The two pondered this for a while, then Li Qinghong spoke in a low voice, "Maybe another perspective is worth considering: was Xu Xiao's death also destined? Could his death have ensured the Six Ding Merging Fire Token would land in Guo Hongyao's hands? Even if he had not died, he might not have parted with the artifact."
Li Xijun mulled over the sequence of events before asking, "Aunt, did you bring back the immortal mirror?"
"Of course I did. With such an extended stay overseas, Yuanjiao insisted."
Li Qinghong then produced the mirror.
Li Xijun nodded. "In that case, if Xu Xiao was indeed under a destined path, he would not have died here naturally. But since Auntie wielded the mirror, it fell outside the threads of fate and disturbed its influence, leading to his swift end."
Li Qinghong raised her brows in slight confusion and said gently, "Then why would a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator from Crimson Reef Island not claim the Six Ding Merging Fire Token themselves? Not much time has passed since it fell from the great void..."
Li Xijun looked down.
"My guess is that Guo Hongyao was the nearest Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator of Crimson Reef Island, but given the changes to the situation, the artifact is now beyond fate's grasp. But what still puzzles me... is how Xu Xiao advanced so quickly, rising to such a significant level within only a year or so. Even Chu Yi took over a decade to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, and Xu Xiao's skills fall short by comparison."
The two exchanged a silent look. Although they had rid themselves of him, the entire family had been thrown into disarray. Li Qinghong took out the storage pouch, sifting through a stack of overseas pills and talismans.
"It seems the Six Ding Merging Fire Token contains its own storage; otherwise, Xu Xiao would not have amassed such wealth."
These items did not pique her interest. She only picked up the small, golden-red ring, roughly the width of a pinky finger, and neither metallic nor silver in appearance. Despite her experience, she could not discern anything special about it. The ring emitted a hazy red glow, and a faint inscription in small characters read: "Sun Seeker Ring, by Lu Jiangxian of the Green Pine Temple."
"A relic from the ancient Green Pine Temple—how exceedingly ancient. It is probably best not to display it openly." Li Qinghong praised the ring briefly, unable to gauge its grade but guessing it was likely a unique flying shuttle. Just as she was about to store it, the Immortal Mirror on the table suddenly burst with a dazzling light.
The radiance was brilliant and clear, as if the sun had risen over the land, casting beams of resplendent light that filled the room. Unlike the mirror's usual cool, moon-like glow, it now emanated the warmth of a vast desert sun, filling the chamber with a fragrance of gardenias.
"Ah!"
Li Qinghong cried out involuntarily, swiftly joining her hands to raise the mirror. She looked up to see the Sun Seeker Ring trembling as if it were crying or laughing in joy, shaking free of Li Xijun's grip and leaping into the air instantly, also bursting forth in radiant light.
The room grew stifling hot in an instant, with golden sands cascading down from above, filling the chamber. Faintly, the chirping of orioles and the calls of deer could be heard, accompanied by the soft jingle of camel bells.
Clang!
At the moment the golden light appeared, every plant on Mount Qingdu swelled with vigor, animals filled with vitality, and vegetation flourished. In the underground chamber, a sweaty Li Ximing suddenly looked relieved, his aura surging rapidly.
The light swiftly spread throughout the area. The Sun Seeker Ring on the table gave a gentle roll, and the mysterious energy abruptly receded, disappearing without a trace.
————
The inner world of the mirror...
As Lu Jiangxian followed Li Qinghong on her return, his expansive divine sense stretched out, observing the Li Family estate just as Guo Hongyao was descending. Scanning the area, he detected no trace of a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator.
Meanwhile, an ethereal golden aura shrouded the once-proud Xu Xiao, now faint and diminishing like water evaporating under the sun. On the other hand, the Six Ding Merging Fire Token in Guo Hongyao's hand pulsed subtly with an unnatural liveliness that didn't belong to an ordinary spirit artifact.
One glance told Lu Jiangxian everything he needed to know.
"This spirit artifact is far from ordinary... There must be some sinister aspect to it. Xu Xiao—he was likely just a source for its sustenance. Perhaps he once held a thread of fate, but after this ordeal, he has been nearly drained dry by this artifact."
With that, Lu Jiangxian figured out everything: it was likely that the spirit artifact or its master had forcibly accelerated Xu Xiao's cultivation, feeding him various elixirs to artificially raise his cultivation, only to drain him dry afterward. Now, having been taken by Guo Hongyao, she too was unlikely to escape a grim fate.
A Purple Mansion Realm spirit artifact that can traverse the great void—it could have returned to Crimson Reef Island at any time. It seems to be deliberately avoiding other Purple Mansion Realm cultivators by wandering outside.
Considering how the artifact's influence eroded the mind, Lu Jiangxian concluded that Guo Hongyao might not even survive the journey back. He glanced at her briefly and dismissed her from his thoughts. Instead, he focused on observing the changes in Xu Xiao's condition while the last vestiges of life remained in him.
"Too bad I cannot establish contact with him directly. If I could access his memories, I'd likely find a wealth of information—perhaps even techniques from the Merging Fire system."
The Golden Palace Radiant Origin Manual , Purple Mansion Realm Edition, that he held in his hands was nearly complete, though since he had not personally cultivated it, his understanding of the text fell short of the original author's insights. The Purple Mansion Realm section could barely pass as adequate.
Just then, Li Xijun approached from outside, holding a golden red ring. As Lu Jiangxian's divine sense scanned it, he read the small inscription inside the ring and froze.
"Lu Jiangxian of Green Pine Temple...! I... was a disciple of the Green Pine Temple?! That's...!"
For the first time, the hazy layers of his inner world began to lift, and the space filled with countless rays of golden light. Lu Jiangxian stood there, momentarily stunned, gazing at the sky now painted in vibrant hues. He took in the name of the artifact, chewing over it slowly.
"The Sun Seeker Ring..?"
As the Sun Seeker Ring radiated golden light, fragments of his memories flickered within Lu Jiangxian's mind, hazy and veiled in mist. He saw, faintly, mountain peaks blanketed in pine and vast plains stretching as far as the eye could see.
Strange. The Green Pine Temple ruins are supposed to be on a coastal island... Why do I see endless plains?
A brief wave of confusion swept over him, only to be drowned out by the subsequent flood of indistinct memories.
"Green Pine Temple... Yingze..."
For a brief moment, he froze, but the memories evaporated like mist, as though forcibly erased by some unseen power. Lu Jiangxian muttered a curse under his breath, his face flushing with frustration.
At that moment, the golden light above grew brighter, becoming a piercing, almost blinding white. His consciousness reeled back from its intensity, unable to withstand the blazing radiance. The Sun Seeker Ring itself transmitted an eager, jubilant energy, like that of a child discovering a new plaything. It cast a fragment of golden light.
The beam drifted down like a bird and settled in his palm. Surrounding him, ethereal sounds began to echo around him—birdsong, the calls of deer...
This strange golden light seemed to emerge from a narrow aperture, projecting outward in a cone shape. Its sharp point grew so intensely bright that it turned white, trembling as it connected with the great void beyond.
Lu Jiangxian stared at the golden light in stunned silence, barely able to process what he saw. Almost speechless, he managed to murmur out in astonishment.
"Bright Yang Metallic Essence..?!"