Killing Monks

"Your ambition is enormous, incredibly vast!"

"Enough to swallow up many things!"

"You despise hypocrisy, abhor injustice, and want to change, even... overthrow, certain things. This kind of 'heart,' to me, is most..."

He didn't finish his sentence, then suddenly chuckled, "As for recognizing a master?"

"And what makes you think that it is I who 'recognize you as my master,' rather than you...unconsciously becoming 'the person' that 'I' desire'?"

"I am your master!"

Guangyuan wasn't buying into that pretentious act: "If you dare utter any more of this nonsense, I'll throw you into the latrine and leave you to soak for a hundred years."

"By then, the marinade will have fully absorbed the flavor."

"You dare?!" The smile in the mirror image froze instantly.

"What wouldn't I dare to do?" Guangyuan said. "It's just a mirror; if it's destroyed, so be it."

"Then you can forget about ever using my power again!"

"No, then no." Guangyuan answered without hesitation.

"Hmph! Arrogant! Wait until you're in dire straits next time and have to beg me, then let's see if you're still so stubborn!"

The image in the mirror seemed quite angry, uttering a harsh remark before the mirror's light dimmed, and the eerie smile and image vanished as quickly as the tide receded.

The mirror returned to its ancient and silent state, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

Guangyuan looked at the "Mirror of Observation" in his hand, which was no longer moving, and remained silent for a moment before preparing to put it away again.

Suddenly, the mirror changed again!

It wasn't that an image appeared, but rather that the mirror itself rippled like the surface of water.

Immediately, lines of clear, ancient characters, as if directly engraved by light, slowly emerged and flowed out from the depths of the mirror!

Guangyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he stared intently.

That was a general outline and essential text of a cultivation technique, with the first four large characters prominently displayed: "Guiding Demons and Observing the Mind"!

After a cursory glance, Guangyuan's body trembled.

This is actually a strange cultivation method specifically designed to be used in conjunction with the "Mirror of Karma"!

Its core concept is not the usual martial arts style, but "using the mind as a guide and the power to control demons as a means".

The practice details how to use the "Karma Mirror" to reflect the characteristics of other people's thoughts and karma.

Through special techniques such as blocking delusions, attracting dust, planting shadows, locking thoughts, resonance, and eroding the spirit, one can gradually penetrate into the mind and spirit of the other party, find their inner flaws and obsessions, and quietly plant the "seeds of inner demons".

In order to achieve the goal of interfering with, influencing, and even ultimately controlling the mind of the other party!

Its ultimate effect can be to completely "demonize" and corrupt the target, or it can be disguised as "conversion" and conversion.

During this process, the practitioner and the "Mirror of Karma" will continuously absorb and refine the spiritual power of the recipient, nourishing themselves, strengthening their soul, and also enhancing their connection and power with the mirror.

At the end of the exercise, all the text slowly faded away, leaving only a line of small characters, seemingly imprinted in the center of the mirror with a hint of all-knowing mockery and allure:

"I know you need it."

Guangyuan looked at it and said with a slight sneer, "Indeed, a rather unserious mirror."

He put the mirror aside and ignored it.

Meanwhile, Lu Fei was much more relaxed.

Following the address Tang Shuangshuang had given him, he wandered around Qujiang County and finally found a rather impressive mansion.

The vermilion gate, with a plaque bearing the words "Tang Mansion" hanging above it, and the imposing stone lions in front of the gate, indicate that although it is not a top-tier wealthy family, it can still be considered one of the wealthiest families in Qujiang County.

After the announcement was made, a servant quickly led him inside.

In the flower hall, he saw Tang Shuangshuang, whom he had not seen for a long time.

Tang Shuangshuang was around twenty years old, dressed in a pale yellow dress. She had a beautiful face and a touch of the heroic spirit unique to women of the martial arts world, but at this moment she seemed to be shrouded in a faint cloud of sorrow.

Upon seeing Lu Fei, her face lit up with genuine joy, and she quickly stood up to greet him: "Brother Lu! You really came! You must have had a long journey!"

"Miss Tang, it's been a long time! You're as charming as ever!" Lu Fei said with a smile, bowing slightly, still with his usual carefree and irreverent demeanor.

The two took their seats as host and guest, and a maid served them fragrant tea.

They chatted about their experiences in the martial arts world after they parted ways, and Tang Shuangshuang also asked about Lu Fei's recent situation. The atmosphere was quite harmonious.

However, Lu Fei noticed that beneath Tang Shuangshuang's smile, there always seemed to be a trace of worry that was difficult to completely conceal, and her eyes would occasionally drift towards the outside of the hall, carrying a hint of unease.

The way she poured the tea seemed to be more forceful than usual.

Lu Fei was suspicious, but since it was his first visit and he was there to "put on a good show," he couldn't ask directly. So he pretended not to see anything and continued to talk about interesting stories from the martial arts world, trying to make the atmosphere more relaxed.

After he finished his cup of hot tea, Tang Shuangshuang personally refilled it for him.

Lu Fei had no doubts. He picked up his teacup and took a sip. Suddenly, he felt a very faint, almost imperceptible fragrance enter his nostrils along with the tea aroma. Immediately afterward, an irresistible dizziness struck his head!

"Tea..." Before he could finish speaking, the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter," his vision went black, and he lost consciousness, collapsing into the chair.

After an unknown amount of time, Lu Fei slowly woke up with a splitting headache.

His vision blurred for a while before gradually clearing, and he realized that he was not in the Tang family's flower hall, but in an unfamiliar, simply furnished guest room.

There were no ropes binding him, but his internal energy was stagnant, clearly suppressed by some kind of drug.

A person was sitting by the bed, sobbing softly; it was Tang Shuangshuang.

Her eyes were red and swollen, her tear tracks still wet. Seeing Lu Fei awake, she felt both guilty and anxious, her voice trembling as she spoke, tears streaming down her face.

"Brother Lu...you're awake? I'm so sorry...I...I had no choice..."

Near the door of the room, a middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back.

He was thin and stern-faced, with sharp eyes like a hawk. He wore a well-tailored dark blue outfit and had a uniquely shaped long sword hanging at his waist.

Although he remained silent, his capable, composed, and seasoned demeanor was palpable.

Upon seeing this person, Lu Fei exclaimed, "Uncle Daobei?!"

This man was none other than Lu Daobei, the steward of the Lu family!

He grew up in the Lu family and was his father's most trusted confidant. He watched Lu Fei grow up and possessed unfathomable martial arts skills. He was decisive and shrewd in his actions.

Lu Fei had been away from home for several years, wandering the martial world, and had not seen him for a long time.

The current Lu Daobei seems more capable and efficient than I remember, and also... more unfamiliar.

Tang Shuangshuang sobbed, "Brother Lu, please don't blame me... My parents... My parents were 'invited' by him to 'visit'... If I don't do as he says, my parents might..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Fei instantly understood the source of Tang Shuangshuang's previous worry.

Anger surged within him, but it wasn't directed at Tang Shuangshuang. Instead, he abruptly turned to Lu Daobei, glaring at him and shouting sharply:

"Lu Daobei! What the hell are you doing?! Why resort to such despicable methods?! And drag innocent people into this?!"

Lu Dao turned his back to Lu Fei's angry rebuke, his face showing little change in expression:

"The Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for family reunion, is almost here."

"Master... ordered me to take the young master home."