Chapter 2617 - 2609: The Resolute Guardian

Chapter 2617: Chapter 2609: The Resolute Guardian

As soon as Feng Jun agreed, the scene before him changed in an instant, and he found himself once more in the Guardian’s small courtyard.

However, this time, it wasn’t just the endless sky above the dilapidated courtyard; there were two additional clouds of mist by the table, one black and one pale blue, and on the table were two damaged mirrors, the Sun-Mirroring Glass and the Yin-Yang Mirror.

The pale blue mist had fluctuations of Divine Sense; it was actually the Guardian’s thought, "I have discussed with the Mirror Spirit Dao Friend, and we believe it has been lonely for too long. It should visit the opposite dimension to open its eyes and collect Spirit Stones in the meantime."

Is that so? Feng Jun found the situation a bit eerie. However, the Guardian, who had never appeared before, broke the precedent today by showing its form—even if only symbolically as a cloud of mist—entirely different from before.

Did these two have a confrontation, causing the Guardian’s cultivation level to decline? He couldn’t help but think so.

But the next moment, he discarded that thought. The Guardian’s own conditions were far superior to those of the Mirror Spirit. Not to mention its home-ground advantage, it had absorbed a lot of upper and extreme spiritual energies, and once boasted that even a cultivator from the Body Integration Realm would die if they dared come.

Although the Mirror Spirit is a cultivator of this dimension and not subject to the rules of a different dimension, making it possibly difficult to deal with, but the Mirror Spirit that came was only a wisp of a Divine Spirit. How could it trap the Guardian?

The Guardian could discover this wisp of Divine Spirit right from the beginning, and it remained unperturbed, indicating that it did not consider it a threat — in fact, if it wasn’t concerned about Feng Jun being affected, it could have taken action at any moment.

Therefore, with both big bosses appearing simultaneously, it’s more likely that: the Mirror Spirit manifested, and to be fair, a wisp of the Guardian’s Divine Spirit also appeared.

While he was lost in thought, the Mirror Spirit became displeased, "I did not wish to collect Spirit Stones; he can do that, and I’ll just wait in the Earth Realm."

"No, you do want that," the Guardian denied its claim without hesitation, "If you don’t go, all the Spirit Stones he collects will be mine, and you have no right to claim them."

"You’re pushing it," the Mirror Spirit was disgruntled, "The suppression of rules in a different dimension, you’re well aware, even though I am not bound by a chain like you, but being this weak, going to a different dimension isn’t courting disaster?"

"Just a mere wisp of Divine Spirit, where would disaster come from?" the Guardian stated calmly, issuing a warning at the same time, "If you keep talking irresponsibly, I won’t hesitate to obliterate your little wisp of Divine Spirit."

The Mirror Spirit snorted discontentedly, but didn’t respond further.

"Hold on," Feng Jun couldn’t help but interject, "Guardian Senior, a forcibly twisted melon isn’t sweet. This Mirror Spirit Senior’s realm is far superior to mine; if it’s unwilling to go to Tianqin, then don’t force it, otherwise once it gets there, you won’t be able to follow..."

If I really get conned over there by this fellow, it’ll be too late for you to regret it.

"Don’t worry, it’s just being headstrong. Asking a junior for help, it feels like losing face," the Guardian remarked casually, "In fact, it wants this wisp of Divine Spirit to become the Artifact Spirit of your Sun-Mirroring Glass."

"You’ve got to be kidding, right?" the Mirror Spirit responded furiously, "What do you mean his Sun-Mirroring Glass?"

"Do you truly think the Sun-Mirroring Glass is yours?" scoffed the Guardian, "Even if it’s just the Sun-Mirroring Glass, you also want this counterfeit Yin-Yang Mirror, and have no clue how thick-skinned you are..."

"Who wants his counterfeit Yin-Yang Mirror?" the Mirror Spirit grew ever more incensed, "Do you think I can’t forge a Yin-Yang Mirror myself?"

Feng Jun kept silent, quietly listening to their argument.

After quite some time, he finally discerned the crux; the Mirror Spirit was confined only to the fragments of the Yin-Yang Mirror, but the fragments were truly challenging to carry its thoughts, thus it had to place part of its Soul Body’s intent on Mars.

This state was somewhat akin to being a "land-bound spirit," akin to the Guardian’s pledge to protect, leaving them unable to depart casually.

However, the Guardian’s pledge is unalterable, hence the jest about it being "tethered by a chain," whereas the Mirror Spirit, upon finding a suitable vessel, can simply extricate itself. Yet, this process carries a degree of risk.

Thus, splitting a wisp of Divine Spirit was highly convenient for the Mirror Spirit, allowing it to enter a different dimension.

Of course, it would face suppression from the dimension’s rules; however, its original realm is exceptionally high, and while weakened like this, the rules wouldn’t restrain it much—realm and vision can’t be suppressed, what’s the big deal about suppressing cultivation level?

This wisp of Divine Spirit’s intent to become the Artifact Spirit of the Sun-Mirroring Glass isn’t particularly difficult, but the Mirror Spirit’s true form is an innate elf of the ancient artifact Yin-Yang Mirror; although the Sun-Mirroring Glass is also an ancient artifact, there’s considerable distinction between the two.

Thus, simply repairing the Sun-Mirroring Glass isn’t sufficient for the true Mirror Spirit to break free from the "land-bound spirit" status. Not to mention the risks that arise during the transfer process, a more probable likelihood is that the two mirrors have subtle differences in rules, making them fundamentally incompatible.

Correct, the Divine Spirit can become the Sun-Mirroring Glass’s Artifact Spirit, adapt to some rules, and simultaneously discard others; however, the true Mirror Spirit cannot accomplish this—if the true form changes as well, then the Mirror Spirit wouldn’t be the Mirror Spirit anymore, but rather a new life entirely.

