"Brother Chong, I have a feeling that what we're looking for is hidden within this mirror."
Zi Yan stepped forward and reached out to touch the mirror surface.
As her fingers made contact, the reflection rippled, gradually revealing one scene after another. Each scene felt familiar yet was filled with unknown dangers.
"It seems we'll have to enter these scenes separately to find clues about the 'Essence of Sand,'" Xiao Chong analyzed.
"But splitting up is too dangerous," Zi Yan expressed her concern.
"Don't worry," Xiao Chong reassured her, gripping her hand firmly. His resolute gaze gave her boundless courage.
Subsequently, the two stepped into the mirror world.
The moment Xiao Chong entered the mirror world, the sight before him left him utterly stunned.
Surrounding him was a swirling vortex of dazzling colors. As the light shifted, various bizarre reflections intertwined and overlapped, as if each reflection led to a completely different world.
He cautiously took a step forward, but it felt as though he was stepping on nothingness, with no sense of solidity beneath his feet.
"Where... is this?" Xiao Chong muttered to himself, his eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilance.
Suddenly, a familiar yet strange aura washed over him, causing his smile to freeze involuntarily.
"Xiao Chong, long time no see," a voice called out from behind him. The voice sounded like his own, but carried a subtle chill that was hard to ignore.
As he turned around, a man who looked exactly like him stood before his eyes. The only difference was the coldness and cunning in the man's gaze. This was another Xiao Chong, or rather, the reflection of this mirror world—the "Fake Xiao Chong."
"Who are you? Why do you look exactly like me?" Xiao Chong clenched his fists, his guard up.
The Fake Xiao Chong smirked coldly. "Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that here, I am the rule, and you are the intruder. If you want what you're after, you'll have to get past me first."
Before the words had fully left his mouth, the Fake Xiao Chong figure blurred, and he appeared right in front of Xiao Chong, throwing a straight punch that whistled through the air.
Xiao Chong sidestepped, his hands quickly forming a seal as he countered with a "Flowing Cloud Palm" aimed at the fake shoulder. Their figures darted through the kaleidoscope of light and shadow, their movements so fast they were almost a blur.
"You're strong, but in my world, I am invincible," the Fake Xiao Chong taunted, each of his attacks perfectly anticipating Xiao Chong moves.
Xiao Chong knew full well that brute force alone wouldn't win this battle. He had to find a weakness in his opponent. As he pondered his strategy, he caught a glimpse of something hidden within the reflections of the mirror.
"Something's off here, these reflections..." Xiao Chong deliberately left an opening, luring the Fake Xiao Chong into a more aggressive assault.
The Fake Xiao Chong took the bait, launching a heavy punch toward Xiao Chong exposed flank. Just as the punch was about to land, Xiao Chong figure suddenly split into two—one was the real him, the other a mirror illusion.
"So that's it, using the mirror reflections to confuse your opponent. That's quite an interesting technique," the Fake Xiao Chong remarked, a hint of surprise in his voice for the first time.
"It's more than just a technique," Xiao Chong replied with a faint smile. "Here, every reflection can become my strength. You may mimic my appearance, but the real me—you can never replicate."
After speaking, the mirrored illusion shattered into countless fragments, each reflecting a different version of Xiao Chong, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. Seizing the opportunity, the real Xiao Chong moved closer and struck the fake Xiao Chong on the back with a palm strike. A surge of pure energy flowed into the fake Xiao Chong, causing his form to waver.
"Impossible! How could you..." The fake Xiao Chong' voice revealed panic for the first time.
"Because I know myself better than you do," Xiao Chong said slowly. He understood that deep within everyone lies their own weakness, even in their own reflection.
Just as Xiao Chong was about to deliver the final blow, the vibrant surroundings began to tremble violently. A powerful suction force emerged from all directions, pulling him toward an unknown destination.
Meanwhile, the figure of the fake Xiao Chong gradually blurred amidst the chaos until it completely vanished.
As the mirrored world crumbled, Xiao Chong was suddenly swept into a vortex of time and space by an irresistible force. The scenes around him shifted rapidly like a carousel, and eventually, he stumbled and steadied himself, finding that he had returned to the familiar yet mysterious interior of the giant parasol tree.
The surroundings were eerily silent, with only the sound of his slightly heavy breathing echoing in the air.
Looking around, Xiao Chong felt an indescribable sense of loneliness wash over him.
Although he had just defeated his fake self, the joy of victory was tinged with bitterness due to Zi Yan silence. He pursed his lips tightly, determined to try and establish contact with her once more.
"Zi Yan, are you there? It's me, Xiao Chong," he whispered, closing his eyes and focusing his mental energy, gently casting the question into the depths of his heart, hoping for even the faintest response.
Time seemed to stand still. Apart from the sound of his heartbeat, everything was quiet.
Just as he was about to give up, a faint, almost imperceptible voice echoed in his mind, like a whisper carried by the wind, ethereal and fragile.
"Xiao Chong... is that you?" Zi Yan's voice carried a mix of uncertainty and surprise.
"It's me!" Xiao Chong heart leaped with joy, and he immediately increased the output of his mental energy, hoping to make the conversation clearer.
"This world... is dangerous. You... must be careful," Zi Yan voice was intermittent, clearly indicating that she was going through some kind of hardship, which made Xiao Chong heart clench.
"Zi Yan, tell me where you are. No matter what happens, I will come to save you!" Xiao Chong tone was firm and resolute.
"No... you can't come... this is my battle..." Zi Yan's voice grew weaker and then completely faded, leaving Xiao Chong in a vast, empty silence.
Xiao Chong opened his eyes, a determined light flickering within them.
He understood that even if Zi Yan didn't want him to intervene, as her partner, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing. He began searching for possible clues within the giant tree, knowing that any detail could be the key to rescuing Zi Yan.
Suddenly, a faint glimmer of light caught his attention. It was emanating from an ancient stone platform at the center of the tree. As he approached, he saw that the platform was engraved with intricate runes, and at its center was embedded a gemstone that shimmered with a strange light.
Xiao Chong recognized it immediately—it was the very medium that had guided him into the mirrored world: the Key of Time and Space.
"If this is the only way to reach Ziyan..." he murmured to himself, gently touching the gemstone with both hands. A warm and familiar energy emanated from his palms, as if resonating with Ziyan very soul.
At that moment, the gemstone light intensified, and the surrounding space began to distort. A faint, illusory image slowly materialized—it was Ziyan, trapped in a dark, shadowy realm.
Around her, grotesque, writhing creatures of darkness loomed, yet her figure, though frail, stood resolute, steadfastly resisting.