Chapter 108: Blood Recognition, the Origin of the Immortal Mirror

“Patriarch!”

As the blood mist exploded in the sky, the disciples of the Quillen Clan let out a wail of despair.

The fallen mid-stage Level 2 cultivator was none other than one of the Quillen Clan’s ancestral elders.

“Damn it… damn it all!”

Several Level 1 cultivators from the Quillen Clan immediately activated their talismans and treasures, unleashing a wave of destructive spells.

For a brief moment, heaven and earth trembled, and the immense force of their attacks spread for hundreds of miles.

Like the other Great Clans, the Quillen Clan possessed deep reserves of power.

The more powerful families even had Level 3-level talisman treasures.

However—

Against the old hag, even ordinary Level 3 treasures were useless.

If they wanted to push her back—or even wound her—only a Level 4-level talisman treasure would be effective.

“With my blood, I sacrifice!”

Seeing that Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture’s grand defensive formation was on the verge of collapse, a Level 2 elder from Albigensians Sect spat out a mouthful of essence blood, forcibly stabilizing the crumbling arrays.

As long as the formation remained intact, they could at least buy some time.

But if it fell—

None of them would survive.

Panic Sets In

“How much longer until reinforcements arrive?!”

“Am I really going to die here…?”

“No! I don’t want to die!!”

“Someone—take me away from here!”

“If anything happens to me, you’ll all die with me!”

At that moment, Lord Fred finally snapped out of his daze, screaming orders in sheer panic.

His fear had reached its peak.

He had been a lowly cowherd, once oppressed and bullied, but he had never experienced a true life-or-death crisis.

Then, after becoming Grandmaster Severus’s first disciple, he had enjoyed nothing but privilege.

In Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture, few dared to offend him.

After tasting power and wealth, he was not willing to die.

He had too much to live for—

Infinite riches, countless beauties, luxurious feasts—

But in this moment of absolute terror, no one was willing to listen to him.

Escape? Laughable.

Right now, no one could escape.

And even if escape was possible, who would waste their effort saving Lord Fred?

In the face of catastrophe, only those with absolute strength could hope to survive.

“Shut up!”

“If you don’t want to die, get out of my sight!”

A Albigensians Sect Level 1 deacon turned toward Lord Fred, his expression filled with contempt and killing intent.

Originally, Lord Fred had been protected by a life-saving talisman left by Grandmaster Severus.

But because of his arrogance and recklessness, he had sneaked out while Grandmaster Severus was in seclusion—without even bringing his storage pouch.

This had become his habit.

With Grandmaster Severus behind him, who would dare lay a hand on him?

With Grandmaster Severus behind him, he could take whatever he wanted without ever paying a single spirit stone.

Robbery?

So what?

Who would dare call it robbery when he had Grandmaster Severus’s protection?

“Useless idiot. What a waste of talent.”

The Level 1 deacon spat in disgust.

He simply could not understand why Grandmaster Severus had allowed Lord Fred to become like this.

Was he really supposed to reach Level 2?

Was he truly expected to reach Level 4?

Cultivation was a path of hardship.

Even with exceptional talent, one could not avoid suffering and struggle.

Only those with a firm Dao heart could continue forward.

But Lord Fred had no Dao heart at all.

If he wasn’t properly disciplined, he would never advance beyond his current level.

A Moment of Silence

“You—”

Lord Fred’s face twisted in rage at the deacon’s insult.

He had wanted to shout back, but before he could say another word, an unbearable pressure crashed down on him.

Without his three Level 2 guardians, Lord Fred did not dare act out any further.

He fell completely silent.

Fear had finally swallowed his arrogance.

As Lord Fred was reprimanded and the old hag continued slaughtering Level 2 cultivators with an air of calm indifference, Arius’s anxiety grew.

He had to decide quickly.

At most, the Level 2 cultivators could hold out for two more incense sticks of time before they completely collapsed.

Arius had no intention of swallowing the pills offered by the old hag.

Anything from the demonic path carried unpredictable consequences.

