Volume 3 Chapter 39: Demon-Breaking Mirror

This technology was probably dimensional space related—both simple and brilliant.

Qin Lun carefully observed the blood-colored patterns on the surface of the Bloody Cube. He faintly suspected it wasn’t constrained. After opening the top lid, the cube floated in the air, slowly expanding until it reached the size of a shoebox and stopped.

Qin Lun reached his arm into the cube. The first thing he pulled out was a Phantom Demon Pearl, about the size of a chicken egg. This pearl, originally Gadurot’s, was much smaller now. Its phantom demon power had been completely absorbed by Matthew. However, the pearl still held 104 points of remnant souls trapped within.

The second item the Bloody Cube produced made Qin Lun sigh slightly. He pulled out that half box of Moonlight Recovery Ointment he had traded to Junko. In that trade, the World Tree Dew was exchanged using Junko’s own Skill Scroll; it belonged to her.

The Moonlight Recovery Ointment, however, was part of the trade for the Phantom Demon Rumors Record, which she had turned in to the Team Warehouse. When both Jote and Junko were kicked out of the team by Matthew, this item naturally became Matthew’s personal property.

“Can I really not draw that thing?” Qin Lun looked frustrated. He reached into the cube again, and this time his eyes lit up when his hand emerged. What he pulled out was another Bloody Cube—Jote’s Bloody Cube. After killing Jote, Matthew hadn’t opened it immediately, instead storing it in his Storage Space. Now it conveniently landed in Qin Lun’s hands.

After yielding three items, Matthew’s cube slowly faded away and vanished. Qin Lun casually tossed Jote’s cube in his hand and opened its top lid. Jote’s cube disappeared after only two draws. Luckily, both draws produced equipment, far better than the miser Matthew had been.

Among the two equipment pieces was that Dark Gold Equipment from Gadurot. The other was a dark blue quality leather boot. The dark gold piece was a headgear, styled much like Gadurot’s iron helmet, with a steel spike on top resembling a unicorn horn, likely possessing a charge skill naturally.

Both pieces of equipment could be used immediately by Reincarnators, but Qin Lun couldn’t use them. In his Death Notice, both items showed as “Unidentified”. He needed to spend some Shattered Crystal to remove the World Law restrictions on the equipment.

Qin Lun stored both pieces in his Storage Space. He looked up at the stone chamber’s ceiling, deep in thought.

…

Three days later, in a corner of the Phantom Demon maze, a small stone pavilion, half a person’s height and shaped like a gourd, stood before the two people. This was the Demon-Breaking Mirror located in the Oni Clan’s dimension. Besides Oni Clan Reincarnators and Oni Warriors, no one else, including Qin Lun, an Apostle, could see it.

“There are so many things here! Do you want to exchange for anything?” Junko cheered happily, turning to ask Qin Lun.

Perhaps because Gadurot died, the Phantom Demons capable of independent action within the Undersea Temple had fled. All the Phantom Demon Pearls the two had obtained came from trap Phantom Demons within the maze. With the Phantom Demon Rumors Record’s guidance, Qin Lun’s FN-500 gun, and Junko’s assistance, these trap demons hadn’t caused them any trouble.

In fact, by the morning of the first day, Junko had already completed her second Main Quest of gaining 1000 points of Faction Reputation. Accumulated up to now, Junko had nearly 2000 points of Faction Reputation. She also had over a dozen Phantom Demon Pearls in hand. She was very satisfied.

“I… can’t see the Demon-Breaking Mirror,” Qin Lun hesitated before honestly admitting.

“Oh, okay then!” Junko waved her hand, not surprised at all. “I’ll show you the exchange list. Give me your Phantom Demon Pearls. I’ll convert them for you into Reputation points, then exchange items for you!”

Over the past three days, traveling through the Undersea Temple and the outer maze, the two had quite a haul. They obtained over thirty Phantom Demon Pearls in total. Qin Lun also successfully acquired two Time-Space Cores. Junko was puzzled by Qin Lun’s peculiar behavior of collecting the Time-Space Cores, but wisely didn’t pry.

When Qin Lun first met her, he had insisted on seeing her task list and refused to sign a Soul Contract with her. These past few days, he took out that strange Time-Space Energy Collector to gather Time-Space Cores. Anyone could tell something was off.

“Aren’t you curious?” Qin Lun, seeing the girl looking perfectly calm, scratched his nose awkwardly.

“Hmph! You’re a Reincarnator from another space, right?” Junko snorted, her little nose in the air. “I figured that out ages ago, seeing how shady you acted! Anyway, your task isn’t killing people, so I don’t care!”

My task really is killing people, just not interested in killing you! Qin Lun grumbled silently, giving Junko’s snow-white neck a meaningful look.

“What are you looking at? Hurry up and choose exchange items!” Junko turned and saw Qin Lun staring at her neck. Her cool face flushed slightly as she snapped at him.

Qin Lun pushed aside his scattered thoughts, refocusing on the exchange list Junko was displaying. The Demon-Breaking Mirror had many items, roughly divided into three categories: Oni Clan weapons and armor, recovery-type treasures, and various Oni martial skill books.

