Brilliant purples and reds, exotic flowers of every color, wildly extended their branches, leaning in towards Weilin’s direction.
The air was perfectly pure, the flower garden dense with spiritual energy. Yet, even in such a garden, the butterflies unanimously ignored the nectar, instead dancing around the black-haired girl standing in the garden’s center, or landing on her hand, her shoulder…
This was the 【Elven Garden】.
Even the other twenty-nine Small World masters did not receive such an honor. Only when Weilin returned after a long absence would the Illusion Mimic release this Small World, sparing no mana… simply to welcome Weilin home.
Menghuan’s ability allowed her to both swallow living beings into her Small World and release Small Worlds using her mana to influence reality.
Moreover, the Illusion Mimic had the best personality among all the guardians, an existence leaning towards Lawful Neutral.
“Weilin-chin is back, why didn’t you come find me to play? I’m so sad…”
A treasure chest with angel wings traced an arc through the air, flying joyfully before Weilin’s eyes.
As its wings fluttered, the treasure chest and its open lid bounced up and down in joyful abandon…
【Illusion Mimic, Lv. 100】
Compared to the golden treasure chest of a ‘Gem Mimic,’ the ‘Illusion Mimic’ possessed an extra pair of wings, but its exterior was of relatively luxurious yet restrained white jade.
A ‘Gem Mimic’ housed a girl dazzling with jewelry, stunning as a princess. Naturally, one would expect the ‘Illusion Mimic,’ standing at the apex of all Mimics, collector of countless Small Worlds, and far above even the Gem Mimic, to be even more devastatingly beautiful…
But.
But…
That’s right. Even though they had known each other for so many years, even though Weilin liked Menghuan very much, every time she saw the Illusion Mimic, Weilin’s expression would always stiffen, unsure what face to make…
It wasn’t that Menghuan was unfathomably beautiful; rather, within that winged treasure chest, there was nothing and no one…
An existence like Hagakure Toru’s invisibility quirk.
“Menghuan… long time no see.” Weilin waved at the empty treasure chest flitting before her eyes, smiling softly.
“Was Master spacing out just now? Could it be… could it be you can’t see me anymore? …Wah! We’ve only been apart for so long! Am I not pretty enough anymore, or has Master found someone else out there? Does Master… no longer love me?” Menghuan’s tone was mournful.
The Illusion Mimic had once said that because she was too beautiful, the System granted her a skill: only those who truly loved her could see her true appearance, while others could only see air…
WTF! What kind of stupid skill is that? The Emperor’s New Treasure Chest!?
Alas, Weilin hadn’t dared to voice such internal gripes to Menghuan over all these years…
Because Weilin considered herself fond of Menghuan. Perhaps this simple fondness was far from enough to be called “love,” which was why she couldn’t see her…
“How could that be! Menghuan-chan is very cute today, too.”
Weilin quickly denied it, offering praise with a guilty conscience.
Her hand, held low, subtly tugged at the hem of Shi Luo’s clothes beside her. The glance she cast seemed to ask: Can you see the Illusion Mimic?
Shi Luo dodged Weilin’s gaze without hesitation, as if saying: I do not love the Illusion Mimic, so of course I cannot see her.
“No, no, Menghuan-chan, Master really can’t see you, you know.” The Mushroom Empress was still taking pleasure in sowing discord, flashing a sinisterly charming smile before throwing a look at the Clay God. “…Don’t you think so too, Lord Gelun?”
“I do not know, guh…” The Clay God rubbed His big, bald head.
“Hmph, inferior fungal lifeform, you’re just jealous!”
However, Menghuan believed her Master’s words without a doubt, even retorting against the Mushroom Empress.
The Mushroom Little Girl’s large, glistening eyes narrowed suddenly, refracting a thoroughly dangerous and malicious light. Gazing at the empty treasure chest with angel wings, her tone turned dark, “…No matter how inferior I am, at least I’m a cuteness you can see, unlike some broken box who probably hasn’t had anyone see her face since birth. Too pathetic, really~”
“You are both my wings! Don’t fight, ya!” Weilin cried out in frustration.
“Hmph!” The Mushroom Empress’s sinister aura instantly retracted. She turned her head away angrily, indicating she wouldn’t stoop to Menghuan’s level.
“Hmph!” Menghuan also… maybe turned her head away too?
At least, her tone suggested she had… right?
Anyway…
Weilin was truly unwilling to expose the fact that she couldn’t see Menghuan.
Just like Mushroom said, if no one in the world could see Menghuan… that would be too sad.
Shi Luo’s face was emotionless. The Clay God thought that He also wanted to join in the fight for favor… But He wasn’t a girl.
“They are here.”
Soon, the Clay God’s deep voice sounded, drawing everyone’s attention.
The ground trembled. It was the Crystal-Eating Mole King, charging over. Its size of over ten meters was absolutely unique among Moles.
A fierce wind stirred. The Giant Crow King descended rapidly. Its wingspan, fully extended, was a full ninety meters wide. Its size was only slightly smaller than the Clay God. If placed in the outside human world, it would be an utterly ultimate Demonic Beast.
【Crystal-Eating Mole King, Lv. 70】【Earth-Core Giant Crow Leader, Lv. 80】
These two Kings, each standing at the apex of their respective species, along with a horde of Mole and Crow underlings, arrived before the Clay God. All prostrated themselves with the utmost reverence.
【Super Crystal-Eating Mole, Lv. 40】【Earth-Core Giant Crow, Lv. 50】【Void Crow, Lv. 55】
These were creatures that had evolved and now possessed the intelligence of a ten-year-old child.
Among them, the Void Crows, while obeying the Giant Crow Leader’s commands, were not of the same species as the Giant Crows. Their true master was the guardian of the Eternal Mineshaft’s Fourth Layer.
The Void Crows were talented in Wind, Lightning, and Dark magic, abilities far beyond the reach of the Giant Crows. The largest among them was no more than three meters long, and they served as the ‘Scouts’ of the Eternal Mineshaft.
“We pay homage to the great Clay God—squeak!” The Crystal-Eating Mole King spoke in human tongue, its massive, rotund body, like a small mountain, trembling violently. Its beastly head, bowed deeply, was prostrated to the extreme, not daring to lift an inch. “…Greetings to the Master of the Eternal Mine! Lord Time Devourer! Lord Mushroom Empress! Lord Illusion Mimic!”
“Caw—!”
Then, the flying Giant Crow and the flocking black birds also prostrated themselves on the ground, speaking in human tongue, repeating the exact same words as the Mole King.
Under the Time Devourer’s governance, the hierarchical system of the Eternal Mineshaft was far stricter and more unyielding than one could imagine.
“Rise, you lot.”
Only after receiving the Clay God’s permission did they rise, trembling with fear. Only then did the black birds dare to take flight again.
“By the Master’s order, you are commanded to immediately assemble a reconnaissance operation squad, pass through the wormhole, and scout the outside situation!” the Clay God commanded.
?
An Empire like a steel sacred dragon coiled in the north, a territory none dared to touch; while the entire southern domain of the continent was eternally bathed in the divine protection of The Federation’s Twelve Star Gods.
At the north-south border between the Empire and The Federation.
—In the central belt of the continent, equivalent to Earth’s equator, lay an infamous place called the 【Underground Labyrinth of the Demonic Dragon】…
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