“Uh……”

Jiang Wang felt his consciousness sinking, sinking towards that lightless bottomless abyss.

Zhu Biqiong had turned into a mirrored image, no longer visible.

Zhuo Qingru, Chen Zhilang, Fu Yanqing, and the dense human army, all vanished in the suddenly cut off field of vision outside.

He drew his sword without thinking, but even after thinking he still would have done so.

Who was the person who walked out from the water mirror? What did they want to do? How powerful were they? He didn’t know.

He only knew Zhu Biqiong was his friend.

Then draw the sword!

Then be crushed.

This process was too fast, so fast that he didn’t even have time to react.

Battle-hardened as he was, he had already mobilized all his power at the first instant, but in that one casually covering palm, he couldn’t even summon his immortal thought in time!

Divine light extinguished, Dao origin returned to the sea.

Falling meant both body and mind sinking, two hands empty.

Darkness buried all light sources, of course including hope.

Jiang Wang didn’t feel he was dead, because before “dying,” he heard Zhu Biqiong’s voice.

That sharp and crazy… was a Zhu Biqiong he had never felt.

Time had no meaning, and he didn’t feel pain either. Because “feeling” was also dispersing.

Then in the endless darkness, “color” suddenly appeared, things other than darkness appeared—that was permeating white mist.

He seemed to be falling in white mist, looking up at smoke rising like drifting ribbons, higher up the darkness boundless.

He saw the mist floating vaguely, gradually thickening like dense clouds.

Jiang Wang felt himself trapped in clouds.

Or rather, he was first supported by a cloud bed, and only then did his feelings return.

That terrifying sinking feeling dispersed. He leapt up, reached out to grasp his sword—only then did he realize there was no sword beside him, only then did he react that he was in a divine soul state, hence manifesting a sword spirit in his hand.

He felt solid ground under his feet and calmly observed his surroundings.

At this moment, he heard a voice, a pleasant female voice, with a hint of teasing—

“Let me see… which family’s young man is this, always lingering in my boudoir?”

Such a familiar voice!

Could it be in the mirror?

The boundless darkness was all driven away, and the permeating cloud gas also scattered.

Green bamboo jade screen, rouge beast incense burner.

Warm jade pearls served as warm lamps, carved patterns reflected shadows, yet it was a spring outing picture.

Gilded amber served as a clepsydra, broken beads knocking against a jade bowl, shyly trying to make a sound.

Extremely magnificent imagination, exhausting the elegance of famous masters.

Indeed, it was a woman’s boudoir!

Jiang Wang appeared in this place, feeling somewhat awkward about where to stand. Armor on his body, fresh bloodstains, afraid of disturbing the beautiful dream of the fragrant boudoir.

The green bamboo jade screen blocked behind him, a faint fragrance wafted into his nostrils. He looked forward and saw a figure in a palace dress sitting by the window. Her body was graceful, her long hair reached her waist, and she was facing a mirror, combing her makeup.

From this angle, he couldn’t see the woman’s face.

But from the mirror, he could catch a glimpse of some colors.

Her eyes were misty rain horizontal waves, her eyebrows were beautiful peaks rising.

Although it was a fleeting glance, it was already engraved for ten thousand years.

If Ye Lan’er’s beauty was the most exquisite fine brushwork, her beauty was the most charming freehand. A wisp of hair, a corner of clothing, all unfolded with beautiful posture.

“Your Excellency… Senior… You…” Jiang Wang changed several addresses, cupped his hands in a salute: “Please let me out first!”

Although this was the first time he saw this person in the mirror world, having carried the red makeup mirror for so many years, he had long been psychologically prepared for this meeting.

Especially in the Shenxiao world, during that time when she ate the dragon. He had already sensed that this day wouldn’t be too far off.

Speaking of unknown, it was indeed unknown. Speaking of fear, there was none.

He had never felt hostility from the mirror; instead, many times, he had escaped death because of the red makeup mirror.

He often felt a sense of familiarity with the mysterious existence within the mirror. With each tribulation he overcame, he gained a deeper understanding. The years they had spent together felt like being with a friend he had never met.

He had also imagined how and when they would meet.

He had also thought about whether he would have the ability at that time to give back a little and soothe the pain of this never-met old friend.

In the flying snow tribulation, in the covering sea tribulation, in the asking heart tribulation… those feelings were too profound.

But he hadn’t thought about today.

