Chapter 101: Mirror of Transience

Chapter 101: Transformation: Mirror of Transience

While Chen was busy managing Bailu, he was also frantically racking his brain for a way to make a reasonable escape, one that wouldn’t hurt the little guy’s feelings.

The perfect opportunity appeared just as he was itching to test the newly acquired five-star Jingliu icon.

The two of them were walking along a relatively quiet alley when a series of hurried footsteps and hushed conversations echoed from not far ahead.

“…The aura finally vanished somewhere around here…”

“Split up and search! We must find Lord Dragon-Venerable!”

“Sister Yunyin, don’t worry too much. Lord Dragon-Venerable couldn’t have gotten far…”

‘The Alchemy Commission!’Chen’s eyes lit up.’They actually tracked us down! And it sounds like they’re just around the corner!’

This was a godsend. It was like someone had handed him a plush pillow the very moment he was starting to feel sleepy.

He immediately tightened his grip on Bailu’s small hand. Pulling the boy into the shadows of a corner piled high with clutter, Chen pressed a finger to his own lips in a universal sign for silence.

Bailu had also heard those familiar voices, and his little face instantly turned a shade paler. He held his breath, his large, expressive eyes wide with the familiar panic of ‘Oh no, I’ve been found out again.’

“Bailu,” Chen whispered, his voice low and urgent, speaking as fast as he could. “Listen up. Captain Hook has a very important, very secret emergency mission that I have to complete right now! I can’t take you with me anymore!”

Bailu, stunned, instinctively clutched Chen’s hand tighter. “What mission? I—I can help!”

“This mission is extremely dangerous,” Chen said, pulling a long face and doing his best to look serious and dependable. “It’s something only adults can handle!”

He gestured vaguely in the direction of the approaching voices. “Besides, look, the people searching for you are right there. If you keep running around with me, what happens if we run into some real danger? Captain Hook doesn’t want his newest crew member getting hurt on his very first day!”

He patted Bailu firmly on the shoulder. “So, listen to the Captain’s orders! You, Crewman Bailu, are to immediately execute mission: ‘Safe Return to Base’! Find a way to quietly rejoin your people, or find a safe spot and wait for them to find you! Remember, you’re our most important medic; you have to focus on your own safety above all else!”

The bizarre mix of childish captain’s orders and genuine concern left Bailu a little dazed. But the words ‘danger’and’ensure your safety’ still struck a chord deep within him. He knew that sneaking out was wrong, and if he actually encountered danger because of it… he would only bring more trouble to the Alchemy Commission, and to this new friend standing before him.

“Then… what about you? Captain Hook?” Bailu asked, his voice still laced with worry.

Chen puffed out his chest, an expression of ‘who else but me’ plastered on his face. “I’m going to complete that emergency mission, of course! Don’t worry, Lord Hook is more than capable! Once the mission’s done, I’ll come find you at the Alchemy Commission to hang out! Don’t we have an exploration team now? We’ll go exploring together next time!”

As he spoke, he gave Bailu a gentle push toward the other end of the alley, a direction that would make it easier for the Alchemy Commission’s search party to spot him. “Quick! Go, before they finish searching this area! Remember, safety first! That’s an order!”

Bailu looked at Hook’s earnest expression, the very picture of a captain shouldering a heavy burden. He glanced toward the direction of the faint voices, gritted his teeth, and finally gave a firm nod.

“Then… Captain Hook, you have to be careful too! You have to come find me!”

“I will!” Chen nodded vigorously, waving him off.

Bailu took one last look at him, then turned and hunched over. Relying on his familiarity with the local terrain, he slipped away toward the other end of the alley. His movements were quick and nimble, and his small figure soon vanished into the shadows behind a corner.

Watching Bailu leave safely, Chen finally let out a long, heavy sigh of relief. He had finally managed to handle that little handful, at least for the time being. A pang of guilt pricked at him for taking advantage of the boy’s trust, but this was truly the best option for both of them.

He listened intently. The sounds of the Alchemy Commission’s search party seemed to be heading in the direction Bailu had gone, gradually fading into the distance.

‘Good.’

Now then… Chen looked down at his Hook costume, then thought of Jingliu’s imposing appearance. He couldn’t stop a low chuckle from escaping his lips.

He glanced left and right, confirming that the secluded alley was completely empty. He then ducked deeper into the shadows behind a stack of discarded wooden crates.

With a single thought… a cascade of light enveloped him.

The small, childish stature of Hook began to stretch and elongate. The shock of golden-blonde hair bled into a cascade of moonlight silver that fell past his shoulders. The playful shorts and coat of the Moles’ leader dissolved, replaced by an elegant, layered dress of black and white.

In the space of a few breaths, the figure standing in the shadows was no longer a child.

It was the tall, silver-haired Jingliu, her eyes bound by a strip of black cloth, her entire being radiating a solitary, glacial coldness.

Chen, now in Jingliu’s body, gently clenched a fist, feeling the immense power surging within him. It was a sensation unlike any he had experienced before—a chilling, crystalline power that felt as if it could freeze the very air and then shatter it with a single, perfect cut.

Though his vision was obscured by the black blindfold, his perception of the world was exceptionally sharp. The alley, the crates, the distant sounds—everything was rendered as a clear, precise map etched directly into his mind.

“Is this… the power of Jingliu?” he whispered to himself. The voice that emerged was not his own, but Jingliu’s—a feminine tone as clear and cold as an arctic spring.

He tried to mobilize a sliver of that power. An icy blue light flickered at his fingertips, and the temperature in the immediate vicinity seemed to drop by several degrees.

“Impressive…” Chen marveled. But his awe was immediately followed by a rather serious question.

‘Okay, but with this face and this aura… what am I supposed to do now?’

His original plan was to transform into Jingliu to find Dan Heng or stir up some other kind of trouble. But now that he was actually inhabiting her form, he felt a sudden hesitation. Strolling through the Xianzhou Luofu as the legendary and supposedly dead Sword Champion of the Luofu wasn’t exactly a low-profile move.

“Forget it. I’ll just take it one step at a time.”

Chen flicked his wrist, the cold energy dissipating, and decided to simply leave the alley first.

However, he had only taken a few steps when he sensed something and froze in place.

[Elysian’s Note:

Having a good time with the story?

Every single bit helps immensely:

Thanks a ton for making this journey possible!]