Chapter 193 - 190: A Test of Magnanimity
Inside the Qingzhen Secret Realm, everyone from the French Branch used an emergency Shuttle Technique, consuming nearly half of their precious Magic Power to arrive at the association’s headquarters via the passage in the Secret Realm Ring.
Most of them were visiting for the first time, but they were in no mood to sightsee.
Every one of them was dispirited, anxious, and filled with an unavoidable sense of unease and shame.
This was the first independent mission against a Demon that Master Sage had assigned to the French Branch.
Previous tasks like gathering intelligence online and in the real world, or recruiting and rescuing suitable personnel, were considered mere routine operations.
In the heart of every Dawn Association member, although no role was considered superior or inferior, they couldn’t help but see confronting Demons as their primary mission and highest honor.
Although the members of the French Branch had generally lacked confidence, this mentality had transformed into a powerful drive to prove themselves once the mission was assigned and their spirits were rallied.
But things hadn’t gone as planned. Even with uncontrollable factors at play, their own negligence and insufficient investigation were also to blame.
Not only had they failed to complete the mission, but Brown had been lost as well!
...
Compared to their dejection, however, Qin Xiaoxia didn’t feel they were to blame.
If it was really as they described, then this mirror was definitely not something they could handle. Everyone, including himself, had underestimated it.
The moment he received the call, Qin Xiaoxia had considered the mirror’s danger and had hesitated over how to proceed.
But in the end, he gritted his teeth and opened the Secret Realm link, bringing Philier and the others directly to the Qingzhen Secret Place.
’Since Brown had managed to break free from that bizarre restraint, there was no reason I couldn’t do the same. I have the home-field advantage of the Qingzhen Secret Place’s immense Power of the Secret Realm, not to mention that I, the Red Demoness, and a whole group of the association’s top experts are all here.’
’Putting aside the question of whether or not to go in, if we can’t even suppress a mirror that’s clearly just an entrance, what will we do about the increasingly outrageous anomalies in the future? Is there any hope left for Earth?’
At this moment, by the river outside the Secret Place’s building, countless mirror-like magical symbols had appeared in the sky and on the surrounding Secret Realm Walls, emitting a radiant, multicolored magical glow.
Countless faint Magic Chains coiled around the Magic Mirror, which was suspended in mid-air.
The dozen or so young people from the French Branch all stood on the outer perimeter, while closer to the center, the four great Magic Controllers—Qin Xiaoxia, the Red Demoness, Mumu, and Su Su—stood together.
Sun Monkey and Doudou stood among the group from the French Branch, watching with curiosity and scratching their heads.
"Su Su, any luck?"
Hearing her Mentor’s question, Su Su waved her hand, and the Crystal Ball floating in front of her flew back into the pouch at her side.
"It’s no use. I can’t divine anything. I can’t see a thing. It either has ridiculously strong Magic Power interference inside, or it’s not on Earth at all and is blocked by the Power of the World."
Hearing this, Qin Xiaoxia’s frown deepened.
Neither possibility was good.
"It gives me a... a strange feeling. I think it can also borrow from the ’Windsor Law,’ which is why it can affect so many things around it!"
The Red Demoness’s elegant voice rang out, tinged with doubt. The Windsor Law was her generalization for High-level Illusionary Abilities, and Sea Sirens were naturally favored by this type of Law.
Mumu’s Thorns coiled and grew all around, sprouting strange little flowers near the mirror’s surface. The core of each flower was an extravagant Magic Energy Crystal.
Wisps of pollen carrying Magic Power drifted from the flowers, slowly coating the surface of the Magic Mirror.
"Master, I can feel a force inside the mirror. It seems to be repeatedly striking our magical restraints!"
’Repeatedly striking?’
Qin Xiaoxia was startled, but his tone remained as calm as still water.
"Is it trying to get out and attack us?"
One of Mumu’s branches waved back and forth, a very human-like gesture of dismissal.
"No. Although my Perception may not be one hundred percent accurate, this force seems to just want to destroy the Magic Mirror! Or rather, erase this entrance."
Everyone saw Master Sage, whose eyes had been half-closed, suddenly open them wide.
’Destroy the Magic Mirror?’
Qin Xiaoxia stroked his chin thoughtfully, one hand supporting his elbow, his eyes fixed on the Magic Mirror.
He didn’t believe that destroying the mirror would release the world inside onto Earth. Just as Mumu had said, at most, it would just destroy the entrance.
He glanced around. The people from the French Branch, Su Su, and Sun Monkey were all looking at him with eager anticipation.
In the quiet and tense atmosphere, there was no doubt that everyone hoped he, their Master Sage, would display his divine power and save Brown.
