Chapter 46: Station 22: Mirror Image

Chapter 46: Station 22: Reflection

Chi Zihe swiped through the images and examined them closely:

"It's indeed a reflection. So it's possible that after changing into his evening attire, he went to check himself in the mirror and was somehow pulled into the portrait by something reflected there. The mirrors and portraits in this hotel might be interconnected."

Rubbing his chin, he reached a conclusion:

"We'll have to cover all mirrors and glass surfaces tonight when we sleep. Also, regarding the key that Teacher Yan asked me to calculate, the turning point will occur tonight, on the third floor, towards the east."

Si Shuhao still had some skepticism about fortune-telling and mysticism, but Ming Yiyang took it seriously:

"Are you saying we need to go out tonight?"

Chi Zihe chuckled and shook his head at him:

"No, no, not 'we'. It's just you."

Ming Yiyang's face darkened.

"Going out alone?"

"Yes, I divined that you'd be leaving on your own. As for how exactly you'll do it, my reading suggests you'll use a window. Alright, stop looking at me like that. In the Realm of No End, there's no sky, no earth, no sun, no moon, no stars - I've done quite well to divine this much. Be content."

Chi Zihe chuckled but still offered a sincere warning:

"However, tonight's divination is rather ominous. I advise you to stay in your room and wait until dawn before stepping out. The opportunity in the morning tomorrow is more favorable; there'll be fewer obstacles, so you can just head straight there."

Ming Yiyang picked up his jacket and felt for a cigarette.

"It might not be as straightforward as you think."

The moment he pulled out the pack, Yan Qiling's radar-like gaze followed.

The young man popped a cigarette in his mouth without a lighter and mumbled indistinctly,

"I'll just hold it for a bit. Don't bother with me."

The subject himself remained unperturbed, but Chi Zihe was deeply affected.

Firstly, Ming Yiyang's young age was no secret to anyone when it came to his heavy smoking habits. Not only was he incorrigible, but lighting up in front of "No Smoking" signs was a common occurrence for him.

Secondly, Yan Qiling's extreme aversion to cigarettes was well-known. He would even approach and confront smokers seated several tables away in restaurants – he was the embodiment of a modern-day Lin Zexu.

This was precisely why he had repeatedly warned Ming Yiyang not to bring any cigarettes inside!

To his surprise, the two had somehow managed to strike a delicate balance between their opposing tendencies... How could one say, it was a case of "one thing controlling another"!

Still, he couldn't shake off his concern that Yan Qiling might suddenly lose his temper and lash out at Ming Yiyang. He quickly steered the conversation back to business:

"Earlier, you mentioned that someone's objective differed from the others. Have you identified any suspects?"

The three people in the room spoke in unison:

"Qi Yongxin."

Si Shuhao's eyes widened, her eyebrows nearly lifting off her face:

"Was it really that obvious? I thought I was the only one who noticed."

Ming Yiyang lounged on the sofa with a cigarette between his teeth, his tone casual and relaxed.

"He's not stupid; he's actually quite clever. Apart from us few, others have a high level of trust in him. The reason you suspect him is solely because you know there's a mole among us."

Si Shuhao murmured softly,

"Can't it be because I'm smart...?"

Ming Yiyang laughed without much emotion,

"It has nothing to do with intelligence, it's purely an issue of experience."

"When you view each small world as a movie script, you fall into the trap set by the Intermediary. For example, the invitation. Although it appeared out of nowhere, after the attendant's actions, everyone accepted it as naturally as the 'setup' in a horror film, an unexplained part of the narrative."

"No one would think that this was the beginning of faction division. And the mole who truly understands the significance of this phase would never reveal the truth to anyone else."

Si Shuhao opened her mouth, but found no counterarguments.

As Ming Yiyang said, when she received the invitation, she had believed it to be the first message from this world. Most of the time, she focused on deciphering and recalling the information within, never once doubting the very act of "receiving the invitation" itself.

When she learned that there was a mole in their midst, she broke out into a cold sweat, overwhelmed with lingering fear.

