I have a composite mirror

Chapter 121 Cleansing, Changes in the Spirit Core

In the center of the room, a huge crystal ball floated, its interior shrouded in black mist, resembling a diseased heart.

"You only have half an incense stick's time."

Lu Banxian appeared in the secret room at some point, his voice hoarse.

"Your constitution is special, and you have that thing protecting you, so perhaps you can be the filter."

"Guide your consciousness, go in, and wash away all that filth."

Gu Shenyan took a deep breath and sat cross-legged.

He didn't ask why Lu Banxian knew he had "that thing".

Some secrets cannot be kept from an old monster of this level.

"Disciple obeys."

Gu Shenyan closed his eyes, formed a hand seal, and pressed his hands onto the black crystal ball.

"boom!"

Gu Shenyan felt as if his soul had been violently pulled out of his body by an invisible hand.

When I opened my eyes again.

He was no longer a mortal being, but a pure consciousness, suspended in the center of a dark and violent storm.

This is the heart of the secret realm.

All around were torn spatial rifts and a blackish-red evil aura as sticky as silt.

"What a disgusting smell."

Gu Shenyan endured the excruciating pain of his soul being torn apart.

[Spirit Core Overclocking in Progress —]

[Loading the core logic of the "Ancient Battle Formation Fragments" —]

At this moment, although the scroll in his arms was in the outside world, its "meaning" transcended space.

In Gu Shenyan's sea of consciousness, the phantom image of a surging river appeared out of thin air.

The river water was clear and cold, yet it embraced all things.

"The highest virtue is like water."

Gu Shenyan silently recited in his heart.

He activated the "Abyss" life fire within his body, which was his only beacon in the darkness.

Blue flames ignited around the consciousness, setting the illusory image of the great river ablaze.

"change!"

Gu Shenyan gave a low shout.

He did not attempt to fight against the overwhelming evil energy.

Instead, it followed the chaotic vortex of spiritual energy and began to rotate its own spiritual core force field in the opposite direction.

Metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, and fire generates earth.

The four colors of spiritual energy bands formed an extremely intricate loop structure in the darkness.

Once those violent, bloodthirsty energies are drawn into this cycle, it's as if they've been thrown into a centrifuge.

Impurities are ejected, while pure energy is retained.

"Sizzle s ...————"

Like a red-hot iron being plunged into cold water.

The large swath of black fog was purified and dissipated as white smoke.

However, this is just the beginning.

As the purification process deepened, the backlash grew stronger.

Gu Shenyan felt as if his spiritual core was being placed under a forging machine, with each rotation accompanied by a teeth-grinding friction sound.

"Warning! The pressure on the spirit core is approaching the critical value!"

The system's cold voice rang out.

"Shut up!"

Gu Shenyan gritted his teeth, and blood began to seep from his seven orifices.

"Press it again!"

This is not destruction, this is — a rebirth!

Under the desolate watery aura emanating from the ancient scroll, Gu Shenyan's originally distinct four-colored spiritual cores began to melt.

The boundary disappeared.

The four colors mixed together eventually collapsed into a tiny dot.

That point is colorless and transparent.

Yet it weighs as much as a thousand pounds.

【Ding! 】

A crisp notification sound seemed to come from the depths of the soul.

[Spirit Core Reorganization Complete.]

[Quality Improvement: Flawless.]

[Special Awakening: Endless Regeneration.]

boom!

An unprecedentedly powerful suction force erupted from that transparent little point.

The originally rampant storm of evil energy was instantly devoured, transformed, and expelled by this brand-new spiritual core.

That was pure and incomparably spiritual energy from heaven and earth!

outside world.

Above the water mirror.

The previously pitch-black scene suddenly burst into a blinding white light.

Immediately afterwards, the crazed spirits seemed to have their spines removed; the red light in their eyes quickly faded, and they lay prostrate on the ground, wailing.

The secret realm has stabilized.

In the underground chamber.

Gu Shenyan suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood and fell backward.

Liu Wenyuan reacted quickly and caught him.

"Good lad!"

Lu Banxian stared in awe at the crystal ball that had regained its clarity and transparency.

"It actually worked—"

"Such self-control, such composure—"

He looked at the unconscious Gu Shenyan, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Wen Yuan, you've really struck gold this time."

"However, this is also a hot potato."

One hour later.

The turmoil has been temporarily resolved.

Due to the disturbance in the secret realm, the first round of the competition was forced to end prematurely.

Although most of the contestants were forced to leave the field, fortunately, thanks to Gu Shenyan's timely intervention, there were no large-scale casualties.

After emergency consultations, the organizing committee issued its ruling.

