Chapter 245: A Clear Mind Like a Mirror, the Illogical Yu Chenxing

After Liu Yi’s warning, “Be careful!” Yu Chenxing’s body had already been pulled far away by Liu Yi. Liu Yi focused intently on the mirror before him—everything here was unknown; no one knew what would happen, nor was anyone allowed to know. Too many things had occurred, leaving Liu Yi on high alert at all times.

Yu Chenxing was initially panicked but quickly regained his composure. He looked at Liu Yi with a puzzled expression and made a strange face, asking, “What’s wrong with you now? What should I be careful about? I’m just looking in the mirror.”

Liu Yi also found this quite strange. Indeed, Yu Chenxing had been looking in the mirror just now, but nothing seemed to have happened. What could be the reason? Could it be that the mirror here was different from the ones outside? Then, he turned to Yu Chenxing and said, “Have you forgotten what happened outside just now? Do you still want to bring out another version of yourself? Once your reflection in the mirror appears again, death is inevitable.” To make Yu Chenxing more cautious, Liu Yi deliberately exaggerated the situation.

After hearing Liu Yi’s words, Yu Chenxing seemed to recall what had happened earlier, but his expression soon returned to normal. He looked at Liu Yi and said, “Are you being too paranoid? What happens outside stays outside, and what happens inside stays inside. Does what happens outside automatically happen inside? Besides, you also looked in the mirror outside just now—why be afraid?” With that, he walked over again.

Liu Yi listened to Yu Chenxing’s words and seemed to realize something was wrong, but he couldn’t figure out exactly what. While pondering, he didn’t stop Yu Chenxing from continuing to look in the mirror. Suddenly, Liu Yi blurted out, “That’s right—something’s wrong here.” It turned out that as he rethought Yu Chenxing’s words, he realized he hadn’t seen his own reflection when looking in the mirror outside.

Why was that? Yu Chenxing’s reflection appeared in the mirror when he looked, but what about him? That voice had said the reflection in the mirror was the true self. So, if his own reflection wasn’t there, did that mean he wasn’t his true self? This question struck him like a bolt from the sky, leaving him momentarily unable to think clearly.

While Liu Yi was stunned, Yu Chenxing’s voice came through, calling, “Idiot, come and take a look! Come on, the person in the mirror is so beautiful!” After saying that, he turned his head back to continue staring at the reflection.

Liu Yi, who had been deep in thought, immediately snapped out of it upon hearing Yu Chenxing say the person in the mirror was beautiful. He rushed over. What an ignorant girl! Liu Yi moved swiftly and arrived behind Yu Chenxing. But when he saw the reflection in the mirror, he was stunned for a moment.

Who is she? Is it Yu Chenxing? It’s certain that the person in the mirror is indeed Yu Chenxing. Yet, for some reason, the person in the mirror possesses an indescribable beauty that astonishes and puzzles one. A gentle breeze stirred her black hair; her fair skin seemed delicate as if it might break at any moment. Her eyes were deep and captivating. Every movement, every expression carried that indescribable beauty, leaving Liu Yi momentarily stunned.

The purplish-red petals, illuminated by the sunlight, appeared translucent and radiant. In the mirror’s reflection, Yu Chenxing looked as if she were created by heaven just for beauty. She glanced at Liu Yi beside her and asked, “Well? Isn’t she beautiful?”

Liu Yi nodded. He could only respond based on what he saw and thought, saying, “Yes, very beautiful.” But as soon as he finished speaking, Yu Chenxing quickly added, “It’s strange. Why is there only me in the mirror? Why can’t I see you?” She then tried looking from various angles.

Finally, awakened by Yu Chenxing’s words, Liu Yi looked into the mirror. Indeed, there was only Yu Chenxing in the mirror, while he himself, standing behind her, wasn’t visible. Could it be… that his own body wasn’t real?

At that moment, that familiar voice spoke again, “You misunderstand. You are your true self. In this world of mirrors, there are countless mirrors, each with a different purpose. The mirror before you is called the ‘Fate Mirror.’ It can reveal a person’s most beautiful side. If only you or only she can be seen in the mirror, without both of you appearing together, it means you two are fated not to be together in this life.”