Inside his storage ring, the Appraising Immortal Mirror lay hidden.

Arius carefully manipulated his divine sense, slowly transferring various items and resources into his storage ring—preparing for what was to come.

A Dangerous Gamble

Though Arius could use his will to command the Appraising Immortal Mirror to consume resources, he had to be careful.

The old hag, at the Level 3 realm, possessed an immensely powerful divine sense.

When the Appraising Immortal Mirror was inactive, it appeared completely ordinary, resembling nothing more than a dull bronze mirror.

Even a Level 5 cultivator wouldn’t think twice about it.

But the moment it absorbed resources, its nature would change.

At that point, its secrets would be exposed!

“Do I risk it?”

Arius’s gaze turned sharp, filled with a murderous glint as he stared at the battlefield above.

If he didn’t take the risk, he would die.

But if he used the Appraising Immortal Mirror, he stood a chance of surviving.

However—

The moment he activated it, the entire Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture capital would likely become a bloodbath.

A Path of Slaughter

Arius retrieved the two Five-Thunder Talisman Treasures.

He planned to openly strengthen them using the Appraising Immortal Mirror, unleashing a devastating massacre in an instant.

First, he would kill the old hag.

Then, he would slaughter every single Level 2 cultivator.

Finally, he would wipe out the entire Pyrenees Mountain Prefecture capital.

Thinking of the millions of innocent lives that would be lost, Arius’s heart trembled slightly.

Over the years, he had killed many cultivators and mortals.

But he had never indulged in senseless slaughter.

And yet—

Today, he might be forced to lower his moral boundaries once more.

“The pursuit of Dao is a path of unwavering resolve.”

“Sigh…”

Arius slowly closed his eyes.

Perhaps…

This was simply the cruelty of the cultivation path.

No matter how much he had fought and schemed to become stronger, he had always retained a small shred of his past self.

But now, that last shred of mercy might have to be discarded forever.

A Sudden Change

CLANG!!

Just as Arius was about to make his move, a powerful artifact suddenly exploded in mid-air.

A Level 2 cultivator from Albigensians Sect had self-detonated his own natal artifact, unleashing a massive shockwave.

Although a self-detonated artifact was not as devastating as a cultivator self-destructing, it was still highly destructive.

Unfortunately—

Even this desperate move failed to seriously harm the old hag.

Instead, the scattered fragments of the destroyed artifact rained down on the city, killing numerous ordinary cultivators and civilians.

One of the shattered fragments even slashed across Arius’s palm, leaving a deep, bloody wound.

A few drops of his blood trickled down, landing on the surface of the Appraising Immortal Mirror.

Something Changed.

Arius didn’t notice it at first, but—

The mirror absorbed his blood.

Time Stops

The moment Arius prepared to sacrifice his resources and risk exposing the Appraising Immortal Mirror, the entire world… froze.

Everything around him—

The air.
The battlefield.
The chaos of war.
Even time itself.

Everything became still.

Silence.

Absolute, utter silence.

It was as if the entire river of time had been forcibly frozen by some unknowable force.

Even Arius’s body was completely paralyzed.

He couldn’t move a single muscle.

Only his consciousness remained active, allowing him to observe what was happening around him.

A Voice from the Cosmos

A voice—
Ancient. Vast. Unfathomable.

It echoed through the endless void, resonating in Arius’s very soul.

“Through the eons, even the vast seas turn to dust.”

“Fortune and fate are boundless, my Dao is immeasurable.”

A Vision of the Past

Before Arius’s very eyes, reality began to shift and unravel.

The entire world around him changed.

Stars collided. Celestial light surged. The sun and moon faded into obscurity.

And in that infinite expanse—

A grand, majestic tapestry of history and power began to unfold before him.

The Ancient History of the Appraising Immortal Mirror

On the canvas of infinite time, a great saga was being revealed—

A story that contained glimpses of the true origin and power of the Appraising Immortal Mirror.

Arius Had Unlocked a Truth That Few Had Ever Seen.