Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror

Chapter 417 355: Immortal Official of the Water Mansion (2)

"May I ask which path of Metal Nature Senior cultivates?"

No matter how Chi Buzi questioned, Lu Jiangxian remained silent, relentlessly pressing the attack; Chi Buzi had not expected Lu Jiangxian's Divine Sense to be so indomitable, suffering defeat after defeat.

A stick of incense's time passed before Chi Buzi grew slightly anxious.

"Senior, please be mindful... My name is recorded with the Perfected Lord. Should anything untoward befall me, the Perfected Lord would most assuredly be alerted!"

Lu Jiangxian paid him no heed, continuing his fierce assault, finally snatching him firmly within his grasp, and only then did he allow himself a hint of relief:

'If this were my mirrored world, destroying him would be but a thought's flicker; yet in his Shengyang Mansion, it takes such tedious effort...'

Watching Chi Buzi struggle on, Lu Jiangxian's mind slowly reached a decision, and he followed the backlash of the [Nine Hills Heart-Seeking Mental Method], preparing to read Chi Buzi's memories.

No sooner did this intention arise than a wave of unease stirred in Lu Jiangxian's heart; a blurry vision of a clear pond shimmered before his eyes, and he was instantly alarmed:

"Right, and there's Lu Shui!"

This was Chi Buzi's Sea of Consciousness, not his own mirrored world; reading Chi Buzi's memories here would certainly alarm the Perfected Lord of the Green Pond Sect...

'Cannot kill...'

He muttered inwardly:

'Since erasing the memory is impossible, then let me plant a witchcraft spell within his Spiritual Sense!'

Lu Jiangxian made a swift gesture, gathering dense Taiyin Moonlight, setting a reflexive witchcraft spell for surveillance, reluctantly extracting a strand of Talisman Qi.

'Since you're aboard my pirate ship now! Saves you running off to Lu Shui to lodge a complaint!'

Having set a series of contingencies, ensuring that their eruption would shatter the soul of this fellow, Lu Jiangxian had a sudden inspiration, wielding his Divine Sense to produce an object.

This item was a fragment scooped from Jin Lian Maha's soul—a portion long since refined countless times by Lu Jiangxian's moonlight, rendered pure white and gleaming, utterly blank.

A daring thought rose in Lu Jiangxian's mind, and he grew almost excited, thinking secretly:

'Why not... switch the peach with a plum... and forge my own agent...'

On consideration, Lu Jiangxian still shook his head—Chi Buzi belonged to Lu Shui, and once back at the sect, a mismatch would surely raise trouble, bringing disaster home.

'Then, a fallback: let's forge him a Taoist Fellow!'

Picking up the ball of light, he stuffed in a cascade of fabricated memories, mixing in past-life recollections—some Immortal Court, assorted Upper Immortals—then checked everything carefully.

He likewise modified the Shengyang Mansion's witchcraft attached to Chi Buzi, handed it to this soul forged from Jin Lian Maha, and after a review, was thoroughly pleased.

"In this way, flawless as heaven's weave."

...

Upon Lijing Mountain.

Blood and tears continued to drip from Chi Buzi's body, striking with clear clinks and soft rustles; now, all at once, it ceased, and the void grew so silent that even a falling pin could be heard.

"Mm..."

Perfected Person Buzi pushed the door open, tottering forward a step, an eerie smile dancing on his lips; resting one hand on the doorframe, his trailing foot followed.

'Buzi.'

The green-robed Perfected Person before him strode closer, eyes tightly shut; the bleeding had ceased, and Buzi let out a long breath, turning a stiff gaze toward the gathered Li Family members.

Li Yuanjiao felt his legs grow numb, every hair on his body stood on end, as a chill crept up his spine.

At this moment, Buzi's face, split at the brow's center—a half radiantly clean, chiseled and sharp; the other, twisted and stretched, covered in a fine layer of white fuzz, muscles flickering with involuntary twitches, ears thin and long, drooping down.

His eyelids fluttered and slowly opened, yet within, there was nothing—only two pitch-black holes on his face; from the empty sockets, bulging veins snaked, as red-purple eyelids strained to widen.

"G...Greetings, Perfected Person!"