Hearing this, Liu Yi pressed further, “Who exactly are you? How do you know what I’m thinking?”

Yu Chenxing, seeing Liu Yi suddenly act so strangely again, was no longer surprised. After all, he had acted this way before outside. So, as Liu Yi spoke, she continued to gaze at her reflection in the mirror. But she had no idea that the reflection in this mirror indicated their fated separation. Whether it was real or not, though, no one knew.

After a while, that voice appeared in Liu Yi’s mind again, “I’ve said it before—I will be your companion. As for what you’re thinking, I suppose it’s because I can sense the presence of your friends in your sword. Your thoughts affect them, and through them, I can know what you’re thinking and communicate with your consciousness.”

Finally, Liu Yi seemed to understand. He felt relieved. It turned out that the one who had been sending him messages wasn’t a human. Just like the divine dragon he had tamed in his sword, it was also a divine dragon. Although they could communicate, in this strange mirror, Liu Yi didn’t seem surprised. He then asked, “Are you… the Wasteland Dragon?”

The voice sighed and replied, “Yes, at least I used to be.”

Liu Yi continued, “What about now? You are seeds planted by the Great Sage in the earth—your identity can never change.”

The voice replied, “Perhaps. But once I enter this mirror, I suppose I’m no longer the Wasteland Dragon for now. But I know I will regain my true form in the future, because you’ve come.”

Liu Yi thought for a moment. The question that had been in his mind all along was now the right time to ask. He continued, “Then what was that mirror in that cave just now? Why couldn’t I see myself either?”
The Wild Dragon paused for a while before answering, “That mirror outside is the entrance to the Mirror World. I only found out about it recently. That mirror is called the ‘Mirror of Clear Heart.’ Only those with a heart as clear as a mirror can see themselves in it. If the heart is clear, the mirror is clear; if the heart is dark, the mirror is dark. You can’t see yourself because there is darkness in your heart.”
Liu Yi pondered the Wild Dragon’s words. He couldn’t see himself because of the darkness in his heart. He had never doubted this, as his current self was entirely shaped by hatred and curses. If he claimed his heart was as clear as a mirror, that would be utterly ridiculous. Liu Yi nodded and asked further, “How did you end up here?”
The Wild Dragon’s voice was followed by a sigh. “I don’t know. A mass of mist brought me in.”
Liu Yi thought again. Sure enough, the problem lay with that strange mist. Could that mist be the life force of that mirror? Unlikely. If the mirror’s life force had another host, then this world should have disappeared. Although Liu Yi had these doubts, he set them aside for now. His priority was to reclaim this Wild Dragon.
Liu Yi continued, “Wherever you are, I’ll go find you.”
The Wild Dragon thought for a moment before replying, “It’s very dangerous… I can’t help you. I can only warn you—if you can’t rescue me and you encounter danger, then please leave quickly. With your current abilities, you can still escape this danger.”
Liu Yi understood what the Wild Dragon meant. Perhaps it was being imprisoned by something at the moment. If that was the case, whatever was imprisoning the Wild Dragon must be extremely powerful. If there was danger, the only option was to flee. After thinking this through, Liu Yi said, “Okay, I get it. Can you guide me to find you?”
The Wild Dragon made no sound. But at that moment, a purplish-red electric light flashed in front of Liu Yi, forming a small bird larger than a thumb. The bird’s body was transparent, with purplish-red electric light flickering around it, looking extremely beautiful. As the bird appeared, the Wild Dragon’s voice sounded again, saying, “Follow this flying bird, and you’ll find me.”
Liu Yi looked at the electrically charged bird before him and couldn’t help but marvel at its wonder. The Wild Dragon had the ability to create life. It seemed this Wild Dragon’s power was even greater than that of the Ice Dragon he had reclaimed earlier. Liu Yi nodded and turned to Yu Chenxing, saying, “Wait here for me. I have to do something very important.” With that, he turned to leave.
But Yu Chenxing quickly stepped in front of Liu Yi and said, “Where are you going? Whatever important thing it is, you have to take me with you!” He spoke in a determined tone, as if there was no way around it.
Liu Yi replied, “It’s very dangerous. It could even cost your life.”
Yu Chenxing sneered coldly, “What danger? You left me here alone, in this strange place. Isn’t that dangerous?”

