Under the country, "Ling" is the largest administrative area of the Innis Empire, followed by "City" and "Township", and the smallest area is "Town". Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

All the "domains" of the empire are named after gems, such as Musk's hotel, which is located in the southern part of the "crystal domain". From there, after about six days' journey, you will be able to reach the adjacent Emerald Collar, located on the south side of Amethyst Town, and is known as the Mirror Heart Lake, which is known as the wonder of the Empire.

As a famous sight, and with almost magical rumors, it is natural that there are a large number of travelers who come here to visit or 'ask for help', and the surrounding industries that have spawned from this - such as inns, pubs, snacks, and all kinds of other services. As Yuffie and his party approached the area of the lake, several Inils surrounded them, vying to serve as their guides.

Each of the 'guides' claims to be knowledgeable and attentive to their ability to leave them satisfied. It's a pity that from their eyes, Yuffie only sees a desire for money.

"That's right." Still on her horse, she turned her head to look at the guides, "So, which of you knows this place best?" ”

A few of them were stunned, then they quarreled violently, shouting that they were better, while the rest were liars, completely ignoring the fact that several 'guests' were creeping away from them.

"That's the application of 'hint', Anya." After walking a distance, Yuffie continued to explain the knowledge of secret arts to the young demon king, "Unlike the more crude "charm", people who are not sensitive enough to secret arts will not notice that they have been hinted, and even if they come back to their senses later, they only think that they are just impulsive. She held up a finger, "The closer the content of the 'hint' is to the underlying thoughts of the recipient, the easier it is to succeed, and the reason why those people are arguing just now is because they are already competing with each other." ”

"I see......," Anya nodded, looking at her with some uneasiness, "but Yufie, is it really okay to use spells on other people at will?" ”

There is no definite answer to this question. Depending on the situation, the arcane technique can bring good results or make it worse. Yuffie straightened his face and replied thoughtfully, "I have two requirements for myself - first, not to use secret magic with malicious intent; Secondly, you must be aware of the impact and consequences of the spell you are about to cast. ”

"Also, we need to figure out the temper of the recipient." "For example, among the high-ranking wizards of the Federation, there are a few who like to use low-level spells to help him clean his clothes, but there are others who feel that it is an offense to their majesty. In short, when encountering a more powerful spellcaster, it is good to maintain appropriate respect. Generally speaking, those who can achieve something in the occult arts, or the arts, should always be a little rational people. ”

They chatted as they continued their journey in the direction of the lake. The crowd grew denser as they went, so they let the summoned horses disperse into smoke and walked through the last two miles to the edge of the vast lake.

From here, the lake reflects silvery white waves in the sunlight, like a mirror more than miles wide.

Although hawkers and tourists fill up the nearby open space, there are not many people clinging to the lakeshore. Most travelers simply walk to the lake, glance into the water for a few moments—only two or three minutes—and then turn away with either joy or worry. This slightly strange scene seems to show that the lake is indeed not ordinary.

"Which of us will go over first, or together?" Lin looked at the lake about a hundred feet away, and looked excited, "What do you say? ”

Yuffie walked up to her friend, took her hand, and showed her intentions with her actions. Mantianxing shook his head, signaling that he didn't plan to go to the lake. Anya looked at the travelers by the lake, hesitated for a moment, and still stood beside the blonde girl.

The three of them walked side by side to the shore of the lake, a scene that was too common here to attract anyone's attention. They chose an uninhabited area around them and stood on the shore and looked out into the greenish water.

At first glance, the lake is nothing special. There are a few algae floating in the clear water, and schools of fish chasing after them to devour. Occasionally, larger fish break through the water, scattering the schools of fish, and then gathering together before long. Yuffie let go of his spirit and tried to feel the anomalies in the lake, but could only feel the faint amount of magic.

However, in the next moment, the surface of the lake in front of her changed.

The original lake and the fish disappeared at the same time, replaced by a gray-white cloud that shrouded the surface of the lake, changing into a faint pattern in her vision. She understood that it was the effect of some kind of illusion, but she didn't try to resist or crack it—that was what they were meant to do, after all.

The pattern gradually became clear. It was a city familiar enough to her, with broadleaf trees dotted throughout the city and wooden buildings in the style of the southern Kamals. She turned her head slightly, and the illusion changed with her mind, revealing the beautiful masonry building and the adjacent garden to her vision.

- Moon City in the Duchy of Kulun, the manor of Baron Stanmiz, the home where she lived for more than a decade.

In a moment, the picture changed again, and it had nothing to do with her wishes. The manor had collapsed at some point, leaving only a broken rubble. Flames, thunder, and storms covered her vision, blazing meteors descended from the sky, the earth cracked with a roar, and the air was filled with the smell of fire and toxins.

None of the surrounding homes were left intact, and the trees fell to the ground and were burned into black charcoal by the fire. They were accompanied by the inhabitants of Moon City, most of whom had been consumed by the flames, and the rest barely retained their former form. They lay prone on the ground in a forward stance, arms still outstretched forward, as if trying to grasp some non-existent hope.

Her gaze gradually shifted to the ruins of the manor, along the broken walls and barely discernible paths. She saw several maids whom she had once known, who seemed to be older than when she had left the house, also dead; The guards of the manor lay on their backs, spears and swords still clenched in their hands.

At the end of the first floor, in the study, which fortunately did not collapse completely, she saw her former 'father', Baron Philippe Steinmeiz.

The baron sat behind that desk. His hands were propped up on the table, as if trying to stand up, and his face was filled with panic that could not be concealed. Yet his head hung on the table, freezing everything at that moment.

Everything has lost its life, whether it's flowers and trees, animals, people, or the town itself. Everything seemed to come very suddenly, and neither the commoners nor the nobles had a chance to escape their fate. Judging by the expressions on some people's faces, they didn't even feel any fear.

An even more violent roar came from the soles of her feet, and the ground sank downward, taking with it all the natural and man-made objects on it, as if there was an infinite maw intent on devouring everything in front of her. Then, tens of thousands of tons of earth and rocks surged like waves—the maws were chewing continuously, wringing the contents between the sharp teeth into pieces.

When everything was calm and the earth finally closed, there was nothing left in front of her but the uneven earth and rocks.