"Ten thousand meters?" Mu Chen said, surprised. "For a Martial Sect, that distance can be crossed in the blink of an eye. Even if we successfully retrieve it, we won’t get far before they intercept us again."

The Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit nodded. "You’re right. But I never said we had to retrieve the Soul Concentration Mirror immediately after handing it over. Wouldn’t that be asking for death?"

Feng Shanshan agreed with the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit’s point and asked, "Then, Master, what is your plan?"

The Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit smiled. "From what I understand, opening the Senluo Tomb must have caused a huge commotion. And according to what you told me, thirty participants enter these Senluo Ruins every year. Now, think. When a disturbance this big happens, what are those other participants going to think?"

Mu Chen paused for a moment. "They’ll probably rush to the source of the phenomenon to see if some Exotic Treasure has emerged."

The Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit laughed. "Exactly. Any normal person would do the same, especially since they’re in the legendary Senluo Ruins. They’ll be certain a great treasure has appeared, and they’ll most likely think it’s related to the Forest of Myriad Manifestations. The members of the Blood Python Family would never dare to publicize the existence of the Soul Concentration Mirror."

Mu Chen and Feng Shanshan remained silent as the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit continued, "Furthermore, what do you think will happen when everyone gathers at the entrance and happens to discover four participants from the Blood Python Family?"

"They’ll be even more certain of what they’re thinking," Feng Shanshan and Mu Chen answered in unison.

"Correct." The corners of the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit’s mouth curved upward. "At that point, if the two of you, the participants who successfully entered and exited the Senluo Tomb, were to suddenly appear before them, what do you suppose they would do?"

Before Mu Chen and Feng Shanshan could answer, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit spoke directly, "They’ll undoubtedly swarm you. Because regardless of whether you actually got anything inside the Senluo Tomb, they will assume that you did. It’s the ’better to kill one innocent person than to miss a single opportunity’ mentality. So, if you two act sensibly, talk with them for a bit, and then hand over the Forest of Myriad Manifestations and the Soul Concentration Mirror... Heheh... what kind of scene do you think will play out in the Outer Realm?"

Feng Shanshan frowned. "Hand them over? How can we casually give away something so precious?"

Mu Chen glanced at Feng Shanshan and shook his head. "No, that’s not what the Mirror Spirit meant. As soon as we’re outside, everyone will assume we obtained the Forest of Myriad Manifestations, whether we actually did or not. So, at that point, if we present the Forest of Myriad Manifestations from our hands, they will subconsciously assume it’s the real deal, regardless of its authenticity. Even if it isn’t, they’ll feel they have to snatch it and take a look for themselves before they can be sure. On top of that, our Martial Artist Realms are pitifully low in their eyes. The moment we hand over the Forest of Myriad Manifestations and the Soul Concentration Mirror, they won’t give a damn if we live or die; they’ll immediately fall into a brawl over the treasures. So, what the Mirror Spirit means is... to sow discord. To make the remaining twenty-four Martial Sects fight the four from the Blood Python Family. Let them tear each other to pieces!"

The Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit snapped its fingers and gave Mu Chen an appreciative look. "You truly are a monstrously clever kid. That’s right, that was my exact line of thinking. Although the Forest of Myriad Manifestations will be a fake, the Soul Concentration Mirror is real. If you first present the Soul Concentration Mirror and then hand over the Forest of Myriad Manifestations, the members of the Blood Python Family will definitely lose their composure. The others aren’t fools; a person’s expression can reveal everything. So, following that line of thought, they will inevitably assume the Forest of Myriad Manifestations is real as well. What follows will be pure chaos, but the more chaotic the scene, the greater the advantage for us. Then, right in the middle of their struggle, the Soul Concentration Mirror suddenly vanishes. What do you suppose the other twenty-four people will think? Heheh..."

Mu Chen’s mind was incredibly sharp; he understood in an instant. He chuckled. ’That plan is... quite despicable. But it’s absolutely perfect. It would be even more so if the Soul Concentration Mirror were recalled the very instant one of the four from the Blood Python Family gets their hands on it.’

The Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit froze for a second, then laughed. "Heheh, you’re even more despicable than I am, kid! In that case, all fingers will point directly at the Blood Python Family. Even though the other twenty-four are ordinary martial artists and don’t have the enhancement of a Heaven-Defying Magical Beast like the Blood Python, they are still the cream of the crop, chosen from every Empire. Their skills are far beyond what any ordinary martial artist can compare to. Twenty-four High-Tier Martial Sects against four High-Tier Martial Sects... you’re trying to hound the Blood Python Family to their graves! Haha..."

Mu Chen smiled faintly. "Not at all. Since they want to trap us, why should we be merciful to them?"

After speaking, Mu Chen took a deep breath. The journey through the Senluo Ruins had seemed simple, but it was actually fraught with danger. Escaping would be the most perilous part. If the people outside had no intention of listening to them and simply unleashed a barrage of attacks from all twenty-eight of them the moment they emerged, then this elaborate plan would be useless.

