I tried to kill the heroines of destiny, but they ended up chasing after me.

"Which two points?" The green mouse frowned, as if it couldn't understand at all.

"First of all, when you were controlling those four giant ratmen, you seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally attacking with your left hand, and even had a habit of deliberately avoiding your right hand, which puzzled me."

"But that's not certain. What if I prefer to use my left hand?" the green mouse retorted.

“That’s true, but after you transformed into the giant ratman, you became overly protective of your right hand. Even when I was clearly bluffing you just now, you hesitated to see if what I said was true. Although you acted normally, it’s just a pity…”

“Perhaps it’s because you’re illusory this time that you’re more concerned about the truthfulness of what I’m saying, or rather, you’re more concerned about your own life. As a result, your right hand keeps unconsciously moving backward. How can I not be suspicious of your behavior?” Gu Qici said.

Upon hearing this, the green mouse remained silent for a moment before sighing and saying helplessly, "Fine. You win."

"Hehehe." Gu Qici chuckled, then said, "Alright, now it's your turn to clear up my doubts."

But as soon as Gu Qici finished speaking, the green rat's eyes flickered, and it suddenly said, "You know where this place is? How do you get out? Is that right?"

“That’s right.” Gu Qici nodded, but did not deny it.

"Tsk. I'm sorry then, all I know is that this place is the world of the Mysterious Mirror, and almost everything here is an illusion. As for the rest, I don't know anything else," the green rat said.

"Hmm?" Hearing this, Gu Qici frowned and suddenly asked, "Illusion, then are you an illusion too?"

"Me? No, no, no. I'm the only real creature besides you," the green mouse quickly shook its head.

"Oh? How did you get in?" Gu Qici asked again.

……

Meanwhile, outside the Xuan Tian Mirror.

"Oh, oh, oh. I finally remember. This little mouse was an enemy of mine back then." The gray-robed woman said as if a flash of inspiration struck her when she saw the situation in the Xuan Tian Mirror.

"An enemy?" Xiao Gu Qi Ci asked in surprise.

"Yes. Back then, it came to me on its own initiative, saying it wanted to devour me and cultivate some kind of demonic art. But at that time, I happened to have something to do, so I sealed it in the Xuan Tian Mirror. I didn't expect that after so many years, it would still be alive. Indeed, rats have a strong vitality."

“I see…” Xiao Gu Qici said.

"I understand now. Perhaps it's because I haven't used the Xuan Tian Mirror for a long time. After so many world shifts, the Xuan Tian Mirror's own consciousness has become disordered. That's why Gu Qici was unintentionally transported to the little mouse's world by the Xuan Tian Mirror..."

"Huh?" Xiao Gu Qi Ci was still a little confused.

"Ahem. It's like an old man with presbyopia mistaking one thing for another... Do you understand?" the gray-robed woman explained in layman's terms.

"That's...that's quite a vivid analogy." Gu Qici was slightly sweating, looking a bit dumbfounded, but she quickly continued, "Then...what about that?"

"It's probably a side effect caused by the Xuan Tian Mirror's loss of consciousness. After all, this little mouse has been inside the Xuan Tian Mirror for so long, so the sudden appearance of a living person is quite an attraction for it," the gray-robed woman said.

"Alright, alright. This Xuan Tian Mirror really is an ancient relic. So what's next? What are you planning to do with it?" Xiao Gu Qi Ci asked again.

"What should we do? Now that we understand the reason, we naturally need to bring that person back. Anyway, it's about time; if she doesn't come back soon, we'll probably have to travel through several more worlds," the gray-robed woman replied.

"Sigh. This thing is really unreliable..." Xiao Gu Qici glanced at the Xuan Tian Mirror, then at the gray-robed woman, and sighed inwardly, "Just as unreliable as this guy..."

Gradually, after calming down, the gray-robed woman, with a hint of embarrassment, slowly extended her left hand and gently touched the Xuan Tian Mirror.

The next instant, the Xuan Tian Mirror emitted a burst of intense white light.

There are four people in this place right now, but to be precise, there are three people and one green rat.

