259 - Mistress, I Was Wrong

Title: "Dear Protagonist, I Was Wrong" Chapter 259: The Savages Dongfang Minghui was swift to catch on. Realizing her error, she quickly retrieved two sets of keys. "Pig Immortal Grass, there are four hollow parts. Could it be that the remaining two sets form another combination? No, they can probably form many combinations." "Give it a try." With the experience from before, Dongfang Minghui was more adept this time. She tackled the task with confidence and expertise, muttering under her breath, "Little Fatty, bless us." One of the keys exuded a warm aura from her palm straight to her heart, giving a comforting feel. She tenderly caressed it with her fingers. She had faced a difficult choice earlier, between Ding Ding and Little Fatty. Ultimately, she chose Little Fatty. In her heart, Ding Ding still had an owner, but Little Fatty was different. Little Fatty had split from Little Bean Sprout and was practically something she had raised herself. Because one was her own child, and the other was someone else's. Dongfang Minghui silently apologized to Little Fatty in her heart; she could only choose Little Fatty. "Little Nine, Little Nine, should we block all of these up?" "How to block them? Probably can't be blocked." Ding Ding pointed at the other hollow parts on the door, tilted its head for a while, then fetched a weakly glowing golden orb as if from nowhere, plugging it into the hollow. It tapped on it with the Longevity Cauldron, smoothing out the space as if it had naturally fused with the hollow area. Dongfang Minghui was astonished, "Ding Ding, what is that?" Ding Ding rummaged again from its little belly and pulled out another orb, "Ate it." Dongfang Minghui couldn't help but twitch at the corner of her mouth, "Food?" "It seems to be a metal elemental spirit body. This little guy has hidden quite a few good things." Pig Immortal Grass swished its tail. Ding Ding filled all the small hollows, leaving only four larger ones, with only two keys remaining to fit the last two hollows. The large iron door they had painstakingly fitted remained still and silent, appearing stately and solemn due to the filled hollows. "Still not right?" "There are still two possibilities." Dongfang Minghui exchanged the keys again, while Ding Ding, bored, tried to pluck out the embedded food but failed. Desperately, it reported to Dongfang Minghui, "Little Nine, Little Nine, I can't get the food out!" "Wait." "Could it be that Little Fatty is stuck in the door and can't come out too?" "Even if so, you have no choice." Distractedly, she re-fitted the keys into the iron door. Before she could test the door, it exploded with a powerful force. If not for Pig Immortal Grass and Little Color pulling her from either side, she would have been blown away by the surge. "Oh my gosh, Little Nine, Little Nine." Accompanied by Ding Ding's peculiar scream, it was unexpectedly flung out of the barrier. Lien outside attempted to catch Ding Ding but was also dragged out due to the force. "Lien, Ding Ding, are you alright?" "All good, all good." Lien, seeing Ding Ding embedded in the soil, couldn't help but smile wryly. He quickly pulled Ding Ding out like a carrot. "Ouch, that hurt." Ding Ding steadied the Longevity Cauldron on its head in frustration and flew back inside. Lien, seeing its vibrant energy, assumed it was okay. The entire barrier trembled. Outside the barrier, Qian Wanyu noticed the iron door flashing intermittently and quickly asked, "Ninth Sister, is the door opened?" Dongfang Minghui squinted her eyes, reaching out to touch the door. She felt a gentle wind sweep across her palm, the sensation both light and soft, like water and wind. She strived to cross through the door. "But—" Qian Wanyu nodded towards the group, "Hurry inside." Lien led Ding Ding and others through the flickering door. Once everyone entered, the remaining four humans and one beast exchanged glances. Having maintained their spiritual support for five hours, they had reached their limits. "Withdraw one by one in order, I'll be last." Qian Ziyan stood first in line, followed by Yu Chi Shou, Qian Wanyu, Qian Yiling, and the ice-type fierce beast. From the other side, he was technically the last to release. "Brother, you should be the first to let go." Qian Yiling frowned, noticing the positioning issue. "Stop arguing, I'm the fastest, you all go first; I'll cover the rear." The ice-type fierce beast, with eyes bulging, circled around. "Arguing wastes time. If we retreat simultaneously, perhaps there's a chance." "No." Uncharacteristically in sync, all four rejected in unison. "Mom, Uncle, hear me out," Qian