old Man Yanshan plunged directly into the water gate. The left half of his body vanished, while his right hand grasped toward the air, his One-Origin Heavy Water on the verge of breaking the third seal. At that very moment, having blasted through layer upon layer of restrictions, Qin Sang finally caught sight of the Water Element Master's burial chamber! The restrictions outside had been extraordinarily intricate. Had Old Man Yanshan not paved the way, getting in would have required considerable effort. *Whoosh!* Qin Sang landed on solid ground. Before he could even steady himself, his gaze swept across the tomb and caught sight of Old Man Yanshan about to make his escape. Then, his expression froze in shock, and he cried out, "The Qianhuan Mirror!" What had drawn his eye was not the jade box, but the water gate on the wall! "Fellow Daoist, hold your steps!" Qin Sang shouted. Hastily pushing his divine sense, he unleashed the fastest-acting technique at his disposal, the Soul-Extracting True Word. Hearing the two strange *Heng-Ha* vocalizations, Old Man Yanshan felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his nascent soul, and his face turned slightly pale. As an expert at the mid-Nascent Soul stage, he gritted his teeth and endured the agony, yet the One-Origin Heavy Water shuddered from the shock, preventing him from seizing the third jade box in time. At the same time, the Jinchen Sword illuminated the chamber. The sword light was blinding, flashing forth like lightning! Its target was not Old Man Yanshan, but the water gate on the wall! Horrified, Old Man Yanshan hurriedly recalled his One-Origin Heavy Water and threw himself fully into the gate. The instant his figure vanished, the water gate shrank at incredible speed, dwindling in a flash to a single blue speck of light. *Clang!* The Jinchen Sword struck the point of light, but it was too late; the chamber was already empty. *** Out on the snow plains. Amid crisscrossing ravines, a row of stone walls simultaneously lit up with faint blue light, conjuring identical mirror surfaces embedded within the rock faces. They reflected one another in a chain stretching beyond the snowfield. A white silhouette flickered and leaped between the mirrors. With each jump, the corresponding circular mirror vanished without a trace. In the blink of an eye, the figure traversed ravine after ravine, emerging at the edge of the snow plains. It was none other than Old Man Yanshan. *Thump, thump, thump...* Old Man Yanshan materialized, stumbling forward several paces before steadying himself. His breathing was ragged. Recalling the terrifying ordeal just now, he raised his right hand to inspect the mirror. Seeing a distinct sword mark on its surface that had nearly pierced through the treasure, he sucked in a deep breath. Stowing the precious mirror, Old Man Yanshan produced his spoils. Looking down at the first jade box, he could not wait to open it. *Click!* Inside lay only a single item: a medallion. This medallion bore a striking resemblance to the one held by the grotesque-faced man, differing only in its decorative patterns and inscription. Engraved upon this token was the character for "Water," whereas the grotesque-faced man's had borne the character for "Wood"! Taking up the medallion, Old Man Yanshan felt his gloom over losing the ice disc diminish considerably. A satisfied smile crept onto his face. Only then did he remember that this place was still unsafe. Hastily stowing his treasures, he concealed his tracks and fled. *** Inside the burial chamber. Having failed to detain Old Man Yanshan, Qin Sang gazed at the restored stone wall with a thoughtful look. He actually recognized the treasure Old Man Yanshan had used to escape; he had once read records regarding such an item. However, it had not been in Zhongzhou, but in the North Sea. Back then, while gathering news about Xiaoxiangzi in the North Sea, Qin Sang had also investigated the Jinghai Sect. It so happened that the disciple of Old Man Hunmo had offered up his master's soul. Through soul-searching, Qin Sang learned that Nine Precepts Island had ties to the Jinghai Sect, prompting him to pay a personal visit and subjugate the island's forces. From the ancient texts left behind by Master Jiujie, he had gathered some information. Among the records was an account of this very treasure, known as the Qianhuan Mirror. It was an unparalleled treasure for escaping danger. The moment Qin Sang saw Old Man Yanshan employing a Qianhuan Mirror, he had abandoned all thought of pursuit. Its sole drawback was that it required preparation beforehand. Old Man Yanshan had been exceedingly cautious; neither the incarnation nor the Heavenly Eye Butterfly had caught on to his little tricks along the way. In those years, Master Jiujie had discovered the skeletal remains of an eminent monk from the Jinghai Sect and retrieved his relics, which included a damaged Qianhuan Mirror. Not knowing how to refine it, he had been unable to repair it, and after using it twice, the mirror had shattered completely. The Jinghai Sect had been founded by Xiaoxiangzi, and its inheritance was also left by him. Yet Old Man Yanshan possessed a Qianhuan Mirror as well. Old Man Yanshan had obtained the Water Element inheritance of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, making him half an inheritor. Thus, the Qianhuan Mirror most likely originated from the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. Unfortunately, he had already fallen out with Old Man Yanshan, so the man would never answer his questions. Even if Xiaoxiangzi had not hailed from the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, he must have shared deep ties with it! Thinking a step further, could the two Killing Swords also have come from the Wuxiang Immortal Sect? Qin Sang felt a surge of joy. His incarnation had toiled for years investigating everywhere to no avail; who could have thought this journey to the Northern Barrens would yield such unexpected gains? Of course, Qin Sang knew full well it was too early to celebrate. If Xiaoxiangzi had truly come from the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, given his loyal and affectionate temperament—having remembered even the Xie family in his parting letter—why had he never mentioned a single word about the sect? Moreover, the Wuxiang Immortal Sect had long since vanished from the cultivation world. Finding another inheritor of the sect would be no easy task. While his true body pondered, the incarnation had remained busy. Only the final jade box was left on the ice bed. Its seal had already been mostly broken by Old Man Yanshan, allowing the incarnation to easily retrieve it and toss it to the true body. Opening it, Qin Sang found two medicinal pills inside. They bore no labels, leaving their identity unknown. The pills were perfectly round and snow-white, without a single blemish. A faint, subtle fragrance drifted to his nostrils. With a gentle sniff, Qin Sang felt a soothing coolness seep into his heart and lungs, bringing immense comfort. *It doesn't smell like a poison pill. I wonder what its effects are...