So none of them can hear this voice? Am I the only one who can hear it? It’s speaking to me! This voice… it must be Huang Chuan, right? It has to be!’ Lin Jiu’s heart began to pound wildly. The next moment, a slight weight settled in her palm. Glancing down, she found a small hexagonal bronze mirror had mysteriously appeared in her hand.
“This thing can help you once. Child, if you pass all the trials, you will become the real master of the True Illusion Mirror,” the voice said.
‘True Illusion Mirror!’ Lin Jiu’s scalp tingled, and her heart started racing. This was the treasure she had longed for, and now it had unexpectedly fallen into her hands!
Though it could only be used once, it was still a priceless gain. Why? Because this item could become a lifesaver in a critical situation. Once activated, the mirror would create an extremely realistic illusion, indistinguishable from reality, which could distract enemies while the true body vanished into the void. For the duration of one incense stick of time, no one could detect the whereabouts of the true body.
Lin Jiu’s blood rushed with excitement. The reason she came to this secret realm was precisely for this mirror!
With a silent command from her mind, the hexagonal mirror vanished, leaving only a small mark on her wrist.
‘One use…’
Lin Jiu lifted her face, smiling faintly at Qin Yunxi.
At that moment, Qin Yunxi’s attention was completely on Wang Weizhi. The number of sea creatures Wang Weizhi had saved far outstripped Lin Jiu’s by hundredfolds, yet nothing unusual had happened.
“What a waste of time,” landing back on the beach, Wang Weizhi scoffed. In one fluid motion, he swung his sword, easily slicing through a giant squid that had been creeping up behind him.
A door appeared. Before stepping in, he glanced back at Lin Jiu for one last time, “I’ll wait for you ahead.”
‘Huh? Have I successfully caught Wang Weizhi’s attention?’ Lin Jiu muttered silently. When she glanced at Qin Yunxi, she saw him frowning.
Without further delay, Lin Jiu quickly killed the remaining sea monsters. Once reaching one hundred, the glowing orbs above her shoulder slowly formed a door. Without hesitation, she stepped through, prepared to face the third trial.
Once Qin Yunxi confirmed that Lin Jiu had left the beach, he slashed his sword in one smooth motion and quietly waited for the light door to appear. Just as he stepped inside, his peripheral vision caught sight of Wang Hanling, who had distanced himself far from the shore. Hunched over, he appeared to be vomiting, with a stream of bright red blood pouring from his mouth….
Qin Yunxi’s eyes narrowed, and just as he was about to get a closer look, his vision suddenly blurred. In the next moment, he found himself standing in the center of a quaint, old-looking wooden house.
“Eldest Senior Brother?” A familiar voice sounded behind him.
Qin Yunxi’s eyes sharpened as he glanced around. Besides Liu Qingyin, there were two other Wang family cultivators in the room. “Lin Qiu isn’t here?” His heart sank slightly.
Liu Qingyin’s eyes had initially held a hint of joy, but the moment he asked about Lin Qiu, her expression cooled. She raised her hand slightly and replied in a detached tone, “This is Wang Yanzhi, and this is Yang Zhao. After me, only these two arrived. If you think I’ve done something to Lin Qiu… Eldest Senior Brother, you know I’m not the kind of person who would do something and then refuse to admit it.”
A brief moment of astonishment crossed Qin Yunxi’s face, followed by a wry smile, “You misunderstand. I’m only concerned that Lin Qiu might have escaped the secret realm while out of my sight.”
Hearing this, Liu Qingyin sneered coldly. “So, you’re saying Lin Qiu is too noble to compete with us for the treasures here? Is that what you mean, Eldest Senior Brother?”
“No, of course not.” Qin Yunxi could only smile bitterly. He knew Liu Qingyin wasn’t particularly smart. Her talents lay in cultivation and swordsmanship, not in wits. Ever since she joined their sect, she had been sheltered too well, eventually growing even more naïve and willful.
If everything went smoothly like in their previous life, her straightforward personality would be refreshing and even adorable. But now, with circumstances so dire, these slight flaws would only continue to grow, and Qin Yunxi could already foresee the trouble her stubbornness would cause for herself and those around her.
But there was little he could do now. With the presence of the Wang family members, it wasn’t the right time to explain the dire consequences if Lin Qiu escaped with the secret she had overheard. Besides, Liu Qingyin still refused to accept that Wei Liang was the Devil Lord. Trying to convince her at this moment would only backfire.
He must handle everything step by step…
Qin Yunxi let out a soft sigh, holding back the words that were on the tip of his tongue. After regulating his emotions, he said, “This trial will be extremely hard to endure, but remember one thing above all else: regardless of the circumstances, do not harm anyone in the illusion.”
A slight frown appeared on Liu Qingyin’s face as she cast a discreet glance at Wang Yanzhi and Yang Zhao, both of whom were clearly eavesdropping on Qin Yunxi’s words.
Qin Yunxi didn’t seem to mind in the least and merely winked at Liu Qingyin with a warm smile. “It’s okay,” he said softly.
Liu Qingyin scoffed and lowered her head. Regardless of the circumstances, do not harm the innocents—it was a phrase Wei Liang often said during the last war. Every so often, they had to face a difficult choice—like sacrificing a few hostages to annihilate a large group of devils. But no matter how others reasoned or tried to persuade him, Wei Liang would always stand firm in his decision to save lives.
Liu Qingyin’s thoughts drifted, and her eyes grew distant. If things hadn’t turned out the way they did, if Lin Qiu had never appeared… she wouldn’t need anyone to remind her. Even in an illusion, she would definitely never harm the innocents. She would hold on to that principle no matter what—because only someone who stood by such a conviction was worthy to walk alongside him…
Sadly, in but a few short days, everything had changed, and nothing remained the same.
As Liu Qingyin looked at Qin Yunxi again, her emotions became complicated and difficult to express.
But Qin Yunxi did not notice her complicated gaze. Ever since he stepped into this third trial, the frown between his brows never eased. This trial was going to be tough. He had no intention of using the method Liu Qingyin had resorted to in the previous life. Even if it was just an illusion, he could never bear to watch her die in front of his eyes—the sight would tear at his heart.
What troubled him even more was Lin Qiu’s whereabouts. Has she already escaped the secret realm? A slight panic rose in his chest. Even if she isn’t trying to escape, could she pass this third trial safely?
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy Qin Yunxi became. When Liu Qingyin called his name, he didn’t immediately respond and, without thinking, blurted, “Lin Qiu, she…”
Liu Qingyin was stunned. “Even you are constantly thinking about her?”
< Previous | TOC | Advanced TOC | Next >
Wants more chapters?
Click this page for the status of sponsored chapters.
Click this page for advanced chapters TOC.
Ok, we have confirmation that Liu Qingyin, is as we all suspected, not very smart. Which makes her even more dangerous. Self righteous idiots think they know better anyone else, that they are always right.