Chapter 853: A Wonderful Experience (Final Two Days—Requesting Moon Tickets)

Lu Mi loosened his grip, pressed his left chest, silently praised Mr. "Fool," then walked with Amandina toward the bottom of the slope through the gray-white mist.

Amandina grew increasingly uneasy with her current state—the icy chill emanating from within made her feel as if she had already died and become a corpse, while another version of herself inside her body seemed to tear and struggle to emerge.

"Shall we go back?" she hesitantly said to Lu Mi.

"We're almost there." Lu Mi pointed toward the direction where the phantom sound of water barely reached, then added, "If you truly decide to return now, I can fulfill your request."

Amandina hesitated for several seconds:

"We've already reached the edge…"

Wouldn't going back now mean coming for nothing?

Lu Mi chuckled:

"Don't worry—if it gets unbearable, I'll run faster than you."

"That makes me even more worried…" Amandina murmured.

Lu Mi continued walking, then thought for a moment and said:

"When I tell you to close your eyes, close them. When I tell you to open them, open them immediately."

"Understood." In this environment, Amandina had no choice but to trust Lu Mi.

Soon, the gray mist before them thinned, revealing a spring the size of a pond.

Within the spring, pale water churned, surrounded by dark substances whose color defied description.

Amandina saw a strand of wet, seaweed-like black hair drifting in the water; beneath it, several faint, shadowy figures seemed hidden, struggling as if freshly drowned, clawing to crawl out.

At the same time, she noticed a lady pacing beside the spring—clad in a white robe, draped with black hair, her features perfectly refined, her aura saintly as if she belonged not to a tomb but somewhere beyond.

Amandina was instantly captivated; had the lady's eyes not been dull and icy, lacking any true allure, and had the spring not suddenly sucked back into a black, light-devouring hole, she likely would have been unable to tear herself away.

Lu Mi also saw the spectral form of Clarismona, and several thoughts flashed through his mind:

"I could bring Jianna here directly to meet Clarismona, without having to wait until each promotion…"

"This Clarismona is closer to a wandering spirit, bound around the 'Spring of the Samaritan Woman'—can she communicate normally? Will she attack any 'Witch' who approaches indiscriminately? Could this trigger anomalies? Still unknown…"

"I need to confirm this before bringing Jianna in…"

Seeing that Clarismona's spectral form hadn't even glanced at him, Lu Mi turned his head to Amandina and said:

"You can close your eyes now."

"Okay." Amandina felt a surge of fear and obediently shut her eyes.

Lu Mi stepped forward two paces, reaching the edge of the "Spring of the Samaritan Woman."

The next instant, Amandina heard the gushing sound of the spring and felt a violent, frenzied presence descend upon her.

She trembled uncontrollably, her knees weakening.

Simultaneously, she experienced hallucinations—multiple shadowy figures approaching her, each terrifying beyond measure, their gaze promising nightmares and gruesome death.

Amandina screamed in terror:

"Go back!"

"I want to go back!"

As she cried out, the violent, frenzied presence receded, and the shadowy figures in her hallucinations vanished.

A low voice reached her ear:

"You can open your eyes now."

Amandina tore herself from extreme terror, relaxing slightly.

Without hesitation, she opened her eyes.

She saw the familiar figure—wearing a rusted, peculiar iron crown, skin luminous as jade, white beard gently drifting, already very aged.

At this moment, the old man sat cross-legged atop the deep, dark hole, which now shook violently, as if some unknown entity sought to squeeze out.

Amandina's gaze settled on those eyes—deep as night.

Her thoughts instantly blurred; she seemed to see a rotting, pus-dripping hand adorned with strange feathers reaching toward her, pressing against her crown.

She also heard a voice—ancient, dull, icy, hollow—echoing beside her ear.

But she could not understand what it was saying.

After an indeterminate time, Amandina awoke—no trace of the old man remained, only dark, soil-stained earth where the pale spring had been, and Lu Mi crouched beside the spring, collecting dripping water into a golden vial.

Of course, Lu Mi and the others had reported Amandina's case to the Major Arcana before daring to bring her near the "Spring of the Samaritan Woman," and the "Magician" lady had even instructed him to collect more of its water.

"What's the use of this water?" Amandina asked, no longer so tense or afraid.

"If your enemy drinks it, he'll die instantly," Lu Mi replied offhandedly.

Amandina's eyes lit up, then she frowned:

"But how do I make my enemy drink it…?"

Lu Mi retrieved the golden vial and stood up.

"What did you see? What did you experience?"

Amandina recalled and recounted every detail, then reflected:

"But I didn't understand what it was saying—the pronunciation was %￥…"

"I think I've gained a new ability—I can soothe souls, calm emotions and desires…"

Lu Mi carefully noted the few pronunciations Amandina described, then walked back to her side and said:

"You've gained a new Blessing: 'Soul Calmer.'"

