When Yumo suddenly opened her eyes and saw the unfamiliar ceiling...
He sat up abruptly.
Then he stared blankly out the window.
The square that was once there can be seen from the window is now almost deserted.
The evening breeze rustled the branches outside, and a fallen leaf drifted down to the window and then shattered.
"You're up?"
A gentle voice came from beside her, Yumo couldn't help but smile.
My nose tingled, and my eyes welled up with tears.
As soon as Bingtang sat down, Yumo rushed over, hugged her, and began to sob.
After a moment of surprise, Bingtang helplessly hugged Yumo back and patted her back, "What's wrong? Who made our Xiao Yumo sad?"
"I... I lost, Lady Bingtang..."
She spoke through sobs, sounding utterly pitiful.
Bingtang Tang patted her head, somewhat helplessly, "Silly girl, how can you call this a loss? It's just a draw. Back then, it was already amazing that Keke withstand Coco's Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus."
To be honest, even I, Bingtang, thought it was over when I saw that Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus hit me.
Even though Keke's overall strength was far inferior, the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus was still formidable.
The sheer amount of magical power alone is enough to forcibly elevate the Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus's strength by a whole level.
According to the sect leader, that move...
It is a true reversal technique capable of transcending two major realms, and it is indeed comparable to the Three-Colored Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus she used before.
Like that time, when Iris took a hit, the damage overflowed and instantly shattered the area, leaving her unable to breathe for a long time after landing on the ground.
If it weren't for the sect leader's astonishing power, who absorbed most of the flames with a single flick of his sleeve...
There probably won't even be any bird feathers left...
Generally speaking, it is quite difficult for a true disciple to withstand the full force of the sect leader's attack.
Especially since Dandelion and Yarrow were locked in a fierce battle, each ultimately delivering Critical Strike.
Yumo's barrier was broken, and the magical properties of the Yarrow were disrupted, rendering it unable to defend itself.
Given the circumstances at the time, it wouldn't be surprising if they were forced into their transformed state and lost immediately.
As a result, both of these true disciples managed to hold on by relying on their high-precision manipulation of magic and their large amount of magic to forcibly defend themselves.
At that moment, Bingtang noticed that the sect leader's leg, which was swinging upstairs, was swinging a little faster.
This was clearly unexpected.
There was nothing that could be done about the subsequent depletion of magic power.
After all, enduring such a long time within the Seven-Colored Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus requires an enormous drain on one's magical power.
Even so, the two still mustered their last bit of magic for a final battle, even when their magic was almost completely depleted, they still wanted to determine a winner.
Among the Seven True Disciples, apart from Bai Mei, probably no one could have done better than them.
In the end, having no magic left, they didn't even notice Four Leaves and Six Leaves's approach, and getting hit with a black stick or something, but that's all irrelevant now...
What the sect leader cared about most was the ability to adapt to changing circumstances shown along the way, and the resilience shown at the end.
In short, the evaluation is very high; even Keke, who unleashed the Seven-Colored Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus, didn't receive such high praise...
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Sect Master. You absolutely didn't want Yarrow to win..."
Hearing Yumo sob and say those words while nestled in his arms, Bingtang was stunned.
Then it dawned on them that both of them had been knocked unconscious by Shuangye, so they had no idea who had won.
They probably both thought the other had won in the end.
Thinking of this, Bingtang couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Yumo cried even harder.
"Bing, Lord Bingtang, you're still laughing! Yumo, Yumo is going to be hated! Waaaaah..."
"It's alright." Bingtang pinched her smooth little face. "How could the sect leader dislike you? You performed so beautifully, the sect leader is too busy praising you!"
The little girl, who had been crying, blinked and subconsciously touched her hair clip again. Only after confirming it wasn't lost did she relax and ask softly, "Really?"
"Hmm, when have I ever lied to you?" Bingtang Tang smoothed Xiao Yumo's slightly messy hair, then helped her lie down properly and covered her with the blanket. "The sect leader has always praised your performance, saying you've done very well and are very resilient; you have a bright future."
Covering half her face with the blanket, only Yumo's eyes were visible, her eyelashes fluttering gently. "The Sect Leader would never say that..."
"But that's what she meant, I can tell. Of course, the most important thing is that she didn't let Yarrow win, and she's very satisfied."
And so, the silly girl's eyes, still wet with dew, curved like crescent moons.
"Um!"
After all, back then, they were allowed to personally compete for the two spots.
Shion specifically stated that Yarrow was not allowed to be given.
Xiao Yumo probably cried because she was afraid of failing to complete the task assigned by the sect leader.
