Three Reflections Transform the Cosmos Realm

Fang Xun recognized the newcomer.

A fellow disciple under Dong Chunqiu, serving as a Censorate Attendant—Shen Qinghe.

After coldly reading out the court's decree, Shen Qinghe looked at Fang Xun and suddenly put on a gentle expression.

"Junior Brother Fang, there is no need to lose heart too much. Going to East Mountain may not mean you have no chance to render meritorious service and escape your predicament."

Fang Xun abruptly raised his head, forcing himself to rally. "What do you mean, Senior Brother Shen?"

"You know as well that the Imperial Tomb was built for His Majesty. It covered the land of an entire commandery, modeled the mountains and rivers of the twelve provinces, gathered the rarest treasures and living things beneath heaven, and imitated a real world. Construction on the Imperial Tomb began at the founding of the kingdom and remains unfinished even today."

"The Mohist School oversaw its construction, the Military School guarded it, the Legalist School monitored it, the Yin-Yang School cultivated its lawful aura, and the History School recorded immortality. There is also a tomb-guarding clan entrusted with its care..."

"Such an important place ought to have been impregnable."

"Yet half a year ago, some petty scoundrels attempted to break into the Imperial Tomb. Though they were successfully stopped, the thieves still escaped."

"Over the past half year, those people have refused to abandon their criminal intentions and repeatedly tried to infiltrate it. East Mountain Town's garrison failed to catch the thieves and was therefore stripped of office."

"If Junior Brother Fang can capture those criminals on this journey, perhaps you can atone for your crimes through meritorious service."

Having heard the full story, Fang Xun cupped his hands gratefully. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Shen. It's only..."

"Alas..." Fang Xun sighed again.

As if the Cold Mountain calamity had dealt him an enormous blow, he no longer possessed his former ambition.

Seeing this, Shen Qinghe softly added, "If you truly cannot catch the thieves, that is not a problem either. Your senior brothers in court can still look after you somewhat, so you will not be dismissed and investigated."

"But remember this: under no circumstances can you allow the thieves into the Imperial Tomb. At the very least, they must not break through from East Mountain Town. Otherwise..."

"Even Master will be unable to protect you!"

Fang Xun's expression tightened, and he nodded solemnly.

"The appointment has arrived. Junior Brother Fang should depart as soon as possible."

"As for Yin Fengshuo..."

Shen Qinghe glanced toward Shuofang County and sneered. "Rest assured, Junior Brother. This Censorate Attendant will certainly take good care of him this time."

After handing over the relevant procedures, Shen Qinghe delayed no longer and hurriedly rode the wind away.

"This Senior Brother Shen is as kindhearted as ever."

"Of course, toward his own people."

Li Shun nodded to himself.

Yet he was in no hurry to depart.

Taking advantage of the final remaining time of the second reflection, Li Shun kept pondering and deducing his plan for "tomorrow."

"If I cannot make it foolproof, I can only reduce the risks as much as possible."

"But it is worth trying."

Li Shun had already made his decision.

Third Reflection.

As the new day arrived, the Fang Xun puppet that had originally been stored within the Square Inch Space quietly vanished.

At the first dim light of dawn, Fang Xun left the city gates.

What followed was Cheng Yishu pursuing Yu Niang while carrying her away.

Li Shun followed the same method, having the [Li Shun] puppet trail behind from afar.

As for himself, he came alone to the county yamen's rear residence.

Because of what had happened that morning, the county yamen was now gripped by panic and thrown into complete chaos.

No one paid any attention to a minor Cold Mountain Keeper like Li Shun.

He first openly stored three Cold Mountain Lords and fifteen Cold Mountain Grass plants from the flower room into the Square Inch Space.

Then, familiar with the route, he made his way to Fang Xun's bedroom.

After feeling around for a while, he found a hidden compartment beneath the bed.

Unfortunately, it was covered by a seal set by Fang Xun, and Li Shun could not open it for the time being.

"The two hundred taels of gold and two hundred thirty taels of silver bestowed by the Changle Marquis are inside. So are some treasures Fang Xun collected over the years."

"To avoid arousing suspicion, Fang Xun did not bring them with him when he left this time. He merely protected them with a seal, planning to retrieve them after the matter was over."

"Even with greed clouding his heart, he could still make such arrangements. Fang Xun's resolve is not bad."

Li Shun's eyes flickered as he directly stored the entire bed before him into the Square Inch Space.

Then he swaggered out, not forgetting to close the door behind him.

