211: Failed to break through the formation

Within Heavenly Feather Sect, in front of the Mirror Formation.

Su Mengyao’s eyes were tightly shut, and deep within her consciousness, she was still engaged in a fierce battle with her own mirror image.

Within the consciousness space, Sword Qi crisscrossed, intertwining endlessly.

Su Mengyao’s swordplay grew sharper, but as Su Mengyao’s strength increased, the mirror image also became more difficult to deal with than before.

“Standing Alone, Reflected Moon, Deriving Tai Lou!”

With the execution of this ultimate sword strike, the consciousness space was instantly filled with dense Sword Qi, leaving no room for anyone to survive.

However—

“Standing Alone, Reflected Moon, Deriving Tai Lou!”

The mirror image opposite instantly unleashed the same Sword Intent in retaliation.

Clang, clang—

The Sword Qi from the two intersecting sword nets collided, emitting deafening sounds of shattering metal and jade.

A moment later, the consciousness space, unable to withstand the intertwining of the two immense Sword Qi, directly shattered.

“Puff~”

The moment her consciousness awoke, Su Mengyao violently spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

“Again, I failed…”

Her jade fists clenched, her eyes filled with unwillingness.

“What’s wrong, child?”

Shen Chuyun’s voice sounded from behind her.

The moment her cool jade hand gently touched Su Mengyao’s jade shoulder, Su Mengyao’s expression slowly calmed down from its twisted state.

“Grand Master, am I useless? It’s been more than ten days, and I still can’t find the trick.”

“Child, don’t be disheartened. Trust your Revered Master’s judgment. Since he set up this Mirror Formation for you, it means he has enough confidence in you.”

“Really?”

“It’s still the same — trust your Revered Master.”

Under Shen Chuyun’s comfort, Su Mengyao’s anxious emotions slowly subsided.

Just as she was about to continue her battle of wits and courage with the mirror image, Shen Chuyun stopped her.

“Silly child, you won’t be able to achieve a Breakthrough this way. Many things should just run their natural course. You’ve been sleepless for seven consecutive days. What you should do now is get some good rest. After you’ve recuperated and absorbed enough Qi of Heaven and Earth, it won’t be too late to break the formation.”

“But, there’s less than half a month until the Sword Showcase Grand Competition. I’m afraid…”

Shen Chuyun smiled slightly: “But if you continue like this, what good will it do besides depleting your essence, Qi, and spirit? Be obedient, don’t think about anything, just relax.”

Su Mengyao thought carefully and suddenly realized that she had been too anxious during this period in her attempt to break the Mirror Formation.

Now, hearing Shen Chuyun say this, she felt utterly exhausted.

Rather than wasting her mental energy in vain, it would be better to wait until she had fully recuperated her essence, Qi, and spirit.

Thinking this, Su Mengyao no longer rushed to break the formation, but instead chatted with Shen Chuyun about Shen Lian’s past.

“Grand Master, can you tell me what kind of person Revered Master truly is?”

“Don’t you know what kind of person your Revered Master is after spending time with him?”

Su Mengyao’s eyes were filled with confusion: “I always feel that Revered Master’s eyes seem to be filled with the marks of hardship. Is it because of his sect and his seven Junior Sisters?”

Shen Chuyun smiled and shook her head: “It seems you really don’t know much about your Revered Master. Actually, your Revered Master is a very principled person.

If you are good to him, he will repay you doubly, but if you offend him, he will also make you pay a heavy price to quell his anger.”

Su Mengyao: “Just like my seven Senior Martial Uncles?”

Shen Chuyun nodded: “Yes, but even without those seven people, your Revered Master’s personality is not something you can easily fathom.”

“Grand Master, please tell me more about Revered Master’s other past experiences.”

“Actually, your Revered Master is someone who says one thing but means another. For people and things he truly cares about,

he always treats them with a cold attitude, which gives people the illusion that he is unapproachable.”

Su Mengyao: “Why did he become like this? Actually, if he has something on his mind, he can openly say it.

Even if I can’t help much, I can still share his worries and difficulties. How hard must it be to keep everything bottled up and endure it alone?”

Shen Chuyun smiled and shook her head: “He won’t easily express his true feelings. Actually, your Revered Master is a very special person.

He doesn’t let you know many things because he doesn’t want you to worry. Even if the sky falls, he will resolutely choose to bear it alone.”

Su Mengyao’s heart trembled: “So, Revered Master bears far more pressure than we imagine, is that right?”

Shen Chuyun remained silent, implicitly agreeing.

Shen Lian’s true emotions were only revealed during the period when he lost his memory.

At that time, Shen Lian had no grand ambitions, his emotions were fully expressed, and he was particularly easy to appease, expressing all his thoughts without hesitation.

Perhaps that open and optimistic Aura was what completely captivated her, who was then the Empress?

Unfortunately, the short seven years they spent together ultimately turned out to be a cruel joke of fate, a connection without destiny.

The Shen Lian who recovered his memory was like a completely different person from the Shen Lian who had lost his memory.

Extreme, arrogant, disdainful of everything, and fond of fighting — that was Shen Lian’s true way of doing things.

But... Shen Chuyun couldn't understand how a person's personality, no matter how much it changed, could become so extreme as to feel completely fractured?

What kind of experiences shaped Shen Lian’s decisive and ruthless style?

She looked up at the sky and muttered to herself: “Could it be that Heaven truly couldn’t tolerate him, which is why it forged Shen Lian’s personality like this?”

“Grand Master, what are you thinking about?”

“Nothing, by the way, you should rest.”

Shen Chuyun, having come back to her senses, smiled and gently stroked Su Mengyao’s hair.

She truly liked this child very much; she didn't have any of the maliciousness of those seven white-eyed wolves.

“Grand Master, then Revered Master he…”

Just as Su Mengyao wanted to learn more about Shen Lian’s past, a familiar voice sounded from behind her.

“Am I coming at the wrong time, interrupting your sisterly bond?”

Su Mengyao turned her head sharply, only to see Shen Lian, fanning his Folding Fan, appear behind her at some unknown point.

“You’re back?”

Seeing Shen Lian, Shen Chuyun merely smiled faintly and asked softly, as if a wife was anticipating her husband’s return.

“Yes.”

Shen Lian replied, taking a step closer.

“Everything has been resolved.”

“All resolved?”

“Yes.”

Seeing a long-lost clarity emerge in Shen Lian’s originally fierce eyes, Shen Chuyun immediately understood.

“Then what are your plans next?”

“Naturally, to continue pursuing the limits of the martial Dao, surpassing myself and exploring the Profound Truth of the Great Dao.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Chuyun couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Although she had long known that it was almost impossible for Shen Lian to utter those affectionate words from when he had lost his memory.

Su Mengyao quickly called out: “Revered Master, I still can’t break through the Mirror Formation. Can you give me some guidance?”

“Can’t break through? If that’s all you’re capable of, then there’s no need to go to the Sword Showcase Grand Competition. I don’t want to see you go and humiliate yourself.”

Su Mengyao was stunned, and couldn't help but clench her teeth.

“Revered Master, I won’t disappoint you.”

After saying that, she once again prepared to enter the Mirror Formation.

“Adjust your mindset before you go again. In your current state, if you encounter an illusion technique with a hidden killing formation, you might not even last for the time it takes an incense stick to burn! Go rest first.”

Su Mengyao’s heart was filled with joy, and she immediately bowed to Shen Lian: “Yes, Revered Master.”

After saying that, she immediately went to rest.

Now, only Shen Lian and Shen Chuyun remained in front of the Heavenly Feather Sect ruins.