Yinshan Record

Chapter 380 The Mirror of Retribution Appears, Revealing Bones (Part 2)

The idea that "exposing weaknesses directly, and as long as he can't cut them off, then that weakness belongs to him" is quite easy to understand. It's like during the Three Kingdoms period, if one side sent their most powerful general to duel Guan Yu, but before Guan Yu even entered the fray, the general was killed by Liao Hua who happened to be passing by.

Then what's the point of fighting? Let's all kneel down and surrender, and revive the Han Dynasty!

However, Su Che could not understand Xue Baizhi's statement that the "Mirror of Misfortune" was a dead end.

Leaving this ancient underworld through the Mirror of Retribution was a secret method personally taught to me by the mysterious ghost general. Could it be that the ghost general deliberately sent them here to their deaths?

That doesn't make sense.

Su Che frowned as he stared at the Mirror of Evil before him.

With the help of the Mirror Sea Flower, one can leave this ancient underworld through the Mirror of Karma, but how does one operate this thing?

Should we crush the Mirror Sea Flower and smear it on the mirror, or should we light the Mirror Sea Flower in front of the Mirror of Evil?
"There is no way back before the Mirror of Retribution, but there is a way out when the bones are exposed."

Su Che pondered the meaning behind those words.

The saying "There is no way back before the Mirror of Retribution" means that once you enter this ancient underworld, there is no way to turn back and you can never get out.

"The phrase 'the way out' in 'bone imaging' means that the 'way out' will only appear after 'bone imaging' has been performed."

What does "bone imaging" mean? Do I need to bring over an X-ray film?
Xue Baizhi looked at Su Che: "Does it require cutting through the skin and muscles and placing the bones in the mirror to get out?"

I don't think so.

Su Che shook his head: "Let alone whether 'Zhao Gu' is interpreted literally, even if we interpret it literally, it's probably hard to say what the real 'Zhao Gu' is."

Is showing a little bone considered "revealing the bones," or should all the bones be reflected in the mirror? The former is easier to bear, but if it's the latter, then there's no need for any forbidden techniques like the Five Signs of Decay of Heaven and Man; one can just learn from Nezha directly.

"I'll give it a try first."

Xue Baizhi took out the Mirror Sea Flower that Su Che had given her from her sleeve. The petals, formed by clusters of crystals, were crystal clear and shimmered with a faint light inside. They were cold to the touch, like snowflakes that had not yet melted.

The female cultivator from Yuyang Mountain walked a few steps to the Mirror of Karma and presented the Mirror Sea Flower in her hand.

An invisible force seemed to gently lift the Mirror Sea Flower, making it spin leisurely in mid-air, and then turn into a wisp of green smoke as if the ice crystals were melting.

Su Che seemed to hear a sigh.

This sigh, like a lotus blooming in my ears, travels through countless ages, yet within it lies endless loneliness.

The next moment, a golden light flashed across the mirror.

Xue Baizhi stared intently at the mirror of evil, her pupils turning completely white.

stab.

Another petal fell from the nine-petaled Tai Su Zhi Qing Fa Lian on her head. Xue Baizhi coughed up blood, her face turned pale, and she staggered back several steps before finally losing the strength to support herself and falling heavily to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, the face of this female cultivator who had attained the Elixir of Immortality turned ashen. Even with the substitute death technique of the Supreme Pure Lotus, she had already suffered a fundamental injury.

"Fairy Xue".

Su Che saw Xue Baizhi slumped to the ground and was about to help her up when he saw her firmly shaking her hand.

"No need, I can get up by myself."

She exhaled a long breath. The wound on her lower abdomen had reopened after taking the blow, and blood kept flowing out. However, the female cultivator's eyes were full of determination. She knelt on one knee and slowly got up from the ground.

"Indeed formidable." She looked at Su Che and said, "Just as I expected, this Mirror of Calamity is also a dead end..."

Su Che looked at Xue Baizhi, as if he had realized something.

"Please enlighten me, fairy, what exactly happened just now?"

After taking a moment to catch her breath, Xue Baizhi recounted what she had just witnessed.

According to Xue Baizhi, at first glance, this mirror of karma has no other special features; it simply makes one's entire life flash before one's eyes like a revolving lantern.

The feeling was very special, as if I was no longer myself, but experiencing everything from the perspective of an observer.

If Xue Baizhi hadn't possessed an exceptionally clear and discerning sword mind, she probably would have been captivated the moment she saw the Mirror of Karma, endlessly rewriting her life until her physical body was broken by the Five Signs of Decay of Heaven and Man, ultimately losing her life.

Having broken through the first layer of illusion, Xue Baizhi was no ordinary person. She still managed to lift the Mirror Sea Flower from her sleeve. The Mirror Sea Flower was naturally attracted by the strange power of the Mirror of Misfortune, and then the illusion in the Mirror of Misfortune would undergo a second change.

The content presented is still her own past, but these are the stories of Xue Baizhi's most self-reproachful, ashamed, and regretful moments in her life. Moreover, this time it is not from the perspective of an observer, but from the perspective of someone who experienced it firsthand.

This time, even though Xue Baizhi possessed a clear sword mind and a harmonious Dao heart, she was still caught in a battle between heaven and man, her mind sinking into those past events and unable to extricate herself.

Then, at this crucial moment, another version of herself will appear in the Mirror of Karma, wielding a long sword and attacking Xue Baizhi. The exquisiteness of her swordplay and the perfection of her magical power are something Xue Baizhi longs for but cannot achieve.

After a brief exchange of blows in their minds, Xue Baizhi was injured by the sword intent and had to retreat completely.

"This is an extremely advanced Xuanmen method of questioning the mind. I have seen it on Jade Sun Mountain. In terms of transformation and ingenuity, it is even better than this Mirror of Calamity. However, in terms of power alone, it cannot be compared with the Mirror of Calamity."

Xue Baizhi shook her head: "The first few levels are actually not too difficult, but the final battle with one's own mind is about defeating a near-perfect version of oneself, which is simply impossible."

"Is it impossible?"

Su Che looked at Xue Baizhi.

"Impossible. People have self-awareness and aspirations. The self shown in this mirror is the one that people hope to become. The higher the aspiration, the stronger the strength shown. Although the me shown in the mirror is also at the Core Formation stage, my sword style and intent, as well as my adaptability in combat, are far superior to my current self. It can be said to be the person I most want to become right now."

Xue Baizhi shook her head and said, "This is no longer as difficult as picking flowers in a mirror or grasping the moon in water; it's as difficult as burning flowers in a mirror or destroying the moon in water, which is almost impossible."

Su Che looked at Xue Baizhi and said.

"It's still possible."

"What's possible?"

Xue Baizhi shook her head.

"Not to mention me, even if a true immortal or a mortal immortal came here, he would only be able to sigh in vain when he looked at the mirror."

Su Che looked at Xue Baizhi and said.

"It's certainly possible, because the Vajra Yaksha clan is currently in the Hungry Ghost Realm. How did they leave the ancient underworld back then?"

"You mean go back to find Śikṣānanda now?"

Xue Baizhi shook her head.

"I don't trust her."

"There's no need to go back to find her. Actually, I've pretty much figured out how they escaped from here back then."

(End of this chapter)