Chapter 1464: Chapter 1464: Fortunate Ones Obtain Treasures, the Unfortunate Perish
The thunder roared and lightning flashed; Sword Light filled the sky.
Finally, Ye Lanfeng delivered the final strike, shattering all the Thunder Pillars with his sword, yet he still stood in place, unable to advance even a step.
Ye Lanfeng frowned and sheathed the Thousand-breaking Sword. Clearly, even with his strength and the Divine Power of the Thousand-breaking Sword, he couldn’t break through the defense of the Ancient Mirror.
"How could this be? Didn’t Han Yan say the ancestors of the Han and Tang Families once came here? How did they leave alive?" Jiang Yuzhe exclaimed, a face full of confusion.
"If I’m not mistaken, they didn’t trigger the seal of the Ancient Mirror back then. Perhaps due to limited strength, they didn’t dare act recklessly or out of greed; earlier on Zhao Lingxian and others attempted to make a contract with this Ancient Mirror, hence activating the Barrier." Mu Hanyan explained.
She had pondered this question before and easily found the answer.
"What should we do then?" Jiang Yuzhe asked, at a loss.
Like Jiang Yuzhe, Huayue, Zirong, and the others were equally clueless. Initially, they thought of attacking simultaneously from different directions, but Ye Lanfeng had already tried that. His speed was unmatched, yet he returned without success, making further attempts unnecessary.
"I think Master Qu might have a solution," Mu Hanyan suggested, turning to Qu Shanling.
Huayue and the others also turned their gaze to Qu Shanling. Along the journey, Qu Shanling had astonished them repeatedly. No one expected that this seemingly trickster God-man possessed such profound mastery over strange and mysterious arts.
They felt that just as their encounter with Mu Hanyan was no coincidence, Qu Shanling meeting Mu Hanyan and staying by her side seemed destined, or rather, arranged by someone a long time ago. And that person was his Master, Lu Guankong.
Whether it was the Divine Summoning Technique he used earlier or the Heavenly Seal Divine Power Divine Prohibition Technique that followed, it all seemed precisely prepared for Mu Hanyan.
Every previous challenge was resolved with the Hand Formation taught by Lu Guankong, so he should have a way this time too.
"I remember when my Master taught me the Heavenly Seal Divine Power Divine Prohibition Technique, he mentioned something, but I’m not sure if it’s related to this Ancient Mirror," Qu Shanling said awkwardly, seeing all eyes on him.
"What did he say? Why didn’t you mention it earlier?" Ye Yanran complained.
"My Master said, ’Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures are for those destined. The more exceptional the Divine Artifact, the more spiritual it is. If one lacks the destiny, they shouldn’t greedily force it. Forcing it could bring calamity from Heavenly Thunder, and even if one is strong enough to withstand the Heavenly Thunder’s Might, the Divine Artifact itself will explode.
However, if destined, even the destructive Heavenly Thunder’s Might won’t harm a bit, and one can safely obtain it,’" Qu Shanling explained.
"What does that mean?" Jiang Yuzhe asked, half-understanding.
"It means if you’re not destined, even if you aren’t killed by the Thunder Pillars, the Ancient Mirror will self-destruct in your hands.
If destined, the Thunder Pillars won’t kill you; just reach out and take it," Zirong explained.
"How do we know if we’re destined or not?" Jiang Yuzhe asked persistently.
"It’s simple, go and try. If you’re killed by the Thunder Pillars, you’re not destined. If not, then you are," Zirong replied.
"Uh..." Jiang Yuzhe’s throat bobbed, and his mouth twitched. This method, forget it.
Everyone now understood why Qu Shanling hadn’t mentioned it earlier; this was clearly a gamble with one’s life.
"Actually, I don’t know if my Master’s words relate to this Ancient Mirror; perhaps it was just spoken casually," Qu Shanling added.
Though he said so, from the current situation, it seemed like he was indeed referring to this Ancient Mirror, and the destined person he spoke of should be Mu Hanyan.
But as plausible as it seemed, it remained speculative. The Thunder’s power grew stronger, making even Ye Lanfeng struggle. Who would dare to let Mu Hanyan take such a risk?
"Let’s forget about it; it’s just a broken mirror. Even if we get it, there might be no use. Whoever wants to gamble can go ahead," Ye Yanran suggested.
"Yanran is right. Though the Ancient Mirror’s Barrier is formidable, it seems ordinary in itself. Let’s not try for it," Xia Youchen agreed.
Huayue and the others remained silent, but their silence conveyed their mindset: they didn’t want Mu Hanyan to take the risk.
"I think I’ll give it a try," Mu Hanyan decided.
Unlike Huayue and the others, she knew the Ancient Mirror’s origins. A treasure worn by such a mysterious and powerful woman surely wasn’t just an ordinary Divine Artifact; how could she easily give up?
Moreover, from previous indications, the destined person mentioned by Lu Guankong should be herself. If she dared not try even then, she’d look down on herself.
What! Huayue and the others were astonished, worriedly looking at Mu Hanyan, wanting to dissuade her.
"Don’t worry; I know my limits. By forcefully raising my strength to the Sword Saint Realm, I should have some means to protect myself. With Yanran here, even if I get injured, it wouldn’t be a big deal," Mu Hanyan saw their worries and explained further.
"I’m here too; I can’t just watch Han Yan take such a risk," Ye Lanfeng stated. He had no doubts about Mu Hanyan’s decision and supported her as much as he could.
Only then did Huayue and the others relax. With Ye Lanfeng’s protection and raising her strength to the Sword Saint Realm, even if the Thunder Pillars’ power increased, it would be unlikely to threaten Mu Hanyan’s life. At most, she’d get injured, but with Ye Yanran around, injuries wouldn’t matter, not even needing Elixir.
Huayue and the others focused their minds, simultaneously forming Hand Formations. Their cooperation was flawless, and now their concentration was at its peak, fearing any mistake that might endanger Mu Hanyan’s life.
Ye Yanran softly chanted, gathering the vibrant energies of heaven and earth around her. Should anything happen to Mu Hanyan, she could intervene at a moment’s notice.
Mu Hanyan formed Hand Formations too, rapidly enhancing her strength: Middle Stage Great Sword Master... Late Stage... Peak... Sword Saint! Soon, her power reached the Sword Saint Realm.
With firm steps, Mu Hanyan walked towards the Ancient Mirror.