If not for Yan Qiling and Ming Yiyang's presence, her state would likely have resembled Ruman and her husband's...

The young man shifted his position, his casual locks shimmering like snow under the light:

"One must understand that every event we encounter now is part of the Wujian Master's 'design.' Since they created this situation, it must hold significance."

"To grasp this concept, one needs to traverse at least half a dozen worlds and personally experience the consequences of faction division," he said casually, his gaze shifting from the girl to the composed Yan Qiling.

In the subtle atmosphere, Chi Zihe asked,

"Do you think Song Yuan's death is connected to him? I didn't expect how he could have committed the crime, considering he was always in our sight from the moment Song Yuan died until his body was discovered. He indeed has a solid alibi."

"That's also why I didn't mention factions," Ming Yiyang explained. "I believe there's more than one mole. He's been pushed into the open, while his accomplices remain hidden. Mentioning it might alert them."

Suddenly, Yan Qiling interjected from beside them:

"Is it really Song Yuan who's dead?"

Six pairs of eyes turned to him in unison. Ming Yiyang pondered for a moment and then pulled out the photo of Song Yuan's corpse from his phone, passing it to Yan Qiling.

Yan Qiling flipped through two pictures briefly, attempting to zoom in on the details of the corpse's hands, but they were submerged in blood, revealing nothing more.

He assessed the person in the photos:

"I can't see the label on his clothes, but they resemble a brand I endorsed before. It's a newly emerging luxury brand domestically, and if it's not a counterfeit, it would be worth around five thousand."

"The pants, judging by the fabric and cut, aren't cheap either. The corpse isn't wearing shoes; perhaps they were afraid of being exposed. But I still remember the style of those sneakers – they're the limited edition spring collaboration from Xboy released this year, with an official price tag of sixteen thousand."

Si Shuhao was amazed:

"I don't even remember what Song Yuan looked like, but you remember so clearly..."

Ming Yiyang was more concerned about the implications:

"How does any of this relate to whether or not he's actually Song Yuan?"

Yan Qiling didn't rush to respond:

"We all checked the laundry room, but no one could find the bloodstained clothes. None of the staff we encountered had blood on them either. Either the culprit is the Unseen Ruler, or we've never actually seen the murderer."

The silver-haired young man grasped his reasoning and sat up straight, removing the cigarette from his mouth:

"Are you suggesting that the victim might have been a hotel employee? And the killer could actually be Song Yuan?!"

Yan Qiling handed back his phone:

"I'm not certain. But I think there would be some differences between a young master dressed in such expensive attire and the regular staff who work daily."

Ming Yiyang placed the cigarette on the coffee table and started swiping through the photos:

"Fascinating. Looks like I'll have to find a chance to open the freezer door tomorrow."

"Alright, we've discussed enough. Now I need to divine the situation with the Heaven Rank Unseen Ruler."

Chi Zihe took off the pearl earring from his right ear and skillfully twisted it, causing a crisp "click." The pearl reflected a blue-hued star chart under the direct light.

Si Shuhao gaped at his unexpected magical maneuver with wide eyes.

She was highly intrigued by the astrolabe and crouched motionlessly nearby, waiting for his divination.

Chi Zihe twisted the gemstones twice more to ensure the astrolabe's alignment was accurate. Then, he extended his left hand.

"Qiling."

Ming Yiyang, who had been flipping through the photos, paused at the intimate address. Seeing the man place his pale fingers in Chi Zihe's palm, he couldn't help but react.

"Chi Zihe, are you also reading fortunes through palmistry now?!"

Confused, Chi Zihe thought to himself that a Heaven Rank Intertwined Master wasn't someone one could consult casually. It was only with Yan Qiling present that he dared to perform the divination. Otherwise, if he inadvertently predicted the loss of his lifespan, he might just die on the spot.

Moreover... why did Ming Yiyang care? This guy had always focused solely on results.

"No, this divination might be very perilous. Qiling has a unique fate, which can help stabilize things for me."

Considering Ming Yiyang's posture as if he might rush over to punch him at any moment, Chi Zihe cautiously explained himself.

