Volume 1, Chapter 98 – The Quasi-Immortal Artifact: Ancient Star River Mirror

As Gu Han watched the disciples brimming with vitality and striving eagerly to improve, then looked at Gu Luoli’s radiant Nine-Pattern Golden Core…

A satisfied smile slowly curved her lips.

“System.”

She called out softly in her mind.

[Ding! I’m here, Host! Have your own disciples moved you to tears?]

Gu Han automatically ignored the system’s teasing.

“At this rate, what level will these disciples reach by the time the secret realm opens?”

[Analyzing…]

[Based on their current cultivation speed, resource supply, and the Myriad-Phenomena Tower’s time advantage, the estimated results are as follows:]

[True disciples, Gu Luoli and Liu Ruyan: mid-stage to late-stage Golden Core. Their combat strength will rival that of ordinary early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.]

[Outstanding disciples: early-stage Foundation Establishment to the peak of Foundation Establishment.]

[Ordinary disciples: peak Qi Refinement to mid-stage Foundation Establishment.]

[Overall assessment: If both of the Host’s true disciples reach the Golden Core realm, they should be able to lead their fellow disciples and sweep through all their peers.]

A sharp gleam flashed in Gu Han’s eyes.

“Gu Luoli has already broken through to the Golden Core realm, and Liu Ruyan is now at the peak of Foundation Establishment… There are still four years left inside the tower. She should certainly be able to do it as well…”

“By the way, System.”

Gu Han suddenly remembered something.

“When Ruyan broke through from Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment, you didn’t give me any reward. Now Luoli has already reached the Golden Core realm, and so many others have successfully reached Foundation Establishment… Are you perhaps…”

[Ding! Oh my, wasn’t this system merely trying to save up more for the Host?]

[Calculating rewards for the sect disciples’ breakthroughs…]

[Ding! Calculation complete!]

[True disciple Gu Luoli condensed a Nine-Pattern Golden Core and completed the achievement “Defying Heaven and Changing Fate”!]

[Reward issued: Master Dao Points +50,000! Special item: Ancient Star River Mirror!]

[Ancient Star River Mirror, Transcendent Heaven-Grade: Can peer into fate and karmic ties, foresee fortune and disaster, and anchor the Immortal Palace’s fortune.]

[True disciple Liu Ruyan has reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, and her Samsara Dao Body has begun to awaken!]

[Reward issued: Master Dao Points +20,000!]

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[True disciple Ye Ling’er has achieved a Flawless Dao Foundation, and her Lunar Divine Body has begun to awaken!]

[Reward issued: Master Dao Points +20,000!]

[Twenty-one outstanding disciples, including Murong Xue, Li Zhiwei, Xiao Ya, Zhao Ling’er, Wang Zhaojun, and Wang Teng, have broken through to Foundation Establishment!]

[Reward issued: Master Dao Points +90,000 in total!]

[The cultivation of the remaining 103 disciples has also improved significantly!]

[Reward issued: Master Dao Points +30,900 in total!]

[Ding! An additional assessment has detected a major increase in the sect’s overall strength, with its unity reaching a new high!]

[Hidden achievement “United as One” completed!]

[Reward issued: Master Dao Points +50,000!]

A rapid succession of system notifications played like a cheerful symphony inside Gu Han’s mind.

Even with her current state of mind, the sight of her Master Dao Points skyrocketing like a rocket made the corner of her eye twitch.

Her total Master Dao Points instantly surged from the previous balance of 34,650 to more than 200,000!

What a massive haul!

Gu Han looked at the treasure named the Ancient Star River Mirror within the system space. With a thought, it appeared in her hand.

It was roughly the size of her palm. Its body was neither metal nor jade, and it felt smooth and warm to the touch, yet carried a trace of coolness from time immemorial.

Its frame bore the deep hue of the starry sky and was embedded with specks of silver radiance that resembled fragments of real stars.

Upon closer inspection, those “stars” were slowly revolving along some profound and mysterious trajectory.

The mirror did not clearly reflect a person’s image. Instead, its surface held a hazy, unfathomable darkness.

It was as though a corner of the boundless night sky had been captured and placed within it, with tiny glimmers of starlight occasionally flashing and vanishing.

“System, what grade is this Ancient Star River Mirror?”

Gu Han asked in her mind.

She could sense that the mirror was extraordinary. The Dao Resonance and power contained within it far surpassed those of any heaven-rank artifact she had ever seen.

[Host! This is a quasi-immortal artifact!]

A trace of pride colored the system’s electronic voice.

[A so-called quasi-immortal artifact is an object whose materials, contained Laws, and functions all come infinitely close to those of an immortal artifact.]

[In this world, it stands at the very pinnacle! Even throughout the nine surrounding worlds, there are likely only a few such artifacts.]

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[As for its functions, it can peer into fate and karmic ties, foresee fortune and disaster, and anchor fortune. However, the extent of the power it can display depends on the Host’s cultivation.]

“A quasi-immortal artifact…”

Brilliant light flickered in Gu Han’s eyes.

It could peer into fate and karmic ties, foresee fortune and disaster, and even anchor fortune!

For a sect, the significance of such abilities was immeasurable!

Fortune was intangible, yet it truly existed. It affected a sect’s rise and decline, as well as the opportunities encountered by its disciples.

With this quasi-immortal artifact anchoring its fortune, the future of Yaochi Immortal Palace would undoubtedly become even more secure.

