Chapter 864: Deathly Silence

What he saw in the mirror was a dazzling expanse, revealing exquisite collarbones and rounded shoulders, the unique graceful and delicate beauty of a woman's body laid bare.

Although they had been exposed to each other at the Hundred Flowers Palace before, he had been mostly unconscious then, and everything that happened after he awoke was too sudden for him to appreciate anything.

Bi Linglong, seeing him staring blankly at the mirror with two streams of blood flowing from his nose, quickly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe it away, her face filled with nervousness and concern. "What's wrong? Are you hurt or poisoned?"

But as she moved closer, Zu An's nosebleed intensified.

"Ah Zu, don't scare me," Bi Linglong said, her face paling. She rushed closer to check what was wrong with him, when her eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of the mirror in his hand.

Her expression first turned bewildered, then she gasped, covering her chest tightly with both hands. Her pretty face flushed crimson as she looked at him, filled with both shame and anger.

Zu An finally snapped back to reality. "It was an accident, an accident... I didn't know this thing would suddenly have such an effect."

"Don't point that mirror at me!" Bi Linglong's voice was almost a sob. Her innate maidenly modesty left her mind blank, utterly unsure how to react.

Zu An quickly put the mirror away. "I didn't react in time."

Bi Linglong bit her red lip, her eyes fixed on him, looking as if she wanted to pounce and bite him.

Zu An muttered under his breath, "It's not like I haven't seen it before..."

"What did you say?" Bi Linglong's eyebrows shot up instantly.

"Nothing, haha," Zu An said, pulling out the Qin King's Heart-Illuminating Mirror again and offering it to her. "How about I let you look at me? That would make us even, right?"

Bi Linglong had been brimming with indignation and shame, ready to confront him, but his remark disarmed her, making her chuckle involuntarily. However, she quickly composed herself and turned away. "Who wants to look at you!"

"You're the one choosing not to look. Once this chance is gone, it's gone," Zu An said, offering the mirror to her again.

"No!" Bi Linglong found herself almost admiring his audacity. How could he be so brazen? She wanted to get angry but found it difficult to truly ignite her rage. This guy truly was her fated tormentor.

Just then, a cold hmph echoed distantly. "Have you two finished flirting? Hurry up and get over here."

They looked up to see Zhao Ruizhi standing at the edge of the second immortal island, glaring at them coldly. His knife-like gaze made it seem as if he wanted to throw them both into a pig cage.

Bi Linglong's face flushed, and for a moment, she didn't know what to do.

Zu An, however, casually stepped in front of her, shielding her from the other party's oppressive aura. "Coming, coming. What's the rush?"

Looking at the man's broad shoulders in front of her, Bi Linglong felt a warmth in her heart. For years, she had managed everything in the Eastern Palace, shielding the simple-minded Crown Prince from hardship. Only now did she realize how truly good it felt to be cared for.

The two walked one after another on the light bridge. Due to what had just happened, Bi Linglong felt a bit embarrassed, so she deliberately lagged a few paces behind him.

Zu An tried to call her to walk alongside him several times, but it had no effect, so he eventually gave up.

"How can she possibly talk to you after you've just seen her completely naked?" Mi Li couldn't bear to watch any longer.

"But it's not like I haven't seen her before. Why is she still so coy?" Zu An asked, a bit perplexed.

"It seems you still don't understand women at all," Mi Li said, rolling her eyes, too lazy to elaborate further.

"I didn't do it on purpose. Who knew this damned mirror was such a trap?" Zu An retorted indignantly.

"A trap? Then what about that irrepressible smile on your lips?" Mi Li mercilessly exposed his true feelings.

Zu An's old face flushed. He immediately deflected. "Whose fault is it that your damned mirror has this function? Hey, speaking of which, did the Qin King ever use this mirror to look at you..."

Mi Li cut him off directly. "Hmph, do you think everyone is like you? Back then, this mirror reflected the liver and gallbladder inside a person's body to see if they harbored any disloyalty. It must not have fully recovered to its peak state, so it can't penetrate the body, only clothing. Honestly, what kind of master, what kind of magic weapon. This mirror was quite proper in the hands of the successive Qin Kings, but it became so improper only when it fell into your hands."

