The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

Tang Xixue stood still.

She felt Feng Zhuo's Crimson Flame Sword emit a low hum in the darkness, and the heat from the sword's body transmitted through the darkness.

The chilling aura of dusk silently approached half a step behind her, her sword intent gathering but not yet unleashed.

That was a defensive posture that they had developed instinctively.

Shen Yan's voice came from the darkness, with a lingering echo, its direction unclear.

"Tang Xixue, do you really think I'll obediently let you manipulate me?"

Her voice was unpredictable.

"Do you think I'm still the pitiful little thing in Baiyujing, whom you could bully at will? Do you think I'm still the prisoner in Bingyuan, who groveled before you?"

"What a joke! I am the darling of Heaven! The heroine destined by fate!"

"Do you really think you can defy the heavens?"

Smoke on the ground yearns for snow in the sky; flowers in the mirror envy plum blossoms under the moon.

The moment she finished speaking, the sound of armor clashing echoed in the darkness.

The faint sound of metal rubbing against metal came from all directions at the same time.

They were densely packed, like countless dormant insects opening their mouthparts at the same moment.

One after another, silver-white masks emerged from the darkness.

They slowly turned in the same direction.

They all aimed at Tangxi Snow.

"Now that you've entered the territory of the Guixu Palace, do you think you can ever leave?"

Shen Yan's voice came from behind the array of masks, filled with a carefree laugh.

"This grand hall is the burial place I have prepared for you."

"Shen Yan!"

The sound of wind scorching exploded in the darkness, like a burning flame.

"Don't forget you've been poisoned! Aren't you afraid of dying from the poison and taking us with you?"

They were already wary of Shen Yan, so they were cautious in everything they did and proceeded step by step.

But this woman was truly cunning and impossible to guard against.

Is she really not afraid of dying?

What a crazy woman!

Mu Liang didn't speak, but simply gripped the sword tighter.

A murderous intent lingered in his eyes; he wished he could immediately slay this dark, venomous snake.

"Hahaha……"

Shen Yan's laughter came from the darkness, she laughed so hard she almost fell over.

"That poison?"

The laughter stopped abruptly.

"I already secretly threw up a long time ago."

She seemed to be showing off some amazing skill.

"You didn't expect that, did you?"

Shen Yan has learned a lot of skills during her time at Guixu Palace.

She was like a thirsty apprentice, desperately absorbing all the energy.

Now, she can finally use these skills to trample Tang Xixue under her feet.

But little did she know that her cleverness would backfire.

"You really think you threw up?"

Tang Xixue's voice was as calm as an ancient well, without a ripple.

"What did you say?"

Shen Yan's laughter paused for a moment.

"I said."

Tang Xixue's voice was neither hurried nor slow.

"Do you really think you're not poisoned?"

There was a moment of silence in the darkness.

Shen Yan's breathing became erratic.

"What...what do you mean?"

Her voice finally began to tremble.

"Stop trying to be mysterious! Tang Xixue, do you think I'd believe you?"

You are free not to believe me.

Tang Xixue's tone remained indifferent, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her.

"Whether you spit it out or swallow it, the poison has already seeped into your limbs and bones through your bloodstream. Touch the area three inches above your left wrist; does it feel slightly numb when you press it?"

Another silence fell in the darkness.

This time the silence was even longer.

Shen Yan did not answer, but everyone heard her breathing suddenly become rapid.

"you……"

Her voice was no longer calm and smug, but instead carried a hint of uncontrollable trembling.

"What exactly did you do to me?"

"It's nothing."

Tang Xixue's voice even carried a hint of pity.

"I just want you to know that every time you think you're clever, it's actually exactly what I expected."

Shen Yan thought herself clever, believing that she had finally gained the upper hand and could finally trample Tang Xixue underfoot.

Little did she know that from beginning to end, she was the one being schemed against.

"You, you wicked woman!"

Shen Yan's voice became shrill, with a hint of hysteria.

"You're the devil! You..."

Flowers in a mirror have no roots, and the moon's shadow cannot shine forever.

She played the role of the ideal woman for a lifetime, but in the end, the ideal woman was never hers.

She thought she was the moon, but forgot that the moon does not compete for brilliance.

