201: Challenge

In front of the Heavenly Feather Sect ruins, within the Mirror Array, Su Mengyao stood alone, sword in hand.

Deep within her consciousness, two identical figures had been battling each other for an entire day and night.

A moment later, Su Mengyao suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, her body swaying precariously before she collapsed to the ground.

"Why is it that no matter how I attack, the mirror image can accurately predict my thoughts, then counter with the same Moves, interrupting all my offensives?"

"Our cultivation and Foundation are almost identical, yet why is this feeling so indescribably difficult to overcome..."

Recalling her encounter with the mirror image, her other self could instantly discern her Moves and block all her attack methods.

This feeling was truly like facing herself in another mirror; she couldn't find a single flaw.

"It's impossible. Revered Master couldn't have set up such an unconquerable array to waste time.

There must be more to it, something I haven't grasped yet. No, I have to try again."

As she thought this, a crimson glow appeared in Su Mengyao's eyes, a sign of falling into Qi Deviation.

Just as she was about to step back into the Mirror Maze.

"Enough!"

Shen Lian's voice rang out from behind her.

The clear sound wave instantly dispelled Su Mengyao's obsession.

"Revered Master, you're back, you..."

Turning around, she saw Shen Lian holding a woman in his arms, and her expression subtly changed.

"What are you looking at?"

"Revered Master, who is she?"

"It's none of your business."

Shen Lian left that remark, then with a burst of True Essence, he swept away the dust beneath his feet.

He gently placed Shen Chuyun beneath a relatively intact stone tablet.

Seeing this scene, Su Mengyao's heart couldn't help but stir.

"I've never seen Revered Master act so gently towards anyone, and it's a woman. Who exactly is she? Could she be Revered Master's Dao Companion?"

With an indescribable emotion, Su Mengyao leaned closer to glance at the unconscious Shen Chuyun.

"So beautiful, almost unreal, beautiful as if she doesn't belong to the mortal world."

When she saw Shen Chuyun's moon-like, pristine jade countenance, Su Mengyao felt a sense of inferiority.

In truth, Su Mengyao was also beautiful and pure, but compared to Shen Chuyun, she was indeed a notch below.

After checking Shen Chuyun's pulse, Shen Lian knew her unconsciousness was due to overly intense emotions and that she was not in serious danger. For some reason, he felt a sense of relief.

He suddenly looked up and saw Su Mengyao staring blankly at Shen Chuyun, her eyes filled with all sorts of chaotic emotions. He couldn't help but snap angrily.

"How long are you going to stare?"

Su Mengyao immediately snapped back to reality and hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, Revered Master, I just..."

Shen Lian raised a hand to stop her: "Have you broken through the Mirror Maze?"

"No."

Su Mengyao lowered her head.

"No matter how this Disciple changes her Moves, it seems she cannot escape the mirror image's predictions. Revered Master, this feeling is truly unbearable."

"If a person with several times my cultivation defeated me, I would accept it. But the mirror image's cultivation and Foundation are no different from mine. The crucial thing is that whether I attack first or later, it can accurately predict it, this..."

Recalling the scene within the mirror image, Su Mengyao's eyes became somewhat dazed.

Shen Lian: "I've already told you, within the Mirror Maze, you only face yourself. To advance further, you must surpass yourself and achieve a Breakthrough past your Bottleneck.

And you, right now, are not mentally prepared to challenge your limits. If you could break through the mirror image like this, that would truly be strange!"

Su Mengyao clutched her nameless edge: "Revered Master, this Disciple will definitely break through her limits. I will not disappoint you..."

"I said enough, didn't you hear me?"

Shen Lian conjured his Folding Fan and walked in front of her.

"If I hadn't spoken just now, would you have stepped back into the Mirror Maze?"

Su Mengyao nodded, tacitly acknowledging it.

Shen Lian sneered: "You've been in the Mirror Maze for a day and a night, so you must already understand its profundity.

Since you understand, you should calm down and think carefully about what to do, instead of impulsively making useless efforts.

If I had arrived a step later, you might have already fallen into Qi Deviation. At best, you would lose all your cultivation and become a cripple; at worst, your Qi channels would backfire, causing your body to explode and die."

Su Mengyao: "Thank you, Revered Master, for saving me just now."

"It was merely a convenience. If you had died, out of consideration for you calling me Revered Master, I would have prepared a coffin to bury you."

Su Mengyao rubbed her forehead and asked, "Then, Revered Master, what should I do now?"

"Now..."

Shen Lian closed his eyes and pondered for a moment.

"Go brew a pot of Spirit Tea."

"Yes, Revered Master."

Su Mengyao immediately went to do as instructed.

Shen Lian returned to Shen Chuyun's side, looking at her slightly disheveled hair, and couldn't help but reach out to tidy it.

In an instant, long-sealed memories from years ago resurfaced.

Shen Chuyun and Su Luoyan overlapped once again.

"Shen Lian, help me comb my hair."

"Do I look good like this?"

Under the lingering glow of the setting sun, by the sea rocks on the cliff, Su Luoyan let the mountain wind tousle her beautiful hair, yet she smiled sweetly, pulling him to stand on the edge of the cliff.

"I, Su Luoyan, am willing to be Shen Lian's wife in this life, next life, and every life, even if heaven and earth collapse, I will not change!"

"Shen Lian! Don't abandon me, or I'll be very, very sad, understand?"

The hand about to touch Shen Chuyun's beautiful hair recoiled as if shocked by electricity.

Shen Lian quickly stood up and retreated two steps.

The scene just now was a snippet of his time with Su Luoyan (Shen Chuyun) during his amnesia, and it had actually made his heart race.

"This feeling is truly unpleasant!"

Clenching his fists, Shen Lian haughtily turned to leave.

But after a few steps, he realized he had no destination, so he simply walked back and sat cross-legged on a broken stone platform.

This feeling of being aimless and irritable was Shen Lian's first since his Rebirth through a hundred lifetimes.

Just then, a powerful Aura Pressure descended from the Void Realm.

"Hmm?"

Instantly, Shen Lian composed himself, his eyes coldly fixed on the Void Realm.

"The aura of a Limit-Breaking Realm expert at the beach?"

Thinking this, he decisively transformed into a streak of light and soared into the Firmament.

Above the clouds, a man in a white scholarly robe, exceptionally handsome, stood alone, treading the Void Realm.

When Shen Lian appeared, he directly opened his eyes and went straight to the point: "Are you the one who killed the people from South Sea Penglai Island?"

As his voice fell, a chilling intent swept forth.

Shen Lian raised his hand to wave away the oppressive feeling and proudly retorted, "Are you also the one who saved Xu Feifei?"

"Heh."

A cold chuckle, as if mocking Shen Lian's ignorance, or perhaps extremely displeased with his attitude.

"Since you've admitted it, a life for a life is only natural."

"To take my, Shen Lian's, life? That depends on whether your abilities are sufficient."

"How arrogant."

The man uttered two words.

"Feng Yutao, the leader of the Seven Sages of the Immortal Island, hereby issues a challenge to you."

"Hmm?"

"Ten days from now, at dawn, on Twin Peaks, do you dare to accept the challenge?"

Shen Lian's eyes sharpened: "Why not act now?"

Feng Yutao: "Your cultivation is too low right now. Killing you wouldn't pique my interest. In ten days, try to create a miracle that can challenge me."

"Hahahaha!"

Shen Lian burst into unrestrained laughter upon hearing this.

"You will pay a heavy price for your arrogance and contempt today."

"Feng Yutao never regrets his decisions. Ten days from now, Twin Peaks, until death do us part."

With that, Feng Yutao had vanished from his spot.