Wanyu urged from the center, releasing both Thunder and Wind spiritual forces, "I have more spiritual energy to spare. Fighting five alone is achievable. Withdraw one by one so at least two elemental forces maintain till the end. I'm the fastest too." "Yu'er." "Don't waste any more time. We don't know the situation behind that door. Ninth Sister's group's fate is unknown. Wasting time here is pointless." Qian Wanyu's gaze was resolute, "And I won't let anything happen to myself. Absolutely not." "Wanyu is right." Qian Ziyan decisively ordered, "Ice-type fierce beast, retreat first." "Howl." The beast struggled to squeeze through the barrier opening, its large body getting stuck. Anxiety hung around as Qian Ziyan instructed Yu Chi Shou, "Assist it." "Got it." Yu Chi Shou swiftly withdrew his spiritual energy and fiercely kicked the beast's rear, using all his strength. It propelled a third of the beast inside, draining his energy. "You're usually good for crushing scorpion beasts but now you’re a hindrance." Yu Chi Shou kicked relentlessly, gasping for breath as he exerted himself. The beast half-buried in the barrier’s scorching flames, its rear swelling from kicks, urged hastily, "Hurry, I’m getting roasted." "Uncle, your turn." Qian Wanyu, seeing the stalemate, released both Thunder and Wind spiritual energies from her hands to the brink of exhaustion. Qian Ziyan pulled back and advised Yu Chi Shou, "Together, I kick left, you right, simultaneously with force." "Alright." "Beast, when I count to three, inhale sharply to shrink your body." "Okay." In harmony, the two and the beast, counting aloud, struck like invisible legs, propelling the beast forward like a cannonball. Qian Ziyan and Yu Chi Shou quickly darted through. "Mom, go." "Yu'er, be careful." As Qian Yiling finished speaking, she too flashed through the iron door, vanishing instantly. Qian Wanyu took a deep breath, addressing Little Fatty within the barrier, "Little Fatty, ready to retreat?" "Mm." "When I count to three, release two breaths later." "Okay." — When Qian Wanyu tumbled through, she half-knelt on the ground. She saw Qian Yiling and others under siege, the beast's position hiding a crushed person who seemed utterly lifeless. Dongfang Minghui and Lien were already bound together. "Seventh Sister." Dongfang Minghui barely uttered when a weapon, perhaps a spear, edged closer to her neck, prompting her to roll her eyes. She was the first to enter, immediately captured by men seemingly waiting for them. More puzzlingly, her spiritual energy was unresponsive. Then Ding Ding, Lien, and Mu Sheng barged in. It was one chaotic surprise. She hadn't even managed to issue a warning when a tribe of savages sprung out, rounding them up, and ultimately guarding the iron door for more prey. The later group didn't fall for it, thanks to the beast's charge that directly crushed the door's guard. Moreover, neither Qian Ziyan nor Yu Chi Shou were the types to fall for such a ruse, resulting in the current standoff. "Yu'er, something's strange here." "Yes." The fierce beast had been barbecued by the flames of the barrier, transforming it into a roasted pig-headed beast. Its large eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for Ding Ding, the only one not yet captured. Ding Ding buzzed above their heads like a little bee, contemplating whether to use the Longevity Cauldron to smash them. "They look like natives," Qian Ziyan observed. "Ninth Sister and the others are in their hands. Perhaps we should just go with them and see what they intend to do," Qian Wanyu suggested, needing a place to catch her breath, especially since her spiritual energy was unusable at the moment. "Agreed." Unanimously, they decided not to resist and allowed themselves to be bound. The ropes tightened firmly. The group seemed wary of the fierce beast, hesitating to approach closely, clearly intimidated by the imprint left by their comrade accidentally crushed to death by the beast. They chattered in an unintelligible language, leaving everyone else feeling lost. "I think they're speaking a dialect similar to the Dragon tribe's." "A dialect..." Dongfang Minghui noticed Seventh Sister's slow steps and exhausted expression, feeling worried. As she moved to approach, a weapon was unceremoniously pressed closer against her skin. "Seventh Sister, are you okay?" "Take care of yourself. Don't move unnecessarily." "Understood." They exchanged knowing glances. "Pig Immortal Grass, Little Color, do you still have your combat abilities?" Little Color rolled her eyes disdainfully. "I tried already. This place is like the fake mountain you were in before, with no