Chapter 49: Tales of the Crimson Maiden (Part Two)

In the past, when the two sisters hid in the tall grass, their mother had run back in this very same manner.

Because the men of their household had been burned to death, everyone in the village blamed the mother, believing she was the one who had murdered her husband, and therefore they demanded her execution.

They bound her like an animal to a wooden frame and carried her out of the house.

Then, they tied heavy stone after heavy stone to her body.

Finally, they cast her into the river.

The two sisters had hidden in the grass, watching this entire scene unfold.

They watched their mother's expression before death, which was weary and indifferent.

Yet the mother's cold detachment enraged the villagers, who assumed she felt not the slightest remorse for murdering her husband.

Consequently, they subjected her to an even more cruel fate.

Enduring the agony, their mother looked toward the distant hills, toward the mountain forests, toward the patch of grass, toward where they were hiding, and finally toward the distant horizon.

...

Chen Yan blinked in bewilderment, forcefully wiping away her tears. She looked at her sister once more, gripping her sister's hand in return, and shook her head in panic. "No, we cannot let this happen again. We must save Mother!"

Chen Xi’s eyes were likewise reddened, and she smiled through her tears. "Yes, we are no longer helpless and weak beings unable to resist."

Chen Yan nodded heavily. "Mm!"

The sound of a wave of heat tearing through the air suddenly rang out!

Two fierce streams of fire soared straight up into the sky!

They intertwined and coiled around each other, unleashing an even more terrifying heatwave that illuminated the entire night sky.

Wildfires swept across the mountain forests, billows of crimson flames rolling forward like boiling oil directly toward the water's edge.

Black smoke billowed, carrying a suffocating heat, and flying sparks fluttered down to every corner of the village. The panicked villagers scattered in all directions.

Amidst the chaotic crowd, Chen Yan caught sight of the village chief's son, the one who had once attempted to violate her.

With an icy gaze, flames surged and erupted in her hand, transforming into a crimson longsword that pierced straight through the man.

"Ahhh!"

The man shrieked in agonizing pain, quickly collapsing to the ground as a charred corpse.

In an instant, every single house in the village was set ablaze. The entire world seemed engulfed in a sea of fire, and everything burned ceaselessly.

The two young girls ran toward their mother.

...

...

As evening approached and twilight gathered, within the Hall of Myriad Laws, as the disciples ascended the mountain, the imagery upon the Dharma Mirror slowly dissipated, leaving behind a profound and serene emptiness. Out of respect for the disciples, the visions within the Misty Illusion were known to none.

The elders rose one after another, the hems of their robes fluttering lightly as they departed the Hall of Myriad Laws and headed toward the main mountain hall. From there, the scenery of Mirror Mountain could be overlooked, and once the rosy dawn light ignited, the final outcome would be revealed.

At the summit of Mirror Mountain, the mist grew even denser, wrapping around layer upon layer like white silk until the peak was entirely swallowed by a hazy, blinding whiteness.

The woman in cyan robes walked slowly along the mountain path, the surrounding white mist retreating of its own accord, not daring to cling to her in the slightest.

She reached the summit, where an ancient and mysterious black circular mirror stood quietly. Intricate and archaic totters were engraved upon its surface. Strangely, the mirror's surface appeared shattered into a myriad of pieces, reflecting thousands of side profiles of the woman.

Yet the angle of every single reflection was slightly distorted, making her appearance seem somewhat unflattering.

The woman raised an eyebrow slightly and stepped forward once more.

At that very moment, an overwhelmingly majestic voice suddenly echoed through the mountains, sounding like a tolling bell and rolling thunder. "What disciple are you, so audacious as to approach the Array Sect's sacred artifact without permission?"

Hearing this, the woman paused briefly, but continued forward, ignoring the majestic voice entirely.

Seeing her pay no heed, the voice lost a fraction of its dignified composure, sounding somewhat exasperated. "Hey, hey, hey! Why aren't you listening to people when they speak?"

The woman said indifferently, "A mere mirror spirit, and yet you dare call yourself the sacred artifact of Southern Heaven?"

As soon as these words were spoken, a trace of timidity arose in the heart of the voice's owner. Yet her calm and fearless tone only made the mirror feel a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. "Hmph, the mountain trials are under my jurisdiction, and the quotas for the elders' direct disciples are also in my hands. How am I not a sacred artifact?"

