Shui Miao had fought tirelessly and risked his life for the sake of all beings in the Three Realms and for a bright future for the Immortal Realm. Yet, he never would have imagined that even now, he remained merely a pawn—a piece used to alter the fate of the Immortal Realm and restore the ancient immortals to the Celestial Court to rule over the Three Realms.
This pawn’s fate had been sealed from the very beginning.
As for what the ancient immortals would do with this pawn next, that remained to be seen.
Suddenly, Ling Shuai departed, and the use of the Heaven-Escaping Talisman caused a unique ripple in spiritual energy. The fluctuation was extremely faint, imperceptible to ordinary cultivators, but Shui Miao, in his current state, could sense it keenly.
“At a time like this, what is Ling Shuai doing with the Heaven-Escaping Talisman? Could it be that he’s going to meet his master?”
Shui Miao’s mind stirred, quickly deducing where Ling Shuai might be headed.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao didn’t know how to track the energy of the Heaven-Escaping Talisman. However, this posed no real obstacle. Shui Miao was no longer the helpless mortal he once was—he had acquired the memories of many supreme experts, including those of the Saint King Luotong, a master blacksmith, and had become highly skilled in the art of forging, making him vastly different from before.
In such a situation, he could easily use the Mirror of Pursuing Light to track Ling Shuai’s whereabouts.
However, Shui Miao knew that ordinary pursuit mirrors emitted strong energy, and activating one could easily alert his enemies.
Especially when dealing with a supreme being like Laozi, the Supreme Elder, he needed to be extremely cautious.
To ensure absolute success and to uncover heavenly secrets, Shui Miao immediately entered the Tower of Time, reversed time, and began forging a special artifact—a personal Heaven-Revealing Mirror of his own.
The original Heaven-Revealing Sage had long perished, and his Heaven-Revealing Mirror was a unique treasure in the Immortal Realm, capable of unveiling heavenly secrets, probing the thoughts of all immortals, and doing so undetected. Unfortunately, the mirror had long since vanished. However, fate never completely closes all doors—Luotong had once participated in the mirror’s enhancement and modification, gaining considerable knowledge of its structure. Shui Miao had inherited all of Luotong’s memories, so forging a new Heaven-Revealing Mirror was entirely within his capability.
Now, Shui Miao possessed a unique understanding of formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, subtly modifying the original Heaven-Revealing Mirror’s formations to create a mirror of his own—one that would help him track Ling Shuai and uncover the profound mysteries of the universe.
Without hesitation, he got to work—dissolving his original Mirror of Pursuing Light and forging it anew.
As he forged, he also infused the mirror with large quantities of Purple Fortune Qi.
The key difference between forging the Heaven-Revealing Mirror and other artifacts was that the Heaven-Revealing Mirror required a wide variety of energies. Fortunately, Shui Miao had an abundance of all kinds of spiritual energies at his disposal.
Thus, half an hour later, Shui Miao emerged from the Tower of Time and immediately performed the soul-awakening ritual on the new Heaven-Revealing Mirror.
Yet, outside, only a couple of minutes had passed.
For this soul awakening, Shui Miao spared no expense, using a large quantity of pills, including no fewer than two Saint-level pills.
The result was an artifact with no discernible rank… and that was correct. According to Luotong’s memories, the Heaven-Revealing Mirror indeed had no rank, yet its abilities were incredibly powerful.
Inside the Hongyu Chessboard, Shui Miao immediately activated the Heaven-Revealing Mirror and began tracking Ling Shuai’s trail…
Shui Miao strived and fought fiercely for the sake of all living beings across the three realms and for a brighter future of the immortal world. Yet, he could never have anticipated that, even now, he remains a mere pawn in someone else’s game—a pawn destined to alter the fate of the immortal world and pave the way for the ancient immortals to reclaim their dominion over the three realms.
From the very beginning, his fate as a pawn was sealed.
What the ancient immortals plan to do with this pawn next remains unknown.
Suddenly, the Spirit Marshal departed, and the use of the Sky-Escaping Talisman caused a faint ripple of energy, so subtle that most cultivators wouldn’t notice it. However, Shui Miao, with his heightened sensitivity, detected it immediately.
“What is the Spirit Marshal doing with the Sky-Escaping Talisman at this moment? Could he be seeking out his master?” Shui Miao pondered, quickly deducing the Spirit Marshal’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao didn’t know how to trace the energy of the Sky-Escaping Talisman. But this didn’t stump him. The Shui Miao of today was no longer the helpless mortal he once was. He had absorbed the memories of numerous supreme beings, including the forging techniques of the Saint King Luo Tong, and had mastered the art of forging. He was now a completely different person.
In this situation, he could easily activate the Light-Chasing Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements.
However, Shui Miao knew that the energy signature of an ordinary Light-Chasing Mirror was too strong, and once activated, it would be difficult to avoid detection by his enemies.
Especially when dealing with a powerful figure like the Supreme Lord Laozi, extreme caution was necessary.
To ensure absolute success and to gain insight into the workings of fate, Shui Miao entered the Time Tower, reversed time, and began forging a unique artifact—his own Destiny Mirror.
The true Destiny Sovereign had long since perished, and his Destiny Mirror was a one-of-a-kind treasure in the immortal world, capable of peering into the secrets of fate and reading the minds of all immortals without being detected. Unfortunately, the Destiny Mirror had also vanished without a trace. But as the saying goes, heaven never seals off all exits. Luo Tong had once participated in the modification and upgrade of the Destiny Mirror and had a deep understanding of its structure. Shui Miao, having inherited Luo Tong’s memories, was fully capable of forging a new Destiny Mirror.
The current Shui Miao had his own unique understanding of formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, made subtle adjustments to the original Destiny Mirror’s formation, and was about to forge his own Destiny Mirror, which he would use to track the Spirit Marshal’s information and uncover the many mysteries of the universe.
Without delay, Shui Miao dissolved the original Light-Chasing Mirror and began the forging process anew.
During the forging, Shui Miao didn’t forget to infuse a significant amount of Purple Destiny Energy.
The key difference between forging the Destiny Mirror and other artifacts was that the Destiny Mirror required a variety of energies. Fortunately, Shui Miao lacked none of these energies; he had them all in abundance.
Thus, half an hour later, Shui Miao emerged from the Time Tower and immediately activated the new Destiny Mirror.
Outside, only a minute or two had passed.
For this activation, Shui Miao didn’t hesitate to expend a large number of elixirs, including two saint-level elixirs.
As a result, Shui Miao obtained an artifact without a rank—that’s right, according to Luo Tong’s memories, the Destiny Mirror indeed had no rank, but its capabilities were extraordinarily powerful.
Shui Miao, now within the Cosmic Chessboard, immediately activated the Destiny Mirror to trace the Spirit Marshal’s energy…
Soon, the dark surface of the Destiny Mirror revealed images of the Spirit Marshal, the Supreme Lord Laozi, and the Millennial Ghost.
They were currently in a rather old-looking room within a Taoist temple. The Supreme Lord Laozi sat on an ancient wooden chair, stroking his beard as he listened to the Spirit Marshal’s account. The Millennial Ghost stood respectfully to the side, as still as a statue.
“Master, with your boundless power and vast wisdom, could you divine the current state of the immortal world? Is it still not time for the ancient immortals to return? If things continue like this, with Shui Miao running amok, he will surely plunge the immortal world into chaos!” The Spirit Marshal, after all, was the Supreme Lord Laozi’s man and never truly considered Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing the Spirit Marshal speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained calm. Perhaps this was what it meant to serve different masters.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, dressed in a green robe, with a youthful face and clear, benevolent eyes, stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “Spirit Marshal, my disciple, there’s no need to rush. Return for now, and I will contemplate the matter.”
The Supreme Lord Laozi played his cards close to his chest, offering no answer and simply instructing the Spirit Marshal to leave.
“…”
The Spirit Marshal was momentarily stunned. Though he felt somewhat dissatisfied, he had no choice but to obey his master’s command and take his leave.
After the Spirit Marshal departed, the Supreme Lord Laozi turned to the Millennial Ghost and asked softly, “Disciple, what do you think of Shui Miao?”
“I feel…”
The Millennial Ghost paused, pondered for a moment, and then spoke gravely, “Shui Miao is intelligent, loyal, and has his own set of beliefs. He is decisive in battle and possesses the demeanor of a true ruler. I believe he is a rare talent. However, his personality is too rigid and prone to breaking. Therefore, I think he can only serve as a general star; he is not suited for the monumental task of ruling the heavens.”
The Millennial Ghost spoke candidly, without a trace of emotion.
Her words shocked Shui Miao. He never expected that the Spirit Marshal, whom he trusted, would speak ill of him behind his back, while the Millennial Ghost, whom he disliked, would praise him and even seem to admire him.
Truly, the heart is a mystery, and good and evil are hard to discern!
“Indeed, his destiny is quite unique. He is a talent I carefully selected, but his actions and achievements have indeed surpassed my expectations,” the Supreme Lord Laozi said with a solemn expression, his true feelings impossible to discern.
The Millennial Ghost blinked, puzzled. “Master, I know your powers are vast and profound, but I don’t understand how Shui Miao could exceed your expectations. Isn’t he just a pawn you chose?”
“He may have already transcended the role of a pawn,” the Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly stood up gently and sighed. “The path of fate is unpredictable… But he has mastered the ways of Feng Shui and nature, understood the mysteries of the universe, and embraced kindness. Thus, he is protected by the most mysterious Purple Destiny Energy in the cosmos. He is destined to grow stronger, more powerful, and go further. As long as he remains true to himself and does not act against the natural order, the Purple Destiny Energy will not abandon him and will continue to favor him, making him an eternal, supreme being.”
“He can become that powerful!?”
The Millennial Ghost was startled, then quickly asked, “But Master, what about the return of the ancient immortals to the heavens? If Shui Miao interferes, won’t the ancient immortals be forever barred from the heavens? He is so powerful now, even willing to self-destruct his saint artifacts. Who can withstand him? Who can suppress and deal with him?”
“His only enemy is himself…”
The Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly exhaled softly and then vanished.
“Himself?”
The Millennial Ghost furrowed her brow, murmuring to herself, unable to comprehend.
※※※
“What exactly does the Supreme Lord Laozi mean? His tone seems to still favor me, but his words… Could he be suggesting that I should cultivate my mind?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts churned, and he too became perplexed.
It felt as though the Supreme Lord Laozi had shaped him and, even now, continued to look after him.
To further understand the Supreme Lord Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao activated the Destiny Mirror to track him.
In a stone chamber, the Supreme Lord Laozi was continuously activating spirit talismans, which flew out to the ancient immortals hidden in various places, informing them that the situation in the immortal world was settled and it was time to return to the heavens.
After distributing the talismans, the Supreme Lord Laozi walked to a stone cabinet, picked up a folding fan, and opened it. On the fan was a painting of a man who looked exactly like Shui Miao, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck…
Seeing this fan, Shui Miao’s heart trembled, and he immediately recalled the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So, that white-robed scholar was none other than the Supreme Lord Laozi in disguise!
The ways of Feng Shui and nature were gifts from him…
This revelation was both expected and surprising to Shui Miao. He never imagined that his master was truly the Supreme Lord Laozi!
My master taught me skills and brought me to where I am today. How could I spy on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately deactivated the Destiny Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance to the fifth layer of the immortal and demon realms had subsided.
Shui Miao put away the Cosmic Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
The Spirit Marshal suddenly emerged from the ranks of the heavenly soldiers and generals, clasping his fists in a deep bow to Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned his head, seeing that the Spirit Marshal had returned. He thought to himself, “You are truly hypocritical. I trusted you, yet you act one way in front of me and another behind my back. I truly despise you.” Without a word, Shui Miao focused his mind, used his magic to envelop the Spirit Marshal, forcibly took back the puppet on him, and then teleported away.
“Uh…”
The Spirit Marshal was left feeling awkward by Shui Miao’s sudden action.
Shui Miao has changed. Could he have discovered something? Perhaps he overheard me speaking ill of him in front of the master?
I must go back to the master!
The Spirit Marshal, filled with unease, quickly activated the Sky-Escaping Talisman to seek out the Supreme Lord Laozi once more.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had teleported back to the first layer of the heavens.
However, upon arriving, Shui Miao suddenly had an idea. He took out the brocade pouch the Spirit Marshal had given him earlier and pondered, “This pouch doesn’t seem to serve much purpose. Could there be something sinister about it? Could the Supreme Lord Laozi be using it to monitor me? Did he know I was using the Destiny Mirror to spy on him and thus put on a show for me?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him before.
Moreover, he was with the Millennial Ghost, who had spoken favorably of him, which was unusual. There must be something fishy going on!
