Chapter 1777: Cracked

Xiao Wencheng looked at his confident expression, remembering the various abnormalities of the Vast Origin Golden Mirror every time He Lingchuan approached it.

Just now, the mirror seemed somewhat afraid of him. Perhaps?

At this critical moment, what harm could there be in letting him try? It was just a matter of touching it.

How much worse could the situation get?

These thoughts flashed through his mind. He sized up He Lingchuan and said, "If Island Lord He can move it, you will have rescued the Illusion Sect from a great calamity. Our entire sect will be eternally grateful, and the mirror can certainly belong to Island Lord He."

"If you can remove it, it's yours."

Still, he didn't believe it and didn't ask He Lingchuan how he intended to do it.

He Lingchuan smiled, "Good." But he remained still.

Xiao Wencheng, also a shrewd person, knew He Lingchuan was worried the Illusion Sect's promise might be empty. He found it somewhat amusing, but given the current circumstances, he couldn't laugh.

He promptly went to the offering table, wrote another note, circled the incense burner three times, and handed it to He Lingchuan. Each word on the note glowed red.

He Lingchuan's gaze swept over it. This was a promise made in the name of the Illusion Sect, not Xiao Wencheng personally.

"Rest assured, even when my master emerges from seclusion, this promise will still be valid."

"Though the Vast Origin Golden Mirror is a supreme treasure, what does it matter compared to the peril facing the Illusion Sect, or the formidable enemy facing Qianhuan?"

Aside from warfare, this sect master usually handles matters very clearly. No wonder Qianhuan trusted him to manage the sect while she went into seclusion.

"Very well," He Lingchuan said, pocketing the note. "Please step back, both of you."

He had a premonition that activating the Divine Bone Necklace this time might not go smoothly.

Dong Rui leaped far back, fearing he might be affected by the grand display He Lingchuan was about to create. Xiao Wencheng, however, only took one step back, his eyes fixed intently on him.

What ability did this outsider possess to make such a bold claim? He was truly curious. He Lingchuan theatrically formed a hand seal with his left hand, then slammed his palm onto the frame of the Vast Origin Golden Mirror!

The action looked ill-intentioned no matter how one viewed it. The mirror trembled violently.

If it had legs, it would surely have bounced away.

Even Xiao Wencheng felt its struggle, as if it were desperately trying to escape He Lingchuan's grasp.

Logically, it could have simply vanished from its spot and reappeared anywhere in the Upside-Down Sea.

Yet, it did not.

He Lingchuan's palm seemed to possess an incredibly powerful suction force, firmly gripping the Vast Origin Golden Mirror and preventing it from disappearing.

The Soul-Snatching Mirror was incredibly excited: "You wouldn't know a good thing if it hit you! Go, master, go! Show this big fool what's what!"

In terms of ability, it admitted it couldn't compare to the Vast Origin Golden Mirror, so it was delighted to see the other mirror suffer.

Xiao Wencheng also noticed a hint of something, his face filled with extreme astonishment: The Vast Origin Golden Mirror was integrated with the minor world; though it seemed tangible, it had no true physical form and could not be forcibly manipulated by human power. However, He Lingchuan's actions, though seemingly direct, were actually quite crude, as he was forcibly severing the Vast Origin Golden Mirror's connection to the Upside-Down Sea!

The Vast Origin Golden Mirror couldn't escape because He Lingchuan had driven a wedge into its previously smooth connection, jamming the mirror and forcing it to remain in place.

He Lingchuan stood before the round mirror. At this point, the mirror no longer displayed the Banqiu battlefield; it only reflected He Lingchuan himself.

Xiao Wencheng's pupils suddenly contracted because a scene he had never witnessed before appeared within the Vast Origin Golden Mirror:

The background inside the mirror was not Wenhun Pavilion at all, but an endless black curtain.