Today he could barely protect himself, today he had painfully lost a friend. He also didn’t believe that in this transcend bureau, this person in the mirror could do anything.

He still believed more in Yu Liyang, believed in the power of Zhu Sui, Cao Ji, and the others.

“No need to worry.” The woman in front of the mirror didn’t turn back, instead using the fleshy pad of her little finger to meticulously wipe rouge: “Time and space here are static, it won’t waste your time.”

Jiang Wang looked around again, but didn’t feel anything different.

“Whether time and space are static or not is a relative concept.” The woman in front of the mirror laughed: “For example, just now, I already stripped off your armor and put it back on for you.”

Jiang Wang immediately lowered his head and observed, nervously touching his armor.

The woman laughed out loud, laughing until flowers trembled: “You must be this cute? Little boy?”

“Junior is already twenty-two.” Jiang Wang retorted very seriously.

“I know, I know, Ba State Marquis, right.” The woman lifted a hand, as if to interrupt his explanation.

This hand was slender and well-proportioned, smooth as crystal jade. When it was raised in the air, it immediately gathered light, simply the most perfect piece of art. It was hard to imagine what kind of craftsman could carve such a work.

And her hand just fell down, burying itself in her black long hair.

Her five fingers jumped nimbly, with the beauty of playing a zither with high mountains and flowing water strokes. Amidst the ding dong sounds, she easily tied a flowing cloud bun.

“My power is limited. To eternally reside in youth, I have no choice but to do so… You are this old, you should know, women can always do many things for beauty.”

As she spoke, with both hands pressing her hair, she slightly turned her face towards the dressing table and lifted her chin.

There was an open gilded red satin box, and inside the box quietly lay a hairpin.

The color was brilliant gold, the shape a phoenix spreading its wings.

Jiang Wang inexplicably understood her meaning.

She originally should have been understood, been surrounded, been pursued.

Jiang Wang stepped forward, stood behind this beautiful senior he was meeting for the first time, and with the hand that usually held a sword, picked up that hairpin…

He aimed for a long time, not knowing how to place it properly.

Heaven pity, although he was noble as the Duke Marquis of Ba State and could be called achieving fame with merit. But excluding Jiang An’an, this was the first time he had pinned a woman’s hair!

Even Jiang An’an was now unwilling to let him pin her hair…

The woman seemed to see through his awkwardness and said lightly: “Let it be natural, beauty doesn’t need to be deliberate.”

Jiang Wang heard the words, simply twisted the hairpin with his fingertip, forming a pin flower, and with the manner of a treasured sword returning to its sheath, horizontally pinned it on the hair bun.

After he released his hand, the tail of the hairpin trembled, and the body of the hairpin clanged like a sword.

Indeed, it was neat skill!

“…Not bad.” The woman said not bad, but then took out the hairpin again and re-pinned it once.

She looked carefully in the mirror for a while, then used her little finger to wipe off a little rouge, trimmed the shape of her lips a bit, and then only turned her body on the soft stool, looking at Jiang Wang: “Beautiful?”

Too beautiful!

Because she was too beautiful, she also had a kind of oppressive feeling that made one ashamed of one’s inferiority.

Jiang Wang unconsciously retreated a step and said: “It’s good-looking.”

“This is not a good way to praise a girl.” The woman shook her head, quite disappointed.

Jiang Wang didn’t know what to say, nor did he know what this senior wanted to do, so he only said: “I don’t know what the situation is like outside.”

“That little girl named Zhu Biqiong… is she the person you like?” The woman looked at him and asked.

Jiang Wang sniffed a bit of hope from this question and said seriously: “She is a very good girl, my liking for her is the liking between friends. If you can…”

“This sentence is truly cruel.” The woman sighed: “You won’t attract people like this.”

She changed the subject: “But I like it, at least you are an honest person about your feelings.”

Jiang Wang was silent, then said: “The problem of feelings is too far for me. Wind, flowers, snow, and moon are things for young masters and misses. I have no time. My shoulders are also very full, and the road is also very long.”

The woman quietly sat on the embroidered stool, her beautiful silhouette visible through the paper window. Although she couldn’t see everything of how Jiang Wang had lived these years because she was asleep, the occasional fleeting glimpses were enough to feel the difficulty. Her tone carried a hint of pity: “You are young, already Ba State Duke Marquis, you can also consider a bit of peaceful days.”

Jiang Wang said: “I am still empty-handed.”

“Is Zhu Biqiong not good enough?” The woman asked.

