Chapter 299: The Python-Sparrow Swallows the Dragon, Returning the Dao to Heaven

“This day, within the world, pythons and sparrows cry together, radiant clouds blaze, transforming by borrowed momentum.”

“This day, beyond the world, the Sacred Dragon Yuanming turns to smoke, dissipating far and wide.”

Shion closed her eyes, indignation written across her face. “This is the Python-Sparrow Swallowing the Dragon!”

Each word landed as if speaking of a deep, personal grudge.

“Where’s the python-sparrow?” Fengqin and the little bear ornament had been watching below for ages and had seen nothing resembling a python-sparrow. What even was a python-sparrow? A python plus a sparrow? Does that idiom even exist—python-sparrow swallowing dragon? It sounded like something drilled into students from a textbook.

“You ignorant child.” Shion glared, “If you don’t know the Primordial Venerable, then this life is over for you.”

“Although the Mirror Kingdom is small and weak, having suffered a century-long siege, it still holds the spirit of the ling sparrow.”

“Though I am a Sacred Dragon, the Mirror Kingdom has long schemed against me.” The more Shion spoke, the more fired up she became, “This is a conspiracy!”

Where was the conspiracy supposed to be?

Fengqin didn’t dare reply, but inwardly she couldn’t help wondering—it wasn’t all obvious? And where exactly…

“Though the Dream Incubators are few and their leader alone, they possess the Flood-Serpent—a force not to be underestimated.”

Fengqin knelt with a bewildered face. “Huh? Flood-serpent? Me? You’ve got the wrong person, right?”

“Wrong,” Shion glanced at the world below with casual certainty. “A small python is a district, a district is a python. It’s you.”

Fengqin scratched her head. “That actually… kind of makes sense. Wait, aren’t we supposed to be talking about the Mirror Kingdom and South China…?”

“Mirror Kingdom, South China.” Shion repeated, and her tone hardened.

“They stifled birth for three whole years. Maybe they sewed it up for three years, using every trick to not produce anything for three years, and then suddenly it births because it’s waiting for me!”

“This is coercion toward the old-world people—forcing the loss of my Sacred Dragon’s fortune!”

You can’t even reach a billion people by including the old world, and what is this fortune anyway, and what exactly is a three-year pregnancy birthing—Fengqin didn’t dare make sense of it. She prayed silently that the accusation she’d just had pinned on her was only an illusion.

She watched Shion speak on, and unexpectedly saw blood tears trickling from Shion’s golden eyes. Curious, the little bear ornament dabbed a fingertip into the girl’s blood-tinged tears and tasted them.

Surprisingly sweet, low-sugar sweetness.

Then it looked back at the furious girl and then to South China already separating from the new world.

No matter how timid Fengqin normally was, she felt agitation rise. If this kept up, the world they’d painstakingly patched together would be gone!

Thinking of comrades past, of friendship and their shared bonds, resolve filled Fengqin.

“W-wait!”

“What?” Shion turned, and Fengqin felt the bond and arousal strength she’d relied on snap instantly.

She dropped to her knees, pounding the ground with her forehead in desperate prostration. “After South China detaches, there won’t be much time left for the new world. We can’t let South China detach!”

“That’s your problem, is it not?”

Fengqin froze. “How did you tell?”

Seeing Shion’s eyes that said she looked like an idiot, Fengqin realized her question had been dumb. She scratched her head. “Well, I was chosen to watch this patched world and keep it from falling apart. I do have certain authority, but with more Full Blooms appearing in the new world, my authority is thin…”

“And the Mirror Kingdom’s technology is totally different from Magical Girls’ miracles. I can’t interfere. For this fall of South China I truly had no solution, that’s why I came to you, the strongest Magical Girl, Shion.”

Hearing Fengqin finally speak honestly, Shion sneered. “Didn’t I make you say that by force?”

“I—I would never have come out if you hadn’t forced me. Even if you beat me to death, I’d die under the covers rather than step out!”

“Tell me how to reach beyond the world,” Shion said coolly. “I’ll help you.”

Fengqin hesitated. “We can point the way, but to leave safely you need a key. I don’t have the key. You’ll have to find it yourself…”

Shion pointed down at South China. “Does the Mirror Kingdom’s method work?”

