Homecoming, Dreams, and Mirror Flow in a Good Mood

By the time dusk fell, Lu Mingchuan and Mirror Flow had finally returned to Heaven Dou City. After two days of traveling, Master Lu did not want to move at all. He only wanted to go home, lie in his bed, hold his wives, and sleep soundly.

Mirror Flow had no interest in shopping either. Neither of them wasted any time, heading straight for Blue Tyrant Academy.

After greeting the gate guard, they entered the academy. Fortunately, there were not many students wandering around outside at this hour. Otherwise, he would not only have been physically exhausted, but mentally drained as well.

They returned to their lodgings without any unexpected surprises. After bidding Mirror Flow farewell, he hurriedly took a bath, lay down on his bed, and prepared to sleep. The moment he closed his eyes, darkness swept over him like a tide.

In a daze, he vaguely felt that his consciousness had arrived somewhere strange. He tried to open his eyes, but all he saw was darkness. He hurriedly reached out to touch his body, and only relaxed after feeling the familiar sensation beneath his hands.

After waiting in place for a while and finding the surroundings still pitch-black, he started walking forward. For some reason, though he clearly felt as if he had walked for a very, very long time, his body did not feel the slightest bit tired.

Pulling back his wandering thoughts, he quickened his pace. Finally, after who knew how long, a speck of light suddenly appeared before him. He rushed toward it, only to arrive in a strange place.

A single glance revealed a gloomy sky, endless rain, and a ruined city. Lu Mingchuan looked around before continuing forward. At last, he saw someone familiar—and a black sun.

The instant he saw that sun, Lu Mingchuan fell into nothingness. He felt himself sinking endlessly through a bottomless deep sea as scenes from his memories flashed through his mind. When he recalled summoning Huang Quan at the age of six, a smile appeared on his lips.

Even now, he still remembered what Huang Quan had said to him then.

"Huang Quan. Though it is only a borrowed name, you know what kind of person I am and remember what I have done. From this moment onward... I am Huang Quan."

Those words surfaced in his mind, and he felt as though he had finally fallen to the bottom.

Mirror Flow had also taken a bath. After spending so long in the forest, she had not picked up much dirt, nor was she particularly tired, but now that she was back, bathing simply made her feel more comfortable.

After changing into another identical dress, she came to the courtyard and found a place to sit, somewhat bored. She tilted her head slightly and gazed at the bright moon overhead, which cast a soft glow across her lovely face.

Then, as if she had thought of something beautiful, a smile slowly appeared on Mirror Flow's face. It was unlike her previously restrained upturn of the lips, or her bloodthirsty smile.

Perhaps because she was alone this time, she allowed herself to smile freely. Even her sharp crimson eyes seemed much gentler. No wonder people always loved to melt solid ice; beneath its exterior lay a beauty beyond the reach of ordinary people.

After a while, she lowered her head and reined in her smile. Her Ephemeral Flower Sword appeared in her hand, and she began to dance beneath the moonlight. Unlike when she had hunted the Titan Giant Ape, when every movement had brimmed with killing intent, her swordsmanship now was lively and graceful. Her skirt fluttered with her movements, making the two people outside the gate withdraw the feet they had been about to step inside with, silently standing there to watch.

After some time, when Mirror Flow felt that it was enough, she slowly sheathed her sword. Letting out a breath, she turned her gaze toward the two outside the gate.

"You've watched long enough. You may as well come in."

Indeed, she had noticed the two of them outside from the very beginning. She had simply been in the mood and had not paid them any attention, only speaking after her dance came to an end.

"Ah, you're finally back! I missed you both so much!" Once Mirror Flow finished her sword dance, Alicia ran excitedly to her side carrying a pile of things.

Mirror Flow merely glanced at her without replying, instead shifting her gaze toward Huang Quan, who was still standing at the entrance.

"Welcome." Noticing her gaze, Huang Quan spoke faintly, then said nothing more. Alicia, beside Mirror Flow, felt ignored. After struggling to free one hand, she tugged lightly at Mirror Flow's little hand.

"Come on, don't be so cold. Look at the clothes I bought for you." As she spoke, she released her hand and dug through the pile of packages she was carrying, pulling out several and handing them to Mirror Flow. Mirror Flow accepted them and pressed her rosy lips together.

"Thank you."

In the end, Alicia still heard Mirror Flow's cool expression of thanks, and her face immediately broke into a delighted smile. She then began asking where Lu Mingchuan was, since she had bought clothes for everyone.

"So where is Ah Chuan now? I bought some things for him too."

Mirror Flow pointed toward Lu Mingchuan's room. "He has been traveling for a long time and is tired, so he went to bed early."

But the moment she finished speaking, Lu Mingchuan's door opened. Lu Mingchuan walked out, looking rather listless. Seeing his dispirited state, Mirror Flow and Huang Quan both frowned.

Huang Quan stepped forward first and took his hand. Lu Mingchuan looked at Huang Quan in confusion. Was she jealous?

Of course, Huang Quan was not jealous. She had sensed traces of [Nihility] on Lu Mingchuan, which frightened her. But after probing through his body and finding nothing, she finally relaxed.

"What is it?" Mirror Flow walked over to the two of them and asked Huang Quan. Alicia followed behind, looking worried.

Huang Quan shook her head at them, indicating that it was nothing. In her view, he had only been tainted by a very small amount of Nihility. It was not a serious problem.

After regaining his senses for a while, Lu Mingchuan's muddled mind gradually returned to normal. He then connected it to his earlier dream. It was not particularly difficult to figure out; every element that made up the dream was familiar to him.

Thinking of this, he looked at Huang Quan, whose face was expressionless even as concern filled her eyes. Suddenly, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. He could barely endure even that brief sensation of nothingness, yet he had no idea how much Nihility Huang Quan bore upon herself.

But for now, all he could do was let Huang Quan rest in his embrace for a little while. Huang Quan inhaled that familiar scent and slowly closed her eyes, while the other two did not disturb them.

At Xue Qinghe's residence, Lu Mingchuan's information had been placed on her desk. She picked up the few thin sheets that recorded Lu Mingchuan's life and studied them for a while.

She then decided to wait and see, because the documents stated that a powerful figure close to the Titled Douluo level followed him. Moreover, that person had never shown herself anywhere on Douluo Continent. She might be an unaffiliated expert, or she might come from a reclusive family that had never revealed itself.

Either possibility made it unwise to approach rashly.