Chapter 699: Chapter 35: Mirror Curse and the Death Demon Tree

"Bright Mirror Still Water, Time Freeze, world’s everything is annihilated—!!"

As Kaguya’s ultimate Secret Technique, in the current timeline world where the Technique is initiated, there is almost no defensive move in the world that can rival this technique.

Though it doesn’t come without obvious flaws, compared to its positive Effect, this flaw is not so deadly. Moreover, abilities involving the Time Domain are often extremely powerful and frightening, a value that Gu Mo naturally would not ignore.

In this particularly fast-paced instance, apart from honing this body meticulously, following the existing blueprint and successful experiences, he cultivates it to a degree infinitely close to a True Body...

The main achievement remaining is to recreate Kaguya’s ultimate Secret Technique in his own way.

Unlike the original form of the Curse, his version of the Spell is relatively downgraded.

Because the normal "Bright Mirror Still Water Technique" has extremely harsh requirements, the ritual site is limited to Dream City, needing Realm of Life and Celestial Maiden’s Feather Robe, two Gold Level top-tier Magical Treasures for support, and the caster must have Celestial Maiden’s Power, with a very long pre-cast chant, requiring at least three nights as a prerequisite.

Also, during the casting process, the moon phase relative to the earth over the three nights will show as a full moon illusion.

With such harsh and troublesome requirements, it’s difficult for Gu Mo to meet so many elements and demands.

However, as someone who has reached the Grandmaster Level in the field of Mysticism, he has already achieved the level of creating Technique Skills by himself, relying on god-like computational analytical capabilities. After thoroughly understanding the Technique Principles, elements, and operational mechanism of "Bright Mirror Still Water Technique," he began the process of improvement and reduction.

The final result was the creation of his version, though with many shortcomings, it also has many advantages, at least usable.

The ritual site is still limited to nights when the full moon is visible. The required treasures became Fire Rat Fur, Stone Alms Bowl Before the Buddha, Dragon Head Jade, Swallow’s Nest Pearl, and Penglai Jade Branch combination... However, cost reduction means a reduction in final results, probably from the scale of a world-class Technique, downgraded to a strategic level Technique.

Only at present...

—it seems just enough.

The vast silver moonlight sweeps over thousands of meters, replacing the expression of the super large-scale Pentagram Array’s diffusion. This is the most significant difference between Gu Mo’s version and Kaguya’s version of the "Bright Mirror Still Water Technique," but the Effect is equally terrifying, freezing everything the light sweeps over.

As if the world in motion was pressed with a pause button, molecules are frozen in their original spatial positions.

Although it’s impossible to stop the spread invasion of the Power of Death, since directly manipulating Death is a conceptual phenomenon, the environment within the Time Freeze Domain itself is frozen, all objects become still and unable to interact, so they naturally won’t be affected by external influences.

Thus indirectly halting the impact of the death wave, avoiding the brutal result of the Demon Cherry Blossom’s power surge instantly turning the surrounding miles into a dead zone.

In this frozen world, only those who can continue to move and interact will remain under the threat of the Power of Death.

A terrifying aura envelops, oppressive between heaven and earth, as if a great disaster is imminent.

Even with only an instinctive counterattack, it is an extremely dangerous deadly move, indiscriminately sweeping everything, turning the thousands of miles into a deadly atmosphere, suddenly gathering back madly, then sweeping the most terrifying death ripple towards nearby enemies!

The Demon Cherry Blossom, however, is not immobilized, fiercely launching another wave of instinctive counterattack!

"Swish!"

Golden hair flying, the slender pale hand of the Monster Maiden descends, an unfolded fan with a wave, blocking space with opened gaps in all directions, making her figure blur and twist, like a pattern displayed in a kaleidoscope, refracted countless times.

Fantastical, myriads of forms, the true position of the body is elusive.

Space is linked, winding and twisting, in an instant, repeated folds stretched the otherwise short physical distance, letting the death wave flow in, bouncing back and forth, ultimately spilling out from another exit!

She seems unreachable as if located in another dimension.

In such circumstances, amidst the rolling waves of death, the Monster Maiden also lifts her eyes, slightly nervous as she glances high into the air, knowing the person should be fine, even if now it’s just a clone, but still a bit worried.

In the next moment, under the brunt of the Power of Death, the white-clad Immortal in the high sky withers instantly.

Just in the silent demise, seemingly coming naturally to an end, his body scatters to dust, transforming directly into a thousand winds... But then, suddenly in the entire courtyard, it’s as if a spring breeze blows overnight, immediately the falling blossoms are scattered everywhere, dreamlike and ethereal, unlike human-world scenery.

Yakumo Zi looks at once, seeing cherry blossoms dancing all over the sky.

Under the moonlight, like countless butterflies gathered together dancing gracefully, the scene is incredibly beautiful.

"Has it blossomed?!"