"You old bastard, I already said it was an accident back then. Who the hell wanted to fight you? You picked the wrong person! You actually locked me in that broken mirror for so many years, causing me to lose so much of my cultivation. Have you no shame?" The green rat, which was about three inches tall, roared at the gray-robed woman the moment it emerged from the Xuan Tian Mirror, as if it wanted to "pour out" all the pain it had endured over the years.

However, the gray-robed woman merely glanced at her and said, "Alright, alright. I know all about your little schemes. If you hadn't been unaware that my cultivation had already broken through, would you have appeared before me back then? Besides, I didn't kill you. Locking you up in the Xuan Tian Mirror is a punishment for you."

"Punishment? I didn't do anything wrong, why should I be punished? You old bastard, how could you..."

"Hmph. You think you're being too kind by giving me face? If you keep bastarding, I'll lock you back in the Xuan Tian Mirror and make you suffer for tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years." The gray-robed woman suddenly interrupted the green rat's complaints, her gaze icy as she spoke.

This startled the green rat. It turned out that even when she was in the True Heaven Realm, she had to be humbled in front of the gray-robed woman. Now that she had become a Pseudo-Spirit Realm Perfectionist, she was naturally even more afraid. Her previous toughness was just an act. So, in the next moment, her little teeth started grinding together, and her fear was completely exposed.

"You...you...don't scare me, I'm not easily frightened, if you dare...come on then." The green mouse swallowed hard, seemingly trembling all over, but still managed to retort with "composure".

But after saying that, the gray-robed woman, still a little annoyed, grabbed the green rat's tail with her left hand without hesitation, and then walked lightly towards the Xuan Tian Mirror, as if she had really decided to do something.

"Hey, hey, hey. No. No!" The green mouse writhed in the gray-robed woman's hand, but couldn't break free. This caused her to instantly go limp, and she pleaded, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was wrong. I was wrong, okay? Please!"

"Too late." With that, the gray-robed woman prepared to throw the green rat into the Xuan Tian Mirror.

"Wait." At this moment, Gu Qici, who was watching this scene, suddenly stood in front of the gray-robed woman.

"Hmm? Gu Qici?" The gray-robed woman was surprised and murmured. Not only her, but the green rat that had been caught and the little Gu Qici on the other side were also puzzled, especially the green rat, whose confusion was extremely obvious.

"What do you want to do?" the gray-robed woman asked directly.

“I think this little mouse might be very useful in the future, so I would like to ask... senior to give me this mouse.” Gu Qici’s eyes flickered slightly as she replied earnestly.

The woman in gray robes was an ancestor who had existed for countless years, so according to seniority, Gu Qici should indeed call her senior. However, she was also Gu Qici's first incarnation, which was essentially her own life, so Gu Qici naturally felt a little awkward.

Not caring about Gu Qici's embarrassment, An Ran suddenly laughed and said, "Purpose? Heh. What use can this little mouse be? Don't think that this guy will willingly become your servant. It's not such a good thing. It might stab you in the back. So I'd better throw this guy into the Xuan Tian Mirror."

"No, no, no. I wouldn't... I absolutely wouldn't. I'm not stupid. How could I possibly harm the person who saved me? How could I?" The little mouse denied excitedly, seemingly furious at An Ran's false accusation, and also seemingly hoping that Gu Qici would save it.

"Oh? Is that so?" An Ran raised the corner of her mouth and asked skeptically.

"Of course, you old bastard, don't be fooled by my rat form. When have you ever seen me harm an innocent person? As for the people I eat, they are either dead or enemies. Unless they are the kind of people who are determined to kill me, I generally won't take action. I swear on that." The green rat's small eyes darted around as it spoke very seriously.

"Hehe. Alright, alright. Don't pretend in front of me. I've heard a lot about the infamous Netherworld Rat. I've also heard about its heroic deeds of slaughtering hundreds of thousands of people in order to cultivate the demonic path. How could you hide such a thing from me?" An Ran said dismissively.

"That, that was just..." Hearing this, Green Mouse broke out in a cold sweat. She replied anxiously, "That was just an accident. You should know that back in the Imperial Demon Domain, I cultivated demonic energy with the Imperial Demon Ancestor. However, she mainly cultivated external demonic energy, while I mainly cultivated internal demonic energy. But who would have thought that cultivating internal demonic energy would be so easy to go into demonic possession? I made that big mistake when I was not in a clear state of mind."

