37: Chapter 37 The Destruction of the Feathered Divine Dynasty

As Xiao Nannan embarked on the Ancient Starry Sky Road with deep-seated hatred and determination, beginning her cruel journey of devouring myriad physiques to evolve into the Chaos Body—

In the Southern Region of the Eastern Wasteland, in an ordinary small town called "Qingyan Town," some seemingly mundane but far-reaching changes were quietly taking place.

Qingyan Town, Ji Family

Ten years ago, a prominent family surnamed Ji moved into the small town.

This family was not simple; Cultivators had actually appeared within the clan. Although they were only in the Lunhai and Dao Palace Realms, they were already extraordinary existences in this town inhabited by Mortals.

They quickly took root, building a grand estate and becoming the "Immortal Family" that everyone in town revered and feared.

On this day, a young man dressed in simple green robes with an ordinary face slowly walked into the town, heading straight for the Ji Family estate.

He looked to be in his early twenties, with a steady and reserved temperament, no different from the pedestrians on the street.

But when he reached the main gate of the Ji Family, his body suddenly emitted an extremely faint aura that nevertheless made the Souls of all Cultivators within a hundred-mile radius tremble.

"Buzz—"

Inside the Ji Family estate, two figures rushed out like startled birds; they were the current head of the Ji Family, Ji Yunshan, and his younger brother, Ji Yunhai. Both possessed Dragon Transformation Secret Realm cultivation, making them experts in this border region of the Southern Region.

But when they saw the young man at the door, the terror on their faces instantly turned into wild joy. Then, with a "thud," they both knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times:

"Master!" x2

Their voices trembled with excitement.

The young man—was precisely Xiao Shitou appearing with the face of "Ji Haotian." He nodded slightly and spoke in a calm tone: "Mhm, get up."

"Thank you, Master!" The two hurried to their feet but remained bowed with their hands down, their posture respectful to the extreme.

Ji Yunshan said cautiously, "Master, why have you come? You didn't send word in advance so your Disciple could prepare..."

"No need for trouble," Xiao Shitou waved his hand. "Find a quiet place; I have matters to entrust to you."

"Yes! Master, please follow your Disciple!"

The two quickly led Xiao Shitou to a quiet room in the innermost courtyard of the estate. The decor here was simple, but it was filled with Spiritual Qi, clearly a place specifically used for receiving honored guests or for secluded cultivation.

Xiao Shitou sat down on a prayer mat, and Ji Yunshan immediately offered spiritual tea with a respectful posture.

Taking a sip of the tea, Xiao Shitou took out three ancient Jade Slips from his robe and placed them on the table.

"This is a Cultivation Technique," he said straightforwardly. "It is called the 'Hunyuan Heavenly Scripture,' but currently there are only the first three chapters—the Lunhai Chapter, the Dao Palace Chapter, and the Four Poles Chapter."

Upon hearing this, both Ji Yunshan and Ji Yunhai's eyes flashed with brilliance. How could a Cultivation Technique brought out by their Master be anything ordinary?

"Select some children from the clan with mediocre talent, or even those judged as 'hopeless for cultivation,' and pass this technique to them for their cultivation," Xiao Shitou continued. "Remember, do not choose those with extraordinary talent; choose the most ordinary, even those called 'trash physiques.'"

Though they were puzzled, they responded without hesitation: "Yes! Your Disciples will strictly obey Master's command!"

"I will come once a year to check and observe their cultivation progress," Xiao Shitou pushed the Jade Slips over. "If this technique succeeds, it may change the fate of many."

Ji Yunshan solemnly took the Jade Slips, feeling the warm and ancient Dao charm within them, his heart shaking. He faintly sensed that the significance of this task entrusted by his Master likely far exceeded his imagination.

Having finished his instructions, Xiao Shitou stood up to leave but suddenly paused.

He pondered for a moment and then took another object from his robe—it was a palm-sized, silver-white mirror with tiny sapphires embedded around the edge.

The mirror's surface was smooth, faintly reflecting the scene in the room, yet it also seemed to contain a deeper space.

This was precisely the mirror that Chu Tianjiao had given to Xiao Nannan, which later accompanied Xiao Shitou into his "burial."

Xiao Shitou looked at the mirror, a flash of complexity in his eyes.

This mirror had accompanied his younger sister and witnessed that "parting of life and death." Now that his sister had embarked on her own path, keeping this mirror by his side only added to his sorrow.

It would be better to let it play its proper role.

"This mirror is gifted to you," Xiao Shitou suddenly spoke.

The two were stunned.

They saw Xiao Shitou bite his fingertip and force out a drop of essence blood as brilliant as a golden star, which dripped onto the mirror's surface.

"Buzz—"

The mirror trembled slightly, emitting a clear and melodious chime. Xiao Shitou formed hand seals, and golden runes flowed from his fingertips, merging into the mirror. Within the quiet room, Dao charm circulated, and there were faint ripples of the Void Realm.

Ji Yunshan and Ji Yunhai watched with mouths agape—though they were only in the Dragon Transformation Realm, they could feel that the methods their Master was currently displaying had already far exceeded their scope of understanding.

Every line within those golden runes seemed to carry the ultimate principles of Heaven and Earth.

The refinement lasted for about half an hour.

Finally, the mirror's light retracted, and it returned to calm, but its aura was now completely different—originally just an ordinary object for reflection, it now emitted a pressure as deep as the starry sky and as heavy as the earth. Though it was restrained, it made the two Dragon Transformation Cultivators instinctively feel awe.

"This mirror, I have refined it anew; it is now a Saint-Grade weapon," Xiao Shitou said calmly.

"Saint-Grade?!" The two gasped.

A Great Saint! That was an existence standing at the Peak of the Universe! In the entire Big Dipper Astral Region, the number of Great Saints on the surface could be counted on one's fingers! And their Master had casually refined a Great Saint weapon?

"This mirror can spy on the movements of enemies, reflect reality and illusion, and even interfere with space to a certain extent," Xiao Shitou handed the mirror to Ji Yunshan. "But the consumption is immense. Do not use it lightly unless it is a matter of life and death or the survival of the clan. Keep it as a trump card."

Ji Yunshan's hands trembled as he took the mirror. Feeling the power within it as vast as the sea, he was so excited he could hardly speak.

"If in the future there is someone in the clan who succeeds in cultivating the 'Hunyuan Heavenly Scripture,' with an upright Heart-Nature and a heart for all living beings... perhaps he will be the true Master of this mirror," Xiao Shitou said meaningfully. "I have named it—the void mirror."

The void mirror.

Ji Yunshan firmly etched this name into his heart and bowed again with his brother: "Thank you, Master, for the treasure! Your Disciples will surely not fail Master's trust!"

Xiao Shitou nodded, said no more, turned, and took a step out, his figure dissipating like a bubble in the quiet room.

Coming without a shadow, leaving without a trace.

The Ji brothers remained kneeling for a long time until that suffocating aura completely vanished before they dared to slowly stand up.

They looked at each other, both seeing the shock and determination in the other's eyes.

"Big brother, the matter Master entrusted..." Ji Yunhai whispered.

"We will put all our effort into it." Ji Yunshan gripped the void mirror and the three Jade Slips in his hand, his gaze firm. "This is the opportunity for the Ji Family to rise, and also... Master's test for us."

After leaving Qingyan Town, Xiao Shitou did not return to Undying Mountain but instead took a step toward the Central State.

In the next moment, he appeared in the sky above the imperial capital of the Yuhua Divine Dynasty.

Looking down at the palace complex stretching for ten thousand miles, there was no ripple in Xiao Shitou's eyes, only cold killing intent.