If we lose to Yarrow, it will truly disappoint the sect leader...
Fortunately, Xiao Yumo lost to Four Leaves Six Leaves in the end, so it wasn't a big problem.
After calming Xiao Yumo, Bingtang then discussed a few more issues that arose during the battle.
For example, during the battle, he believed that by directly withstanding the Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus, he could find a weakness in the Yarrow, and he remained convinced of this until the very end.
It was Shuangye who found the flaw and led him to this thought. Once he fell into the Cognitive Obstruction, he never realized it.
Of course, this is also an unavoidable problem under the high pressure of fighting against Yarrow. Once there are flaws and weaknesses in the control of magic, it is impossible to avoid being affected by the Cognitive Obstruction.
The biggest mistake was choosing to defeat Yarrow even after knowing that Shuangye had run away.
Strategic mistakes should be avoided.
After helping with the debriefing and discussion for a while, Bingtang got up and placed the lunchbox she had prepared earlier on the bedside table, along with Yumo's favorite orange juice, telling her to remember to eat it if she got hungry.
Upon exiting the building, one could see the sect leader standing in the corridor outside.
Shion, leaning against the wall, was now facing Four Leaves Six Leaves, and said calmly:
"Although you have done very well, remember to avoid arrogance and impetuosity. If it weren't for the forest terrain helping your mystical abilities, how could you have found an opportunity from the very beginning to successfully influence the other true disciples?"
Even the winning disciples cannot avoid being criticized by the sect leader.
"And," Shion paused, leaning against the wall by the window, "The final blow was problematic."
From a distance, it looks like a first-grade middle school student seriously posing as a teacher scolding elementary school students.
"Although it's a competition between fellow disciples, since their demonic armor is still intact, you should abide by the Daoist tradition of the [ Calamity ] Dao Lord and use your magic wands to pierce their chests from behind."
... Bingtang Tang covered her forehead and walked over, saying, " Yarrow and Xiao Yumo were both in very poor condition at the time, so it wouldn't be surprising if they were to remove their magical armor at any time."
"It's alright, I'm here, it won't be fatal."
Shion patted the two girls on the shoulders earnestly. Shuangye was about the same height as Shion. "Remember, it's fine within the sect, but if they are enemies outside the sect, you must abide by the Dao Lord's teachings. The Heavenly Dao is flawed in this world, which is why you have the opportunity to break free from traditional cultivation methods and Kongzheng [ Great Forest ] realm. Otherwise, you won't even have an introductory cultivation technique for the Supreme fruit of Wood Virtue."
"Since my Azure Cloud Sect also worships the ancestor [ First Sage Dao Venerable ], it is only right that we should also have a Holy Sect successor. Having chosen the path of [ Great Forest ], then any sneak attack must pierce through the chest from behind, only then can we be worthy of the stolen ancestral Dao Fruit! And not disgrace the title of [ Number One True Lord Under Heaven ] that you have inherited!"
Although the two little girls couldn't understand, they still nodded obediently.
Bingtang patted their heads, "Go back to sleep, don't stay up late."
After all, she's the champion, so there's not much for Shion to say.
From quickly formulating a strategy to taking the initiative and leveraging the advantages of the location;
They infiltrated the Hongmian troops, far from the center of the battlefield;
They sought Keke's help to create the Seven-Colored Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus.
Then, they continuously used the Cognitive Obstruction to guide the two true disciples, who were originally difficult to fall for, into wrong ideas.
He forcefully consumed the Seven-Colored Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus.
The True Inheritor, who had just maxed out both of their health and mana bars, was instantly reduced to almost nothing.
They succeeded in their final surprise attack and secured victory.
It's fair to say there's basically nothing to criticize.
Only the final blow didn't pierce through her chest from behind, which left Shion somewhat disappointed.
I can only give it 99 points; one point was deducted for that final killing move.
In any case, Shion was quite satisfied with Shuangye, who had inherited her combat wisdom and strategic vision.
Only after Shuangye ran back to sleep did Bingtang whisper, "You're not going to keep criticizing them, are you?"
Shion sneered, "Do you think I'm the kind of mediocre teacher who only knows how to nitpick?"
"Of course not, I was just afraid you'd forgotten," Bingtang said with a soft laugh.
Did you properly praise them for doing a great job? It's not easy to win against a stronger opponent.
Shion turned her head away, "You've already praised me."
"That's good. Don't let Four Leaves's mature appearance fool you; she actually remembers these things the most. If you don't praise her, she'll secretly feel sad when she thinks about it later, and then she'll gobble down those little cakes like a little hamster. Six Leaves, on the other hand, is carefree, but she gets sad when she sees her sister upset..."
