Along the way, they saw many amazing sights.
Singing flowers, brooks flowing with honey, minerals shimmering with various colors...
Tiger Eagle tried to pick those obviously extraordinary spiritual herbs several times, but Qi Qi stopped him each time.
"Everything in the Mirror Realm has a cause and effect," she said solemnly. "Using it at will will inevitably come at a price."
Tiger Eagle grumbled in dissatisfaction, "If this won't work and that won't work, then what are we doing here? Or are you saying, little girl, that you want to keep it all to yourself?"
Qiqi rolled her eyes at him and manipulated the wind-riding talisman to fly forward. "You little brain tiger, you're so stupid. I don't want to talk to you anymore. You'll understand when we get to the Reincarnation Tree."
After a difficult journey, they finally arrived at the central floating island.
The island is much larger than it appears from a distance, and it is home to a variety of exotic plants, with a refreshing fragrance permeating the air.
In the center of the island, a towering tree stands.
Its trunk is gold and silver, while its branches and leaves are transparent, shimmering with a dreamlike luster under the sky where the sun and moon shine together.
Dozens of fruits hung on the tree, each one seemingly carved from crystal, with shimmering light flowing inside.
"The Tree of Reincarnation... So this is the legendary Tree of Reincarnation," Bai Xuan murmured, awestruck by the beauty of this divine tree.
Tiger Eagle couldn't wait to rush over, but Qi Qi grabbed him, "Wait! There's a guardian."
As soon as she finished speaking, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows under the tree.
He was an old man dressed in a simple gray robe, with white hair and beard, a kind face, and a wooden cane in his hand.
"A thousand years have passed, and finally someone has come here again." The old man spoke with a smile, his voice gentle. "I am the guardian of the Reincarnation Tree, my Daoist name is 'Shouzhen'."
Bai Xuan and Hu Ying immediately became alert, but Qi Qi stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and introduced herself in a very polite, childlike voice, "Hello, Grandpa Shouzhen, my name is Qi Qi. This little snake is Bai Xuan, and this little tiger is Hu Ying. We came here to find treasures. Are there any treasures here?"
Master Shouzhen sized up the three of them, his gaze lingering on Qiqi for a moment longer. "Little girl, you're quite frank. But little girl, how do you know there's treasure in the Mirror Realm?"
Qiqi smiled broadly, "Thank you for the compliment, Grandpa Shouzhen. Little Snake told us there's treasure here. But he doesn't know exactly where it is. Grandpa Shouzhen, can you tell us?"
Shouzhen glanced at her and found the little girl, who looked to be only a little over three years old, to be quite interesting.
Then he looked at Bai Xuan and Hu Ying, "And you? Did you also come here for the treasures? For the Reincarnation Fruit?"
Tiger Eagle eagerly answered, "Exactly! I've heard there are Reincarnation Fruits here; eating one can increase one's cultivation by a hundred years!"
Master Shouzhen laughed heartily, "The Reincarnation Fruit does indeed have such miraculous effects, but obtaining it requires passing a test. Are you willing to accept it?"
Bai Xuan and Qi Qi exchanged a glance and said in unison, "We're willing!"
Master Shouzhen stroked his beard with satisfaction. "Very good. The trials of the Reincarnation Tree vary from person to person, depending on each individual's inner state. Who wants to go first?"
Tiger Eagle couldn't wait, "I'll go first!"
With a wave of his wooden staff, Master Shouzhen unleashed a beam of golden light from beneath the Reincarnation Tree, enveloping the tiger eagle.
Tiger Eagle's body stiffened instantly, its eyes became vacant, as if its soul had left its body.
Bai Xuan asked anxiously, "What's wrong with him?"
“It’s alright, it’s just a test within an illusion,” Master Shouzhen said calmly. “The Reincarnation Tree will uncover his deepest desires and fears. If he can overcome them, he will have passed.”
Time passed second by second, and Tiger Eagle's expression changed from ferocious to fearful to joyful.
About an incense stick's time later, he suddenly roared and woke up from the illusion, drenched in sweat and panting heavily.
"That was terrifying..." he said, still shaken. "I saw the thing I feared most..."
Master Shouzhen smiled, "But you overcame it." He reached out and a Reincarnation Fruit fell from the tree and flew towards Tiger Eagle, "This is your reward."
Tiger Eagle was overjoyed to receive the Reincarnation Fruit, but then looked at Qi Qi and Bai Xuan with some hesitation.
Qiqi laughed and said, "Little Tiger, you should accept it. You deserve it."
Master Shouzhen looked at Bai Xuan, "Next?"
Bai Xuan took a deep breath and stepped forward. "This little demon is willing to give it a try."
In front of this old man, Bai Xuan felt that his cultivation was simply not enough.
The same thing happened again; Bai Xuan was enveloped in golden light and entered an illusion.
His expression was more complex than Hu Ying's, sometimes showing pain, sometimes confusion, and sometimes determination.
Half an hour later, he awoke from the illusion, a hint of understanding appearing in his eyes.
“I understand…” he murmured. “Thank you for your guidance, senior.”
Master Shouzhen nodded approvingly, "You have good comprehension."
With a wave of his hand, another Reincarnation Fruit flew towards Bai Xuan.
Finally, it was Qiqi's turn.
She calmly walked into the golden light, her expression unchanged, as if everything in the illusion was within her expectations.
Just fifteen minutes later, she opened her eyes, her gaze as clear as ever.
Master Shouzhen looked at her in surprise, "This little girl has a remarkable composure; she was able to pass the test so quickly."
Qiqi said modestly, "Grandpa, you flatter me."
The third Reincarnation Fruit flew towards her, but she did not reach out to catch it, instead letting it float in the air.
"Grandpa, I don't want the Reincarnation Fruit, I just want to ask you a question," Qiqi suddenly said.
Master Shouzhen raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What's the problem?"
"Regarding the creator of the Mirror Realm, and the true purpose of this world," Qi Qi looked directly into Shouzhen Zhenren's eyes, "the Reincarnation Tree doesn't test one's character, but rather one's understanding of the rules, right?"
The smile on Master Shouzhen's face vanished. He stared intently at Qiqi, "Little girl, who exactly are you? How do you know so much?"
Qiqi blinked her large, dark grape-like eyes, and instead of answering, asked, "Is the Mirror Realm about to collapse? I can feel the spiritual energy of this world slowly dissipating. The Reincarnation Fruit only ripens once every thousand years; it's merely a means to absorb the essence of the entire world and delay its collapse."
Bai Xuan and Hu Ying were shocked to hear this, as they had not sensed anything unusual at all.
Master Shouzhen remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh, "I never expected that the one who would see through the truth in the end would be a little girl."
He waved his wooden staff, and the surrounding scenery suddenly changed.
The once beautiful floating islands became somewhat illusory, and the sun and moon in the sky began to flicker, like light bulbs with poor contact.
“You’re right, the Mirror Realm is indeed on the verge of collapse.” Master Shouzhen said in a heavy tone, “This world has existed for 100,000 years, long past its due lifespan. As its guardian, I have been searching for a successor to pass on the secrets of creating this world.”
He looked at Qiqi, "Little girl, are you willing to accept this inheritance?"
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