"Little fellow, see you later," said the Five Elements God Master to Ning Zhuo, then disappeared right on the spot.
Lonely Sword Lord nodded slightly and then also vanished from sight.
The group followed Grass Saint Zhang Huaixu onward.
They moved from one formation space to another, one after another...
After more than a dozen Array-in-Arrays, everyone had experienced curiosity, shock, and a numbing emotional journey.
Sun Lingtong, rubbing his forehead, yelled, "Oh heavens, just look at the level of protection! It's absolutely maddening. Even a capital city doesn't have this level of defense!"
"These Arrays are interconnected, nested within each other, what place in the world could possibly have deeper defenses than here?"
"I admire Lin Bufan's determination to target the Reflected Wall!"
Ning Zhuo couldn't help but turn his head to look at Lin Bufan.
This Nascent Soul Level Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect, now wore a pallid expression on his face.
He had never delved this deep before, and it was his first real insight into the fact that the original Luminous Mirror had over twenty layers of Defensive Magic Arrays, each one comparable to the likes of the Jade Drip Formation and more.
Lin Bufan had spent over a hundred years only for the Mountain God to erode the outermost two Defensive Magic Arrays of the original wall.
At this moment, he was horrified to find that his century of effort was less than ten percent of the whole!
Grass Saint Zhang Huaixu said leisurely, "All these arrays were crafted by the Dharma Bodies reflected below."
"Such as Chen Xuanyi, Wang Jiu, Zhao Yuanji, Zhou Qingcheng, Li Tianye, and others."
Lin Bufan's complexion turned even paler.
Everyone Zhang Huaixu had mentioned was famously powerful in formation arrays throughout history.
For Lin Bufan to erode these arrays was akin to facing the combined forces of these historical sages alone.
Was there any hope left?
For a moment, Lin Bufan felt quite disheartened.
This was an underground cavern, its depth unknown.
Originally dark and desolate, perennially cold and damp, the cavern had been gradually transformed because it had housed the Luminous Mirror for a long time.
The hanging stone stalactites had all turned into jade, crystal clear, with shimmering translucence.
The cavern walls too seemed carved from jade, smooth as mirrors, emitting a soft radiance of gold and silver.
The cavern's stone columns, standing tall, were all suffused with the color of jade, like imposing towers of splendor.
At the bottom of the cavern was a clear spring, its waters glistening. The halo from the Reflected Wall cast upon it made the water sparkle with gold and silver, resembling the treasure pond of the Dragon Palace, dazzling and magnificent.
In the spring swam a school of fish, their bodies transparent. As they moved, light and shadows intertwined, creating a kaleidoscope of colors.
"Wait, is this Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Water Essence?" Zhu Xuanji's eyes flashed with a golden gleam as he exclaimed softly.
Everyone was immediately captivated by the school of fish, their eyes intense.
Disturbed by the fervent gazes, the fish quickly sank to the bottom, turned into clear water, and disappeared from sight.
But even that fleeting glimpse had Ning Zhuo astounded: "There must be at least two or three hundred of these fish. Two to three hundred Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Water Essence?!"
"No, the larger ones among them, are they more than ten thousand years old?"
The air inside the cave was not at all stale, it was fresh and full of Spirit Movement, refreshing to the heart and mind.
Despite the rich Spiritual Energy, it was merely thick, not foggy, and did not obstruct the view.
In such an environment, the true nature of the Luminous Mirror was finally revealed to everyone.
It stood about three zhang high and was more than two zhang wide, shaped like a gigantic mirror, but its surface was slightly curved.
It appeared semi-transparent, primarily made of a large piece of colored glass crystal. The glowing halo on its surface was quite miraculous, sometimes like the gentle softness of the first morning light; sometimes like the brilliant glow of the setting sun. As the light shifted, so did the scene within the cavern.
At times, it seemed as though myriad flowers bloomed in spring; at other times, as though the starry river dazzled in an autumn night.
This scene, this feeling, was just like a heaven, resplendent with brilliant jade and gold.
The people found themselves in it, marveling and lingering as if they were ordinary and secular.
"Is this the Luminous Mirror then?" The Spiritual Treasure that Lin Bufan had been yearning for over countless years was right before his eyes, yet his expression was extremely complex.
"Where is my elder brother?" Lin Shanshan asked after her astonishment.
"He is within the wall, facing off against demon beasts." A female cultivator's Dharma Body stepped out from the Reflected Wall.
