Chapter 407
The Innate Kunlun Mirror, Daoist Jiang Shu
After tidying herself up, the Golden Mother gathered her disheveled long hair back up and secured it with the crimson phoenix hairpin. Dressed in a bright red Taoist robe, the elegant, noble, aloof, and dignified Golden Mother of Yaochi reappeared before Wu Tian.
She turned around, glanced at Wu Tian who was still sitting on the jade platform, and gave him a brief look.
"Aren't you getting up?"
Wu Tian grinned, moved his Dharma form, and with a sway, transformed into a long-armed divine ape with pure white fur, and jumped off the jade platform.
"Come on, come on, I'll go with you to see that diva."
Jinmu glanced at him, then turned and walked towards the entrance of the secret chamber. Wu Tian followed behind her, and the two of them passed through the hidden door one after the other, returning to the Jade Pool Palace.
She didn't linger and walked straight out of the hall. Wu Tian followed behind, passing through the corridor, crossing the stone bridge, and heading towards the entrance to the grotto.
The route was shrouded in ethereal mist and auspicious vapors. The fairy maidens of Yaochi, seeing this from afar, all bowed in respect.
Jinmu walked ahead, her pace neither hurried nor slow, her skirt trailing on the ground, her waist swaying gracefully, each step exuding a natural rhythm.
Upon returning to the Taizhen Palace, the Golden Mother stopped and instructed a maid beside her, "Go and invite the distinguished guests from outside the cave to the Taizhen Palace."
The maid bowed in agreement and then quickly left.
……
Inside the Taizhen Hall, auspicious energy filled the air.
Jin Mu sat in the main seat, with Wu Tian sitting beside her.
The furnishings in the hall were simple yet elegant, without too many luxurious items, but each piece exuded the charm of time. The maids had already prepared tea and snacks; the teacups were carved from mutton-fat jade, with a faint green hue.
Before long, footsteps could be heard outside the hall.
A figure dressed in red brocade robes gracefully entered the hall.
The woman's long, black hair fell over her shoulders, adorned with a white jade hairpin with delicate tassels hanging from its tip, swaying gently with her steps.
Her face was serene and beautiful, her skin as white as snow, and her features exquisitely drawn. A soft moonlight swirled around her, enveloping her in a gentle glow.
Jin Mu rose slightly and nodded in acknowledgment.
"My sister has come from afar, please have a seat."
Shen Hongyu bowed slightly and sat down in the guest seat. A maid brought tea, which she took, sipped gently, her movements elegant and composed.
Her gaze lingered on Jin's mother for a moment, then turned to Wu Tian beside her, her cool eyes sweeping over his face with a hint of curiosity.
"I never expected that my sister would join forces with the Tongtian Palace Master who was famous in the Western Sea not long ago." Her voice was clear and cold like a mountain stream. "I heard that the two of you had a conflict before, but now it seems that the rumors were indeed untrue."
Jin's mother smiled faintly, picked up her teacup, and took a sip.
"There was just a slight misunderstanding before." Her voice was calm and steady. "The Lord of Tongtian Palace has come to Yaochi today on other important matters."
After quickly dismissing the matter with a few words, she put down her teacup, looked at Shen Hongyu, and took the initiative to ask, "Sister, you never leave Kunlun easily. May I ask what important matter brings you to my remote island overseas this time?"
Shen Hongyu put down her teacup, looked at Jin's mother, and said seriously, "Sister is straightforward, so I won't beat around the bush either."
She paused for a moment, then said, "The reason I have come here so abruptly is that I would like to ask my sister for a peach that lasts for ten thousand years."
Jin Mu's brow twitched slightly.
The Everlasting Peaches.
She only had three ancient peaches in her stash, and after giving one to Wu Tian, she only had two left.
These ten-thousand-year-old peaches are incredibly precious. Not only do they have the effect of helping beings like her to comprehend the Dao, but they can also restore Dao injuries with terrifying vitality and fortune at critical moments. It can be said that a single peach is equivalent to a life.
With only two left, how could she possibly give them away to someone else?
Jin's mother picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and did not answer immediately. She was already calculating in her mind how to respond, so as not to offend this future superstar, and to deflect the matter.
Just then.
Suddenly, a beam of clear light descended from outside the cave.
The clear light poured down from the heavens, stretching across three thousand miles of sky and illuminating half the horizon. Within the light, countless intricate incantations flowed, each one like a miniature star, radiating a vast and profound aura.
The entire Yaochi Cave Heaven trembled slightly, as if in response to the arrival of that clear light.