“She is very good, as good as can be.” Jiang Wang said.

The woman said: “Then it’s not a good time.”

Jiang Wang did not continue this topic, hesitatingly saying: “You… can save her?”

And added: “Or rather, what can I do?”

The woman shook her head: “No one can save her, unless Ji Lanxian is willing to let go first… Oh, Ji Lanxian is the person who almost killed you just now. His other identity is the legendary wise teacher of the sea race, Covering Sea.”

“Ji Lanxian? Covering Sea?” Jiang Wang frowned tightly.

“Where should I start with this?” The woman even sighed very gently: “I already understand you very well, but you need to understand a bit about me, right?”

Jiang Wang tried to suppress his anxiety: “If Senior finds it appropriate.”

“Then let’s formally know each other.” The woman still sat there lazily, but as soon as her eyes flickered, she immediately had the momentum of a female emperor attending court, noble and majestic: “My name is Ji Yanru.”

The Ji surname was not common, so Jiang Wang naturally had some guesses.

Ji Yanru added: “My elder brother is named Ji Yanqiu.”

Great Yang Empire founding emperor Ji Yanqiu!

That one who could contend with Jing Taizu, personally frustrated Jing Taizu’s great achievement of re-proving the human emperor, a generation of heroes!

Jiang Wang had painstakingly read “History Knife Chisel Sea” for many days, so of course he wouldn’t miss this name. In fact, when he heard the name Ji Yanru, he had already suspected, but didn’t dare to confirm.

After all, the Yang country had perished for more than a thousand years, the last Yang emperor’s crazy shout was no longer heard, let alone its founding Taizu!

And this one before his eyes was actually the long princess of the Great Yang founding period?

Why was she in the mirror?

What about Covering Sea’s other identity, Ji Lanxian?

Jiang Wang’s heart was a tangled mess, but he still bowed in salute: “Junior Jiang Wang, I have received your care.”

This then counted as a formal acquaintance, although they had actually been together for a long time.

“Let’s start with Covering Sea.” Ji Yanru fell into memories with some bitterness: “Before him, I never thought that there was actually a sea race that dared to infiltrate the land, still dared to seek knowledge everywhere… and still couldn’t be discovered.

“I met him in a winter, when it was snowing heavily.

“At that time, I was troubled by a marriage contract. The object of the marriage contract was my good friend, Xuanyuan Shuo, a direct descendant of the ancient human emperor. A very proud person, and one who bore too much. He and my elder brother first fought and didn’t know each other, later simply traveled the world together with us. That was during the One Truth disaster, the world was in chaos, evil spirits were everywhere. We slayed demons and exterminated evils together, thus establishing a deep friendship…”

One Truth!

This was not the first time Jiang Wang had heard the word “One Truth.”

But it was the first time he had heard someone link this word with “disaster.”

He knew there was a One Truth era in history, just at the end of the near ancient era. That was a vague era in history, very short, vaguely seeming also very brilliant. But there weren’t too many records.

He also knew there was a One Truth Dao Master, whose battle strength was absolute in the world. He infiltrated the heaven prison battlefield, in the array of millions of great armies, assassinated the demon race Great Emperor Yuan Xi, and successfully repelled the demon race. He shattered the demon race’s attempt to counterattack through the Ten Thousand Demons Gate.

He didn’t know there was actually a saying of “One Truth disaster.”

Was this “One Truth” that “One Truth”?

He didn’t ask, only listened quietly.

Ji Yanru continued to narrate: “My elder brother hoped I would marry Xuanyuan Shuo to gain the remaining power of the ancient human emperor and complete his hegemony. At that time, Ji Yusu was already preparing to build a country. He thought the state system was the future great trend, and had also recruited soldiers and horses and had plans to establish a country.

“Without my knowledge, he made the decision to promise Xuanyuan Shuo’s request for marriage and set a marriage contract for us.

“I knew Xuanyuan Shuo liked me, but as you said, he was very good, but I only treated him as a friend. I still hadn’t figured out how to refuse and not hurt this friend… the marriage contract unexpectedly appeared.

“I was unwilling to affect my elder brother’s plan, even less willing to hurt my friend, but also unwilling to marry him. During that period, I was annoyed and went out to clear my head.

“It was in that winter that I met Covering Sea. At that time, his name was ‘Shen Lanxian’.”

Hearing the story to this point, Jiang Wang already had some guesses about Ji Lanxian’s identity. But what made him care was another name—

Ji Yusu!

