Mirror Shadow Beast, Mirror Image Skull, Second Round of Exposure!

[Dou Er Era]

One month later.

Northern border of the Heaven Dou Empire, Skywater City.

This majestic city, built upon an ice field, was covered in wind and snow all year round.

The most magnificent complex of buildings in the city was the residence of the Tianshui Clan.

In a quiet room as warm as spring, sandalwood incense curled in the air, dispelling the last trace of chill from outside the window.

Ji Xuan sat cross-legged on a thick velvet rug and slowly opened his eyes.

A breath of stale air was exhaled in a long, steady stream.

"Finally... fully recovered."

Feeling the fullness and tranquility of his Spirit Sea, Ji Xuan could not help but feel a lingering fear.

At a soul power level of twenty, forcibly activating the ten-thousand-year soul skill Kyōka Suigetsu to construct an illusion capable of deceiving a Soul Saint came at a painful price.

Had Ling Luochen not spared no expense on rare treasures and invited a healing-type Soul Saint from the clan to treat him, he likely would have suffered permanent damage to his Spirit Sea, leaving no possibility for further progress, even if he had managed to survive.

For the past month, he had done nothing but recuperate and reflect.

"This time, I must curb my arrogance and impatience."

Ji Xuan made a secret resolution, carving this lesson deep into his bones.

He stood up and pushed open the door; the biting cold wind rushed to meet him, yet it cleared his chaotic thoughts.

In the courtyard, several maids were clearing away the accumulated snow.

Seeing him emerge, they stopped their work one after another and bowed respectfully.

"Young Master Ji."

Ji Xuan nodded and asked, "Where is Miss Ling Luochen?"

"The young lady is waiting for you in the study."

One of the maids replied softly.

Ji Xuan offered a word of thanks and headed straight toward the study in the main courtyard.

The door to the study was left ajar, and Ji Xuan pushed it open gently to enter.

The scene before him made him pause slightly.

The room was as warm as spring, with an entire wall lined with bookshelves filled with various classics.

In front of a large rosewood desk, a beautiful figure was sitting quietly.

It was a completely different Ling Luochen.

She had shed her oversized black cloak and changed into a water-blue qipao unique to the Tianshui Clan.

The qipao was tailored perfectly, embroidered with intricate ice flower patterns in silver thread, flawlessly outlining her tall and slender, moving curves;

At the slit, a pair of straight, long, jade-like legs were faintly visible, inviting imagination.

Her long, jet-black hair was pinned up high with a translucent ice crystal phoenix hairpin, revealing her smooth forehead and swan-like, graceful neck.

She was looking down, holding a wolf-hair brush, writing something on a sheet of rice paper with a focused and tranquil expression.

Although her brows and eyes still carried that aloofness that kept people at a distance, she now possessed a bit more of the nobility and dignity unique to a noblewoman of a great clan.

Compared to the disheveled woman in the black robe from before, she was like a completely different person.

Hearing the door open, Ling Luochen looked up.

Upon seeing that it was Ji Xuan, her cold, pretty face softened, as if spring breezes had thawed the frost.

"You're awake? How are you feeling?"

She set down her brush and rose to greet him.

"Thanks to you, there's no major issue anymore."

Ji Xuan stretched his limbs and said with a smile.

"And you? How are you?"

Hearing this question from Ji Xuan, which may or may not have been out of concern, Ling Luochen's pretty face flushed slightly.

"The evil energy within me has been temporarily suppressed, thanks to the intervention of several elders in the clan."

"However, it will likely take some time to eradicate it completely."

She looked up and gazed at Ji Xuan earnestly:

"Since your body has recovered, it is time to put the matter of obtaining your second soul ring on the agenda. Are you ready?"

"At any time." Ji Xuan nodded.

Ling Luochen looked at him, a trace of undisguised astonishment and admiration flashing in her eyes:

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that a person's first soul ring could actually be of the ten-thousand-year level."

"How on earth did you manage to do it?"

"And, how could you possibly be just a work-study student?"

These were the questions that had baffled her for the past month.

"Perhaps it is because my martial soul is rather special."

Ji Xuan gave a vague explanation.

Ling Luochen was as sharp as she was cold, and knowing this was his secret, she did not press him further.

As she turned to the side to reach for something, Ji Xuan happened to see the words she had just written.

On the rice paper, there were only two characters—Ji Xuan.

The brushwork was elegant, yet carried a bone-deep sharpness, just like the person herself.

