Chapter 825: Qin King Examines the Courage Mirror

Bilu Long was soaked through, her hair slightly disheveled. Gone was her usual aristocratic poise; instead, there was a touch of delicate charm. Her dress, clinging tightly to her skin due to the water, made her radiate an unprecedented feminine allure.

A phrase suddenly flashed through Zu An's mind: "innocent yet alluring." As the Crown Princess, Bilu Long usually prioritized dignity and elegance, always mindful of her demeanor and never revealing any hint of sensuality. But at this moment, she perfectly embodied that captivating blend of innocence and allure.

Bilu Long grew increasingly flustered under his gaze. "Why are you staring at me like that? Don't get the wrong idea; I just wanted to complete this mission. If it were anyone else in danger, I would have jumped in to save them too." She felt annoyed thinking about it. She had clearly come to rescue someone, only to end up being rescued herself. The moment she entered the water, she was caught in a powerful undertow, lost her balance, and sank helplessly to the bottom of the pool. If Zu An hadn't arrived, she would have surely perished.

"Really?" Zu An chuckled. "But I have a feeling you wouldn't risk your life to save anyone else."

Bilu Long awkwardly turned her face away. "That's because you have the highest cultivation level. Only with your cooperation could I possibly defeat the Azure Moon Dragon and complete the mission. So, don't overthink it; I jumped in not because of you, but purely to finish this task."

Zu An sighed. "I thought I was different to you, but it turns out that's the reason."

Feeling the dejection in his voice, Bilu Long felt a pang of sympathy, but she was acutely aware of their respective statuses. She quickly hardened her heart and ignored it, changing the subject instead: "By the way, you're safe now, but what about the Azure Moon Dragon? Let's get out of here quickly; those people outside won't be able to handle it." As she spoke, a deep worry flickered in her eyes. The Azure Moon Dragon was a ninth-grade beast. Even if the mission failed, she could still report back, but if all the young disciples from the families supporting her were wiped out, that would be the greatest loss.

"That mudskipper? I've already killed it," Zu An said casually, waving a hand.

Bilu Long stared at him in astonishment.

"Although that mudskipper was formidable, it couldn't resist talking to me, which caused its dragon breath to explode in its own mouth. I seized the opportunity to approach its reverse scale and killed it," Zu An explained. "Later, when I brought its corpse out of the pool, I heard from them that you had jumped in to save me, which is why I rushed to find you."

Bilu Long gazed at him intently. "You actually killed a ninth-grade fierce beast by yourself. Everyone in the world has underestimated you... Just how many secrets are you hiding?"

Zu An smiled. "My biggest secret is having slept soundly while holding the Crown Princess's fragrant body."

Bilu Long's face flushed, and she immediately became agitated. "Didn't I say not to mention that anymore!"

"What's there to be afraid of? There's no one else here," Zu An said with a relaxed expression.

"Am I not a person?" Mi Li's displeased voice interjected.

"You're not an outsider," Zu An quickly amended, breaking into a cold sweat. "Why are you still here?" He had completely forgotten there was a spectator hiding in the corner. The thought of what he had just done filled him with a mix of awkwardness and shame.

"How else would I see how certain scoundrels flirt with young maidens?" Mi Li stretched lazily. "To be honest, though, I'm a bit disappointed. If you'd just gone all the way, I might have thought more highly of you. After all that, that's it?"

Zu An was speechless.

At that moment, Bilu Long's voice came through. "If you keep this up, I'll get angry... Oh, what are these?"

Hearing her, Zu An followed her gaze and saw a pile of glittering objects in the distance. He had been so focused on rescuing her that he hadn't noticed them earlier. He replied, "This is the Azure Moon Dragon's lair. Dragons have a fondness for collecting shiny things. Although this 'jiao' isn't a true dragon yet, it's a close relative and shares the same habit. These must be the treasures it has collected over the years." The pile consisted of various sparkling gold, silver, jewels, and many elemental stones.