“Dropping a corner of the world is essentially taking the entire side wall off the door,” Fengqin answered honestly. “You can get out, but the house will collapse early…”

After a pause, Shion nodded. “No wonder it’s Itaen.”

Shion didn’t know where she’d learned certain intel beyond the heavens, but in this short time—or rather, through plans laid long ago—someone had already prepared a path out by destroying the new world.

Mirror Kingdom technology differed from Magical Girls’ miracles, and Itaen’s bold, meticulous scheme actually found an exit before Shion did. If they didn’t walk different paths, Shion might have called her a fellow traveler.

Shion tilted her head at Fengqin, who watched below with worry. “If you want my help, have you prepared payment and cooperation beforehand?”

“Huh? Isn’t Magical Girl world-saving paid in smiles?” Fengqin asked.

“Enough with coaxing,” Shion paused. “No key, no reward, then I might as well join the Mirror Kingdom. With my credit there, I could get a marquis title.”

Fengqin began to cry. “No! The whole world’s waiting for you. Why say such dark things?”

“Even Mùjǐn prepared a reward; do you expect to get something for nothing?”

“Mùjǐn who…?” Fengqin murmured, then her face fell into a small sorrow. “I have part of the new world’s authority. That authority was won by all our efforts. In the end everyone trusted me and gave me the authority, making me leader of the Dream Incubators…”

“Or maybe, they just didn’t want to suffer here anymore, so they handed the troubling task to you.”

Shion’s expression stayed blank. “As the leader of the Dream Incubators, what true power do you have? How many underlings will obey orders? What benefits have you enjoyed?”

Fengqin, lost in memories, blinked and then lowered her head. “It’s fine, I still feel useful!”

She stopped hesitating and took a ring off her finger, handing it to Shion. “This is it. Use it carefully. Rip the world by accident and you might never restore it…”

Before she finished, Shion slipped the ring on.

This time it wasn’t just South China—West China, North China, East China, overseas nations, the whole planet began to rupture at once!

“Aaah!!!”

A shrill scream tore through the chaos. Fengqin clung to Shion’s calves, tearful. “What are you doing? Why tear the world actively!”

“Nothing new can be built without destruction.”

“You can’t rebuild it again! Aren’t you supposed to protect the world and its people? Your friends and family are still in the world. Why turn on them the moment you have authority…”

Shion chuckled coldly. “Or do you expect me to wait for you to turn on me?”

Fengqin was dumbstruck.

“You really didn’t think you could fool me, did you? With such power and authority, could you truly be a great weakling, wearing honeyed words to win trust before stabbing in the back? Do you think you’re the only one who’d do that?”

“The Primordial Scammer Group and the Ancient Sage Timber Corporation are famous. Don’t presume I’d underestimate you!”

She thinks highly of me.

For a moment Fengqin felt oddly pleased, though she didn’t know those groups. Clearly, in Shion’s eyes she was impressive.

But she had no spirit left to feel good—the world of the Dream Incubators was collapsing.

Fengqin writhed and wept on the ground, begging Shion to stop.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” The little bear ornament finally had enough. “Look below.”

Fengqin hurried to her feet, tear-streaked, and stared down.

South China had stopped falling.

Changgeng, who had been tearing South China apart, instead began to unleash staggering magic, clenching every remaining fragment outside South China and desperately keeping the world from collapsing.

“As long as the world holds, they can manipulate South China out beyond the world.”

The little bear ornament’s voice trembled with fear. “If the whole house collapses, they can’t get out. Now they can’t let the world collapse!”

“If so, what now?”

“You ask me?” Shion looked at Changgeng below, her pupils flickering with surprise.

Nascent Soul, mid stage.

Mùjǐn froze when she lifted her head at that strangely familiar face.

She remembered the last time she’d seen Changgeng.

This friend who stole the Mirror Kingdom’s tech and opened the Magical Girl path for South China had been eaten by mirror beasts until she was nearly ruined.

Back then Mùjǐn had not yet reached Full Bloom—only Peak Blooming Great Perfection. Even A-level mirror beasts were troublesome; the Mirror Kingdom kept evolving, even producing s-level calamities in simulated form.

