Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1322 - 1318: Autumn Moon Mirror

"So that's why..." Chu Zhiyuan murmured, nodding slowly.

The span of just one and a half days felt like decades, or even multiple decades, to him.

It was a long and taxing period, truly giving new meaning to the phrase 'days felt like years,' far beyond mere exaggeration.

However, his inability to finally reach that cluster of light ultimately marked it as a failure.

"Senior Brother, did you find its location?"

"The direction, was it this way?" Ning Dongge gestured with his left hand towards the southeast.

"I have a faint sensation that it's over there."

"Hmm, I also feel it's in that direction," Zhang Ji Yuan agreed, nodding. "What about you, Junior Brother?"

Chu Zhiyuan's brow furrowed.

"What? You didn't sense anything?" Zhang Ji Yuan chuckled. "That's impossible, right?"

If he had sensed nothing, there was no conceivable way he could have sustained the Heaven Peeping Skill for such an extended duration.

The Heaven Peeping Skill exacted an immense toll on both spiritual power and soul power.

They had initially anticipated Chu Zhiyuan would be the first to stop, never imagining he could maintain it for so long.

Given the prolonged effort, it was unlikely he gained nothing.

He had clearly been employing the Heaven Peeping Skill; why then had he not made any discoveries?

Chu Zhiyuan stated, "The direction I sensed isn't over there, but rather this way."

He pointed towards the southwest.

Zhang Ji Yuan glanced at Ning Dongge, a hint of hesitation in his expression. "The discrepancy in directions is too significant."

Both of them had sensed the direction as southeast, whereas Chu Zhiyuan perceived it to be southwest.

With two individuals in agreement, their collective senses should logically be more accurate, pointing to the correct path.

Yet, Chu Zhiyuan possessed spiritual power and a soul far more potent than theirs, surpassing theirs by a significant margin.

This fact made him reluctant to definitively declare Chu Zhiyuan's senses as mistaken.

Ning Dongge inquired, "Junior Brother, do you truly feel it's in that direction?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly. "Unfortunately, I cannot fully reach it, cannot get any closer."

Zhang Ji Yuan curiously pressed, "Junior Brother, just how close did you manage to get?"

Ning Dongge also fixed his gaze upon him, awaiting his answer.

Chu Zhiyuan explained, "Initially, I perceived starlight, which then transformed into a bright moon as I advanced. Further on, there was a luminous sphere approximately two hundred meters away. At that point, it became my limit, and no matter how I tried, I couldn't inch any closer."

The two exchanged glances, shaking their heads with a sense of helplessness.

Chu Zhiyuan mused aloud, "Could it be that my proficiency in the Heaven Peeping Skill is still too low?"

"Proficiency?" Zhang Ji Yuan let out a laugh. "The Heaven Peeping Skill is a Miracle Technique; there are no differing levels. The outcome remains the same regardless of how deeply you cultivate it."

Chu Zhiyuan questioned, "Brother Zhang, then why do we have such vastly different results?"

Zhang Ji Yuan responded, "One side must have erred, ...or perhaps we should attempt it once more?"

"It won't be possible today," Ning Dongge said with a wry smile. "We require a few days to recuperate."

If it were purely a matter of spirit consumption, a single night's rest would fully restore them.

However, the Heaven Peeping Skill depleted not only spiritual power but also soul power, an energy source that was far more difficult and precious to recover.

Under normal circumstances, a full recovery would necessitate at least a month.

Ingesting a Spirit Pill could, at best, only halve the recovery period.

Chu Zhiyuan then declared, "In that case, I shall venture out to investigate first and see if I can find anything."

Zhang Ji Yuan chuckled. "Junior Brother, do you still possess the spirit to move?"

The Qinggong techniques of the Heaven-Reaching Sect were exceptionally potent, but they demanded spiritual energy; they simply lacked the energy to travel.

All they desired was to lie down and hasten their own recovery.

