Niu Liang was originally an ordinary hunter living at the foot of Weiyang Mountain. Twenty years ago, during a hunting trip on the mountain, he was accidentally chased by a wild boar and fell off a cliff.

Fortunately, he didn't die; instead, he found a corpse and a lost cultivation technique by a pool beneath the cliff.

Following the cultivation technique, Niu Liang had a stroke of luck and became a cultivator.

He gained a moment of glory.

Unfortunately, Weiyang Mountain was merely a small place in Wei Country within the Tianyang Domain, and the nearest cultivator sect, Smoke and Mist Sect, was over a thousand miles away.

After becoming a cultivator, he was determined to join a sect for cultivation, so he braved mountains and rivers to reach the Smoke and Mist Sect.

Unfortunately, due to his low aptitude, he was rejected, and even more distant sects like Luoyu Sect and Yinlei Mountain also refused him.

Helplessly, he became a loose cultivator, struggling to this day.

In twenty years, his cultivation reached the sixth-layer Qi Cultivation.

Among mortals, he was an immortal master revered by countless people.

But among cultivators, he was merely at the bottom of the hierarchy.

Two years ago, a Foundation Establishment Steward from Smoke and Mist Sect, surnamed Zhang, was elderly and seriously injured in a sect mission, unable to make any progress in cultivation.

Despondent, he brought his family to Weiyang Mountain to expand and establish the Weiyang Zhang Family, a cultivator clan.

In Wei Country, there were numerous such cultivator clans.

Niu Liang, seeing the Zhang Family belonged to Smoke and Mist Sect, proactively pledged allegiance and secured a job as the chief sand miner.

He received a monthly salary of fifty Spirit Sand, and the Foundation Establishment cultivator occasionally solved some cultivation problems for him.

Thus, Niu Liang was quite comfortable with life in the Zhang Family, and even considered retirement.

However...

Until today, after seizing a piece of a suspected magical treasure fragment from a minor mortal sand miner, his thoughts began to stir.

Finally, he waited until nighttime, returned to his cave mansion, carefully examined his surroundings, confirmed that none of his devices were triggered, and cautiously took out that piece of Bronze Shattered Mirror for inspection.

"What exactly is this treasure?"

"It looks like a fragment from some ancient mirror?"

Niu Liang scrutinized it, full of doubt.

Then he took out his flying sword and tried to rub it against the shattered mirror.

As expected, the shattered mirror showed no signs of damage, while his flying sword suffered some wear.

"Treasure, absolutely a treasure!"

"My flying sword is a fine piece among lower-grade magical artifacts, yet it didn't even leave a scratch…"

"It seems I need to think of other ways to test it…"

He then tapped his storage bag, intending to put the Bronze Shattered Mirror inside, but it didn't react at all; it wouldn't move.

"It won't fit into the storage bag? Treasure, absolutely a treasure!"

While Niu Liang secretly studied the Bronze Shattered Mirror, Zheng Yi had already withdrawn his spiritual consciousness from this strange world.

His first reaction was that the world over there was extremely dangerous.

Upon arriving, he encountered a cultivator who killed a sand miner without hesitation to steal the Bronze Shattered Mirror.

The other sand miners were unfazed, and even a higher-status cultivator only issued a verbal warning, without any punishment.

"It seems that in that world, cultivators are of higher status, and mortals can be killed at will…"

"In the short term, I won't cross over unless I thoroughly investigate that world or my strength improves!"

Zheng Yi had an idea; he could use this time to enhance his own strength.

Then, in the following time, Zheng Yi simultaneously refined various magical artifacts and kept watch on Niu Liang's every move.

Half a month later, Zheng Yi received a storage bag delivered by Xu Mujun from the White Lotus Saint Mother.

He poured it out and found no magical artifacts, only a large number of talismans, elixirs, Spirit Sand, and other common cultivator supplies.

Most importantly, there was also a cultivation technique called "White Lotus Scripture."

This cultivation technique was the White Lotus Sect's legacy technique, potentially reaching the Nascent Soul Stage!