"The Array Sect possesses only one supreme sacred artifact, the Heaven and Earth Immeasurable. What are you?"

"I... I..." The mirror spirit was momentarily at a loss for words. Arrogant as it was, it did not dare compare itself to that supreme Dao artifact, and thus had to rein in its sharpness. "Hmph, what on earth is your business here?"

"I am here to see someone." The woman's voice was calm and resolute.

Upon hearing this, the mirror spirit looked slightly stunned, then understanding dawned. Realizing the woman was referring to a disciple within the Misty Illusion, it said with a hint of smugness, "Hmph, do you think you can just look whenever you want?!"

Unfazed by its smugness and obstruction, the woman maintained her peaceful tone and stated quietly, "I have a friend whose illusion realm was crafted better than yours."

The mirror spirit's psychological defenses shattered instantly, and it shrieked in exasperation, "You, you, you! Impossible, my illusion realm is peerless... at least top three in the world... the world... my illusion realm is among the finest in existence!"

Feeling somewhat humiliated and thoroughly displeased, it huffed, "Hmph, if you want to watch the Misty Illusion, beg me."

The woman narrowed her eyes slightly. Though she was long accustomed to the chill of this boundless white mist, upon seeing the woman's gaze, the mirror spirit still felt a heart-pounding trace of bone-chilling cold and danger.

Then it reassured itself: its true form was concealed among a thousand mirror fragments; even the Great Elder who guarded Heavenly Ocean Pass could not find it, whereupon it regained its composure and smugness.

The woman stepped forward gracefully, gazing at the black mirror shattered into a thousand fragments. She slowly bent down, her posture akin to a towering mountain about to topple. Her jade hand lifted lightly, as effortless as the arrival of the Great Dao. She casually reached two fingers straight into the mirror. The defense of the Heart-Inquiring Mirror was as fragile as paper before her; with a single gentle tug, a thumb-sized figure struggled frantically—it was none other than the true body of the Misty Mirror Spirit.

It turned out that this thumb-sized mirror spirit had already cultivated a human form. It looked tender and young, resembling a little girl wearing her hair in a pair of buns pointing straight up to the sky, except that her entire body was pitch black, surrounded by wisps of white Qi.

Upon closer inspection, the little girl was actually dressed in a pure black gown, resembling a secluded orchid blooming in the night.

It screamed at the top of its lungs, "Ahhh! How could you so easily see through my true form?!"

The woman gently pinched it, a slight smile gracing her lips. "During the last millennial war, the former sect master of the Array Sect fought to the death with the Heart-Inquiring Mirror and two Sea King Lords. The Heart-Inquiring Mirror shattered, and its mirror spirit was blasted into smithereens, leaving behind only the wreckage of the mirror frame. You are a later successor."

Hearing this, the mirror spirit ceased its struggle. Seemingly reminded of something, it said with a hint of sorrow, "Indeed, I am not the original master of this spirit mirror. Sect Master Nangong brought me into this mirror to protect my primordial spirit from perishing. In exchange, I set up the mountain's maze array for him..."

After lingering in sorrow for a moment, it suddenly realized—ah? Why on earth was it telling this woman all of this?

Oh right, because the other party had seen through its true form.

Its arrogance instantly deflated, and it pleaded with the woman, "Really, the rules of the Array Sect are extremely strict. Unless one holds the dignity of the sect master, no one is permitted to pry into the secrets within the mirror. I truly cannot let you see..."

The woman paused upon hearing this, and without pressing further, she gently placed the mirror spirit back onto the ground and released her grip.

The mirror spirit let out a long sigh of relief. With lingering fear, it clutched its black dress, wrapped itself in its companion white mist, and cautiously hid back inside the mirror.

"Terrifying! This woman carries an even more oppressive aura than the sect master!"

"Where on earth did she pop out from?"

"It must have been that stubborn old fogey Yin Hua who let her in!"

"How come I have never heard of such a figure in the Array Sect?"

It muttered to itself within the mirror world, but suddenly caught the woman glancing its way, whereupon it instantly clamped its mouth shut and dared not utter another word.