# Chapter 1659: Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror
"Wonderful, wonderful... stop, stop, this humble Daoist only acted to protect myself, you can't bully an honest man like this..." The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi's wailing cries continued without end.
"You call yourself an honest man?"
Xiang Chunan became angry just hearing this and struck even harder.
Under the purification of the Buddha Emperor Relic, the yin energy within the Wonderful Sacred Fruit slowly dispersed, circling around the Imperial Bone Staff twice before being devoured by the evil spirit within the staff. This surprised Zhang Ruochen somewhat.
"The yin energy here is extraordinary, mostly left over from ancient times. For the evil spirit to be able to devour it, I wonder if some mutation might occur?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. The evil spirit had absorbed very little ancient yin energy, so the probability of mutation was extremely low.
After a moment, the yin energy within the Wonderful Sacred Fruit was purified completely. Zhang Ruochen called out to Xiang Chunan: "Enough. The yin energy in the Wonderful Sacred Fruit is very thin; even if swallowed, it won't be fatal. If it truly wanted to harm us, when it picked the Wonderful Sacred Fruit and brought it back, it would have injected a large amount of yin energy into the fruit."
Hearing this, the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi quickly chimed in: "Exactly! This humble Daoist is different from you all. I only wanted to retrieve the other half of my sacred soul; I never intended to take your lives."
"What do you mean by 'different from us'? What kind of people do you take us for? We are good people."
Xiang Chunan stomped heavily on the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi twice to vent his anger before walking over to Zhang Ruochen.
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi curled up on the ground, hugging its knees with both hands, muttering pitifully about something, as if saying, "If you are good people, then where are the bad people left in this world?"
Zhang Ruochen handed the purified Wonderful Sacred Fruit to Xiang Chunan, then activated the Buddha Emperor Relic to purify the second Wonderful Sacred Fruit.
After swallowing the Wonderful Sacred Fruit, Xiang Chunan's entire body emitted purple-cyan radiance. He sat cross-legged in the Daoist temple and began to refine and absorb it.
Zhang Ruochen purified the remaining two Wonderful Sacred Fruits one by one but did not immediately swallow them, lest he and Xiang Chunan be attacked by the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi while refining the sacred fruits. Although this possibility was low, it had to be guarded against.
Zhang Ruochen thought of something and walked toward the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi.
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi, having been beaten into fear, immediately tensed up. "You... what do you want?"
"No need to be so nervous. I just have a few questions I'd like to ask you." Zhang Ruochen sat down on the ground. "What is your name?"
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi was still somewhat nervous and wary. "Name? What is a name?"
"Since you are proficient in the language of the Heavenly Court, don't you know that a name represents the identity of a living being?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi said, "In the past, there were cultivators like you who entered here. I hid nearby and eavesdropped, thus learning your language. As for a name... is that important?"
"Heh, not important. Since you like saying 'Wonderful' so much, I'll call you 'Zhen Miao' from now on!" Zhang Ruochen said.
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi said, "Isn't that just a sound?"
"A sound?" Zhang Ruochen was stunned, then burst into laughter.
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi pondered for a moment and said, "When I first gave birth to consciousness, I often heard these two characters. They were also the first two characters I learned."
Zhang Ruochen suddenly understood and then got to the main point. "Since you were born here and cultivated here, you should know very well what this place is, right?"
"I don't know," the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi said.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze turned cold.
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi became nervous again and quickly added, "Truly, I don't know. Since I gave birth to consciousness, I have at most been active in this small area of halls. This small area is merely the periphery of this place. Deeper inside, there are even more terrifying creatures, more frightening than that half-ancient Great Saint. I dare not approach at all."
Zhang Ruochen stared at the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi's expression the entire time. Seeing that it didn't seem to be lying, he took out the tortoise shell fragment he had dug up from beneath the stone Daoist temple and asked, "What is this?"
Seeing the tortoise shell fragment, the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi burst into extreme speed, lunging forward to snatch it back.
Zhang Ruochen took out half of the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi's sacred soul, holding it in his palm, which immediately frightened the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi into retreating backward, not daring to touch the tortoise shell fragment.
"Tell me honestly. Actually, even if you don't tell me, I can search your sacred soul and find the answer from within. However, doing so would cause considerable damage to your sacred soul."
Zhang Ruochen gently touched the light sphere in his hand.
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi said very aggrievedly, "Can't I just tell you? Follow me!"
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi led Zhang Ruochen back into the small world within the painted wall, arriving beneath the divine platform. It cupped its hands and bowed to the old Daoist on the platform before saying, "Do you see the Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror in Luo Tian True Lord's hand? The tortoise shell fragment in your hand is one of the mirror's inlaid pieces."
Although the Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror was a mirror, at its very center there was an elliptical area that was quite rough and slightly concave, as if something had indeed been inlaid there before.
Zhang Ruochen pinched the tortoise shell fragment between two fingers and compared it from a distance.
One of the corners of the tortoise shell fragment actually matched a section of the edge of the concave groove at the center of the Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror. If the fragment were attached, it would probably cover about one-eighth of the area.
Zhang Ruochen's figure flickered, and he appeared on the divine platform. He was about to grab the Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror, but his hand, extended halfway, withdrew.
Below, the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi showed a disappointed expression.
Zhang Ruochen turned around and stared at it. "You do it."
"Me? No, no, this humble Daoist has no interest in that broken mirror." The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi quickly shook its head.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I am interested. Go, help me take it down."
