After Rebirth, the Love-Struck Cannon Fodder Woke Up - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Breaking the Restriction

◎ Inferring the Truth, The Altar Manifests ◎

Shen Anlan did not believe these words and was still intent on taking action.

Seeing this, Qingdai retreated a few steps, changing the subject to the serious matter at hand.

“Miss Shen, don’t forget that we are all currently in the world inside the mirror. Infighting before leaving is truly unwise. If the young lady truly finds me displeasing, it wouldn’t be too late to fight after we leave this place and go back outside.”

These words made sense, and Shen Anlan temporarily withdrew her offensive.

A smile appeared on Qingdai’s face, and she continued: “From my previous observation, the core of this mirror world is located in the small town ahead. As long as we find a way to locate and destroy the treasure’s hub, we can leave this place. Did the young lady discover anything during your investigation?”

Shen Anlan nodded and replied: “There are many strange anomalies in the town. To avoid alerting the enemy, I did not act rashly.”

Qingdai then asked: “Can you elaborate?”

Shen Anlan slowly spoke: “When I entered the small town, it was just getting dark. The aroma of food wafting from every household was rich and tempting. I sealed off my sense of smell in time. Later, I faintly perceived that if I hadn’t resisted the temptation of the food’s aroma and bought something to eat, I would likely be permanently unable to leave the mirror world.

Also, the townspeople’s expressions were vacant, and their movements were uniform, somewhat like puppets on strings. However, when I probed them with my divine sense, I found they were flesh-and-bl00d, not puppets.

Furthermore, precisely at the third ke of the Xu hour (around 7:45 PM), all the townspeople would return to their homes. The streets would become empty, with no sign of anyone.”

Du Lianxin listened to these words, deep in thought.

“Senior Sister, if all those people are mortals, their daily food must have a source. Are there any farmlands near the town? Do the households in the town raise livestock?”

Shen Anlan affirmed: “Neither. When I returned, I observed carefully. Within a hundred li (approx. 50 km) radius, besides this small town, it is all mountains and steep ridges; there are no farmlands. And no livestock is raised in the town.”

Du Lianxin frowned slightly. “Then the source of the townspeople’s food…”

Shen Anlan added: “I secretly investigated two households. There were no leftover stores of food, but the food cooking in the pots was very fresh.”

Qingdai seemed to have realized something. She gazed over and asked: “Could Miss Shen recognize the types of food?”

Shen Anlan immediately replied: “Rice, vegetables, and meat were all present. Specifically, there were common mortal vegetables like green vegetables, amaranth, cabbage, water bamboo, and soybeans. The meat was mainly chicken, duck, and fish. I saw nothing else.”

Qingdai continued to ask: “In Miss Shen’s opinion, was there any problem with that food?”

Shen Anlan stated directly: “I observed with my divine sense and found no anomaly. The food should be real. As for the unusual aroma… if the food itself is fine, it is likely related to the seasoning. Speaking of which, I didn’t see any seasoning in the kitchens.”

Du Lianxin pondered: “Could these hidden items be related to the treasure’s hub? Or rather…”

Seeing her hesitate, Qingdai couldn’t help but press: “Or what? Miss Du, please speak your mind. It’s just the three of us here, and no one else will know what we say.”

Du Lianxin continued: “I am thinking, could the entire small town be constructed from a special illusion formation? This illusion doesn’t confuse the person entering, it just presents the false appearance of a townspeople living a normal life.

Since the illusion is not real, many inconsistencies exist. If we can break the illusion, can we see the true treasure’s hub?”

Hearing this, Qingdai immediately nodded in agreement: “Miss Du’s analysis is very reasonable. A completely fabricated illusion is indeed likely to have unreasonable elements. As for the tempting aroma, it should be a trap set by the enemy. Eating the food within the illusion is equivalent to being assimilated by it, permanently remaining inside. Naturally, it would be impossible to leave this place.”

Shen Anlan recalled her experiences before and after entering the small town and felt that her Junior Sister’s words were very sound.

However, breaking such a sophisticated illusion would not be easy.

She began to concentrate on thinking of a feasible method.

Qingdai, with her vast experience, already had a rough idea.

“One thing must be determined first: whether the illusion is formed by a formation array or constituted by multiple restrictions. The two methods of breaking them are completely different.

If it is formed by a formation array, we can use the method of breaking a formation with a formation. If it is constituted by restrictions, that would be difficult. If we don’t know the specific method of construction, we can only use specialized restriction-breaking treasures, but such treasures are extremely rare…”

Shen Anlan spoke up at the right time: “To be honest with Senior, I happen to have a Dowel of Restriction-Breaking magical artifact in my possession.”

Hearing this, a look of genuine joy appeared on Qingdai’s face. “Then there is no problem! The two young ladies wait here for a moment. Allow me to go and test it, to see if that town is formed by an illusion array or constituted by restrictions!”

Shen Anlan nodded and spoke in unison with Du Lianxin: “Senior, please be careful on your trip.”

Qingdai acted extremely quickly. Her figure instantly transformed into a stream of light and flew toward the small town.

Du Lianxin gazed into the distance, but a hint of worry surfaced in her heart.

“Senior Sister, do you think the master of the bronze mirror will appear in this place?”

Shen Anlan said plainly: “That possibility cannot be ruled out. Is Junior Sister worried about Senior Qingdai?”