"Hmph. Wrong is wrong. I won't allow such a dangerous element as you to reappear on the continent, so you'd better stay in the True Profound Realm." An Ran said coldly.

However, when Gu Qici heard their conversation, her expression changed. As if she had thought of something crucial, she suddenly raised an eyebrow and interrupted, "Wait. Senior. What's the deal with the inner and outer demonic energy you were talking about?"

Chapter 169 Return to the Demon Emperor's Domain

Upon hearing Gu Qici's voice, An Ran paused, then prepared to explain. However, it wasn't An Ran who responded, but rather the younger Gu Qici standing nearby. She said, "It's nothing... it's just what it sounds like. Because the creators of demonic energy weren't just the Emperor Demon Ancestor, but two people, demonic energy was divided into two categories. And the other person is this rat..."

"Hmm? The one who created demonic energy?" Gu Qici asked in surprise.

"Heh heh heh. That's right. I've cultivated inner demonic energy for about ten thousand years, which is stronger than that True Ancestor of the Demon Emperor who cultivated outer demonic energy... Let me tell you, the reason why the Demon Emperor Sect was able to take shape back then was because of my existence. However, I agreed with that True Ancestor of the Demon Emperor that one of us would be in charge of internal affairs and the other would be in charge of external affairs, so my name didn't spread throughout the Demon Emperor Domain..."

"But on the other hand..." An Ran suddenly interjected, "your name is quite famous, but I think that's also what you and she wanted. Actually, I know that when you came to me, it wasn't simply to fight me, but to buy time for the True Ancestor of the Imperial Demon. Because you and she both understood that one of you had to be able to advance so that I would be wary and allow the Imperial Demon Domain to exist, right?"

"Of course, otherwise why would I hide my identity, why would I go looking for you? Fortunately, my plan with her was successful, but I have some regrets. That guy is highly respected, while I, the hero, have been forgotten. So if I go out, I must see what has become of the Imperial Demon Realm under her control. If it doesn't suit my taste, I will definitely reset the Imperial Demon Realm." Green Rat said with great ambition.

At that moment, Gu Qici's eyes lit up again, and she suddenly said, "Alright, I'll give you this chance."

Upon hearing this, An Ran frowned, Xiao Gu Qi Ci revealed a meaningful smile, and the green mouse was taken aback. The first two people didn't say anything to her, but this green mouse immediately said, "Hey, hey, hey, are you serious?"

“Of course. So…” Gu Qici smiled slightly, turned her gaze to An Ran, bowed respectfully, and said, “So please help me this time, I need this rat for a great purpose.”

Hearing her words, An Ran's brows furrowed deeper and deeper. She knew very well that this rat was not a peaceful creature, and she also knew that Gu Qi Ci must have her own intentions in saying those words, so she was a little conflicted.

At the same time, Xiao Gu Qici also spoke with a slight bias towards Gu Qici, saying, "Don't think about it anymore. If you believe her, she will believe you. If you don't believe her, she won't believe you either. You should understand what I mean. Besides, I don't think you can't control this little mouse, even if she's outside."

An Ran remained silent, but not for long. With a sigh, she nodded and said, "Alright. In that case, I'll give this guy a chance. But let me make this clear beforehand: this is the only chance. If I find out she's done anything out of line, then... don't blame me."

"No, no, it's wonderful that I can be free. How could I possibly think about useless things again? No way!" Before Gu Qici could reply, Green Mouse's eyes flashed, and he said quickly as if he was extremely excited. But in fact, everyone present knew that An Ran's last sentence was meant for Green Mouse.

“And before that… just to be on the safe side…” After saying that, An Ran stretched out her right hand and, to the green mouse’s somewhat surprised look, tapped the green mouse’s body three times in succession.

The three touches were very light, almost imperceptible to the green mouse, as if nothing had happened. But the more calm and unpredictable the situation, the more uneasy the green mouse felt. She immediately asked, "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. I just set up a restriction. From today onwards, you must obey Gu Qici's orders. If you disobey, you will explode and die within the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. Of course, you can try to resist and resolve it using your own methods, but as for the consequences... I can't guarantee them," An Ran said calmly.

