Chapter 423: Great Sun Heaven-Surveying Mirror

Mo Long's palm lifted slightly, and the bronze mirror in his hand burst forth with crimson light, like a blazing furnace, radiating astonishing light and heat; the drifting snowflakes instantly melted into rain!

"The Heaven-Surveying Mirror."

Fayin Fayin Tongzi, who had been following behind Mo Long, let out a muffled grunt and recoiled violently, as if scorched by raging flames!

Faster than him, the two Vajras—Blood Vajra and Bone Vajra—carried billowing smoke, shrieking strangely as they darted into the shadows nearby, dodging the direct illumination of the mirror-light, yet still feeling their hearts pound: "This old loach actually brought the Heaven-Surveying Mirror?"

Bone Vajra was both shocked and furious!

With just that single flash, he felt as if he were about to melt; the skin and flesh all over his body seemed to drip like tallow, a horrifying sight!

The Heaven-Surveying Mirror, also known as the Great Sun Heaven-Surveying Mirror, was a divine weapon forged by the Great Fate's founding emperor, Pang Pang Wenlong, in the prime of his life, using his own spirit aspect aided by all manner of heaven materials and earthly treasures!

When activated, it shone like the sun—supremely yang, supremely fierce—capable of burning the soul. In those years, the Wutang wielded this mirror to annihilate countless yin shrines and evil gods!

"The mirror left behind by Pang Pang Wenlong."

On the high platform, Long Long Yingchan's gaze subtly hardened. This mirror was no ordinary top-grade divine weapon in the conventional sense!

Legend had it that this mirror was transformed from Pang Pang Wenlong's own spirit aspect, and had shone to the death of countless evil spirits. The reason the imperial court of Great Fate could keep all the gods in check was largely due to this mirror!

An invisible aura spread along with the light and heat!

Mo Long held up the bronze mirror as if propping up a small sun, its radiance growing ever more dazzling: "The Heaven-Surveying Mirror has the ability to observe the heavens; no hidden evil can escape it… Does Dao Lord Long dare let me shine it upon your Sishan gates?"

The cold wind blew past, and the expressions of the Dao Sect elders on the high platform all shifted somewhat!

The significance of Mo Long's arrival bearing this mirror weighed even heavier than the mirror itself!

"Either the imperial court is certain that the Star-Plucking Tower Lord is hiding within Sishan, or the imperial court wants to restart the 'Horses Trampling the Jianghu'!"

Mo Long's attitude was far too bare-faced. Not to mention the Dao Sect elders—even Li Yuan, staring at that bronze mirror, had a thought flash through his mind!

When it came to Great Fate and the sects ruling the world together, it was still manageable back in Pang Pang Wenlong's day—founding emperor, a peerless hero, possessing the might to push aside all opposition and the heart to embrace all within the four seas!

But in the thousand years after his passing, the friction between the imperial court and the sects had never ceased!

This much, Li Yuan had vaguely sensed before, but after entering Sishan, he became certain of it in his heart!

Not to mention the old dragon-head being afflicted with the intent of the Demon-Slaying Blade!

Just look at the two Grand Masters from the Xinyi Sect's Itch-Head Monk and the Azure Dragon Pavilion's Silkworm Daoist—both afflicted with blade intent, in seclusion for many years, their very lives and deaths unknown for a time!

That alone is enough to show the truth!

But before, no matter how things went in the dark, on the surface it was still maintained. But now…

"Is it really just to find the Star-Plucking Tower Lord?"

Watching that dazzling bronze mirror, Li Yuan raised his guard inwardly, silently adjusting his control; his true qi circulation had already shifted to the operation method of Wind Tiger Cloud Dragon!

Wind Tiger Cloud Dragon was extremely difficult to cultivate, but once the four forms—Wind, Tiger, Cloud, Dragon—were all mastered, the entry-level came naturally to him, as water finding its course!

Casting a sidelong glance at Li Yuan, Long Long Yingchan lightly pinched his long brows and spoke unhurriedly: "I have a clear conscience; shining it would be fine in itself, but my Sishan has stood for over two thousand years and has never had such a precedent!"

As he spoke, the distant Dragon Tiger Pagoda also erupted with firelight like a tide; under the spreading light and heat, large swathes of wind and snow instantly melted!