This thought subconsciously emerges in her mind, her expression becomes solemn, could it be that in the end, she failed to stop the Demon Cherry Blossom from blooming, instead completely facilitating it to take the last step under such stimuli?

She quickly scans the courtyard, but immediately sees amid the flowering blooms, that figure with flowing robes appears, as if walking through the cherry blossom falling corridor, or just emerged from the petals, cleverly using objects to substitute, grafting damage without a single scratch.

The Demon Cherry Blossom remained silent, yet seemed to grow even more violent, as the ripples transformed by the Power of Death swept through, causing the countless blooming cherry blossoms to fall, losing all their vitality in an instant.

The newly reappeared figure of Gu Mo also shattered accordingly. However, as the cherry blossoms drifted in the wind, his figure could always reappear, making it impossible at first glance to discern where his silhouette was among the flying petals.

Yakumo Zi’s thoughts raced, and she almost immediately understood.

This was not the natural blooming of the Demon Cherry Blossom itself, not to that extent. It was simply transformed into such a state through an Illusion Technique, which could both deplete the Demon Cherry Blossom’s energy and create favorable conditions, becoming a medium that his Spells could utilize—

Transferring damage, using objects as substitutes, all at once, became a True Person.

With a swift glance, the Monster Maiden even noticed that various weeds and plants were rapidly growing on the ground of the courtyard, and although they were growing visibly fast and withering just as quickly, constantly cycling, they were completing their task in the process.

Her expression was somewhat peculiar, as she understood better the vitality level of that Flower Demon.

If the battle location at the time was in the Sunflower Field...

Whose home-field advantage would it really be? Even with Kazami Yuuka’s Plant Manipulation abilities, it would probably be quite a headache. It’s said to learn from heaven and earth, yet in turn, surpassing the creations of heaven and earth itself... Has the Eastern Immortal Dao already silently deduced the use of Mysterious Power to such an extent?

Relaxing slightly, the Monster Maiden subconsciously thought so.

— In reality, this is the skill intensity of "Earth Evil Seventy-two Techniques (LV1)".

— As a legendary red Ability Badge, with the additional level effect bonus of "Enhance +1", it naturally has a very powerful effect.

In addition, over the years, the polishing and cultivation of Gu Mo’s clone have already brought it very close to his former true body, allowing him to achieve this.

Once again, appearing among the countless petals, Gu Mo lightly waved and flicked out three talismans, stomping the ground forcefully, attempting to seal off the Earth Energy, restraining the fierce flame of this extremely strange plant, but was directly shattered by the tide-like evil energy from underground.

The talismans ignited without fire mid-flight, the ashes scattered by the Red Tide of Death!

"Collect!"

Seizing a gap like lightning, Gu Mo appeared beside the Demon Cherry Blossom, his robe fluttering as he pressed a palm directly down, Divine Power surging mightily!

The Demon Cherry Blossom remained completely unmoved, causing his expression to change slightly.

In the next instant, the white-robed Immortal’s form disintegrated again, breaking apart inch by inch from the strands of hair, thoroughly obliterated into lifeless dust.

The wind stopped.

The cascading cherry blossoms vanished into thin air.

Very abruptly, it was as if the entire courtyard suddenly fell back into silence.

"..."

"..."

In such silence, the quiet was broken. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Seems incredibly tricky..."

Appearing beside the Monster Maiden, Gu Mo, who bore no injuries as if he had been standing there all along, sighed softly. He hadn’t successfully sealed the Earth Energy Vein, nor activated the Mountain Shifting Skill, and even his straightforward attempt to uproot and seal the entire Demon Cherry Blossom had failed.

Also, just now, the Bright Mirror Still Water Technique hadn’t stopped the activity of this Demon Cherry Blossom, although this is understandable, perhaps much like Kikyo could exempt herself from the effect of this Curse.

The time of the dead had already stopped, so the Porcelain Witch at that time was naturally unaffected...

Then how should one interpret this Demon Cherry Blossom, imbued with the Power of Death, bathed in death? In a certain sense, it is also a deathly existence, naturally able to exempt itself from the effects of the Curse...

Well, this time-stopping Spell is still powerful enough, it’s just that neither the past Kaguya nor the present self had the luck, encountering enemy units with inherent resistances to Time System attacks for various reasons, there’s nothing to be done about it.

Gu Mo glanced at the five treasures still circling around him; they gleamed brilliantly, exuding a strange light, with a vast energy visibly surging and rolling inside.

Ultimately, this was the result of referencing and revising the prototype spell, the five treasures actually perfectly substituted the function of the original Pentagram Array. But with such enormous consumption, Gu Mo could only leverage the Power of the Moon Phase on a full moon night to manage to exhibit it.

Though it couldn’t affect the main body of the Demon Cherry Blossom now, he hasn’t removed the five treasures, still constantly ready.

At least it can freeze the environment, in critical moments, whether to restrain the opponent’s ultimate move, deal with unexpected situations, or strategically retreat during the Time Freeze, this is the best choice.