Very quickly, though, he realized that aside from a few recovery items, he could hardly exchange for any equipment or Oni martial skills.

The reason was simple. Though Qin Lun could obtain Phantom Demon Pearls, killing the Phantom Demons didn’t earn him any Faction Reputation points. Exchanges at the Demon-Breaking Mirror required Faction Reputation points. Even Phantom Demon Pearls had to first be converted into Reputation points before they could be used.

The remnant souls within the pearls could be absorbed by his Dagger of Sin. Qin Lun wanted to see what changes would occur in the dagger after absorbing so many remnant souls. Exchanging his pearls for Reputation points felt like a huge waste to him.

“I don’t have Faction Reputation. The pearls can’t exchange for much. I’ll just get a few recovery treasures,” Qin Lun replied truthfully, since Junko pegged him as a Reincarnator from another space anyway.

“Then… what do you think I should choose?” Junko nodded, hesitated slightly, then asked.

Qin Lun rubbed his chin, looking over the exchange list again. The most valuable items in the Demon-Breaking Mirror were various soul-siphoning equipment. There was gear that drained an enemy’s blood and vitality (blood-siphon), gear that drained an enemy’s magic power (essence-siphon), and a special type that drained an opponent’s equipment durability to enhance the quality of your own items.

This last special type had limits. For example, dark blue equipment might upgrade to purple, which was likely the material limit of the original blue gear. Of course, there were also soul-siphon equipment with two, or even three functions, much like the Oni Gauntlet used by the Oni Warrior Akechi Samanosuke.

However, the Reputation cost for the Oni Gauntlet was astronomical. Only veteran powerhouse teams like the Fūma Group, who completed major events like slaying the Phantom Demon King, could afford it, otherwise it was impossible.

“These soul-siphon equipment are all good. But for you… this skill is the most suitable!” Qin Lun pointed with his finger to one Oni martial skill book on the list. “Use your remaining Reputation points to get some recovery treasures.”

“Tan Ichigan…” Junko murmured, looking at the skill book. “Then… I’ll choose this.”

Oni Martial Skill Book – Tan Ichigan: C- level martial skill. Allows the user to perform a flaw-exploiting counterattack immediately after successfully defending against an enemy’s close range strike. Has a chance to trigger a critical hit or temporarily freeze the enemy. Can be used with close combat weapons or bare-handed.

Junko was familiar with karate and judo, possessing a solid martial arts foundation. This skill would maximize her combat effectiveness and could absolutely become a core skill when she chose her Class Change later, aiming to become a Martial Artist. For now, it was more suitable for her than individual soul-siphon gear, because equipment was heavily influenced by World Law – soul-siphon gear might be unusable in some Quest Worlds.

After selecting Tan Ichigan, Junko used her remaining Reputation to trade for several recovery items. Qin Lun also spent his pearls to obtain a piece of Phantom Demon Tenderloin.

Phantom Demon Tenderloin: A recovery treasure from the Phantom Demon World. Made by refining the flesh and blood of elite Phantom Demons. When applied to a wound, it slowly dissolves into the body, restoring 500 hit points over 10 minutes. It also rapidly heals various external wounds and bruises, and can reattach severed limbs.

This was the first recovery treasure Qin Lun had seen capable of reattaching limbs. The Phantom Demon Tenderloin was very valuable, costing a full ten Phantom Demon Pearls from Wasp Demons—equivalent to 150 points of remnant souls.

“Let’s go. Head for that Time-Space Node.” Once the exchanges were done, Qin Lun signaled for Junko to leave.

Both were very familiar with the maze by now. Half an hour later, they arrived at the last remaining time gate in the maze—also the only Time-Space Node Qin Lun hadn’t collected yet.

Wiping the light sweat from her forehead, Junko asked, “Are we really going back to Paris?”

“Mm. We’ve thoroughly searched the Undersea Temple and the main maze. We have only a day and a half left here. Where else can we go besides Paris?” Qin Lun smiled. “Reincarnators must always move forward. When you have a chance, you have to grasp more benefits. Whatever extra gains you get now might save your life later!”

Actually, they had recently encountered a Phantom Demon faction Reincarnator. This Reincarnator had just entered the maze via the time gate near Paris and was already badly hurt. He wasn’t very strong, perhaps at best around Jote’s level.

However, Qin Lun didn’t kill him. He had Junko make a Soul Contract with him. The price for letting him go was sharing information about Paris. According to his intel, the Phantom Demon stronghold linked by this time gate in Paris had been destroyed by Oni Clan Reincarnators.

In other words, the other side of this time gate was temporarily unguarded by Phantom Demons. They could safely return to Paris.

Nevertheless, Qin Lun hadn’t immediately taken Junko back through the gate earlier. He chose to wait and observe mainly because he didn’t want to run into the Oni Clan Reincarnators. Anyone capable of destroying a Phantom Demon stronghold wouldn’t be weak. Appearing before them rashly, even with Junko as cover, was too risky.

An hour had passed now. Any Reincarnators on the other side should have dispersed. It was likely safe for them to go back.

“Ready?” Qin Lun turned back with a smile and stepped into the swirling vortex first.