Like a great sun suddenly rising, its radiance was dazzling, instantly suppressing the light of the Heaven-Surveying Mirror!

Wooo—!

Wind and clouds gathered over the Qi-Sensing Platform, rolling layer upon layer like waves; a grey dragon leapt up from within, gazing indifferently at Mo Long, who held the bronze mirror in the air: "If something is revealed, so be it. But if nothing is?"

Crack!

Invisible auras intertwined and collided, emitting a sound like thunderous explosions!

Two Grand Masters faced off from afar; the surrounding gales grew ever more violent, wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves. Under the mutual resonance of their auras, large swathes of cloud and mist were dyed ink-black, surging like crows!

"Land Immortals!"

At this moment, the entire Qi-Sensing Platform fell silent. Li Yuan's heart trembled—when auras resonate and celestial phenomena change, this has already transcended the scope of Wu Gong!

Not just Li Yuan—every martial expert within Sishan was utterly shocked; some crowded closer, while others kept their distance!

On the cliff face, the little tiger cub stared fixedly at that bronze mirror. She sensed the old man's intense emotions; even though he quickly restrained them, her heart was still stirred!

"Oh?"

Feeling the aura rolling toward him, Mo Long narrowed his eyes slightly: "What do you intend?"

"If nothing is revealed, this mirror stays behind!"

Long Long Yingchan's voice was calm: "And you stay behind too!"

"Hmm?"

Mo Long raised an eyebrow, his gaze turning dangerous: "You want to keep me here?"

Crack.

Another thunderous explosion rang out. Mo Long raised one arm high, and the light and heat radiating from that bronze mirror instantly surged—doubling, tripling, tenfold!

Centered on that bronze mirror, ripples spread outward ring after ring; in an instant, they pierced through the sky-filling wind and snow, enveloping the entire inner gate of Sishan: "Good."

Before his words had even fallen, the radiance on the Dragon Tiger Pagoda vanished at once. Long Long Yingchan stood with his hands at his sides, his two long brows fluttering up and down!

As the Dragon Tiger Nourishing-Life Furnace fell silent, the mirror-light blooming like a great sun shone in as well!

"What does Dao Lord Long think?"

Li Yuan's spirit tensed. The mirror's light was too intense; he could barely keep his eyes open. Suddenly, he felt a slight weight on his shoulder!

The little tiger cub had appeared from who-knows-where and leapt onto his shoulder!

"You know fear too?"

Glancing at the little tiger cub perched on his shoulder, Li Yuan paid it no mind, assuming the little thing had been startled by the light as well!

Crash!

The dazzling light struck like tangible water-waves; before Li Yuan's eyes was a sheet of gold and crimson. Even with his eyes closed, it felt as if the light stabbed his eyeballs!

"This fierce?"

Li Yuan was shocked!

From afar, this mirror-light only seemed glaring to the eye, but once it fell upon the body, one realized how terrifying it was. The light contained a dense, scorching aura, burning like fire, as if it would set him alight!

"Steady your spirit and gather your Qi!"

At that moment, Li Yuan heard Long Yingchán's transmitted voice, and wisps of mist, invisible to the naked eye, seeped into his body!

The burning heat receded in an instant, and along with it his spirit was given a jolt!

"This mirror is called the Great Sun Monitoring Heaven Mirror. It is a supreme divine weapon that Pang Pang Wenlong summoned the finest smiths under heaven to forge, tempering it with his own spirit manifestation mixed with all manner of rare metals!"

The Dragon Dao Master's voice was calm, showing not the slightest anger; he even had the leisure to explain: "However, Pang Pang Wenlong's spirit manifestation is the Nine Suns in the Sky. Only when nine Monitoring Heaven Mirrors are combined do they possess the power to smite evil and see through every hidden thing. A single one cannot pierce this old man's Wind Tiger Cloud Dragon!"

"Nine Suns in the Sky?"

The moment the Dragon Dao Master spoke, most of the unease in Li Yuan's heart faded!

"Ah."

Faintly, Li Yuan heard a scream, but the light was too dazzling at this moment; he did not know who had let out that scream, only that it came from the direction of the outer sect!

"***!"