Within the black curtain, countless golden threads crisscrossed and shimmered. They looked hundreds of times more complex than Aunt Zhu's spiderweb, yet they also possessed a harmonious and orderly beauty.

Xiao Wencheng murmured, "Laws..."

With his cultivation level, he could easily discern that these golden threads represented the laws connecting the Vast Origin Golden Mirror to the Upside-Down Sea. Originally, they were clearly delineated and interwoven, collectively forming the framework of the Upside-Down Sea's minor grotto-heaven.

However, countless dark red chains unexpectedly extended from behind He Lingchuan, dense and writhing. They rapidly and precisely seized these laws one by one. The golden threads touched by the chains quickly lost their luster, gradually dimmed, and finally snapped in the darkness.

It was clear that once all the golden threads were broken, the Vast Origin Golden Mirror would also be stripped from "order."

Clanking sounds of chains colliding even emanated from within the mirror's surface, sending shivers down Xiao Wencheng's spine.

Yet, looking at He Lingchuan outside the mirror, he simply stood there quietly, unmoving like a deep pool or a towering peak, one hand resting on the mirror.

Who could have sensed that so many laws were colliding and contending behind the scenes?

Yes, Xiao Wencheng knew very well that only stronger laws could contend with and defeat the laws of the Upside-Down Sea.

The power existing behind He Lingchuan had transcended the realm of "human effort"; it could even rival Qianhuan herself.

His gaze at He Lingchuan was once again filled with scrutiny and vigilance. "Who exactly are you?!"

Previously, he and the elders had always regarded He Xiao and his companions as messengers from Spirit Mountain, at best possessing decent cultivation and being resourceful and decisive. But they had been mistaken; this fellow clearly hid a powerful force behind him.

With the invasion of the Heavenly Demons and the Illusion Sect facing numerous challenges, He Xiao and the power behind him were lurking nearby. What were their intentions?

His right hand, concealed within his sleeve, silently grasped a Demon-Suppressing Seal, ready to strike at any moment.

"I am someone who helps you contend against the Myriad Azure Heavens," He Lingchuan said unhurriedly, not even turning his head to look at him. "If I let go, Immortal Venerable Qianhuan cannot be woken, nor can the mirror be restored to its original state. Sect Master Xiao, what is your intention?"

In just this short time, nearly half of the Vast Origin Golden Mirror's connection to the minor world had been eroded. Even if Qianhuan emerged from seclusion, it would be difficult to repair it quickly.

Half of this mirror's mystical properties had already been rendered useless, yet Immortal Venerable Qianhuan had not even appeared.

To stop now would be to abandon all previous efforts.

Dozens of thoughts flashed through Xiao Wencheng's mind like a revolving lantern: vigilance, murderous intent, hesitation. But in the end, he had to face reality:

It seemed He Xiao indeed had the ability to pry open the Vast Origin Golden Mirror and solve the Illusion Sect's biggest current problem.

As for other conflicts, why not wait until the Immortal Venerable emerges from seclusion?

Whatever power was behind He Xiao, it could be decided by the Venerable Immortal herself.

Having figured this out, Xiao Wencheng's tense expression immediately relaxed, and he let out a breath. "I'm grateful for your efforts, Island Lord He."

He Lingchuan smiled at him. Before he could speak, the Vast Origin Golden Mirror suddenly erupted with a powerful suction force!

The mirror was resisting with all its might. Finding it couldn't break free from He Lingchuan or prevent the tendrils from corroding the golden threads, it decided to suck He Lingchuan in.

Dong Rui had already retreated almost to the doorway, unaffected. Xiao Wencheng, caught off guard, was pulled along by the powerful suction wind and quickly used a stabilizing spell.

He then looked at the image in the mirror. It turned out countless golden threads were also extending from within the mirror, reaching towards He Lingchuan, attempting to bind him and pull him inside! The Vast Origin Golden Mirror, following suit, also tried to forcibly sever the connection between He Lingchuan and the Divine Bone Necklace.

