The Five-Eyed Merciful One twisted his fingers to seize Xu Mu’s fate and calculate. His vision turned hazy, and soon, a great lake emerged before him. The rippling blue waters of the lake formed the outline of a crescent moon.
Towering peaks surrounded the lake. The islets within were either sealed by thunder or lush with verdant grass. The scenery was as tranquil and clear as moonlight. He studied it carefully and thought to himself, This should be Moongaze Marsh, one of the ancient Seven Lakes and Four Marshes... Now it’s merely Moongaze Lake... The Water Mansion of the Five Water Virtues, the authority over lakes and marshes, no longer manifests, and thus it has declined to this state...
As he continued his deductions, he suddenly caught sight of a young man in white. The youth had sword-like brows and starry eyes, while his body was cloaked in frost and snow. In his hand, a green-white sword radiated a piercing light.
Just then, a voice called out by his ear, “Li Xijun!”
The Five-Eyed Merciful One studied his face. His heart stirred as his eyes burned with desire. He then revealed a look of joy, This... is good... A face as if carved, his brow cold and sharp, his heart pure and bones of ice. Adept at severing mortal ties, he’s cold as winter snow and utterly merciless. He suits my Way of Emptiness even more than Xu Mu! I lost a copper sword, yet gained a blade of frost!
His heart surged with joy, thoroughly satisfied, And to think this man killed one of my Arhats! To kill and create karma is the greatest kind of karmic link! I don’t even need to go through great lengths to sever his fate and convert him, there’s already cause for him to fall into my hands!
The Merciful One scattered the divination, formed hand seals and chanted incantations. Radiant light burst forth from the back of his head as he observed carefully from the great void. He reached into his robes with a golden-lacquered arm and retrieved a small copper sword.
The copper sword had already snapped in two. Holding it in his palm, he began to chant, “In this place, the first boundless life is born of the great void. The five-eyed one seeks the cause of the broken sword, to fulfill the fruit of my Dao lineage... and bring salvation to all beings...”
Golden light shone from the Merciful One’s face as his eyes grew hazy. Soon, Li Xijun’s face appeared before him, and he couldn’t help but nod slowly, To divine him so easily... indeed, someone with no background or entanglements... Good...
The Five-Eyed Merciful One was a seasoned and ancient being, and had attempted reincarnation twice already. His divination arts stemmed from the extremely effective prophetic techniques of the late Zhou dynasty, but if one miscalculated when it came to a True Monarch, it could very well cost one’s life.
He was experienced enough to be well aware of the taboos. First, he used Xu Mu to calculate the fate of the Yu Family, then conducted further deduction at Moongaze Lake. Aside from Li Tongya, who had killed a Maha and whose parents’ fate remained obscure, the rest of the Li Family were ordinary enough that drawing their names revealed their faces.
Then there is no need to worry! thought the Five-Eyed Merciful One
The youth’s complexion was pale, and his eyes were tightly shut. He must have suffered greatly at Xu Mu’s hands. The Merciful One found this entirely reasonable, and the finger that had rested on his middle digit gently lifted.
Rumble.
The Merciful One felt like the heavens themselves had collapsed beside his ears. A burst of golden-white sparks exploded before his eyes, sending pain slicing through his heart like a drill. In the span of a single held breath, the back of his head turned icy cold, as though a pair of massive hands had reached into his soul and forcefully yanked it upward.
Woe!
Once again, he felt both spirit and flesh shatter. Something misty spilled down his face, leaving his limbs limp. His soul seemed to fly from his body, yet also felt trapped within. Hallucinations flickered before his eyes, alternating between light and dark, and then, he lost all consciousness.
————
Within the mirror’s world.
“They’ve finally arrived!” Lu Jiangxian materialized in mid-air like mist. The azure sword in his hand let out a faint cry, easing the tension in his heart.
Chi Buzi and the Water Mansion Immortal Official had obtained numerous Foundation Establishment Realm techniques, many of which included spell arts. For instance, Li Xizhi’s Dawn Dew Gathering Technique came with six supplementary spells, three secret techniques, as well as a footwork technique, escape spell, and other spell types. There was everything one could need.
He had originally been revising these one by one within the Mirror World. Azure Pond had many techniques and spell arts, so modifying the techniques was simple enough. Remove the head and tail, repackage them, and they could be granted freely.
But the spell arts were far more conspicuous, since most had been created by Azure Pond Sect and had its own distinct personal flair. Some were even famous; one glance was all it would take to recognize them.
He had no choice but to select a few spell arts of suitable grade, cross-reference them, and make careful edits. Although he had seen countless techniques and spell arts, writing them wasn’t something that could be done in a day.
Who would’ve thought that barely any time would pass before a buddhist cultivator attacked the Li Family?
Xu Mu, or rather, Yu Mujian, did not have particularly high sword cultivation, but he had a unique mindset. Clinging to a single phrase Li Tongya once spoke, he had hidden that sword strike for decades. When it was finally unleashed, it bore all the sharpness and killing intent of a true killer blow. In that instant, its power had nearly rivaled Li Xuanfeng’s full-force attack, reaching the pinnacle of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Though several Golden Core Realm cultivators had gone to the Outer Heavens, they were all too familiar with the methods of Daoist Masters and True Monarchs. This could very well be bait to lure the snake from its den. Lu Jiangxian didn’t believe for a moment that no one from Yue State was watching him. It would be best not to use the Supreme Yin Profound Light if possible.
So, he fully activated the Profound Pearl Talisman Seed, calming Li Xijun’s mind to a state of perfect clarity. Then, by combining it with the azure sword left behind by Li Chejing, he achieved a state akin to possession, allowing the youth to comprehend and wield the sword.
This is the lowest-risk method I could come up with...
Were it not for the immortal art he possessed, he would never have been able to make it look so seamless. After all, this was only a minor move at the Foundation Establishment Realm, an inspiration-born sword strike that left no trace.
Li Xijun also carried a talisman seed within him, which theoretically should’ve concealed anything unusual. Since everything seemed under control, Lu Jiangxian had paused his work to assist.
But the Merciful One’s divinations had begun tracing their way back, testing each step cautiously. Lu Jiangxian watched coldly and thought, Even the Jinlian Maha back then couldn’t detect anything wrong. What can a mere little Merciful One possibly see?
Sure enough, a few seconds later, the Five-Eyed Merciful One boldly began his divinations. Lu Jiangxian’s heart stirred, and an idea struck him. He rapped the table and an endless white jade palace from years past appeared before him.
Now, the intricate incantations etched around the hall were no longer mere decorative script, but true spellforms calculated using Metallic Essence and immortal arts. They were enough to mesmerize any who laid eyes on them.
Even his immortal seat was different; it had been remodeled from an altar. It was majestic and imposing as it stood high above the ground. Below it, endless white mist poured forth, forming countless shifting shapes.
This white mist had come from years of observing Purple Mansion Realm breakthroughs and Golden Core Realm cultivators battle. Combined with immortal arts, it truly contained the wondrous nature of Metallic Essence. Even a True Monarch might be stunned upon seeing it.
After arranging everything with care, he sat calmly upon the throne, and brought the Five-Eyed Merciful One before the hall as a radiant light bloomed upon his face.