"Yes!" Amandina smiled. "I feel like my body has changed slightly…"

Lu Mi chuckled:

"Perhaps you'll slowly grow white whiskers and wrinkles. I've heard that Blessings gradually make their recipients resemble the higher beings who granted them—both mentally and physically."

Amandina gasped:

"Can I… not have it?"

"Try taking the corresponding Path's potion—see if it can counteract it," Lu Mi said, stepping past Amandina toward the slope leading to the tomb chamber.

Amandina followed closely, lost in thought.

…………

Until Lu Mi and Amandina left the underground tomb, Fleurca, Jianna, and Anthony had not seen the resurrected island visitor Harrison.

"He didn't appear?" Fleurca frowned. "My theory was wrong—specialty alone can't achieve such strong convergence? Only higher beings at the Angel tier can actively exploit the Convergence Law?"

Jianna's eyes flickered, then she said:

"Perhaps Harrison sensed this deliberate convergence and deliberately avoided it… Maybe he isn't of the 'Death,' 'Darkness,' or 'Twilight' Paths—he deeply understands death, seeks related things and scenes, but that doesn't mean he's an adept of those Paths. What if he's merely a scholar studying death?"

"Possible," Fleurca sighed. "Wait five more minutes, then we'll go after Lu Mi and Amandina."

Even after the group reunited at Apartment 702, No. 9 Aoluosaijie, the resurrected island visitor Harrison never appeared.

"Thank you all—I can now assist you," Amandina said, looking at Fleurca.

Fleurca smiled at the exhausted girl, who bore the marks of her terrifying experience:

"No rush. Go back first. Wait until you've adapted to your new power and restored your bodily balance, then we'll meet again."

"Besides, traveling from Pailos Port to Triel is quite convenient."

Convenient? Without using the Mirror World or "teleportation," it takes two or three months to reach… Amandina silently grumbled but accepted Fleurca's advice.

Then, Lu Mi and the others used "Black Tear" to return her to the mirror Fleurca had given her, and she stepped out.

Outside, night still lingered; servants occasionally passed down the corridor.

Gazing at her familiar bedroom, at the pen and stacked books on the desk, Amandina suddenly felt as if she had been gone for days, having endured far too much.

Yet it had only been half a night.

In that half-night, she had traversed the Mirror World, visited the distant, bustling Triel, explored the underground tomb featured in magazines, and witnessed the horror surrounding the "Spring of the Samaritan Woman."

After savoring the memory, Amandina sincerely murmured:

"How marvelous…"

"An amazing journey..."

…………

Triel, No. 9 Aoluosaijie, Apartment 702.

Lu Mi attempted to repeat the sounds Amandina had heard.

Fleurca listened intently, then hesitated:

"It sounds like… be careful, Penglai…"

"Be careful of Penglai? The armored specter's Penglai Divine Mountain? That doesn't help us much…" Lu Mi mused.

Jianna and Anthony both nodded.

"Indeed," Fleurca quickly adjusted her mindset. "But we've at least achieved one goal—we can summon the armored specter in a few days!"

Then, she planned to first ask Mr. "Star" what the text on his documents meant.

Just thinking about it excited her.

After more casual chatter, Anthony, seeing the late hour, took his leave and returned home.

Jianna glanced at Fleurca pacing back and forth, then looked at Lu Mi and subtly pointed to herself.

Lu Mi slowly shook his head, then pointed to himself.

After several exchanges of glances, Jianna—still wearing her vampire makeup—pressed her lips together and said to Fleurca:

"I'm leaving."

"Mm." Fleurca said nothing more—she herself wished to speak alone with Lu Mi about the ancient script and the "Curly Baboon Research Society."

After Jianna departed, she sat in the armchair, comfortably stretching her limbs.

She glanced at Lu Mi and asked in confusion:

"Sit down, why aren't you sitting?"

Lu Mi looked at Flanca and couldn't help sighing again:

"I have something to tell you."

Flanca scrutinized Lu Mi's expression with suspicion:

"Are you pulling a prank? You're the kind who even when disaster is about to strike, still reminds everyone in a joking tone."

"No, you're serious? Is it that serious?"

Lu Mi had already used "Black Tear" to sense all the mirrors in the room and had largely confirmed there was no gaze from the "Black Witch."

He looked at Flanca and instinctively tried to force a smile to appear more at ease, but couldn't manage it.

Flanca unconsciously sat up straight.

Lu Mi spoke in a low voice:

"Jianna asked me to help her digest the 'Joy' potion."

PS: Last two days—please vote for monthly tickets~

(End of Chapter)