Zu An was speechless.

He had to admit, compared to seeing someone's liver and gallbladder through their skin, just seeing through clothes was far better. Hmm, even if there's a chance to upgrade it later, he shouldn't.

Wait, what would this mirror show if he used it on Mi Li?

But considering he'd likely be beaten to death afterward, he decisively abandoned the tempting idea.

Not long after, the two finished crossing the light bridge and arrived on the second floating island.

Zhao Ruizhi's gaze fell on Bi Linglong's flushed cheeks, and his eyelids couldn't help but twitch. When had she ever shown such bashfulness in front of him?

He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the murderous intent in his heart. Having just witnessed Zu An's methods for disarming mechanisms, he realized this person was still useful. He would deal with him after finding the method for immortality.

Next, the group headed towards another light bridge. The scenery along this path was starkly different from the previous floating island, which had been fragrant with fruits and vibrant with lush greenery. While the second floating island also had many trees initially, as they went deeper, the surrounding landscape became increasingly desolate, with exposed rocks and yellow sand everywhere.

Many rocks even had faint dark red stains on them, as if blood had congealed there.

"Everyone, be careful. This place might be dangerous." Having just witnessed Zu An's performance, He Li felt a sense of crisis. He needed to prove his worth to avoid being easily discarded by the emperor.

The people from the King Qi's Residence all placed their hands on their weapons, warily surveying their surroundings.

Sensing the chilling atmosphere around them, Bi Linglong instinctively moved closer to Zu An. However, due to what had just happened, she couldn't bring herself to get too close.

Zu An took her hand to offer comfort. She bit her red lip but ultimately did not pull her hand away.

Zhao Ruizhi's spiritual sense enveloped the surroundings, and he was naturally aware of their small gestures. His face grew increasingly grim. However, recalling that he had just traded Bi Linglong to the other party, he couldn't say anything at this moment. If he reacted, he couldn't punish Zu An anyway, and it would only damage his image among the others. It was better to pretend not to notice for now and settle scores with him slowly after finding the method for immortality.

Just then, the scout ahead reported, "Something's wrong!"

His voice was filled with alarm, as if he had seen something terrifying.

Everyone quickly looked in the direction of the voice, only to see a dark mass of figures standing in the distance, each holding a weapon.

Crucially, they could vaguely discern the outlines of cavalry and chariots, appearing to be a complete army.

Zhao Ruizhi scoffed, "What's there to panic about? They're just statues."

Only then did everyone see clearly: the dark figures were not real people but terracotta figures. However, their height and size were identical to real humans, and their weapons were genuine.

Upon seeing this, Zu An felt a strange sense of familiarity. Weren't these terracotta warriors?

He had seen them in Xi'an in his previous life, and in this world, he had even fought to the death against them in a secret realm. Now, seeing their quaint, static forms, he found them oddly charming.

"Don't panic, don't panic. I just sensed them; they're merely inanimate objects," He Li quickly reassured the troops.

The group continued on their way. Even though they knew they were fake, the terracotta warriors lined both sides of the path, their eyes seemingly turning to follow their progress. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be merely the play of light and shadow on their painted surfaces.

Still, being stared at by so many lifelike statues made everyone feel uneasy, finding it extremely eerie.

Aside from Zu An, Zhao Ruizhi was likely the most at ease. His gaze upon these terracotta warriors was filled with admiration, thinking, "Are these sculptures of heavenly soldiers and generals? Their imposing presence is truly extraordinary."

At this moment, Zu An was secretly communicating with Mi Li. "I'm reminded of when I first met you."

Mi Li scoffed, "I really should have slapped you to death back then..."

Mid-sentence, her expression suddenly changed. "Wait, something's wrong with these terracotta warriors! Be careful!"

Just then, the seemingly lifeless terracotta figure beside them suddenly brought its sword down. The speed and seamless coordination of the movement made it impossible to guard against.

Fortunately, Zu An's cultivation was extraordinary now, and with Mi Li's warning, he quickly flashed to the side, shielding Bi Linglong. Even so, a corner of his clothing was sliced off.

The warriors from the King Qi's Residence were not so lucky. Screams erupted as, almost instantly, half of them were riddled with holes from blades, spears, swords, and halberds.