He chattered on and on, seemingly knowing every true disciple and even inner disciple inside and out.
Shion was somewhat impressed by Bingtang's excellent memory; she could remember such trivial things.
As you come out of the building, you can see it not far away.
The Yarrow, which had just woken up, was practicing various small spells by the lake.
"This failure is quite a blow to Yarrow."
"As expected, an outsider is an outsider. Even if they reach the level of a true disciple, their desire to win the championship is ultimately wishful thinking."
Although Shion's face remained expressionless, Bingtang could still sense the schadenfreude in her tone. "Knowing shame and then striving harder isn't necessarily a bad thing for her."
Finally, I couldn't help but add, "Stop worrying about her useless Harry Potter magic, she would have won long ago."
Bingtang couldn't help but smile, then grabbed the sect leader's hand and shook it back and forth. "You performed very well too, but Yarrow didn't actually mean to upset you."
"It was intentional, don't plead for her."
" Yarrow just wants you to pay more attention to her." Bingtang gazed at the figure diligently practicing magic again under the moonlight, searching for a solution to the change in the nature of magic. " Yarrow is a child who craves love. She's been an invisible person since she was little. Nobody paid attention to her, not even in the Azure Cloud Sect."
"It was only after I practiced Harry Potter's magic that I caught your attention, and then you praised me. At that time, I became one of the most watched disciples. Later, I worked hard to become a true disciple, and I kept emphasizing Harry Potter in front of you. Actually, I was just trying to get your attention for her, just like a child would do something naughty to get the attention of someone they like."
"You're overthinking it." Shion sneered. "She's here purely to oppose me."
"Oh dear!" Bingtang tugged at the sect leader's arm and pinched her little finger. "Don't be so prejudiced against Yarrow. Besides, I heard you actually agreed to let her open Harry Potter Branch?"
Shion snorted coldly and turned her head away, "A stopgap measure."
"Once you agree, you can't go back on your word."
Seeing that the sect leader remained silent, Bingtang naturally knew what she was thinking. So she took her hand, hooked her little finger with hers, and said, "Pinky promise, you're not allowed to cause trouble for Yarrow by opening Harry Potter Branch."
Shion could only turn her face away and say, "I understand."
I was originally planning to fish out all the luck pools there...
Bingtang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
I was a little uneasy when I heard Yarrow excitedly say that the sect leader had agreed to open Harry Potter Branch.
After all, the sect leader wouldn't easily agree to such a thing, and even if he did, he would definitely be dissatisfied and cause trouble.
Therefore, we need to take preventative measures in advance.
It wouldn't be good if Yarrow were really disappointed and cried.
The relationship between a true disciple and the sect leader isn't necessarily good. As the vice sect leader, I naturally have to ensure a harmonious relationship between the sect leader and the true disciples to avoid conflicts...
Even on the path of cultivation, one still needs to cultivate good interpersonal relationships.
"I spoke with people from the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau before. Quite a few magical girls from the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau were eliminated this time. I asked if we could get a few more spots for our true disciples."
Bingtang paused for a moment, "You're not trying to scare them, are you?"
The sect leader looked at her speechlessly, "Are you underestimating my negotiation skills?"
"No, no..."
How can you underestimate something you don't have?
"In short, Golden Tea went to talk to that magical country again and asked the failed magical girls. They were willing to give up their chance to retake the exam and give their spots to the true disciples."
Seeing the worry on Bingtang's face, Shion put her hands behind her back, raised her head slightly, and adopted the demeanor of a sect leader. "Don't worry, I specifically spoke with Golden Tea. We only want the spots that they voluntarily give up, so as not to let word get out and damage the reputation of my Azure Cloud Sect, saying that my Azure Cloud Sect is bullying the magical girls from the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau."
Bingtang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, the opportunity to participate in the Mental Image Domain Trial is very important for any magical girl.
Directly snatching someone else's qualification is somewhat inappropriate, and besides, their Azure Cloud Sect isn't without future slots.
It's not that bad, it's like being a robber.
Furthermore, the magical girls from the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau are all very cute and friendly, and bullying them would make Bingtang feel uneasy.
Fortunately, the sect leader wasn't really the type to bully children...
Then, while Yarrow was using a minor spell, Shion was secretly interfering.
Unable to find the Yarrow, and after several failed attempts to use magic, he was somewhat puzzled.
Okay, except for the Yarrow...
Although she didn't notice Shion, Yarrow quickly realized that something was interfering with her magic. After creating some distance, she got rid of the sect leader's interference and went to the center of the lake to continue practicing.