Li Yuanjiao's hoarse voice echoed through the courtyard, and Buzi stared at him blankly before speaking after several breaths:

"What Perfected Person? I am an Immortal Official of Dangjiang Stream's Water Mansion under the Immortal Monarch... What age is this? Where is the Immortal Court? Which Water Mansion lies nearby?... "

"Such trouble for a Zifu-bodied vessel, and it turns out to be a damned Devil Cultivator! What has this world come to, that devil cultivators can brazenly rampage unimpeded?"

The members of the Li family gawked at him; Chi Buzi took a closer look and spoke impatiently:

"Have you all received the Talisman? Disciples of which sect?"

Li Yuanjiao was still processing the Perfected Person Buzi's words when he saw Buzi abruptly retreat a step, muttering:

"Unacceptable, I must find a Water Mansion and reclaim my immortal status!"

With that, he barked:

"You few little yellow-crowned brats, break this wretched formation at once, lest the Immortal smashes it with one blow and you all run off crying!"

Seeing his demeanor, Li Yuanjiao's heart leapt with fright:

'Chi Buzi...Perhaps he's been possessed by some Metal Nature! This metal-nature fiend keeps mentioning Water Mansion—who knows which ancient monster this is...No wonder...No wonder Chi Buzi is so wretched.'

'But why doesn't this fiend traverse the Great Void...'

Since Chi Buzi was possessed, Li Yuanjiao wished dearly for this calamity to depart sooner, and hurriedly opened the Great Formation, exposing the pitch-black night sky.

"Good! You little yellow-crown, quite perceptive!"

The metal-nature fiend crowed with delight, swept away like a meteor on the wind, leaving behind a clear laugh:

"When next you come to my Dangjiang Stream Water Mansion, I shall record merits for all of you!"

...

Only then did Chi Buzi ride the wind away from the Li Family, flying south for a stretch; Lu Jiangxian's lingering power gradually faded, and his expression grew stranger and stranger. Suddenly, he halted, shouting in a deep voice:

"What metal-nature fiend are you!"

As soon as the words dropped, fury gripped him; in turn, he slapped himself fiercely on his face, momentum formidable, and snarled:

"Impudence! This Daoist is Immortal Official of Dangjiang Stream Water Mansion—what fiend!"

Chi Buzi was now terrified; as he raised his hand to shield his Shengyang Mansion, halfway up his arm, it hovered uncertainly in the air, as if locked in struggle with some invisible force.

"I am a disciple of Lu Shui Perfected Lord—fiend, cease! I'll seek out a fine body for you!"

"A body? I want this one!"

The soul Lu Jiangxian forged, retaining Jin Lian Maha's temperament, was one to sow chaos and discord; spitting out vulgar curses with abandon.

But Chi Buzi ignored him entirely, face impassive, controlling his hand little by little toward Shengyang Mansion; after all, he was the true owner of the flesh and a Zifu Monk, so slowly seized the upper hand.

This Immortal Official of Dangjiang Stream saw himself falter, sneered coldly; suddenly, within Chi Buzi's soul, a bright, shining witchcraft seal blazed forth:

'Go ahead and try moving! Worst comes to worst, I'll detonate this spell and flee as Metal Nature—let's see who's quicker!'

Chi Buzi gazed down in disbelief, muttering:

"Impossible!"

'Why not possible? When I had your body in my grasp, what do you think I was doing? Go ahead, try—see if you can root me out faster, or I blow up this array first!'

This self-styled Immortal Official took himself for a vestige of Metal Nature, basking smugly in Lu Jiangxian's fabricated memories; he ceased to wrest control, allowing Chi Buzi to fall by the riverbank, chittering slyly:

'I've waited decades in that yellow-crown's skull, finally luring you with Taiyin Moonlight! Shame you're a Devil Cultivator…How come you devil types don't just hide away? Roaming recklessly as if you're hellbent on dying.'

'I won't trouble you for being a devil; just get me to a Water Mansion and send me to the Immortal Court. Maybe I'll even petition on your behalf, and grant you a chance at survival.'

Chi Buzi could only scoff, Spiritual Sense plunging into Shengyang Mansion, cursing at the shimmering white halo:

"What old fool! What Immortal Court! What Water Mansion! All babble of unheard-of ancient tales! What era is this anyway? Imbecile! Imbecile!"

He railed furiously, then suddenly froze, a surge of greed rising unbidden.

Within the halo hovered several talisman-like yet not talisman, token-like yet not token objects, gray and luminous, a cloyingly sweet aroma swirling of fate, blood, incense, and soul wafting forth.

'What... what is this thing!'