“No! I must thoroughly investigate this pouch, carefully and meticulously…”
Shui Miao fought tirelessly for the sake of all living beings across the three realms and for a brighter future of the immortal world, risking his life in battles. Yet, he could never have anticipated that even now, he remains a mere pawn in someone else’s grand scheme—a pawn destined to alter the fate of the immortal world and pave the way for the ancient immortals to reclaim their dominion over the three realms.
From the very beginning, his fate as a pawn was sealed.
What the ancient immortals plan to do with this pawn next remains a mystery.
Suddenly, the Spirit Marshal departed, and the use of the Sky-Escaping Talisman caused a subtle fluctuation in the air, so faint that most cultivators wouldn’t notice it. However, Shui Miao, with his heightened senses, detected it immediately.
“What is the Spirit Marshal doing with the Sky-Escaping Talisman at this moment? Could he be seeking out his master?”
A thought crossed Shui Miao’s mind, and he quickly deduced the Spirit Marshal’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao didn’t know how to trace the aura of the Sky-Escaping Talisman. But this was no longer a problem for him. The Shui Miao of today was no longer the helpless mortal he once was. He had inherited the memories of many supreme beings, including the legendary Forging Sage Luo Tong, and had mastered the art of forging, making him a force to be reckoned with.
In this situation, he could easily activate the Light-Chasing Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements.
However, Shui Miao knew that the aura of a typical Light-Chasing Mirror was too strong, and once activated, it would be difficult to avoid detection by his enemies.
Especially when dealing with a powerful figure like the Supreme Lord Laozi, extreme caution was necessary.
To ensure absolute success and to gain insight into the workings of fate, Shui Miao entered the Time Tower, reversed the flow of time, and began forging a unique artifact—his very own Heavenly Insight Mirror.
The true Heavenly Insight Master had long since perished, and his Heavenly Insight Mirror, a one-of-a-kind treasure in the immortal world, was capable of peering into the secrets of fate and reading the minds of all immortals without detection. Unfortunately, the mirror had also vanished without a trace. But as the saying goes, heaven never seals off all exits. Luo Tong had once participated in the modification and upgrade of the Heavenly Insight Mirror and had a deep understanding of its structure. Shui Miao, having inherited Luo Tong’s memories, was fully capable of forging a new Heavenly Insight Mirror.
The current Shui Miao had his own unique understanding of array formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, made subtle adjustments to the original Heavenly Insight Mirror’s array, and was about to forge a mirror of his own, one that would allow him to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements and uncover the myriad mysteries of the universe.
Without delay, Shui Miao dissolved the original Light-Chasing Mirror and began the forging process anew.
During the forging, Shui Miao didn’t forget to infuse the mirror with a substantial amount of Purple Destiny Qi.
The key difference between forging the Heavenly Insight Mirror and other artifacts was that the former required a variety of different auras. Fortunately, Shui Miao lacked nothing in this regard; he had access to all the necessary auras.
Thus, after half an hour, Shui Miao emerged from the Time Tower and immediately activated the new Heavenly Insight Mirror.
Outside, only a couple of minutes had passed.
For this activation, Shui Miao didn’t hesitate to expend a large number of elixirs, including two saint-level ones.
As a result, Shui Miao obtained an artifact without a grade—that’s right, according to Luo Tong’s memories, the Heavenly Insight Mirror indeed had no grade, but its functions were incredibly powerful.
Shui Miao, now within the vast chessboard of the cosmos, activated the Heavenly Insight Mirror and began tracking the Spirit Marshal’s aura…
Soon, the dark surface of the mirror revealed the Spirit Marshal, the Supreme Lord Laozi, and the Millennial Ghost.
They were currently in a rather old and worn-out room of a Taoist temple. The Supreme Lord Laozi sat on an ancient wooden chair, stroking his beard as he listened to the Spirit Marshal’s report. The Millennial Ghost stood respectfully to the side, as still as a stone statue.
“Master, with your boundless power and vast wisdom, could you divine the current state of the immortal world? Is it not yet time for the ancient immortals to return? If things continue like this, with Shui Miao running amok, he will surely plunge the immortal world into chaos!” The Spirit Marshal, after all, was still a loyal disciple of the Supreme Lord Laozi and never truly considered Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing the Spirit Marshal speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained calm. Perhaps this was what it meant to serve different masters.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, dressed in a green robe with a youthful face and clear, kind eyes, stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “My disciple, there’s no need to rush. Return for now, and I will consider the matter.”
The Supreme Lord Laozi played his cards close to his chest, giving the Spirit Marshal no direct answer and simply sent him away.
“…”
The Spirit Marshal was momentarily stunned. Though he felt somewhat dissatisfied, he could not disobey his master’s command and had no choice but to take his leave.
After the Spirit Marshal departed, the Supreme Lord Laozi turned to the Millennial Ghost and asked softly, “My disciple, what do you think of Shui Miao?”
“I feel…”
The Millennial Ghost paused, pondered for a moment, and then spoke gravely, “Shui Miao is intelligent, loyal, and has his own set of beliefs. He is decisive in battle and possesses the demeanor of a true ruler. I believe he is a rare talent. However, his personality is too rigid and prone to breaking. Therefore, I think he is better suited to be a general rather than a ruler of the heavens.”
The Millennial Ghost spoke candidly, without any hint of emotion.
Her words shocked Shui Miao. He never expected that the Spirit Marshal, whom he trusted, would speak ill of him behind his back, while the Millennial Ghost, whom he disliked, would praise him and even seem to admire him.
Truly, it’s hard to discern the true nature of people’s hearts!
“Indeed, his destiny is quite unique. He was a carefully chosen talent by me, but his actions and achievements have indeed surpassed my expectations,” the Supreme Lord Laozi said with a solemn expression, his true feelings impossible to discern.
The Millennial Ghost blinked, puzzled. “Master, I know your powers are vast and profound, but I can’t understand how Shui Miao could surpass your expectations. Isn’t he just a pawn you selected?”
“He may have already transcended the role of a pawn,” the Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly stood up gently and sighed. “The path of fate is unpredictable… But he has mastered the ways of Feng Shui and the natural order, gained insight into the mysteries of the universe, and embraced kindness. Thus, he is blessed by the most mysterious Purple Destiny Qi in the cosmos. As long as he remains true to himself and does not act against the natural order, the Purple Destiny Qi will never abandon him. It will continue to favor him, allowing him to become an eternal and supreme being.”
“He can become that powerful!?”
The Millennial Ghost was startled and quickly asked, “But Master, what about the return of the ancient immortals to the heavens? If Shui Miao interferes, won’t the ancient immortals be forever barred from returning? He’s so powerful now, even willing to self-destruct his saint-level artifacts. Who can withstand him? Who can suppress him?”
“His only enemy is himself…”
The Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly exhaled softly and vanished in a flash.
“Himself?”
The Millennial Ghost frowned, murmuring to herself, unable to comprehend his words.
※※※
“What exactly does the Supreme Lord Laozi mean? His tone seems to still favor me, but his words… Is he trying to guide me to cultivate my mind?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts swirled, and he too was left confused.
It felt as though the Supreme Lord Laozi had shaped him into who he was today and had always looked out for him.
To further understand the Supreme Lord Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao activated the Heavenly Insight Mirror to track him.
In a stone chamber, the Supreme Lord Laozi was continuously activating spirit talismans, which flew out to inform the ancient immortals hidden in various places that the situation in the immortal world had stabilized, and it was time for them to return to the heavens.
After distributing the talismans, the Supreme Lord Laozi walked to a stone cabinet and picked up a folding fan. On the fan was a portrait of a man who looked exactly like Shui Miao, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck…
Seeing this fan, Shui Miao’s heart trembled, and he immediately recalled the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So, that white-robed scholar was none other than the Supreme Lord Laozi in disguise!
The ways of Feng Shui and the natural order were gifts from him…
This revelation was both expected and surprising for Shui Miao. He never imagined that his master was truly the Supreme Lord Laozi!
My master taught me the skills that have brought me to where I am today. How could I spy on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately deactivated the Heavenly Insight Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance to the fifth heaven’s demon realm had subsided.
Shui Miao stored the Cosmic Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
The Spirit Marshal suddenly emerged from the ranks of the heavenly soldiers and clasped his fists in gratitude toward Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned his head and saw that the Spirit Marshal had returned. He thought to himself, “You’re truly hypocritical. I trusted you, but you’re two-faced. I truly look down on you.” Without saying a word, Shui Miao used his magic to envelop the Spirit Marshal, forcibly retrieved the puppet from him, and then teleported away.
“Uh…”
The Spirit Marshal was left feeling awkward by Shui Miao’s sudden action.
Shui Miao has changed. Could it be that he has discovered something? Perhaps it’s because I spoke ill of him in front of my master?
I must go see my master again!
The Spirit Marshal, feeling uneasy, quickly activated the Sky-Escaping Talisman to seek out the Supreme Lord Laozi.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had teleported back to the first heaven.
However, upon arriving in the first heaven, Shui Miao suddenly had an idea. He pulled out the brocade pouch that the Spirit Marshal had given him earlier and thought to himself, “This pouch doesn’t seem to serve much purpose. Could there be something sinister about it? Is it possible that the Supreme Lord Laozi is using this pouch to monitor me? Did he know I was using the Heavenly Insight Mirror to spy on him and was putting on an act for me?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him before.
Moreover, he was with the Millennial Ghost, who had spoken favorably of him, which was highly unusual. There must be something sinister going on!
“No! I must thoroughly investigate this pouch, carefully and meticulously…”
“Master, your powers are boundless and your abilities unparalleled. Please divine the current state of the Immortal Realm. Are the ancient immortals still unable to return? If things continue like this and Shui Miao is allowed to act freely, he will surely plunge the Immortal Realm into chaos!” Ling Shuai, ultimately a disciple of Laozi, had never truly considered Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing Ling Shuai speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained surprisingly calm. Perhaps it was simply a matter of loyalty to one’s master.
Dressed in a green robe, with white hair and a youthful face, and a kind and serene expression, Laozi gently stroked his beard and smiled slightly, saying, “My disciple Ling Shuai, do not be hasty. Return first; your master already has his plans.”
Laozi played his cards close to his chest, offering no answers and simply dismissing Ling Shuai.
“…”
Ling Shuai hesitated slightly, his heart filled with reluctance, but unable to defy his master’s command, he could only bid farewell and leave.
Shui Miao strived and fought fiercely for the sake of all living beings across the three realms and for a brighter future of the immortal world. However, he never anticipated that even today, he remains a mere pawn in someone else’s game—a pawn destined to alter the fate of the immortal world and pave the way for the ancient immortals to reclaim their dominion over the three realms.
From the very beginning, the fate of this pawn was sealed.
What the ancient immortals plan to do with this pawn next remains unknown.
Suddenly, the Spirit Marshal departed, and the use of the Heaven-Escaping Talisman caused a subtle fluctuation in the air. This fluctuation was so faint that most cultivators wouldn’t notice it, but Shui Miao, with his heightened sensitivity, detected it immediately.
“What is the Spirit Marshal doing with the Heaven-Escaping Talisman at this moment? Could he be seeking out his master?” Shui Miao’s mind raced as he speculated about the Spirit Marshal’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao didn’t know how to track the aura of the Heaven-Escaping Talisman. However, this didn’t pose a problem for him. The current Shui Miao was no longer the helpless mortal he once was. He had acquired the memories of many supreme beings, including the memories of the Forging Sage King Luo Tong, and had mastered the art of forging. He was now a completely different person.
In this situation, he could easily activate the Light-Chasing Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements.
But Shui Miao knew that the aura of an ordinary Light-Chasing Mirror was too strong, and once activated, it would be difficult to avoid detection by his opponents.
Especially when dealing with a powerful figure like the Supreme Lord Laozi, extreme caution was necessary.
To ensure absolute success and to gain insight into the workings of heaven, Shui Miao entered the Time Tower, reversed time, and began forging a unique artifact—his own Heavenly Mechanism Mirror.
The true Heavenly Mechanism Sovereign had long since perished, and his Heavenly Mechanism Mirror was a one-of-a-kind treasure in the immortal world, capable of peering into the secrets of heaven and reading the minds of all immortals without being detected. Unfortunately, the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror had also disappeared without a trace. However, as the saying goes, heaven never seals off all exits. Luo Tong had once participated in the modification and upgrade of the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror and had a deep understanding of its structure. Shui Miao, having inherited Luo Tong’s memories, was fully capable of forging a new Heavenly Mechanism Mirror.
The current Shui Miao had his own unique understanding of formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, made subtle adjustments to the original Heavenly Mechanism Mirror’s formation, and was about to forge his own Heavenly Mechanism Mirror, which he would use to track the Spirit Marshal’s information and uncover the many mysteries of the universe.
Without delay, Shui Miao dissolved the original Light-Chasing Mirror and began the forging process anew.
During the forging, Shui Miao also infused a significant amount of Purple Destiny Qi.
The key difference between forging the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror and other artifacts was that the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror required a variety of auras. Fortunately, Shui Miao lacked none of these auras—he had them all.
