Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror

Chapter 324 - 297: Arrival

The cold wind cut sharp, rain streamed down, mist pressed low between heaven and earth, thunder brooded long within the ink-dark storm clouds, growling with a muffled rumble.

Li Tongya rode the wind, streaking across the sky like a shooting star; beneath his feet, mountain woods swayed ceaselessly in the downpour, with leaves and branches flying, yet he passed through expressionless, the rain by his side drawn by the vast sea of immortal power, forming a dozen pale Azure little flood dragons coiling about him.

"Bianyan Mountain."

He gazed far into the distance, eyes narrowed and sinister, the landscape before him flickering in and out of clarity, the undulating ranges twisted like sly vipers, all crooked and snaking. Li Tongya had long cultivated to Foundation Establishment, ever solemn and clear-minded, yet now after flying merely half a day, he felt himself sunk in haze, dulled and nearly drowsy.

Though only a few hundred li remained to Bianyan Mountain, Li Tongya slowed more and more, the road ahead splitting into dozens of paths; anger welled up in his heart, but he restrained himself, muttering inwardly:

"Who knows how many Zifu Divine Skills have clashed in the few hundred li I’ve flown..."

He gritted down, holding his mind steady, yet suddenly the Mysterious Pearl Talisman Seed in his Sea of Qi Acupoint blazed forth with luminance, a cool current surged from his Shengyang Mansion, winding through his mind and spirit, clearing his thoughts in an instant.

"This is..."

The haze and distractions drained completely from Li Tongya’s mind, his joy impervious; he sensed the direction of Bianyan Mountain, promptly shut his eyes, drew in his spiritual sense, and arrowed straight for the distant goal.

The mists of Bianyan Mountain endure countless years unbroken, winding throughout the ranges, and now, under torrential rain and brightened heavens, the cold emptiness felt all the sharper. Guided by intuition, Li Tongya descended among the peaks, slowly opened his eyes, and cast out his spiritual sense.

Before him stretched a ruin, heavy rain splattered unchecked, flaring pale-red blood blossoms; at his feet lay a shattered signboard, split in three, its gold-lacquered characters burning the eye:

"Zhenhui Observatory."

————

Where Li Tongya’s eyes could not reach, within the Great Void, nine streams of radiance stood in empty space—some weighed heavy as mountains, some rose and fell, some brimmed with life—each charged with distinctive power, their lights interleaving in the Void.

The Dharma Lights of Divine Skills wove together, each pulling the situation toward a different fate, colliding ceaselessly, distorting the ether with webs of conflict.

As Li Tongya drew nearer to Bianyan Mountain, each Zifu master crafted hand-seals in unceasing defense; at last, one could endure no further, stood solemnly, sneered and spoke:

"You all keep tugging on destiny, just to snatch a few more fragments of Metal Nature and fortune—a harmless thing. But if an accident happens, that little serpent survives, Furious Moha senses something amiss and forges a new reincarnation, none among us could endure the consequences!"

"Heh!"

No sooner had the words left this Zifu’s mouth, another Zifu snorted in derision, replying:

"Chang Xi, oh Chang Xi, seems you couldn’t refine your Fate Divine Skill, so you can only sit and watch, choking yourself and prattling with these dreary warnings!"

"You!"

Changxi Perfected Person was clearly at odds with this Zifu, but having reached the Zifu stage, none here were fools—they did not take easy offense; he feigned a flicker of anger, but kept quiet. The other Zifu pressed on, laughing:

"Chuting Taoist Fellow proved the Dao with Fate Divine Skill, sprouted his second Immortal Foundation in less than fifty years of breakthrough; you’ve cultivated your Zifu for a century, still inferior to a junior—how amusing."

Changxi Perfected Person instead laughed, answering:

"Chuting Taoist Fellow is gifted beyond compare, I cannot match. Urgent matters are at hand, I need not quarrel. Just mind your Guoling Peak, lest it tumble into the sea."

"Heh... Duanmu Kui was meek as a quail in life; now, with Duanmu Kui dead, the spirit stirs storms and chaos..."

The mocking Zifu spat, while Changxi Perfected Person shot him a cold glance, retorting:

"Leave me be. If you practiced ’Foolish Rushing Mountain,’ when you hear ’Responding Emperor’ was destroyed, perhaps you’d be scared enough to disperse your cultivation and start anew."

"Haha."

The Zifu laughed, even with a hint of agreement, finally falling silent. The Zifu masters watched in muted tension, until a clear voice rang out:

"Taoist Friends, he’s flying too swiftly."

The array of Zifu quietly formed hand-seals, several nodding and loosening their spells, but unexpectedly, Li Tongya was untouched; he merely paused, closed his eyes, then sped straight for Bianyan Mountain. The rest were stupefied, until the clear voice spoke again:

"Chuting Taoist Fellow! Restrain your Divine Skills!"

These few ascended to Zifu because their minds were unmatched; each could discern who benefited without spoken word, and all their gazes fell upon Xiao Chuting. In white robes, a jade fishing pole slung over his shoulder, swathed in pale-blue Dharma Light, riding colored brilliance, Xiao Chuting remained impassive, though inwardly alarmed.

"I have already loosened my Divine Skills... It’s assuredly not my doing! Could it be another... Is it Da Li Mountain’s master? Or Xiuyue Sect?"

He swept his gaze round; deep and subtle, Xiao Chuting realized himself the target of all suspicion, but did not flinch—instead, saw a fine chance to wave the great banner, and calmly said:

"It is the work of our predecessor, not the strength of Chuting."

All the Zifu fell momentarily silent, glancing at one another with fractured suspicions; someone murmured:

"If all of us are rendered helpless, is there any Zifu in South River so domineering? It surely cannot be Shangyuan Taoist Fellow?"

"Shangyuan is a Sword Immortal, not a Shaman Immortal; how could he? Besides, Xiuyue Sect has always been loftily aloof, they’d never stoop to this."

As Li Tongya shot towards Bianyan Mountain, one Zifu gently pinched a calculation, murmured:

"At this pace, it’s perfect. Furious Moha will swallow the little serpent, and the big serpent will arrive at this observatory just in time."

"So the battle must be joined in this observatory?"

Two Zifu exchanged a few words; the clear voice—clearly superior—paused briefly, then interrupted:

"Chuting Taoist Fellow, may I ask which predecessor intervened?"

"Tianyuan Taoist Fellow."

Xiao Chuting smiled faintly, replying:

"Chuting truly cannot say."

Xiao Chuting answered ambiguously; the Zifu masters were embarrassed for a moment, but someone quickly eased the tension, laughing:

"If Furious Moha possesses the body, that is sufficient. No need to be too greedy... After all, walking the Great Void and stirring at destiny comes at great cost; if it’s done here at the observatory, no need to wait—Taoist Friends, resolve Moha quickly, then return to your own affairs..."

"Agreed."

As he spoke, several Zifu echoed assent, one even gave a wry laugh:

"We are newly ascended to Zifu, far from the seniors who roam the Great Void long; if we keep at it, we’ll only lose Divine Skills and cultivation, and risk letting Furious Moha escape."

At these words, all Zifu turned to Tianyuan Perfected Person; a full breath passed before the clear voice sounded again:

"Good."

None spoke further within the Great Void; the clear voice also grew silent, the nine streams of colored light gazed wordlessly down upon Bianyan Mountain, awaiting their moment.