abundant spiritual energy. That's why you see these people using the most primitive tools." "That makes sense." Dongfang Minghui understood at once, "You mean there's likely a Soul-detaining Mirror here, right?" "Exactly." "That's troublesome." If they were free, they could all search for the Soul-detaining Mirror together. Now, shackled and powerless, they appeared helpless. Dongfang Minghui straightforwardly asked aloud, "Excuse me, do you have a mirror here?" Everyone present was sharp, and Qian Wanyu immediately inferred Dongfang Minghui's intent. She habitually tapped her water thunder whip. Yu Chi Shou snorted in amusement, "They can't understand what you're saying." Dongfang Minghui wanted them not to understand; her loud declaration was intentionally for Seventh Sister, knowing that Seventh Sister would quickly deduce the lack of spiritual energy was due to the Soul-detaining Mirror and would come up with a plan. "Yu Chi Shou, is this the Dragon tribe's territory?" "It seems we're getting closer," Yu Chi Shou was unsure, basing his analysis on their communication. "Hmm, it feels like they want to do something to you." Qian Wanyu's icy gaze flicked over. "What do you mean? Don't scare me; I've always been timid since childhood." "Don't worry, it shouldn't be anything bad." Yu Chi Shou listened intently, his focus sharp. He watched as Ding Ding flew to a savage's head, camouflaging itself amidst thick hair before suddenly lifting off again and finally settling atop the beast's scorched brow. "Yu Chi Shou, did you hear anything or not?" "They say you're a gift from the heavens and plan to use you for a sky sacrifice." Dongfang Minghui: "..." "Little Nine." "Witch." The savages, spears poised, seemed perturbed by their sudden commotion. "Everyone, quiet," Qian Wanyu interrupted firmly. "Even if they intend to sacrifice Ninth Sister, they need my permission first." Dongfang Minghui nodded vigorously, confident in Seventh Sister's protection. This ridiculous Soul-detaining Mirror had conjured something absurd. A sky sacrifice? This was getting out of hand. "Seventh Sister, don't worry about me. I still have Pig Immortal Grass and Little Color with me. And if it comes to it — Ding Ding?" Ding Ding quietly perched on the beast's nose, occasionally shifting its little legs. It frowned, "Is a sky sacrifice tasty?" The beast's wide eyes nearly crossed, trying to look at it, "Sky sacrifice... probably not tasty." The group was escorted to the savages' gathering place — an almost open-air clearing. Many young savages held spears taller than themselves, jeering upon seeing them. Muttering incomprehensibly as they went. Lien, curious, nudged Yu Chi Shou, "Why so excited?" Yu Chi Shou surveyed the group, "Because they plan to sacrifice us one by one." ... "Each sacrifice is probably a grand ceremony, occurring once every year or few years. Seeing so many of us, they're rejoicing, planning a celebratory feast. They intend to choose someone to commence the celebration grandly." Dongfang Minghui chuckled bitterly, "And the first chosen might be me?" Yu Chi Shou nodded sympathetically, "Yes." As they finished speaking, several muscular, bare-chested savage men, barely covered with loincloths, surrounded Dongfang Minghui. "What do they want?" "Perhaps to cleanse you ceremonially to make you feel revered like a goddess." "Damn their reverence—" Dongfang Minghui was on the verge of cursing, feeling cornered by the men. "Don't come closer, or I won't be polite." Yu Chi Shou wanted to remind her that the savages couldn't understand her, "Shouldn't we discuss our next move? We can't just watch her get sacrificed." Qian Wanyu and Qian Yiling stood simultaneously, "Beast, can you shake off those ropes?" The beast rose, shaking its massive body, frightening the surrounding savages enough to back away, spears ready, ignoring Dongfang Minghui for the moment. "My gods, these savages are terrifying." Legend has it that the more primitive the tribe, the more they believe in sacrifices praying for blessings or eternal peace. Dongfang Minghui refused to become an altar offering; she skilfully fiddled with a plum blossom nail, working to untie the ropes. Just as the ropes slackened, she noticed Ding Ding sneaking along her sleeve to the top. "Thanks, Ding Ding." Dongfang Minghui stealthily moved, freeing others along the way. The beast growled loudly, rattling the savages so that thoughts of 'goddess' and 'sacrifice' were forgotten. "Seventh Sister, what now?" "We're too conspicuous as a group. Our goal is to find the other half of the Soul-detaining Mirror." Qian Wanyu whispered, "Lien, Mu Sheng, Zhi