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi looked at the light sphere in Zhang Ruochen's hand and dared not defy his will. It could only drag its feet toward the divine platform. After finally climbing onto the platform, it still had to tell Zhang Ruochen the truth: "Young hero, this Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror cannot be touched."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Since it cannot be touched, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"This humble Daoist just remembered this matter."
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi continued, "Luo Tian True Lord, the master of the Wonderful Temple, was an ancient great power. Even though he has already passed away, his corpse still contains infinite might. As you can see, Luo Tian True Lord's residual might suppresses those ancient fierce creatures outside the temple, not daring to approach even a step. If we go to snatch the Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror from his hand, we will definitely anger him, and the consequences would be unimaginable."
Zhang Ruochen furrowed his brow. He did not continue to pressure the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi. Instead, he took out the Imperial Bone Staff and thrust it into the ground with a thud.
He released his spiritual power, injecting it into the bone staff.
Crackling sounds arose. After a moment, the bone staff transformed into a massive black skeleton, exuding dense yin energy. It strode toward the divine platform, extending a large hand to grab the Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror from the old Daoist's hand.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, the Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror emitted a blinding purple light, shaking the black skeleton's body until it shattered, transforming back into a white bone staff that flew backward.
Terrifying purple light filled the small world.
Fortunately, Zhang Ruochen had prepared in advance. In the first instant, he grabbed the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi and hid inside the Water Star Gourd, avoiding being struck by that power.
Half an hour later, Zhang Ruochen emerged from the Water Star Gourd.
The small world had returned to calm. The old Daoist with his broken body still sat cross-legged on the divine platform, appearing lifeless and not seeming aggressive.
Zhang Ruochen found the Imperial Bone Staff and picked it up.
After all, it was a staff refined from a Great Saint's spine. Having been struck by such terrifying power, it was not damaged. However, the evil spirit within the bone staff was severely injured, almost scattered, and had now fallen into a deep slumber.
For a short time, the Imperial Bone Staff would likely be unusable.
"Fortunately, I used the Imperial Bone Staff to test it. If I had been slightly careless and taken the Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror myself..." Zhang Ruochen dared not imagine what the consequences would have been.
The Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi spread its hands. "This humble Daoist said it couldn't be touched, young hero. Why wouldn't you believe me?"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze darkened. He felt that this Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi was far too shrewd, unlike a sacred medicine that had grown in a place cut off from the world. Just now, it had most likely deliberately brought Zhang Ruochen here. Zhang Ruochen had almost been killed by its scheme.
Zhang Ruochen no longer entertained thoughts about the Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Mirror. "Tell me, where did you learn the cultivation techniques and sacred arts you practice?"
This time, the Spirit-Connecting Sacred Zhi was very straightforward, speaking honestly: "I comprehended them from the tortoise shell fragment in your hand. The patterns on the fragment can be used to comprehend cultivation techniques. Each character on the fragment represents a different sacred art. If you don't believe me, try comprehending it yourself?"
Zhang Ruochen no longer easily believed its words. Anyway, he did not lack cultivation techniques or sacred arts, so there was no need to comprehend the tortoise shell fragment, lest he be tricked by it again.
In the Daoist temple, Xiang Chunan had completely refined the Wonderful Sacred Fruit. Purple-gold light patterns flowed on his skin.
Zhang Ruochen walked out from the painted wall. "How is it? What is the effect of the Wonderful Sacred Fruit?"
"Very good. My physical strength has increased significantly. The sacred dao rules within my body have increased by about twelve thousand. My sacred soul and spiritual power have also improved considerably. Most importantly, the meridians, sacred meridians, and blood spirit meridians within my body have all expanded and strengthened." Xiang Chunan said joyfully.
Xiang Chunan primarily cultivated his physical body, but that did not mean he had not practiced martial arts techniques. However, the sacred dao rules he cultivated were merely supplementary to him; he mainly relied on his physical strength to fight.
"Chunan's physical strength is already quite formidable. After taking the Wonderful Sacred Fruit, it has increased significantly. Just how strong is this fruit's enhancement of the physical body? And it can even increase twelve thousand sacred dao rules." Zhang Ruochen was shocked.
One must know that the total number of sacred dao rules within Zhang Ruochen's body was only eight thousand two hundred.
However, Zhang Ruochen was injured and could not immediately swallow such a potent sacred fruit. He would have to wait a little longer.
Xiang Chunan asked, "Brother Ruochen, have you thought of a way to escape? If not, we can just fight our way out."
Because his power had surged, Xiang Chunan was eager to engage in a great battle.
"Don't be impulsive. Are you sure you can handle that half-ancient Great Saint creature?" Zhang Ruochen rubbed his chin and added, "I can set up a Space Teleportation Array here. It might be able to teleport us out."
"Haha! I knew Brother Ruochen would have the most ideas. I'll have to rely on you this time. If I were to fight that half-ancient Great Saint creature, I'd most likely be slapped to death by it." Xiang Chunan laughed.
Given Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation realm and spiritual power intensity, setting up a small Space Teleportation Array did not take too long. Soon, it was completed within the Daoist temple.
However, he did not immediately activate the teleportation array. Instead, he sat cross-legged at the edge of the array to heal his injuries.
The environment here was special. During teleportation, there might be some obstacles. Only when his injuries were fully healed would Zhang Ruochen have greater confidence in controlling the entire teleportation process.