First Mirror

Xu Tianming walked forward along the metal platform. At the very depths of the laboratory stood a figure—a woman who appeared to be around twenty.

She had long hair that faded from brown to pale purple, smooth strands cascading behind her shoulders, with a few locks hanging over her chest. Her violet eyes were deep and bright, carrying intelligence and scrutiny, as though everything before her was merely a puzzle waiting to be taken apart.

Herta's true form was exquisite. Compared to Little Herta, she was more mature and beautiful. As she herself had said, Little Herta only bore a seventy percent resemblance to her younger self.

Moreover, the woman was dressed in fantastical witch attire: a black, white, and purple witch's outfit, a pointed wizard's hat, black stockings that perfectly accentuated her legs, and a pair of mismatched knee-high boots. It perfectly embodied Lady Herta's style.

In her hand was the key-shaped staff she never parted with. It was not only her magic staff, but also a medium that assisted her calculations.

Herta stood in the middle of the laboratory, with dozens of floating light screens behind her. Data streamed rapidly across them, complex enough to give an ordinary Soul Engineer a splitting headache after one glance.

Yet Herta merely raised her hand and lightly tapped the air with her fingertip, and all the data automatically rearranged itself.

Her bearing was confident yet languid. That languor was not carelessness; it simply came from her intelligence far surpassing everything around her. Most problems could not truly stir her interest.

She did not need to prove herself, because she herself was the answer.

"The First Mirror's subsystem has been debugged. Here, take it."

Upon seeing Xu Tianming, Herta spoke flatly. Then, with a flick of her right hand, a small mirror appeared in her palm.

The mirror was only palm-sized. Its frame was cast from dark purple metal, with fine Soul Guidance array patterns engraved along its edges. At its center sat a diamond-shaped crystal, like a sealed starry sky, with countless points of light drifting slowly within.

"Take it."

Herta handed the small mirror to Xu Tianming.

Xu Tianming caught it. The little mirror felt cool in his palm, and then a solemn, mechanical voice came from within it.

"Greetings, Lord Aether."

"By Lady Herta's request, the First Mirror is at your service."

Its voice was steady and clear, and its tone was exceptionally serious.

Xu Tianming smiled faintly. He was no stranger to this voice. It was the voice of the First Mirror.

Steady, dependable, and not prone to speaking lightly, it carried out every command with utmost care.

Among the four Mirrors of Question created by Herta, the First Mirror was the best at executing orders and the most reassuring one to rely on.

Xu Tianming lowered his head to look at the mirror in his hand.

"First Mirror."

"Present."

"Introduce your abilities."

"Understood."

The First Mirror answered crisply.

"I possess three abilities: Spatial Warp, Coordinate Computation, and Channel Construction."

"By using the target coordinates, I can establish a stable transmission space and enable spatial travel across the continent."

"I can also conduct preliminary reconnaissance of the target region and select the most suitable spatial landing point."

"For long-distance warps, I can independently calculate the optimal warp route, reducing spatial distortion and energy consumption."

Xu Tianming nodded. These were precisely the abilities he had requested. If he wanted to personally eliminate more Rift Realms and obtain greater Wish Power, he had to travel to different places himself rather than leave it to Karna or the Fools.

From Mingdu in the Sun Moon Empire to the place where the Rift Realm erupted in the Heaven Dou Empire, even Karna needed several days to fly there at full speed. Bringing Xu Tianming along would take even longer.

With the First Mirror, he could instantly cross the vast distance of thousands of miles between the Sun Moon Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire. His efficiency had increased by more than a hundredfold.

Herta stood to one side with her arms folded as Xu Tianming tucked the small mirror into his clothes.

"Thank you."

Herta's brows lifted slightly.

"If you want to show your gratitude, let me draw some of your blood."

Xu Tianming glanced at her.

"Heh."

"You want my blood? Then beg me."

"Please."

Herta spoke almost without thinking. Her tone was completely unconstrained, and her expression perfectly natural.

Xu Tianming slapped his forehead. He had known it—when it came to research, Herta had no shame whatsoever.

What Herta needed was not ordinary blood, but vital blood infused with the essence of the Golden Dragon King. Drawing even one drop would leave Xu Tianming weakened for a time.

However, Herta's research was also tied to the Fools' future enhancement. Whether it was the Cloud Knights' bloodline transplantation or optimization experiments for martial souls and Soul Rings, all of it required a vast quantity of resources and samples.

In the end, Xu Tianming still agreed to Herta's request.

"I'll give it to you after I return and eat some supplements."

"Soon."

Herta waved her hand, indicating that he could leave.

She turned back toward the virtual model before her. Her purple eyes returned to the flow of data, clearly unconcerned with whether Xu Tianming stayed or left.

Xu Tianming shook his head and turned to leave the laboratory.

After leaving Herta's territory, he took out the First Mirror. The purple starry sky within the mirror slowly revolved.

Xu Tianming spoke quietly.

"First Mirror, lock onto the Heaven Dou Empire."

"Received."

The First Mirror's voice remained steady.

"Calculating optimal route."

"Target locked."

"Spatial channel established."

As the words fell, ripples immediately spread through the empty space before Xu Tianming.

A purple magic array appeared out of thin air, surrounded by numerous spatial runes. At its center was an oval purple passage. Light and space within it were distorted, like a tunnel leading into an unknown world.

Xu Tianming looked at the magic array, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

"It really does have Herta's style."

Even opening a spatial channel had to be made so flashy, as if she were truly casting magic. In reality, it was merely another form of packaging for Herta's scientific methods.

Using scientific methods to achieve effects resembling magic—that was Herta's way.

"Let's go, Karna."

Xu Tianming spoke, then stepped into the spatial channel first. Karna's figure emerged, and he followed immediately behind, silently keeping pace.

As a transmigrator well versed in the path of caution, Xu Tianming naturally would not venture into danger alone. With Karna at his side, he could ensure his safety to the greatest extent regardless of what happened. Thus, wherever he went, Karna, his personal bodyguard, never left his side.

He was not the sort who clearly had a protector, yet enjoyed putting himself in dangerous situations under the lofty pretense of tempering himself at the edge of life and death.

In his view, staying alive was what mattered most. Once he was dead, there was nothing left.