Another near-mythical name.

Precisely Jing country’s founding Taizu, who once struck down the tiger race, defeated Chai, established the state system with one hand, and put Heavenly Capital to guard the Ten Thousand Demons Gate, a legendary figure!

Looking back at the era of chaos described by Ji Yanru, just at the end of the near ancient era, with winds rising, clouds surging, and waves washing over the sand, how many heroes were there!

Jing Taizu Ji Yusu was already preparing to build a country at that time, with a complete understanding of the state system. Yang country’s founding emperor Ji Yanqiu also saw the great trend. With Ji Yusu’s heroic talent before him, he was still able to “match it”!

And Lan Yin Hua, who contended with Chai for three lives, Ying Yunian, who established the Qin country, and Xuanyuan Shuo, the Fishing Dragon Guest who took off his hook as the moon and sat alone on the horizon…

There was absolutely no need for too many descriptions. As long as these names were put together and one thought about it, one’s heart would be shaken. That was also an era of heroes!

“Did you all fall in love?” Jiang Wang asked: “You and Shen… Lanxian.”

“Very cliché, right?” Ji Yanru’s eyes held a hint of melancholy: “But who can accurately describe feelings?”

“I must admit, the days I spent with Covering Sea were the happiest time in my life. He could catch all my whimsical ideas and had aesthetic interests similar to mine. From poetry and songs to astronomy and geography, we talked about anything and were all very happy. From south to north, from east to west, wherever we went, we could find scenery and fun. With him, I felt unprecedented freedom and relaxation.

“Until… I discovered he was a sea race.”

Ji Yanru’s voice lowered, like a string of silver bells falling from sunlight.

Jiang Wang looked at her at this moment and felt her beauty was very lonely.

“I thought of killing him, and he also put a knife to his own neck, saying he was willing to have his head chopped off by me. He said he loved me, that he had never loved like this in his life. He said he detested his sea race identity, that he had dreamt of flaying himself countless times at midnight. He said he wanted to become a true human race, forever and always together with me…”

“And I believed it.” Ji Yanru gave a self-mocking laugh: “Love always makes people become very stupid. I actually believed a sea race.”

Jiang Wang didn’t feel this was stupid.

There was also no need to speak of love.

If he were to discover now that Xiao Wu or Chong Xuan Sheng were actually sea race or demon race. Could he really draw his sword so decisively? Could such long-standing feelings really be easily cut off?

The sea race were also sentient beings, love and hate were equally true.

The great righteousness of race was too high and too big, sometimes very distant. While the love in one’s heart was so fervent.

But Jiang Wang didn’t offer any comfort.

After time had passed and circumstances had changed, Ji Yanru defined that period of trust as stupid, so there must have been enough evidence of a stupid ending.

He only remained a silent listener.

Ji Yanru continued: “I tried my best to cover for him, so that he could walk in the sunlight with me calmly. I made it clear to Xuanyuan Shuo that my heart had a master, and he didn’t cling, dissolved the marriage contract and left. I tried every possible way, wanting to help him complete the creation of a human body, even not hesitating to use my Ji family bloodline to endorse his human body, so that he could gain recognition in the present world… but these were all not enough, he could never become a true human race.

“At that time, I felt this was impossible. I also resigned myself to it, thinking of leaving with him, searching all the heavens and myriad realms, there must be a place that didn’t care about our identities. We would live quietly and peacefully.

“But he said no. He said true happiness could not be achieved with my sacrifice. He said he would definitely find a way.

“You know Covering Sea is a very smart guy. He learns anything very fast. Military strategy, ink, Dao, Confucianism, all proficient, all with his own thoughts. He is a sea race, but I have not seen a more learned person than him.

“I collected many classics for him, and he shut himself up and thought for three years. Later one day, he walked out disheveled. He told me he had a way.”

“What way?” Jiang Wang asked involuntarily.

Ji Yanru laughed, this laugh was mournfully beautiful, and her voice was actually calm: “He tied me up and drained my blood. He took away my fate pattern and infused it into his human body.”

Jiang Wang was silent for a moment.

“And he could do this precisely because I participated in the creation of this human body itself. The bloodline of this human body was originally willingly given up by me.” Ji Yanru was laughing, and her tone was admiring: “He is too smart. He used me from several years ago to plunder my fate pattern several years later, simply seamless, perfect.”

She almost wanted to clap, but her jade fingers trembled slightly, and her palm didn’t lift up.

