Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess

"Sect Leader Jiang, to be honest, I had a fierce battle with the Demon Mirror at Feiyan Cave. Based on my deduction, it is highly likely to have escaped here, which is why I rushed to Demon Sea Mountain.

However, judging by the timing, the Demon Mirror should have arrived before me. Now that I see you setting up a Formation here, I'm concerned that it might have sensed the trap and won't come anymore."

Jiang Chenghai shook his head with a smile:

"Young Hero Jiang, you may not know. Years ago, our sect's founding ancestor obtained the Demon Mirror by chance, but before long, the mirror seemed to exhaust its power and became inactive.

The ancestor searched everywhere and finally brought it to Demon Sea Mountain, where the mirror regained its demonic power. Since then, every once in a while, we secretly bring the Demon Mirror here to nourish it.

You could say that if the Demon Mirror wishes to maintain its demonic power, it must come here; otherwise, it will become just an ordinary mirror."

Jiang Shouzhong understood.

In other words, the Demon Mirror needs to come here regularly to recharge.

But now the Demon Mirror should have arrived here ahead of him, which means it's lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to get in.

Thinking of this, Jiang Shouzhong's curiosity was piqued, and he continued to ask:

"Sect Leader Jiang, I've heard that once someone looks into that Demon Mirror, it creates a duplicate of the person inside the mirror. I indeed saw a little boy identical to Fu Erbao at Feiyan Cave. Could it be that this Demon Mirror truly possesses such mysterious and unpredictable abilities?"

Jiang Chenghai sighed helplessly and said with a bitter smile:

"Young Hero Jiang, even as the sect leader, I have not been able to unravel the mystery of this enigmatic Magic Treasure.

Moreover, the other side of the Demon Mirror has long gone missing. In my opinion, this so-called miraculous duplication is probably just a clever Illusion Technique."

"The other side is lost?"

Jiang Shouzhong frowned.

Jiang Chenghai began to explain:

"This mirror actually consists of two sides, according to the records left by the ancestor: one for good and one for evil.

But the good side mysteriously vanished during the reign of the previous sect leader. The one causing trouble now is indeed the evil side."

"I see." Jiang Shouzhong nodded.

He recalled the scene in the Shadows Heavenly Book showing the previous Emperor being shaven-headed, paused, and asked: "Sect Leader Jiang, has this Evil Mirror also been lost before?"

Jiang Chenghai was taken aback and stared thoughtfully at Jiang Shouzhong: "Could it be that Young Hero Jiang knows something?"

Jiang Shouzhong, tired of riddles, said straightforwardly:

"I suspect the death of the former Emperor of Nanjin Country is related to this evil mirror. Because I am certain he once possessed this mirror."

A hint of surprise flashed on Jiang Chenghai's face. After hesitating for a moment, he softly said:

"Since Young Hero Jiang has brought it up, I won't hide it any longer. Yes, this evil mirror indeed went missing for a time."

Rather than being lost, it was taken by someone forcefully 'borrowed' and then returned without anyone knowing."

"Who?"

Jiang Shouzhong pursued the question.

Jiang Chenghai shook his head helplessly:

"I have no idea. The person only left a note saying they needed to borrow it for a while and promised to return it after use. As to whether this person had connections with the Emperor, I do not know."

Jiang Shouzhong pondered for a while and then asked: "Sect Leader Jiang, is the place where you store the mirror well-guarded?"

Jiang Chenghai chuckled: "Not just well-guarded, since the loss of the Compassionate Mirror, the previous sect leader personally crafted a mechanism secret chamber.

Even a master in the Saintly Ascension Realm, or even Feathered Transformation, or Heavenly Human Realm masters, could not forcefully open it without the correct method.

To open this chamber, the sect leader and two elders must jointly perform the cultivated Dharma Seal, and only then can it be unlocked."

Jiang Shouzhong fell into deep thought.

This was indeed peculiar.

Under such tight security, someone managed to take the Evil Mirror quietly and then returned it just as silently, as if strolling around their own home.

"Their own home..."

Jiang Shouzhong murmured to himself, an idea suddenly illuminated his mind.

At this moment, Jiang Yi emerged from the house.

Under the shroud of night, the woman's silhouette was like a wisp of ethereal smoke, gently drifting in the breeze.