South China had no sun at that time, constant cold rain. Changgeng always asked when Mùjǐn would see the sun—Mirror Kingdom had no real sun, and after Changgeng came to South China, it still had none. The sky was always overcast.

Mùjǐn had once told Changgeng she wouldn’t throw her life away for South China. Her home was Beihai; she would return. She would stall until the Central Bureau sent more Magical Girls to handle the Mirror Kingdom.

Changgeng teased her courage as cowardice.

But who said a Magical Girl couldn’t be timid?

Changgeng mocked yet tolerated her. “It’s fine. South China’s calamity is our Mirror Kingdom’s doing, so I’ll take responsibility. I’ll make sure Mùjǐn returns to Beihai!”

Changgeng kept her promises.

So when the s-level mirror calamity came, Changgeng and Mùjǐn fought; Changgeng drove Mùjǐn out and told her never to return.

Mùjǐn assumed it was just the usual mood swing over her period and went out to buy ice cream, thinking to annoy Changgeng.

But when the s-level calamity returned, Changgeng lay in blood-stained rain, her face filthy—Changgeng had a cleanliness obsession. Even ordinary loudness would make Changgeng complain.

Though furious at the earlier harsh words, Mùjǐn still wiped her friend’s face clean.

Half her face was eaten away and glass lodged in the other eye. No longer could she be vain as before.

This was Mirror Kingdom’s revenge for the traitor girl who betrayed her country and identity.

Near death, Changgeng could still smile faintly: “Weren’t you going to buy ice cream?”

“You already finished it.”

“Then why come back? We’re done.”

“Just to mock you, look at you—used to be picky about washing hands after the toilet, now you’re dirty and you can stand it, haha…”

“Your laugh is awful now, my friend. When did your laugh get so unpleasant? Crying?” “You’re overthinking, too much ice cream damaged your throat.”

“You’re laughing and crying? I want to record it for others.”

“Idiot, I brought you ice cream that melted in the heat.”

As her breath left, Changgeng murmured: “Your ice cream was warm.”

Mùjǐn could only choke back tears, holding her friend’s body tightly, whispering unheard explanations.

“It had melted.”

Shortly after, Mùjǐn reached Full Bloom and sealed the Mirror Kingdom. In doing so she betrayed her pact with Changgeng—she had vowed to return to Beihai alive. To seal the Mirror Kingdom, Mùjǐn had to die on the sea, only glimpsing her homeland once before passing.

Old memories needed no telling; Mùjǐn never confided even to An Shiyu. She comforted herself at times hearing South China’s Magical Girls chant songs praising Changgeng.

The path of South China’s Magical Girls was built on the Mirror Kingdom’s system. In the Mirror Kingdom’s shadow, an era without Magical Girls began; desperate girls on cliffs, wielding newly inserted-card wands and incomplete transformations, blocked mirror beasts from their homes.

A broken light became a link passed down generation to generation until another miracle perfected it.

Even in death, something was left to prove the value and meaning of their sacrifice.

“Changgeng!”

A barrage of images flooded Mùjǐn’s mind: overwhelming Full Bloom power, every movement laden with destructive force and a different temperament—aloof and icy like a true Mirror Kingdom native.

The body, the magic—Mùjǐn’s eyes denied that this person was Changgeng; her soul accepted it.

This was Changgeng—the traitor buried by the Mirror Kingdom, the friend who had died in Mùjǐn’s arms.

The girl who had been watching East, West, and North China finally bowed her head. Unlike before, her glassy, pale-blue pupils were cold, clean and almost sacred. Her features were precise and pristine. She wore the Mirror Kingdom’s hated battle robes—glass-like long garments—and her aura was completely wrong. Only when she looked at Mùjǐn did her gaze soften for a moment—perhaps only Mùjǐn’s wishful thinking.

Then Changgeng’s next words plunged Mùjǐn into an icehouse. “You’re still that same stupid self, Mùjǐn.”

“Even in another body, even with another face, stupidity cannot be hidden.”

Mùjǐn hadn’t expected to be recognized at a glance. Her cool hidden identity vanished; under those eyes she felt nowhere to hide. Even calling An Shiyu wouldn’t save her now.

“Who are you!” she demanded.

“You recognized me yet still play dumb?”

The cold face and the memory of the familiar smile intertwined uneasily.

