A man from the Big Dipper, starting his charlatanship at Mount Tai.

Finally, the Holy Lord of the Ji family stood up and made the decision:

"enough!"

"Further words are useless! Immediately dispatch elite guards to investigate the last known location of Haoyue. Remember, conceal your movements and do not alert any forces!"

"We'll discuss this after we get a reply!"

"I second that!" Ji Yanzhi was the first to reply.

"Yes, that's how it should be."

"Indeed, this is the safest approach."

"Let's wait for the results. I hope Haoyue and the others are alright."

.......

Time flies.

The very next day, the Holy Lord of the Ji family convened another meeting.

This time, the Holy Lord of the Ji family had a face so gloomy it could drip water.

"According to reliable sources, a few days ago, at the site of the decisive battle between Haoyue and Yan Ruyu of the Qinglian lineage, there were indeed residual traces of the clash of imperial weapons. Some people saw the Qinglian swaying in the distance, and the mirror light shattering the void. But then that area was shrouded by a strange spacetime barrier, and those who stepped in were all frozen in place, unable to get close. After that... the aura of the imperial weapons completely disappeared."

After saying this, the Holy Lord of the Ji family passed the secret report to several elders.

Ji Hong took it, quickly scanned it, and his face twitched involuntarily:

"A spacetime realm? A spacetime realm that can freeze cultivators... Such a method must belong to a supreme being who cultivates the Great Dao of Spacetime... perhaps even a Dao-Slaying King!"

After reading it, Ji Yunfeng remained silent for a long while before speaking, "So it seems our previous guess was correct? Haoyue didn't enter any forbidden area. The Imperial Weapon... perhaps it really was sealed away."

“If the Imperial Weapon is sealed, Haoyue…” Ji Yanzhi panicked.

"Haoyue should be fine," the Holy Lord of the Ji family judged.

"Both Haoyue's soul lamp and the soul lamp of the Supreme Elder who accompanied him were lit, and their lives were not in danger."

"The most urgent task is to find out who exactly did it, and... what exactly the Qinglian lineage wants to do."

"Although it's hard to believe, it's highly likely that the Void Mirror has indeed been temporarily blocked."

"........"

Upon hearing these words from the Holy Lord of the Ji family, all the elders of the Ji family fell silent.

Imperial weapons and imperial scriptures are the foundation of the ultimate holy land. If the imperial weapon is lost, even temporarily, it will be a crisis of survival for the holy land!

“Your Majesty, if the Imperial Weapon is truly sealed off, and the news leaks out, the Ji family will be in grave danger. Those covetous forces will not let this opportunity pass.” An elder sighed.

"Then keep it a secret! Keep it a secret at all costs! Send more people, block the news, and absolutely do not let the outside world know that something went wrong with the Void Mirror!" Ji Yunfeng gritted his teeth.

"Can you hide it for a while, or for a lifetime?" The Holy Lord of the Ji family smiled bitterly.

"Although no one was present at the scene, many people witnessed the battle between the Azure Lotus lineage's imperial weapon and the Void Mirror."

"If afterwards, news spreads from the Azure Lotus lineage that they have sealed the Void Mirror, and we cannot produce the Void Mirror to prove ourselves..."

Ji Yanzhi's lips twitched: "Then, all of the Ji family's businesses will face a backlash. In fact, many people who were previously intimidated by the power of the Imperial Weapon will come seeking revenge!"

The elders present fell silent once again.

Finally, the Holy Lord of the Ji family slowly got up, walked to the window, and looked at the surging sea of ​​clouds outside.

"How about... we go and pay a visit to the Azure Lotus lineage?"

"At that time, no matter what the situation is, everything will be clear at a glance."

......

No sooner had the Holy Lord of the Ji family finished speaking than an elder of the Ji family rushed in from outside in a panic.

"My Lord! Something terrible has happened!"

"Hmm? What big thing?" The Holy Lord of the Ji family suddenly had an ominous premonition.

"News has spread from the Azure Lotus lineage that they have collaborated with other forces to seal off the Ji family's Void Mirror!"

"Our Void Mirror... could it really have been banned?!"

The Holy Lord of the Ji Family: "........."

"Let's not talk about that now. What did they say over there?"

"Okay, this is the information I've heard..."

The news came from the Holy City, and it was described in great detail: an ancient demon king of the Azure Lotus lineage had been resurrected, wielding the Azure Lotus Imperial Weapon, and personally sealed the Ji family's Void Mirror on an ancient battlefield!

The Demon King declared that if the Ji family wanted to retrieve the Imperial Weapon, they should come to his door with sincerity to negotiate!

The news spread like wildfire, reaching all major powers overnight.

Inside the secret hall, the Holy Lord of the Ji family looked at the latest intelligence, his face ashen, his chest heaving violently.

"Bang!" He slammed his palm on the jade table, and the hard jade stone was instantly covered with cracks.

"Good! Good for the Azure Lotus lineage! Good for the demon race! They're trying to put my Ji family on the hot seat!"

An elder of the Ji family immediately responded, "They're doing this on purpose! They're deliberately spreading the news so everyone knows we've lost our Imperial Weapon! How could those lurking wolves and tigers let such a golden opportunity slip by?"

