Chapter 860: Deathly Silence

What he saw in the mirror was a dazzling expanse of white: exquisite collarbones and rounded shoulders, fully revealing the delicate grace unique to a woman's body.

Although they had been naked together at the Hundred Flowers Palace once before, he had been mostly unconscious then, and everything that happened after he awoke was too sudden for him to truly 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 for him, her face filled with anxiety and concern: "What's wrong? Are you injured or poisoned?"

But with her movements, Zu An's nosebleed only worsened.

"Ah Zu, don't scare me." Bi Linglong's face paled. She quickly leaned closer to see what was wrong, when suddenly her peripheral vision caught sight of the mirror in his hand.

Her expression was first bewildered, then she gasped, covering her chest tightly with both hands, her pretty face flushed crimson as she looked at him with a mix of shame and annoyance.

Zu An finally came to his senses: "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 whimper. The innate modesty of a young woman left her mind blank at that moment, completely unsure of what to do.

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

Bi Linglong bit her red lip tightly, her eyes fixed on him, as if she was about 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 delicate eyebrows shot up.

"Nothing, haha," Zu An said, pulling out the Qin King's Soul-Reflecting Mirror again and offering it to her. "How about I let you see me? Then we're even?"

Bi Linglong had been brimming with indignation and shame, ready to confront him, but his words broke through her defenses, and she couldn't help but let out a giggle. However, she immediately straightened her face and turned away: "Who cares to see you!"

"You're the one choosing not to look. Miss this chance, and you won't get another," Zu An said, offering the mirror again.

"No!" Bi Linglong found herself somewhat admiring this guy. How could he be so thick-skinned? She wanted to erupt in anger but found it difficult to truly get mad. This guy really was her fated devil star.

Just then, a cold snort echoed faintly: "Have you two finished your flirting? Hurry up and come over."

They looked up to see Zhao Ruizhi standing at the edge of the second immortal island, gazing coldly at them, his gaze as sharp as knives, as if he wanted to drown them both in 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's oppressive aura: "Alright, alright, no need to rush."

Looking at the man's broad shoulders in front of her, a warmth spread through Bi Linglong's heart. For years, she had managed everything in the Eastern Palace, shielding the foolish 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. Because of what had just happened, Bi Linglong felt somewhat embarrassed, so she deliberately stayed a few paces behind him.

Zu An tried calling her to walk with him several times, but it was to no avail, so he eventually gave up.

"You just saw everything, how could she feel comfortable talking to you?" Mi Li couldn't stand it anymore.

"It's not like I haven't seen her before, why is she still so coy?" Zu An was somewhat confused.

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

"I didn't do it on purpose. Who knew this cursed mirror would be such a trap?" Zu An said indignantly.

"A trap? Then what about that irrepressible smile at the corner of your mouth?" Mi Li mercilessly exposed his true feelings.

Zu An's old face flushed. He immediately deflected: "Who made your cursed mirror have such a function? Hey, speaking of which, did the Qin King use this mirror on you back then..."

Mi Li cut him off directly: "Hmph, do you think everyone is like you? Back then, this mirror was used to examine people's livers and gallbladders, to see if they harbored any ill intentions. It probably hasn't fully recovered to its peak state, so it can't penetrate bodies, only clothes. Honestly, a magic item reflects its owner; this mirror was quite proper in the hands of successive Qin Kings, but in your hands, it's become utterly improper."

Zu An: "..."

He had to admit, compared to seeing through skin to examine livers and gallbladders, he preferred it only seeing through clothes as it did now. Hmm, if there was a chance to upgrade it later, he shouldn't take it.

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

But considering he would likely be beaten to death by her afterwards, he decisively abandoned this tempting thought.

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

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

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

Next, the group headed towards another light bridge. The scenery along this path was vastly different from the previous floating island. The last one was filled with the fragrance of fruits and verdant greenery everywhere. While the second floating island also had many trees initially, as they went deeper, the surroundings became increasingly desolate, with exposed rocks and yellow sand everywhere.

Many rocks even had a faint dark red hue, as if blood had congealed on them.

"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 the emperor so he wouldn't be easily discarded.

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

Sensing the chilling atmosphere around them, Bi Linglong subconsciously moved closer to Zu An, but due to what had just happened, she didn't get too close.

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

Zhao Ruizhi's spiritual sense enveloped the surroundings, so he was naturally aware of their subtle actions. His face grew even gloomier. However, remembering that he had just "traded" Bi Linglong to the other party, it wasn't a good time to say anything. If he lashed out, he couldn't punish Zu An anyway, and it would only damage his image among the others. It was better to pretend not to know for now and settle the score with him later, after they found the method for immortality.

Just then, a scout sent ahead to reconnoiter reported: "Something's wrong!"

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

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

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

Zhao Ruizhi snorted: "Why panic? They're just sculptures."

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

Seeing this scene, Zu An surprisingly felt a sense of familiarity. Weren't these the Terracotta Army?

In his previous life, he had seen them in Xi'an, and in this world, he had even fought to the death against them in a secret realm. Now, seeing their simple, endearing appearance, he found them unexpectedly cute.

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

The group continued on their way. Although they knew the figures were fake, the terracotta warriors lined both sides of the path, and their eyes seemed to follow their movement. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be just an optical illusion caused by changes in light and shadow on their painted surfaces.

But being stared at by so many lifelike sculptures still gave everyone an eerie feeling, finding it extremely unsettling.

Besides Zu An, Zhao Ruizhi was probably the most at ease. His gaze towards the terracotta warriors was filled with admiration. He thought, "Are these sculptures of heavenly soldiers and generals? Their aura is truly extraordinary."

Zu An was secretly communicating with Mi Li at this moment: "I'm reminded of the first time I met you."

Mi Li snorted: "I really should have slapped you to death back then..."

Mid-sentence, her expression suddenly changed: "Wait, these terracotta warriors aren't right. Be careful!"

Just then, a seemingly lifeless terracotta figure next to them suddenly brought its sword down. The speed and coordination were so seamless that it was impossible to guard against.

Fortunately, Zu An's cultivation was extraordinary, and with Mi Li's warning, he quickly flashed aside, shielding Bi Linglong as they dodged. Even so, a piece of his clothes was sliced off.

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