According to the scripture's internal records, the "White Lotus Scripture" should have subsequent techniques, but unfortunately, they were lost.

Upon careful examination, he found that cultivating the "White Lotus Scripture" required no Spirit Root, instead demanding immensely powerful spiritual strength from the practitioner.

It turned out to be a technique specifically for cultivating spiritual consciousness!

It contained numerous methods for cultivating spiritual consciousness and various techniques for spiritual consciousness attack, which were quite mysterious.

It did not conflict with other cultivation techniques.

The simplest was the Divine Strike!

With the "White Lotus Scripture," cultivators could even form spiritual consciousness during the Qi Cultivation Stage, far exceeding ordinary cultivators in manipulating magical artifacts and spiritual consciousness attacks.

Unfortunately…

She encountered Xu Mujun, who possessed Martial Dao Will!

Any spiritual consciousness attack and charm the White Lotus Saint Mother performed had no effect in front of the strong Martial Dao Will of Xu Mujun.

Furthermore, techniques such as Divine Strike would be easily dispelled and dissipated before Martial Dao Will.

However, for Zheng Yi, this "White Lotus Scripture" was perfect for his cultivation.

Whether it was controlling Puppet Xuan Ye, Thousand Illusions Glazed Painting, Blood Moon Gu, Spirit-devouring Insect, and other spiritual objects, they all consumed a lot of spiritual power.

With the "White Lotus Scripture," he could transform his spiritual power into spiritual consciousness in advance, making him invincible!

In the following months, he cultivated both the "Great Five Elements Illusionary World Technique" and the "White Lotus Scripture," as well as using the Blood Sacrifice Technique on the Reincarnation Nine-child Fruit and others.

Three months later, after completing a blood sacrifice on the Reincarnation Nine-child Fruit, during a routine inspection, he suddenly discovered something abnormal.

The Reincarnation Nine-child Fruit… seemed to have sprouted!

Through his careful observation, a small tender shoot suddenly emerged from the bottom of the fruit in his hand, resembling newly born roots.

Zheng Yi was moved to tears of joy—finally, finally, there was movement!

Up till now, he had exhausted a thousand drops of Essence Blood and a thousand years of lifespan!

Just for the Reincarnation Nine-child Fruit to sprout!

A year's lifespan wasted in vain!

"Since the Reincarnation Nine-child Fruit has sprouted, it proves it can still grow on its own."

"However, if you want to accelerate its growth, you must rely on... essence blood!"

Recalling the terrifying Reincarnation Nine-child Fruit in the Spirit Pool World, Zheng Yi immediately made a decision.

The Reincarnation Nine-child Fruit requires a full nine thousand years to fully mature.

But his Blood Sacrifice Technique accelerated this time considerably.

Now with the blood sacrifice complete, it's uncertain if the essence blood will continue to be effective?

To this end, he found the Black Jade King Cauldron used in past sacrifices for the Moonlight Gu and threw the Reincarnation Nine-child Fruit seed inside.

With a single hand seal, he opened his mouth and spat out a drop of crimson essence blood, which fell into the Black Jade King Cauldron.

Performing another hand seal, yet another drop of essence blood followed.

A hundred drops of essence blood in total, equating to a hundred years of lifespan, barely covered the bottom of the Black Jade King Cauldron.

"Let's try cultivating with essence blood first; ordinary spirit plants grow in soil rich with spiritual qi, while I use essence blood instead."

"I wonder what changes the Reincarnation Nine-child Fruit will undergo...?"

After doing all this, Zheng Yi then refocused his mind into the world of the Bronze Shattered Mirror.

For more than three months, he didn't just cultivate.

Instead, he took time to observe this world through Niu Liang's perspective.

Additionally, Niu Liang's exchange with other people slowly allowed Zheng Yi to understand the world where the Bronze Shattered Mirror resides.

Tianyang Domain, Wei Country, Weiyang Mountain Zhang Family.