Lan, Mom, Uncle... enter the Longevity Cauldron for now." She glanced at Yu Chi Shou, "You'll stay to listen in on what they say." "Alright." "Little Nine, Yu'er, be safe. If danger strikes, hide in the cauldron." "Don't worry, Mom, Ding Ding's presence will keep us safe." "Definitely." Ding Ding expanded the Longevity Cauldron, making the cautious savages retreat, their curiosity piqued at its appearance. The beast was then taken into the Longevity Cauldron for cultivation. With one less beast, the savages regained boldness and glanced around, searching for it. Yu Chi Shou laughed, "They're calling us monsters and debating our sacrifice to purge us." Qian Wanyu considered, "Ninth Sister, maybe you should enter the Longevity Cauldron as well." "No." Dongfang Minghui declined outright, "Seventh Sister, what are you planning? You think I'll hinder you?" Qian Wanyu admitted, "I want to explore their sacrificial site. Supposing they're devoutly worshipping something fallen from the sky, it might be treasured there." "That might be true." Yu Chi Shou stroked his chin, "Then maybe we should convince them to sacrifice us together." Dongfang Minghui sighed, wondering if sacrifices had ever been done with such... flair? "Seventh Sister thinks the Soul-detaining Mirror fell and they revered it somewhere?" "Yes." "Alright, I think it's best if I go and investigate. Once I have answers, I can have Ding Ding secretly inform you," Dongfang Minghui suggested, feeling that she had an advantage with Ding Ding, like having a giant, golden cheat code. Ding Ding quickly retracted the Longevity Cauldron, rubbing against her face affectionately. "Yes, indeed." "True, we're defenseless and unable to use our spiritual power. If it came to a fight, I doubt we’d fare well," Qian Wanyu acknowledged, after hesitating for a moment. "Just be careful not to let anyone take advantage of you." Yu Chi Shou burst out laughing as if he had heard the greatest joke ever. "Who would dare take advantage of the witch? Haha!" Dongfang Minghui blushed slightly and nodded. Qian Wanyu shot Yu Chi Shou a sharp look. "Ding Ding, hide well. Make sure they don't discover you," Dongfang Minghui instructed. "Alright, Little Nine," Ding Ding replied as it slid along her clothes into her sleeve, giving her wrist a reassuring poke. The savages, noticing the absence of the beast and the Longevity Cauldron, and seeing that many of them had suddenly disappeared, were dubious and checked around thoroughly before quickly enclosing them again. This time, they tied three rounds of rope, fearing the remaining three would vanish like the others. As Dongfang Minghui was led away, Yu Chi Shou muttered, "Will we be stuck like this until we find the other half of the Soul-detaining Mirror?" Qian Wanyu hadn’t anticipated they’d end up in a place where spiritual power was unusable. "Finding the Mirror is our priority." — Dongfang Minghui narrowly avoided being bathed by several large men. With Ding Ding's assistance, she scared them off and took a pleasant medicinal bath herself. After changing into fresh clothes, she emerged in front of the savages. They adorned her extravagantly, placing her onto a reclining chair and carrying her to another location. "Oh dear, it's already dark. Where are they taking me?" she wondered aloud. "It should be the altar." "After being cleansed, you should prepare mentally to be a sacrifice," Ding Ding teased. Without Yu Chi Shou's translation, every action by the savages felt obsequious to Dongfang Minghui, leaving her clueless about their plans. But she was sure it wasn't anything good. Her ropes had already been untied during her bathing and changing, so she could easily escape. However, the savages surprisingly let down their guard. The number of keepers dwindled, and Dongfang Minghui blinked, feeling her eyelids grow heavy. Unable to pry them open, whispers in an unknown language fluttered in her ears as fatigue enveloped her. "I'm feeling a bit sleepy," she admitted. "Don't sleep," Little Color roared within her soul sea. "Sleep and you're done for." "Mm." She tapped a pain point on her waist with a flying needle, jolting herself awake for a bit. However, her mind remained fuzzy, suspecting she'd been ambushed somehow to induce such lethargy. "Where did everyone go?" "They thought you fell asleep and left you here," Pig Immortal Grass remarked, twitching its grass-tail. "They brought you into a cave when you were drowsy, likely to leave you as food." "Don't scare me," Dongfang Minghui murmured anxiously, finding the eerie silence unsettling. "Ding Ding." "Little Nine, I’m here." Ding Ding emerged from her sleeve, a small head