Thus, half an hour later, Shui Miao emerged from the Time Tower and immediately activated the new Heavenly Mechanism Mirror.
Outside, only a couple of minutes had passed.
For this activation, Shui Miao didn’t hesitate to expend a large number of elixirs, including two saint-level elixirs.
As a result, Shui Miao obtained an artifact without a grade—that’s right, according to Luo Tong’s memories, the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror indeed had no grade, but its functions were incredibly powerful.
Shui Miao, now within the Cosmic Chessboard, immediately activated the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s aura…
Soon, the dark surface of the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror revealed the images of the Spirit Marshal, the Supreme Lord Laozi, and the Millennial Ghost.
They were currently in a rather old-looking room of a Taoist temple. The Supreme Lord Laozi sat on a worn wooden chair, stroking his beard as he listened to the Spirit Marshal’s account. The Millennial Ghost stood respectfully to the side, as still as a statue.
“Master, with your boundless power and vast wisdom, could you divine the current state of the immortal world? Is it still not time for the ancient immortals to return? If things continue like this, with Shui Miao running amok, he will surely plunge the immortal world into chaos!” The Spirit Marshal, after all, was a loyal follower of the Supreme Lord Laozi and never truly considered Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing the Spirit Marshal speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained calm. Perhaps this was what it meant to serve different masters.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, dressed in a green robe with a youthful face and clear, benevolent eyes, stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “My disciple, there’s no need to rush. Return for now, and I will contemplate the matter.”
The Supreme Lord Laozi played his cards close to his chest, giving the Spirit Marshal no direct answer and simply sending him away.
“…”
The Spirit Marshal was momentarily stunned. Though he felt somewhat dissatisfied, he had no choice but to obey his master’s command and take his leave.
After the Spirit Marshal departed, the Supreme Lord Laozi turned to the Millennial Ghost and asked softly, “Disciple, what do you think of Shui Miao?”
“I feel…”
The Millennial Ghost paused, pondered for a moment, and then spoke gravely, “Shui Miao is intelligent, loyal, and has his own set of principles. He is decisive in battle and possesses the demeanor of a true ruler. I believe he is a rare talent. However, his personality is too rigid and prone to breaking. Therefore, I think he is better suited to be a general rather than a ruler of the heavens.”
The Millennial Ghost spoke candidly, without a hint of emotion.
Her words shocked Shui Miao. He never expected that the Spirit Marshal, whom he trusted, would speak ill of him behind his back, while the Millennial Ghost, whom he disliked, would speak well of him and even seemed to admire him.
Truly, the heart is a mystery—good and evil are hard to discern!
“Indeed, his destiny is quite unique. He is a talent I carefully selected, but his actions and achievements have indeed surpassed my expectations,” the Supreme Lord Laozi said with a solemn expression, his true feelings hidden.
The Millennial Ghost blinked, puzzled. “Master, I know your powers are vast and profound, but I can’t understand why Shui Miao has exceeded your expectations. Isn’t he just a pawn you chose?”
“He may have already transcended the role of a pawn,” the Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly stood up gently and sighed. “The path of destiny is unpredictable… But he has mastered the ways of Feng Shui and the natural order, gained insight into the mysteries of heaven and earth, and embraced kindness. Thus, he is blessed by the most mysterious Purple Destiny Qi in the universe. As long as he remains true to himself and does not act against the natural order, the Purple Destiny Qi will never abandon him. It will continue to favor him, allowing him to become an eternal and invincible superpower.”
“He can become that powerful!?”
The Millennial Ghost was startled, then quickly asked, “But Master, what about the return of the ancient immortals to the heavens? If Shui Miao interferes, won’t the ancient immortals be forever barred from returning? He is so powerful now, even willing to self-destruct his saint-level artifacts. Who can withstand him? Who can suppress him?”
“His only enemy is himself…”
The Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly exhaled softly and then vanished in a flash.
“Himself?”
The Millennial Ghost frowned, murmuring to herself, unable to comprehend the meaning.
※※※
“What exactly does the Supreme Lord Laozi mean? His tone seems to still favor me, but his words… Could he be suggesting that I should focus on cultivating my mind?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts swirled, and he too was confused.
It felt as though the Supreme Lord Laozi had shaped him from the very beginning, and even now, the Supreme Lord Laozi continued to look out for him.
To further understand the Supreme Lord Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao activated the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror to track him.
In a stone chamber, the Supreme Lord Laozi was continuously activating talismans, which flew out in all directions, reaching the hands of various ancient immortals hidden in different locations, informing them that the situation in the immortal world was settled and it was time to return to the heavens.
After distributing the talismans, the Supreme Lord Laozi walked to a stone cabinet, picked up a folding fan, and opened it. On the fan was a portrait of a man who looked exactly like Shui Miao, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck…
Seeing this fan, Shui Miao’s heart trembled, and he immediately recalled the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So, that white-robed scholar was none other than the Supreme Lord Laozi in disguise!
The ways of Feng Shui and the natural order were gifts from him…
This revelation was both expected and surprising to Shui Miao. He never imagined that his master was truly the Supreme Lord Laozi!
My master taught me the skills that have brought me to where I am today. How can I spy on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately deactivated the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance to the Fifth Heaven’s demon realm had subsided.
Shui Miao put away the Cosmic Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
The Spirit Marshal suddenly emerged from the ranks of the heavenly soldiers and clasped his fists in gratitude towards Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned his head and saw that the Spirit Marshal had returned. He thought to himself, “You are truly hypocritical. I trusted you, yet you act one way in front of me and another behind my back. I truly despise you.” Without a word, Shui Miao used his magic to envelop the Spirit Marshal, forcibly taking back the puppet he had given him, and then teleported away.
“Uh…”
The Spirit Marshal was left feeling awkward by Shui Miao’s sudden action.
Shui Miao has changed. He must have discovered something, perhaps he overheard me speaking ill of him in front of my master?
I must go see my master again!
The Spirit Marshal, feeling uneasy, quickly activated the Heaven-Escaping Talisman to seek out the Supreme Lord Laozi once more.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had teleported back to the First Heaven.
However, upon arriving at the First Heaven, Shui Miao suddenly had an idea. He took out the brocade pouch the Spirit Marshal had given him earlier and thought to himself, “This pouch doesn’t seem to serve much purpose. Could there be something sinister about it? Could the Supreme Lord Laozi be using it to monitor me? Did he know I was using the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror to spy on him, and thus put on a show for me to see?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him before.
Moreover, he was with the Millennial Ghost, who had spoken favorably of him—something was definitely amiss!
“No! I must thoroughly investigate this brocade pouch, carefully and meticulously…”
“I feel…”
Shui Miao strived and fought fiercely for the sake of all living beings across the three realms and for a brighter future of the immortal world. Yet, he could never have anticipated that even now, he remains a mere pawn in someone else’s game—a pawn destined to alter the fate of the immortal world and pave the way for the ancient immortals to reclaim their dominion over the three realms.
From the very beginning, the fate of this pawn was sealed.
What the ancient immortals plan to do with this pawn next remains unknown.
Suddenly, the Spirit Marshal departed, and the use of the Escape Talisman caused a subtle ripple of energy. This ripple was so faint that most cultivators wouldn’t notice it, but Shui Miao, with his heightened sensitivity, detected it immediately.
“What is the Spirit Marshal doing with the Escape Talisman at this moment? Could he be seeking out his master?” Shui Miao’s thoughts raced as he speculated about the Spirit Marshal’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao didn’t know how to trace the energy of the Escape Talisman. However, this was no longer an insurmountable challenge for him. The Shui Miao of today was no longer the helpless mortal he once was. He had acquired the memories of numerous supreme beings, including the forging techniques of the Saint King Luo Tong, and had mastered the art of crafting. He was now a far cry from his former self.
In this situation, he could easily activate the Light-Chasing Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements.
But Shui Miao knew that the energy signature of a typical Light-Chasing Mirror was too strong, and once activated, it would be difficult to avoid detection by his adversaries.
Especially when dealing with a powerful figure like the Supreme Lord Laozi, extreme caution was necessary.
To ensure absolute success and to gain insight into the workings of fate, Shui Miao entered the Time Tower, reversed time, and began forging a unique artifact—his own Destiny Mirror.
The true Destiny Master had long since perished, and his Destiny Mirror was a one-of-a-kind treasure in the immortal world, capable of revealing the secrets of fate and probing the thoughts of all immortals without detection. Unfortunately, the Destiny Mirror had also vanished without a trace. However, as the saying goes, heaven never seals off all exits. Luo Tong had once participated in the modification and upgrade of the Destiny Mirror and had a deep understanding of its structure. Shui Miao, having inherited Luo Tong’s memories, was fully capable of forging a new Destiny Mirror.
The current Shui Miao had his own unique understanding of formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, made subtle adjustments to the original Destiny Mirror’s formation, and was about to craft a Destiny Mirror of his own—one that he would use to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements and uncover the myriad mysteries of the universe.
Without hesitation, Shui Miao dissolved the original Light-Chasing Mirror and began the forging process anew.
During the forging, Shui Miao didn’t forget to infuse the artifact with a substantial amount of Purple Fortune energy.
The key difference between forging the Destiny Mirror and other artifacts was that the Destiny Mirror required a variety of energies. Fortunately, Shui Miao lacked nothing in this regard—he had an abundance of every type of energy.
Thus, half an hour later, Shui Miao emerged from the Time Tower and immediately activated the new Destiny Mirror.
Outside, only a minute or two had passed.
For this activation, Shui Miao didn’t hesitate to expend a significant amount of elixirs, including two saint-grade ones.
The result was an artifact without a rank—that’s right, according to Luo Tong’s memories, the Destiny Mirror indeed had no rank, but its capabilities were extraordinarily powerful.
Shui Miao, now within the Cosmic Chessboard, immediately activated the Destiny Mirror to trace the Spirit Marshal’s energy…
Soon, the dark surface of the Destiny Mirror revealed images of the Spirit Marshal, the Supreme Lord Laozi, and the Thousand-Year Ghost.
They were currently in a rather old and worn-out Taoist temple room. The Supreme Lord Laozi sat on an ancient wooden chair, stroking his beard as he listened to the Spirit Marshal’s report. The Thousand-Year Ghost stood respectfully to the side, as still as a stone or wooden statue.
“Master, with your boundless power and vast wisdom, could you divine the current state of the immortal world? Can the ancient immortals still not return? If things continue like this, with Shui Miao running amok, he’s bound to plunge the immortal world into chaos!” The Spirit Marshal, after all, was the Supreme Lord Laozi’s man and never truly considered Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing the Spirit Marshal speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained calm. Perhaps this was simply a case of each serving their own master.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, dressed in a green robe, with white hair and a youthful face, clear eyes, and a benevolent expression, stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “Disciple Spirit Marshal, there’s no need to rush. Return for now, and I will consider the matter.”
The Supreme Lord Laozi played the mysterious card, offering no answer and simply instructing the Spirit Marshal to leave.
“…”
The Spirit Marshal was momentarily stunned. Though he felt somewhat dissatisfied, he couldn’t defy his master’s orders and had no choice but to take his leave.
After the Spirit Marshal departed, the Supreme Lord Laozi turned to the Thousand-Year Ghost and asked softly, “Disciple, what do you think of Shui Miao?”
“I feel…”
The Thousand-Year Ghost paused, pondered for a moment, and then spoke gravely, “Shui Miao is intelligent, loyal, and has his own set of principles. He’s decisive in battle and possesses the demeanor of a true ruler. I see him as a rare talent. However, his personality is too rigid and prone to breaking. Therefore, I believe he can only serve as a general star. The task of ruling the Heavenly Court is beyond his capabilities.”
The Thousand-Year Ghost spoke candidly, without a trace of emotion.
Her words shocked Shui Miao. He never expected that the Spirit Marshal, whom he trusted, would speak ill of him behind his back, while the Thousand-Year Ghost, whom he disliked, would speak highly of him and even seemed to admire him.
Truly, the heart is hidden behind the belly—it’s hard to discern good from bad!
“Indeed, his destiny was always special. He was a talent I carefully selected, but his actions and achievements have indeed exceeded my expectations,” the Supreme Lord Laozi said with a solemn expression, his true feelings impossible to discern.
The Thousand-Year Ghost blinked, puzzled. “Master, I know your powers are vast and profound, but I can’t understand how Shui Miao could exceed your expectations. Isn’t he just a pawn you selected?”
“He may have already transcended the role of a pawn,” the Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly stood up gently and sighed. “The path of fate is unpredictable… But he has mastered the ways of Feng Shui and the natural order, comprehended the mysteries of the universe, and embraced kindness. Thus, he is now protected by the most mysterious Purple Fortune energy in the cosmos. He is destined to grow stronger, more formidable, and to go further. As long as he remains true to himself and doesn’t act against the natural order, the Purple Fortune energy will never abandon him. It will continue to favor him, allowing him to become an eternal and indestructible superpower.”