Jiang Shouzhong, who heard the commotion, glanced at the woman, turned his head to Jiang Chenghai, and smiled warmly, saying:

"Sect Leader Jiang, then I won't disturb you any further. You go ahead and attend to your tasks. Once that Demon Mirror appears, I will definitely do my utmost to assist you."

"Thank you very much, Young Hero Jiang."

Jiang Chenghai clasped his fists and saluted Jiang Shouzhong, then departed.

Jiang Yi came to Jiang Shouzhong and relayed to him in detail the results of her inquiries about Zhou Zhilin.

After listening, Jiang Shouzhong also found it unbelievable.

Could it be that Zhou Zhilin has lost his memory?

Or is his memory in disorder?

He carefully replayed the events that had happened before in his mind, and after some deep thinking, he finally sorted out some ideas.

"It seems that there is a deviation in how things developed."

Jiang Shouzhong slowly said, "Back then, the big sister of Mingjing Valley, on the surface, agreed to Zhou Zhilin not to take revenge, but when she saw Er Liang going out alone, she secretly took the others to trouble Er Liang without informing Zhou Zhilin.

Zhou Zhilin was unaware of this, and after finding that his senior brothers and sisters were missing, he went out to look for them.

He then saw the corpses of his senior brothers and sisters at Lingyun Temple, and at that time, the Demon Mirror happened to be present. Zhou Zhilin mistakenly believed it was the Demon Mirror that killed his senior brothers and sisters.

Previously, we were naive enough to think that this kid, after seeing the corpses, would guess it was our doing, so we foolishly waited for the people from Mingjing Valley to come knocking."

Speaking of this, Jiang Shouzhong couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly: "All are fools; if we had known earlier, we should have just come clean to that kid."

Jiang Yi also found it somewhat laughable and ridiculous.

The situation now is indeed ironic.

Despite being the enemies who killed the disciples of the other sect, they were treated with courtesy.

Jiang Yi expressed her inner doubt: "However, there's one thing that's very strange; why did the Demon Mirror kill those remaining people from Mingjing Valley, but left Zhou Zhilin alive?"

Jiang Shouzhong replied casually: "When a person is deliberately left alive, it means this person has some value."

"Value?"

Jiang Yi instinctively cast her eyes toward the carefully arranged formation by the people of Mingjing Valley.

She lowered her voice and whispered: "Could it be that the Demon Mirror already knew that Mingjing Valley planned to set a trap here, so... arranged an mole in advance?"

Jiang Shouzhong made a gesture to shush, and said: "Let's first observe the changes, and then turn the tables on them."

...

While Jiang Chenghai and his group were setting up the formation, Jiang Shouzhong took Jiang Yi and Er Liang wandering around other places in Demon Sea Mountain, hoping to find some clues about the Divine Prison.

Additionally, the mention of that witch by Jiang Chenghai weighed like a heavy stone on his heart.

Whether that witch was Ran Qingchen was hard to say.

Jiang Shouzhong was both hopeful and anxious.

Jiang Yi, perceptive as she was, noticed Jiang Shouzhong's concern and gently asked:

"If it really is Qingchen, what will you do? Based on Sect Leader Jiang's words, that witch is truly ruthless, killing innocent people and Jianghu bandits alike without hesitation."

Jiang Shouzhong looked at the woman: "Do you think she would kill me?"

Jiang Yi tilted her head slightly, her eyes full of self-mockery and sorrow:

"Whether she'll kill you, I cannot say. But I'm sure she won't spare me.

After all, I slept with her man. To think, when Qu Hongling snatched you in front of her, the two became like water and fire, and still haven't forgiven each other to this day."

Jiang Shouzhong gently held her jade-like hand and softly said: "I won't protect you."

Jiang Yi coyly huffed and glared at Jiang Shouzhong:

"Forget it, the more you protect me, the deeper her hatred will be against me. With my current cultivation level, if I really encounter her by then, it's best to run away quickly, the farther the better."

"It won't be necessary."

Jiang Shouzhong rubbed his nose.

Jiang Yi sighed softly and said no more.

The moonlight spilled onto the woman's face through the mottled leaves, outlining her delicate features, yet casting an indelible shadow.