"So, a few more spots have been added?"
"Two."
After a moment's hesitation, Bingtang Tang said, " Blue Flower can't participate; she's not here..."
"Know."
Shion remained nonchalant, saying, "Give Yarrow a spot; I'd like to see how she fails."
His gaze, however, was fixed on the Yarrow in the center of the lake, continuing to interfere with the magic in a different way.
However, this led Yarrow to discover other ways to use its magic.
Bingtang found it somewhat amusing.
It turns out she's still extremely concerned about Yarrow's advancement.
After all, for Shion, seeing a strong and ambitious disciple fail to advance in rank was utterly unacceptable.
Yarrow is undoubtedly a disciple of the true lineage who can undergo a qualitative change after acquiring a domain...
As the lake water splashed up from the Yarrow, rippling across the lake like shattered moonlight Bingtang said with a smile:
"Then I will thank the Sect Master on behalf of Yarrow."
"It has nothing to do with me; the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau just gave me an extra spot."
Bingtang didn't say anything more, just snuggled closer to the sect leader, enjoying the quiet night. "Hmm, remember to check on Keke."
We'll see.
When the Prince found Xilan, she was lying on the ground, barely breathing.
When the Prince finally managed to rescue Xilan.
The witch's first words upon waking were:
" Si Motu Si Motu awesome! I knew he wouldn't abandon me!"
The Prince didn't bother arguing with her.
She had watched as Si Motu threw her into the separate space, and originally didn't want to get involved.
If Si Motu hadn't asked Yun Ke to ask her for help, the Prince wouldn't have bothered with it anyway.
Xilan is standing too close to Si Motu.
As a lackey, he has no sense of distance whatsoever, always clinging to Si Motu.
It really thinks it's a high-quality purebred dog.
She might be thinking about how to get into Si Motu's bed and secretly get pregnant with his bastard child.
She wanted to rise in status through her son and climb to the position of matriarch of the New Witch Association in one fell swoop.
As far as the Prince was concerned, she had seen plenty of people like that.
Born into royalty, she had seen many people like this around her mother.
For the sake of the future of the Land of Mirrors, Mother had affairs everywhere, and many men wanted to rise in status through their sons, much like Si Motu now.
As Si Motu's fiancée, the Prince naturally had to handle the situation with caution.
If some bastard were to be born, the Land of Mirrors would become a laughing stock.
However, she couldn't make it too obvious, lest Si Motu think she was a petty, insecure, and jealous girl.
As the queen of the Mirror World, she naturally had absolute confidence in herself and did not believe that anyone else could take Si Motu away from her.
But there are always exceptions, and when men and women are too close, no one can guarantee that they won't be tempted.
As long as Xilan doesn't have the chance to climb onto Si Motu's bed, there won't be any problems.
Although she didn't think Si Motu would be so desperate as to make a move on Xilan, after all, aside from her appearance, Xilan was hard to see as a girl...
After resolving Xilan's problem, the Prince continued to monitor the movements of the various Old World from his own Mirror Space.
At this point in time, most of the Old World was still preparing for their own grand wedding.
The Prince planned to combine the Full Bloom Plan with the wedding.
On his wedding day, he completed the plan, broke through the world's blockade, launched a counterattack against the New World and the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, killed Shion on the spot, and restored the glory of the Land of Mirrors!
All those with purple blood will inevitably end up as kings!
In the future, her wedding anniversary will be the founding day of the new Land of Mirrors, and for all eternity, the Land of Mirrors will commemorate her wedding to Si Motu...
Just as the Prince was dreaming about the future, he received a message from the people he had sent to meet Si Motu.
The Driver who switched from the Witch Association to the New Witch Association was actually someone the Prince had always bribed.
Since leaving the headquarters, I have been applying to be transferred to an independent Mirror Space.
The Prince naturally didn't refuse and granted the Veteran Driver access to the private Mirror Space.
" Prince Highness! Prince Highness, Si Motu... Si Motu said he'll be back later and doesn't need our help!"
The Prince simply looked at him indifferently, "You translate for me, what does 'coming back late' mean?"
The Veteran Driver was dumbfounded upon hearing this.
How late?"
"Well, it's about time, after the Mental Image Domain Trial over there ends, probably..." the Veteran Driver stammered, " The New Witch Association's sabotage plan failed, and Si Motu might be trapped inside, unable to get out for the time being..."
How did you know?
The Veteran Driver shuddered.
"If the plan fails, you should have been easily exposed." The Prince scrutinized him, his tone icy. "How did you escape, and how did you get the information?"