Du Lianxin withdrew her gaze from the distance and said softly: “Senior Sister, I absolutely harbor no romantic feelings for Senior Qingdai. Although I am worried now, it is only because she is helping us, and we are all in danger. Nothing more.”

Shen Anlan slowly turned around. “Junior Sister, since our meeting outside the Soul Mist Marsh, a question has lingered in my mind.”

Hearing this, Du Lianxin felt nervous, though she didn’t know why. “What question?”

“Was that meeting outside the Soul Mist Marsh our first encounter?”

“Of course it was. Although I had long heard of Senior Sister’s reputation and had seen Senior Sister from afar in the sect, Senior Sister’s first encounter with me was outside the Soul Mist Marsh.”

“But I always feel like… I have known Junior Sister for a long time, as if we have experienced many things together.”

Hearing this, Du Lianxin’s heart immediately skipped a beat.

“How can that be? That must just be Senior Sister’s misconception.”

Shen Anlan counter-asked: “Is it truly just a misconception?”

“Then what else… does Senior Sister think it could be? A cultivator who has reached Senior Sister’s realm possesses the ability of photographic memory. If Senior Sister had truly seen me before, how could you not remember?”

These words hit directly at the confusion in Shen Anlan’s heart. For a time, she did not speak further.

At this moment, Du Lianxin’s heart was anything but calm.

She had always overlooked one major problem.

She could be reborn, returning to the past, so could others?

Everything in her past life truly happened. She didn’t know why she was reborn, but based on all her past life experiences, she didn’t believe she was anyone special.

Perhaps… she wasn’t the only one reborn, just that their timelines were different.

Just like the mastermind targeting them this time. She had never heard of this in her past life, yet she was experiencing it now.

If the mastermind was also reborn and knew of Senior Sister Shen’s extraordinary future achievements, or had held a grudge against Senior Sister Shen in the past, then this current targeting would have a reasonable explanation.

Also, she was reborn at the time of her first meeting with Senior Sister Shen. So, would Senior Sister Shen also be reborn one day, recovering her past life memories?

Thinking of this possibility, Du Lianxin’s face turned slightly pale.

In her past life, she shamelessly pestered Senior Sister Shen, incurring her disgust.

In this life, she had reformed, only to realize that, one day in the future, Senior Sister Shen could very likely recover her past life memories?

Beside her, Shen Anlan sensed the girl’s emotional distress. She called out repeatedly but received no response.

Du Lianxin was immersed in her own thoughts, temporarily isolated from everything outside.

It wasn’t until a non-self-temperature radiated from her palm that she gradually returned to her senses.

Meeting Senior Sister’s slightly worried gaze, she was momentarily dazed.

Could Senior Sister also worry about her?

She had never seen such a look in her past life.

Shen Anlan was about to speak and ask about the situation. Just then, a light of escape approached from the distance.

Qingdai returned from investigating the small town and revealed what she knew.

“It can be initially confirmed that there is no illusion array surrounding the small town. Therefore, the illusion is most likely constructed by restrictions, which requires Miss Shen to step in and break them.”

Shen Anlan nodded in affirmation and said “Good.” Then, with a wave of her sleeve, she took out the Dowel of Restriction-Breaking. Her spiritual power circulated, and she quietly activated it.

The next moment, the Dowel of Restriction-Breaking whooshed, transforming into a stream of light and flying toward the horizon.

Du Lianxin had now calmed her mind and focused on the current matter.

In just a moment, an invisible fluctuation radiated from above the small town.

The appearance of this phenomenon, following the attack by the Dowel of Restriction-Breaking, was a clear sign of the illusion’s existence.

Shen Anlan continued to cast the spell.

However… the rank of the illusion constructing the small town was quite high. Even with the Dowel of Restriction-Breaking, even at full power, it could only cause a slight fluctuation and could not break the restriction.

Qingdai observed from the side for a moment, then cast a ghostly secret art to assist.

One by one, pitch-black lotus flowers followed the attack of the Dowel of Restriction-Breaking, adhering to the restriction. They quickly tore open a gap.

However, the restriction recovered extremely quickly. As soon as a gap was broken open, it swiftly closed.

If this continued, it would be impossible to break the illusion.

Shen Anlan deeply understood this. To break the deadlock, she tapped her toes on the ground and flew into the air. Holding the Cloud-Piercing Sword, she locked onto the distant restriction and slashed out a sword beam that covered the sky and the earth.

Qingdai simultaneously intensified her attack, casting a forbidden art to temporarily boost her soul power. The pitch-black lotus flowers adhering to the restriction instantly burst into bright light.

The next moment, a deafening boom reached Du Lianxin’s ears.

The massive aftermath of the attack rapidly spread outward from the center of the restriction.

Everywhere it passed, plants, trees, and rocks were all reduced to dust.

The illusion shattered with a roar.

The small town vanished, replaced by a single altar.

White bones were piled high on the altar. Before them, cultivators had also been sucked into this place, trapped in the illusion, never to escape. Their bodies turned into white bones, ultimately accumulating here.

This altar was the core of the world inside the mirror—the treasure’s hub.

As long as it was destroyed, they could escape this place.

Until this moment, the master of the bronze mirror still had not appeared. This was the same as the situation they encountered earlier in Donglin Town. The opponent seemed to be concerned about something…