“He can become that powerful!?”
The Thousand-Year Ghost was startled, then quickly asked, “But Master, what about the return of the ancient immortals to the Heavenly Court? If Shui Miao interferes, won’t the ancient immortals be forever barred from returning? He’s so powerful now, even willing to self-destruct his saint artifacts. Who can withstand him? Who can suppress and deal with him?”
“His only enemy is himself…”
The Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly exhaled softly and vanished in a flash.
“Himself?”
The Thousand-Year Ghost furrowed her brow, murmuring to herself, unable to comprehend the meaning of his words.
※※※
“What exactly does the Supreme Lord Laozi mean? His tone seems to still hold me in high regard, but his words… Is he trying to guide me toward cultivating my mind?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts swirled, and he too became confused.
It felt as though the Supreme Lord Laozi had shaped him from the very beginning, and even now, the Supreme Lord Laozi continued to look after him.
To further understand the Supreme Lord Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao focused his mind and activated the Destiny Mirror to track him.
In a stone chamber, the Supreme Lord Laozi was continuously activating spirit talismans. These talismans flew out in all directions, reaching the hands of ancient immortals hidden in various locations, informing them that the situation in the immortal world had been settled and it was time to return to the Heavenly Court.
After distributing the talismans, the Supreme Lord Laozi walked to a stone cabinet and casually picked up a folding fan. On the fan was a portrait of a man who looked exactly like Shui Miao, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck…
Seeing this fan, Shui Miao’s heart trembled, and he immediately recalled the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So, that white-robed scholar was none other than the Supreme Lord Laozi in disguise!
The ways of Feng Shui and the natural order were gifts from him…
This revelation was both expected and surprising for Shui Miao. He never imagined that his master was truly the Supreme Lord Laozi!
My master taught me the skills that have brought me to where I am today. How can I spy on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately deactivated the Destiny Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance to the fifth layer of the immortal and demon realms had subsided.
Shui Miao put away the Cosmic Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
The Spirit Marshal suddenly emerged from the ranks of the heavenly soldiers and celestial generals, clasping his fists in a deep bow to Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned his head and saw that the Spirit Marshal had returned. He thought to himself, “You’re truly hypocritical. I trusted you so much, yet you act one way in front of me and another behind my back. I truly despise you.” Without saying a word, Shui Miao focused his mind, used his magic to envelop the Spirit Marshal, forcibly removed the puppet from his body, and then teleported away.
“Uh…”
The Spirit Marshal was left feeling awkward and embarrassed by Shui Miao’s actions.
Shui Miao has changed suddenly. He must have discovered something, perhaps it’s because I spoke ill of him in front of Master?
No, I must go see Master again!
The Spirit Marshal, feeling uneasy, quickly activated the Escape Talisman to seek out the Supreme Lord Laozi once more.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had teleported back to the first layer of the immortal realm.
However, upon arriving in the first layer, Shui Miao suddenly had an idea. He pulled out the brocade pouch that the Spirit Marshal had given him earlier and thought to himself, “This pouch doesn’t seem to serve much purpose. Could there be something sinister about it? Could the Supreme Lord Laozi be using this pouch to monitor me? Did he know I was using the Destiny Mirror to spy on him, and was he just putting on a show for me?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him before.
Moreover, he was with the Thousand-Year Ghost, who had spoken favorably of him—something was definitely amiss here!
“No! I must thoroughly examine this pouch, carefully and meticulously…”
Shui Miao strived and fought fiercely for the sake of all living beings across the three realms and for a brighter future of the immortal realm. Yet, he could never have anticipated that even now, he remains a mere pawn in someone else’s game—a pawn destined to alter the fate of the immortal realm and pave the way for the ancient immortals to reclaim their dominion over the three realms.
From the very beginning, the fate of this pawn was sealed.
What the ancient immortals plan to do with this pawn next remains a mystery.
Suddenly, the Spirit Marshal departed, triggering a subtle fluctuation in the aura due to the use of the Escape Heaven Talisman. This fluctuation was so faint that ordinary cultivators would hardly notice it, but Shui Miao, with his heightened sensitivity, detected it immediately.
“Why would the Spirit Marshal use the Escape Heaven Talisman at this moment? Could he be seeking out his master?” Shui Miao speculated, his thoughts racing.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao had no knowledge of how to trace the aura of the Escape Heaven Talisman. However, this was no longer an insurmountable challenge for him. The Shui Miao of today was no longer the helpless mortal he once was. He had inherited the memories of numerous supreme beings, including the memories of the Forging Sage King Luo Tong, and had mastered the art of forging, making him a force to be reckoned with.
In this situation, he could easily activate the Light-Chasing Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements.
But Shui Miao knew that the aura of an ordinary Light-Chasing Mirror was too strong, and once activated, it would be difficult to avoid detection by his adversaries.
Especially when dealing with a powerful figure like the Supreme Lord Laozi, extreme caution was necessary.
To ensure absolute success and to gain insight into the workings of heaven, Shui Miao entered the Time Tower, reversed time, and began forging a unique artifact—his own Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
The true Heaven’s Insight Master had long since perished, and his Heaven’s Insight Mirror was a one-of-a-kind artifact in the immortal realm, capable of revealing the secrets of heaven and probing the thoughts of all immortals without detection. Unfortunately, the Heaven’s Insight Mirror had also vanished without a trace. However, as the saying goes, heaven never seals off all exits. Luo Tong had once participated in the modification and upgrade of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror and had a deep understanding of its structure. Shui Miao, having inherited Luo Tong’s memories, was fully capable of forging a new Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
The current Shui Miao had his own unique understanding of formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, made subtle adjustments to the original Heaven’s Insight Mirror’s formation, and was about to forge his own Heaven’s Insight Mirror, which he would use to track the Spirit Marshal’s information and uncover the myriad mysteries of heaven and earth.
Without hesitation, Shui Miao dissolved the original Light-Chasing Mirror and began the forging process anew.
During the forging, Shui Miao did not forget to infuse a significant amount of Purple Fortune Qi.
The key difference between forging the Heaven’s Insight Mirror and other artifacts was that the Heaven’s Insight Mirror required a variety of auras. Fortunately, Shui Miao lacked none of these auras; he had them all in abundance.
Thus, half an hour later, Shui Miao emerged from the Time Tower and immediately activated the new Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
Outside, only a minute or two had passed.
For this activation, Shui Miao did not hesitate to expend a large number of elixirs, including two sacred-grade elixirs.
As a result, Shui Miao obtained an artifact without a grade—that’s right, according to Luo Tong’s memories, the Heaven’s Insight Mirror indeed had no grade, but its functions were incredibly powerful.
Shui Miao, now within the Cosmic Chessboard, immediately activated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s aura…
Soon, the dark surface of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror revealed images of the Spirit Marshal, the Supreme Lord Laozi, and the Thousand-Year Ghost.
They were currently in a rather old-looking room of a Taoist temple. The Supreme Lord Laozi sat on a weathered wooden chair, stroking his beard as he listened to the Spirit Marshal’s account. The Thousand-Year Ghost stood respectfully to the side, as still as a statue.
“Master, with your boundless power and vast wisdom, could you divine the current state of the immortal realm? Can the ancient immortals still not return? If things continue like this, with Shui Miao running amok, he will surely plunge the immortal realm into chaos!” The Spirit Marshal, after all, was still the Supreme Lord Laozi’s man and did not truly consider Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing the Spirit Marshal speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained calm, perhaps because each was serving their own master.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, dressed in a green robe, with white hair and a youthful face, clear eyes, and a benevolent expression, stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “Disciple Spirit Marshal, there’s no need to rush. Return for now, and I will consider the matter.”
The Supreme Lord Laozi played it mysterious, giving the Spirit Marshal no direct answer and simply sending him away.
“…”
The Spirit Marshal was slightly taken aback. Though he felt somewhat dissatisfied, he could not disobey his master’s command and had to bid farewell and leave.
After the Spirit Marshal departed, the Supreme Lord Laozi softly asked the Thousand-Year Ghost, “Disciple, what do you think of Shui Miao?”
“I feel…”
The Thousand-Year Ghost paused, pondered for a moment, and then spoke gravely, “Shui Miao is very intelligent and values loyalty. He has his own set of ideas and is decisive in battle, exuding the demeanor of a ruler. I see him as a rare talent. However, his personality is too rigid and prone to breaking, so I believe he can only serve as a general star. The task of ruling the Heavenly Court is still beyond his capabilities.”
The Thousand-Year Ghost spoke candidly, without a hint of emotion.
Her words immediately shocked Shui Miao. He never expected that the Spirit Marshal, whom he trusted, would speak ill of him behind his back, while the Thousand-Year Ghost, whom he disliked, would speak well of him and even seemed to admire him.
Truly, the heart is a mystery, and it’s hard to discern good from bad!
“Indeed, his destiny is quite unique. He is a talent I carefully selected, but his actions and achievements have indeed exceeded my expectations,” the Supreme Lord Laozi said with a serious expression, his true feelings hidden.
The Thousand-Year Ghost blinked, puzzled. “Master, I know your powers are vast and profound, but I can’t understand why Shui Miao could exceed your expectations. Isn’t he just a pawn you chose?”
“He may have already transcended the role of a pawn,” the Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly stood up gently and sighed. “The path of fate is unpredictable… But he has mastered the ways of Feng Shui and nature, understood the mysteries of heaven and earth, and embraced kindness. Thus, he is protected by the most mysterious Purple Fortune Qi in the universe. As long as he remains true to himself and does not act against the natural order, the Purple Fortune Qi will never abandon him and will continue to favor him, allowing him to become an eternal and invincible superpower.”
“He can become that powerful!?”
The Thousand-Year Ghost was startled, then quickly asked, “But Master, what about the return of the ancient immortals to the Heavenly Court? If Shui Miao interferes, won’t the ancient immortals be forever barred from returning? He’s so powerful now, willing to self-destruct sacred artifacts at any moment. Who can withstand him? Who can suppress and deal with him?”
“His only enemy is himself…”
The Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly exhaled softly and then vanished in a flash.
“Himself?”
The Thousand-Year Ghost frowned, murmuring to herself, unable to comprehend the meaning.
※※※
“What exactly does the Supreme Lord Laozi mean? His tone seems to still favor me, but what he said… Could he be suggesting that I cultivate my mind?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts swirled, and he too became confused.
It felt as though the Supreme Lord Laozi had shaped him, and even now, the Supreme Lord Laozi continued to care for him.
To further understand the Supreme Lord Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao activated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to track him.
In a stone chamber, the Supreme Lord Laozi was continuously activating spirit talismans, which flew out to the ancient immortals hidden in various locations, informing them that the situation in the immortal realm was settled and it was time to return to the Heavenly Court.
After distributing the talismans, the Supreme Lord Laozi walked to a stone cabinet, picked up a folding fan, and unfolded it. On the fan was a portrait of a man who looked exactly like Shui Miao, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck…
Seeing this fan, Shui Miao’s heart was struck with a sudden realization, immediately recalling the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So, that white-robed scholar was the Supreme Lord Laozi in disguise!
The ways of Feng Shui and nature were gifts from him…
This outcome was both within Shui Miao’s expectations and yet still surprising. He never imagined that his master was indeed the Supreme Lord Laozi!
My master taught me the skills that have brought me to where I am today. How can I spy on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately stopped operating the Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance of the Fifth Heaven’s demon realm had subsided.
Shui Miao stored the Cosmic Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
The Spirit Marshal suddenly emerged from the ranks of the heavenly soldiers and celestial generals, clasping his fists in a deep bow to Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned his head, seeing that the Spirit Marshal had returned. He thought to himself, “You’re such a hypocrite. I trusted you, but you play one face in front of me and another behind my back. I truly despise you.” Without saying a word, Shui Miao willed his magic to envelop the Spirit Marshal, forcibly retrieving the puppet from his body, and then teleported away in a flash.
“Uh…”
The Spirit Marshal was left feeling awkward by Shui Miao’s sudden action.
Shui Miao has changed. He must have discovered something, perhaps it was because I spoke ill of him in front of my master?
I must go see my master again!
The Spirit Marshal, feeling uneasy, quickly activated the Escape Heaven Talisman to seek out the Supreme Lord Laozi once more.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had teleported back to the First Heaven.
However, upon arriving at the First Heaven, Shui Miao suddenly had an idea. He took out the brocade pouch that the Spirit Marshal had given him earlier and pondered, “This pouch doesn’t seem to have much use. Could there be something sinister about it? Could the Supreme Lord Laozi be using this pouch to monitor me, and knowing that I was using the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to spy on him, he deliberately put on a show for me?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
This wasn’t the first time the Supreme Lord Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him.
Moreover, he was with the Thousand-Year Ghost, who had spoken favorably of him, which was highly unusual. There must be something fishy going on!