Her appearance was as if sculpted by heaven—her eyebrows like distant ink, her eyes like autumn water, her nose elegantly arched, and her lips cherry red.
Her skin was as white as snow, emitting a faint jade glow.
She wore a light green silk gown, its hem beautifully embroidered with white magnolia flowers, complementing her temperament perfectly.
Now, as she walked forth, her gown floated gracefully as if it were flowing clouds and water.
At her waist hung a jade belt, the belt embedded with lustrous, full white pearls.
In her hair, several delicate jade hairpins were adorned, each carved vividly. Hanging from her earlobes were two small, exquisitely delicate white jade earrings, which gently swayed as she moved. On her wrists, she wore a pair of crystal-clear jade bracelets that tinkled with a clear, melodious sound when they lightly collided.
Her temperament was graceful and gentle, each movement radiating tranquility and grace, as if she were a polished piece of beautiful jade.
Her voice was as soft as flowing water, always carrying a bit of concern and thoughtfulness, making those around her feel as if bathed in the warmth of spring.
It was indeed the Jingyu Immortal Princess!
The appearance of the Immortal Princess instantly dazzled everyone, making them hold their breath, feeling as if the underground cavern had suddenly transformed into a magnificent Dragon Palace.
Such a character truly inspired heartfelt admiration.
The people bowed down, and when they rose, the heavens and earth had transformed; they were drawn into the Luminous Mirror.
"Ladies and gentlemen, look down." The Jingyu Immortal Princess gestured to the ground as she addressed the crowd.
Beneath the feet of everyone, like clouds and seas, rapidly dispersed, revealing a vast, intertwined nest of crimson and deep sea colors.
The demon nest loomed like the gates of hell, its powerful demon aura striking out like a tsunami, chilling one to the bone.
The exterior of the nest was made up of countless black vines, twisted and clinging like dancing snakes, constantly wriggling, producing a soft rustling sound as if voicing endless resentment. The thorny vines, sharp as blades, dripped dark red venom, filling the air with a foul stench.
A multitude of massive skeletons lay scattered both inside and around the nest, each distinct in shape, some human, some beast, all battered and showing clear signs of gnawing—fierce and terrifying to chill one's very soul.
Furthermore, large pieces of eerie green demon stones flickered, ghastly and peculiar. The shadows flitted about, making the scenery within the nest shift between light and dark, as if countless aggrieved souls were wailing in the ghostly light. Under the illumination of the demon stones, everyone could barely make out numerous winding passageways. These pathways twisted and turned like the blood vessels of the abyss, connecting the entire nest into a single entity, naturally formed.
Within important nodes of the nest were spread ancient demon altars. The altars were covered with ancient talismans, the runes profound, emitting an evil and intense demon aura. The altars were filled with various implements, some broken, others stained with dried blood, clearly used for wicked sacrifices.
And in the deepest part of the nest, deep abyssal holes, dark as ink, unfathomable. From within, constant low roars and piercing screams were incessantly emitted.
Merely from afar, everyone felt a chill rushing from their feet to their Heavenly Spirit. The demon aura was so overwhelming, suffocating as if they were in an endless nightmare with no hope of escape.
Jingyu Immortal Princess softly said, "This is an Unparalleled Demon Nest."
"The way of demons, originating from beyond the heavens."
"This unparalleled demon nest descended from the skies, is the origin of worldly demons, indestructible, only to be suppressed and sealed."
"In the past, Emperor Wu led his army to besiege Kunlun Mountain, determined to suppress the unparalleled demon nest to resolve the demon calamity from its roots."
"However, the demon nest was indestructible, constantly active, spawning countless demon beasts; ordinary methods could hardly suppress it for long."
"Emperor Wu, his military advisor, and other senior cultivators pondered deeply and finally joined forces to create the Luminous Mirror. I, the Five Elements God Master, and others personally went to Kunlun Mountain to secretly battle, eventually sealing the unparalleled demon nest and securing a decisive victory."
Jingyu Immortal Princess revealed an ancient secret.
She continued, "The Luminous Mirror itself is a Spiritual Treasure, capable of reflecting many sages and retaining their images, creating Dharma Bodies. Dharma Bodies could only move within the Mirror, possessing all the combat strength of the cultivator's original body."
"Over countless years, the unparalleled demon nest has spawned endless demon beasts, and I have been in charge of the Luminous Mirror, utilizing the emerging geniuses and great sages over the millennia to create Dharma Bodies to counterbalance."