"Oh," Bilu Long said, showing little interest. Born into an influential family and now the Crown Princess, such things held no significance for her. She was more concerned about something else: "Let's get ashore quickly. Otherwise, they won't know if we're alive or dead and might send people down to look for us." Her unspoken meaning was clear: if they were seen, a lone man and woman together, it would harm her reputation. The critical point was that she had just recklessly jumped in to save him. The thought of all this gave her a headache. She wondered how she would explain things to those people later to avoid gossip once they left the secret realm.

Seeing her staring absently at the top of the light barrier, Zu An used his Glazed Treasure Orb to collect the pile of gold, silver, and jewels. Bilu Long didn't care about money, but he certainly needed it. He already possessed a considerable fortune, enough, he thought, to last a lifetime no matter how he spent it. But during his last alchemy session, tens of thousands of taels had vanished casually, and that was just for the consumables used as a medium, not even counting the cost of the medicinal ingredients. In the future, as he refined more items, the expenses would only increase. He had personally witnessed how poor Grandmaster Xu was; the alchemy profession was simply a money pit.

Suddenly, Mi Li gasped, staring blankly in a certain direction. "This is..."

"What is it?" Zu An's heart skipped a beat. Given Mi Li's status and discerning eye, there were few things that could pique her interest so much. He followed her gaze. It turned out that after he had collected the pile of treasures into the Glazed Treasure Orb, it revealed some scattered items in the corner behind them, among which was a small bronze mirror. The bronze mirror was square, and its surface material was peculiar, resembling a type of gemstone more than bronze. Both sides of the mirror emitted a faint glow, but when Zu An picked it up and examined it, it didn't reflect any images.

A mirror that couldn't reflect anything... He turned to Mi Li. "Is there something wrong with this bronze mirror?"

Mi Li reached out and took it, her slender, fair fingers trembling slightly. "After so many years, I never expected to see it again."

Zu An was startled. "Is this your mirror?"

Mi Li shook her head. "No, it's not mine. It belonged to Ying Zheng."

"Qin Shi Huang!" Zu An exclaimed, shocked. He never imagined he'd find something belonging to the First Emperor of Qin in a jiao-dragon's lair in another world.

Mi Li's fingers brushed over the mirror's surface, and a reminiscent expression appeared on her face. "This object is called the Qin King's Heart-Reflecting Mirror. It was four *chi* wide and five *chi* nine *cun* tall, luminous on both sides. If a person looked straight into it, their reflection would appear inverted. If they placed a hand over their heart and approached, their intestines, stomach, and five vital organs would be clearly visible without obstruction. If a person had an internal illness, covering their heart and looking into the mirror would reveal the location of the ailment. If a woman harbored wicked thoughts, her gallbladder would expand, and her heart would pound. Qin Shi Huang often used it to examine his palace women; any whose gallbladder expanded or heart pounded would be executed..."

Zu An looked skeptical. "Are you sure you haven't mistaken it? This thing is so small; there's quite a difference from the four *chi* wide and five *chi* nine *cun* you described."

Mi Li shook her head. "No mistake. I can feel its aura. There must be a reason that caused it to shrink." "Back then, Ying Zheng was naturally suspicious and loved to hang this mirror in the palace to examine people. Whether it was princes, ministers, concubines, or maids, anyone with disloyal intentions would be exposed under its light. Once discovered, Ying Zheng would find an opportunity to execute them."

"It has *that* function?" Zu An was stunned. He had examined it for ages and hadn't noticed anything special. "It just looks unremarkable to me... By the way, since it's so miraculous, did Ying Zheng ever use this mirror on you back then?"

Mi Li sighed softly. "Otherwise, why do you think I was sealed away?"

Zu An was speechless.

"Put it away. This item should be useful to you in the future." Mi Li's gaze was somewhat distant. She mused inwardly: *Ever since entering this secret realm, I've felt unsettled. Could it be because I sensed this item's presence through some unseen connection?*