* Qin Sang pondered silently. Knowing little of alchemy, he found it difficult to judge. As the relics of the Water Element Master, their value was bound to be extraordinary. With only two pills, letting his incarnation test them would be a terrible waste if they did not enhance cultivation. He would investigate the Wuxiang Immortal Sect in the future, so there would be opportunities down the road. For the time being, Qin Sang stored the pills alongside his Shouzhen Pills. Looking up at the inscriptions on the wall, his expression gradually turned solemn. Through those carved characters, Qin Sang could feel the Water Element Master's deep, seething resentment. Most of the writing cursed two individuals who had broken their vows, struck when he was vulnerable, and ambushed him. One was named Huang Xi, and the other Liaosu. "Liaosu..." "Liaosu..." Qin Sang frowned. The name sounded familiar. Racking his brains, he finally recalled: an ancestral master of Ganlu Zen Monastery had borne the Dharma name Master Liaosu! Master Liaosu had attained profound cultivation and was the master who oversaw the revival of Ganlu Zen Monastery, laying its timeless foundation. It was said that he had played a major role in shaping Zhongzhou's current landscape as well. *If it truly is Master Liaosu, could the other person, Huang Xi, be an ancestral master of Bajing Abbey...?* Qin Sang felt as though he had touched upon one of Zhongzhou's deepest secrets. His gaze settled upon the final line of writing: *He who inherits my mantle shall slaughter the Buddhists and exterminate the Daoists!* The hatred felt almost tangible. The killing intent reached the heavens! Pity that despite all the arrangements the Water Element Master had made, he had never welcomed a genuine inheritor. Qin Sang would never carry out such an order, and Old Man Yanshan had not even spared it a glance. No wonder the Wuxiang Immortal Sect seemed to have been deliberately concealed, yielding virtually no useful information beforehand. If Bajing Abbey and Ganlu Zen Monastery were pulling the strings from the shadows, everything made sense. What role had Bajing Abbey and Ganlu Zen Monastery played in the destruction of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect? Perhaps they had risen to power by stepping over its corpse. What they had done was likely disgraceful, which was why they sought to eliminate every trace of the sect, eager to erase it entirely from the cultivation world. With no one to remember the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, no one would discuss the past. With this realization, Qin Sang understood that he could not openly investigate the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, lest he draw the attention of Bajing Abbey and Ganlu Zen Monastery. On the other hand, those two sects would naturally be the most knowledgeable about the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. If other channels yielded no useful leads, he would eventually have to make contact with them. Such matters would have to wait until he could verify them after returning. Qin Sang's true body turned to face the ice disc. This was the only exceptional object left in the chamber. The ice bed was merely ordinary mystic ice, made to seem extraordinary only by the restrictions the Water Element Master had placed upon it. The incarnation had not been idle either; working together with the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, he had roughly deciphered the workings of the spirit array. *Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!* The true body summoned the Nine Nether Demonic Fire, condensing it into dozens of thumb-thick ropes of flame that scattered like blossoms toward the eight corners of the array, piercing through the outer spiritual light and stirring wildly within its core. The same scene played out once more. The chill fiend qi coalesced into an ice blade. Yet before the blade could fully form, Qin Sang had already spurred his Phoenix Wings, flickering to the other side of the chamber and leaving behind an afterimage. The array's counterattack had no effect on him whatsoever. *Boom!* Seizing the moment, the incarnation slashed the spirit array open with his blade, reached inside, firmly grasped the ice disc, and pulled it free. Deprived of the disc's support, the spirit array abruptly dimmed, its spiritual energy collapsing. Qin Sang praised inwardly, *What remarkably pure chill fiend qi! So this treasure was the source all along! With its help, mastering the Ice Soul Divine Light won't be difficult...* The threat from Luye remained; this place was not one to linger in. Without wasting time examining the item closely, Qin Sang stowed the ice disc. His second Nascent Soul merged back into his true body, and he flew out of the chamber. Suddenly pausing, he turned back to unleash his sword. *Boom!* A massive beam of sword light tore through the chamber. Already damaged, the ancient restrictions could no longer hold and collapsed with a roar, obliterating every trace. Qin Sang rode his sword out of the fissure. Confirming there were no powerful enemies outside, he reined in his aura and slipped quietly away under the cover of the snow layer. *** Not long after Qin Sang's departure, Su Zinan followed the trail to the decoy tomb. All he found were two ruined sites, deserted, their treasures already plundered clean. He spread his divine sense and uncovered a few faint clues, but the trail went cold before he could follow it far. Su Zinan gave a cold snort. Murdering Old Wu had taken very little time, yet these people had acted far quicker than he had anticipated. Still, he felt no regret. The Three Corpses God-Mourning Banner was of paramount importance; sacrificing a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator to forge the banner was the best possible beginning. "Who was that fellow? Could he be the current Fire Element Master?" Through the demonic banner, Su Zinan had learned the details of the battle between Old Wu and Qin Sang. After wandering the snowfield for a round to no avail, he left. *** Meanwhile, Qin Sang retraced his steps, hurrying back to Old Man Yanshan's cultivation cave at top speed. As expected, Old Man Yanshan had not returned; such a dwelling could be abandoned at any time. After circling the mountains for a brief moment, Qin Sang did not tarry and set off on his journey home.