Bone Vajra burst out cursing. Right now, true to his name, not a scrap of flesh and blood remained on his entire body—a wretched white skeleton was exposed!

Cursing, he had already torn open the ground and burrowed in headfirst. He moved very fast. A beat slower, Blood Vajra's whole body billowed thick smoke, as if about to be vaporized!

A beat slower still than the two of them, Fayin Fayin Tongzi had ducked into a nearby house!

The Ink Dragon's will was Wan Wan Zhuliu's will. The true Qi he used to activate the Monitoring Heaven Mirror was precisely the Dragon God True Qi, famed throughout the world!

Driven with full force, that blinding mirror-light kept climbing and spreading, as if to envelop the entire Dragon Tiger Temple—nay, the entire Mount Hengshan city!

Holding the bronze mirror aloft, the Ink Dragon focused his spirit to sense. His will merged with this bronze mirror, and wherever its light shone, all manner of scenes streamed at high speed through his mind!

Nothing, nothing!

All manner of light and shadow flashed through his mind at extreme speed. The Ink Dragon forcefully drove this divine mirror; at this moment, it was as if he could see every single person inside Dragon Tiger Temple at once!

And it was not a cursory glance, but the genuine kind where the mirror's light shines upon one and nothing can hide!

"Li Yuan."

Quickly, the Ink Dragon's gaze had shifted away from Long Yingchán and the others, landing on Li Yuan!

To be able to defeat the strong with the weak, to cross realms and slay Yan Yan Chunyang—if Dragon Tiger Temple truly had a peerless genius, it could only be this person!

In an instant, all manner of information about that junior had flooded into his mind!

A spirit tiger cub on his shoulder, a Mirage Dragon Sash, a Blood-Red Pattern Dragon Armor—world-class talent!

"Only world-class?"

The Ink Dragon frowned inwardly. This talent was a notch inferior even to Yan Yan Chunyang's. With this kind of talent, to cross realms and slay Yan Yan Chunyang!

"Just because of that Mirage Dragon Sash?"

The thought had barely turned in his mind when the Ink Dragon's attention had already drifted elsewhere. Under the shining light, Fayin Fayin Tongzi groaned and burrowed into the ground; even the house could not block that Monitoring Heaven Mirror's light!

Nothing, nothing, nothing!

In but a moment, under the mirror's illumination, the Ink Dragon's face sank slightly; he vaguely sensed something was off!

He had arrived at Mount Hengshan city several days ago, merely holding back and not acting. In fact, aside from Dragon Tiger Temple, he had already swept through every other place!

"The Prince's message cannot be false; that Yan Yan Tianxiong would not dare deceive the Prince!"

After a moment, the dazzling light gradually dimmed. The Ink Dragon's brows were tightly knit. After such a wide sweep, let alone that old ghost from the Star-Plucking Tower, whose presence here was uncertain—

Even the 'Mystic Whale Hammer Master Li Li Yuanba,' whom Yan Yan Tianxiong had sworn was right here in Dragon Tiger Temple, had not been found!

"Not in the mountain?"

The whistling of fierce wind; the Dragon Tiger Pagoda trembled slightly. The mirror-light, which had already begun to recede, was pressed back to its normal range. Inside and outside the mountain ranges, large numbers of people were simultaneously cursing in their hearts and rubbing their eye sockets!

"You've shone your light; what do you intend now?"

Long Yingchán spoke up at the right moment!

Before and behind him, Long Xi Xiang and Nie Xianshan also wore grim faces, coldly watching the Ink Dragon's qi rhythm, which grew more conspicuous beneath the light!

The Ink Dragon did not reply. Holding the bronze mirror, whose light had grown dim, he swept his gaze around once and fixed it on the Dragon Tiger Pagoda:

"This place has not yet been illuminated!"

"This is going too far."

The Dragon Dao Master withdrew his palm, and Nie Xianshan immediately burst out cursing!

"You damned old Taoist, you're seeking death."

The Ink Dragon flew into a rage. The mirror-light in his palm instantly gathered into a single beam, piercing through more than ten miles of vast sky, stabbing straight at Nie Xianshan!

Raising a hand to intercept that beam of mirror-light, Long Yingchán lifted his palm slightly. Within his palm, the illusory shadow of a crimson-colored alchemy furnace was faintly visible!