“No! I need to start with this pouch and thoroughly, meticulously investigate it…”
Shui Miao, striving for the sake of all beings across the three realms and for a brighter future of the immortal world, fought with all his might, risking his life. Yet, he could never have anticipated that even now, he remains a mere pawn in someone else’s grand scheme—a pawn destined to alter the fate of the immortal world and pave the way for the ancient immortals to reclaim their dominion over the three realms.
From the very beginning, his fate as a pawn was sealed.
What the ancient immortals plan to do with this pawn next remains a mystery.
Suddenly, the Spirit Marshal departed, using a Sky-Escaping Talisman, which caused a faint ripple of energy in the air. This ripple was so subtle that most cultivators wouldn’t notice it, but Shui Miao, with his heightened senses, detected it immediately.
“Why would the Spirit Marshal use the Sky-Escaping Talisman at this moment? Could he be seeking out his master?” Shui Miao pondered, quickly deducing the Spirit Marshal’s likely destination.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao didn’t know how to track the energy signature of the Sky-Escaping Talisman. However, this was no longer an insurmountable challenge for him. The Shui Miao of today was no longer the helpless mortal he once was. He had absorbed the memories of many powerful beings, including the memories of the Forging Sage King Luo Tong, and had mastered the art of forging. He was now a force to be reckoned with.
In this situation, he could easily activate the Light-Chasing Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements.
But Shui Miao knew that the energy signature of a typical Light-Chasing Mirror was too strong, and once activated, it would be difficult to avoid detection by his enemies.
Especially when dealing with a formidable opponent like the Supreme Lord Laozi, extreme caution was necessary.
To ensure absolute success and to gain insight into the workings of fate, Shui Miao entered the Time Tower, reversed time, and began forging a unique artifact—his own Destiny Mirror.
The true Destiny Sovereign had long since perished, and his Destiny Mirror was a one-of-a-kind treasure in the immortal world, capable of revealing the secrets of fate and reading the minds of all immortals without being detected. Unfortunately, the Destiny Mirror had also vanished without a trace. However, as the saying goes, “Heaven never seals off all exits.” Luo Tong had once participated in the modification and upgrade of the Destiny Mirror and had a deep understanding of its structure. Shui Miao, having inherited Luo Tong’s memories, was now fully capable of forging a new Destiny Mirror.
The current Shui Miao had his own unique understanding of array formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, made subtle adjustments to the original Destiny Mirror’s array, and was about to forge his own Destiny Mirror, which he would use to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements and uncover the many mysteries of the universe.
Without hesitation, Shui Miao dissolved the original Light-Chasing Mirror and began the forging process anew.
During the forging, Shui Miao also infused a significant amount of Purple Fortune energy.
The key difference between forging the Destiny Mirror and other artifacts was that the Destiny Mirror required a variety of energies. Fortunately, Shui Miao had no shortage of any type of energy; he had everything he needed.
Half an hour later, Shui Miao emerged from the Time Tower and immediately activated the new Destiny Mirror.
Outside, only a couple of minutes had passed.
To activate the mirror, Shui Miao didn’t hesitate to expend a large number of elixirs, including two Saint-level elixirs.
As a result, Shui Miao obtained an artifact without a rank—that’s right, according to Luo Tong’s memories, the Destiny Mirror indeed had no rank, but its capabilities were incredibly powerful.
Shui Miao, now within the Cosmic Chessboard, immediately activated the Destiny Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s energy signature…
Soon, the dark surface of the Destiny Mirror revealed the images of the Spirit Marshal, the Supreme Lord Laozi, and the Thousand-Year Ghost.
They were currently in a somewhat dilapidated room of a Taoist temple. The Supreme Lord Laozi was seated on an old wooden chair, stroking his beard as he listened to the Spirit Marshal’s report. The Thousand-Year Ghost stood respectfully to the side, as still as a statue.
“Master, with your boundless power and vast knowledge, could you divine the current state of the immortal world? Is it not yet time for the ancient immortals to return? If we continue to let Shui Miao act recklessly, he will surely plunge the immortal world into chaos!” The Spirit Marshal, after all, was loyal to the Supreme Lord Laozi and never truly considered Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing the Spirit Marshal speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained calm. Perhaps this was simply a matter of each serving their own master.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, dressed in a green robe, with white hair and a youthful face, clear eyes, and a benevolent expression, stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “Disciple, there’s no need to rush. Return for now, and I will consider the matter.”
The Supreme Lord Laozi played his cards close to his chest, giving the Spirit Marshal no direct answer and simply sending him away.
“…”
The Spirit Marshal was momentarily stunned. Though he felt somewhat dissatisfied, he had no choice but to obey his master’s command and take his leave.
After the Spirit Marshal departed, the Supreme Lord Laozi turned to the Thousand-Year Ghost and asked softly, “Disciple, what do you think of Shui Miao?”
“I feel…”
The Thousand-Year Ghost paused, pondered for a moment, and then spoke gravely, “Shui Miao is intelligent, loyal, and has his own set of principles. He is decisive in battle and possesses the demeanor of a true ruler. I believe he is a rare talent. However, his personality is too rigid, which makes him prone to breaking. Therefore, I think he is better suited to being a general rather than a ruler of the heavens.”
The Thousand-Year Ghost spoke candidly, without any hint of emotion.
Her words shocked Shui Miao. He never expected that the Spirit Marshal, whom he trusted, would speak ill of him behind his back, while the Thousand-Year Ghost, whom he disliked, would speak highly of him and even seemed to admire him.
Truly, it’s hard to discern the true nature of people’s hearts!
“Indeed, his destiny is quite unique. He was a carefully chosen talent by me, but his actions and achievements have indeed surpassed my expectations,” the Supreme Lord Laozi said with a serious expression, though it was unclear whether he was pleased or concerned.
The Thousand-Year Ghost blinked, puzzled. “Master, I know your powers are vast and profound, but I don’t understand how Shui Miao could surpass your expectations. Isn’t he just a pawn you selected?”
“He may have already transcended the role of a pawn,” the Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly stood up gently and sighed. “The path of fate is unpredictable… But he has mastered the ways of Feng Shui and the natural order, gained insight into the mysteries of the universe, and embraced kindness. As a result, he is now protected by the most mysterious energy in the cosmos—the Purple Fortune energy. This means he is destined to grow stronger, more powerful, and go further. As long as he remains true to himself and does not act against the natural order, the Purple Fortune energy will never abandon him and will continue to bless him, allowing him to become an eternal and invincible superpower.”
“He can become that powerful!?”
The Thousand-Year Ghost was startled, then quickly asked, “But Master, what about the return of the ancient immortals to the heavens? If Shui Miao interferes, won’t the ancient immortals be forever barred from returning? He’s so powerful now, and he’s not afraid to self-destruct his sacred artifacts. Who can withstand him? Who can suppress him?”
“His only enemy is himself…”
The Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly exhaled softly and then vanished in a flash.
“Himself?”
The Thousand-Year Ghost furrowed her brow, murmuring to herself, unable to comprehend the meaning behind her master’s words.
※※※
“What exactly does the Supreme Lord Laozi mean? His tone seems to suggest he still has faith in me, but his words… Could he be urging me to cultivate my mind?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts churned, and he too was confused.
It seemed that the Supreme Lord Laozi had been the one to shape him, and even now, the Supreme Lord Laozi continued to look after him.
To further understand the Supreme Lord Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao activated the Destiny Mirror to track him.
In a stone chamber, the Supreme Lord Laozi was busy activating talismans, which flew out to various ancient immortals hidden in different locations, informing them that the situation in the immortal world had stabilized and it was time for them to return to the heavens.
After distributing the talismans, the Supreme Lord Laozi walked to a stone cabinet and picked up a folding fan. On the fan was a portrait of a man who looked exactly like Shui Miao, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck…
Seeing this fan, Shui Miao was struck with a sudden realization. He immediately remembered the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So, the white-robed scholar was none other than the Supreme Lord Laozi in disguise!
The knowledge of Feng Shui and the natural order had been bestowed upon him by the Supreme Lord Laozi…
This revelation was both expected and surprising for Shui Miao. He never imagined that his master was indeed the Supreme Lord Laozi!
My master taught me the skills that have brought me to where I am today. How could I spy on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately deactivated the Destiny Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance to the fifth layer of the immortal and demon realms had subsided.
Shui Miao stored the Cosmic Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
The Spirit Marshal suddenly emerged from the ranks of the heavenly soldiers and celestial generals, clasping his fists in a deep bow to Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned and saw that the Spirit Marshal had returned. He thought to himself, “You’re quite the hypocrite. I trusted you, yet you act one way in front of me and another behind my back. I truly despise you.” Without saying a word, Shui Miao focused his energy, wrapped the Spirit Marshal in his power, forcibly removed the puppet from him, and then teleported away.
“Uh…”
The Spirit Marshal was left feeling awkward and embarrassed by Shui Miao’s sudden actions.
Shui Miao has changed. Could it be that he has discovered something? Perhaps it’s because I spoke ill of him in front of my master?
I must go see my master again!
The Spirit Marshal, feeling uneasy, quickly activated the Sky-Escaping Talisman to seek out the Supreme Lord Laozi once more.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had teleported back to the first layer of the heavens.
However, upon arriving, Shui Miao suddenly had an idea. He pulled out the brocade pouch that the Spirit Marshal had given him earlier and thought to himself, “This pouch doesn’t seem to serve much purpose. Could there be something sinister about it? Could the Supreme Lord Laozi be using this pouch to spy on me, knowing that I would use the Destiny Mirror to observe him, and thus putting on a show for me?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him before.
Moreover, he was with the Thousand-Year Ghost, who had unexpectedly spoken highly of him. There must be something fishy going on here!
“No! I need to thoroughly examine this pouch, carefully and meticulously…”
Indeed, the hearts of men are hidden behind their faces, and it is hard to distinguish friend from foe!
“Indeed, his fate signs are indeed unique. He is a talent I carefully selected myself. Yet, the path he has taken and the things he has done have exceeded even my expectations,” Laozi said gravely, his expression unreadable.
Shui Miao strived and fought fiercely for the sake of all living beings across the three realms and for a brighter future of the immortal world. Yet, he could never have anticipated that even now, he remained a mere pawn in someone else’s game—a pawn destined to alter the fate of the immortal world and pave the way for the ancient immortals to reclaim their dominion over the three realms.
From the very beginning, his fate as a pawn was sealed.
What the ancient immortals would do with this pawn next remained unknown.
Suddenly, the Spirit Marshal departed, and the use of the Heaven-Escaping Talisman caused a faint but peculiar fluctuation in the air. This fluctuation was so subtle that most cultivators wouldn’t notice it, but Shui Miao, with his heightened sensitivity, detected it immediately.
“Why would the Spirit Marshal use the Heaven-Escaping Talisman at this moment? Could he be seeking out his master?” Shui Miao’s thoughts raced as he speculated about the Spirit Marshal’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao didn’t know how to trace the aura of the Heaven-Escaping Talisman. However, this didn’t pose a problem for him. The Shui Miao of today was no longer the helpless mortal he once was. He had inherited the memories of many supreme beings, including the Forging Sage King Luo Tong, and had mastered the art of forging. He was now a completely different person.
In this situation, he could easily activate the Light-Chasing Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements.
But Shui Miao knew that the aura of an ordinary Light-Chasing Mirror was too strong, and once activated, it would be difficult to avoid detection by his opponents.
Especially when dealing with a powerful figure like the Supreme Lord Laozi, extreme caution was necessary.
To ensure absolute success and to gain insight into the workings of fate, Shui Miao entered the Time Tower, reversed time, and began forging a unique artifact—his own Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
The true Heaven’s Insight Master had long since perished, and his Heaven’s Insight Mirror was a one-of-a-kind treasure in the immortal world, capable of peering into the secrets of fate and reading the minds of all immortals without detection. Unfortunately, the Heaven’s Insight Mirror had also vanished without a trace. However, as the saying goes, “Heaven never seals off all exits.” Luo Tong had once participated in the modification and upgrade of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror and had a deep understanding of its structure. Shui Miao, having inherited Luo Tong’s memories, was fully capable of forging a new Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
The current Shui Miao had his own unique understanding of formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, made subtle adjustments to the original Heaven’s Insight Mirror’s formation, and was about to forge his own Heaven’s Insight Mirror, which he would use to track the Spirit Marshal’s information and uncover the many mysteries of the universe.
Without delay, Shui Miao dissolved the original Light-Chasing Mirror and began the forging process anew.
During the forging, Shui Miao didn’t forget to infuse a large amount of Purple Destiny Qi.
The key difference between forging the Heaven’s Insight Mirror and other artifacts was that the Heaven’s Insight Mirror required a variety of auras. Fortunately, Shui Miao lacked none of these auras; he had them all in abundance.
