106 The Spirit of the Artifact

Huai Yin possessed a wood spirit root, while Han Su had a dual ice and fire spirit root. Though their spirit root attributes differed, Han Su’s ice spirit root was a transformation of the water spirit root. Both water and wood spirit roots had strong healing properties, so despite Han Su’s urgency, she knew to first convert the ice into a water spirit root before infusing it into his body.

At first, there was some effect; unfortunately, no matter how hard Han Su tried afterward, she could not bring about any further improvement. The others, seeing that Han Su’s method had some efficacy, took turns attempting it themselves, but to no avail.

As Huai Yin’s condition gradually worsened again, sorrow clouded their faces.

“I’ve got it! The Bai Ling Mushroom! I have the Bai Ling Mushroom!” Han Su suddenly exclaimed, pulling a jade box containing the precious mushroom from her storage ring. She scanned the group before handing it to Rong Ling.

Xuan Ting reached out to take it but was surprised when Han Su’s gaze swept past him without pause, directly offering it to Rong Ling instead. Clenching his fists, he finally lowered his hands in resignation.

Rong Ling accepted the Bai Ling Mushroom, a look of delight spreading over his face. “You’re incredibly lucky to have gotten this!”

He first enveloped the jade box with icy spiritual energy, then used hidden force to dissolve it. Manipulating his spiritual energy with a special technique, he refined the mushroom. Suo Yun helped Huai Yin sit up, and Rong Ling transmitted the refined medicinal essence through the air into Huai Yin’s mouth.

As the last drop slid down his throat, vitality gradually returned to his body. His skin, hair, and every part of him blossomed anew with life; the lingering deathly aura dissipated. Even his cultivation level improved.

Huai Yin opened his eyes, still a little dazed, but soon focused on Han Su. “Han Su, are you all right?”

Han Su nodded hoarsely, barely able to speak. He smiled faintly, his gaze drifting to Ming Ji, but the smile quickly faded, replaced by profound sorrow.

Ming Ji was filled with regret, dark resentment, worry, and grief—a complex tangle of emotions. Seeing Huai Yin’s eyes, she averted her own gaze. Normally adept at masking emotions, she found herself unable to do so before the son she had painstakingly borne, only to have abandoned from the start.

Huai Yin’s eyes swept over her, then the others present. He seemed about to speak but ultimately remained silent.

“Huai Yin, do you feel better? What exactly happened before?” Xuan Ting asked, watching his gradual recovery. The others also turned their attention to him. After all, it was rare for a mother to inflict such harm on her son.

Huai Yin looked at Ming Ji, whose eyes were red-rimmed, her water-like pupils brimming with tears, appearing both restrained and wronged. He shook his head and forced a pale smile.

Ming Ji stepped forward to embrace him. “Huai Yin, it’s all my fault. But I did it for the world’s people. Since the Spirit of the Celestial Mirror was separated through enlightenment, no cultivators in the Five Realms have been able to ascend. This has gone on for tens of thousands of years. If we don’t retrieve the Spirit soon, more people will realize their lifelong pursuit is unattainable and begin to question the heavenly Dao. Then, the cultivators of the realms, at peace for millennia, may face catastrophe.

I had no choice. Without the Spirit, the path to ascension cannot be opened.

But now, the only soul perfectly compatible with the Celestial Mirror, suitable to be its Spirit, is Han Su. Even if you’re reluctant, for the sake of the world, yourself, your uncles, and all cultivators about to ascend, you must forsake small love for greater love.

I know it’s hard for you to abandon her, but you must consider the greater good.

I didn’t intend to hurt you, I…”

Tears streamed down Ming Ji’s face as she hugged Huai Yin tightly, raising her tear-streaked face to Han Su. “Han Su, I know you don’t want to let go of yourself, but imagine, without the Spirit, the Celestial Mirror cannot open the ascension path. Even your parents won’t be able to ascend and will ultimately perish with time.

Imagine the crushing blow when they realize after all their long effort that ascension is impossible, that they must face extinction.

Han Su, I am not heartless, but for the cultivators of the Five Realms who have waited for millennia, I must be the villain. Can you understand?”

Her words sounded lofty and solemn. Only then did the others grasp the full gravity of the situation.

Yet, this could not truly be blamed on Ming Ji. If it were them, they might have made the same choice. After all, sacrificing one person was easier and more justified than condemning countless others to never ascend.

Still, Han Su was the one Huai Yin cherished and the one who had saved Rong Ling, making it emotionally difficult to accept. But morally...

Xuan Ting was the first to voice his opinion. “Huai Yin, listen to your mother—she’s just a woman. There are thousands of young female cultivators I can find for you. You defy your mother for a mere girl and nearly perish yourself—how could you be so foolish?”

