"Die."
Chu Mo softly uttered a single word.
In an instant, Mystique manifested. The radiance of the Restrictive Seals faded layer by layer, like autumn leaves withering away. Flames went out, lightning dimmed... A faint sound like a bubble popping echoed from somewhere unseen, and the great doors burst open, revealing a stretch of fathomless darkness.
Watching this, a trace of wariness flashed through Yingnian's eyes.
He had broken the Restrictive Seals in a single instant. The Mystique of his Authority was far more terrifying than she had expected. Though she was stronger than Wanyun, even she could not have done it with such effortless ease.
It seems I need to be even more cautious. Until I stir his deepest desires, I must not expose myself.
Yingnian suppressed the unusual gleam in her eyes and put on a gentle smile, praising him sincerely. "Your methods are extraordinary, fellow Daoist. No wonder Daoist Brother Yichu never stops singing your praises."
Chu Mo turned back to look at the woman putting on an act. Quietly activating the All Beings Aspect, he immediately saw another face.
Unlike Wanyun, hers was a bewitching beauty that could turn all living beings upside down. Seduction came naturally to her eyes and brows, stealing hearts and souls. Every frown and smile could awaken desire.
This was Yingnian's true face.
He chuckled inwardly and said, "Let's go. Let's see what's inside."
Utterly unaware, Yingnian nodded gently, imitating the original woman's manner. Then she followed Chu Mo slowly through the great doors. Each harboring their own secret designs, the two cautiously traversed the long darkness before their vision suddenly brightened. Before them stood a vast palace of white jade beneath golden roofs.
At the center of that palace, a figure that had only just taken human shape stood silently.