Thus, half an hour later, Shui Miao emerged from the Time Tower and immediately activated the new Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
Outside, only a minute or two had passed.
For this activation, Shui Miao didn’t hesitate to expend a significant amount of elixirs, including two Saint-level elixirs.
As a result, Shui Miao obtained an artifact without a grade—that’s right, according to Luo Tong’s memories, the Heaven’s Insight Mirror indeed had no grade, but its functions were incredibly powerful.
Shui Miao, now within the Cosmic Chessboard, immediately activated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to trace the Spirit Marshal’s aura…
Soon, the dark surface of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror revealed the Spirit Marshal, the Supreme Lord Laozi, and the Millennial Ghost.
They were currently in a rather old-looking room within a Taoist temple. The Supreme Lord Laozi was seated on a worn wooden chair, stroking his beard as he listened to the Spirit Marshal’s account. The Millennial Ghost stood respectfully to the side, as still as a stone or wooden statue.
“Master, with your boundless power and vast wisdom, could you divine the current state of the immortal world? Can the ancient immortals still not return? If things continue like this, with Shui Miao running amok, he will surely plunge the immortal world into chaos!” The Spirit Marshal, after all, was still the Supreme Lord Laozi’s man and never truly considered Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing the Spirit Marshal speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained calm. Perhaps this was what it meant to serve different masters.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, dressed in a green robe, with white hair and a youthful face, clear eyes, and a benevolent expression, stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “My disciple, there’s no need to rush. Return for now, and I will consider the matter.”
The Supreme Lord Laozi played it mysterious, giving the Spirit Marshal no direct answer and simply sending him away.
“…”
The Spirit Marshal was slightly taken aback. Though he felt somewhat dissatisfied, he couldn’t disobey his master’s command and had no choice but to take his leave.
After the Spirit Marshal departed, the Supreme Lord Laozi turned to the Millennial Ghost and asked softly, “Disciple, what do you think of Shui Miao?”
“I feel…”
The Millennial Ghost paused, pondered for a moment, and then spoke gravely, “Shui Miao is intelligent, loyal, and has his own set of ideas. He is decisive in battle and has the demeanor of a ruler. I see him as a rare talent. However, his personality is too rigid and prone to breaking. Therefore, I believe he can only be a star general; he is not suited for the great task of ruling the heavens.”
The Millennial Ghost spoke candidly, without any hint of emotion.
Her words shocked Shui Miao. He never expected that the Spirit Marshal, whom he trusted, would speak ill of him behind his back, while the Millennial Ghost, whom he disliked, would speak well of him and even seemed to admire him.
Truly, the heart is hidden behind the skin, and it’s hard to discern good from bad!
“Indeed, his destiny is quite special. He is a talent I carefully selected, but his actions and achievements have indeed exceeded my expectations,” the Supreme Lord Laozi said with a grave expression, his true feelings impossible to discern.
The Millennial Ghost blinked, puzzled. “Master, I know your powers are vast and profound, but I can’t understand why Shui Miao has exceeded your expectations. Isn’t he just a pawn you chose?”
“He may have already transcended the role of a pawn,” the Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly stood up gently and sighed. “The path of fate is unpredictable… But he has mastered the ways of Feng Shui and nature, understood the mysteries of the universe, and held onto kindness. Thus, he has gained the protection of the most mysterious Purple Destiny Qi in the cosmos. He is destined to grow stronger, more powerful, and go further. As long as he remains true to himself and does not act against the natural order, the Purple Destiny Qi will not abandon him and will continue to favor him, making him an eternal and invincible superpower.”
“He can become that powerful!?”
The Millennial Ghost was startled, then quickly asked, “But Master, what about the great matter of the ancient immortals returning to the heavens? If Shui Miao interferes, won’t the ancient immortals be forever barred from the heavens? He is so powerful now, even willing to self-destruct his saintly artifacts. Who can withstand him? Who can suppress and deal with him?”
“His only enemy is himself…”
The Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly exhaled softly and then vanished in a flash.
“Himself?”
The Millennial Ghost furrowed her brow, murmuring to herself, unable to comprehend.
※※※
“What exactly does the Supreme Lord Laozi mean? His tone seems to still favor me, but his words… Could he be suggesting that I should cultivate my mind?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts churned, and he too became confused.
It seemed that the Supreme Lord Laozi had shaped him and had continued to look after him until now.
To further understand the Supreme Lord Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao activated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to track him.
In a stone chamber, the Supreme Lord Laozi was continuously activating spirit talismans, which flew out to various ancient immortals hidden in different places, informing them that the situation in the immortal world was settled and it was time to return to the heavens.
After distributing the talismans, the Supreme Lord Laozi walked to a stone cabinet, picked up a folding fan, and opened it. On the fan was a portrait of a man who looked exactly like Shui Miao, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck…
Seeing this fan, Shui Miao was deeply shaken and immediately recalled the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So, that white-robed scholar was none other than the Supreme Lord Laozi in disguise!
The ways of Feng Shui and nature were gifts from him…
This revelation was both expected and unexpected for Shui Miao. He never imagined that his master was truly the Supreme Lord Laozi!
My master taught me skills and brought me to where I am today. How could I spy on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately stopped activating the Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance to the Fifth Heaven’s Demon Realm had subsided.
Shui Miao put away the Cosmic Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
The Spirit Marshal suddenly emerged from the ranks of the heavenly soldiers and clasped his fists in a deep bow to Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned his head, seeing that the Spirit Marshal had returned. He thought to himself, “You are truly hypocritical. I trusted you so much, yet you act one way in front of me and another behind my back. I truly despise you.” Without saying a word, Shui Miao willed his magic to envelop the Spirit Marshal, forcibly taking back the puppet he had given him, and then teleported away.
“Uh…”
The Spirit Marshal was left feeling awkward by Shui Miao’s sudden action.
Shui Miao has changed. Could it be that he has discovered something? Perhaps it was because I spoke ill of him in front of my master?
I must go see my master again!
The Spirit Marshal, feeling uneasy, quickly activated the Heaven-Escaping Talisman to seek out the Supreme Lord Laozi once more.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had already teleported back to the First Heaven.
However, upon arriving at the First Heaven, Shui Miao suddenly had an idea. He took out the brocade pouch the Spirit Marshal had given him earlier and pondered, “This pouch doesn’t seem to have much use. Could there be something sinister about it? Could the Supreme Lord Laozi be using this pouch to monitor me, and did he know I was using the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to spy on him, so he deliberately put on a show for me?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him before.
Moreover, he was with the Millennial Ghost, who had spoken favorably of him, which was highly unusual. There must be something fishy going on!
“No! I must thoroughly and carefully investigate this pouch…”
“He has likely already stepped beyond the realm of a mere pawn,” Laozi suddenly stood up lightly, sighing, “The path of fate is unpredictable… Yet, he has mastered the Ways of Feng Shui and Nature, uncovered the mysteries of heaven and earth, and maintained a heart of kindness. Thus, he has gained the protection of the most mysterious Purple Fortune Qi in the universe. Therefore, he is destined to grow stronger, more powerful, and to go further and further. As long as he remains true to himself and does not violate the Way of Nature, the Purple Fortune Qi will never abandon him, always blessing him, making him an eternal and indestructible supreme being.”
“He can be that powerful!?”
Shui Miao strived and fought fiercely for the sake of all living beings across the three realms and for a brighter future for the immortal world. Yet, he could never have anticipated that even now, he remained a mere pawn in someone else’s grand scheme—a pawn destined to alter the fate of the immortal world and pave the way for the ancient immortals to reclaim their dominion over the three realms.
From the very beginning, his fate as a pawn was sealed.
What the ancient immortals planned to do with this pawn next remained a mystery.
Suddenly, the Spirit Marshal departed, and the use of the Sky-Escaping Talisman caused a subtle ripple of energy, so faint that most cultivators wouldn’t notice it. However, the current Shui Miao was acutely sensitive to such fluctuations.
“Why would the Spirit Marshal use the Sky-Escaping Talisman at this moment? Could he be seeking out his master?” Shui Miao’s thoughts stirred, and he quickly deduced the Spirit Marshal’s likely destination.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao didn’t know how to trace the energy of the Sky-Escaping Talisman. But this was no longer an insurmountable challenge for him. The Shui Miao of today was no longer the helpless mortal he once was. He had inherited the memories of numerous supreme beings, including the forging techniques of the Saint King Luo Tong, and had mastered the art of crafting divine artifacts. He was a far cry from his former self.
In this situation, he could easily activate the Light-Chasing Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements.
However, Shui Miao was aware that the energy signature of a typical Light-Chasing Mirror was too strong, and its activation would almost certainly alert his adversaries.
Especially when dealing with a formidable opponent like the Supreme Lord Laozi, extreme caution was necessary.
To ensure absolute success and to gain insight into the workings of fate, Shui Miao entered the Time Tower, reversed the flow of time, and began forging a unique artifact—his very own Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
The true Heaven’s Insight Master had long since perished, and his Heaven’s Insight Mirror was a one-of-a-kind treasure in the immortal world, capable of unraveling the secrets of fate and probing the thoughts of all immortals without detection. Unfortunately, the Heaven’s Insight Mirror had also vanished without a trace. But as the saying goes, heaven never seals off all exits. Luo Tong had once participated in the modification and upgrade of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror and had a deep understanding of its structure. Shui Miao, having inherited Luo Tong’s memories, was fully capable of forging a new Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
The current Shui Miao had his own unique insights into the art of array formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, made subtle adjustments to the original Heaven’s Insight Mirror’s array, and was about to craft a Heaven’s Insight Mirror of his own, one that he could use to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements and uncover the myriad mysteries of the universe.
Without hesitation, Shui Miao dissolved the original Light-Chasing Mirror and began the forging process anew.
During the forging, Shui Miao didn’t forget to infuse the artifact with a substantial amount of Purple Destiny Energy.
The key difference between forging the Heaven’s Insight Mirror and other artifacts was that the former required a variety of energies. Fortunately, Shui Miao lacked none of these energies—he had them all in abundance.
Thus, half an hour later, Shui Miao emerged from the Time Tower and immediately activated the new Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
Outside, only a minute or two had passed.
For this activation, Shui Miao didn’t hesitate to expend a significant amount of elixirs, including two Saint-level ones.
As a result, Shui Miao obtained an artifact without a rank—that’s right, according to Luo Tong’s memories, the Heaven’s Insight Mirror indeed had no rank, but its capabilities were extraordinarily powerful.
Standing within the Cosmic Chessboard, Shui Miao immediately activated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s energy…
Soon, the dark surface of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror revealed the images of the Spirit Marshal, the Supreme Lord Laozi, and the Millennial Ghost.
They were currently in a rather old-looking room within a Taoist temple. The Supreme Lord Laozi sat on a weathered wooden chair, stroking his beard as he listened to the Spirit Marshal’s report. The Millennial Ghost stood respectfully to the side, as still as a stone or wooden statue.
“Master, with your boundless power and vast wisdom, could you divine the current state of the immortal world? Is it still not time for the ancient immortals to return? If things continue like this, with Shui Miao running amok, he will surely plunge the immortal world into chaos!” The Spirit Marshal, after all, was loyal to the Supreme Lord Laozi and never truly considered Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing the Spirit Marshal speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained calm. Perhaps this was what it meant to serve different masters.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, dressed in a green robe, with white hair and a youthful face, clear eyes, and a benevolent expression, stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “Disciple, there’s no need to rush. Return for now, and I will consider the matter.”
The Supreme Lord Laozi played his cards close to his chest, offering no answers and simply instructing the Spirit Marshal to leave.
“…”
The Spirit Marshal was momentarily stunned. Though he felt somewhat dissatisfied, he couldn’t defy his master’s orders and had no choice but to take his leave.
After the Spirit Marshal departed, the Supreme Lord Laozi turned to the Millennial Ghost and asked softly, “Disciple, what do you think of Shui Miao?”
“I feel…”
The Millennial Ghost paused, pondered for a moment, and then spoke gravely, “Shui Miao is intelligent, loyal, and has his own set of principles. He is decisive in battle and possesses the demeanor of a true ruler. I believe he is a rare talent. However, his personality is too rigid and prone to breaking. Therefore, I think he is better suited to be a general rather than someone who could rule over the heavens.”
The Millennial Ghost spoke candidly, without a hint of emotion.
Her words shocked Shui Miao. He never expected that the Spirit Marshal, whom he trusted, would speak ill of him behind his back, while the Millennial Ghost, whom he disliked, would praise him and even seem to admire him.
Truly, the heart is a mystery, and it’s hard to discern good from bad!
“Indeed, his destiny is quite unique. He was carefully chosen by me, but his actions and achievements have indeed surpassed my expectations,” the Supreme Lord Laozi said with a grave expression, his true feelings impossible to discern.
The Millennial Ghost blinked, puzzled. “Master, I know your powers are vast and profound, but I can’t understand why Shui Miao has exceeded your expectations. Isn’t he just a pawn you selected?”
