Chapter 141: Mirror Immortal

At the Mirror Immortal camp, inside a wooden house beside the bamboo pavilion

Yuwen Tao sat bare-chested on a chair, while a middle-aged woman in a blue velvet coat sat behind him, holding a bristle brush dipped in blood from a tray, evenly coating it over his back

As more of his back became coated with blood, Yuwen Tao’s face grew increasingly pained, until he could no longer suppress the hissing sounds of agony

“Sssss… Ma, lighter, lighter, that’s enough, that’s enough—just two or three jin today, take it slow, take it slow!”

Seeing her son’s face twisted in pain, the woman immediately set down the tray and brush, turned, and upon seeing the large wound on his shoulder, gently stroked it with tender concern

Pah…

The woman suddenly remembered something, her expression darkening as she sharply slapped his other shoulder and scolded:

“You brat, don’t you know your own worth? With this little strength, you dare lead people to hunt mid-tier cold beasts? If you ever sneak off to do something this dangerous again, I’ll let your father beat you senseless!”

Yuwen Tao shrank his neck and chuckled: “Ma, you’ll be disappointed then—the leader just ordered a new mid-tier hunting team, and I’ve been appointed captain. From now on, I’ll be in charge of hunting mid-tier cold beasts for the camp.”

Upon hearing this, the woman immediately stood up, her worry deepening

“Another mid-tier hunting team? And you’re made captain? This can’t be right—there are so many capable people in the camp, why you? Didn’t your father speak to the leader and ask him to assign someone else? No, I’m going to talk to your father myself!”

“No no no, Ma, please don’t—”

“Shut up, rest properly—I’m going to find your father right now!”

Yuwen Tao shot up from his chair, trying to stop his mother, but before he could finish, she cut him off with a sharp voice

Her face flushed with fury, she stormed out, clearly intending to confront his father, Yuwen the Guardian

Yuwen Tao knew his mother’s nature—once decided, even eight horses couldn’t pull her back. He dared not speak further, only silently mourned for his father and stayed quietly in the room

Yet, not even minutes passed before a head poked in through the door

“Where’s your mother?”

Seeing his father’s furtive demeanor, Yuwen Tao knew his mother had already been to him—he couldn’t help but quietly chuckle

“You brat, you’re laughing?”

Yuwen the Guardian stepped inside, seeing his son mocking him, his face flushed with embarrassment. After snapping at him, he spotted the cold beast blood and brush on the floor, immediately seized them, and began brushing them onto Yuwen Tao’s back

“Sss… painful, painful… Father, it hurts, lighter, stop brushing—”

“This much hurts? When I broke through to Cold-Resistant Level, I started with at least five jin daily. You’ve barely done any—by this pace, you won’t break through for two or three years!”

“Sss… sss… Father, how old were you when you broke through? How old am I? In three more years, I’ll still only be twenty—I’m not in a hurry to break through, lighter, lighter, stop brushing, stop—”

Yuwen the Guardian watched his son’s pained expression and shook his head

But remembering his son’s age, he let out two soft chuckles

True—he was still so young. Even if it took two or three years to reach Cold-Resistant Level, he’d still be only twenty, far better than I was

Thinking this, Yuwen the Guardian set down the brush and tray, paused, then looked at his son and asked in a low tone: “What did you notice last night?”

Hearing his father’s question, Yuwen Tao’s expression grew solemn. He sat up straight and replied seriously: “Same as before—of the twenty-four men I led, nineteen have all bowed to the Mirror Immortal”

Those nineteen, whether facing mid-tier cold beasts or Xia Hong, showed utter fearlessness—even when gravely wounded, even when death was certain, they showed no fear, as if embracing death willingly

Exactly like He Meng’s case before!”

Yuwen the Guardian’s expression darkened further as he asked:

“How many died last night?”

“Of the twenty-four, nine are confirmed alive. On the way back, I checked the others: seven were unconscious, the remaining eight were definitely dead—unless they’ve somehow come back to life…”

“They’ve already come back to life—I saw them myself just now, walking out of the leader’s room, greeting me. Though injured, they were unmistakably alive”

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Tao’s pupils shrank sharply, his heart jolted

“More than half the men we brought over have bowed to the Mirror Immortal—if they truly gained immortality, I can’t blame them… but how can a human possibly gain immortality?”