But if the Divine Spirit evolves into the Sun-Mirroring Glass’s Artifact Spirit, due to the different rules, over time, the Divine Spirit will develop an independent personality. Not only will the Jing Ling still be unable to break free, it will also lose part of its soul body, which is no small damage.

Fortunately, Feng Jun still has a replica of the Yin-Yang Mirror in hand, so the plan designed by Jing Ling is to first let the Divine Spirit become the Artifact Spirit of the replica Yin-Yang Mirror, and then slowly influence the rules of the Sun-Mirroring Glass through the Yin-Yang Mirror.

This operation sounds utterly inconceivable; after all, when the Yin-Yang Mirror isn’t damaged, it’s just a Magical Treasure used during the Mortal Dust stage. Whereas the Sun-Mirroring Glass, before its damage, was an authentic ancient artifact.

However, Jing Ling is an elf evolved from an ancient artifact; this operation is not beyond its capability. It only needs to spend time.

According to Jing Ling’s deduction, for the Divine Spirit to become the Artifact Spirit of the replica Yin-Yang Mirror, a moment is enough. As for repairing the replica Yin-Yang Mirror, it will take merely three to five days—as long as there’s sufficient Spiritual Energy and materials, repairing a low-level replica isn’t hard at all.

However, wanting to use the Yin-Yang Mirror to influence the Sun-Mirroring Glass is impossible without ten to twenty thousand years. Even if the rules of the Sun-Mirroring Glass are changed, once it becomes the Artifact Spirit of the Sun-Mirroring Glass, it will take a very long time to repair the Sun-Mirroring Glass.

But for Jing Ling, this is already the best choice. It is a natural elf, and the time span of tens of thousands of years truly doesn’t matter as long as there’s hope; it can definitely wait.

It deduced this path, but it doesn’t dare guarantee it’s truly rational. One cannot heal themselves; the deduction difficulty for a deducer attempting to deduce themselves is significant; they can easily be blinded by unexpected factors.

Thus, it had to approach the Guardian for help with analyzing—Is my route correct?

The Guardian had always been watching it coldly, but since the other truly sought help, it couldn’t refuse directly—they’ve known each other for tens of thousands of years, have a slight grudge due to differing factions, but if it lets an old acquaintance perish, it would feel even lonelier.

The Guardian offered a new suggestion—your route is fine, but when influencing the Sun-Mirroring Glass’s rules, if the Yin-Yang Mirror can start repairing the Sun-Mirroring Glass, it can affect it faster. Perhaps less than ten thousand years are needed before your true self can enter the Sun-Mirroring Glass.

This is a good idea, and Jing Ling agrees as much.

Yet currently, there’s a significant problem: without becoming the Sun-Mirroring Glass’s Artifact Spirit first, starting to repair the Sun-Mirroring Glass requires an extraordinary amount of Spiritual Energy and materials—a natural recovery and human repair have vast differences, naturally.

Then the question arises: where can Jing Ling acquire so many rare materials and Spirit Stones?

Jing Ling plans to squeeze Feng Jun, almost prompting the Guardian to obliterate that wisp of Divine Spirit—You’re a grown-up, can’t you have some dignity?

Emotions of natural elves are relatively indifferent. In Feng Jun’s eyes, the Guardian doesn’t seem very human either, extremely cold.

The Guardian thinks—I still hope Feng Jun will help repair my essence, if you want to squeeze him, have you asked me?

Repairing its essence requires around five hundred Ultimate Spirits, but obviously, this is not its ultimate goal. If it could gather more Ultimate Spirits as reserves, things would be more comfortable in future events, wouldn’t they?

Thus even if it fully recovers, it won’t agree to let Jing Ling squeeze Feng Jun—If you want Ultimate Spirits, earn them yourself. I won’t charge you a management fee for the short term, which is already considering old acquaintances.

Actually, the Guardian has its own little plans too—it can’t enter other dimensions, so it hopes Jing Ling’s Divine Spirit can go—With its help, Feng Jun might find acquiring Spirit Stones a bit easier.

And truthfully, if these two natural elves were at their peak, the Guardian indeed steadies itself half a level above the Yin-Yang Mirror. Given their current vastly different states, does it need to show courtesy to Jing Ling’s wisp of Divine Spirit?

Jing Ling isn’t clueless either; in fact, it clearly understands the Guardian’s advice isn’t bad. If it stays in this plane, waiting for Feng Jun to gather resources bit by bit, it would really have to wait until the Year of the Monkey, let alone the fact that the Guardian doesn’t agree to allocate Spirit Stones. ℯℯ𝘭.

If it can go to that dimension, it can fully leverage its subjective initiative, rightfully earn Spirit Stones, without needing to look at the Guardian’s face, or worry about being scoffed at by a junior like Feng Jun.

However, it finds it hard to overcome one hurdle in its mind—once an illustrious Yin-Yang Mirror’s Jing Ling, now becoming a replica’s Artifact Spirit, and having to accept the command of a Small Golden Core. Where’s the dignity?

Besides, just days ago on Mars, it even intimidated Feng Jun—what if that junior secretly sabotages me?

Thus the Guardian is enthusiastically organizing this matter, but Jing Ling harbors mixed feelings.

Precisely because of this, it becomes volatile and angry occasionally, yet this doesn’t hide one point: it has no other choice.

Feng Jun heard roughly, didn’t fully understand, but basically got the gist. However, he doesn’t intend to accept the Guardian’s plan—although this scheme seems relatively secure.

He very straightforwardly stated, "The relationship between Divine Spirit and true self for Senior Jing Ling, I can’t quite ascertain. For my own safety, I can bring the Yin-Yang Mirror there, but... it must be refined."