“He may have already transcended the role of a pawn,” the Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly stood up gently and sighed. “The path of fate is unpredictable… But he has mastered the ways of Feng Shui and the natural order, unraveled the mysteries of the universe, and embraced kindness. As a result, he is now protected by the most mysterious Purple Destiny Energy in the cosmos. This ensures that he will grow stronger, more powerful, and go further, as long as he remains true to himself and doesn’t act against the natural order. The Purple Destiny Energy will never abandon him and will continue to bless him, allowing him to become an eternal, supreme being.”
“He can become that powerful!?”
The Millennial Ghost was startled, then quickly asked, “But Master, what about the return of the ancient immortals to the heavens? If Shui Miao interferes, won’t the ancient immortals be forever barred from returning? He’s so powerful now, even willing to self-destruct his sacred artifacts. Who can withstand him? Who can suppress and deal with him?”
“His only enemy is himself…”
The Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly exhaled softly and vanished in a flash.
“Himself?”
The Millennial Ghost furrowed her brow, muttering to herself, unable to comprehend the meaning behind her master’s words.
※※※
“What exactly does the Supreme Lord Laozi mean? His tone seems to still favor me, but his words… Could he be urging me to cultivate my mind?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts swirled, and he too was perplexed.
It felt as though the Supreme Lord Laozi had shaped him into who he was today and had always looked out for him.
To further understand the Supreme Lord Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao activated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to track him.
In a stone chamber, the Supreme Lord Laozi was continuously activating spirit talismans, which flew off to various ancient immortals hidden in different locations, informing them that the situation in the immortal world had been settled and it was time to return to the heavens.
After distributing the talismans, the Supreme Lord Laozi walked over to a stone cabinet and casually picked up a folding fan. On the fan was a portrait of a man who looked exactly like Shui Miao, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck…
Seeing this fan, Shui Miao’s heart was shaken, and he immediately recalled the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So, that white-robed scholar was none other than the Supreme Lord Laozi in disguise!
The ways of Feng Shui and the natural order were gifts from him…
This revelation was both expected and unexpected for Shui Miao. He never imagined that his master was truly the Supreme Lord Laozi!
My master taught me the skills that have brought me to where I am today. How could I spy on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately deactivated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance to the Fifth Heaven’s demonic realm had subsided.
Shui Miao stored the Cosmic Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
The Spirit Marshal suddenly emerged from the ranks of the heavenly soldiers and celestial generals, clasping his fists in a deep bow to Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned his head and saw that the Spirit Marshal had returned. He thought to himself, “You’re such a hypocrite. I trusted you, but you’re two-faced. I truly look down on you.” Without saying a word, Shui Miao focused his mind, used his magic to envelop the Spirit Marshal, forcibly retrieved the puppet from him, and then teleported away.
“Uh…”
The Spirit Marshal was left feeling awkward by Shui Miao’s sudden actions.
Shui Miao has changed. He must have discovered something, perhaps that I spoke ill of him in front of my master?
No, I must go see my master again!
The Spirit Marshal, feeling uneasy, quickly activated the Sky-Escaping Talisman to seek out the Supreme Lord Laozi once more.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had teleported back to the First Heaven.
However, upon arriving at the First Heaven, Shui Miao suddenly had an idea. He pulled out the brocade pouch that the Spirit Marshal had given him earlier and thought to himself, “This pouch doesn’t seem to serve much purpose. Could there be something sinister about it? Could the Supreme Lord Laozi be using it to monitor me, and thus knew I was using the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to spy on him, so he put on a show for me?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him before.
Moreover, he was with the Millennial Ghost, who had spoken favorably of him, which was highly unusual. There must be something fishy going on!
“No! I must investigate this pouch thoroughly, carefully, and meticulously…”
“His only enemy… is himself.”
Laozi suddenly exhaled softly, then vanished in a flash.
“Himself?”
Shui Miao strived and fought desperately for the sake of all living beings across the three realms and for a brighter future of the immortal world. Yet, he could never have anticipated that even now, he remains a mere pawn in someone else’s game—a pawn destined to alter the fate of the immortal world and pave the way for the ancient immortals to reclaim their dominion over the three realms.
From the very beginning, the fate of this pawn was sealed.
What the ancient immortals plan to do with this pawn next remains unknown.
Suddenly, the Spirit Marshal departed, and the use of the Escape Heaven Talisman caused a faint but peculiar fluctuation in the air. This fluctuation was so subtle that most cultivators wouldn’t notice it, but Shui Miao, with his heightened senses, detected it immediately.
“What is the Spirit Marshal doing with the Escape Heaven Talisman at this moment? Could he be seeking out his master?” Shui Miao pondered, quickly deducing the Spirit Marshal’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao didn’t know how to track the aura of the Escape Heaven Talisman. However, this was no longer a problem for him. The Shui Miao of today was no longer the helpless mortal he once was. He had absorbed the memories of many supreme beings, including the memories of the Forging Sage, Luo Tong, and had mastered the art of forging. He was now a completely different person.
In this situation, he could easily activate the Light-Chasing Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements.
But Shui Miao knew that the aura of an ordinary Light-Chasing Mirror was too strong, and once activated, it would be difficult to avoid detection by his enemies.
Especially when dealing with a powerful figure like the Supreme Lord Laozi, extreme caution was necessary.
To ensure absolute success and to gain insight into the workings of heaven, Shui Miao entered the Time Tower, reversed time, and began forging a unique artifact—his own Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
The true Heaven’s Insight Master had long since perished, and his Heaven’s Insight Mirror was a one-of-a-kind treasure in the immortal world, capable of revealing the secrets of heaven and probing the thoughts of all immortals without being detected. Unfortunately, the Heaven’s Insight Mirror had also disappeared. However, as the saying goes, heaven never seals off all exits. Luo Tong had once participated in the modification and upgrade of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror and had a deep understanding of its structure. Shui Miao, having inherited Luo Tong’s memories, was fully capable of forging a new Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
The current Shui Miao had his own unique understanding of formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, made subtle adjustments to the original Heaven’s Insight Mirror’s formation, and was about to forge his own Heaven’s Insight Mirror, which he would use to track the Spirit Marshal’s information and uncover the myriad mysteries of heaven and earth.
Without delay, Shui Miao dissolved the original Light-Chasing Mirror and began the forging process anew.
During the forging, Shui Miao also infused a significant amount of Purple Fortune Qi.
The key difference between forging the Heaven’s Insight Mirror and other artifacts was that the former required a variety of auras. Fortunately, Shui Miao lacked none of these auras; he had them all.
Thus, half an hour later, Shui Miao emerged from the Time Tower and immediately activated the new Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
Outside, only a couple of minutes had passed.
For this activation, Shui Miao didn’t hesitate to expend a large number of elixirs, including two saint-level elixirs.
As a result, Shui Miao obtained an artifact without a rank—that’s right, according to Luo Tong’s memories, the Heaven’s Insight Mirror indeed had no rank, but its functions were incredibly powerful.
Standing within the Cosmic Chessboard, Shui Miao immediately activated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s aura…
Soon, the dark surface of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror revealed the images of the Spirit Marshal, the Supreme Lord Laozi, and the Thousand-Year Female Ghost.
They were currently in a rather old-looking room within a Taoist temple. The Supreme Lord Laozi was seated on a worn-out wooden chair, stroking his beard as he listened to the Spirit Marshal’s report. The Thousand-Year Female Ghost stood respectfully to the side, as still as a stone or wooden statue.
“Master, with your boundless power and vast wisdom, could you divine the current state of the immortal world? Are the ancient immortals still unable to return? If this continues and Shui Miao is allowed to act recklessly, he will surely plunge the immortal world into chaos!” The Spirit Marshal, after all, was the Supreme Lord Laozi’s man and never truly considered Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing the Spirit Marshal speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained calm. Perhaps this was what it meant to serve different masters.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, dressed in a green robe, with white hair and a youthful face, clear eyes, and a benevolent expression, stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “Disciple Spirit Marshal, there’s no need to worry. Return for now, and I will consider the matter.”
The Supreme Lord Laozi played the mystery card, giving the Spirit Marshal no direct answer and simply sending him away.
“…”
The Spirit Marshal was slightly taken aback. Though he felt somewhat unwilling, he could not disobey his master’s command and had to take his leave.
After the Spirit Marshal left, the Supreme Lord Laozi softly asked the Thousand-Year Female Ghost, “Disciple, what do you think of Shui Miao?”
“I feel…”
The Thousand-Year Female Ghost paused, pondered for a moment, and then spoke gravely, “Shui Miao is very intelligent, loyal, and has his own set of ideas. He is decisive in battle and has the demeanor of a ruler. I see him as a rare talent. However, his personality is too rigid and prone to breaking. Therefore, I believe he can only serve as a general star. He is not yet fit to rule the Heavenly Court.”
The Thousand-Year Female Ghost spoke candidly, without any hint of emotion.
Her words shocked Shui Miao. He never expected that the Spirit Marshal, whom he trusted, would speak ill of him behind his back, while the Thousand-Year Female Ghost, whom he disliked, would speak well of him and even seemed to admire him.
Truly, the heart is hidden behind the belly, and it’s hard to discern good from bad!
“Indeed, his destiny is quite special. He is a talent I carefully selected, but his actions and achievements have indeed exceeded my expectations,” the Supreme Lord Laozi said with a solemn expression, his true feelings hard to discern.
The Thousand-Year Female Ghost blinked, puzzled. “Master, I know your powers are vast and profound, but I can’t understand why Shui Miao has exceeded your expectations. Isn’t he just a pawn you selected?”
“He may have already transcended the role of a pawn,” the Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly stood up gently and sighed. “The path of fate is unpredictable… But he has mastered the Dao of Feng Shui and the Dao of Nature, comprehended the mysteries of heaven and earth, and embraced kindness. Thus, he is protected by the most mysterious Purple Fortune Qi in the universe. He is destined to grow stronger, more powerful, and go further. As long as he remains true to himself and does not act against the Dao of Nature, the Purple Fortune Qi will not abandon him and will continue to bless him, making him an eternal and supreme being.”
“He can become that powerful!?”
The Thousand-Year Female Ghost was startled, then quickly asked, “But Master, what about the return of the ancient immortals to the Heavenly Court? If Shui Miao interferes, won’t the ancient immortals be forever unable to return? He is so powerful now, even willing to self-destruct his saint artifacts. Who can withstand him? Who can suppress and deal with him?”
“His only enemy is himself…”
The Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly exhaled softly and vanished in a flash.
“Himself?”
The Thousand-Year Female Ghost frowned, murmuring to herself, unable to comprehend his words.
※※※
“What exactly does the Supreme Lord Laozi mean? His tone seems to still favor me, but his words… Is he trying to guide me to cultivate my mind?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts swirled, and he too became confused.
It felt as though the Supreme Lord Laozi had shaped him, and even now, the Supreme Lord Laozi still cared for him.
To further understand the Supreme Lord Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao activated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to track him.
In a stone chamber, the Supreme Lord Laozi was continuously activating spirit talismans, which flew out to the hands of various ancient immortals hidden in different places, informing them that the situation in the immortal world was settled and it was time to return to the Heavenly Court.
After distributing the talismans, the Supreme Lord Laozi walked to a stone cabinet, picked up a folding fan, and on it was a portrait of a man who looked exactly like Shui Miao, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck…
Seeing this fan, Shui Miao was deeply shaken, instantly recalling the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So, the white-robed scholar was the Supreme Lord Laozi in disguise!
The Dao of Feng Shui and the Dao of Nature were both gifts from him…
This outcome was both within Shui Miao’s expectations and yet still surprising. He never imagined that his master was truly the Supreme Lord Laozi!
My master taught me skills and brought me to where I am today. How can I spy on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately stopped operating the Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance of the Fifth Heaven’s demon realm had subsided.
Shui Miao put away the Cosmic Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
The Spirit Marshal suddenly emerged from the ranks of the heavenly soldiers and celestial generals, clasping his fists in a deep bow to Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned his head, seeing that the Spirit Marshal had returned. He thought to himself, “You are truly hypocritical. I trusted you, yet you act one way in front of me and another behind my back. I truly despise you.” Without saying a word, Shui Miao focused his mind, used his magic to envelop the Spirit Marshal, forcibly took back the puppet on him, and then teleported away.
“Uh…”
The Spirit Marshal was left feeling awkward by Shui Miao’s sudden action.
Shui Miao has changed. He must have discovered something, perhaps it was because I spoke ill of him in front of my master?
I must go see my master again!
The Spirit Marshal felt uneasy and quickly activated the Escape Heaven Talisman to seek out the Supreme Lord Laozi once more.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had teleported back to the First Heaven.
