103: Chapter 103 The Rising Star of the Ji Family

The moment the infant was born, deep within the ancestral grounds of the Ji Family, an ancient mirror that had been sealed in dust for countless millennia suddenly began to tremble on its own.

The mirror was the size of a palm, its edges inlaid with tiny sapphires, and its surface was smooth, faintly reflecting the profound Void Realm.

void mirror.

It seemed to have sensed something; it flew out from the depths of the ancestral grounds, passed through layers of palaces, and flew straight to the infant, hovering in mid-air and scattering a faint silver radiance.

The entire Ji Family instantly erupted in an uproar.

"That is... the ancient mirror from the ancestral grounds?!"

"How did it fly out on its own?!"

"Legend has it that the mirror is a Supreme treasure left behind by the ancestor. Since the ancestor passed away, no one has been able to activate it!"

"It... it flew to a newborn infant?!"

The current head of the Ji Family, Ji Xuan, arrived upon hearing the news.

Seeing the void mirror hovering above the infant, he was completely stunned.

As the head of the Ji Family, he naturally knew the origin of this mirror.

It was a relic left behind by the ancestor.

The ancestor of the Ji Family, named Ji Yunshan, was merely a small Cultivator in the Dragon Transformation Realm back then.

But he was lucky enough to meet a mysterious Immortal, who took him as a disciple, taught him a Cultivation Technique, and bestowed upon him the precious mirror, changing the fate of the entire Ji Family from then on.

Before passing away, the ancestor left a final testament:

"This mirror is named Void Realm, bestowed by my Master. If any descendants of the Ji Family in the future can make this mirror recognize them as its Master, it will be a sign of the great prosperity of my Ji Family. You must support them with all your might and must not be negligent."

Generations of family heads kept these words firmly in their hearts, but countless millennia passed, and the mirror remained silent, never showing any reaction.

Until today.

Ji Xuan looked at the infant still in swaddling clothes, looked at the void mirror hovering above him, and a smile slowly appeared on his face.

In that smile, there was gratification, expectation, and a trace of indescribable excitement.

"Name him."

He spoke, his voice trembling slightly.

"Call him Xukong."

"Ji Xukong."

...

Just like that, the baby grew up slowly amidst the expectations of everyone in the Ji Family.

Ji Xukong knew from a young age that he was different from other children.

It was not because the void mirror had recognized him as its Master—after appearing once on the day he was born, the mirror had never made another sound, as if it were just a flash in the pan.

But because of the way his parents and clansmen looked at him.

In those eyes, there was expectation, hope, and something heavy.

It was not until he was five years old that his father told him what it was.

"Xukong, do you know what the ancestral teachings of our Ji Family are?"

It was a night with a bright moon and sparse stars, and his father, Ji Haotian, sat by his bed and asked softly.

Little Xukong shook his head.

Ji Haotian was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly:

"Protect the common people, protect the Human Race, and do not commit evil."

Little Xukong blinked, half-understanding.

His father continued: "This is the ancestral teaching left by the ancestor of our Ji Family. It is said that the ancestor's Master taught him this way, and he passed this sentence down, generation after generation."

"Why?"

Little Xukong asked.

Ji Haotian looked out the window, looking at the distant starry sky.

"Because under this starry sky, there are some very terrifying existences."

"What existences?"

"Supreme beings."

His father's voice became deep.

"They were once Great Emperors, sovereigns who protected all living beings. But they feared death, feared turning into Dao, so they slashed themselves, fled into forbidden zones, and relied on devouring the Qi and blood of living beings to prolong their lives."

"Every few tens of thousands of years, they wake up from their slumber, rush into the starry sky, and devour countless living beings. Those who are devoured do not even have time to scream before they turn into blood mist, becoming nutrients for them to prolong their lives."

Little Xukong's eyes widened.

"Is there no one to stop them?"

"Yes," his father nodded, "Every ten thousand years, new Great Emperors are born, but those Great Emperors are too weak. Facing dozens of Supremes, all they can do is protect their own clansmen and their own Holy Land. As for those Mortals, those Loose Cultivators, those ordinary people without backgrounds..."

He shook his head.

"They can only wait for death."

Little Xukong was silent.

He lowered his head and looked at his own hands. Those small hands were fair and tender, possessing no power at all.

But in his mind, a picture had already emerged:

Countless Mortals kneeling on the ground, looking up at the sky, their eyes filled with despair. In the sky, terrifying figures swooped down, opening their blood-red maws, intending to devour them all.

They cried out, begged for mercy, but no one came to save them.

No one.

Little Xukong clenched his fists.

"I want to become a Great Emperor."

He suddenly spoke, his voice childish, yet carrying an indescribable firmness.

His father was stunned.

But then, a joyful smile appeared.

Little Xukong raised his head and looked at him.

"When I become an Emperor, I will go and drive away those bad guys."

"I will protect them."

That night, Ji Haotian looked at his son's bright eyes and was very happy, because he saw a light called hope in Xukong's eyes.

He didn't know how far this child would go in the future.

But he knew that a seed had already been planted in this child's heart.

It only needed time to wait; this seed would sprout and grow, eventually growing into a towering tree, and all he needed to do was protect him from falling at the hands of those Supremes.

...

The rise of Ji Xukong was like a meteor streaking across the night sky, brilliant and eye-catching.

The Ji Family spared no effort to Cultivate him. The best resources, the strongest Cultivation Technique, the top-tier Dao Protectors—as long as he needed it, the Ji Family would get it at all costs.

And the Hunyuan Heavenly Scripture made his cultivation speed reach an unimaginable level.

That Emperor Scripture, originating from the Great Emperor Jiaoheng, seemed to be born for him.

Lunhai, Dao Palace, Four Poles, Dragon Transformation, Sendai—in every Realm, he walked faster and more steadily than anyone else.

Forty years to Slash the Dao!

Fifty years to become a Saint!

Three hundred years to become a Quasi-Emperor!

And the void mirror also awakened again in the year he turned three hundred.

That time, he was in seclusion, attempting a Breakthrough to the Quasi-Emperor Realm.

The void mirror suddenly flew out on its own, hovering above his head, scattering countless silver radiance.

Within that radiance, there were faint traces of Dao Law flowing, and Profound Truths of the Void Realm manifesting.

From that day on, the void mirror never left him again.

It accompanied him to Cultivate, accompanied him to fight, and accompanied him through every Realm.

Every time he had a Breakthrough, the mirror would tremble gently, as if it were happy for him.

Every time he was injured, the mirror would scatter radiance to help him heal.

It was no longer just a weapon.

It was his partner, his friend, and the reliance he trusted the most.

At five hundred years old, Ji Xukong finally stood at the threshold of the Ninth Heaven of Quasi-Emperor.

At one thousand years old, he had accumulated enough power, and the Ji Family had also made full preparations.