peeping out. "Little Nine, it stinks in here." "It stinks?" "Can't you smell it, Little Nine?" This wasn’t right. Dongfang Minghui, noted for her sharp senses, especially smell, couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary when she should. "Can you smell anything strange?" "It definitely reeks, like something corroded," Pig Immortal Grass pinpointed accurately. "There’s definitely something rotten here." "But I can't smell a thing." Dongfang Minghui admitted, aside from a lingering scent she couldn't quite place—a scent she feared might actually be the smell of decay. Upon realizing that, her stomach churned in revulsion, helpless to suppress her senses with her spiritual energy blocked. "My sense of smell is compromised; you'll have to guide me away from any rotting flesh." Assuming the altar was what the savages meant, she feared others had been similarly captured and transformed into sacrifices against their will. With such thoughts, each step felt daunting, terrified of stepping onto any remains. Dongfang Minghui initially wanted to wait for Seventh Sister or Yu Chi Shou, but unsure when they'd arrive, she made up her mind, "Ding Ding, keep an eye for anything underfoot." "Got it." Ding Ding climbed down her pant leg, settled on her shoe, and acted as her lookout. They proceeded undeterred, but as they reached deeper within, Ding Ding suddenly fell silent. Dongfang Minghui, lifting and lowering her foot, asked within her soul sea, "What's wrong? I can't see anything in here. Wait, I see four lights." "Those are eyes." "Heh—" Dongfang Minghui gasped instinctively, stepping back, crushing something beneath her foot with a sharp crack. The sound reverberated ominously in the near-silent, enclosed space. "Little Nine, you stepped on a bone," Ding Ding informed her. A bone... In her mind, Dongfang Minghui imagined a human bone—its length, its size, a piece of a person's body whose origin was here... wait. In reality, she stood on an irregular little demonic beast claw bone, comparable to a chicken's foot. Hiss— She then heard sounds scraping the ground, accompanied by other indistinguishable noises. Worse, the sounds were approaching. "You've all gone silent, shouldn't we be running now?" "Ding Ding, run." "Oh." Dongfang Minghui turned on her heel and ran, almost blindly through the darkness, only chasing the path she came from without direction. "Wrong way," Little Color sighed, unable to look on, cringing at her misdirection. "It's coming," Pig Immortal Grass warned. "Two heads—no, we're mistaken. It's one creature, with two heads, joined at the body, but two separate heads, similar to a double-headed serpent." What kind of beastly abomination was that? Based on Pig Immortal Grass's description, Dongfang Minghui imagined the horror in the darkness—a creature too hideous to comprehend—and to think the savages offered sacrifices to it... what ignorance. "It's planning to flank you now, preparing a trap on both sides," Little Color added. "What about Ding Ding?" "Little Nine, I’m on it." Ding Ding clung to one of the serpent's large heads, bouncing as it swayed, causing its voice to waver up and down. Steeling herself in the darkness, Dongfang Minghui tightly gripped her plum blossom nails. "When it gets close, guide me to the seven-inch spot. They say to strike a snake at seven inches, that's all I have. If I miss, we'll end up in this beast's stomach." Little Color and Pig Immortal Grass focused, each simultaneously calling out coordinates. Dongfang Minghui closed her eyes, throwing her plum blossom nails in quick succession, a chilling scream pierced the air, accompanied by the sound of metal hitting stone. "Two were off target." "Dodge quickly." Intending to move, she found herself blocked on both sides with an open escape behind her. She pivoted, running toward an uncertain exit, realizing it drew further away. Calculating the time for the poison with the plum blossom nails to take effect, Dongfang Minghui directed, "Ding Ding, delay them for half an incense stick." Ding Ding revelled in the combat, eagerly attacking the large serpent. When one headed for Dongfang Minghui, he rushed, using its incredible force to batter it, the impact crushing the serpent's head entirely. "What is this thing? Is it calling for reinforcements?" she asked aloud. "Ding Ding executed one," Little Color announced. Recovering from having killed one serpent, Ding Ding grumbled, "No fun, couldn't withstand a hit." Then it confronted the other serpent, barely engaging it before it too crashed lifelessly to the ground. "Little Nine, Little Nine," Ding Ding eagerly searched for Dongfang