Chapter 126: Innate Supreme Treasure

The treasure hovered in mid-air, rotating slightly. It was perfectly round, like a mirror, measuring a foot in diameter. Its color was like copper, and while its style appeared primitive, the mottled and weathered patina revealed it to be an ancient bronze mirror. The front was a smooth, polished surface, while the back was slightly convex, covered in countless intricate, crisscrossing patterns that were profound and unfathomable.

"This is not made of copper or iron..." Qingyuan held the treasure, feeling its heavy weight. "I have never seen a material like this..."

He looked down at the ancient mirror, his heart in a daze. Having endured countless hardships and brushed with death multiple times on his journey—even nearly dying at the hands of another "himself" in the chamber behind—he found the acquisition of this treasure to feel dreamlike and surreal. He could hardly believe he had obtained it so easily.

This was a treasure valued even by the Ancient Sovereign Guangyuan!

Qingyuan took a deep breath. Just as he was about to channel his true energy into it, the ancient mirror suddenly erupted with a brilliant light, like shimmering water, illuminating the ceiling of the cavern. He looked up and saw countless characters appearing on the cave roof under the radiance.

...

Before the heavens and earth were separated, before Yin and Yang were opened, and before the Five Elements were distinguished, it was the time of Primordial Chaos.

Anything born of Chaos, existing before the universe, is called "innate." Such treasures cannot be forged by gods, immortals, or demons; they must be naturally formed, possessing the Five Elements and the unity of Yin and Yang, transformed into Chaos. Only by existing outside of Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements—yet containing them within—can they be classified as innate.

This treasure was born many years ago, condensed from the essence of heaven and earth, and belongs to the innate class. However, as the heavens cleared and the earth turned turbid, the universe became distinct. The place of its gestation lost its chaotic energy, the Five Elements diverged, and the Yin and Yang poles separated. The climate skewed toward heat, and having been tainted by the world's impurities, this treasure nearly fell from its innate status.

I used profound grand magic to move it here, setting up a Grand Five Elements Array and using the sun and moon as Yin and Yang. Thus, I returned the Five Elements and Yin and Yang back to Chaos to nourish this treasure and restore it to its innate state.

This treasure was born of heaven and earth and thus has no name; I refer to it as the Ancient Mirror.

...

"An innate treasure?"

"A treasure born before Chaos separated, before Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements were distinguished?"

Qingyuan was stunned. He had heard of such things. According to Taoist texts: Chaos transforms into Yin and Yang, and Yin and Yang transform into the Five Elements. It is said that the Five Elements give birth to all things; everything in the world is rooted in them. But an innate treasure is not born of the Five Elements; it is born of Chaos.

"This treasure is not within the Five Elements, yet it contains them, encompassing all changes of Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements..."

Qingyuan looked down at the ancient mirror in his hands, suddenly feeling a weight of gravity. Theoretically, such innate treasures are mostly formed by the interaction of heaven and earth and the gestation of Chaos; even the Taoist Ancestors would find them difficult to forge. The Great Immortal Zixiao possessed a Three-Treasure Jade Ruyi, born before the opening of the universe, obtained before he achieved the Tao, and accompanying him ever since as if they were one.

"This ancient mirror is actually an innate magical treasure?"

Qingyuan was extremely astonished. He had thought that a treasure deemed important by an ancient immortal like the Ancient Sovereign Guangyuan would be a high-grade immortal treasure, but he had never imagined it would be of the innate class. Coming from the Immortal Palace, he knew some secrets. An immortal treasure is not necessarily an innate one, but an innate treasure, containing all Five Elements, must be of the immortal treasure rank.

He took a deep breath and continued reading.

"This ancient mirror’s place of gestation no longer belonged to the realm of Chaos. As Yin and Yang diverged and the Five Elements favored fire, it gradually transformed into an immortal treasure inclined toward the fire element. However, the Ancient Sovereign Guangyuan could not bear to see this treasure fall into the post-natal realm, so he nurtured it until it no longer favored the fire element, restoring the balance of the Five Elements.

"Following that, he set up the Grand Five Elements Array, using the method of Taiji Yin and Yang to return the Five Elements and Yin and Yang to their origin, restoring it to its innate position?"