The ambient atmosphere within the main hall of the Heaven-Reaching Sect was demonstrably superior to any other location, thus facilitating a more rapid recuperation.

Chu Zhiyuan offered a smile. "It's alright, I'll go and take a look. If it doesn't yield results, I'll explore another direction."

Ning Dongge cautioned, "If you happen to find it, you might encounter several formidable experts."

"Yes, I understand. I will be cautious," Chu Zhiyuan replied. "Then, I shall depart now."

"Wait a moment." Ning Dongge suddenly raised his hand to stop him.

Chu Zhiyuan turned to face him.

Ning Dongge stated, "Wait here for a moment, I'll be right back."

He turned and exited through a shimmering Light Gate.

Chu Zhiyuan looked towards Zhang Ji Yuan.

Zhang Ji Yuan smiled. "I suspect Senior Brother is preparing to bring you something beneficial."

Chu Zhiyuan inquired, "A Spiritual Treasure?"

"Something along those lines."

As they conversed, Ning Dongge reappeared, a small bronze mirror held within his grasp.

He presented it directly to Chu Zhiyuan. "Take this. I initially believed you wouldn't be able to utilize it, but I clearly underestimated your capabilities."

Chu Zhiyuan accepted the mirror, feeling its remarkable lightness in his hands, as if holding a feather.

The mirror's surface gleamed, flawlessly clear and unblemished by time, appearing as if newly crafted.

Engraved on the back were understated patterns, suggestive of unfurling blossoms, yet these simple designs emanated a powerful impression of vibrant, luxuriant floral abundance.

He scrutinized it, perceiving no immediate enigma, and thus willed his True Yuan into it.

Suddenly, the copper mirror grew immensely heavy, its weight escalating from that of a feather to a stone, then expanding from the size of a fist to a person, and finally approaching the magnitude of a mountain.

His body stiffened, the sheer resilience of his physique, honed by the Taihao Jade Void Scripture, was formidable, yet he could barely sustain the immense pressure.

Nonetheless, his face flushed crimson, veins bulging on his neck, appearing on the verge of rupture.

"Can you manage it?" Zhang Ji Yuan inquired, a trace of concern in his voice.

Ning Dongge responded with a noncommittal, "Hard to say."

Previously, he had been convinced that Chu Zhiyuan lacked the capacity to withstand the Autumn Moon Mirror; his mind and spirit were deemed insufficient.

However, after employing the Heaven Peeping Skill this time, he recognized that he had underestimated the strength of his soul and spiritual power.

It was only then that he decided to produce the Autumn Moon Mirror.

Witnessing it now, it still seemed somewhat excessive.

Yet, there was perhaps not an infinitesimal sliver of hope.

Chu Zhiyuan felt himself teetering on the precipice of his endurance, on the verge of being completely overcome.

Summoning an indomitable will, he held firm, leveraging the combined power channeled from his three other clones.

Despite this, the force exerted upon his physical body intensified, pressing him downward towards the ground.

Already at his utmost limit, he was arduously persevering.

At this critical juncture, a potent surge of energy coursed upwards from his feet, vast and profound, instantaneously permeating his entire being.

The copper mirror in his grasp abruptly turned weightless, as if it had metamorphosed into a delicate feather.

A smile graced his strained features.

This was the inherent might of the earth.

The Earth Origin Technique proved its worth in this precise moment.

Ning Dongge and Zhang Ji Yuan observed him with astonishment, witnessing his transition from a state of peril to one of composed control.

This was undeniably an advancement, even if not in cultivation, a significant development in other facets, truly deserving of profound admiration.

He was indeed an individual of remarkable caliber.

The copper mirror began to exhibit an ethereal quality, as if submerged in liquid, gradually becoming translucent before ultimately dissipating into nothingness.

Chu Zhiyuan opened his eyes, solemnly bringing his fist to his palm in a gesture of deep gratitude, "Thank you, Senior Brother Ning!"

