Chapter 1208: Hidden Dangers in Xuanhuang
Having survived the ordeal, Li Fan began to reflect on the terrifying power he had just witnessed within the Immeasurable Mirror.
"Is this why the Immeasurable Mirror is damaged?"
"It felt even more potent than the True Immortal Scripts."
"Granted, I've only ever encountered replicas of the True Immortal Scripts. But what lingers in the mirror is merely a faint aftershock."
"Could the calamity of the Immortal World be related to this?"
Though his mind was flooded with a thousand questions, Li Fan decided against investigating further for now.
An existence capable of annihilating the Immortal World was far beyond his current ability to confront.
"Only a trace of it remains within the Immeasurable Mirror. Even if I could draw it out, it would barely cover a single city at most."
"It might prove useful, but only in a truly critical moment," Li Fan mused.
"An immortal artifact that once belonged to the Boundless Sect and resided in the Xuanhuang Realm... to think it would suffer such a fate."
"Doesn't that mean this calamity has happened in the Xuanhuang Realm before?"
"If a mere aftershock could shatter an immortal artifact, the event itself couldn't possibly have occurred without leaving any trace."
Li Fan's train of thought paused. He suddenly recalled two pivotal events that had altered the course of the Xuanhuang Realm's history, events that might be connected to this.
First, the inexplicable disappearance of the Xuantian King, Xuanyuan Hong.
Second, the disappearance of six supreme Longevity cultivators during their attempt to encircle the Dharma Spreader, who at that time had only reached the Dao Integration stage.
"These individuals stood at the very pinnacle of power in their respective eras."
"Within the Xuanhuang Realm, nothing ordinary could possibly harm them. Unless..."
A thought flickered in Li Fan's mind.
"A power that transcends the mundane."
Li Fan's thoughts turned to the Tiandu Grandmaster, who had arrived in the Xuanhuang Realm after the great calamity and had remained secluded in Yuandao Province ever since his injury.
"Was his arrival back then really a coincidence?"
A thick fog of doubt now clouded Li Fan's mind.
This matter also served as a wake-up call.
Even though his perspective had expanded beyond the Xuanhuang Realm, reaching the far shores of the Star Sea, there were still mysteries and powers within his own world that he could not yet fathom or approach.
He would have to proceed with the utmost caution in all things.
While these thoughts swirled in his mind, Sun Luyuan hastily returned.
He refined a large mass of blood essence along with several other materials and added the mixture to the pool.
The water in the pool, which had grown dim, once again began to shimmer with a vibrant, flowing light.
Li Fan turned his attention to the state of the Immeasurable Mirror.
It had almost reverted to the state before it absorbed the fragment.
However, it was now more complete than before. Li Fan was confident that once Sun Luyao awakened, its condition would improve somewhat.
Moreover, Li Fan had caught a glimpse of the more complete Boundless, Primordial Vision Array. A perfect restoration was out of the question, but he was certain he could make some necessary repairs.
Three days later, Sun Luyao, the spirit of the Immeasurable Mirror, finally stirred from his deep slumber.
"Brother, I need some things."
After listing the materials needed to repair the array, he slipped back into unconsciousness.
Sun Luyuan studied the list of materials his brother had given him and hurried off to gather them.
During this time, the Chen family, fearing retaliation from a desperate Sun Luyuan, had been keeping a close watch on his every move.
But Sun Luyuan seemed to have completely forgotten about them. He was constantly coming and going, apparently preoccupied with some urgent matter.
This left the Chen family bewildered.
To add to their uncertainty, they still couldn't reach their backer at the Myriad Immortals Alliance Headquarters, Dharma Transmitter Chang.
Thus, the Chen family chose to lie low and observe the situation.
Sparing no expense, Sun Luyuan quickly gathered all the necessary materials.
Though it appeared as if Sun Luyao was absorbing them, it was actually a sliver of Li Fan's consciousness at work.
As the shattered core of the array was restored, the Immeasurable Mirror's condition gradually stabilized.
After hearing about his brother's ordeal, Sun Luyuan's brow furrowed tightly.
"Brother, do you remember the ancient ruins where we first found this mirror?"
Sun Luyao paused, taken aback.
"I always thought those ruins were just an ancient site worn down by the passage of time. But now that you mention it..."
Sun Luyuan's face darkened. "It looks as if that place was destroyed by the very storm of annihilation from within the mirror..."
"Perhaps its power had already been unleashed once, which is why we were able to seize the opportunity. Otherwise, with our cultivation back then, we would have never been able to claim it."
As Sun Luyao recalled the scene from all those years ago, he slowly began to understand.
"That's possible. I remember we found almost nothing of value in those ruins. The few items the Tianxuan Mirror even recognized were worth very few contribution points..."
"Just focus on your recovery," Sun Luyuan said, his voice low and serious. "After some time, I'll return to those ruins to investigate. The entrance was well hidden, and since it was just a wasteland, it probably hasn't changed much over the years. I might find something."
"Be careful, brother," Sun Luyao cautioned, not trying to dissuade him.
"And then there's the Chen family..." Sun Luyuan suddenly let out a cold snort.
He remembered the scene the Immeasurable Mirror had inexplicably shown him.
"The power locked in a stalemate with the Myriad Immortals Alliance... it seemed to be the Great Qi, the same dynasty my brother investigated."
"So, the Tianxuan Mirror's prediction has some basis after all."
"Two great marvels, both pointing to the same future..."
"It seems it's time to try and make contact with them."
Naturally, Sun Luyuan wouldn't make the approach himself, not at first.
After all, the Great Qi had not yet openly declared themselves enemies of the Myriad Immortals Alliance. He would send a trusted subordinate to investigate first before deciding on his next move.
By comparison, the Immeasurable Mirror was a much greater concern. What he had once considered a supreme treasure had now become a ticking time bomb, a calamity waiting to erupt. That worried Sun Luyuan far more.
His brother had become the mirror's spirit; abandoning it was out of the question.
After some preparation, Sun Luyuan decided to first return to the ruins he and his brother had found so long ago.
The incident at the Hundred Stone Grotto-Heaven made it clear that the Chen family was still watching him from the shadows.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Sun Luyuan directly contacted an old friend.
Ji Hongdao!
"Old Ji," Sun Luyuan said, contacting him through a spirit talisman, "there's something I need your help with..."
Soon, Ji Hongdao arrived at the Sun family's gate.
"Hahaha, Old Sun!" Ji Hongdao boomed with laughter. "Looks like I can finally repay that favor I've owed you all these years."
Once they were inside, his voice dropped to a whisper. "I heard you've had a run-in with the Chen family recently?"
"Yes," Sun Luyuan admitted frankly. "They somehow found out about the treasure Luyao inhabits."
Ji Hongdao nodded in understanding.
"Don't worry. They may have a Dharma Transmitter backing them, but you have a Mirror Holder in your corner, Old Sun."
"Now that their little scheme has been exposed, they won't dare to try anything again anytime soon."
Sun Luyuan replied with a grave expression, "A cornered dog is a dangerous foe. We can't be too careful. That's why I must trouble you on this trip, my friend."
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