Having sorted out these facts, he wanted to channel his true energy to claim the treasure as his own and explore how to resolve his own calamity. As he poured his magical power into it, the ground beneath his feet suddenly trembled.

A dragon’s roar rose from within his body—long, distant, ancient, and weathered. He held the iron rod in his right hand and the ancient mirror in his left. Suddenly, a dragon form manifested. The iron rod became the dragon's tail, his body the dragon's torso, and the ancient mirror was a massive dragon pearl. From afar, it looked like a golden dragon coiled on the ground, holding the dragon pearl in its mouth, its tail swaying.

Qingyuan’s expression was lost and dazed. The earth beneath his feet began to crack continuously.

...

In the Valley of Liyue, the subterranean fire suddenly ceased, and the magma stopped surging. There was an eerie peace, as if it were gradually cooling and solidifying. Under the earth, the flames were constantly flowing toward where Qingyuan was located.

...

Deep within the Fuzhong Mountains, there was another subterranean realm where the water was so cold it surpassed frost, yet it did not freeze, flowing slowly. Because it was too cold, no fish or shrimp could survive within it. Suddenly, the underground spring water seemed to lose its icy chill. The current quickened, and its direction... was toward Qingyuan.

...

Gold, wood, water, fire, and earth—the Five Elements corresponded to five dangerous locations. As the fire and water sites began to change, the other three underwent similar transformations. Rolling sounds echoed as heaven and earth resonated.

The Divine Thunder, receiving these changes, ascended into the clouds, transformed into lightning, and immediately scattered in all directions, falling across the world. Below, the mountains shook and the earth cracked; above, dark clouds and lightning gathered.

Heaven and earth changed color.

...

The formation of the Shouzhen Taoist Sect suddenly shattered. The four Masters, all with the cultivation of the Fifth Heaven, each spat out a mouthful of blood, their auras wilting. High in the sky, Hongyang’s expression changed drastically. With his Sixth Heaven cultivation, he presided over the center, yet he felt an irresistible force. Looking down, he saw the Fuzhong Mountains constantly splitting; mountains collapsed, the earth cracked, birds and beasts fled, and demons and spirits scattered in panic.

Many practitioners were in a state of confusion, not understanding the cause, and some even believed the Shouzhen Taoist Sect intended to slaughter all the cultivators in the Fuzhong Mountains.

"What is happening?"

Hongyang was also terrified. With his Sixth Heaven cultivation and his four juniors, each at the Fifth Heaven, the five-way unification and the solidified formation should not have shattered instantly, even if a True Immortal had arrived. This was certainly not the work of that flower demon. Was there another expert here? Or was it an arrangement left behind by a great master from before?

As he was filled with suspicion, a beam of light—chaotic, murky white, and misty—suddenly rose from the center of the Fuzhong Mountains toward the sky. Hongyang, presiding in the center, bore the brunt of it and scrambled to move to the side. He saved his life, but he was struck nonetheless, spitting out blood and suffering heavy injuries.

How could this be? Hongyang was filled with shock and rage. Below, the Fuzhong Mountains were already riddled with holes, in utter chaos. The light that had just shot into the sky immediately caused clouds and mist to interweave, filling the air with endless gloom.

Within the Fuzhong Mountains, many bolts of thunder light shot upward. These were the Divine Thunders that had not yet been seized, nearly twenty in total. They shot into the sky and transformed into streaks of lightning, tearing through the firmament as if cracking the heavens. The thunder roared, shaking all parties with terror.

Suddenly, these dozens of thunderbolts erupted toward all directions of heaven and earth, leaving no trace behind. Yet, the commotion in the Fuzhong Mountains did not cease.

"How could there be such changes?"

Hongyang channeled his magic to suppress his injuries and shouted, "Honggu, send a message to the sect... and contact all disciples. Intercept the Sun family, the Qiling Sect, and those rogue cultivators. Do not let anyone leave. Wait for my return to deal with them. In the meantime, if anyone resists, kill them without mercy!"

"The other three juniors, go and intercept the disciples of the Huanhua Pavilion. They must not be allowed to escape."

"I will go and take that flower demon!"