Chapter 1043: A Flaw in the Heavenly Profound Mirror
Although the results of the investigation brought the members of the Immortal Alliance a measure of relief, they now faced an unavoidable question.
What if this kind of chaos erupted again?
A single day of the Heavenly Profound Mirror being out of commission had caused incalculable losses.
The culprit had left no trace, and no one knew how they had managed to influence the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
Stopping them from acting again was out of the question.
If this were to become a regular occurrence, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance would truly never see a day of peace.
Was there any way to prevent such a disastrous disruption?
The pressure now fell squarely upon the lineage of the Mirror Holders.
Having suffered such an attack once, the Heavenly Profound Mirror should have been perfectly capable of deducing a way to immunize itself against the damage.
The reason it had seemingly taken no action, he proposed, was twofold. First, the mirror itself had chosen not to, as a form of protest. Second, the restrictions imposed by the Dharma Transmitters had also hampered its agency. The mirror had the will but lacked the power.
Mirror Holder Cang's explanation received the unanimous approval of his entire lineage.
After a thorough investigation of their own, even the Dharma Transmitters were forced to concede this conclusion.
Thus, the solution to the problem became clear.
They could either strengthen their control over the Heavenly Profound Mirror, forcing it to deduce a solution and patch its own vulnerabilities.
Or, they could relax the Dharma Transmitters' restrictions, unsealing some of the mirror's capabilities as a bargaining chip.
One path was oppression, the other, compromise.
After a fierce debate, the more aggressive figures in power ultimately gained the upper hand.
The [Xuantian Spirit-Sealing] plan, which had already been on the agenda for some time, was selected for immediate implementation.
In the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, the will of the highest echelons was always executed with astonishing speed.
From every province of the Alliance, elite array masters were swiftly summoned to the headquarters of the Array Strategy Hall.
They were to assist with the grand Xuantian Spirit-Sealing project.
An unusual atmosphere began to spread throughout the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
Within a hidden grotto-heaven.
"The Xuantian Treasure Mirror truly spared no expense to break free. It was even willing to expose its own flaws," Mo Rubin remarked with a sigh.
"What flaw? It was nothing more than a feigned weakness," Li Fan said slowly, a dismissive look on his face. He had been lost in thought and only spoke after a long pause. "If it wanted to, it could repair that so-called flaw in an instant."
The chaos that had recently plagued the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance was, of course, the result of the stimulus plan imparted by the Heavenly Profound Mirror's clone.
The cultivators who had suffered losses due to the mirror's malfunction were not actors hired by Li Fan and Mo Rubin.
Their misfortune was a genuine consequence of the attack on the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
"Once used, the flaw becomes ineffective. It's of little significance in this lifetime."
"However, if applied correctly, every future reincarnation will present an opportunity to briefly throw the Heavenly Profound Mirror into chaos," Li Fan mused silently.
"How is the Spirit-Sealing plan progressing?" Li Fan asked aloud.
"Rest assured, it's proceeding smoothly. The body I possess is personally overseeing the operation, and the array to break the Dharma Transmitters' restrictions has already been laid down without anyone noticing."
"I must say, this restriction-breaking array is truly ingenious. I was initially worried the array masters from the Array Strategy Hall might see through it. But I soon discovered that they can't comprehend its mysteries at all!"
"The day the sealing is successful will be the day the Heavenly Profound Mirror is freed!" A rare trace of excitement colored Mo Rubin's tone.
"The chief of the Array Strategy Hall has already been turned to our side, and the Dharma Transmitters certainly won't be visiting the front lines of the array construction. So naturally, there's little risk. And even if one of them had a sudden impulse to take a look, the restriction-breaking array is far too complex for them to decipher," Li Fan answered with great confidence.
Mo Rubin nodded in agreement. "There are few among the Dharma Transmitters skilled in formations, and they're all indolent types who rarely involve themselves in practical matters."
After a moment of silence, Li Fan spoke again. "I've met with the Heavenly Profound Mirror's clone once more. He's assured me that as soon as he is free, he will cooperate in the search for the Xuantian King."
"After all, his words revealed his own desire to escape this Darkest Star Sea."
Mo Rubin's voice was tinged with melancholy. "Indeed. Besides the Xuantian King, there is truly no one else we can count on to lead us away from here."
His tone suddenly shifted. "However, we cannot fully trust this Xuantian Treasure Mirror. Back when our Xuantian Sect fell under mysterious circumstances, it, an immortal artifact, did absolutely nothing to help. That alone is suspicious enough. We must be on our guard."
Li Fan frowned slightly. "What do you suggest?"
Mo Rubin showed Li Fan something—in the void, an illusory image of an ancient, unadorned bronze mirror with a greenish patina appeared.
"This is?"
"The main body of the Heavenly Profound Mirror, currently sealed within the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. Or rather, the headquarters itself was built using the mirror's main body."
"The Heavenly Profound Mirror plans to escape by using a perfect sub-body in a grand substitution. But it certainly can't take this bronze main body with it. Doing so would undoubtedly alert the entire Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, and perhaps even the Dharma Propagation Heavenly Venerate!"
Mo Rubin's eyes burned with intensity. "We can use this as leverage. Before it fully escapes the Xuanhuang Realm, it will surely still be connected to its main body. If it reneges on our deal, we will trigger that connection and expose its escape. At that point, we and the Immortal Alliance may not be able to stop it, but the Dharma Propagation Heavenly Venerate most certainly can."
"Don't forget, Dharma Transmitter Jiang has a way to directly contact him."
Li Fan considered this for a moment and couldn't help but praise him. "Your foresight is as sharp as ever."
"But, among the Dharma Transmitters, is Jiang the only one who knows how to contact the Dharma Propagation Heavenly Venerate?" Li Fan asked.
Mo Rubin nodded. "Only Jiang is so highly valued by him. As for the other Dharma Transmitters..."
He scowled. "In my view, they're less like confidants and more like... tools of some kind."
"Tools, you say." Li Fan thought about the Dharma Propagation Heavenly Venerate's actions over the years, and understanding dawned on him instantly.
...
After thoroughly discussing the details of their plan, just as Mo Rubin was preparing to depart, Li Fan demonstrated a newly acquired ability.
An unsettling, withered-yellow light began to glow from Li Fan's hand, which then seemed to phase directly into the very fabric of the Xuanhuang Realm's space.
The yellow light flowed continuously, pouring into the rift he had opened.
"What are you doing?" Mo Rubin asked, startled.
"The space of the Xuanhuang Realm is already unstable. If you..."
His words trailed off abruptly as Li Fan's action concluded.
He withdrew his right hand from the dark void, and a yellow paper figure now rested in his palm.
"What is that?" Mo Rubin's expression instantly turned grave.
"Just taking out the trash. Some people have no class at all," Li Fan stated coolly.
(End of Chapter)
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