It instinctively sought self-preservation, completely disregarding whether He Lingchuan was a friend of the Illusion Sect. It now intended to kill him!

So, the young man had indeed not been wrong earlier: his attempt to pry open the Vast Origin Golden Mirror carried great risk; a single mistake could lead to him being killed by the mirror's counterattack.

"Stupid thing, this will only make you lose faster!" The Soul-Snatching Mirror sensed it, its voice full of contempt. "Surrender to master quickly, it'll only be good for you, otherwise you'll crack, crack, crack!"

It had already become disillusioned with the uncooperative Vast Origin Golden Mirror.

No matter how powerful the Vast Origin Golden Mirror was, did it dare to contend with Ghost City? Even four or five more wouldn't be enough. The Soul-Snatching Mirror would forever remember the overwhelming pressure it felt the first time it truly faced Ghost City.

Not to mention, Ghost City must be even stronger now than it was then! Surrender obediently, or it would be beaten even more painfully soon.

Spiritual artifacts had their own ways of communicating, but the Vast Origin Golden Mirror completely ignored its chatter. Instead, it extended even more golden threads and violently tugged at He Lingchuan!

Even though He Lingchuan channeled his vital energy through his dantian and put forth his full strength, he was still yanked, almost stumbling into the Vast Origin Golden Mirror.

...The Soul-Snatching Mirror was greatly startled. "N-no way? Master, are you capable?" How was this different from what it imagined?

From the image in the Vast Origin Golden Mirror, the golden threads had formed a single golden radiance, attempting to contend with the red chains behind He Lingchuan. At times, the red side would overpower the golden light, and then the golden light would overpower the red side. Each time this happened, He Lingchuan would be dragged a step closer to the Vast Origin Golden Mirror by the golden light.

If he lost his footing and fell headlong into the mirror, this contest might be lost.

In just a few dozen breaths, his true energy surged within his dantian, all channeled into his Thousand-Catty Drop movement technique.

He absolutely could not be dragged inside!

He Lingchuan had never known it could be so difficult to stand firm.

"Isn't this humiliating?" he muttered, "You're actually being controlled by a mirror!" The "you" here, of course, referred to the Grand Square Pot behind the Divine Bone Necklace.

The Pot was greedy and full of confidence, which was why he had provoked the Vast Origin Golden Mirror. Who knew the Pot couldn't subdue its prey and instead put him in an awkward situation?

As if hearing He Lingchuan's complaint, the number of red chains extending from behind him suddenly doubled. Looking at the scene in the mirror, it was like countless blood-red pythons coiling and writhing, almost completely covering He Lingchuan himself.

Having likely deciphered the laws behind the Vast Origin Golden Mirror, this wave of the red chain formation was no longer pushed back. Instead, it began to separate and cut through the golden light, eliminating it piece by piece.

In the end, even He Lingchuan's reflection was gone; only an expanse of blood-red remained in the mirror!

With a "crack," fissures appeared on the surface of the Vast Origin Golden Mirror, starting thin and growing wider, small and expanding larger. Initially, there was only one, then it uncontrollably spread in all directions. The Vast Origin Golden Mirror had cracked.

"Ah, ha ha ha!" The Soul-Snatching Mirror gloated. "What did I tell you before? Refuse to surrender, and you'll suffer! Refuse to surrender, and you'll pay a heavy price!"

As cracks first appeared on the mirror's surface, the frame itself trembled twice. The ground beneath their feet suddenly shook, followed by several deep, ominous rumbling sounds, as if the earth itself was being torn apart.

It wasn't just Stone Dragon Peak; the entire Upside-Down Sea was experiencing an earthquake. Although it only shook a few times, every living being felt it.

The next instant, the largest fissure burst forth on the surface of the Vast Origin Golden Mirror, almost splitting the mirror surface in half. Dong Rui and Xiao Wencheng could both see that the mirror's interior was now a vivid, blood-like crimson.