Chapter 11: Mirror Sect’s Handiwork (IX)

Before the words had even faded, Lin Yue turned into a streak of faint light, instantly rushing toward the black mirror that had been knocked away.

Immediately, Lin Yue's figure flashed, and together with the black mirror, he escaped into the Void Realm, disappearing without a trace.

Lin Fan's hand, which was gripping the heavenly dao divine weapon, trembled slightly, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

He slowly released his grip, and the heavenly dao divine weapon returned to nothingness, turning into a glimmer of golden light that vanished around him.

Lin Fan took a deep breath, but he could not mask the chaos within his body; he had reached his limit.

"The duration of the Daoist Scripture… has ended…"

The order of the Void Realm and his internal Daoist energy erupted violently within him, like ice meeting fire, repelling and tearing at each other.

His Meridians felt as if they were being sliced by thousands of blades, and intense pain swept through his entire body.

Cracks began to appear around Lin Fan's body, like the omen of shattering porcelain.

Light from the Void Realm and the Heavenly Dao shone through each crack, and the tearing pain brought his consciousness to the brink of collapse.

He gritted his teeth, attempting to circulate his remaining spiritual power to suppress the conflict, only to discover that this internal chaos had exceeded the control range of his current cultivation level.

The cracks spread faster, and the light around his body became increasingly chaotic, like a candle in the wind, ready to collapse at any moment.

"If Lin Yue had held on for just one more breath… the one to be defeated would have been me…"

Lin Fan smiled bitterly in his heart as cold sweat rolled down his forehead.

He could no longer hold on, and his whole body slumped weakly to the ground.

He lay on his back on the ground, his chest heaving rapidly; the cracks around him gradually faded, but the conflict between the order of the Void Realm and his internal Daoist energy continued unabated within him.

Lin Fan closed his eyes slightly, panting.

This time, he had survived, but there was still a long way to go before true victory.

"Fairy Youyue…"

A pair of hands, smooth as jade, gently lifted Lin Fan, accompanied by a soft sensation.

Lin Fan felt himself being gently gathered into a warm embrace.

He opened his eyes slightly, and what came into view was Fairy Youyue's face, cold yet filled with concern.

Her gaze lowered slightly, and her light green eyes held a hint of heartache and reluctance.

"Don't speak, take a rest."

Just as Lin Fan was about to speak, he felt a warm, moist spiritual power slowly pouring into his body.

That was the unique moonlight spiritual power of Fairy Youyue; it was cool yet gentle, temporarily suppressing the conflict between the order of the Void Realm and his internal Daoist energy.

Although his body remained exhausted, the feeling of being on the verge of collapse had finally eased.

"I will take you away from here."

Fairy Youyue waved her hand and summoned a bright moon that looked like a mirror.

Moonlight rose from beneath her feet, enveloping them both; like a boat of moonlight, it flew swiftly and lightly into the distance.

Along the way, Lin Fan remained weak, leaning in Fairy Youyue's embrace.

He could feel the softness and strength of her arms, which carried a comforting warmth.

Although he did not wish to be so dependent in his heart, he had no choice at this moment and could only let her escort him away.

"Fairy, you… shouldn't have risked yourself for me…" Lin Fan said in a low, hoarse voice.

"Don't say foolish things."

Fairy Youyue looked down at him, her voice still cold but now with a hint of tenderness.

"If you hadn't risked your life to save me, I would have already fallen into the hands of Lin Yue. It is I who should be thanking you."

Lin Fan managed to force a smile, but did not respond further, simply letting her hold him in his weakness.

The moonlight boat traversed through layers of the Void Realm and finally stopped in a secluded mountain forest.

Fairy Youyue helped Lin Fan off the moonlight boat and gently placed him on a flat boulder.

The surroundings were lush with vegetation, with the sound of flowing water, like a paradise away from the world.

"It is safe here, take a rest for a while."

Fairy Youyue said, then took out a crystal-clear Medicinal Pill and brought it to Lin Fan's lips, "This is a Moon Spirit Pill; it can help you neutralize the conflict between the two forces."

Lin Fan nodded weakly, swallowed the Medicinal Pill, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

Although this disaster had passed for the moment, the threat of Lin Yue remained like a shadow.

And now, he had to seize every moment to recover his strength in order to face the upcoming battles.

Fairy Youyue sat beside him, her hands folded on her lap, her gaze calm yet profound, as if she were contemplating something.

Moonlight shone upon her, making her figure appear even more beautiful and aloof.

Lin Fan opened his eyes slowly, looking at the woman before him who had not hesitated to risk her life for him; a complex emotion surged in his heart.

He said softly, "Fairy Youyue, thank you for today."

Fairy Youyue smiled slightly and replied in a low voice, "No need to thank me, no need to thank me. By the way, why are you here? Didn't Lin Chen say you went to the Tianji Pavilion to complete an important mission? Looking at you now, it seems investigating the Mirror Sect was your mission."

Lin Fan leaned against the stone wall, a bitter smile curling his lips, his voice low and tinged with helplessness, "That's right, this mission was to track down the traces of the Mirror Sect. But I didn't expect… Lin Yue to have become so powerful. It seems he has received support from the Mirror Sect that far exceeds what we anticipated."

Upon hearing this, Fairy Youyue frowned slightly, a flash of contemplation crossing her eyes. "Indeed… I also feel there is a problem here. In the past few years, I have secretly investigated several strongholds of the Mirror Sect; although there are experts among them, there has never been such a terrifying existence as Lin Yue. His current strength is already comparable to the Peak of Soul Transformation… and perhaps not even weaker than our Sect Master."

Lin Fan's heart sank; Fairy Youyue's assessment made him feel increasingly uneasy. "It seems the Mirror Sect is not only expanding its influence but also using some method to strengthen the power of Cultivators. Otherwise, it would be impossible for Lin Yue to reach this level in just three short years."

A flash of gravity appeared in Fairy Youyue's eyes, "Yes. Moreover, these strengthening methods are likely not simple. Some clues I have investigated indicate that there seems to be a greater force supporting the Mirror Sect from behind. But as for what exactly it is, there is no conclusive evidence yet."

Lin Fan frowned, a cold light flashing in his eyes, "If that is truly the case, we cannot let our guard down. Lin Yue's changes have already proven the issue. If the Mirror Sect continues like this, their ambition is not merely to dominate one region, but likely to intend to meddle with the entire cultivation world."

Fairy Youyue's expression remained calm, but her tone carried a hint of worry, "This is precisely the reason I came here. Originally, I thought this was just an ordinary stronghold of the Mirror Sect; I didn't expect to encounter a powerhouse like Lin Yue… If he hadn't come for some important matter, I would never believe it could be such a coincidence."

Lin Fan sighed, looking at Fairy Youyue with a complex gaze, "At the end of the day, all of this is still my responsibility. Lin Yue is my brother from Earth; he likely came here just to get rid of me…"