However, upon arriving at the First Heaven, Shui Miao suddenly had an idea. He took out the brocade pouch given to him earlier by the Spirit Marshal and pondered, “This pouch doesn’t seem to serve much purpose. Could there be something sinister about it? Could the Supreme Lord Laozi be using this pouch to monitor me, and knowing that I used the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to spy on him, he deliberately put on a show for me?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him before.
Moreover, he was with the Thousand-Year Female Ghost, who had unexpectedly spoken well of him. There must be something fishy going on!
“No! I must thoroughly investigate this pouch, carefully and meticulously…”
※※※
“What exactly did Laozi mean? His tone sounded like he actually had faith in me. But what he said… Could it be that he wants me to cultivate my heart?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts churned, confused.
It felt as though Laozi had shaped him all along, and even now, Laozi still seemed to be watching over him.
To better understand Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao activated the Heaven-Revealing Mirror again to track Laozi.
Inside a hidden stone chamber, Laozi was activating spirit talismans one after another. These talismans flew off in all directions, reaching the hands of ancient immortals hidden in various places, notifying them that the Immortal Realm’s great affairs had been settled and that it was time to return to the Celestial Court.
After distributing the talismans, Laozi walked to a stone cabinet, casually picked up a folding fan. On the fan was a painting of a man identical to Shui Miao, wearing a jade pendant around his neck…
Seeing the fan, Shui Miao’s heart was shaken. He immediately recalled the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So that white-robed scholar had actually been Laozi in disguise!
The Ways of Feng Shui and Nature had both been bestowed upon him by Laozi…
This outcome was both expected and shocking—Shui Miao had never imagined that his master was truly Laozi himself!
His master had taught him skills that brought him to where he was today—how could he be spying on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts churned, and he immediately stopped activating the Heaven-Revealing Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance of the Fifth Heaven—the boundary between immortals and demons—had already calmed.
Shui Miao retracted the Hongyu Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
Ling Shuai suddenly emerged from among the heavenly soldiers and generals, bowing deeply to Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned and saw Ling Shuai had returned. He thought to himself, “You really are a hypocrite. I trusted you completely, yet you spoke behind my back. I truly despise you.”
Without saying a word, Shui Miao activated his spiritual power, enveloped Ling Shuai, forcibly removed the puppet control on him, and then vanished into the void.
“Uh…”
Ling Shuai was left embarrassed by Shui Miao’s sudden action.
Shui Miao had changed abruptly—perhaps he had discovered something. Could it be that he had overheard me speaking ill of him in front of my master?
No good. I must go see my master again!
Filled with unease, Ling Shuai quickly activated the Heaven-Escaping Talisman once more to seek out Laozi.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had already fled back to the First Heaven.
However, upon arriving there, a sudden thought struck him. He immediately took out the silk pouch Ling Shuai had given him earlier and pondered, “This pouch doesn’t seem to have much significance—could there be something wrong with it? Could it be that Laozi is using it to monitor me? If he knows I’ve been observing him with the Heaven-Revealing Mirror, maybe he’s just putting on a show for me?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him before.
Shui Miao strived and fought desperately for the sake of all living beings in the three realms and for a bright future of the immortal world. Yet, he could never have anticipated that even now, he remains a mere pawn in someone else’s game—a pawn destined to alter the fate of the immortal world and pave the way for the ancient immortals to reclaim their dominion over the three realms.
From the very beginning, his fate as a pawn was sealed.
What the ancient immortals plan to do with this pawn next remains a mystery.
Suddenly, the Spirit Marshal departed, and the use of the Heaven-Escaping Talisman caused a subtle fluctuation in the air. This fluctuation was so faint that most cultivators wouldn’t notice it, but Shui Miao, with his heightened sensitivity, detected it immediately.
“What is the Spirit Marshal doing with the Heaven-Escaping Talisman at this moment? Could he be seeking out his master?” Shui Miao’s thoughts raced as he speculated about the Spirit Marshal’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately, Shui Miao didn’t know how to track the aura of the Heaven-Escaping Talisman. However, this was no longer a problem for him. The Shui Miao of today was no longer the helpless mortal he once was. He had inherited the memories of many supreme beings, including the legendary Forge Sage Luo Tong, and had mastered the art of forging. He was now a completely different person.
In this situation, he could easily activate the Light-Chasing Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements.
But Shui Miao knew that the aura of an ordinary Light-Chasing Mirror was too strong, and once activated, it would be difficult to avoid detection by his enemies.
Especially when dealing with a powerful figure like the Supreme Lord Laozi, extreme caution was necessary.
To ensure absolute success and to gain insight into the workings of fate, Shui Miao entered the Time Tower, reversed time, and began forging a unique artifact—his very own Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
The true Heaven’s Insight Master had long since perished, and his Heaven’s Insight Mirror was a one-of-a-kind treasure in the immortal world, capable of revealing the secrets of fate and probing the thoughts of all immortals without detection. Unfortunately, the Heaven’s Insight Mirror had also been lost. However, as the saying goes, “Heaven never seals off all exits.” Luo Tong had once participated in the modification and upgrade of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror and had a deep understanding of its structure. Shui Miao, having inherited Luo Tong’s memories, was fully capable of forging a new Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
Now, Shui Miao had his own unique understanding of formations. He integrated all the knowledge he had acquired, made subtle adjustments to the original Heaven’s Insight Mirror’s formation, and was about to forge his own Heaven’s Insight Mirror, which he would use to track the Spirit Marshal’s movements and uncover the mysteries of the heavens and the earth.
Without hesitation, Shui Miao dissolved the original Light-Chasing Mirror and began the forging process anew.
During the forging, Shui Miao also infused a significant amount of Purple Destiny Qi.
The forging of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror differed from that of other artifacts in that it required a variety of auras. Fortunately, Shui Miao lacked none of these auras; he had them all.
Half an hour later, Shui Miao emerged from the Time Tower and immediately activated the new Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
Outside, only a minute or two had passed.
For this activation, Shui Miao spared no expense, consuming a large number of elixirs, including two saint-level ones.
As a result, Shui Miao obtained an artifact without a grade—that’s right, according to Luo Tong’s memories, the Heaven’s Insight Mirror indeed had no grade, but its functions were incredibly powerful.
Shui Miao, now within the Cosmic Chessboard, immediately activated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to track the Spirit Marshal’s aura…
Soon, the dark surface of the Heaven’s Insight Mirror revealed the Spirit Marshal, the Supreme Lord Laozi, and the Millennial Female Ghost.
They were in a somewhat aged Taoist temple room. The Supreme Lord Laozi sat on an old wooden chair, stroking his beard as he listened to the Spirit Marshal’s report. The Millennial Female Ghost stood respectfully to the side, as still as a statue.
“Master, with your boundless power and vast wisdom, could you divine the current state of the immortal world? Can the ancient immortals still not return? If this continues and Shui Miao is allowed to act recklessly, he will surely plunge the immortal world into chaos!” The Spirit Marshal, after all, was the Supreme Lord Laozi’s man and never truly considered Shui Miao a friend.
Seeing the Spirit Marshal speak ill of him, Shui Miao remained calm. Perhaps this was what it meant to serve different masters.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, dressed in a green robe, with white hair and a youthful face, clear eyes, and a benevolent expression, stroked his beard and smiled faintly. “Spirit Marshal, my disciple, there’s no need to worry. Return for now, and I will consider the matter.”
The Supreme Lord Laozi played it mysterious, giving the Spirit Marshal no direct answer and simply sent him away.
“…”
The Spirit Marshal was momentarily stunned. Though he felt somewhat dissatisfied, he could not disobey his master’s orders and had no choice but to take his leave.
After the Spirit Marshal departed, the Supreme Lord Laozi turned to the Millennial Female Ghost and asked softly, “Disciple, what do you think of Shui Miao?”
“I feel…”
The Millennial Female Ghost paused, pondered for a moment, and then spoke gravely, “Shui Miao is intelligent, loyal, and has his own set of principles. He is decisive in battle and possesses the demeanor of a true ruler. I believe he is a rare talent. However, his personality is too rigid and prone to breaking. Therefore, I think he can only serve as a general star. The task of ruling the heavens is beyond his capabilities.”
The Millennial Female Ghost spoke candidly, without a trace of emotion.
Her words shocked Shui Miao. He never expected that the Spirit Marshal, whom he trusted, would speak ill of him behind his back, while the Millennial Female Ghost, whom he disliked, would praise him and even seem to admire him.
Truly, the heart is hidden behind the belly, and it’s hard to discern good from bad!
“Indeed, his destiny is quite unique. He is a talent I carefully selected, but his actions and achievements have indeed surpassed my expectations,” the Supreme Lord Laozi said with a solemn expression, his true feelings impossible to discern.
The Millennial Female Ghost blinked, puzzled. “Master, I know your powers are vast and profound, but I can’t understand why Shui Miao has exceeded your expectations. Isn’t he just a pawn you chose?”
“He may have already transcended the role of a pawn,” the Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly stood up gently and sighed. “The path of fate is unpredictable… But he has mastered the ways of Feng Shui and nature, comprehended the mysteries of the heavens and the earth, and embraced kindness. Thus, he is protected by the most mysterious Purple Destiny Qi in the universe. As long as he remains true to himself and does not act against the natural order, the Purple Destiny Qi will never abandon him. It will continue to bless him, allowing him to become an eternal, indestructible superpower.”
“He can become that powerful!?”
The Millennial Female Ghost was startled, then quickly asked, “But Master, what about the return of the ancient immortals to the heavens? If Shui Miao interferes, won’t the ancient immortals be forever barred from the heavens? He’s so powerful now, even willing to self-destruct his saintly artifacts. Who can withstand him? Who can suppress and deal with him?”
“His only enemy is himself…”
The Supreme Lord Laozi suddenly exhaled softly and vanished in a flash.
“Himself?”
The Millennial Female Ghost frowned, murmuring to herself, unable to comprehend.
※※※
“What exactly does the Supreme Lord Laozi mean? His tone seems to still hold some regard for me, but his words… Could he be suggesting that I should cultivate my mind?”
Shui Miao’s thoughts swirled, and he grew increasingly perplexed.
It felt as though the Supreme Lord Laozi had shaped him, and even now, the Supreme Lord Laozi continued to look after him.
To further understand the Supreme Lord Laozi’s intentions, Shui Miao activated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to track him.
In a stone chamber, the Supreme Lord Laozi was continuously activating spirit talismans. These talismans flew in all directions, reaching the hands of ancient immortals hidden in various locations, informing them that the situation in the immortal world was settled and it was time to return to the heavens.
After distributing the talismans, the Supreme Lord Laozi walked to a stone cabinet and casually picked up a folding fan. On the fan was painted a figure identical to Shui Miao, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck…
Seeing this fan, Shui Miao’s heart trembled, and he immediately recalled the white-robed scholar he had encountered before.
So, the white-robed scholar was none other than the Supreme Lord Laozi in disguise!
The ways of Feng Shui and nature were gifts from him…
This revelation was both expected and unexpected for Shui Miao. He never imagined that his master was truly the Supreme Lord Laozi!
My master taught me my skills and brought me to where I am today. How could I spy on him like this?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately deactivated the Heaven’s Insight Mirror.
At this moment, the violent storm at the entrance to the Fifth Heaven’s demonic realm had subsided.
Shui Miao stored the Cosmic Chessboard and prepared to leave.
“Brother, thank you for saving our lives!”
The Spirit Marshal suddenly emerged from the ranks of the heavenly soldiers and clasped his fists in a deep bow to Shui Miao.
Shui Miao turned his head and saw that the Spirit Marshal had returned. He thought to himself, “You’re truly hypocritical. I trusted you, yet you act one way in front of me and another behind my back. I truly despise you.” Without a word, Shui Miao willed his magic to envelop the Spirit Marshal, forcibly retrieving the puppet from him, and then teleported away.
“Uh…”
The Spirit Marshal was left feeling awkward by Shui Miao’s sudden action.
Shui Miao has changed. Could it be that he has discovered something? Perhaps he overheard me speaking ill of him in front of the master?
No, I must go see the master again!
The Spirit Marshal, filled with unease, immediately activated the Heaven-Escaping Talisman to seek out the Supreme Lord Laozi.
In just a few breaths, Shui Miao had returned to the First Heaven.
However, upon arriving at the First Heaven, Shui Miao suddenly had an idea. He pulled out the brocade pouch the Spirit Marshal had given him earlier and pondered, “This pouch doesn’t seem to serve much purpose. Could there be something sinister about it? Could the Supreme Lord Laozi be using this pouch to monitor me? Did he know I was using the Heaven’s Insight Mirror to spy on him, and thus put on a show for me?”
Shui Miao now trusted no one.
The Supreme Lord Laozi, disguised as the white-robed scholar, had deceived him before.
Moreover, he was with the Millennial Female Ghost, who had unexpectedly spoken well of him. There must be something fishy going on!
“No! I must investigate this pouch thoroughly, carefully, and meticulously…”
“No! I must thoroughly and carefully investigate this silk pouch…”
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