The Golden Mother raised an eyebrow and extended her divine sense. A moment later, a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.
"That's strange indeed." Her voice was slow and leisurely. "I never expected that my Yaochi, which usually has few visitors, would have so many guests visiting today."
She glanced at Shen Hongyu, raised her hand, and opened the immortal gate of Yaochi Cave Heaven once again.
"Go and invite the distinguished guests from outside the grotto to the Taizhen Palace as well," she instructed her maid.
The maid bowed in agreement and vanished in a streak of light.
Not long after, footsteps could be heard outside the hall again.
A figure walked into the hall.
The man appeared to be in his early twenties, tall and slender, wearing a plain white Taoist robe. The robe had no extra decorations, except for extremely fine silver threads embroidered on the cuffs and collar, which shimmered faintly under the lamplight.
His face was handsome and gentle, with a natural composure in his eyes, as if nothing in the world could move him.
Above his head was a cloud of auspicious light, not large, only three feet square, but containing an indescribable Daoist charm.
The auspicious clouds were a pale blue, like the purest sky after a rainstorm, with three golden lamps slowly rotating within them. The lamps were small, only about the size of a fist, yet they emitted a warm and dazzling light, within which countless intricate incantations appeared and disappeared.
Beneath the auspicious clouds, auspicious clouds and rosy light descended from his shoulders like necklaces, layer upon layer, string upon string, enveloping his entire body.
The rosy light shifted and changed, sometimes fiery red, sometimes jade green, and sometimes dazzling golden yellow, forming natural barriers around him.
Wu Tian, who was sitting upright, felt a sinking feeling in his heart when he saw the young man, as if he had seen an incomparably terrifying abyss. His gaze was involuntarily drawn to the divine whip hanging at the young man's waist.
The divine whip hanging at the man's waist was about three feet long, dark gold in color, with countless fine lines on its body. These lines were layered and densely packed, each containing an indescribable Daoist charm.
At the tip of the whip, there is a bead the size of a copper coin, with a faint golden light flickering within it, like a sleeping eye.
An ancient Taoist artifact, the God-Slaying Whip.
A name flashed through Wu Tian's mind in an instant, "Taiqing Daozi, Jiang Shu!"
He had long heard of this person, having heard his name from many people, and even back in the Taiqing Temple, he had been mentioned countless times. Shen Hongyu was extremely wary of him, and even a strong and domineering woman like Jin Mu was very wary of him.
This person subtly exudes the aura of the number one person below the Golden Immortal.
Although he had only been cultivating for a little over a hundred years, he rose to prominence unexpectedly, rapidly gaining power and surpassing countless ancient beings in his cultivation, becoming an invincible expert at the half-step Golden Immortal level.
Moreover, he was blessed with good fortune and obtained the ancient Dao artifact, the God-Slaying Whip, in his early years, making his combat power extremely terrifying.
At this moment, under everyone's gaze, Jiang Shu walked in unhurriedly, his steps calm and elegant. He didn't exude any extraneous aura, yet people felt an invisible pressure.
The oppression was not deliberate, but a natural presence, like a mountain standing before you, like a vast ocean beneath your feet.
Taiqing Daozi, Jiang Shu.
Before the Star Lord of the Rabbit Day killed Guanyin, he was considered by many immortals, Buddhas, demons and monsters to be the number one enemy in the struggle for the position of Heavenly Emperor.
Jiang Shu stepped into the hall, his gaze settling on the Golden Mother. He bowed slightly, performing a gesture of respect with impeccable manners.
"I apologize for my intrusion in visiting today and disturbing your peaceful cultivation."
His voice was gentle and clear, like a spring breeze. When it comes to seniority within the Taoist community, it was perfectly appropriate for him to call Jinmu "senior," or even "uncle-master."
The Golden Mother nodded slightly in return.
Jiang Shu straightened up, and his gaze naturally turned to another person in the hall.
Shen Hongyu.
She sat in the guest seat, her red dress as fiery as fire, her face aloof and cold.
From the moment Jiang Shu entered the hall, she didn't glance at him once, as if he were just a passing breeze. She held her teacup, her gaze fixed on the emerald-green tea within, her expression as calm as still water.
Jiang Shu looked at her, his tone gentle.
"Red Fish, come back with me."
There were no questions, no blame, only a simple piece of advice. It was as if he were stating something perfectly natural.
Shen Hongyu didn't even lift her eyelids.
"How I act is none of your business." Her voice was as cold as ice, devoid of any warmth.