“What are you doing? You once said you hated Mirror Kingdom battle robes, that you hated wearing invaders’ clothes!”

“I can hear you. No need to shout.”

Changgeng didn’t even look at her, only watched the world tearing under tremors and said calmly, “Mental Landscape Expansion.”

Three mental landscapes—originally belonging to Yumo, Thousand-Pinweed, and Shion—simultaneously unfolded across East, West, and North China.

Mùjǐn’s pupils shrank as she realized her friend now wielded three Full Bloom powers.

Not something a dead Full Bloom like her could compare to.

Those three mental landscapes expanded across the planet in an instant, freezing every region set to collapse and keeping the world from immediate destruction.

This was what old-world people wanted—using Full Bloom rules and mental landscapes to prop up the dying old world. Now Changgeng held three shares herself.

“In my last life I opened the Magical Girl path for South China and used my life to guard it,” Changgeng said after steadying the new world, tilting her head at Mùjǐn. “I betrayed my world for strangers, for you—the one who ruined my homeland. I gave everything.”

“In the end, I regretted it.”

Mùjǐn’s nails dug into her palms. “That’s nonsense—Changgeng wouldn’t…”

“I am Changgeng. Stop lying to yourself, idiot.” Changgeng smiled helplessly. “You always are like this. Faced with the unbelievable, you give up thinking and respond by instinct. I don’t dislike that version of you—because of it, Mùjǐn, you became the strongest Magical Girl and my best friend.”

The familiar tone and name softened Mùjǐn. “Why regret it?”

“Betraying your homeland and harming your world is painful,” Changgeng said slowly. “I could only endure by staying by your side. Every moment I regretted my choice. I wanted to return to the Mirror Kingdom long ago.”

“But you were always at my side, trusting me unconditionally, encouraging me, making me think doing this was right.”

“Because of you I couldn’t face my own regret. After betraying the Mirror Kingdom, I didn’t want to betray others again; I didn’t want to disappoint you or be tortured by guilt. So until the end—no, not the end—”

“—Actually, the Mirror Kingdom’s s-level calamity was sent because of me.”

Changgeng’s smile went dark, like a stranger’s. “I had betrayed you already. I wanted back, so I gave your location to Mirror Kingdom. That day you kept pestering me, so we fought. Because of my betrayal, Mirror Kingdom didn’t trust me and still attacked.”

Mùjǐn stood stunned, speechless.

An Shiyu watched her senior silently, knowing any words now were redundant.

“How tragic a life.”

Changgeng shook her head, lightly nodding at Mùjǐn from South China’s sky. “I will not choose wrong again, Mùjǐn. I am a Mirror Kingdom person; Mirror blood runs in me. This time I will fight for my world and hometown!”

Blue Silver Grass sprouted wildly—what had been White Fox’s power now thrummed under Changgeng’s stronger magic, binding Mùjǐn. The grass invaded her flesh, the girl becoming increasingly plantlike.

“I’ve said so many times: identity doesn’t matter!”

The spatial mental landscape engulfed the surrounding Blue Silver Grass. Small wings sprouted overhead; magical outfit covered the body. The girl stepped into the Seedling rank of Magical Girl, looking up at her old friend with reproach.

“What matters is the path we choose. I know betraying your homeland hurts and isolates you—no one understands that. So I decided I’d stay even if I were alone. I won’t say I feel what you feel, but I cannot forgive you denying your past self!”

“Are you going to kill me?” Changgeng tilted her head. “Like killing the Mirror Kingdom—my brothers, sisters, parents, neighbors—those are people I grew up with. Because of my betrayal, you killed them.”

“Don’t lecture me.” Mùjǐn stood firm, looking into her eyes with none to spare. “I didn’t slaughter the Mirror Kingdom. I sealed them—just as I’ll seal you!”

“Mùjǐn.” Changgeng suddenly smiled gently. “I love that righteous certainty in you, never doubting yourself. It’s enviable.”

Those words made Mùjǐn hesitate. Then a blue spear pierced her chest, and Blue Silver Emperor grew like a sea, drowning her!

As Changgeng tried to drag her into the Mirror Kingdom space, the world trembled.

She looked up: East, West, North China and overseas—all regions began collapsing again, even faster than South China!

