"Elder Brother's artifact has some peculiarities." Li Qinghong handed over the jade bottle, presenting it briefly before removing her own mana and spiritual sense. She then passed it to Li Xuanfeng, allowing him to infuse it with his own essence.
The surface of the bottle shimmered with golden brilliance, releasing a bright golden mist that danced and leaped across Li Xuanfeng's fingertips. He lowered his gaze to inspect it for a moment before replying, "An artifact from the ancient Wei State. It might have belonged to the Bright Yang. Bring it back to the family and let the juniors test it—perhaps it may reveal different effects."
The two ascended into the skies, riding the wind. As they flew over rivers and shifting landscapes below, Li Xuanfeng's thoughts drifted to the lake. Suddenly, he turned back and asked, "I have heard that my elder brother's inner demons have plagued him, leaving his Dao Heart unstable. Is this true?"
Li Qinghong nodded slightly, seemingly anticipating his line of thought. Sure enough, Li Xuanfeng calculated something with his fingers before asking again, "Did my elder brother later have any other children?"
"He did not," Li Qinghong replied softly. "There have been no more descendants. Those mortal kin of ours... they all passed away some years ago."
Li Xuanfeng spoke hoarsely, "Elder Brother... the loss of his last child in the grotto heaven must be leaving him in unbearable agony."
The two flew in silence, the atmosphere heavy with grief. The sky alternated between light and shadow as time passed. Eventually, they reached the lakeside. Torrential rain poured down, drenching the landscape. Mount Qingdu stood solemnly amidst the storm. As Li Xuanfeng had never returned after leaving, his imprint was absent from the mountain's formations. Thus, Li Qinghong activated the formation, allowing them to land on the peak together.
Once within the mountain's protective barrier, Li Qinghong respectfully handed the Immortal Mirror back to Li Xuanfeng. He accepted it with both hands, and the two proceeded forward together.
By the stone steps on the mountainside stood a young girl. She was dressed in a white gown, her phoenix-shaped almond eyes radiating a quiet beauty. Li Qinghong spoke gently, "This is elder brother's surviving child."
Li Xuanfeng nodded silently, watching as Li Qinghong took the girl's hand. He stepped forward on the somewhat unfamiliar stone steps, his voice soft as he said, "I will head to the ancestral shrine first, go and gather everyone."
Li Qinghong understood Li Xuanfeng's intention to return the Immortal Mirror and report his accomplishments. Leading Li Yuexiang away, she left him to ascend the path alone. Step by step, Li Xuanfeng approached the ancestral shrine, closing the heavy doors behind him and isolating himself from the outside world.
Inside, he bowed solemnly before a row of ancestral tablets, confirming with the Immortal Mirror that no Purple Mansion Realm experts were nearby. Only then did he open the door to the stone chamber and place the pale grayish-blue Immortal Mirror atop the mystical spirit altar. From his belongings, he retrieved the jade buckle.
In an instant, the pale grayish-blue Immortal Mirror lit up, trembling violently and emitting waves of dazzling white light.
A mist of moon-white hue surged forth, casting a luminous glow across the ground. In this light, clusters of complexly patterned osmanthus flowers bloomed, their golden-white blossoms drooping delicately with golden stamens, exuding a fragrant aroma. From the dim corners of the room, a few sprightly rabbits and toads leaped out, their movements lively and animated.
The scent of osmanthus flowers wafted through the air. Li Xuanfeng raised the jade buckle high in both hands, which began to emit a soft light.
He had already inspected the jade buckle earlier. Sweeping his spiritual sense over it revealed that it was made of ordinary jade. After Yu Muxian's death, it had shown no reactions—neither signs of acknowledging a new master nor changes in brightness.
But now, the jade buckle finally reacted. A stream of pure white light cascaded downward, entering the Immortal Mirror and vanishing within. The pale grayish-blue mirror surface glowed intensely, transforming into a brilliant, radiant white.
————
Within the Mirror World.
