# 1078
Chapter 1079: The Crime of Stealing the Elixir
Pamir Plateau.
Southern side.
A Straight Blade sliced through the air, instantly cutting across a black-clad man's thigh, leaving a ghastly wound.
The black-clad man let out a闷哼 (groan), his body covered in wounds as he struggled two steps through the snow before collapsing weakly. Blood seeped from various parts of his body, gradually spreading a patch of red through the accumulated snow.
The Loki avatar clenched his teeth, raising his right hand as several black threads attempted to weave "Trickery," but only halfway through, they automatically collapsed. His divine power was completely depleted, and he could no longer use "Trickery" to escape from here.
"Has the avatar's divine power reached its limit..." The Loki avatar coldly snorted, turning his head to look into the distance.
The electric bicycle's headlights broke through the snowstorm. Two figures sat on the vehicle, approaching slowly like使者 (envoys) of death come to claim souls.
Zuo Qing, draped in a暗红色 (dark red) cloak, flipped off the vehicle, reaching out to retrieve the Straight Blade buried in the snow. He gazed calmly at the fallen Loki and asked indifferently:
"Why did you stop running?"
"So you're from the Great Xia Night Watch?" Loki sneered. "You chased me twice in a row. This grudge, I'll remember it. Don't think you've already won... The gift I prepared for you will arrive soon."
As his words fell, Loki's entire body twisted violently. Large amounts of black liquid churned and surged from within that body, flowing across the snowy ground, condensing into a cracked black ear.
Leng Xuan, covered in wounds all over, had completely lost consciousness, his head plunging into the snow, unconscious.
"So it was indeed an avatar." When Zuo Qing saw this, he frowned.
"Did he attach himself to another body?" Lu Wuwei sat in the vehicle, glancing at the unconscious Leng Xuan. "What do we do with this person? Kill him?"
"Wait a moment first."
Zuo Qing walked to Leng Xuan's side, extending his hand to search through his body. After a轻咦 (soft exclamation), he pulled out a gleaming Coat of Arms from his chest.
"Night Watch? Leng Xuan?" Zuo Qing carefully examined the Coat of Arms, confirming it was genuine, and said in surprise, "A mole that Loki planted inside the Night Watch? Or..."
Zuo Qing quickly reached out, checking Leng Xuan's breath. After contemplation, he still said: "Take him back for treatment first, then restrain him. Let's see if we can extract something from his mouth."
"Alright."
...
On the other side.
Si Xiaonan, covered in wounds, walked slowly forward. The cold wind cut like a blade across her face, freezing her cheeks red.
She clutched the two alchemy vessels in her arms tightly, as if they were more precious than her own life.
Not far ahead was the western border of Great Xia. Endless mist churned beyond the Divine Wall. As long as she passed through here, she could completely leave Great Xia's territory and head toward Asgard.
Just then, a murmur reached her ears.
Si Xiaonan froze mid-step, abruptly turning to look in the direction where the Loki avatar had dissipated. A flare of fury appeared in her eyes.
Before dissipating, the Loki avatar had left her a whispered message, roughly telling her that his avatar had already dissipated, for her to continue bringing the Immortal Elixir to Asgard. If he didn't see her within ten days, he would still be able to take Leng Xuan's life.
Loki only said that bringing back the Immortal Elixir could save Leng Xuan's life, but didn't guarantee that he could return to Asgard to reunite with her either. Now, Leng Xuan had fallen into the hands of the Night Watch.
You bastard...
Si Xiaonan's fists clenched tight. On her reddened face, a cold killing intent emerged. She touched the alchemy vessel marked "Immortal Elixir" in her chest, and her heart gradually calmed.
She strode forward, heading toward the misty border.
Just as she was less than a hundred meters from the border, a terrifying divine pressure descended abruptly. The exhausted Si Xiaonan felt her legs go soft, and her entire body was forced to kneel, her knees sinking deep into the accumulated snow.
A beautiful woman dressed in a鎏金紫纹神袍 (gold-trimmed purple-patterned divine robe) stepped out of nothingness, standing calmly before her.
"This Palace said, you cannot escape."
"Queen Mother of the West..." Si Xiaonan recognized this beautiful woman before her. Despair rose in her heart.
The Queen Mother of the West before her was not the虚影 (shadow) of the Queen Mother of the West who had clashed with the Loki avatar, but the true本体 (essence) of the Queen Mother of the West—a powerful deity second only to the Supreme God. Even if Loki himself were here now, he might not be able to rescue her from the Queen Mother of the West's grasp.
The Queen Mother of the West lightly hooked her fingertip, and the two alchemy vessels automatically floated out from Si Xiaonan's chest, landing in her palm.
The Queen Mother of the West's gaze paused on the vessel marked "Immortal Elixir." Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.
"Stealing the Immortal Elixir from the Jade Pool is a grave crime." The Queen Mother of the West shifted her gaze from the alchemy vessels, looking down at Si Xiaonan kneeling before her. She spoke calmly, "Do you... confess your crime?"
Si Xiaonan stared blankly at the two alchemy vessels in the Queen Mother of the West's hands. Her eyes were filled with struggle. She gritted her teeth, as if making a certain decision, pressing her forehead into the snow.
She knelt prostrate across the snowy ground.
"Si Xiaonan of the Great Xia Night Watch... respectfully asks Your Highness to grant passage."
Upon hearing the words "Great Xia Night Watch," the Queen Mother of the West's gaze froze. She furrowed her brows, gazing at the Si Xiaonan beneath her.
"You stole the Immortal Elixir and committed a serious crime. Why should This Palace grant you passage?"
"I stole the elixir because there were people I had to save, things I had to do." Si Xiaonan took a deep breath, lifting her head from the snow. She met the Queen Mother of the West's gaze firmly, "Although I stole the elixir, I dare swear to the heavens—my actions will never disgrace Great Xia in the slightest!
I beg Your Highness to examine this clearly!"
After Si Xiaonan finished speaking, she bowed again, her head touching the snowy ground once more.
The Queen Mother of the West, upon seeing this, fell into silence.
After a long while, she flipped her palm. The Kunlun Mirror automatically appeared in her hand, its surface turning to face the kneeling Si Xiaonan.
"This Palace does not believe in oaths, only in what she sees... If your conscience is clear, the Kunlun Mirror will restore your innocence." The Queen Mother of the West said calmly.
The Kunlun Mirror could replicate the appearance, magical power, and even thought patterns of any existence in the world. Si Xiaonan was merely a mortal; the thoughts in her mind would naturally not escape the mirror's reflection.
The Queen Mother of the West gazed into the Kunlun Mirror's reflection. Within the mirror's surface, Si Xiaonan's past, present, and all thoughts about the future were clearly displayed, including all her plans and strategies.
Half a pillar of incense later, the Queen Mother of the West put away the Kunlun Mirror. Her gaze toward Si Xiaonan gradually softened.
"Rise."
Si Xiaonan's body trembled. She slowly got up from the ground, her eyes filled with hope as she looked at the Queen Mother of the West.
The Queen Mother of the West lightly tossed the two alchemy vessels into Si Xiaonan's arms.
"You may go..."