Ning Dongge clapped him lightly on the shoulder, exclaiming, "Excellent!"

Zhang Ji Yuan closely examined Chu Zhiyuan, his gaze taking in every detail.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, "Brother Zhang, what troubles you?"

Zhang Ji Yuan explained, "That is the Autumn Moon Mirror, a supreme Spiritual Artifact, capable of repelling an assault from a Spirit Venerable."

Chu Zhiyuan offered a smile, "Thank you, Senior Brother Ning."

Ning Dongge gestured dismissively, "It is your own resilience that shone through. Spiritual Artifacts that can withstand the might of a Spirit Venerable are often beyond our current ability to forge or command; your unique situation, possessing such potent spirit and soul, has enabled you to wield it."

Zhang Ji Yuan added, "Junior Brother, truthfully, none of us possessed the ability to control it. We made attempts."

Ning Dongge stated, "With it, should you ever face a genuine Spirit Venerable, you will possess a viable opportunity to make an escape."

"Indeed," Chu Zhiyuan assented with a nod.

Suddenly, a flicker manifested in his palm, and the copper mirror reappeared, identical to its initial form.

It rested in his palm, appearing utterly ordinary.

However, subtle alterations were now apparent when compared to the original mirror.

The mirror's surface pulsed with a radiant luminescence, reminiscent of gently rippling autumn waters.

The patterns adorning its reverse side were now interwoven with shimmering threads of gold, akin to eternally blossoming golden flowers.

Its extraordinary nature was undeniable.

Chu Zhiyuan could perceive the immense power contained within, as if it commanded a boundless ocean, poised to unleash its fury and engulf the world at any moment.

Zhang Ji Yuan smiled, "Junior Brother, allow me to test it, perhaps?"

Chu Zhiyuan nodded in agreement.

Zhang Ji Yuan thrust his right palm forward, unleashing a bolt of white light.

Chu Zhiyuan raised his palm in response, and the mirror projected a similar white light to intercept the attack.

The two beams of white light annihilated each other mid-air.

"Again!" Zhang Ji Yuan struck once more, emitting a white light that resembled sword-aura.

Chu Zhiyuan subtly adjusted the copper mirror, and it discharged another stream of white light, identical in nature to the first.

The two converging beams of white light vanished into nothingness.

"Junior Brother Zhang, that suffices," Ning Dongge interjected. "The mirror is designed to withstand an attack from a Spirit Venerable, let alone your palm force."

Zhang Ji Yuan insisted, "We must ascertain its full capability; relying on it without thorough testing against a Spirit Venerable would be imprudent."

Chu Zhiyuan responded with a laugh, "Brother Zhang, unleash your most potent strike."

"Behold my palm strike!" Zhang Ji Yuan declared, unleashing a decisive blow. Instead of a brilliant white light, the air itself warped and distorted as his palm moved.

A palm-sized vortex of distorted space hurtled towards Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan mirrored the action, his own mirror device flashing a white light, and the spatial distortion dissolved as it met the beam.

"Indeed, you possess considerable strength," Zhang Ji Yuan acknowledged, a nod of satisfaction on his face.

Ning Dongge then spoke, "Junior Brother Zhang, let us combine our powers for a unified assault."

"Prepare yourself!" Zhang Ji Yuan bellowed, striking out with his palm once more.

Ning Dongge swiftly followed suit, his own palm strike joining Zhang Ji Yuan's.

The two distorted palm forces converged in the sky, rapidly compressing into a single, minuscule black point.

This dark speck shot forward with incredible speed, appearing before Chu Zhiyuan in the blink of an eye.

Chu Zhiyuan had already inverted his Autumn Moon Mirror, projecting a powerful white light to intercept the incoming attack.

The clash between the white light and the compact black point created a sharp "pop" in the air before both vanished without a trace.

A wave of relief washed over Ning Dongge and Zhang Ji Yuan as they let out deep exhalations.