Lu Jiangxian sat cross-legged, slowly absorbing the feedback from the talisman seed. Li Yuanjiao's cultivation, while not exceptionally deep, had been the first mid-stage Foundation Establishment Realm talisman seed, far superior to the previous ones.
Lu Jiangxian had always been satisfied with and confident in Li Yuanjiao. The way he exchanged his life for Yu Muxian's death and the jade buckle revealed subtle layers of calculated deliberation. Not only did Lu Jiangxian comprehend it, but even those present, such as Li Xuanfeng and Xiao Yongling, could sense its meaning.
" Jiao dares not forget... Not many could have done better than you in fulfilling the promise to Li Tongya..."
Lu Jiangxian remained silent for a moment as scenes from the grotto heaven replayed in his mind like an unfolding animation. He watched as Li Yuanjiao reached the Three Drums Wall , entered the phantasm, and selected a technique to memorize.
The image froze on the final moment at the stone wall, where golden script floated across its surface. Lu Jiangxian's expression changed as his gaze fixated on the golden characters, True Insight Profound Method.
The four words seemed to carry a magnetic force, evoking countless thoughts in his mind. What truly shocked him was not the golden text of the scripture's principles but the very existence of these four characters.
Lu Jiangxian had not seen this particular script for more than ninety years.
"Seal Script..." The words were unmistakably written in the ancient style of his past life, the Small Seal Script.
The golden characters leaped from his memory, emerging from his pupils and hovering in the Mirror World's space. Lu Jiangxian remained seated at the center, his gaze growing brighter as the characters circled around him.
He remembered.
It was not a matter of learning or reading anew but of memories surging forth from deep within. Perhaps he had studied this scripture hundreds or even thousands of times before. Now, with sudden clarity, he recalled it all.
The True Insight Profound Method was originally named The Liangzhi Path of Radiant Truth and Supreme Enlightenment Sutra . It was an ancient method for cultivators to refine their nature, extend their lifespan, and ascend to immortality. In Lu Jiangxian's memories, he had already perfected it to its ultimate form.
Lu Jiangxian slowly opened his eyes, and his entire demeanor had completely transformed. He gently raised his hand, palm facing upward, and the Bright Yang Metallic Essence, resembling a radiant cone of light, emerged in his grasp.
Bright Radiant Yang Imperial Union Essence !
"Ah... So this is the nature of the Metallic Essence! Life and essence are intertwined, and the Metallic Essence and thread of fate are fundamentally one!" Countless revelations surged within his heart, yet he found himself unable to articulate them. Overwhelmed with joy, tears fell from his eyes as he muttered, "No wonder a Golden Core rebirth ties itself to a thread of fate... The Metallic Essence, when activated, naturally forges one's fate!"
The Metallic Essence in his hand had undergone a fundamental change compared to before. No longer inert, it now swirled warmly in his palm. Interlocking his index and middle fingers, he gently tapped the essence with his thumb, causing it to emit an even brighter radiance.
In an instant, Lu Jiangxian's robes transformed into garments of dazzling golden splendor, surrounded by rings of colorful light. Streams of spiritual qi and flames cascaded like rain, dancing around him.
Golden embers resembling the Supreme Yang Splendor Flame , the explosive brilliance of the Six Yang Radiance , and the luminous patterns of the Golden Yang Radiant Origin emerged around him, merging, fading, and evolving.
Though he had yet to claim the jade buckle, Lu Jiangxian's heart brimmed with indescribable joy. He whispered, "The greatest treasure of this journey is, without doubt, the True Insight Profound Method!"
Lu Jiangxian felt certain that with these immortal techniques, even if he unleashed the Bright Yang Essence into the world, no one could take it from him—unless the rightful owner of this Bright Yang Fruition descended in person.
To compare his former self, Lu Jiangxian mused, he had once been like a child holding a Foundation Establishment Realm artifact without the ability to wield it—perhaps only capable of using it to crack walnuts.
But now, he was a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator well-versed in various spells. Not only could he harness the metallic essence's myriad wonders, but through its guidance, he could gain insight into countless truths of the world!