When Yuwen the Guardian spoke these final words, his voice was low—not so much asking his son as asking himself

As he spoke, his eyes held confusion, yet also a flicker of clear longing

Yuwen Tao immediately urged: “Father, don’t believe it—humans cannot gain immortality. Even if the leader possesses heavenly power, he cannot grant such abilities out of nothing”

“Those who have died once and bowed to the Mirror Immortal—they may pretend perfectly, but I swear, they are no longer who they were…”

He paused, then continued:

When we first joined, He Meng and He Gang’s temperaments weren’t nearly this cruel and volatile. You yourself confirmed during that last hunt—they were both dead, yet mysteriously revived. Doesn’t that prove something? The Mirror Immortal is definitely tied to the weird phenomena. I even suspect the leader himself is now…

“Watch your tongue—the leader could never!”

Yuwen the Guardian cut him off, pulling out a silver-edged circular jade pendant and shaking his head firmly

The leader cannot be connected to the weird phenomena—I’m certain. Every time he came near me, this Verification Jade showed no reaction at all.

“He Meng and He Gang, and others who died once—their temperaments have indeed changed greatly, but the leader has remained unchanged. You heard him today—he refused He Meng’s proposal to kill Xia Hong. Not only did he promote you, but he also acknowledged your approach, letting you and He Meng compete fairly”

Yuwen Tao fell silent—he believed in the Verification Jade

He Yuanhun’s temperament had also not changed—he was still as gentle and reasonable as ever, unlike He Gang, He Meng, and the others

Yet the recent events made it impossible to explain how the leader could be completely unconnected to the weird phenomena.

“No one in this world fears death less than others—whether you, me, or even the leader—we all fear death. Yet everyone who bowed to the Mirror Immortal—He Meng, He Gang, others in the camp, even those from our former Ningzhou camp—have all lost their fear of death. That alone defies logic”

Not to mention He Meng and others returning from death, and the eight I saw last night—the leader himself may not be connected to the weird phenomena, but that mirror in his hands certainly is.

Father, you must not be swayed by the leader’s words and bow to the Mirror Immortal!”

Though the Verification Jade was solid proof, Yuwen Tao still carefully analyzed and pleaded with his father

Knowing his son worried for him, Yuwen the Guardian felt warmth and softly shook his head: “Don’t worry—I’ve been a leader before. I’m not so old and foolish as to fall for this. Old He has asked me several times to bow to the Mirror Immortal—I’ve refused multiple times. But…”

Here, Yuwen the Guardian hesitated, then continued:

“More than half the camp has already bowed to the Mirror Immortal, and the number keeps growing. If this continues, when everyone has bowed, only our family remains—then whether we bow or not won’t be up to us anymore”

Hearing this, Yuwen Tao’s face darkened with difficulty

Outsiders are never tolerated anywhere

Especially in a camp of ten thousand souls like this one

Once the Mirror Immortal is fully accepted by everyone, even if we know it’s tied to the weird phenomena, we’ll have no choice but to accept it.

“Fortunately, the leader hasn’t forced anyone yet—he’s only asked for voluntary participation. I’ve refused several times, and he hasn’t pressed further”

Hearing this, Yuwen Tao’s brow eased slightly, yet he still asked in confusion: “The leader is such a brilliant man—how could he fail to see the mirror’s connection to the weird phenomena? How could he believe in resurrection?”

Yuwen the Guardian thought for a moment, then asked softly:

“And you… don’t believe it at all?”

This question left Yuwen Tao utterly silent

He Meng, He Gang, and all others who had been resurrected—their memories, cultivation, behavior, everything—was identical to before, with not the slightest difference

The only change was their personalities gradually turning more volatile

But even that was within acceptable limits

If it were clearly stated that bowing to the Mirror Immortal grants immortality, with only one side effect—after dying once, your personality turns volatile—while everything else remains unchanged—who wouldn’t agree?

In this perilous Bingyuan world, who doesn’t fear death?

Last night, watching those men fight with fearless determination, Yuwen Tao, though puzzled, couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy

If bowing once to the Mirror Immortal truly granted immortality…

“Enough, let’s drop this. The leader of the Great Xia camp nearly killed you. From your words just now, you seem to have a good impression of him?”

Seeing his son lost in thought, Yuwen the Guardian quickly changed the subject

“Xia Hong is reasonable—he understands my implied meaning, a clever man. He acts cautiously, his temperament prudent. If we could work together, he’d be a powerful ally. My impression of him is indeed favorable!”

