Chapter 224

In Zhu Zi's room, there was a half-body mirror. 

Xia Zhi walked up to it, surprised to see that the mirror didn't reflect his image but instead showed Zhu Zi, dressed in pajamas, sitting at her desk and writing. 

This mirror… did it connect to the real world? 

Xia Zhi leaned closer, observing the scene in the mirror carefully. He stretched out his hand to touch the mirror. 

When his hand reached the surface, something strange happened—his fingers met no resistance, passing through the mirror as if it were an illusion. 

Could it be… the other side is the real world? 

Pondering this, Xia Zhi withdrew his hand and took out the [Phantom Mirror] to make a premonitory inquiry. 

"Where does the other side lead?" 

"Reality," the mirror responded. 

As expected. 

If he ever encountered items whose effects he didn't understand, he could directly ask the [Phantom Mirror]. 

This thought led Xia Zhi to consider the Supreme Deity in the Void. He decided to ask the [Phantom Mirror] a question. 

"Who is that…?" 

This time, the mirror remained unresponsive. 

Xia Zhi shook his head. It seemed the other's rank was too high—using a diamond-tier item to foresee a Supreme Being was indeed pushing its limits. 

Stowing away the [Phantom Mirror], Xia Zhi turned toward the half-body mirror in Zhu Zi's room and stepped through it. On the other side, he found himself in Zhu Zi's room. 

There, Zhu Zi was sitting at her desk, seriously writing her novel under the lamplight. 

It was still that familiar story, Living in Liyue, Only Wanting to Cook in Peace. 

The plot had advanced to where the female lead began learning cooking under Master Xia, and the protagonist was a girl from Inazuma. The inspiration for the character was obvious. 

Xia Zhi stood by her desk for a moment before opening the door and returning to his own room. 

He had tested the [Phantom Mirror]'s mirror world effect—it was essentially a quiet parallel world. 

The simplest use for it was treating it as a giant portable teapot. For example, if he ever gained followers who worshiped him, he could house them safely inside. 

A more advanced use was exploiting the mirror's ability to traverse locations, sneaking into places that were otherwise inaccessible. 

For instance, Ningguang's private chambers. He could enter the mirror world to reach her room, then appear in reality through her mirror. 

As for higher-level applications… they might touch upon the secrets of creation itself, which were far beyond his current understanding. 

Xia Zhi took out a stick and inscribed a divine word onto it, recycling it to earn 100 points. Feeling mentally drained, he decided to call it a night. 

When he lay down, a faint fragrance filled the room. 

It was likely Chi Yu's scent lingering on the bed. 

Previously, as a ghost, she had neither form nor scent, but now that she was alive again, she, like Shenhe, had a naturally fragrant body. 

Not bad at all. 

As he lay there, Xia Zhi suddenly thought of the Little Crane. 

She had also carried a pleasant fragrance. 

It had been over two months since they last parted. 

How was her secluded training going now? 

Previously, he could only wonder. Now, with the [Phantom Mirror], he could actually check. 

Xia Zhi took out the mirror and made an inquiry. 

"What is Cloud Retainer doing now?" 

The mirror displayed a clear image of a serene room where a familiar white crane was surrounded by flowing spiritual energy, deep in meditation. 

It seemed she still had a long way to go before she could achieve her transformation. 

After watching for a moment, Xia Zhi decided he would have to bring her a [Transformation Pill] sometime. 

After all, who had the patience for traditional cultivation methods these days? 

Relieved of his worries, Xia Zhi asked the mirror another question about [Intertwined Fate]. 

"What does forming a bond mean?" 

"It means two fates intertwine and become inseparable." 

"When you said I'd use it in a dream, does that mean tonight's dream?" 

"In two days." 

"Should I prepare for anything?" 

"Wait and let nature take its course." 

"Is the timing for opening the Platinum Treasure Chest related to this?" 

"Yes." 

Xia Zhi pondered for a while before putting the mirror away. Hugging his pillow, he drifted into sleep. 

---

In the dream world, he found Shenhe. 

"Boss," she called. 

"Yes?" 

"That Ultraman was you, wasn't it?" 

"No." 

"It definitely was!" 

"Stop making things up." 

"It was!" 

"…Fine, it was me." 

"I knew it! I heard your voice! Were you with me the whole time?" 

"Yes, I was worried about you. I even did a divination and found danger." 

"Oh! But why didn't I see you?" 

"I snuck over." 

"Was it because of the ribbon?" 

"Exactly. Remember to wear it properly from now on." 

"Okay! That time, I felt so much stronger!" 

"I gave you a bit of a buff." 

"Boss is amazing!" 

"Of course." 

Shenhe was unusually cheerful that night, likely because she felt like the scenes from her favorite TV shows were happening between her and the person she liked. Her happiness was contagious. 

The two shared three candies together, went out to pick mushrooms, and traveled through the dreamscape. 

---

The next morning, Xia Zhi woke up to a light knock at the door. 

When he opened it, Shenhe stood outside with a red ribbon in her hand. 

"Boss, help me tie my hair." 

"Okay." 

Shenhe walked in and sat on the bed. She sniffed the air, her expression turning slightly puzzled. 

The room seemed to carry not only Xia Zhi's familiar scent but also a faintly unfamiliar one. 

Xia Zhi sat beside her, combing her hair with a jade comb and tying it into a ponytail with the ribbon. 

"All done." 

Shenhe pulled out a Sticky Grass Seed and handed it to him. 

Each of them put one in their mouths, chewing habitually. 

A few minutes later, Shenhe took out a fruit candy, popped it in her mouth, and then pounced on Xia Zhi. 

Xia Zhi smiled and let her come closer. 

Lowering her head, Shenhe caught a stronger whiff of that unfamiliar scent. 

"Boss?" 

"Yeah?" 

"There's someone else's scent on the bed." 

"Is there? Oh, that must be Chi Yu's scent." 

"Chi Yu?" 

"Yeah, she slept here for a bit last night." 

"…What?" 

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. She's not a ghost anymore." 

"…Huh?" 

"I gave her a fruit that can restore a ghost to life. She's fully human now." 

"No…" 

"What?" 

"That's not the point. The point is—how long did she sleep here?" 

"About half an hour, I think." 

"Half an hour!" 

"…What's wrong?" 

"I've never slept here that long!" 

"…Uh…" 

Shenhe looked at him seriously. 

"Tonight, I'm coming over to sleep for half an hour too!" 

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