As Liu Yi thought about it, he couldn’t help but recall the mirror outside earlier. If they really encountered such a “Mind-Seeing Mirror,” it might be impossible to escape from this place. After thinking this through, Liu Yi nodded and said, “Then let’s go together. But be extremely careful—there’s a dragon trapped inside. I’m going to help it now. If it doesn’t work, we’ll have to run. Anything that can trap a dragon must be incredibly powerful.” With that, he glanced at Yu Chenxing’s expression.

In an instant, her cold expression turned into one of excitement. It seemed true that women’s hearts were as unpredictable as needles at the bottom of the sea. Yu Chenxing replied, “Okay, I definitely won’t cause you trouble. If it doesn’t work, we’ll run…” Seeing her reaction, Liu Yi seemed even more worried, but since they had already agreed, there was no choice but to move forward step by step. He just didn’t know what could trap such a mighty dragon. If it was truly as the dragon said, it would indeed be dangerous.

Encountering an ice dragon in the Great Desert Mountains was already difficult to subdue. Although this wild dragon had not been seen yet, judging from the bird in front of them, this dragon already possessed creative powers, meaning its strength was surely far greater than that of an ice dragon. What could possibly trap a dragon of such power?

Seeing that Liu Yi was silent, Yu Chenxing seemed bored, but soon she focused her gaze on the electric bird flying ahead. While watching it, she asked, “It’s so strange! I’ve never seen such a weird bird. It seems to be able to discharge electricity.” Then she reached out to touch it.

Seeing this, Liu Yi immediately stopped her, saying, “Don’t move. This bird is what that dragon guided us to find. Follow it, and we’ll soon locate the dragon.” With that, he looked ahead.

It seemed nearly noon now. The sunlight shone on the ground, giving off a warm feeling. The gentle breeze made walking particularly pleasant. Purple-red petals slowly drifted down from the trees around them, creating a harmonious scene. The only odd thing was the mirrors floating around. Yu Chenxing continued, “It seems that dragon is very powerful—capable of creating life.” As she spoke, she followed closely behind Liu Yi, carefully observing the never-before-seen bird.

The moment Yu Chenxing said those words, Liu Yi froze for a moment. He felt something was wrong with those words. The dragon was powerful and could create life—what exactly was the problem? Liu Yi wanted to understand what was off, but as he walked and thought about it for a long time, he couldn’t come to a conclusion and eventually gave up.

The terrain here didn’t seem to have many differences, with no clear paths. All there were were countless tall trees surrounded by purple-red flowers. In the distance, some mountains could also be seen. Although the place was a bit strange, its scenery made the two of them feel relaxed. After taking a deep breath, Yu Chenxing said, “The scenery here is really nice.”

Liu Yi, following the bird ahead, replied, “Mm, it is indeed nice. You’ve even forgotten about hunger.”