“Then you must move faster. He Meng has already notified his hunting team to head to Redwood Ridge—they’re clearly planning to trouble Great Xia. If you can persuade Xia Hong to merge his people into our camp, you’ll save us much trouble—and gain yourself a capable assistant!”

Yuwen Tao nodded, then quickly shook his head: “Good impression only—I won’t waste effort saving him. My persuasion is merely duty. I’ve observed him—he’s no man who’d willingly submit to another. Let He Meng’s team create some trouble first; then my persuasion will be more effective”

Hearing his son’s mature, steady reply, Yuwen the Guardian nodded approvingly, a faint smile appearing on his face

………………

Great Xia Year One, January 27

Dawn had just broken; the valley’s bonfire had died out. Everyone had returned to their wooden rooms to rest. Outside, the grounds were empty

Inside the wooden house, Luo Yuan and all the Digging Earth cultivators had just delivered the iron ore they’d mined overnight to the camp’s supply office

“Has the leader not woken yet?”

“It’s already the third day”

“Could something be wrong?”

“Should we go check?”

“Let’s go—we’re heading back to our rooms anyway. Let’s see”

…………

The hunting team’s fifteen rooms were all on the third floor

Everyone agreed instantly and climbed up to check on Xia Hong’s condition

“Why are you all up here?” Xia Chuan, who had guarded for three days, looked pale. Seeing their worried expressions, he understood and smiled: “Don’t worry—the leader’s breathing is getting louder. Be quiet and listen!”

Everyone fell silent, straining to hear the sounds inside

“Huuuu… Huuuu… Huuuu…”

Digging Earth cultivators had heightened senses. Though separated by a wooden door, they clearly heard Xia Hong’s long, steady breaths

And the breaths were growing longer, louder

Their faces lit up with excitement

Breathing correlates with qi and muscle changes. Its length reflects the strength of internal organs—all of them were Digging Earth cultivators and understood this well

“Could the leader be breaking through?”

“Possible—his breathing feels much longer than mine during cultivation”

"Cold-Resistant Rank?"

Everyone stared at the wooden door, their eyes filled with a hint of anticipation.

=9+Book_Ba

"Alright, everyone disperse for now, go rest. We’ll wait until the leader emerges from seclusion..."

Boom…………

Xia Chuan had just opened his mouth to dismiss the group, but before he finished speaking.

From behind the wooden door came a loud boom.

Those who had just begun to leave immediately turned their heads.

Even Xia Chuan turned back, staring at the wooden door.

"Has the leader awakened?"

"He must have. That sound—it’s like he jumped out of a tub."

………………

The group waited a few more moments until

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA………………"

Xia Hong’s loud, exuberant laughter rang out from within the door; those standing outside gradually wore expressions of excitement and anticipation.

"Come in, all of you!"

Hearing Xia Hong’s voice, Xia Chuan stepped forward first and pushed open the door; the others exchanged glances, then followed him inside.

"Wait—I forgot. Don’t come this far. Stay by the door."

The instant the door opened, Xia Chuan and the others saw that more than half the room was bathed in bright light—their pupils shrank instantly, and they instinctively stepped back.

The light was not firelight!

The window on one side of Xia Hong’s room was now wide open.

Sunlight streamed in, illuminating more than half the room.

And Xia Hong stood beneath the window, his upper body bare, bathed freely in sunlight, his face showing an expression of quiet enjoyment.

"Sssss…………"

Though the iron-smelting furnace warmed the cabin, the piercing cold from the sunlight pouring through the open window made everyone involuntarily hiss.

Xia Chuan, who had stepped too far forward, had part of his arm exposed to the sunlight—ice crystals instantly formed on it, and the surrounding skin began to turn blue-black.

The sunlight was still as icy and bone-chilling as before; none of them could even touch it.

Yet Xia Hong now stood openly, bare-skinned, beneath the sun.

In the shadows, the group stared at Xia Hong’s back by the window, their eyes filled with envy and reverence, a deep longing stirring within them.

When would they, too, be able to stand freely beneath the sun like Xia Hong?

"Leader, have you broken through to the Cold-Resistant Rank?"

Luo Yuan could no longer hold back and asked first; Xia Chuan and the others immediately turned hopeful eyes toward Xia Hong.