"Shameless! The demon race actually resorts to such despicable means! Holy Lord, we must not bow down! If we bow down, what face will the Ji family have left? How will we stand in the Eastern Wilderness in the future?"

Ji Yanzhi remained relatively calm and analyzed the situation from another perspective: "Holy Lord, this is no longer a matter of face. The news has spread, and all the forces in Beidou will be watching us. If we cannot retrieve the Void Mirror as soon as possible, the Ji family... may be in danger of collapse. Those forces that are hostile to the Ji family will never let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

“Holy Lord, how about... we try to forcibly summon the Imperial Weapon back? Using the ancestral blood as a catalyst, and gathering the power of the entire clan, we might be able to break the seal,” Ji Yanzhi suggested.

The Holy Lord of the Ji family closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, his expression was resolute.

"it is good!"

"Issue the order! All clansmen above the Four Extremes Secret Realm level, proceed to the Ancestral Temple immediately! Each person must collect three drops of essence blood. I want to... use the bloodline as a guide to summon the Imperial Weapon back!"

"Yes!"

......

Not long after.

The atmosphere at the Ji family ancestral temple was extremely solemn.

The elders of the Ji family surrounded an ancient altar, channeling the collected bloodlines of Ji family members into the ancestral sacrificial vessel.

At the center of the altar, the Holy Lord of the Ji family, with disheveled hair, held an ancient dagger. He cut his wrist, letting the blood, radiating divine light, flow into the altar's groove. Hundreds of essence blood had already gathered in the groove, and now, stirred by the Holy Lord's blood, it boiled and transformed into a small blood-red dragon, roaring as it charged into the void above the altar.

"With my Ji blood, I summon my ancestral weapon!"

"The Void Mirror...returns!"

The Holy Lord of the Ji family formed complex ancient hand seals. The altar erupted with blinding blood-red light, piercing the sky, attempting to establish a connection with the Void Mirror.

All the members of the Ji family held their breath, staring intently at the altar above.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

Finally... the crimson light gradually dimmed, and the little crimson dragon let out a mournful cry before disappearing into the air.

Clearly, the Void Mirror... did not respond!

"puff!"

The Holy Lord of the Ji family suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. He stared at the altar in disbelief, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes completely extinguished.

Failed.

Despite gathering the strength of the entire clan, they were unable to recall the Ancestral Mirror.

The Void Mirror... has truly been completely sealed off. Sealed off so thoroughly, so decisively.

Now, apart from using techniques that can only be used during periods of darkness and turmoil, they have no other way to summon the Void Mirror!

But how could they possibly resort to that tactic?

If the Void Emperor were to be resurrected and learn that they had lost the Ancestral Mirror, and even try to use methods that could only be employed during the Dark Turmoil to recall it, he would absolutely beat them to a pulp!

"Holy Lord..."

Ji Hong supported the swaying Holy Lord, his old eyes filled with helplessness. He had never seen such a bizarre scene before.

The Holy Lord of the Ji family pushed him away, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and looked utterly helpless.

"Get ready. In a few days, come with me to the Holy City to meet that... Demon King who can seal an Imperial Weapon."

The hall was deathly silent. Everyone understood what the Holy Lord of the Ji family meant by those words.

The Ji family had no choice but to bow their heads.

For the sake of the Void Mirror and the survival of the family, no price is too high to pay!

Chapter 157 Entering and Leaving the Mortal World (Part 2)

On the other side, Lin Xiu's side.

While the Ji family was in a state of panic, Lin Xiu was happily traveling and enjoying himself with Yan Ruyu.

Of course, a more accurate way to put it is to gain insight into the world.

Although the power of vows and karma within the Great Cauldron of Humanity was enough for Lin Xiu to comprehend the Great Dao of the Mortal World, after eating too much pre-prepared food, he still needed to eat something natural to adjust his taste.

The Great Cauldron of Humanity can accelerate the process of understanding the mortal world, but when you really encounter a critical point, it is still easier to break through by personally experiencing the mortal world.

.......

And so, Lin Xiu and Yan Ruyu temporarily left the bustling cultivation world and stepped into the vast human realm.

Lin Xiu, dressed in a white robe, and Yan Ruyu, in a green dress, walked through the vast mortal world and entered a bustling, ordinary city.

Lin Xiu pointed to an old shop at the alley entrance. The wooden signboard of the shop was blackened by smoke, but people were coming and going below it, and the business was booming.

"Yan'er, I think the osmanthus cake from that shop up ahead is absolutely amazing. Would you like to try some?" Lin Xiu asked Yan Ruyu beside him.

"........."

Yan Ruyu raised her red lips slightly, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she nodded gently and followed Lin Xiu into the shop.

She hadn't expected that Lin Xiu would have to calculate even to find a good restaurant.

The shop owner, an elderly man in his sixties, noticed the two men's distinguished bearing and quickly brought out the freshly steamed pastries. The jade-white cakes were sprinkled with golden osmanthus blossoms, emitting a sweet and enticing aroma.