Based on the number of fragments collected before the riot and their survival performance during the crisis, the top 100 will be selected to advance.

Han Sushuang successfully advanced because she had accumulated enough strength in the early stages and did not crush the jade tablet during the wolf pack's attack.

It was only because they were unable to continue collecting at the last minute that their ranking dropped to twelfth.

Inside Tingyu Pavilion.

Gu Shenyan lay on the bed, his face still somewhat pale, but his eyes were unusually bright.

He felt the brand new, crystal-clear spiritual core within his body.

The feeling was like going from driving a beat-up oxcart to a Ferrari.

The speed at which spiritual energy circulates has increased by at least three times.

Moreover, the resilience of spiritual consciousness has also undergone a qualitative leap.

"woke up?"

Liu Wenyuan pushed open the door and entered, holding an exquisite jade bottle in his hand.

"Eat this 'Mysterious Essence Condensing Pill' first."

"This is the 'hush money' you're being given from above."

Gu Shenyan took the jade bottle, poured out a pill that emitted a strange fragrance, and swallowed it in one gulp.

"Master, has Zhao Yuanlang been caught?"

Liu Wenyuan snorted coldly and sat down on a chair to the side.

They ran away.

"We found a small teleportation array and traces of sacrifice at his residence in the capital."

"That kid wasn't even here to compete."

He's here to be the "key."

"Although the person wasn't caught, his move was essentially a waste."

Liu Wenyuan gave Gu Shenyan a deep look, his tone becoming serious.

"You've done a great job this time."

"Besides this elixir, Elder Lu has also granted you special permission to enter the Talisman Dao Pavilion within the Imperial Library for three days to peruse its contents."

"but----"

"You've been exposed too."

"Some people up there are very interested in your ability to purify chaotic spiritual energy."

"Some even suggested transferring you to the 'Imperial Guard's' special operations team."

Gu Shenyan's heart tightened.

This is no easy task.

"But don't worry, I blocked it."

Liu Wenyuan patted him on the shoulder.

"But you must be more careful in your actions from now on."

"The tallest tree in the forest will surely be felled by the wind."

"Especially in this capital city."

Gu Shenyan nodded in acceptance.

"I understand, and I will be even more careful."

After seeing Liu Wenyuan off.

Gu Shenyan closed the door again and set up a soundproof barrier.

He eagerly took the scroll from his pocket.

The resonance he felt earlier made him realize that this thing was no ordinary item.

"In-depth analysis".

[Relying on the flawless] level spirit core computing power, analysis begins ————

This time, those lines that were originally obscure and difficult to understand came to life in Gu Shenyan's eyes.

This is not a painting at all.

This is a huge, three-dimensional diagram of rune structure!

That rushing river, every wave is an exquisite water-based rune.

"Water control", "ice freezing", "fogging"

Even at the end of the river, a majestic "Dragon Gate" can be vaguely seen.

[Analysis progress: 15%]

[An ancient water-based secret technique has been discovered: the Nine-Layered Waves of Dragon Gate.]

[Note: This technique shares similarities with the "Five Elements Overlapping Waves" formation principle.]

A sharp glint flashed in Gu Shenyan's eyes.

"I see!"

"The so-called 'overlapping waves' is not merely the accumulation of spiritual energy, but also a transformation of form!"

He extended his right hand.

A ball of water appeared out of thin air in the palm of his hand.

This time, he didn't rush to activate the second attribute.

Instead, it controls the water sphere to simulate the rhythm of "waves" in the scroll painting.

One wave, two waves, three waves —

When the fluctuation of spiritual energy reaches a peak, that is, the so-called "crest of the wave".

That potential energy had accumulated to its peak.

"born!"

Gu Shenyan's mind raced.

A glimmer of green light precisely struck the crest of that wave.

Just as spring rain nourishes all things, just as all things revive after a flood.

When water reaches its extreme, it becomes life!

"Splash!"

The water sphere suddenly exploded, but did not dissipate.

Instead, several thick, thorny vines instantly sprouted from the bursting water mist!

These vines are not physical entities, but are formed from pure wood-elemental spiritual energy, yet they possess the flexibility and impact of water-elemental energy.

"Bang!"

The vines lashed fiercely at the stone lock in the distance, shattering it to pieces.

"It's done!"

Gu Shenyan let out a long breath, a smile playing on his lips.

This is the overlapping wave of "water-born wood"!

This power is many times stronger than the simple addition of one!

With this breakthrough, the subsequent fire, earth, and metal elements are only a matter of time.

three days later.

The news about the second round of the competition has finally been announced.

No longer fighting alone.

It is instead a "battle of talisman array offense and defense".

The 100 finalists will be randomly shuffled and divided into ten groups.