To have one’s fate pattern coldly seized by the deeply loved object for whom one willingly gave everything, that kind of scene, Jiang Wang almost dared not imagine.

Past love and one’s heart shattered piece by piece. Every piece was like a knife, cutting into memories.

“Then you… later…” Jiang Wang opened his mouth, not knowing how to ask.

Ji Yanru was calmer: “How am I still here, how did I appear here, right?”

Jiang Wang slightly pursed his lips, waiting for Ji Yanru’s answer.

Ji Yanru said: “I have a mirror on me, given to me by my elder brother. Because it is an ancestral treasure and cannot be easily exposed, I didn’t tell anyone. Covering Sea also didn’t know.”

Jiang Wang once again sized up this room, or rather once again felt the mirror world represented by this room: “Red makeup mirror?”

“Its earliest name was Monster Illuminating Mirror.”

Ji Yanru said: “The ancient demon emperor used it to imprison the true spirits of great demons and control those disobedient great demons. Over time, it was stained with too much blood karma from great demons, gradually evolving into a treasure with strong suppression on the demon race, and also a heavy treasure for the ancient demon emperor to maintain his rule.

“Later, it was shattered in the distant demon court war. Although it was repaired, it did not restore its initial might.

“Even later, my Ji clan ancestors plundered this treasure in the demon伐 war and passed it down in the family.

“In fact, it was precisely through this mirror that I discovered the so-called Shen Lanxian was actually a sea race. His disguise could truly be called unmatched in the world. Except that he dared not appear before my elder brother and the others, dared not see those masters, he was almost fearless of being discovered wherever he went.

“My elder brother loved me and only gifted the Monster Illuminating Mirror to me, but perhaps my elder brother also didn’t think that it was precisely because of this mirror that I could survive until now.

“Covering Sea drained my blood and took away part of my fate pattern, but my remnant soul escaped under the protection of the Monster Illuminating Mirror. Although he obtained a true human body, he was afraid that I was still alive, afraid that I would expose his identity, and didn’t dare to put it into use.

“Even later, his dragon body was chopped by Xuanyuan Shuo, and he also vanished, truly pretending to be dead.

“Until he confirmed that I hadn’t spread any news, confirmed that my elder brother was already dead, only then did he activate his human body and begin his transcend road.

“But what he didn’t know was that for a very long time, I actually couldn’t do anything. Sometimes sleeping, sometimes awake.”

Ji Yanru’s voice was calm: “For all these years hiding in the deep sea, whether awake or dreaming, I only did one thing—repair the Monster Illuminating Mirror into the Dragon Illuminating Mirror.”

This calm hatred was profound as if scraping bone.

Her beautiful eyes turned to Jiang Wang, then lightly laughed again: “You already know what happened later.”

Yes, Jiang Wang of course knew.

Ji Yanru knew that although Covering Sea’s dragon body was dead, his human body was still there. She knew that Covering Sea would certainly scheme against Xuanyuan Shuo and would certainly approach Fishing Sea Tower.

So the red makeup mirror was obtained by Hu Shaomeng in an abandoned sea tower, and Hu Shaomeng was a disciple of Fishing Sea Tower.

Why Hu Shaomeng approached Zhu Suyao and Zhu Biqiong was probably also because Ji Yanru detected that the sisters were Ji Lanxian’s key mirrored images and secretly guided them.

So everything was linked together!

And Jiang Wang was only silent.

In these events, in the love, hate, and enmity of these great figures from the end of the near ancient era to the present, what wrong did Zhu Biqiong commit?

Later, Zhu Biqiong had many different appearances, but in Jiang Wang’s heart, she was still the pure, innocent, fragile girl he first knew. She was a small wildflower blooming in a corner, clearly harmless to humans and animals, clearly staying out of affairs, yet unfortunately always in the vortex, beaten and blown by the wind and rain.

“Time has arrived.” Ji Yanru suddenly said.

Jiang Wang probably understood. She was saying it was time to end Covering Sea.

“What do I need to do?” He only asked.

“There is nothing you need to do.” Ji Yanru stood up.

It was only then that Jiang Wang discovered her stature was extremely tall. Standing there, she was almost at eye level with him.

She walked closer, her radiant light illuminating people, her demeanor impeccable, only asking one last time—

“Look again, am I beautiful?”

Facing that face that could be called brilliant beauty, Jiang Wang nodded very seriously this time.

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