Minghui, announcing, "A mirror!" In excitement, it blundered several times against the cave walls, nearly knocking itself out. As Ding Ding hit the walls a few times, stones started tumbling down from above. Dongfang Minghui instinctively shielded her head, waiting for the cave to quieten down. Once it did, she was speechless. "Where's the mirror?" Pig Immortal Grass gestured for Dongfang Minghui to look up, where the mirror was embedded like an icicle, glittering. She quickly took out a white cloth and covered the mirror. "Could it be that the double-headed snake turned into two heads because of the Soul-detaining Mirror?" "That's quite possible." "Then, since I was briefly reflected in it, will I become two of me?" An eerie silence filled her soul sea. Dongfang Minghui was genuinely frightened by the Soul-detaining Mirror. After inspecting herself and confirming nothing had changed, she pondered how to retrieve the mirror. She attempted to jump and grab it but her height was insufficient. With her spiritual power unusable, she felt utterly helpless. "Little Color, could you help me with your vines?" "The wall is slick with the double-headed snake's saliva from earlier. It's very slippery." "Perhaps Ding Ding could help you." Ding Ding, named by Pig Immortal Grass, seemed stupefied by the semi-reflected mirror, appearing somewhat dazed. When Dongfang Minghui picked it up, it didn't even respond. "Ding Ding, are you alright?" "Little Nine, Little Nine, it hurts." Having crashed several times earlier, it was a blessing the cave didn’t collapse from its force. Feeling wronged, Ding Ding wanted to hug her neck but couldn’t, so instead, it clung to a lock of her hair, seemingly to comfort its hurt little soul. "Ding Ding, grab onto me and fly up so I can take that thing down, and then we can leave." "No," Ding Ding shook its head vigorously, "Little Nine, it's not good." Dongfang Minghui felt frustrated. Ding Ding's fear of the Soul-detaining Mirror was ingrained in its soul. Despite its seemingly clever nature, she couldn't bear to force it. Suddenly, she thought of the Man-eating Grass. "Man-eating Grass, spray some silk threads up the cave wall, and I'll use them to pull that thing down." She wanted to avoid lingering too long. The Man-eating Grass, reluctantly drawn out from a corner of its space by Pig Immortal Grass, spit out a few long, thin, silk threads. Using the threads, Dongfang Minghui hoisted herself up to reach the mirror. She tried to grip and pry it away but feared her force might shatter it. As it turned out, her worries were unfounded. The mirror neither cracked nor budged; it remained firmly embedded above. "It won’t budge. Little Color, Pig Immortal Grass, help me." Two vines intertwined to form a thick rope, yet it was still of little use. Dongfang Minghui exerted all her strength but couldn’t extract the Soul-detaining Mirror. "This is troublesome." "Little Nine, let's go," Ding Ding coaxed, swaying her finger, trying to be charming. "If you help me take down that mirror, we can leave." Dongfang Minghui considered this, recalling that Little Hui had removed the mirror previously. "Could it be only Little Hui can take it?" Little Color and Pig Immortal Grass exchanged a glance in her soul sea, suggesting, "That does seem possible." "Why?" "Your Seventh Sister and Yu Chi Shou couldn't take the Soul-detaining Mirror back then despite their spiritual power. Now, with both powerless, they’re as helpless as you, lacking the strength to move it." "Oh dear." Dongfang Minghui suddenly stood up, "Little Color, you reminded me. Seventh Sister and Yu Chi Shou are defenseless. I need to find them first." Ding Ding promptly took flight, leading the way, "Little Nine, Little Nine, let's hurry." Guided by Ding Ding, Dongfang Minghui's pace was swift. In less than half an incense stick, she exited the cave, feeling slightly disoriented. Outside lay a wasteland, an apparent abandoned area. "Was it like this when we came?" Dongfang Minghui couldn’t recall passing such a place, questioning if she was dreaming. She pinched herself— it hurt slightly. "I guess it's not a dream." "No." "It's not," Ding Ding confirmed, yet unable to pinpoint the problem, flitting restlessly before Dongfang Minghui, "Little Nine, Little Nine, the path is lost." "Something feels off," Pig Immortal Grass commented, also troubled by the lost path. "The Soul-detaining Mirror can indeed separate souls, steal souls, and collect them. Could it create illusions, too?" Little Color mused, its vine shaking, "With no clear path, maybe we should return to the cave. Perhaps it has multiple routes, and we took a wrong turn?"