Changgeng hurried to stabilize the mental landscapes. Mùjǐn tore through space and escaped the swelling Blue Silver Sea.

Changgeng manipulated water springs, lightning, and Blue Silver Grass—three different powers—hurled toward her.

No matter how she slipped through space, they clung like an attached rot. Blue Silver Grass began to cover all space. Mùjǐn realized why Shion or Jiang Si insisted on finer Full Bloom distinctions: full-blooms varied immensely.

Though she’d lost her world-essence and now only had spatial mental landscape—space force—she used it skillfully before. But against Changgeng now, who could fill spatial turbulence with Blue Silver Grass, solidify every rift with springs, and send lightning that could traverse anywhere, Mùjǐn felt space constrict.

She could only rely on her spatial force, tangled with a being holding three Full Bloom powers—already a struggle.

Yet seeing South China’s wounded, she still acted, ferrying them to hospitals or medics while drawing Changgeng away. Her magic kept tearing at South China.

If this continued, South China would be lost.

After sending about half the wounded to safety, Mùjǐn found herself with no space left to use in or around South China.

“Had your fun?”

A voice came, and Mùjǐn felt all space around her lose control. Not because her spatial mental landscape failed, but because Changgeng had already locked all nearby space. Free space no longer existed; control over space was Changgeng’s. To rip through space now meant facing the endless Blue Silver Grass, the springs, and lightning.

Blue Silver Grass flung Mùjǐn out of a rift; she smashed into the ground and shattered a South China hill. She’d tried to avoid the city, but falling rocks hit nearby buildings and screams rose.

Blue Silver Grass bound her limbs and neck, utterly trapping her.

“You’re stubborn, Mùjǐn. Even with so little power left, capturing you alive is still troublesome. If you hadn’t tried to rescue those wounded, it would’ve taken less time.”

Changgeng didn’t feel wronged; the contest had always been unfair.

Sitting on the hill, looking down at her trapped friend, she glanced back at South China. Since Changgeng—following the Mirror Queen’s orders—took three Full Bloom forces and dragged South China out beyond the world, chaos had reigned.

Car horns blared; loudspeakers urged calm.

She looked at the exhausted Mùjǐn. If not for the Blue Silver Grass, she’d already be down. “This face doesn’t suit you. Your old look was better.”

Mùjǐn coughed and smiled. “I think so. Apart from being a bit prettier, nothing’s better than me.”

“Really? I thought your old face was more beautiful.”

“If I looked that good I’d have a boyfriend.”

“That’s not about looks—your personality’s the problem.”

“Shut up, idiot.”

They bantered like old friends. Soon, South China’s Magical Girls began transforming en masse under Blackberry’s lead.

Changgeng looked surprised. “The Mirror Kingdom would’ve forbidden transformations.”

“Heh.” Mùjǐn smirked. “This is the achievement you denied yourself.”

“You know.”

A wave of South China Magical Girls resonated and used their cards. Enormous magic opened hell’s gate, swallowing toward Changgeng!

Changgeng opened her mouth and said:

“[Rare Edition].”

“[All the Star Patterns].”

Words forming into rule, the wands in every Magical Girl’s hand instantly exploded!

Even Qingying’s wand in the distance detonated and her transformation ended!

Not only South China, but all girls using card-wands across regions lost their wands and transformations at once.

Mùjǐn’s gaze darkened—just one phrase…

“Inheritance is like this,” Changgeng said, looking down at her friend. “Isn’t that the truth? In the end they are just children using the power I left. Once taken back, they have no resistance. Taking borrowed power and thinking you’re different and stronger is ignorance and arrogance.”

“You talk more than before.”

“Because I want to say more to you.”

“I don’t want that.”

Changgeng wrapped all South China Magical Girls in Blue Silver Grass cocoons. “Even if they all die, does it matter?”

Mùjǐn sighed, looking at her pitifully. “You really don’t understand inheritance.”

As Changgeng was about to rebut, the Blue Silver Grass casing around South China Magical Girls ignited!

Magic overflowed and ignited purple Divine Annihilation. Blackberry tore through the grass and thrust her head out, glaring. Her eyes mirrored Mùjǐn’s old spirit.

Changgeng faltered for a moment.

The girls’ resonant magic constructed spells—without any Mirror Kingdom tech assistance—self-built magic reopening hell’s gate!

