Chapter 821: Qin King Facing the Courage Mirror

Bi Linglong was completely soaked, her hair slightly disheveled. The usual noble and imposing aura she carried daily had faded, replaced by a delicate vulnerability that made her appear exceptionally charming. At the same time, her dress, clinging to her skin because of the water, made her radiate an unprecedented feminine charm.

A phrase suddenly flashed through Zu An's mind: "innocent yet seductive." As the Crown Princess, Bi Linglong usually prioritized dignity and nobility, always meticulous about her demeanor, and would never reveal any hint of sensuality. But at this moment, it was different; she truly embodied the "innocent yet seductive" quality to perfection.

Bi Linglong 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 anyone else were in danger, I would have jumped in to save them too." Talking about it made her frustrated; she had clearly come to rescue someone, only to end up being rescued herself. As soon as she entered the water, she was pulled off balance by a powerful undercurrent and dragged helplessly to the bottom of the pool. If Zu An hadn't arrived, she might have already perished.

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

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

Zu An sighed. "I thought I was different in your eyes, but it turns out that's the reason."

Feeling the despondency in his tone, Bi Linglong felt a pang of reluctance. However, knowing their respective statuses, she immediately hardened her heart, ignored his comment, and changed the subject. "By the way, you're safe and sound now, but what about the Azure Moon Flood Dragon? We should get out quickly; those people outside can't handle it." As she spoke, a deep worry flashed in her eyes. The Azure Moon Flood Dragon was a ninth-grade beast. Even if the mission failed, she could still account for it, but if all the young disciples from the families supporting her were annihilated, that would be the greatest loss.

"Oh, that loach? I already killed it," Zu An said casually, waving his hand.

Bi Linglong stared at him in utter astonishment.

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

Bi Linglong gazed at him intently. "You single-handedly killed a ninth-grade fierce beast? Everyone in the world has underestimated you... Just how many secrets are you hiding?"

Zu An smiled. "My biggest secret is having slept with the Crown Princess's fragrant body in my arms."

Bi Linglong's face flushed crimson, and she immediately became agitated. "Didn't we agree 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 dissatisfied voice cut in.

"You're not an outsider," Zu An quickly amended, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow. "Why are you still here?" He had completely forgotten about the 'spectator' hiding in the corner. A wave of embarrassment and shame washed over him as he recalled his recent actions.

"If I weren't here, how would I witness how certain scoundrels flirt with young girls?" Mi Li stretched lazily. "But to be honest, I'm a bit disappointed. If you had actually 'finished the job' yourself, I might have thought more highly of you. After all that, that's it?"

Zu An was speechless.

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

Hearing her, Zu An followed her gaze and saw a glittering pile in the distance. He had been so focused on saving her that he hadn't noticed it before. He replied, "This is the Azure Moon Flood Dragon's lair. Dragons have a habit of collecting shiny things. Although this flood dragon isn't a true dragon, it's a close relative and shares the same habits. These must be the treasures it has accumulated over the years." The pile contained various glittering gold, silver, jewels, and many elemental stones.

"Oh." Bi Linglong showed little interest. Coming from an affluent family and now holding the esteemed position of Crown Princess, these items held no significant value for her. She was more concerned about something else at the moment. "Let's get out of here quickly, or they'll have no idea if we're alive or dead. They might even send people down to look for us." Her unspoken meaning was clear: if they were seen, an unmarried man and woman alone together, it would harm her reputation. Crucially, she had just recklessly jumped in to save him. Thinking about all this gave her a headache; she wondered how she would explain things to the others later to prevent rumors from spreading once they left the secret realm.

Seeing her staring blankly at the surface above, near the edge of the light barrier, Zu An used his Glazed Pearl to collect the pile of gold, silver, and jewels. Bi Linglong didn't care for money, but he certainly did. Initially, he had a considerable fortune, enough to last a lifetime, no matter how he spent it. However, during his last alchemy session, tens of thousands of taels vanished effortlessly, and that was just for the consumables used as catalysts, not even including the cost of the medicinal ingredients. In the future, as he refined more items, his expenditures would only increase. He had personally witnessed how impoverished Master Shenxu was; the alchemy profession was truly a money pit.

Suddenly, Mi Li let out a gasp, staring fixedly in a certain direction. "This is..."

"What's wrong?" Zu An's heart skipped a beat. Given Mi Li's identity and discerning eye, few things could pique her interest to this extent. He followed her gaze. It turned out that after he had collected the pile of treasures into the Glazed Pearl, some scattered items in the back corner had been revealed. Among them was a small bronze mirror. The mirror was square, and its surface material was unique, not quite bronze, more like some kind of gem. Both sides of the bronze mirror emitted a faint glow, but when Zu An picked it up and examined it, it didn't reflect an image. 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 white fingers trembling slightly. "After so many years, I never thought I'd see it again."

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

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

"The First Emperor of Qin!" Zu An exclaimed, utterly shocked. He never imagined finding something belonging to Qin Shi Huang in a flood dragon's cave in another world.

Mi Li's fingers traced the mirror's surface, a nostalgic expression on her face. "This item is called the Qin King's Soul-Revealing Mirror. It was four feet wide and five feet nine inches tall, luminous on both sides. If a person stood before it, their shadow would appear inverted. If they placed a hand over their heart while approaching, their intestines and all five organs would be clearly visible, unobstructed. If someone 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 palpitate. Qin Shi Huang frequently used this mirror to examine palace attendants, and any whose gallbladders expanded or hearts palpitated would be executed..."

Zu An looked at her skeptically. "Are you sure you haven't mistaken it? This thing is so small; there's quite a difference from the four feet wide and five feet nine inches tall you described."

Mi Li shook her head. "No mistake. I can feel its aura. There must be some reason that caused it to shrink."

"Back then, Ying Zheng was extremely suspicious by nature and loved to hang this mirror in the palace to examine people. Whether it was princes, ministers, concubines, or palace maids, anyone harboring disloyal thoughts would be exposed under its gaze. Once discovered, Ying Zheng would find an opportunity to execute them."

"It has that function too?" Zu An was startled. He had examined it for a long time but hadn't noticed anything extraordinary. "It just looks unremarkable to me... By the way, if it's so magical, did Ying Zheng ever use this mirror on you back then?"

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

Zu An was speechless.

"Put it away," Mi Li said, her gaze distant. "This item should be useful to you in the future." She secretly pondered: *Ever since I entered this secret realm, I've felt a bit uneasy. Could it be because I sensed this item's presence in some unseen way?*