Suo Yun remained silent, regarding Han Su as insignificant. Her life or death made little difference. She was no longer so obsessed with feelings, but she still cared for Huai Yin. If she could win him—not just him but fully capture his heart—that would be the ultimate prize.

Rong Ling, however, grabbed Han Su’s hand firmly. “What did you say? Only she is suitable to be the Spirit of the Celestial Mirror? You want to forcibly separate her soul and refine it into the Spirit?”

Ming Ji’s face remained sorrowful, but a mischievous glint flickered in her eyes. “That’s right. You know our Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox clan is the best at this.”

Rong Ling held Han Su’s hand, staring straight into her eyes. Han Su showed no expression, no hesitation, meeting his gaze with equal focus.

Rong Ling then turned to Ming Ji. “If you don’t have the Celestial Mirror, why think to extract her soul now?”

“I—I thought it better to endure pain quickly than to suffer long-term...” Ming Ji stammered.

“That’s not right. Why is the Celestial Mirror in Han Su’s hands? It was in yours back then.”

“I was gravely injured and devastated by Xuan Ting’s departure. I wasn’t paying attention to the Celestial Mirror. It must have fallen somewhere.”

Rong Ling was momentarily speechless. Clenching Han Su’s hand, he said, “I disagree.”

Huai Yin said nothing but smiled faintly as he looked at their joined hands. A trace of loneliness flashed in his eyes, yet he smiled warmly at Han Su.

Xuan Ting grew exasperated. “You are the lord of a realm. How can you be so willful and reckless?”

Rong Ling pursed his lips, his face cold as frost. “How do you know the original Spirit can’t be found?”

“Well…”

“We’ve searched so long with no clues. Now that we have a good substitute, why keep looking?”

“No one is in a hurry to ascend now. Why not wait?”

“You—”

Rong Ling pulled Han Su along. “Come, let’s go find the Spirit.”

Han Su smiled, releasing his hand. “No need. I have already found it.”

Rong Ling, mid-step, halted sharply, stunned. “What did you say?!”

“I have found it.”

Under the astonished gazes of the group, Han Su brought out a puppet hidden within the Celestial Palace.

Removing the puppet’s outer shell revealed a young girl’s body.

“What! When did this happen?”

Han Su smiled slightly. “The last time we were all at Lady Ming Ji’s mansion, you went after Dean Yu. I stayed behind and found her.”

Lu Tan Xian nodded gracefully to the group before speaking. “My brother—Dean Yu, as you call him—brought me to the Mansion Sea Realm. One purpose was to find the Celestial Mirror, the necklace. The other was to find the underwater palace, where he found the beauty lying there and abducted her.

I, as the abandoned child, was left there and later discovered by Uncle Jiang.”

Han Su continued, “Nephew Lu once broke sect rules. I originally intended to hand her back to the sect for punishment. But then a magical device in my possession detected a spiritual entity trying to enter my necklace.

I grew suspicious but didn’t know the details. So, I put a puppet shell on her and hid her in the Celestial Palace.

Later, after communicating with Nephew Lu, I learned she had only recently discovered being possessed by a spirit.

Over the years, she used cultivation techniques I found to try to separate and control the spirit. Only recently did she manage full control, no longer influenced by it.

When I confirmed that the necklace was indeed the Celestial Mirror, I realized that the spirit possessing her was the Spirit of the Celestial Mirror!

At that time, Nephew Lu was immobilized by a binding spell and couldn’t control her body, and I was close by with the mirror. So the Spirit tried to return to the mirror but was stopped by me just in time.

Now that we have both the Celestial Mirror and its Spirit, I can hand them over to you. What you do next is up to you.”

Having finished, Han Su gently pushed Lu Tan Xian forward. Rong Ling’s eyes brightened as he produced a soul pearl capable of containing spiritual entities. Approaching Lu Tan Xian, he said, “You’ve done well controlling her. I will now extract the spirit. It won’t harm you—just wait.”

Lu Tan Xian smiled and nodded. Rong Ling glanced around at the others, then began the ritual to separate the spirit from Lu Tan Xian’s body.

The Spirit had been apart from the Celestial Mirror for over thirty thousand years, naturally weakening its power, which is why Lu Tan Xian could control it now.

Rong Ling stored the spirit in a jade bottle. “The Spirit is here, but it needs to be nurtured together with the Celestial Mirror for some time. Now that I have both, you should notify the cultivators in the Five Realms preparing for tribulation. These two items require a hundred years of nurturing before they can be reactivated.

At that time, all cultivators facing tribulation should gather in one place to avoid excess lightning affecting others. I will contact you again after a century.”

No one objected. From Han Su’s words onward, Ming Ji bit her lip tightly, understanding the situation was beyond her control and further conflict might cause greater trouble. She had only a hundred years now, which she would use to devise a safer method for tribulation. Until the last moment, she would never give up.