Stealing Immortal

Chapter 267 -256: South Radiance

Then, he embedded himself within.

The world was dim and murky, like a realm at the Twilight of the Gods, submerged in a dead silence.

So this was the source of all the Slaughter Qi. It flowed from this place, sharp as a sword’s edge, capable of destroying all life in the world. High-pitched shouts of “KILL!” even echoed in Chen Qingyang’s ears.

He had to exert immense strength just to resist it. Fortunately, his Spirit Platform remained clear, granting him a measure of lucidity.

The world was cast in a dusky, crimson-yellow hue, dyeing everything in its light. The buildings all looked as though they had stood motionless for ten thousand years, utterly devoid of any sign of life.

Not even the wind could stir a ripple here. It was a place where nothing that moved could possibly exist.

A golden light shone from a tall tower, though it appeared exceedingly faint. Below the tower, palaces and pavilions were clustered together, looking like… a corner of a dilapidated city.

To Chen Qingyang, it felt as if an impossibly large giant had appeared, violently ripped this entire section of land away, and simply discarded it here.

Braving the Slaughter Qi, the Conscious Fish began its sluggish advance. Chen Qingyang headed nowhere else, making straight for the tall tower that emanated the golden light.

It turned out to be an Eight-sided Mirror, massive in size, embedded at the very apex of the tower. Not a single speck of dust settled on its surface as it scattered the ambient light in all directions.

Chen Qingyang had the Conscious Fish carefully inspect it, but he could detect no trace of any aura. It was like an inanimate object.

‘If the *Great Soul Scripture* truly exists, it must be somewhere in the ruins of this Ancient Divine Court.’

He followed the tower from top to bottom, counting thirty-three levels before he reached the ground.

Beside the tower stood a high platform. A dense web of stairs led down from it, but its surface was completely empty.

Chen Qingyang had the Conscious Fish roam about once more, exploring nearly every palace, but he found nothing of a spiritual nature. ‘Perhaps there once was, but generations of the Tai Xu Sect must have already picked the place clean.’

His search proving fruitless, he began to have his doubts. He opened his eyes. Outside, it was the dead of night.

Paying no mind to what Xu Baoling might be thinking, he moved with incredible speed to a spot outside Xu Lingfeng. He looked up at the Celestial Vault; the stars were exceptionally brilliant.

Just like before, the Southern Dipper Star Formation’s Birth Gate pointed directly to this location.

‘He then recalled that Volume Four, a gift from Lin Qingxuan, had been recovered from the Nine Nether Mechanic Divine Palace. By that logic, anything of value here had likely been taken by the Sect long ago as well.’

Just as he was about to lose hope, he suddenly noticed something: the direction indicated by the Southern Dipper Star Formation’s Birth Gate corresponded with the Copper Mirror on the tower.

The stars weren’t static; they moved according to the Circulation of Heaven. The world within Xu Lingfeng’s Sumeru Illusion Realm wasn’t stationary either. There would inevitably be a moment when the Qi Mechanisms of the two would intersect.

Though they weren’t in the same world, Chen Qingyang slowly unfurled the Spiritual Constellation Scroll. After observing it for a long while, he finally grasped the Profound Secret.

Based on his Star Map calculations, the Qi Mechanisms of the two would intersect approximately every half-month. If he waited for another hour, he would catch this half-month’s one and only opportunity.

His physical body remained hidden and motionless in a corner as his mind returned to the Conscious Fish. It went nowhere else, flying directly toward the eight-sided Copper Mirror to observe it.

Its design was archaic and simple, with a brightly shimmering surface. Carvings of Celestial Gods adorned its sides, marking it as an unmistakable relic from the Ancient Divine Court.

After about a quarter of an hour, the Southern Dipper Star Formation’s Birth Gate came into perfect alignment. A formless power seemed to pierce through layer after layer of barriers, pouring into the Copper Mirror.

This spherical world seemed to whir to life. Chen Qingyang felt a surge of even more powerful Spiritual Qi, and the Five Elements Qi grew incredibly potent.

On the surface of the Copper Mirror, a scene like a painted scroll was unfolding. It looked as though it had been carved right into the metal, with every minute detail rendered with lifelike precision.

A tall tower of Thirty-Three Heavens, each level corresponding to a different Divine Spirit. Just outside the tower, a lone koi fish drifted.

‘He vividly remembered seeing this very image in the Underground Palace outside Duling City. Back then, he had pressed his Conscious Fish against it and opened a gateway to another world.’

‘Could it be… I have to do the same thing now?’

“Hm?” But at that very moment, a soft sound of surprise came from nearby.

A blurry figure appeared outside the crystal-like barrier, employing a technique—it was the Array True Understanding. His Cultivation was unfathomably profound.

‘With just a few hand seals, he pushed the barrier aside. It seemed the Array here was completely under his control. If not a Golden Core True Monarch, he had to be a Master Life Light.’