That's enough.

Tang Xixue interrupted her, her voice suddenly turning cold, like a biting wind sweeping across a snowy plain in the dead of winter.

"I don't have time to listen to your barking. Call out the master behind you."

Her voice echoed in the darkness, clearly overwhelming all the noise.

"Is the Palace Master of Guixu a coward? Since you invited me here, why are you hiding in the shadows, afraid to show your face?"

There was a dead silence in the hall.

The guards in their silver masks remained motionless, as if intimidated by her imposing presence.

A moment later, a voice descended from the roof of the palace.

The sound was like a boulder rolling down a mountaintop, carrying an irresistible sense of oppression.

"A friend has come from afar..."

The voice paused, as if the speaker was laughing.

"I have prepared a gift for you."

The moment the words were spoken, the Yin-Yang symbol on the ground suddenly lit up.

The patterns on the black and white jade suddenly reversed in the silvery light, like two giant snakes that had been entangled for thousands of years finally opening their mouths.

The black jade patterns sank to the ground, while the white jade patterns rose to the surface.

"Princess Mirror Moon, you are welcome to experience this Tai Chi Yin Yang Dragon Trapping Formation for yourself."

"Since the true dragon does not wish to be buried in its own lair, what do you think of this place? Does it suit your taste?"

Centered on the spot where Tangxi Xue stood, it spread out in layers, like a blooming flower of white bones.

The edges of those jade patterns were as sharp as blades, gleaming with a chilling light.

Intertwined and interlocking, they emitted a soft, rustling sound, forming an intricate array of patterns that transformed the entire hall floor into a cage.

The silvery light converged from all directions, separating Tang Xixue, Feng Zhuo, and Mu Liang into different locations.

"Ah Xue!"

Feng Zhuo tried to rush over, but was blocked by a beam of light. He swung his sword and slashed, the blade striking the light with a piercing screech.

"Let me through! Ah Xue..."

"Burn it, but don't be impulsive."

Tang Xixue's voice came from within the formation, still calm and steady.

"But……"

"obedient."

With just two words, Feng Zhuo stopped moving.

He gritted his teeth, staring intently at the flowing silver-white array of light. The blade of the Crimson Flame Sword trembled slightly in his hand, emitting a reluctant hum.

Shen Yan stood outside the forbidden array, her gaze unfathomable in the darkness, separated by the flowing silver-white array light.

She took a deep breath, regained her composure after being thrown off balance by Tang Xixue, and the smile on her lips gradually returned.

"Princess Mirror."

Her voice regained its superior composure.

"Look, who has won and who has lost now?"

The burst of light was receding.

The silvery light squeezed inward inch by inch, compressing the space where Tang Xixue stood into an ever narrower space.

"Aren't you very capable?"

Shen Yan tilted her head, looking at Tang Xixue, who was trapped in the formation, with a leisurely air.

"Come out here!"

With each word she spoke, her smile deepened.

"Look around you, which of the people there can help you?"

Feng Zhuo let out a low roar from the other side of the formation, and flames surged on the surface of the Crimson Flame Sword, making his face appear red.

He swung his sword down, and a small crack appeared in the silvery-white array of light.

In the blink of an eye, a new burst of light filled the crack.

He struck again, and the array patterns reassembled.

It's like trying to cut flowing water with a knife.

Each sword strike was delivered with all one's might, yet it only stirred up a ripple.

"Don't bother, General Feng."

Shen Yan didn't even glance at him; her gaze remained fixed on Tang Xixue.

"This is the Guixu Palace's Dragon-Trapping Formation. Even if a real dragon comes, it will have to obediently coil up."

"You think you've won?"

Tang Xixue finally spoke.

She stood amidst the light, dressed in white as snow, her features cool and aloof, like a white plum blossom trapped in amber.

But there was no trace of fear of being besieged in her voice, only a faint pity.

"But who cares?"

"Shen Yan, you've schemed and plotted so much, but what have you gained?"

"You still stand outside the formation, watching me inside. You dare not approach me even a step."

"From Baiyujing to Guixu Palace... when have you ever dared to face me directly?"

"You cowardly coward, you dare to claim the title of Heroine?"