Chapter 1166: Contention for the Mirror's Incarnation
Chapter 1166: Contention for the Mirror's Incarnation
“A dynasty founded by mortals who were exiled to a small world long ago. Its creation may have involved the intervention of an unknown, powerful figure. The speed of its civilizational development defies all logic.”
“It might be connected to the group from the Ten Great Immortal Sects that fled the Xuanhuang Realm before the Great Calamity.”
“Based on preliminary analysis, the possibility that key members of the Immortal Alliance have already been infiltrated cannot be ruled out.”
...
Sun Luyuan studied the fragments of text, his brow deeply furrowed.
This Great Qi was shrouded in mystery, and its exact location within the countless small worlds remained unknown. The Tianxuan Mirror could only estimate its general strength by observing the activities of its agents within the Xuanhuang Realm.
“It’s a pity I couldn’t capture the Tianxuan Mirror’s complete reasoning, only these scattered fragments of information,” Sun Luyuan lamented inwardly.
Nevertheless, he placed great faith in the Tianxuan Mirror’s judgment.
But regarding these “events yet to occur,” the Tianxuan Mirror could offer no advice nor take any action on its own. It could only know.
At first, Sun Luyuan had found this limitation quite baffling.
However, during a conversation with Mirror Holder Fu, he finally came to understand the profound reasoning behind it.
“The Immortal Alliance is governed by men, not by the mirror,” Fu had explained. “No matter how miraculous it is, it’s nothing more than an artifact. If it could make decisions without our consent, where would that leave us? Once a precedent like that is set, wouldn’t the entire Alliance be thrown into disarray?”
“As for why even its judgments can’t be trusted blindly...”
Mirror Holder Fu had fallen silent for a long while before murmuring, “No truly great disaster can befall the Xuanhuang Realm. No matter what happens, nothing can shake the positions of people like us.”
“The Tianxuan Mirror’s judgment is based on pure, rational deduction. Long ago, we attempted to utilize more of its capabilities to better manage the Immortal Alliance. But...”
Mirror Holder Fu had paused, then let out a dry chuckle. “Heh, it actually started making suggestions about *us*.”
“It’s best if it just remains an[artifact].”
Sun Luyuan understood. The true rulers of the Immortal Alliance would never allow the Tianxuan Mirror to rise above them. They had to keep power firmly clutched in their own hands. Besides, the mirror was, in the end, an artifact; whether it could be trusted completely was still an open question.
After a long period of contemplation, the ambitious thoughts stirring in Sun Luyuan’s heart began to settle.
“The Immortal Alliance has ruled for so many years; its roots run deep, and its resources are unimaginably vast. With the Dharma Spreader himself holding everything in check, how could it be so easily shaken?” The thought made his earlier impulse seem utterly absurd.
“However, nothing is absolute.”
Recalling the various issues he had witnessed in the Alliance’s daily operations chipped away at his confidence.
“For now, I shall simply observe. This Great Qi...”
“If they truly manage to build momentum, it won’t be too late to make a decision then.”
As the head of his family, his every action determined the lives and fortunes of hundreds. He had to be exceedingly cautious.
Pushing the information deep into the recesses of his mind, Sun Luyuan turned his attention back to his brother’s condition.
His brother’s agonized expression moments ago had truly worried him.
Just then, Sun Luyao seemed to be slowly recovering from the endless torment.
“Brother, I’m fine,” Sun Luyao said, a pained smile on his face. “For you, for the Sun family, I can hold on a while longer.”
Sun Luyuan’s heart clenched. A thousand replies welled up inside him, yet all he could offer was silence.
“By the way, brother, you just said that Lord Fu’s mission this time is to find the Tianxuan Mirror’s human incarnation? What is that about?”
The underground chamber had been quiet for a long time, but Sun Luyao finally broke the silence.
Sun Luyuan began to explain. “Lord Fu has discovered that the other Mirror Holder, Cang, seems to be plotting something in secret. Within the lineage of Mirror Holders, Cang belongs to the hardline faction, always advocating for stricter restrictions on the Tianxuan Mirror. But recently, his attitude has started to waver.”
“Lord Fu believes Cang’s abnormal behavior might be connected to the Tianxuan Mirror’s incarnation.”
Sun Luyao seemed to find this hard to grasp. “...How did he come to that conclusion?”
Sun Luyuan shook his head. “That I do not know. Perhaps Lord Fu knows something else that he chose not to share with me.”
“Although it’s only speculation, he has given the order, and we must do our best to complete it.”
“Fortunately, he understands how difficult this task is and hasn’t been too demanding.”
Sun Luyuan let out a cold snort.
Then he looked at Sun Luyao. “It just means you’ll have to suffer again.”
Sun Luyao did not reply immediately.
After a moment, he said quietly, “Then let’s begin. While my condition is still stable.”
With a complicated expression, Sun Luyuan nodded and took out a Tianxuan Minor Mirror from his robes.
He held it opposite the Immeasurable Black Mirror.
An invisible field instantly descended upon the secret chamber, and a channel seemed to form between the two mirrors. Countless phantoms, interwoven with threads of green light, streamed through the channel and were devoured by the Immeasurable Black Mirror.
Sun Luyao’s hazy silhouette began to flicker and destabilize.
An irrepressible greed flashed in his eyes as he gazed at the Tianxuan Minor Mirror, but he forcibly suppressed the urge in the next instant.
As his expression shifted between avarice and control, more and more information was siphoned from the Tianxuan Minor Mirror.
Sun Luyuan watched the process nervously, monitoring every change.
Seeing that the duration was about the same as their previous attempts, he prepared to put the Tianxuan Minor Mirror away.
“Brother, wait a little longer!”
Sun Luyuan hesitated.
The longer they spied on the Tianxuan Mirror, the greater the risk of being discovered. A series of short attempts was far safer than one prolonged session.
But Sun Luyao’s next words sent a jolt through him.
“The human incarnation... it’s actually real.”
“Brother, give me a little more time! I’ve already found some clues!”
This unexpected success was so sudden that Sun Luyuan was nearly overcome with joy.
But a second later, a new thought gave him pause. Was this just an excuse his brother had fabricated to devour more power?
It wouldn’t have been the first time.
“Trust me, brother!”
As if sensing his doubt through the bond they shared as brothers, Sun Luyao spoke out, his voice firm, dispelling Sun Luyuan’s suspicion.
Sun Luyuan gritted his teeth, and in the end, he did not put the Tianxuan Minor Mirror away.
Comments