Clearly, they all cared deeply about this question.

"No—but it’ll happen soon!"

Xia Hong turned to face them, his face beaming with smiles.

Seeing his front, everyone paused slightly.

The Great Xia camp was short on water.

More accurately, all humans in the Ice Abyss world were short on water.

In the extreme cold, liquid water was nearly impossible to find; the only way to obtain it was to collect snow from the ground, melt it with high heat, let it settle for a while, then use it.

Because of the water shortage, the Great Xia had no habit of washing or bathing; combined with years of frost and snow, everyone—especially those who often went outdoors—had skin that was perpetually dry, cracked, and dull black.

Previously, Xia Hong had been much the same.

But now, his skin was not only cleaner than before, but far smoother and more textured; under the sunlight, it even shimmered faintly.

His face had not changed at all—only his skin—but to them, Xia Hong looked like an entirely different person.

Compared to the Xia Hong before them, even though they themselves wore clothes, they looked like beggars.

Xia Hong understood why they were so astonished—he too had noticed his skin’s transformation upon waking.

But he had no time to explain now; he quickly checked the system’s new changes:

【Camp: Great Xia (Level 0)】

【Lord: Xia Hong】

【Cultivation: Earth-Digging Realm Peak (Skin Membrane Reshaping Progress: 2%)】

【Population: 1096】

【Resources: Wood 21 Coal 0 Iron 0 Silver 0 Gold 0】

【Built Structures (4): Iron Smelter (Level 2), Wooden Dummy (Level 1), Decoction Pot (Level 1), Polishing Stone (Level 1)】

【Unbuilt Structures (5): Green Bamboo Fence, Marker Stone, Yellow Earth, Small Wooden Table, Rough Iron Chain】

"Reshaping the skin membrane—thankfully I stumbled into it, dumping over a hundred catties all at once and forcing the system’s hand. Otherwise, progressing step by step would’ve taken years!"

Seeing all the system’s resource data wiped clean, leaving only 21 units of wood, Xia Hong felt both relief and dread.

Three days ago, the moment he jumped into the blood basin, he immediately realized his mistake was absurd.

The pain from touching the cold beast’s blood had made him think nothing could be worse—he believed he could endure it, since when hunting that mid-tier snow-maned beast, his entire body had been drenched in blood; even roughly estimated, it must’ve been three or four catties.

The instant he entered the basin, the energy within the cold beast’s blood burrowed into his skin like parasitic worms.

The agony was a hundred, even a thousand times worse than before.

Only then did he realize: the pain from the cold beast’s blood increased exponentially with the quantity used.

True, breaking through to the Cold-Resistant Rank required mid-tier cold beast blood—but using that much at once? No normal person could survive the agony.

Unfortunately, by the time Xia Hong realized this, it was too late.

He had never felt so close to death.

Just as he was about to black out, the system suddenly gave a prompt.

【Detecting host’s nervous system at maximum capacity. Can consume system resources to offset partial neural pressure.】

At that moment, Xia Hong had never heard a more beautiful sound.

The result? All resources he had accumulated over the past period were nearly exhausted, leaving only 21 units of wood.

Before he entered seclusion, he had nearly 100,000 units of wood.

During this time, he barely used iron or coal—he still had over five thousand units of iron and over eight thousand of coal.

And now, all of it was gone.

He had planned to unlock the Green Bamboo Fence and Marker Stone during this period—but now he’d barely manage the Marker Stone; the Green Bamboo Fence would have to wait.

Losing so many resources hurt deeply, but realizing this function could drastically shorten his breakthrough time to the Cold-Resistant Rank, Xia Hong felt far more excitement than regret.

That was why he had been so joyful upon waking.

To him, this was a tremendous advantage.

As long as the system had sufficient resources, it could offset part of the pain from beast blood—meaning his efficiency in using beast blood was incomparably higher than anyone else’s.

But then he noticed the new cultivation status displayed in the system, and his excitement vanished instantly—he was left stunned.

"A hundred catties only gave me 2% progress? That means I’ll need over five thousand catties of beast blood to complete the entire skin membrane reshaping?"

…………

Five thousand catties of beast blood!

That’s at least a hundred mid-tier cold beasts.

Are you kidding me?

Xia Hong froze in place, his face filled with disbelief; even when Xia Chuan and the others called out to him, he didn’t hear.

(End of Chapter)