An irrefutable argument.

Ming Yiyang had also participated in betting, but the mention of "Qiling" still made him feel uneasy.

He lay back on the sofa, using his phone to shield his eyes, blocking out what he didn't want to see.

Chi Zihe approved of his action and promptly instructed Si Shuhao,

"Close your eyes. You can't witness this divination, or you might go blind."

Si Shuhao was quite disappointed but still heeded the advice and moved away from the astrolabe, crouching in a corner to await the outcome.

Chi Zihe held the man's cold hand tightly.

A chilling, immense power flowed through their interlocked fingers, transforming the originally elegant and righteous Daoist priest into an embodiment of malevolence that contradicted his true nature.

The astrolabe consisted of nested layers, with the outermost circle representing the unchanging eight trigrams. Inside, there were three concentric circles, each now beginning to rotate at different speeds.

The outermost celestial disc started spinning clockwise from the Li trigram, eventually coming to a halt first.

Next came the second layer, the Zodiac, which also spun and stopped in its place.

Chi Zihe fixated on the entire setup, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he rapidly calculated in his mind.

The faint blue glow emanating from the gemstone intensified abruptly, transforming the celestial map on the table before them into a new one.

This time, the Earthly Branches occupied the outermost circle, while the innermost Human Branch circle expanded, revealing the names of each celestial body slowly during the rotation.

A sudden gust of eerie wind swept through the room, causing the securely pasted yellow talismans to disintegrate instantaneously – Chi Zihe coughed out a mouthful of blood.

The gemstone snapped shut with a "snap," erasing the incomplete blue astrological chart in progress.

With the closing of the star chart, the wind dissipated, leaving Chi Zihe slumped against the side of the coffee table. He stretched out a hand to cover his chest, gasping for air.

Si Shuhao was unaware of what had transpired until Yan Qiling rose to fetch water, prompting her to turn around.

She witnessed the once energetic and jovial Taoist, who could crack ten jokes without breaking a sweat, now pale as a sheet, leaning against a couch pillow with barely a whisper of breath left, as if he would pass away in the next moment!

Alarm bells rang in her head immediately:

"Mr. Chi, are you alright? What... What on earth just happened?!"

"Cough, cough... I'm fine, really." The subject weakly grabbed a couple of tissues to wipe the blood away. "It's normal. The fate of a Celestial Intermediary is fickle and unpredictable. It's rather difficult to divine."

...Don't say it so casually! You look like you're about to kick the bucket!

Si Shuhao found it hard to express her feelings. Seeing that he still seemed coherent, she cautiously asked,

"So, what did you divine? Did the Celestial Intermediary appear?"

Yan Qiling held water for Chi Zihe to rinse his mouth while Ming Yiyang, who had risen to inspect the yellow talisman, coldly interjected,

"He's in this state. Even if the astrolabe shows that the Celestial Intermediary hasn't appeared, would you believe it?"

Chi Zihe covered his mouth and coughed lightly, looking at the bloodstains on the tissue. He sighed and nodded.

"The astrolabe didn't finish its calculation, but it's clear that the pattern indicates 'great calamity yet to manifest.'"

"In the Realm of No Boundary, there are no days or nights, and the stars' paths are capricious. This result is a manifestation after the Intermediary's manipulation."

"I incline towards the notion that He has already manifest in this world. After all, there aren't many besides those humans with extremely unique fates and the Heavenly Ranks' Boundless Lords who could make my calculations so arduous."

The deductions of the Seven Celestial Mansions and Four Excess Planets have always been unambiguous, and they are reversible. Once I can pinpoint the celestial bodies, I can overturn the previous configuration and recalculate. In doing so, His identity will be revealed.

"So It didn't let me finish the calculation. But interfering with a celestial master's divination would probably invite backlash... Qiling, what's your take on this?"

Yan Qiling remained silent, like a wall of unspoken words.

After a while, he said:

"Since He has no intention of revealing Himself, we shall respect His wishes. For now, our top priority should be obtaining the access card. All other matters can wait."