Chapter 114: The Mirror of Reincarnation Acknowledges Its Master

"Zhong Xuan, you scoundrel! How dare you deceive me and use me for all this time, only to serve as a stepping stone for this brat!" The Azure Emperor’s chest heaved violently as he roared in a near-frenzied state.

Zhong Xuan smiled indifferently. "Your character is corrupt; you are not fit to inherit the Reincarnation Mirror. In consideration of your years guarding the Tomb of Life and Death, I will spare your life—leave now!"

With bloodshot eyes, the Azure Emperor snatched the Azure Grainless Sword as it flew back toward him. He sneered, "You? A mere fragment of scattered consciousness? What can you possibly do to me? Today, I will make you watch as I slay this brat and seize the Reincarnation Mirror!"

With that, the Azure Emperor flashed forward, shooting directly toward Long Yun. A piercing sound of blades cutting through the air erupted as the Azure Grainless Sword traced a sinister arc toward Long Yun. This strike condensed the Azure Emperor’s lifelong cultivation and was fueled by his fury; Long Yun would likely be unable to withstand even the residual shockwaves, let alone a direct confrontation.

"If you refuse to repent, then do not blame me for being discourteous!" Zhong Xuan’s expression turned cold. He reached out and pointed from afar, sending a ripple spreading outward. This ripple, manifesting in contrasting black and white, began to spin violently, forming a Wheel of Life and Death that whistled as it blocked Long Yun’s path.

When the Azure Emperor’s sword energy touched the Wheel of Life and Death, there was no terrifying explosion as expected. Instead, it vanished like a stone cast into the sea, leaving not a trace behind. The power of reincarnation reversed the cycle of life; all things in heaven and earth returned to nothingness. The Azure Emperor’s sword energy was no exception—decomposed by the power of reincarnation into its most primitive state until it dissipated entirely.

In that instant, Long Yun felt a sudden realization. To be able to wield the power of reincarnation to such a degree—Zhong Xuan’s insight into the Dao of Reincarnation was millions of times more profound than that of a novice like himself.

Observing the thoughtful Long Yun, a hint of relief crossed Zhong Xuan’s face. He waved his hand gently, and the Wheel of Life and Death rose once more, enveloping the Azure Emperor.

"No!" The arrogance on the Azure Emperor’s face vanished, replaced by inexplicable terror. He had not expected even a fragment of Zhong Xuan’s consciousness to be this formidable. He tried to beg for mercy, but the power of life and death had already sealed him, rendering him unable to utter a single word as he watched his body rapidly evaporate.

*Clang!* The Azure Grainless Sword fell to the ground, flickering with light as the seal placed upon it by the Azure Emperor was refined away.

Zhong Xuan looked into the distance and said softly, "Long Yun, this is all I can do for you. Once you master the Reincarnation Mirror, helping me carry forward the power of reincarnation will be the greatest reward you could offer."

"Senior!" Long Yun felt the sense of finality in Zhong Xuan’s words and cried out, but Zhong Xuan stopped him with a wave of his hand.

"The cycle of heaven is inevitable; no one can stop this power of reincarnation. I can feel the Heavenly Demon power within you—you must have met that fellow, the Azure Wolf King. Moreover, you have fused the powers of Creation, Reincarnation, and the Heavenly Demon—no, there is even a power I cannot fathom. Your potential is enough to dominate the entire Dragon Realm. The rest is only a matter of time. The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be broken by the wind; do not be so impulsive in the future!"

Zhong Xuan spoke softly, as if offering final instructions or a farewell. Long Yun felt a lump in his throat; he already guessed what Zhong Xuan was about to do.

Zhong Xuan’s profound gaze slowly faded, and his body transformed into a stream of light, instantly merging into the Immortal Embryo. The Immortal Embryo erupted with brilliant radiance, and the primordial energy of the entire Reincarnation Space seemed to be drained, rushing toward this point. Wherever it passed, the demonic energy was shattered. The infinite primordial energy formed a massive vortex, hovering in the sky and shaking the space as if it were about to collapse.

Long Yun watched the giant vortex above. Unknowingly, a faint Yin-Yang Taiji pattern emerged on his forehead, spinning rapidly in sync with the vortex. The surrounding space gradually cleared, and the demonic energy vanished, replaced by a sense of crystalline purity.

At some point, Long Yun closed his eyes. His consciousness entered a wondrous state, as if he were standing above the nine heavens, with an boundless world beneath his feet. This world felt like a part of his own body; he could see through everything, and it seemed as if every corner of this realm could not escape his keen gaze.

He coughed lightly, and the heavens and earth trembled; the world swayed as if influenced by him. Long Yun smiled—he was the sole master of this realm.

"Long Yun, this Reincarnation Space is my final gift to you. I never imagined that the Reincarnation Mirror, forged from my remaining essence, would become this powerful. It had even slipped beyond my control. If not for this lingering fragment of my consciousness, it might have remained ownerless forever, buried by time, or developed its own spirit and wreaked havoc upon the world. Now, I have completely subdued it and merged with it. From here on, it will be a pure Reincarnation Space, and you shall be its master!"

Long Yun was startled, recognizing Zhong Xuan’s voice.

"You are a descendant of the Creation Dragon God. I have no doubts about your bloodline, which dictates that the path ahead will be arduous. I hope this Reincarnation Space will provide you with much assistance; consider this my final repayment."

Long Yun did not understand his meaning, his gaze filled with confusion. Zhong Xuan continued, "The demonic creatures in the Reincarnation Space were once my subordinates, or enemies I had imprisoned. After the Eight-Headed Serpent vanished, this space was tainted by demonic energy, and they were corrupted, losing their original consciousness."

"But now, the power of reincarnation is purging the demonic energy from them bit by bit. In time, they will become a great asset to you. As your cultivation increases, their speed in refining the demonic energy will grow. Do not worry about their loyalty, for they are like the Reincarnation Mirror—they are your slaves. With a single thought from you, they will turn to dust. At your current level, you can likely only purify those below the Xiantian Fusion stage; to purify higher-level ones, you will need to advance further."

Long Yun was stunned. This was a massive gift. With a sweep of his consciousness, he could sense how terrifying the creatures in this space truly were. There were hundreds of thousands below the Xiantian Fusion stage, and five or six thousand at the Xiantian stage—enough to destroy an entire sect. He felt a surge of joy; with these unexpected troops, it would not be so easy for the Azure Sect to bully him.

"Senior has sacrificed himself for the Dao, yet left behind a noble and pure heart. I have no way to repay you, but I swear that I will walk this world with righteousness and never bring shame to your name!" Long Yun said firmly.

"With that, I can rest easy. Ha! That eight-headed monster was still inferior to me. He left behind countless demonic creatures, hoping to devour the Reincarnation Mirror and turn this place into a paradise for demons, but he was never my equal. I endured for nearly three thousand years and finally waited for this chance. Even if it is only once, it is a victory, ha!"

Zhong Xuan’s voice gradually faded until it vanished entirely. Tears welled in Long Yun’s eyes; he felt ashamed for having previously suspected that Zhong Xuan and the Azure Emperor were working together to deceive him.

He sighed softly. Now that the boundless Reincarnation Space was under his control, he moved his mind, and he and Yan Qingqing exited the space, returning to the stone chamber. He reached out, and the Reincarnation Mirror on the stone table turned into a stream of light, landing in his palm. A sense of a blood connection washed over him, filling him with ease. With a thought, the mirror merged into his body, leaving Long Yun in awe—this saved quite a bit of trouble.

"Qingqing, let us go see Grandmaster. I expect he has recovered by now," Long Yun said to Yan Qingqing.