Chapter 286 "True Form of the Immortal Artifact"
Chen Chang'an only felt a chill down his back, the beads of sweat on his temples sliding down his cheeks.
This was the first time he had been caught red-handed by his daughter. Even with his cultivation at the Xian Zun Realm, he could only feel his mind go blank at this moment, his lips twitching but unable to form a coherent sentence.
Chen Xingcai's suspicious gaze swept over her father's disheveled robes and crooked hair crown, the doubt in her eyes growing deeper.
Just at this critical moment—
"It is I who have recently had some slight insights."
Ji Hongli's cool voice came from within the cave dwelling, "So I had some cultivation questions to ask Fellow Daoist Chen for guidance."
"Ah~ so that's how it is!"
Chen Xingcai's eyes lit up as she instantly understood. She immediately turned to her father, frantically signaling with her eyes: "In that case, Father, you must put in a lot of effort!"
Although Chen Chang'an didn't understand his daughter's hint, seeing Ji Hongli help him out of the predicament, he quickly nodded like a pecking chicken: "Oh, oh, oh, it should be so."
This reaction immediately earned him a look of exasperation from Chen Xingcai, the little girl so angry her cheeks puffed up.
With the crisis temporarily averted, Chen Chang'an finally noticed the three's strange expressions. He coughed lightly and asked: "The three of you came together, is there something you need?"
Facing an existence of the same level as their father/grandfather, Bai Li and Xiao Ling'er instantly suppressed all their playful demeanor. Bai Li's tail was obediently flat on the ground; Xiao Ling'er, on the other hand, performed a perfect junior's salute, even her breathing becoming lighter.
Chen Xingcai took out "the mysterious book of curses" from her robes, the strange patterns on its pages glowing with a dark light under the moonlight: "It's like this, we caught a spy who had infiltrated the sect, and this magic treasure was found on him." She passed the book over, "I originally wanted to ask you, Father, but you weren't here..."
At this point, she gave her father another exasperated glare before continuing: "So we came over to ask Master for guidance."
Chen Chang'an took "the mysterious book of curses," but the system had no reaction, and he was momentarily stunned.
Just as he was in a daze, a pair of arms as white as jade reached out from beside him, gently taking the book.
The moonlight was like water, spilling over Ji Hongli's body.
Her black long hair fell like a waterfall, adorned with a few bright pearls that reflected the moonlight with a soft halo. The touch of red at the corners of her eyes had not faded, adding a lazy charm, and when her vermilion lips parted lightly, even her breath seemed to carry a faint fragrance.
Such charm, even the three women Chen Xingcai, Xiao Ling'er, and Bai Li couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, a ripple of emotion stirring in their hearts.
"This is a sealed Immortal Artifact." Ji Hongli's fingertips gently stroked the pages, her voice like a clear spring striking stone.
"An Immortal Artifact!?" the three said in unison, their eyes filled with shock.
It must be known that Immortal Artifacts are rare treasures in the mortal realm. Every existing one is almost a sect-protecting treasure of a top-tier power, and an ordinary cultivator might go their entire life without seeing one.
Ji Hongli suddenly turned to look at Chen Chang'an, her gaze flowing: "You do it."
"Me?" Chen Chang'an pointed to his own nose, looking bewildered.
Seeing Ji Hongli's matter-of-fact expression, Chen Chang'an could only give a bitter smile. He lightly flicked his sleeve, and a clear light swept across the book's surface. Those twisted demonic patterns faded away like melting snow and ice.
The originally strange and terrifying book unexpectedly transformed into a thick, jet-black tome, its material seemingly jade but not quite, glowing with a deep luster under the moonlight.
On the cover, several large, archaic characters appeared neatly: "The Time Wheel Destiny Mirror"
Ji Hongli stared at this jet-black tome, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "So it was this Immortal Artifact..."
Chen Xingcai keenly noticed her Master's strangeness: "Master, do you know this book?"
Ji Hongli nodded lightly, her fingertips stroking the flowing silver patterns on the book cover: "'The Time Wheel Destiny Mirror,' I have heard my Master mention it before..."
Ever since that person truly dissipated, Ji Hongli had instead let go of the burden in her heart, naturally referring to her as Master.
"Master's Master..." Chen Xingcai said blankly, it was the first time she had heard she actually had a grandmaster.
Ji Hongli looked up at everyone, the moonlight casting fine, silver specks on her long eyelashes. "For the person who obtains this book, to only use the time laws contained within to predict tomorrow's events is truly a waste of a divine gift."
Her jade-like hand flipped lightly, and the book pages turned on their own, as if a river of stars flowed within: "The true mystery of this book lies in its ability to summon your future self to come to your aid."
"Future self?" Chen Chang'an frowned slightly, quickly finding the key point: "Then if one's own talent is mediocre, and their future self is also weak in combat, wouldn't it be useless?"
Hearing this, Ji Hongli chuckled softly: "Theoretically, that is so, but one must know that the river of time is not a straight line." Her plain hand gestured emptily in the air, specks of spiritual light outlining countless intersecting rays of light. "The past cannot be changed, but every present moment has countless possible future branches."
"The Great Dao is fifty, Heaven derives forty-nine, man escapes with the one." Ji Hongli's voice suddenly became ethereal, as if she was expounding some ultimate principle of heaven and earth. "This is the sliver of opportunity Heaven gives to every person. Even the most mediocre mortal on the street has a chance to become a Immortal Venerable."
Her fingertips lightly tapped the book page: "Therefore, the one summoned by this book is most likely the 'you' from a future where you are very powerful. And furthermore..."
Ji Hongli sighed: "Although this future 'you' is only a projection and cannot communicate, observing their techniques, physique, and aura allows one to vaguely glimpse the path to one's own powerful future. This is the true value of 'The Time Wheel Destiny Mirror'."
"However, this Immortal Artifact cannot be used recklessly."
Ji Hongli gently closed "The Time Wheel Destiny Mirror" and handed it back to Chen Xingcai:
"Each activation consumes a great amount of lifespan, but in a critical moment, it can serve as a life-saving trump card."
Chen Xingcai happily took it. Not only had she found her father on this trip, but her curiosity had also been satisfied. Just as she was about to take her leave, she saw Bai Li suddenly step forward.
Under the moonlight, a rare seriousness was on Bai Li's face.
She took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Ji Hongli: "This junior has waited many years here, and I hope senior can give me an answer."
The surrounding air suddenly grew still, as if even the mountain wind had ceased.
Ji Hongli fixed her gaze on the little fox before her. After a long while, she suddenly let out a soft laugh.
This laugh was not like her usual lazy and charming one, but instead carried a trace of melancholy, as if reminiscing about the past.
"Very well." She raised a hand to brush a stray lock of hair by her temple, her voice as light as a sigh. "If you return to the Southern Frontier again, tell that big fox of yours..."
"The tree on the summit of Qingqiu's Luoyun Peak will never bloom again."
Bai Li's whole body trembled violently. Although she had guessed it in her heart, upon truly receiving the answer, she was still shaken from the depths of her soul.
"Thank you, senior!" She bowed deeply again, her voice choked with emotion.
When she stood up, there were already faint tears in her eyes, but she didn't bother to wipe them, turning into a streak of white light and breaking through the air as she left.
...
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