’Is it dangerous inside the mirror?’
’To be honest, it’s a complete unknown. And we can’t save him by just looking from the outside.’
’But should I try to save him?’
Qin Xiaoxia gritted his teeth internally.
’Save him! I have to! Logically and emotionally, despite any misgivings, I must save him!’
’It’s not as if I can sense an overwhelming threat right now, but even if I could, I’d still have to go!’
’So many of Dawn’s new generation of elites are looking up to the Great Sage, watching me, full of hope.’
’Since I’m trying to forge "Dawn" into a force that will stand the test of time, it’s time for me to show I have the courage to bear this responsibility!’
’Otherwise, I’ll forever be just a "little schemer."’
’The last Flame Demon incident was certainly a bit impulsive on my part, but what would have happened back then if I hadn’t stepped up?’
Qin Xiaoxia had considered this possibility more than once in the dead of night.
’Things probably would have played out differently. The Flame Demon would have caused enormous destruction. I estimate there still would have been a high probability of its eventual destruction; after all, modern military power is terrifying once it has time to react.’
’And human think tanks would’ve eventually figured something out. As long as they could knock the whip away, even by accident, the Flame Demon would be drained dry by the Power of the World. Disarming it would have been a top priority.’
’But how much time would that have taken? Doomsday theories would have been impossible to suppress. Would the major powers have panicked? Would they have overreacted? Would the whole world have been thrown into turmoil?’
’The United States is the world’s only superpower. If it had suffered major destruction from the Flame Demon, the resulting instability could absolutely have triggered a global chain reaction, both economically and militarily.’
In short, he had thought of all sorts of messy scenarios.
At times, Qin Xiaoxia could be quite courageous.
He wasn’t a fan of taking risks, but that didn’t mean he was a coward.
Even the old tricksters of Dawn throughout history did not lack courage.
The difference was that, at this moment, Qin Xiaoxia had truly channeled his courage for the "greater good," even if many personal factors were mixed in.
No one around dared to disturb Master Sage’s thoughts. Even Sun Monkey and Doudou were quiet.
A long moment passed before Qin Xiaoxia spoke, his voice detached.
"Red Demoness, come with me. Let’s go in and see what kind of Demon this is."
Saying those words, he felt a sense of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
The Red Demoness was, after all, the strongest among his "followers." Sometimes, Qin Xiaoxia felt she was even more powerful than him. Moreover, the nature of her Abilities was bizarre and versatile, so bringing her along was a form of insurance.
Hearing Qin Xiaoxia’s words, the Red Demoness smiled at him as always and gave a soft "Mm."
Doudou watched his big cousin with great worry, for once not stuffing his face while watching the commotion.
As for the others, aside from joy, they also felt a trace of worry. After all, Master Sage was heading into the Demon’s home turf.
"Mentor, I can go with you!"
"And I, Old Sun!"
Su Su and the Monkey King clamored at the same time. Their concern brought a knowing smile to Qin Xiaoxia’s face.
Respecting one’s mentor had always been one of Dawn’s few ironclad and highly effective rules.
"Su Su, you and Mumu stay here and control the Secret Realm Power. Once we break open the entrance, use the entire Secret Realm’s Magic Power to keep it stable and ensure we have a path of retreat after we find Brown."
For this purpose, they had already embedded Magic Energy Crystals all over the Secret Realm Arrays in the Secret Place, using up the better part of the reserves they had accumulated over the past few months.
"As for you, Wukong, you’re not skilled enough yet. Spend less time messing around with Doudou and the others, and put in more effort!"
The Monkey King was shaken. The words were spoken lightly, but they struck a deep chord.
In any other situation, the Monkey might have just laughed it off playfully.
But now, amidst the solemn atmosphere, he suddenly felt his attempts to imitate the carefree Sun Wukong were childish and absurd. It wasn’t his idol, Sun Wukong, who was absurd, but himself—he completely lacked the strength to back it up, yet he was pretending to be so nonchalant.
He had mocked Su Su for poring over Magic Patterns every day. He had also sneered at the Martial Techniques taught by Mo Shaoge, figuring that since Shaoge couldn’t even beat him, he couldn’t have any real skill.
’But what am I now? A useless, rowdy monkey who can’t even help?’
Qin Xiaoxia glanced at the Monkey King, who had fallen into a daze. ’Perhaps my words were too harsh,’ he thought, but right now he was in no mood to soothe his pride.
He casually gave a few more instructions, as if he wasn’t about to enter a strange realm that made even him apprehensive, but was simply taking the Red Demoness for a walk in a garden.
PS: First Chapter for Tuesday.