The county yamen remained a complete mess. No one would have imagined that Fang Xun's inner residence had already been swept clean by Li Shun.

"Though the calamity of mountains toppling and earth collapsing looks terrifying, if one knows about it in advance, preserving one's life is not difficult."

"Even if I am buried underground, once Fang Xun becomes a puppet, he can come save me."

Leaving the county yamen, Li Shun swiftly returned to his own residence.

He hid inside the underground passage, then began continuously transplanting Cold Mountain Grass along the surrounding rock walls.

At the same time, he stimulated it with the Spirit-Splitting Life-Forming Art.

The Cold Mountain Grass roots intertwined and grew without cease. In less than half an hour, they had all tangled together, like a densely woven cage.

"This should be enough."

Li Shun sat cross-legged within the cramped space, finally at ease.

"Though Zhou Xunzhen laid out the grand scheme of diverting calamity at Cold Mountain, he is not omniscient or omnipotent. Otherwise, I would have been exposed long ago during the past twenty-six years."

"Especially since he is still within the Wealth-Greed Sealbreaking Tribulation. With the sixth realm urging him onward, he has even less time to concern himself with the outside world."

"The only concern is after he breaks through. Fang Xun was nearly a hundred li from the county seat, yet he was still discovered in an instant..."

The scenes from yesterday flashed through Li Shun's mind once more as he reassessed the feasibility of his plan.

"I have two hundred years of lifespan but no cultivation whatsoever. In Zhou Xunzhen's eyes, I am no different from an ant—especially while hiding deep underground."

"This Cold Mountain Grass around me..."

Li Shun's eyes flashed, and he withdrew all the leaves of the Cold Mountain Grass into the Square Inch Space.

Only the dense roots surrounding him remained.

"The stabilizing effect can still be maintained. It should keep me from dying in the calamity."

"Next, it depends on Fang Xun."

Everything proceeded as before.

With the Midge Life-Prolonging Art, [Li Shun] successfully turned Fang Xun into a puppet.

The moment it succeeded, he immediately returned to the Square Inch Space.

"Countless ants, knock upon the gate in my stead!"

"When the flying ash calamity ends, Longevity Realm ascends the altar!"

The instant Zhou Xunzhen entered the Creation Realm, Yin Fengshuo arrived in a streak of escaping light, not yet having time to speak.

Then he heard a resentful roar soaring to the heavens from afar: "Zhou! Xunzhen!"

Yin Fengshuo was instantly shocked. "Fang Xun? He actually didn't die?"

Zhou Xunzhen's gaze, which had originally rested on Yin Fengshuo and Zhou Chongguang, shifted away in an instant.

The next moment, his figure flickered and vanished.

Yin Fengshuo opened his mouth, but not a single word of the speech he had prepared could leave it.

His heart was utterly empty, as though he had lost something important.

Zhou Chongguang was also somewhat stunned. "My lord, what should we do next? Should we still chase after him?"

Yin Fengshuo drew a deep breath. "Forget it. It seems our luck is truly poor this time. Not only did Fang Xun survive, we did not obtain Zhou's favor either."

"Let us return and make preparations early."

With that, without waiting for Zhou Chongguang to respond, he flew away with a trace of resentment.

Zhou Chongguang knew that the preparations Yin Fengshuo spoke of were to deal with the retaliation from Dong Chunqiu's lineage.

If Fang Xun had died in the calamity, it would have been one thing.

But Fang Xun had survived.

Then the corresponding attacks and denunciations would naturally be unavoidable.

Zhou Chongguang's mouth tasted bitter as he hurriedly followed after him.

Meanwhile, puppet Fang Xun stared fixedly at Zhou Xunzhen, his eyes bloodshot.

Zhou Xunzhen did not care about the hatred filling Fang Xun's eyes.

He stared for a long while before finally giving the same placid assessment as an ancient well without ripples. "You... are very good."

Then his figure faded and disappeared.

Fang Xun then let out a hysterical roar, as though venting everything.

It echoed across the snowy expanse.

After a long time, he seemed to finally calm down.

The course of events returned once more to yesterday's rehearsal.

He returned to Cold Mountain and burned incense amid the ruins, bowing in worship.

The response he received was the same as yesterday's.

By the time Shen Qinghe delivered the court's decree and left, night had already fallen.

Across the silent snowfield, faint and indistinct cries for help suddenly rang out.

A trace of surprise flashed across Fang Xun's face. He followed the sound and dug Li Shun out from beneath the earth.