Ji Xuan raised an eyebrow.

Ling Luochen's cheeks flushed even redder; she quickly put the paper away and forcibly changed the subject:

"Ahem... right, the ones accompanying you to hunt soul beasts this time are my second granduncle, a powerhouse at the Soul Douluo level, and two uncles who are both at the Soul Emperor level."

"Just as you told me before, I informed them that you are a four-ring Soul Ancestor and that this trip is to obtain your fifth soul ring."

Ji Xuan nodded, and his Mirror martial soul manifested, shining upon his own body.

Kyōka Suigetsu activated.

Behind him, four soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, and black—appeared.

At the same time, he exuded the authentic aura of a Soul Ancestor.

After a month of development, Ji Xuan had truly mastered the tricks of this Kyōka Suigetsu.

When this soul skill was applied to himself, it could achieve an effect similar to Huo Yuhao's Simulation soul skill.

However, if suppressed by powerful spiritual energy, it would still be exposed.

"No matter how many times I see it, I am always impressed by your soul skill."

There was a hint of wonder in Ling Luochen's beautiful eyes; with her cultivation at the Soul King level, even she could not distinguish the truth from the illusion with the naked eye alone.

"Actually, they are all trusted confidants of my lineage and will never speak of your situation to anyone."

Ji Xuan retracted his soul rings, acting as if he hadn't heard Ling Luochen's words.

"Besides, they... are also quite eager to meet you."

There seemed to be... more to those words than met the ear.

Ji Xuan gave her a somewhat strange look.

Seeming to notice the inquiry in his eyes, an unnatural flush of red appeared on Ling Luochen's usually aloof and untouchable face.

"I'll go arrange the personnel. You get ready; we depart in half an hour."

Having said that, she turned around in a fluster and walked out of the study first, leaving Ji Xuan with nothing but a slightly hurried, graceful silhouette.

Ji Xuan rubbed his nose, too lazy to overthink it.

Half an hour later, under Ling Luochen's guidance, Ji Xuan arrived at a training ground.

An elderly man in a blue martial outfit with a vigorous spirit, along with two stern-faced middle-aged men, were already waiting there.

"Second Granduncle."

Ling Luochen bowed respectfully.

"Mm." The old man nodded, his gaze then falling on Ji Xuan like a bolt of lightning.

"So, you are Ji Xuan?"

He looked Ji Xuan up and down, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"You look quite ordinary, I don't know what it is that makes our Ice Princess care so much about you."

"Second Granduncle!"

A rosy flush immediately flew onto Ling Luochen's cheeks, and she stamped her foot in embarrassment and annoyance.

Ji Xuan, however, remained calm and composed, bowing with neither servility nor arrogance:

"Junior Ji Xuan, greetings, Senior."

"No need for such formalities."

The old man waved his hand.

"Luochen has already told me everything about your situation. Tell me, have you decided what kind of soul beast you want to hunt?"

"I have."

A flash of sharp light crossed the eyes of Ji Xuan:

"My target, senior, is the Mirror Shadow Beast within the Ice-Sealed Forest!"

The Mirror Shadow Beast?

The three powerhouses present were all stunned upon hearing this.

This type of spirit beast was extremely rare and did not possess particularly strong offensive power.

However, its abilities were incredibly bizarre and notoriously difficult to deal with.

The old man nodded.

"Your martial soul is a Mirror, so choosing a Mirror Shadow Beast is indeed a fitting match."

"Let's go. There is no time to lose; we shall depart immediately."

On the outskirts of the Far North.

The group of five quickly set off toward the Ice-Sealed Forest located on the periphery of the Far North.

Inside the Ice-Sealed Forest, ice covered the earth, and everything in sight was a vast expanse of silver-white.

The bone-chilling wind scraped by like knives; ordinary spirit masters would find it difficult even to breathe here.

With the guidance of the Spirit Douluo powerhouse, they quickly penetrated deep into the core area of the forest.

"Found it!"

The old man suddenly stopped in his tracks, his gaze locked onto a peculiar spirit beast walking behind a massive ice crystal.

The spirit beast was not large, its entire body presenting a strange crystal color, somewhere between white and transparent, radiating a magnificent halo.

Those peculiar scales possessed reflective properties, allowing it to blend perfectly into the surrounding environment, making it difficult for anyone to discover.

And its cultivation had impressively reached forty thousand years!

"That's the one!"