‘That sound of surprise must have meant he’d noticed something was off. If he comes in here, into this deathly still world, he’ll instantly sense the presence of my Conscious Fish.’

‘Escape is impossible.’ Chen Qingyang was decisive. He pressed the Conscious Fish tightly against the mural that had appeared on the Copper Mirror, its Qi Mechanism seeming to merge perfectly with the image.

At that very moment, the man arrived.

He wore a green Daoist Robe and appeared to be in his forties or fifties. He had a long beard and a broad, imposing face.

He stood before the Copper Mirror for a long time, observing it closely. Chen Qingyang was terrified of being discovered. To his relief, after a long inspection, the man merely looked puzzled and conducted no further investigation.

But just as the man prepared to leave, a thin, water-like ripple spread across the Copper Mirror’s surface, swallowing the Conscious Fish.

He had seen the change just now with perfect clarity. The koi fish had seemed to move, and it had even given off a Qi Mechanism akin to that of a living creature.

At that moment, the fish had already arrived in another world.

All around was a pitch-black void with no end in sight. A long path stretched out before him, flanked on both sides by floating golden flames that served as lamps.

At the end of this long, flame-lit path stood a high platform. Upon it, he could vaguely make out what looked like a screen and a long table.

‘How familiar this scene was.’

The Conscious Fish drifted over. A scroll lay upon the long table. Unfurled, it was none other than the Volume Three that Chen Qingyang had been desperately hoping to find.

He scanned it just once, committing it firmly to memory. Then, he restored Volume Three to its original state, leaving it as if no one had ever come.

He returned to the entrance, ready to leave, but seven people had already gathered in front of the eight-sided Copper Mirror.

‘Even more alarming, these people were gathered around a young man, treating him with the same reverence a disciple would show their master. Xu Lingfeng might not have a Golden Core True Monarch, but there was no guarantee one couldn’t come from elsewhere.’

Just then, one of them spoke, confirming his suspicions. “True Monarch, a moment ago, I truly did see a golden koi flash across the Copper Mirror’s surface like a ripple on water before it leaped in and vanished.”

“Even earlier, when I was inspecting this area, I sensed a burst of Spiritual Qi before I had even entered. Forget a hundred or a thousand years—in the entire history of the Tai Xu Sect’s presence at Xu Lingfeng, no such anomaly has ever been recorded.”

‘Of all the rotten luck, I had to cause such a huge commotion. Now, even if I want to leave, I don’t dare.’

‘The young man’s eyes were closed, and I couldn’t feel his Qi Mechanism at all. But I could guess what he was doing—using the supreme Divine Sense of a Golden Core True Monarch to scan this entire world.’

Before the True Monarch could speak, another person interjected, “The Slaughter Qi in this place is too potent. If it were to be released, it would affect all of Xu Lingfeng. That’s why the Array laid here is far superior to any other. Even someone at the Golden Core Cultivation level would find it difficult to force their way in. My guess is that the remnant soul of some Divine Spirit is still hidden within this Ancient Divine Court, and that’s what Junior Brother just happened to detect.”

“No, that can’t be it. This place has been dormant for ten thousand years. All the Spiritual Qi is outside the Array’s barrier; only Slaughter Qi remains inside. Even a remnant soul couldn’t have survived for so long. However, if someone had mastered the True Understanding of the Celestial Star Demon Suppression Array, they could also get in by expending some effort.”

“But Senior Brother, the only ones who can completely master that Array are Golden Core True Monarchs. Are you suggesting…?”

For a moment, they all spoke at once, their opinions a chaotic jumble.

After a long while, the young man opened his eyes. Everyone immediately fell silent. “I believe the issue lies solely with this Copper Mirror,” he said. “It is not as complicated as you all imagine.”

“Then… what do you mean, True Monarch?”

The young man continued, “These ruins were once the South Radiance Profound Dome Upper Pure Taiyin Palace. It not only commanded the Power of the Great Yin but also ruled over the stars of the southern Celestial Vault. For over ten thousand years, it has resonated with the Southern Dipper Star in the heavens once every half-month. The glow it gives off is merely a result of this influence. That is perfectly normal.”

“As for the fish carved upon it, it is a symbol of the Taiyin. Since it’s carved onto this Copper Mirror and influenced by the light waves of Spiritual Qi, it’s not at all surprising that you felt as if it were alive.”

This explanation naturally didn’t dispel the doubts of the Master who had first discovered the anomaly. However, the True Monarch waved his hand with such certainty that the Master didn’t dare to press the matter.

And so, the Masters had no choice but to disperse, leaving the True Monarch alone in the chamber.

He suddenly ran a hand over the Copper Mirror. “Come on out,” he said. “I’ve already seen you. Rest assured, I mean you no harm!”