Chapter 152

After He Zhizhou dragged the Demon Lord straight out the door, the demons in the settlement began to stir restlessly. Though they were weak, if they attacked en masse, Xu Ye would be hard-pressed to defend against them alone.

Moreover, Qiao Yan knew nothing about the hidden secrets. If she encountered those bloodthirsty demon cultivators, her fate would likely be grim.

Xu Ye, despite always living under the protection of his sect and senior sister and being socially awkward, understood that he had to do everything in his power to protect her. This included not only ensuring Qiao Yan’s safety but also keeping the truth from her.

The truth was that they were within the formation, and the mirror ghosts on the other side of the water mirror were all transformed foxes. As an outsider, even Xu Ye was stunned when he learned this. It would be even more devastating for Qiao Yan.

After all, to her, the truth would mean that she had unknowingly slaughtered her kin and lived closely with sworn enemies. Learning this truth would cause anyone to break down instantly.

Knowing they couldn’t stay in the settlement, Xu Ye hurried to Qiao Yan’s place and concocted an excuse to get her out. Perhaps they were lucky, as the demon cultivators did not catch up.

“I..I’m not—”

He was not good at lying. The last time he had been involved in deceiving Liu Ying of Niguang Island with He Zhizhou and the others, he had already been under immense psychological pressure. Now, the situation was even more urgent, with their lives at stake.

“I was just looking for Ning Ning and the others!”

Driven into a corner, Xu Ye blurted out the first thing that came to mind: “They said they found a clue about the Sun Blaze Bow and arranged to meet us nearby—why can’t we see anyone?”

Qiao Yan’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Sun Blaze Bow?”

She seemed to have finally calmed down.

Xu Ye, feeling a sense of relief, nodded without hesitation: “Yes, yes! That’s it!”

He thought Qiao Yan would settle down, but to his surprise, she frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and suddenly lowered her voice: “They probably won’t find the Sun Blaze Bow… I think I’ve figured some things out.”

Xu Ye’s smile froze.

In a daze, he heard Qiao Yan’s clear voice.

“The bow could only have been taken by the Spirit Foxes or the demons. We can use this as a basis for our assumptions.”

She spoke seriously, her fluffy white ears twitching as she thought, “If it were the Spirit Fox clan, they would have no reason not to use it against the demon cultivators. Moreover, my clansmen are weak and couldn’t possibly defeat the Fire Phoenix.”

Xu Ye: …

He listened in a daze as she continued.

“This means we can place all suspicion on the demon cultivators. Although they are now trapped within the water mirror, it doesn’t mean they couldn’t have stolen the Sun Blaze Bow beforehand.”

As Qiao Yan spoke faster and faster, her gaze fixed firmly on him: “They must have stolen the jade pendant and taken the bow through some covert means before the great battle, intending to use it to wipe out the Spirit Fox clan. They didn’t expect us to act first and seal them within the array.”

Xu Ye: … Huh?

“So the Sun Blaze Bow must be in the hands of the demons, on the other side of the water mirror!”

Her reasoning was entirely wrong, but the conclusion was right.

The Sun Blaze Bow was indeed on the other side of the formation—

But those weren’t demons!

Xu Ye’s emotions were a tangled mess as he watched Qiao Yan’s determined expression grow stronger, telling him seriously: “Taoist Xu, I’ve already made a plan. Tonight, I intend to go to the other side of the water mirror to see if I can retrieve the Sun Blaze Bow.”

“No, no, no, that’s not a good idea!”

Xu Ye hadn’t expected this girl to be so desperate, willing to risk her life for the bow and the fox clan. He hurriedly responded, “You are alone and vulnerable; going there by yourself is too dangerous. It would be better to find Ning Ning and the others first, and then we can all discuss it together.”

Qiao Yan looked at him seriously and said, “But haven’t you lost contact with them and couldn’t find them for a long time?”

Xu Ye was stumped.

And she wasn’t done talking; each word she spoke was righteous and irrefutable: “My mother is barely holding on to the water mirror formation… I need to act quickly. Besides, the demon territory is extremely dangerous. This is the Fox clan’s matter; I can’t let you all take the risk. I’ll go alone.”

But you really, really can’t go! If you see those mirror ghosts that look like your relatives—

Xu Ye didn’t dare to continue the thought, feeling incredibly distressed, almost to the point of tears.

“Don’t worry, I know my limits.”

Qiao Yan paused, thinking he was worried about her: “I just intend to investigate the other side and try to find the Sun Blaze Bow. My mother is still waiting for me at home; I won’t be reckless and get into conflicts with them.”

But that person at home is no longer your mother, and she won’t be waiting for you!

Xu Ye still wanted to stubbornly continue persuading her. If it didn’t work, he planned to knock her out and come up with an excuse later.

He had planned everything out, but as soon as he opened his mouth, before he could utter a word, Qiao Yan moved.

“I’ll be back soon!”

She moved swiftly, her tied-up hair flying in the wind. In the chaotic night, she looked up, and a gleam of determination flashed in her eyes: “Taoist Xu, don’t worry about me; go and meet up with the others!”

Behind her was a calm, mirror-like lake.

Xu Ye’s last memory of the mirror world was the smooth arc drawn by the girl as she leaped into the lake, and Qiao Yan’s fluttering white robe disappeared from view.

In a daze, he jumped in after her, and after a sudden feeling of suffocation, he saw blood-red water and a dark, somber whirlpool.

He must have fallen into that whirlpool.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have opened his eyes to such a different scene.

The sky was murky, shrouded in dark clouds and thin smoke. Though it was night, the sky still held an eerie, crimson glow.

A rotten stench and lingering demonic energy filled the air, almost congealing in every corner, making him feel nauseous. As he looked up, he saw withered trees and scattered animal carcasses.

Xu Ye had once wondered why, despite such a fierce battle between the two clans, the secret realm was still filled with birdsong and flowers, showing no signs of war. Now he realized it was all a false illusion.

Those who lived in the mirror had finally come to the real world.

A world filled with death, mutation, and harsh truths.