The Zhang Family Ancestor was born into Wei Country's largest sect, the Smoke and Mist Sect, and was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Two years ago, he returned to his hometown in Weiyang Mountain, establishing a cultivator clan and expanding territories for the Smoke and Mist Sect.

Niu Liang, on the other hand, was a loose cultivator from Weiyang Mountain who voluntarily joined the Zhang Family seeking protection.

The Zhang Family's direct lineage has five cultivators.

The first is a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the Zhang Family Ancestor, Zhang Yongkang.

He has more than ten children, but only three possess spirit roots and can embark on the path of cultivation.

Only these three are eligible to reside in the Zhang Family mansion, dubbed as 'Young Masters.'

Second is Zhang Yongkang's primary wife, Yang Ping'er, a late-stage Qi Cultivation Cultivator.

The couple were both disciples of the Smoke and Mist Sect and became Daoist companions over twenty years ago, until now.

The third is Zhang Yongkang's eldest son, Zhang Shaoyang, aged thirty-five, at the ninth layer of Qi Cultivation.

The fourth is Zhang Yongkang's second son, Zhang Shaoxing, aged twenty-eight, at the seventh layer of Qi Refining.

The fifth is Zhang Yongkang's third son, Zhang Shaohai, aged eighteen, at the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation.

Among the three sons, the third son, Zhang Shaohai, is deemed to have the best potential and is likely to enter Foundation Establishment.

The person who chastised Niu Liang was none other than Zhang Shaohai.

Moreover, there are three other loose cultivators who willingly affiliate with the Zhang Family, including Niu Liang, most of whom are at the middle-stage Qi Cultivation.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, Zheng Yi sensed a commotion from the Bronze Shattered Mirror and hurriedly checked it.

Switching his mind there, he immediately felt Niu Liang in intense motion.

Since the Bronze Shattered Mirror can't be stored in a storage bag, Niu Liang has kept it on him, allowing Zheng Yi to inspect the surroundings.

Yet, under the Weiyang River, a multitude of sand miners were frantically fleeing without direction.

Not far away, a few black-robed figures were employing mages, slaughtering the surrounding mortals massively.

The presence of three stationed cultivators at that location, including Niu Liang, gained special 'attention' from these black-robed figures.

"Kill!"

A flying sword blazing with green yin fire surged forth, Niu Liang quickly unleashed his own flying sword to block it, while slapping a Vajra Talisman onto himself.

"What trouble!"

"Why has the Lei Family come to kill? Aren't they afraid of Smoke and Mist Sect's retaliation?"

Niu Liang resisted while retreating.

He was merely affiliated with the Zhang Family, not a member, so when the situation turned bad, naturally he'd run for dear life, why sacrifice himself for the Zhang Family?

Likewise, the other two had similar thoughts, fighting while retreating.

"Hahaha, the Zhang Family Ancestor is about to die; henceforth, Weiyang Mountain will belong to our Lei Family!"

"Why don't you swiftly surrender!"

A black-robed person shouted aloud; Niu Liang's face changed, was the Zhang Family Ancestor going to die?

Impossible!

"Boom!"

At that moment, one of the black-robed people casually waved, and a bolt of black lightning suddenly descended, landing not far from Niu Liang.

The violent noise and lightning explosion instantly sent Niu Liang flying.

The Vajra Talisman guarding him shattered immediately, leaving him covered in blood.

"Yin Thunder Pearl!"

"It must be the Yin Thunder Pearl!"

"Why is Yin Thunder Mountain's Yin Thunder Pearl here... Has the Lei Family allied with Yin Thunder Mountain?"

Niu Liang was so terrified that he lay motionless, hoping the Lei Family members would pursue other cultivators, allowing him to escape with his life.

Yet he didn't notice the trickle of fresh blood running down his cheek and dripping onto the Bronze Shattered Mirror he had hung around his neck.

"Boom!"

At this instant, three rays of light shot rapidly from afar, sparkling like stars.

"Who dares cause havoc on my Weiyang Mountain!!!"