"I... I have some connections..."
"I remember saying that if Si Motu didn't come back, you would die there too, right?"
Xilan was eating her rice on the side when she heard that her boss might not be coming back, so she jumped up and ran over.
What?! My eldest son isn't coming back!
"No, no!" The Veteran Driver was already sweating. "He'll come back, he definitely will."
"What's the reason?"
"Someone guaranteed it..."
"Who?"
While the Veteran Driver was still hesitating, Xilan had already placed the knife menacingly against his neck, "Talk! If you don't, I'll skin you alive!"
"I don't know! I really don't know!"
The Prince took a deep breath, recalling some unpleasant images. " Azure Cloud Sect? Shion?"
The Veteran Driver shuddered and almost peed himself!
How did she know!
But naturally, he dared not admit it here, for he had promised Shion he wouldn't tell!
Prince and witches are certainly scary, but Shion's side is even more dangerous!
"You, how could you possibly think of going there? If I were to run into Shion, I'd be dead for sure! When has she Witch Association...?"
"Heh." The Prince simply raised his chin. "Take out his phone."
Xilan immediately pulled out her phone, and before the Veteran Driver could even react, the Prince said, "Open the Magical Girl Idol Project and see if Shion is there."
Xilan immediately opened the game on her phone, then exclaimed in shock, "Holy crap, maxed out! Even the weapons are maxed out! You must be a fan of Shion! Traitor!"
The Veteran Driver, with a stiff neck, said, "I'm just a power-hungry player. A fully charged Shion is invincible; with her self-charge, she can clear a map in one turn..."
"Then why isn't Swimsuit Larkspur here?" Xilan instantly saw through his lie. "Swimsuit Larkspur, 137 cm tall, 56 kg, her self-destruct damage is increased by 350 times every time. She's catchy, good-looking, and powerful—she has it all! She's a hero among the top-tier heroes!"
"Having topped the Magical Girl Idol Project for over two years with its sheer strength, it's not just the answer to the current version, but the answer to Earth, the truth of the universe! Many dungeons were specifically designed for Swimsuit Larkspur, known as the Larkspur Idol Project, and you haven't even pulled one! You still call yourself a strength-obsessed player! You're just a pure fangirl!"
"I... I'm a newbie, is it wrong for me to join the newbie group...?"
The Prince was taken aback. "Wait, how do you know so much? Are you playing along?"
"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated!" Xilan said confidently. "I'm not just playing around; I'm checking the data on magical girls."
So you're looking up fabricated information from the official sources in the game?
"He's clearly a fan of Shion; he only collects Shion and hasn't played the game much, which means he downloaded the game specifically for Shion!"
"It's not necessarily about fandom," the Prince added. " The Azure Cloud Sect said that if you have a fully-fledged Shion, you can survive once if you encounter a magical girl from the Azure Cloud Sect."
"Having a full-fledged Shion means you've seen magical girls from the Azure Cloud Sect survive. The fact that you obtained information about Si Motu indicates that you've had contact with the Azure Cloud Sect — Si Motu can only enter the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau through connections with the Azure Cloud Sect."
The Prince proceeded with his reasoning point by point, leaving the Driver nearly breathless. "Who from the Azure Cloud Sect did you contact? And who said Si Motu would be back late?"
Xilan retorted fiercely, "Speak! Or I'll skin you alive!"
I'll talk, I'll talk...
The Veteran Driver was at a loss. "It's Shion, it's Shion the Great... Magical Girl Shion! She told me to tell His Prince that Si Motu will be back late. She also warned me not to tell anyone that she was the one who told me this. I really had no choice..."
Xilan looked worriedly at the Prince, " Prince, regarding Shion, my master..."
But the Prince seemed not to hear, and the glass in his hand shattered instantly!
Sharp shards of glass pierced her creamy white skin, and blood seeped from her clenched fist.
It dripped onto the ground of the Mirror Space.
" Shion, hehe, Shion."
She recalled the image of that girl standing on Si Motu's head and took a deep breath.
She actually knew.
To get Si Motu to the headquarters, he could only rely on his connections with the Azure Cloud Sect, and in the end, he had no choice but to humiliatingly bow down to Shion once again.
She actually knew this in her heart, but she just didn't want to face it.
Now, Shion specifically sent someone to say that she would be back later.
The sarcasm and provocation were all too obvious.
However, the Prince was too proud, and he quickly calmed himself down, simply saying:
"Alright, if she likes it, let her stay a little longer."
Let's see who's crying on their wedding day!