The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

"I never imagined our junior sister was so skilled in feng shui techniques!"

Jiu Fangzhi stood not far behind her, quietly watching her composed and radiant appearance.

The interplay of lake light and sky light fell upon her, bathing her in a hazy glow.

"As expected of junior sister, she always brings surprises and always shines brightly."

He was used to her usual relaxed and indifferent demeanor, but he could never take his eyes off her when she got serious.

The light emanated from its very core, so bright and dazzling that it captivated the very soul.

"Master, do you like it? I, for one, really like it."

Bingyou transmitted a message to him with her divine sense, asking curiously.

"Bingyou, don't talk nonsense. My junior sister and I are just fellow disciples. If she hears this, she'll be so embarrassed."

Jiu Fangzhi responded to Bing You seriously.

"Oh—I understand."

Bingyou transformed into a mimicry and didn't believe a single word he said.

dislike?

He doesn't like making steamed buns for his junior sister?

Would you give your junior sister the antidote if you didn't like it?

Does he dislike indulging his junior sister in everything?

If he doesn't like it, will he ask his junior sister to make him a mask?

Ha! Just fooling yourself!

"Zhizhi, there's a boundary marker over here!"

Si Xingxuan's voice suddenly came from the bushes by the lake, breaking the brief silence.

"What boundary marker?" Tang Xixue asked.

"I don't know, we'll have to clear the vines to find out."

Si Xingxuan parted the dense bushes with one hand and held a thin, cicada-wing-like throwing knife in the other, deftly clearing away the thick vines entwined around the stone tablet.

"It will be ready soon."

Those vines had grown for countless years, as thick as a child's arm, and were extremely resilient.

But the willow-leaf throwing knife twirled like a streak of light in his fingertips, cutting through iron like mud.

In just a few breaths, the vines were completely removed, leaving clean, smooth cuts.

"Come and see!"

"They're here."

Jiu Fangzhi and Tang Xixue walked past one after the other.

An ancient stone tablet has finally been fully revealed.

"It really is an ancient stone tablet, with inscriptions on it."

The monument is about ten feet tall, entirely black, so deep that it seems to absorb the surrounding dim light.

"This material seems to be black crystal."

The material is neither stone nor jade, it is icy cold to the touch, and its surface has a faint, dark sheen.

The stele is covered with dense ancient characters, each stroke deeply embedded in the stone.

"Zheyue seems to have discovered something extraordinary."

Jiu Fangzhi walked silently to Tang Xixue's side and stood with her in front of the monument.

"The writing on it is very ancient; it is the oldest writing in Xingze."

Si Xingxuan frowned, the throwing knife already retracted into his sleeve.

"Let's see what's written on it."

The three stood side by side, their gazes slowly sweeping over the chilling engravings on the stone tablet.

"Zheyue, is this the ancient script of your Xingze region? Do you recognize it?"

Tang Xixue asked, recalling seeing this script in ancient books; it was the ancient script of the Xingze royal family.

"Yes, I can recognize it."

Si Xingxuan nodded.

"Then can you read it to us?"

Tangxi Xue asked.

"sure."

Si Xingxuan immediately began to carefully study the characters on the stele, trying to recall their meanings.

These words are a closely guarded secret of the Xingze royal family, so Tang Xixue did not know their specific meaning.

"The God of Medicine has fallen and is forever buried in this lake."

Si Xingxuan unconsciously softened her voice and slowly read out each word.

"The way of Heaven has collapsed, and the mountains and rivers are shrouded in darkness."

"The Great Calamity of the Nine Provinces"

"Under the End—"

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.

"All things return to nothingness."

After those four words were spoken, no one spoke for a long time.

The wind stopped at that moment.

"This stele seems to be a prophecy."

Tang Xixue was the first to break the silence.

She stared at the inscription on the monument.

"The Great Calamity of the Nine Provinces, the return of all things to nothingness... Could it be related to the Palace of Return to Nothingness?"

She always felt that there was some earth-shattering secret hidden in this, and that with just a gentle tug, a truth that would be too shocking to look at would be revealed.

"It also says that the name of this lake is the Lake of Fallen Gods."

Si Xingzhou added a sentence.

"Lake of Fallen Gods".

Jiu Fangzhi's voice was deep and resonant.

"This is a forbidden place for sealing immortals and burying gods."

He turned his gaze to the Fallen God Lake and continued.

"It seems that the first Medicine God is buried here. There has always been a legend outside: 'Visit the burial site of the god and inquire about immortality.'"

"The secret to immortality lies hidden within the burial grounds of the gods. Many powerful forces have searched high and low, turning ancient texts upside down, all in an effort to find this place."

"It is said that some lucky people have stumbled into this place, almost dying at the last minute. Even those who survived by sheer luck all went mad in the end."

Jiu Fangzhi recounted in detail that he knew many secrets.

"Wouldn't that be extremely dangerous?"

Tang Xixue raised her head.

"Oh no!"

She suddenly remembered that Xingmi had been gone for a long time.

Since entering the water, the lake has remained as calm as if nothing had happened, without the slightest disturbance.

The little silver dragon seemed to be swallowed up by that bottomless azure.

"Xingmi hasn't come back yet."

There was a hint of urgency in her voice.

"Don't worry, junior sister."

Jiu Fangzhi turned around to face her, his voice soft and steady.

"Let's go down and see for ourselves."

"it is good."

After Tang Xixue finished speaking, she glanced at the little white cat Yin Kong, which immediately jumped onto her shoulder.

To make it easier for her to carry herself, she even transformed herself into a smaller, fluffy dumpling, revealing a pair of bright, sapphire-blue eyes—she was incredibly cute.

"It's so dangerous inside, Zheyue..."

Before Tang Xixue could finish speaking, Si Xingxuan's eyes reddened, and tears were about to fall.

"Zhizhi, don't leave me behind."

Si Xingxuan immediately took half a step closer to Tang Xixue, his wet eyes looking at her, his tone half coquettish and half earnest.

"It's too dangerous out here. What if I run into bad guys while I'm here alone?"

"Then Pavilion Master Fengxiao is here too. That female demon is ruthless and kills without blinking an eye."

"If I fall into her hands, I'm finished. You have no idea how much the Guixu Palace wants to kill me..."

Si Xingxuan said with a wronged expression, much like a homeless little animal caught in a heavy rain.

Guixu Palace has wanted to kill him for quite some time now.

It's every single day!

"Then Zheyue, stay close to me."

Tang Xixue thought about it and realized that what he said made sense. The Pavilion Master of Fengxiao Pavilion was indeed powerful and extremely dangerous.

Jiu Fangzhi glanced at Si Xingxuan, then said:

"Tsk, you little good-for-nothing, a burden."

"..."

Si Xingxuan clenched his fists.

"Zhizhi, say something!"