However, as soon as she uttered those words, the green rat froze, as if petrified. After she came to her senses, she shed a tear and said with great sorrow, "This...this is still not freedom? What's the difference between this and being locked up in the Mysterious Mirror?"

“Yes,” An Ran replied with a smile. “Can’t you go and see the outside world? Of course, if you think there’s no difference, then I’ll just have to throw you back into the Xuan Tian Mirror.”

"No, no, no. I'll be good, I'll be good, okay?" the green mouse said helplessly.

"Hahaha. Very good." An Ran nodded in satisfaction.

In short, after all this commotion, the matter of the rat was finally resolved, and soon An Ran turned her attention to Gu Qi Ci.

Gu Qici noticed An Ran's gaze and smiled slightly, nodding in acknowledgment. Since leaving the Xuan Tian Realm, her overall temperament seemed to have undergone some subtle changes compared to before, which made An Ran and Xiao Gu Qici feel somewhat gratified.

Sometimes, sometimes, no words are needed; a single glance is enough.

"Are you ready?" An Ran suddenly asked.

"Of course, I am grateful for the two seniors' kindness in giving me a second chance," Gu Qici replied.

"Haha. Saying we owe you a second life is an exaggeration. We just did what we were supposed to do," said Xiao Gu Qi Ci.

“Yes. But you still need to remember that although you can now use the power of the Five Elements and exert even greater power than before, you are still not the same as before, so…” An Ran suddenly hesitated.

"Don't worry. I will cherish the remaining three years. If..." Gu Qici hesitated for a moment, "No. There are no ifs. Anyway... goodbye."

"Um..." The two nodded. "Goodbye."

At dawn, a beam of light suddenly flashed across the sky of the Imperial Demon Domain. It wasn't very fast, and anyone with a little cultivation could see that what was revealed in the light was a woman.

Just as Gu Qici finished speaking, her eyes flickered, as if she sensed something, and her figure suddenly stopped in mid-air, no longer flying.

At this moment, we turned our attention to what lay ahead.

Soon enough, a burly man who looked somewhat familiar to Gu Qici arrived with four people dressed in white robes, flying directly from the sky. They must have also noticed Gu Qici's presence.

A short while later, the group gathered together.

Just as Gu Qici met the burly man's gaze, she said, "It's you..."

That's right, this big man is Shen Yue, the confidant of the Demon Emperor Sect's patriarch.

About a month ago, Gu Qici had a brief confrontation with him, so Gu Qici had a particularly deep impression of him.

"Hahaha. Miss Gu, you're too kind, but let's skip the formalities. You should know why I'm here." Shen Yue laughed loudly, revealing his true thoughts almost without any beating around the bush.

However, Shen Yue was still somewhat surprised, because according to the information he had received, Gu Qici should have been seriously injured by the Demon Extermination Sect Master, so how could she be so energetic? He didn't believe that Gu Qici could have fully recovered in just one month.

Of course, these are all minor issues that don't need to be thought about. After all, being able to meet Gu Qici by chance on this route is a great opportunity. At least in his opinion, he is much luckier than the people from the Demon Extermination Sect.

However, she didn't know that the people from the Demon Extermination Sect had already found Gu Qici, but they just didn't have the ability to complete their mission.

"Heh. Brother Shen Yue, are you taking me back to Huangmo Island?" Gu Qici asked with an unchanged smile.

“Yes. Our clan leader needs your help,” Shen Yue said earnestly.

"Oh? What if I don't want to go?" Gu Qici's eyes flickered, and she suddenly asked.

Upon hearing this, Shen Yue raised an eyebrow, paused for a moment, and then said, "Then I'm sorry, I have no choice but to defeat you here, imprison you, and forcibly take you back to Huangmo Island... no, back to the Demon Emperor Sect."

"Is that so? But I advise you to give up. Even with your four subordinates, you still can't defeat me, so it's better not to waste your efforts," Gu Qici advised.

She didn't look down on Shen Yue; she was just stating a fact.