Jiang Shu wasn't angry. He simply took two steps forward and sat down in the guest seat on the other side. His movements were calm and natural, as if Shen Hongyu's cold response was something he had expected.
“I know you don’t want to be the queen.” His voice remained gentle, with a natural patience. “But no matter what, you shouldn’t risk your life.”
He paused, his clear eyes looking at Shen Hongyu with concern in them.
"You should know that those two meant you no harm; they were just giving you a way out. Why are you doing this to yourself?"
Shen Hongyu still didn't look at him. Her fingers gently caressed the edge of the teacup, her movements unhurried, as if Jiang Shu's words were just a breeze brushing past her ear.
Jiang Shu remained silent for a moment before continuing, "If you truly do not wish to, I will not force you."
His voice was calm and resolute, carrying an undeniable sincerity.
"When I ascend to the throne of the Heavenly Emperor, I will treat you with the utmost respect and will never force you." He paused, his gaze gentle, "If you ever re-enter the cycle of reincarnation, I will personally guide you."
When he said "ascending to the throne of the Heavenly Emperor," his tone was as calm as still water, as if he were simply stating a common fact, like the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, or rivers flowing east into the sea.
There was no deliberate arrogance, no deliberate ostentation, only a natural confidence that emanated from his very being.
It was as if the throne of the Heavenly Emperor was nothing more than a piece of cake for him.
Shen Hongyu finally raised her eyes and glanced at him.
That look was icy cold.
"How I act is none of your business." Her voice remained cold. "Whether I live or die is none of your concern."
She emphasized the word "outsider" very much.
Jiang Shu frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed. He didn't try to persuade her further, but simply sat there quietly, his gaze fixed on Shen Hongyu, his expression gentle and calm, showing no sign of anger or impatience.
Shen Hongyu ignored him and turned to Jin's mother, her usually cold eyes now showing a hint of seriousness.
“Sister.” Her voice was still clear and cold, but with a hint of solemnity. “I know how precious the Ten Thousand Year Peaches are, so I will not ask for them without a reason. I am willing to exchange them for this item, and I hope that you will grant my request.”
Having said that, she raised her right hand.
A ball of silvery-white light slowly emerged in the palm of his hand.
The light resembled a miniature moon, cool and gentle. Within the light, a precious mirror gradually solidified.
The precious mirror was no bigger than the palm of my hand, and its entire body was silvery white. Its surface was as smooth as water, as if moonlight was rippling in it.
The back of the mirror is engraved with countless fine lines, which are layered and densely interwoven to form the image of the stars in the sky. A faint silver light flows around it, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, as mysterious and dazzling as a starry river.
Wu Tian was also captivated by the treasure mirror. The mirror surface looked like water formed from moonlight, rippling slightly as if it would ripple at any moment.
But if you look closely, what is rippling is not the mirror itself, but the scene reflected in the mirror. The scene is constantly changing, sometimes spring blossoms and autumn fruits, sometimes summer rain and winter snow, as if a year's four seasons have passed in an instant; sometimes sunrise and sunset, sometimes moonrise and moonset, as if a day has passed in the blink of an eye.
Upon seeing this object, the Golden Mother exclaimed, "An ancient Dao artifact, the Kunlun Mirror?"
Her voice carried a hint of barely concealed tremor.
It is said that this object was born from the Kunlun Divine Mountain, involving the sequence of time, and is the most mysterious and unknowable Dao artifact in the world. When Shen Hongyu was cultivating in the Kunlun Mountain of this world, the Jade Void Heavenly Lord had not yet established a Daoist temple in the Kunlun Mountain, and that is how this object came into her hands.
The Golden Mother always believed that the Kunlun Mirror should be in the Jade Void Heavenly Palace.
Her expression gradually calmed from shock, her bright eyes fixed intently on the precious mirror, a burning glint in them. She remained silent for a moment, then asked tentatively, "Are you truly willing to exchange this treasure for a ten-thousand-year-old peach?"
Dao artifacts involving the sequence of time are considered supreme treasures, also known as innate spiritual treasures. Regardless of when such treasures are created, they can communicate with time, using time to refine themselves and become increasingly ancient, until at the very beginning of the creation of heaven and earth, when they give birth to innate spiritual light, hence the name innate spiritual treasures.
Primordial spiritual treasures are usually only possessed by powerful Golden Immortals.
Even among the six Heavenly Lords of the Three Realms today, not every one of them possesses such a treasure.
Exchanging a ten-thousand-year-old peach for a primordial spiritual treasure is far too extravagant.
Jin's heart skipped a beat. (End of Chapter)