All of a sudden, Lith pulled out a marble-sized ball and placed it into the mirror. Instantly, the images in the mirror vanished. Everyone turned to him, eyes filled with curiosity. They wanted an explanation.
Lith smiled and began to explain.
"This is a storage gem. Its function is to save the memories from the Soul Mirror. Now, Lily's memory is stored in this gem. If you want to view it, just insert this gem back into the Soul Mirror, and it will display the memories."
The room fell silent for a few minutes. Then, Song Lin asked, "Did you make it?"
Lith nodded. "Yes."
The three girls exchanged glances before speaking.
Sofia: "Lith! Can you sell me some Soul Mirrors and gems?"
Anna: "Lith, I want some too!"
Song Lin: "Lith, sell a few to me as well."
Lith looked at them, puzzled, wondering why they were suddenly acting this way.
Their behavior was understandable, though. Souls are precious, and memories are deeply tied to them. If someone reads another person's memories, even the most skilled practitioners can risk damaging the soul. This is why soul-reading is banned. However, in certain situations, like investigating traitors or spies, reading memories becomes necessary. Yet, any mistakes during the process can backfire, harming both parties.
But with the Soul Mirror, reading memories of traitors and spies becomes much safer, which is why they were so eager to obtain it. It could even give their families an advantage in their pursuits.
After a moment of thought, Lith replied, "I can give each of you one Soul Mirror and ten gems. But…"
Before he could finish, the girls' faces lit up with joy. But when they heard that "but," they paused.
Sofia teased, "Don't worry! Just tell big sister what you want, and I'll make sure you get it. Even if you want me, big sister will be yours, but you'll have to take responsibility afterward."
She said the last part sweetly, causing everyone to stare at her blankly. Anna, however, wasn't amused.
"How dare you flirt with my fiancé in front of me!" Anna snapped.
Sofia laughed. "He's not married to you yet. So, before the wedding, I still have a chance to make him fall for me."
Just as Anna was about to retort angrily, Lith intervened. "Stop, both of you. And Sofia, stop joking."
Sofia rolled her eyes playfully. "Fine, fine."
Lith continued, "You'll have to help me find out about Lily's mother."
Hearing this, everyone nodded and began contacting their families for assistance.
Sofia called her mother, Lilith.
Lilith answered with a smirk in her voice, "Did the sun rise from the west? You actually have time to call your mother? I thought you'd forgotten about me."
Sofia cut her off quickly, knowing her mom would tease her endlessly otherwise. She explained the situation with the Soul Mirror.
Lilith's tone shifted. "Where are the mirrors and gems? Tell me the location, and I'll send your aunt to pick them up."
Sofia quickly interrupted again. "If you want the mirrors, you'll have to help me find some information first."
She explained Lily's case to her mother, who listened patiently before replying.
"Fine, I'll give you an answer in two days. For now, I'll take temporary charge of the academy matters until you return. Your job is to ensure Lith's safety."
Sofia's lips twitched. She hadn't told her mother how powerful Lith actually was. She'd only mentioned that he made the Soul Mirrors and gems. Still, she replied, "Okay, Mom," and hung up.
Meanwhile, Song Lin also called her mother and explained everything.
Outwardly, the Song family seemed like a declining power, and many believed they would lose their rank within a few centuries. But few knew the truth. The Song family was actually more powerful than the Ye family, known among the elite for their ability to capture spies and traitors, torturing them to extract valuable information.
Song Ming, the current head of the Song family, spoke with calm authority. "Don't worry, I'll find the information you need. But can you increase the number of gems? Ten is too few. We could use more. And if possible, try to get more Soul Mirrors. You know how important they could be to us."
Song Lin sighed. "I know, Mother. But Lith only promised one mirror and ten gems each to me, Sofia, and Anna."
Song Ming paused, then asked, "Wait, Anna and Sofia? Doesn't that mean the Arch family will get two Soul Mirrors and twenty gems?"
Song Lin froze, realizing her mistake. Eight years ago, Anna had been adopted by Sofia's aunt, Emily. Technically, the Arch family would indeed receive two mirrors and twenty gems.
Song Ming sighed. "Maintain a good relationship with him. We'll end it here."
After the call ended, Song Lin exhaled in relief.
---
Meanwhile, in the Song family's grand cultivation world, a peaceful domain controlled by the family, a large floating island stood at its center, home to the main house. Today, however, the typically quiet place was bustling with people, summoned urgently by the family head.
In the main hall, Song Lin's second uncle broke the silence. "Family head, why have you called us here? What's so urgent?"
Song Ming smiled and told them about the Soul Mirror, the gems, and Lith's request.
The hall fell silent for a moment before erupting into quiet discussions.
"Silence," Song Ming commanded.
The hall quieted immediately. Song Lin's first uncle then spoke.
"We should send our best members for this task. The Soul Mirrors and gems are vital to us. We should also investigate the entire Silverheart family. I suspect more members of that family may be involved."
Song Ming nodded in agreement and ordered them to gather the necessary information within two days.