Chapter 95: Mirror of the Self

Chapter 95: Mirror of the Self A gentle hum thrummed through the air as an ethereal gate shimmered before Hei Long and Lin Fan, adorned with glowing runes and carved celestial beasts. A disembodied voice echoed from the heavens: "Step forth, trial-takers. The Mirror of the Self awaits." The gate slowly opened, revealing an endless battlefield made of floating platforms suspended in the sky. The wind howled. Clouds twisted in strange directions. It wasn’t just a battlefield — it was a memory maze, an illusion warzone, a place meant to shatter weak minds and test even the firmest wills. Lin Fan gulped. "This... this looks dangerous..." Hei Long strolled in without hesitation. Stage One: The Battlefield of Doubt The moment they entered, the sky rippled — and from the mist ahead, doppelgängers formed. Hei Long stared at a version of himself — arrogant, cruel, manipulative. "Is that supposed to intimidate me?" Hei Long muttered. His double smirked. "You’ll betray everyone. You’re no different than me." Hei Long simply flicked his fingers. The illusion exploded like dust. "Nice try." Meanwhile... Lin Fan was facing dozens of his past failures:– Getting rejected by 12 girls.– Losing to a chicken.– Tripping on his own sword.– Getting stuck in a laundry basket. They all mocked him in sync. "You’ll never be a protagonist!""Even your chicken hates you!" "Shut up!!" Lin Fan screamed, charging forward... and tripping again. Even the illusions laughed. Stage Two: The Illusions of Desire The sky shifted into golden clouds.Now each trial-taker saw what they most desired. Hei Long saw... a peaceful throne of shadows. Surrounded by women fanning him and feeding him grapes. His cult kneeling, Sheng Moxian threatening to kill anyone who brought him lukewarm tea. "Tempting," he mused. "But I’ve already got half of this." He turned and walked away. Lin Fan, on the other hand, was surrounded by Bai Luoluo, Ji Yao, the Saintess, Lan Yinyin, and even the Sect Master — all smiling, blushing, and calling him their hero. He was crying. "Finally! They all love me!" And then... the illusion Lin Fan tried to kiss Bai Luoluo. She kicked him in the face — even in the illusion. "What the fuck!?" Lin Fan flew backward. "THIS ISN’T A DREAM! THIS IS A NIGHTMARE!" Stage Three: The Mirror of Memory A final door stood before them — carved from moonstone. As they stepped through, they were plunged into a blank white space. One by one, floating memory orbs began forming around them — both good and bad moments of their past. Hei Long stood still as the memories spun. One showed a younger version of himself — alone in a storm, thrown out of a sect, wounded, hungry. Another showed him meeting Ji Yao. Then the Sect Master. Then Mu Qianxue. Then his cult forming. Then Lin Fan failing at flirting. He laughed softly. "I’ve come far. No regrets." The orb pulsed — and granted him passage. Lin Fan? He saw his first love rejecting him... then ten more. He watched himself get beat up in nearly every Chapter. And then —A voice echoed in his head. "This is your fault, boy. You could have been great. But you’re just... embarrassing."— The Old Man Spirit in his body. "THEN HELP ME!" Lin Fan screamed, grabbing an orb. "I’ll do anything!" The orb pulsed. The light turned... darker. A cold chuckle echoed. "Very well... You’ll get stronger. But lose something you can never get back." "What is it?" Lin Fan asked. "Self-respect," Hei Long muttered, watching him from the exit. The End of the Trial Both emerged — though Hei Long was calm and untouched, Lin Fan was drenched in sweat, shirtless for some reason, and had a single feather from his chicken spirit stuck in his hair. "Did you cry again?" Hei Long asked. "No..." Lin Fan whispered. "It was raining inside." "It was not." "...Shut up." A final ethereal voice rang out: "Congratulations. Trial complete. Treasures granted." Hei Long received: Spirit Lotus Core (+Extreme vitality and elemental harmony) Voidstep Boots (Teleport 10 meters, once per fight) A small scroll with the mark of a certain Ocean Princess... Lin Fan received: A grilled fish A bucket of water A mysterious half-broken orb the system called "Maybe Useful... Later?" Outside the Realm... As the gate closed, the sky returned to normal. Bai Luoluo: "Where were you both?" Lin Fan: "In the Spirit Realm! We survived!" Hei Long: "Barely." Saintess: "You smell like wet bird." Lin Fan collapsed. Hei Long simply smiled. "One more heroine down. On to the next." . . . Back inside the opulent palace estate of Ocean City’s royal family, Lan Yinyin stood in her personal chamber — an intricate blend of sea-glass sculptures, shimmering silk curtains, and glowing jellyfish lanterns that floated in midair. She wore a thin robe of ocean-blue silk, barefoot as she stared into a water mirror, an enchanted basin that displayed the events of the Spirit Realm in real-time replay. Her slender fingers clutched the edge of the basin as she watched Hei Long exit the Spirit Realm, calm, refined, and clearly unfazed — as if such a trial had been little more than a mild jog through the courtyard. Then she saw him receive the Spirit Lotus Core and the Voidstep Boots, both priceless. And then the scroll with her personal crest embedded into the seal, appearing like fate itself was nudging her. "W-What!?""That was MY item!""He even left a note! ’Thanks for warming it up.’ The arrogance!" She stomped her foot on the ground, releasing a ripple of spiritual energy that shattered a nearby decorative coral vase. Two of her handmaidens flinched behind her. "My lady—please calm yourself! We’ll find him and return your honor—" Lan Yinyin turned, her long blue hair billowing like waves. "I don’t want revenge." They blinked. "I want answers. And if those answers are satisfactory..." she said, eyes glinting like sapphires beneath lightning, "I want him." Meanwhile... in the Royal Courtyard Her elder brother — the Prince of Ocean City — stood stiffly with his guards as he reviewed cultivation scrolls. He wasn’t expecting his sister to kick open the door, stride across the white-tiled courtyard, and slam a scroll down in front of him. Lan Yinyin pointed at the scroll Hei Long had taken from the auction. "He took this. He beat the Spirit Realm. He didn’t bow to me. He insulted me with a note." The prince blinked. "...And you’re mad because he insulted you?" "No," she snapped. "I’m intrigued because he dared." "...This again," he muttered. "You don’t understand!" she said, clutching her sleeves. "All my life men have groveled. One even licked my boot last year—unprompted! Hei Long did not grovel. He didn’t even glance twice! He even beat my auction bid. I need to know his intention!" Her brother rubbed his temples. "This is your ’shy and cold’ phase again, isn’t it?" "I’m serious! I will have him brought to me again—this time not by request. By force." Later That Night... Hei Long sat atop the rooftop of their guest inn, sipping tea, when a silver dagger embedded itself in the floor next to him. Attached: a note. "Lan Yinyin requests your presence tomorrow at her private garden. Do not be late. Or you’ll regret it."— Signed, "Definitely Not Obsessed" Hei Long raised an eyebrow. "She’s getting closer," he said calmly. "Good." Sheng Moxian, hiding behind him on the roof, immediately growled. "I smelled perfume. What’s that?! WHO’S SHE!?" He sighed. "Relax. She’s just rich." "...How rich?" "Like... royal." "Oh." Sheng Moxian narrowed her eyes. "Fine. One flirt. One. If you bed her, I’ll stab you." He leaned in with a grin. "You’re counting?" She blushed. "SHUT UP!"