"Alright, kids. Since the plan is in place, let’s get ready to head out. After all, every extra minute we linger in the Senluo Ruins adds to the danger. Turbulent spacetime and Spatial Rifts are absolutely lethal to Martial Artists who haven’t mastered any Space Ability." With a flash of intent, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit rapidly withdrew its Spiritual Domain, revealing a circular, flat surface only a hundred meters across at Mu Chen and Feng Shanshan’s feet.

The Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit took a deep breath, then glanced at the chair to the side. "Hm? How is there a skeleton here? It’s golden... a Saint’s remains, at that. Let’s see who this was."

As it spoke, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit strode over to the skeletal remains. The corner of Mu Chen’s eye twitched. ’If my memory serves me correctly, just a month ago, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit was spewing curses at the owner of these very bones. I can’t wait to see its expression now.’

Sure enough, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit first sauntered lazily up to the remains, looking down its nose at the golden bones with an arrogant, casual air. But when it noticed the peculiar insignia carved into the skeleton’s brow, its jaw dropped wide open.

"Sima Changkong!!! Holy fucking shit!"

The Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit shrieked and teleported behind Mu Chen and Feng Shanshan as if it had seen a ghost. "You two little brats," it chided, "is that the skeleton of that bastard Sima Changkong?"

Feng Shanshan nodded. "If the ancestral texts are not mistaken, those are the remains of our ancestor, Sima Changkong. Mirror Spirit, what’s wrong with you?" Feng Shanshan had been in a daze after entering the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit’s Spiritual Domain, so she naturally knew nothing of its tirade against Sima Changkong. Swallowing hard, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit coughed twice and said with a slight tremble, "N-Nothing. Nothing’s wrong."

Though it sounded afraid, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit was already berating itself in its mind. ’The guy has been dead for tens of thousands of years, what the hell is there to be afraid of?’ Having thought this, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit shot another glance at Sima Changkong’s remains, puffed out its chest, and said, "Ahem, let’s go. We’ll just leave this guy here by himself."

With that, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit briskly started walking down, never once looking back. Though its gait was steady, had Feng Shanshan and Mu Chen walked in front of it, they would have discovered that the spirit was drenched in a cold sweat. It was clear what a tremendous psychological scar Sima Changkong had left on the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit by sealing it away for thirty thousand years.

The return trip was, as always, faster than the initial journey. It only took ten minutes for Mu Chen and his companions to emerge from the Crystal Mountain Body under the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit’s guidance.

Only after exiting the cave did the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit discreetly wipe the sweat from its brow. It turned its head and said, "This place is exactly as it was thirty thousand years ago. Nothing has changed at all. It seems the people of the Ninghun Family truly never moved in."

Feng Shanshan responded softly, "Because of Ancestor Changkong, the successive Clan Leaders of the Ninghun Family all advocated for developing in the Outer Realm. Nowadays, power and influence in the Outer Realm are what people ultimately strive for."

Mu Chen didn’t comment on Feng Shanshan’s words. ’He felt her statement was too absolute. Of the many people he’d met, plenty of them valued freedom. He didn’t have to look far; his own father, Mufeng, was a man with a personality similar to the Senluo Saint, one who yearned for freedom and harmony.’

The Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit sighed. "Ah, well. On second thought, maybe that bastard Changkong’s approach wasn’t necessarily wrong." After speaking, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit suddenly whipped its head in a certain direction, its expression brightening. "Oh, right! I’ll show you two something interesting."

"Something interesting?"

The two followed the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit to a section of an unusually smooth mountain wall. They watched as it walked up to the wall, fumbled around for a few seconds, and then chuckled. "Found it. After thirty thousand years, some things are a little hazy. It took me that long just to find the Mechanism." As it spoke, the Soul Condensing Mirror Spirit applied slight pressure with its right hand, twisting and pressing down on a protruding, prism-shaped crystal.

Having experienced the cave opening before, Mu Chen quickly steadied his center of gravity and braced his stance, preparing not to be caught off guard by the ensuing vibrations. But after waiting for a moment, he found that his surroundings remained surprisingly quiet, without the slightest tremor.

With a dull CLANK, the smooth mountain wall in front of Mu Chen suddenly flickered, then slowly began to display an image. The picture was perfectly clear, as if he were scrying into a mirror. Of course, Mu Chen wasn’t stunned by the sudden appearance of the image itself; instead, he began to study it carefully. However, once he did, the scene depicted within it truly shocked him.

Because the image showed none other than the area enveloped by the seven golden pillars of light that soared into the sky. Every feature within that area was so familiar; though it was dark, the view was exceptionally clear.

On a floating landmass beneath the centermost pillar, Mu Chen could clearly see more than twenty slowly moving black dots. The appearance of these two dozen or so dots startled him. "Mirror Spirit, this is..."