Even without Mirror tech or their card-wands, they relied on personal reality and transcended the world!

The arm from hell’s gate clutched Changgeng but was quickly overtaken by Blue Silver Grass. Inside the gate—an otherworld of death—the mirthless terror transformed into thriving vegetation.

When the gate opened, dozens of South China Magical Girls broke free from the grass. Their resonant momentum rose toward Full Bloom.

After a silence, Changgeng looked at the inheritance she’d created and couldn’t help but smile. “This feels pretty good.”

Then she said, “Star Pattern Descends.”

“[Mirror].”

In an instant, as if missing a frame, a dense swarm of mirror beasts descended!

At least A-level, some even s-level capable of devouring worlds. Golden Calamity Dragon King, the living planet of the Curse Realm, every s-level calamity ever seen had been replicated by the Mirror Kingdom and now appeared above South China as mirror beasts!

The Mirror Kingdom’s fourth Full Bloom’s first phrase severed all South China transformations; the second reformed Mirror Kingdom tech magic. Words enacted law.

Blackberry led the South China Magical Girls as their aura climbed to Full Bloom. Mùjǐn felt her eyelids twitch.

A golden Calamity Dragon King breathed down; Blackberry took the brunt and held firm—still rising!

Changgeng, surprised to see girls stepping into Full Bloom by resonance, suddenly looked upward at the higher world beyond. Full Bloom perception instantly detected the above viewpoint and the flood of force pouring down.

Under that incoming power, Blackberry and the South China girls pushed through the Golden Calamity Dragon King’s breath toward the sky!

Below the frantic people of South China cheered. Seeing the Magical Girls banished fear; citizens shouted to the sky. The sound was something Changgeng had once known—people cheering her before.

Then, every South China person’s personal reality fused into one!

A realm Mirror Kingdom tech could never touch—the unique power belonging only to Magical Girls. A forged dream, counterfeit tech combined into a grand illusion—ultimately birthing the true miracle everyone cheered for!

The South China Magical Girls’ resonant power reached Full Bloom, yet the world did not further tear.

All South China cried out, roaring. A destructive mana cannon poured their fury at Changgeng!

She reached out and caught the seemingly world-destroying mana cannon; her arm broke and regenerated, but she held it, frowned, and squeezed hard—shattering the mana cannon!

The triple Full Bloom force tore apart South China’s personal reality!

“Mirror Kingdom needs no miracle nor fear defeat by miracles!”

Half her body damaged but quickly restoring, Changgeng declared, “Bring it on!”

As the South China Magical Girls fell like dumplings, Changgeng opened her mouth to declare victory when a dignified voice boomed.

“Dao Master Changgeng, for opening the path of South China for over a century.”

Changgeng squinted and looked up.

“To forge the Dao foundation with rare Artifact [Mirror-World Technology];”

“To witness the Dao Fruit with [Star-Pattern Wand];”

“To establish [South China] as a Dao territory, receiving centuries of rites and renown.”

As the voice’s reverberation rolled, the sky began to peel.

She saw beyond the world a pair of giant golden vertical pupils—like the heavens themselves opening their eyes!

“Then, the greatest miracle is about to arrive.”

Changgeng turned to Mùjǐn’s radiant smile.

No more anxiety or haste—everything seemed settled. She had never seen her friend smile like this; Changgeng blinked. The smile was beautiful, almost sweet—so sweet Changgeng felt envy and a sting.

“Want to try? My lover’s blow.”

“Lover?”

Changgeng tasted the word, then Shion’s gaze looked down. For a moment she felt an urge to kneel.

“Today you witness Full Bloom again, yet create slaughter.”

She saw a great sun bloom above.

In the next blink, the sun fell before them.

No wind, no roar—the glass barrier around South China had not yet cracked when it melted like cloth and flowed down!

Eyes vaporized, blood dried, magical outfits combusted—all fell silent. In the dead quiet, distant and solemn, like final judgment, the last sentence fell:

“Betrayed by kin, failing heaven’s gate, losing human reason, defying heaven’s will, now receive heaven’s punishment, thanks to the sun.”

Three mental landscapes silently crumbled.

“Dying with Dao extinguished, return the Dao to Heaven!”