As for peering into fate and karmic ties…

A thought stirred in Gu Han’s mind, and her gaze involuntarily fell upon A-Yao, who was cultivating not far away.

A-Yao’s origins had always been a mystery.

She was the remnant soul of an immortal who had slumbered within a stone statue. Now, she had lost all her memories and was as innocent as a blank sheet of paper.

Gu Han had once guessed that she might be connected to some fallen immortal spirit in the Immortal Realm, but there had been no way to learn the truth.

Now, however, she had the Ancient Star River Mirror…

Gu Han drew a soft breath and infused a strand of pure spiritual energy into the ancient mirror. At the same time, she focused her mind on A-Yao and silently visualized her.

Buzz…

The Ancient Star River Mirror trembled slightly, and the stars revolving within its frame abruptly accelerated!

The deep darkness on the mirror’s surface began to churn violently. Like an ancient pool struck by a falling stone, it rippled outward in circle after circle.

At the center of those ripples, a scene began to emerge indistinctly…

It seemed to be a vast battlefield beyond the power of words to describe. Behind it lay a shattered river of stars and the hazy silhouettes of collapsing palaces, creating a scene both grand and desolate.

Countless figures whose auras were so terrifying that even Gu Han’s soul trembled moved and collided across the battlefield…

It was only a vague, fleeting glimpse, yet an indescribable sense of grief and desolation surged through the ancient mirror and struck Gu Han head-on!

Even more shocking was the pressure emanating from the indistinct figures locked in battle.

Although she was only seeing a few small, blurry fragments through the Ancient Star River Mirror…

They made even Gu Han, a late-stage Immortal Ascension expert, feel like a lone leaf adrift in a raging storm, so insignificant and frail that she could not withstand a single blow!

It seemed as though any one of those figures could erase her with the slightest movement of a finger!

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What… What level of battle was this?!

And what kind of existences were those figures?!

Could A-Yao… truly be connected to beings that terrifying?!

Gu Han forcibly suppressed the raging waves in her heart and tried to see more clearly.

However, the scene within the mirror shook violently. Like a screen with a poor signal, it rapidly became blurrier and blurrier.

“Master-Mother?”

A young, puzzled voice rang out.

At some point, A-Yao had run over. She raised her little face and tugged on the hem of Gu Han’s dress.

Her gaze shifted toward the Ancient Star River Mirror.

A faint shadow quickly clouded those large eyes that were always clear, bright, and filled with joy. It carried an emotion she herself might not yet fully understand…

Sadness.

“Master-Mother… A-Yao… A-Yao feels a little tight in here. A-Yao isn’t very happy…”

A-Yao pressed a small hand over her chest. Her brows furrowed slightly, and her voice carried a rare note of dejection and confusion.

“A-Yao feels like… like A-Yao saw something very sad, but A-Yao can’t remember it…”

The indistinct scene in the Ancient Star River Mirror seemed to have stirred something within her, yet she could not understand what it was.

Seeing A-Yao like this made Gu Han’s heart clench sharply.

All the shock and uncertainty brought about by that terrifying vision were instantly replaced by a fierce urge to protect her.

No matter what earth-shaking karmic ties A-Yao’s previous life had involved…

In this life, she was simply A-Yao, the little one Gu Han had personally brought out of the stone.

She was the eldest disciple for whom Gu Han had formed a body, whom she had taught to read and coaxed to sleep, and who sweetly called her “Master-Mother.”

More than that, she was a child Gu Han treasured above all else.

Gu Han quickly returned the Ancient Star River Mirror to the system inventory.

She bent down and pulled the tiny A-Yao tightly into her arms, her movements gentle yet resolute.

“Don’t be afraid, A-Yao.”

Gu Han’s voice was gentler than it had ever been. She softly stroked A-Yao’s silky hair and rested her chin atop the little girl’s head.

“Master is here.”

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“No matter what happened in the past, and no matter what you may encounter in the future…”

Gu Han’s voice was soft, yet it carried unquestionable resolve.

“In this life, you are A-Yao. You are Master’s little A-Yao.”

“Master will protect you. Master will always protect you.”

She felt the small body in her arms stiffen slightly at first.

Then A-Yao relaxed, stretched out her little arms, and hugged Gu Han even more tightly.

“Master… Mother…”

A-Yao buried her little face deep in the hollow of Gu Han’s neck. Her muffled voice was filled with deep dependence.

“Yes. Master is here.”

Gu Han gently patted her back as though soothing a frightened young beast.

The two figures, one large and one small, embraced within the vast, empty hall, forming an especially warm and tranquil scene.

Only after a long while did A-Yao’s emotions seem to settle.

She raised her head. A faint trace of moisture still lingered in her eyes, but they had become bright once more.

She looked curiously at Gu Han and asked in a small voice,

“Master-Mother, what was that shiny mirror just now?”

“It’s a mirror that can help us protect the Immortal Palace.”

Gu Han gave her a simple explanation and rubbed her cheek.

“A-Yao is still little. When you grow a bit older, Mother will tell you more about it, all right?”

“All right!”

A-Yao nodded vigorously, trusting Gu Han completely.

Her attention was soon drawn elsewhere.

“Master-Mother, A-Yao is hungry…”

“You little glutton.”

Gu Han laughed and took her hand.

“Come on. Mother will take you to eat something delicious.”