Ji Xuan's breathing hitched slightly.

This was the very same type of spirit beast that Oscar had absorbed for his sixth spirit ring during the Douluo I Period, possessing an unimaginable replication ability!

"Move!"

At the old man's command, the two Spirit Emperors struck first, one on the left and one on the right. Their spirit rings shone, and powerful spirit skills instantly blocked all paths of retreat for the Mirror Shadow Beast.

"Roar!"

The Mirror Shadow Beast let out a sharp hiss, and the mirror-like surfaces all over its body suddenly burst into brilliant light!

The next moment, a bizarre scene unfolded!

Two identical Spirit Emperors appeared right beside the Mirror Shadow Beast, unleashing spirit skills exactly the same as the originals, clashing fiercely against the real Spirit Emperors!

Boom!

Amidst the violent explosion, the two Spirit Emperors were actually forced to retreat repeatedly by their own reflections!

"What a bizarre ability!"

One of the Spirit Emperors exclaimed in shock.

"Leave it to me."

The old man's expression remained unchanged as his eighth spirit ring suddenly lit up!

"Eighth Spirit Skill: Ice Age!"

He pressed one hand to the ground, and a terrifying cold current capable of freezing the soul instantly swept out from him as the center!

Crack! Crack!

The earth, the trees, the air—everything was instantly frozen solid under this cold current!

Even those reflections were frozen into ice sculptures in the face of this terrifying chill, shattering with a loud crash!

The main body of the Mirror Shadow Beast let out a mournful cry, its movements becoming incredibly sluggish; it had clearly suffered heavy damage.

"Ji Xuan! Now!"

Ling Luochen reminded him urgently from the side.

Ji Xuan had long been prepared.

He drew a sharp dagger from his belt and charged out like an arrow released from a bow, plunging the blade with pinpoint accuracy into the heart of the Mirror Shadow Beast!

Amidst the unwilling roar of the Mirror Shadow Beast, a deep, dark black spirit ring slowly rose from its body.

But it wasn't over yet!

Accompanying the appearance of the spirit ring, a crystal-clear skull bone, as brilliant as a diamond, also floated out from the head of the Mirror Shadow Beast!

"It... it's a spirit bone!"

"And it's a head spirit bone at that!"

Even the well-informed Spirit Douluo grand-uncle could not help but exclaim in shock, his eyes filled with astonishment.

"This kid's luck is simply too good!"

Ji Xuan's heart began to pound wildly at this moment.

Suppressing the ecstasy within his heart, he immediately sat cross-legged and began to absorb the hard-won spirit ring and spirit bone.

When Ji Xuan opened his eyes again, it was already dusk.

A feeling of unprecedented power flooded through his limbs and bones.

His spirit power, after absorbing the forty-thousand-year spirit ring, had soared directly to level 23!

And in his mind, information regarding two brand-new abilities had appeared.

[Second Spirit Skill: Mirror Image Replication!]

[Effect: Can replicate and store other people's spirit skills through a Mirror (each ring adds one storage slot, currently can store two). Replicated spirit skills possess 70% of the original power (decays by 10% for every 10 levels exceeded).]

There was also the spirit bone.

[Spirit Bone: Mirror Image Skull!]

[Attached Skill: Mirror Clone!]

[Effect: Can replicate a Mirror Clone possessing 80% of the original body's ability. The clone has independent consciousness and can last for one minute.]

[Furthermore, the Mirror Clone can use all spirit skills, including "Mirror Image Replication."]

"As of now, I can finally say I have a few trump cards."

Ji Xuan slowly stood up, feeling the surging power within his body, his eyes flashing with sharp light.

Whether it was replicating spirit skills or creating clones, these were powerful abilities capable of turning the tide of battle at critical moments!

After returning to the Tianshui Clan, Ji Xuan politely declined the warm invitation from Ling Luochen's second grandfather and returned to his room alone.

He stood before the window, watching the last rays of the sunset on the horizon, his heart surging with emotion.

The second ring, finally obtained.

Then, it is time... to make this long-silent continent lively once again!

With a thought, he communicated with the system in his mind.

"System, start the second round of exposure!"

[Ding! The second round of exposure is about to begin!]

[Top Ten Hypocrites List, Ninth Place--]

[Yan Shaozhe!]

(The plot has been modified. Here is Ling Luochen to apologize to all you foster fathers, please forgive her.)

Ling Luochen-Qipao Version