Chapter 242: Her Departure, Her Return

The footsteps of the pharmacist slowly faded into the shadows of the Mirror Valley. Watching his solitary figure disappear without hesitation, Hen could barely suppress a sigh.

“Chasing and obsessing over one’s true self, huh… The seekers of demise, we are indeed of the same kind.”

She did not stop the pharmacist from entering the valley. Although she had the ability to do so, it was no longer necessary; or rather, allowing him to achieve his goal was a significant and essential part of the plan.

The girl left the already activated magic array, heading in the opposite direction.

The Ling Wei Army responsible for guarding the interior was still fiercely battling the intruders, the sounds of clashing swords and screams echoing nonstop. Bodies lay scattered everywhere, some barely clinging to life, while others had already succumbed to death. Yet, Hen did not linger on them and simply continued forward.

Like a drifter outside the world, though she walked alone on the battlefield, the soldiers who were supposed to protect the spirit maiden and the enemies from the Demon-Suppressing Sect under the Seven Demon Lords failed to see her, as if she did not exist at all.

Finally, she, known as the spirit maiden, arrived near a massive depression.

This was one of the entrances to the Mirror Valley from another direction, a choice made by the enemy to invade, and also the source of the prior explosive sound.

In reality, however, they had not succeeded in infiltrating the valley, at least not for the time being.

In the sky, a splendid black serpent measuring dozens of meters long flew freely among the clouds, unleashing thunderous roars from time to time. It was the spirit beast known as the “Holy Lord of Black Clouds,” one of the remnants of the ancient organization “Blood of the Ancestors,” specially invited by Lingyin Fairy Island to bolster their defenses.

But the strong visitors weren’t limited to just this one; more than half of the peak masters from the Twelve Peaks had been persuaded by the fairy island to join this war concerning the fate of the Ancient Spirit Realm, having arrived directly through a long-distance space portal personally opened by Saint Peach Blossom. Thus, their presence remained undetected by the evil demons.

This was one of the trump cards and contingencies. Just as the surviving evil demons and the likes of the Seven Demon Lords had schemed for this disaster for a long time, Lingyin Fairy Island had also made ample preparations long before announcing the convening of the “Four Saints Selection Tournament,” so much so that even the four countries’ holy kings were not fully aware of the details.

Of course, the most crucial element still lay within the “Chosen One.”

After confirming that only the pharmacist had entered the valley, Hen slightly nodded.

At this point, her mission was entirely complete.

“Goodbye, we shall meet again. The fate’s dice has officially been handed into your hands… Xī.”

Gazing deeply into the core formation’s light ascending into the sky within the depths of Mirror Valley, the silver-haired girl smiled calmly. Her gradually fading form, already beginning to become translucent, resembled colorless glass, making everything about her increasingly difficult to perceive.

Until… she completely vanished.

…

At the same time, deep within the Mirror Valley.

“…Ah.”

The black-haired cat girl, concentrating on maintaining the seal at the inner valley’s exit, briefly frowned, sensing something. She suddenly turned her head to gaze into the distance, as if connecting with a certain gaze in the void, then her expression changed.

“Has she already left… it happened even faster than I expected.”

“But this was likely anticipated by that guy. Intentionally hiding her departure, even you can be stubborn sometimes. We are the same in the end…”

“Um, Miss Xiao Kong, what are you mumbling about? If you’re feeling tired maintaining the seal, should I give it a try first?”

Noticing Xiao Kong’s unusual demeanor, the fox-eared girl named Ming Lian Xin immediately grew tense.

After all, the destructive force accumulated over a thousand years within the inner valley was no trivial matter. The scattered remnants that had previously leaked out had already brought tremendous disaster to the entire Ancient Spirit Realm. If this condensed portion also broke free from the seal, it was entirely possible for another chaotic world-destroying beast to take shape in this environmental context.

Even now, the fairy island would have significant difficulty combating such an existence, let alone the horror of destruction a major battle would undoubtedly inflict upon the Ancient Spirit Realm. Therefore, they must prevent that situation from occurring, regardless of the price, even if it meant risking her life.

Not letting her thoughts affect her much, Xiao Kong brushed off her fleeting emotions and solemnly shook her head at Ming Lian Xin.

“No need to worry. In fact, ever since Miss Vilyric entered, the destructive energy in the inner valley has visibly solidified and calmed down, not running amok outside. She’s probably having a fierce battle with it through causal links. As long as Miss Vilyric hasn’t been defeated, there shouldn’t be any major issues.”

As she spoke, it seemed like she was muttering to herself.

“And I’ve personally experienced that guy’s strength. Even if we run into Taotie again…”

“Eh? Is that so?”

The fox-eared girl swallowed hard, nervously responding, slightly stuttering.

For some reason, she felt that from some moment earlier, the girl before her, wearing strange clawed gloves and seemingly transformed from a cat, had suddenly… changed in a way that felt different.

Not only did she exude a kind of indescribable heavy pressure, but even Ming Lian Xin, an orthodox member of the Lingyin Ethnic group, instinctively wanted to lower her head. Strangely, she also felt a vague sense of familiarity, as if she had encountered this before.

But how could the fair maiden have known her? This was her first time on the fairy island.

Though her elder sister and the elders entrusted such an important task to her and Miss Vilyric, this inexplicable strangeness still puzzled the fox-eared girl.

To dispel this illusion, the now-rested Ming Lian Xin decided to initiate another conversation with the other girl.

“Uh, Miss Xiao Kong…”

“Hmm?”

“Um, I’m just casually asking, but your transformed state doesn’t look like a normal cat-type spirit beast. Your claws look like they’ve been put on; is there any special significance to this?”

“…”

Xiao Kong didn’t respond immediately, instead fixing a curious gaze on the fairy maiden, seemingly deep in thought or trying to confirm something.

Feeling uncomfortable under her watchful gaze, Ming Lian Xin instinctively lowered her head, pretending to inspect her own body to avoid the deep, ethereal silver eyes focusing on her.

Which only made her even more anxious.

“Is… is something wrong, Miss Xiao Kong? Did I say something wrong?”

As if finally grasping something, the cat girl raised her gaze slightly, casting aside the increasingly uneasy girl with a light smile.

“Nothing much, it’s just been a long time, and I’m simply taking a moment to recall the past. Regardless of whether it’s a person or another living being, their thoughts and ideas will subtly shift according to their position.”

“Ah, what a rare and carefree holiday. It seems it’s finally coming to an end…”

“Huh?”

The fox-eared girl tilted her head in surprise, not quite understanding what this girl of mysterious identity and notable power was trying to express. However, Xiao Kong didn’t elaborate any further, merely lifting her head towards the increasingly charged sky and murmuring to herself.

“Calculating the time, it should be here soon. We should get moving now.”

   

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