Liu Yi just said it casually. He didn’t expect that as soon as those words came out, Yu Chenxing would say, “Damn it, you idiot! I had actually forgotten already. Now that you mention it, I’m so hungry—I need to eat.” After saying that, she stopped and didn’t move anymore.
Liu Yi also stopped. As he halted, the electrified bird slowly landed on his shoulder. If one didn’t look closely, it would be hard to spot such a small bird. Liu Yi glanced around and said, “Do you want to see where we are? Even if you’re hungry, you have to hold on. Otherwise, stay here by yourself. I still have things to do—I’m leaving.” With that, he turned and walked away.
But as soon as he turned, he heard Yu Chenxing’s aggrieved voice, sounding like she was about to cry. She said, “Go ahead. Anyway, my life or death has nothing to do with you. If Brother Lei Jun were here, he wouldn’t abandon me. If I’m hungry, he’d find lots and lots of delicious food for me. Hmph, you devil! Go away.” Then she sat down on the ground, tears in her eyes, pouting in distress.
Hearing this, Liu Yi couldn’t help but stop. He turned to look at Yu Chenxing sitting on the ground. Sure enough, she looked pitifully bullied. Although her life had nothing to do with him, after all, she had come here to save him. If he really left her behind, he might feel guilty. The scenery here was beautiful, but it was also strange and eerie. What if something happened to her? How could he face himself then? It seemed he had to keep the Wild Dragon here for a while longer first, to feed Yu Chenxing’s empty stomach before doing anything else.
Liu Yi shook his head, said nothing, and walked away. Yu Chenxing glanced back once, then turned away, grabbed a stone, and threw it, shouting angrily, “Damn that stupid idiot! What’s so great about him? Why do so many people like him? Such a disappointment.” She threw another stone and snapped, “Why am I such a disappointment too? Why cry?” Then she raised her little hand to wipe away the tears caused by anger.
At that moment, Liu Yi’s voice came from behind, saying, “Indeed a disappointment. Such a big girl crying from hunger—what a joke.”
Yu Chenxing didn’t even turn her head. She snapped, “Why did you come back? Go do your own thing. Just leave me to fend for myself here. What’s the big deal? What’s wrong with me crying? I just like to cry. Do you have any right to interfere?” Then she really started crying.
Hearing this, Liu Yi wanted to laugh. How could this woman be like a child? Sometimes terrifyingly smart, other times innocently cute. He then said, “I don’t know what kind of bird this is. It’s so fat—it must taste great roasted. I’m a bit hungry too, so I’m coming back to get some food.” With that, he began to prepare the large bird he had already killed.
Yu Chenxing glanced at Liu Yi, but her expression remained cold. Tears still hung in the corners of her eyes as she pouted and said, “Eat your food. I’m not eating it. Someone like me, who has no one to care for, might as well starve to death here.” Then she turned away, refusing to watch Liu Yi prepare the fat bird anymore.

Liu Yi ignored Yu Chenxing’s reaction. Facing this woman, he really had no choice. She seemed smart when reasoning, but foolish when not. Smart people can be worrying when taking action, while those who seem foolish sometimes act irrationally. Liu Yi knew it was useless to talk, so he quickly prepared something to eat to calm her temper.

In no time, Liu Yi finished preparing the fat bird—throwing out all its internal organs, chopping down some dry branches with a few swift slashes, then using the power of the fire dragon to summon scorching flames to ignite them. He then skillfully found a longer branch, threaded the bird through it, and began roasting it slowly.

All of this was familiar to Liu Yi. Ten years ago, on that mountain top, he had had a similar experience with Jillie. Recalling it felt like it was just yesterday—everything was still vivid in his mind, though things had changed. Unconsciously, Liu Yi started to laugh. It had been a long time since he’d felt this relaxed. Whether it was the beautiful scenery here or the woman’s irrational behavior that reminded him of those wonderful memories, he wasn’t sure.

He slowly turned the fat bird under the flames, which had turned it golden brown and made it oozing with grease. Thinking of himself ten years ago and looking at himself now, who would have thought that a scholar could become a true demon today? Times change, and what was once significant has become mere dust. He didn’t know what his future held. But Liu Yi didn’t want to overthink it. He just wanted to do what he wanted.

Unaware of it, Liu Yi was pulled back to reality by the aroma of the roasted meat. Although he didn’t need to eat, he couldn’t resist the scent. He leaned in and sniffed, exclaiming exaggeratedly, “It smells so good!”

Yu Chenxing was already very hungry, and now, driven by the aroma of Liu Yi’s roasted meat, her stomach started growling loudly. Eventually, she couldn’t hold back any longer. She turned around and said, “Um, well, this isn’t what I want to eat. You’re using the meat to tempt me. I have no reason to refuse.” With that, she rushed at the roasted meat in Liu Yi’s hands.

Liu Yi wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t, because Yu Chenxing now resembled a hungry wolf, pouncing on him along with the meat. Liu Yi hurriedly said, “Wait! When did I tempt you? The meat isn’t ready yet! Hey, did you hear me? It’s not ready yet…”

Soon after, Yu Chenxing’s cheerful voice came through, shouting, “What, not ready? You clearly don’t want to give it to me! Let go! I say let go, or I’ll eat you too…”