Chapter 55: Breaking the Formation

Lu Jiangxian activated the Profound Pearl Sacrificial Spirit Art and then performed several hand seals to infuse Li Tongya’s spiritual sense with some information before activating the Profound Pearl Talisman Seed.

Suddenly, Li Tongya and the others felt a subtle movement in their Profound Pearl Talisman Seeds within their Qihai acupoint. They inexplicably sensed a type of connection with the mirror before them, as though they were connected by bloodline.

Even Li Xuanxuan, who was meditating with closed eyes in the small courtyard, felt this connection and opened his eyes, glancing toward the mountaintop.

As Li Tongya gazed at the mirror, the incantation for invoking the Reception Method sprang to his mind.

He quickly kneeled down and respectfully recited, “As a disciple of the Li Family, I, Li Tongya, respectfully request the Profound Light to grant me the Supreme Yin Profound Light to vanquish evil, cleanse impurity, and subdue demons!”

Following this, Lu Jiangxian slightly loosened his grip on the Supreme Yin Profound Light. Li Tongya was momentarily engulfed in a blur, losing sight of the stone platform and the white qi of the mirror.

He felt as if he were soaring high above, with Lijing Village sprawling beneath him. The vibrant life below and the cacophony of human and animal sounds were all vivid. With a mere thought, he could direct the brilliant Supreme Yin Profound Light to strike at any point at the foot of the mountain.

“How magical.”

His spiritual sense, now immensely expanded, whisked him along the mountain roads. He flew past courtyards and stone paths, soon leaving the village behind. The world before him blurred, snapping him back to awareness.

“Phew...”

Awakening as though from an intense dream, everything in front of him became clear in his eyes. He was greeted by the concerned faces of Li Xiangping and Li Mutian. Wiping away his sweat, he took a moment to recover before chuckling.

“This mirror is no ordinary artifact. It now acknowledges our family and allows us to harness the Supreme Yin Profound Light.”

After pondering a while, he continued, “To acquire this, just follow the invocation I just used. The Supreme Yin Profound Light requires a twelve-day interval between uses. All twelve runes around the frame of the mirror must be illuminated for activation. After harnessing the profound light, offerings of Spirit Rice and animal meat are necessary as tokens of gratitude.”

“Excellent. We can now address several challenges. We’ll attempt to break the formations on Mountain Meiche and acquire the Wan Family’s formation legacy. With this newfound ability, our family gains a vital defensive mechanism against powerful adversaries,” Li Xiangping exclaimed with a clap, unable to hide his excitement.

As the group began to discuss the offerings in detail, Lu Jiangxian reflected inwardly,

The current ritual is ideal. It maintains the divine aspects of the mirror and reduces my direct intervention. Moreover, the Li Family bears the burden of both time and spirit items of using the mirror. This arrangement ensures that they won’t bother me unless necessary.

Furthermore, Li Tongya and Li Xiangping are still wary of the mirror due to its mysterious origins. In time, the mirror will evolve into a revered ancestral artifact for the Li Family, ensuring both its sanctity and reverence within the family.

Lu Jiangxian’s divine sense slowly ascended into the sky, feeling the strong pull coming from Moongaze Lake nearby. His heart thrummed with anticipation.

“What will we discover this time?”

In the courtyard, preparations were underway. After Li Tongya and the rest arranged the Spirit Rice and fruits for the ritual, Li Xiangping began explaining to him in detail about the formation on Mountain Meiche and the two quietly consolidated their plans.

Li Tongya gazed at the twelve runes on the mirror, all glowing with a soft white light.

Since I’ve already invoked the Supreme Yin Profound Light but haven’t yet utilized it, I could test it out on the formation on Mountain Meiche.

After thorough deliberation, the two respectfully took leave with the mirror and headed toward Mount Meiche.

Mount Meiche and Mouth Lijing were essentially two peaks of the same mountain, but they had been managed separately for centuries. Mount Meiche fell under the governance of Jingyang Village, while Mount Lijing was under Lijing Village’s control. Consequently, the villages viewed them as distinct mountains.

Using the Divine Movement Spell on their legs, Li Xiangping and Li Tongya reached Mount Meichi in just an hour, gazing at the small hill Li Xiangping was pointing to from a distance.

Li Yesheng had been efficient. After only one night, timber and stones were already placed on the hillside. He had already marked the foundations and enclosed fertile plots.

Li Tongya channeled his spiritual sense into the mirror. The artifact levitated, emitting a brilliant white light that cut through the darkness and landed precisely on the hillside.

Lu Jiangxian could feel the Supreme Yin Profound Light striking a thin barrier in the void. Unlike the previous occasion when it annihilated a demon, he felt a slight resistance from the barrier against the Supreme Yin Profound Light.

“Although the spiritual power of this formation is strong, it lacks in quality."

The pure white Supreme Yin Profound Light relentlessly pushed against the barrier on the hillside. Ripples appeared out of thin air, and after a brief moment, a pale golden formation finally revealed itself. A golden light suddenly spilled from the corners of the formation.

However, these wisps of golden light seemed to dissolve like snow under the sun when faced with the Supreme Yin Profound Light, unable to mount any substantial defense. The formation flickered momentarily before being completely extinguished under the overwhelming force.

Boom...

The hill shook, finally revealing a stone cave bathed in a faint, illuminating glow. Inside, shadows of various artifacts were barely noticeable. A wave of rich spiritual qi poured out from the cave, invigorating Li Tongya and Li Xiangping as their eyes alight with excitement.

The white light from the floating mirror gradually dimmed and the twelve runes around its frame faded one after another as the mirror returned to Li Tongya’s hands.

Li Tongya cautiously looked around the cave entrance and then told Li Xiangping, “I’ll return the mirror first, then we can plan further.”

“All right.” Li Xiangping nodded, adding quickly, “And remember to bring a lamb along.”

Li Tongya gave him a nod, then activated the Divine Movement Spell and swiftly descended the mountain.

Left alone, Li Xiangping sat contemplatively, his gaze fixed on the newly uncovered cave entrance.

————

Miles away, aboard the Dawn Cloudliner, Li Chejing felt the Profound Pearl Talisman Seed within his Qihai acupoint stir. An image of his second brother, Li Tongya, standing before a stone platform with eyes closed, flashed in his mind.

“Second Brother has broken through to the Jade Capital stage.”

He raised his gaze, peering through the Dawn Cloudliner’s translucent interior at the distant, cloud-veiled Mount Dali with a gentle smile on his face.

Gripping the Qi Jade Bottle he had requested from his senior brother before leaving, Li Chejing secured it with a red rope around the bottle’s neck, tying it around his waist.

Such a dharmic artifact typically could not be kept in a storage pouch and had to be carried personally.

“Jing’er, when we reach the Mushroom Forest Plain, I’ll arrange for my clan brothers to escort you to Mount Dali. The Dawn Cloudliner will dock at the Mushroom Forest Plain for three days to collect the tributes. Just make sure you return within that time.” Yuan Tuan spoke softly with a smile.

“I will. Thank you, Senior Sister!” Li Chejing expressed his gratitude, his heart filled with eager anticipation.