You are my wife, don't doubt it!

"This is one of the ways," Shi Hui explained, "and the other way is to constantly meditate on the inner world of your own 'spiritual fortress' and enhance the spiritual compatibility with your own fortress..."

"Yes, Bogo told me so too," Shen Jie nodded, "so I go to Bogo's place to attend mass every morning after my run. I also learned to pray the rosary and collected a lot of historical records and film and television materials about Queen Mary I, including the social environment and historical background of Great Britain during that period..."

"You're doing well. Keep it up," Yu Bo affirmed him, "Everyone should learn from Shen Jie."

Xiao Yao thought, when we say “everyone”, it seems that there are only two “awakened ones” here, me and Shen Jie?

"I will definitely continue to work hard!" Xiao Yao said.

Yu Luying sighed and said, "I don't know if I can awaken yet - I really want to know who my fortress is?"

"From the current point of view," Shi Hui turned to Yu Luying and said, "there is not a one-to-one correspondence between spiritual fortresses and natural persons."

"That is to say," Xiao Yao was surprised, "we can all have multiple fortresses?"

"It's hard to say," Shi Hui told them, "but what is certain is that with the accumulation of combat experience, the significant enhancement of spiritual compatibility, and even some new insights, the spiritual fortress may also undergo changes of varying degrees."

"It's just about upgrading, or evolving into a stronger form?" asked Hairtail excitedly.

"It's not impossible to understand it this way..." Yu Bo said, "But I still want to remind you that many of these are Master Shi Hui's own research and understanding, and they have not yet been recognized and agreed upon internationally..."

Shi Hui added with a smile: "In itself, a fortress is a kind of 'illusion' or 'representation' formed deep in the heart of an individual in order to adapt to society. This representation can be conscious in the self-consciousness of the individual or unconscious in the subconsciousness of the individual. They provide a certain form of protection and support for the survival and interaction of the individual in society. Whether it is the spirit that creates the fortress or the existence of the fortress is born through the spirit, there is no conclusion yet."

"However," Yu Bo began, "in the shadow world and shadow time, what we show is often the personality image that is formed and hidden deep in the individual's heart. This image is usually the true and original personality traits and emotional expressions deep in the individual's heart, but due to the suppression of culture and social habits, or the individual's self-restraint, they cannot be shown."

The boys and girls looked at each other, and no one spoke.

Someone yawned loudly.

"It seems like it's too profound?" Shi Hui said to Yu Bo.

"I just have one more question," Daiyu raised his hand and said, "If I strengthen and increase the power of this fortress, can I become more powerful in reality? For example, better at fighting?"

Yu Bo frowned, and Shi Hui replied: "Spiritual practice can certainly be reflected in the real world, but I'm afraid it may not be in the way that the young donor thinks."

"You only know how to fight!" Yu Bo patted the hairtail's head lightly: "You don't know anything else."

Along the way, Xiao Yao listened carefully but spoke little. At this moment, he suddenly spoke and stopped: "Father Yu is wrong. He can also pick up girls."

"That's amazing." said Father Yu.

"We're here," Xiao Yao announced.

This was the bridge tunnel that Shen Jie passed by that day when she was driven away by Yu Luying and spent the entire night looking for her.

Xiao Yao clearly remembered the day he crawled into the mirror under the bridge and entered the strange world.

That is, what Yu Bo called, “the hall of the people.”

There, he met a faceless flower girl, and with her reminder, he found Shen Jie in the "Big Dark Cinema".

Did they also want to use her as an "experience pack"? Xiao Yao couldn't bear it.

This seemingly ordinary approach bridge has shown its dilapidated state under the erosion of time. Many parts of the arched stone wall at the entrance have fallen off, revealing the bricks and concrete inside the wall, and some parts have been corroded into a mottled yellow.

When the group walked into the bridge tunnel, they felt that the air had become somewhat damp. The light was very dim, with only an old light bulb emitting a weak light, swaying with the wind, as if the power would go out and the place would be plunged into complete darkness. The scattered graffiti and inscriptions on the walls of the tunnel also made the entire space look even more chaotic and dilapidated.

This bridge tunnel seemed to be a deserted place, with homeless people often spending the night here. The last time Xiao Yao came here, there were a row of people sleeping here, but today there was no one here - I wonder if it had just been raided by the Urban Management Brigade.

This is good, Xiao Yao thought. Otherwise, if this group of people sneaked into the mirror, it would make quite a noise.

In the empty corners, there were some abandoned items scattered around, some of which were already in tatters, while others were still well preserved. The most conspicuous of them was a floor-to-ceiling mirror - this mirror was very tall and large, like a door, occupying most of the corner.

It’s great that this thing hasn’t been moved away yet, Xiao Yao thought.

Otherwise I would have to find another place to buy it and then carry it over.

Naturally, Xiao Yao was the first to enter the mirror.

It was the same as the last time I came here - the world in the mirror and the world outside seemed to be no different, except that left and right were reversed.

The only two differences are the green filter covering the retina and the bustling crowd.

Just like last time, those shadows that kept shuttling back and forth were not aggressive, but had numb and sad expressions. They seemed to have seen Xiao Yao, but paid no attention to him at all, and just walked away, then lowered their heads and continued moving forward.

Xiao Yao had an urge to grab one of them and ask it, "Where are you going?"

Then, a slender leg wrapped in black pantyhose stretched out from the mirror behind him.

Yu Luying held Yu Bo's hand, and Shen Jie followed closely behind.

After they came in, the surging "shadow" crowd suddenly stopped.

Imagine that the endless stream of people moving through the street suddenly stopped.

Then, the shadows slowly surrounded the four people, and waves of low roars came one after another.

Xiao Yao drew his sword, Yu Bo raised the hunting rifle, Shen Jie's right hand was burning with flames, and Yu Luying closed her eyes and began to pray silently.

The four of them stood back to back, forming a circle. The situation on the field was tense and the battle was about to break out.

Xiao Yao felt strange. Could it be that these shadows just wouldn't attack him actively?

What's so special about me?

Or does it mean that when the number of "invaders" increases, this defense mechanism will be triggered?

Before he could think clearly, a large foot wrapped in white sports socks stretched out from the mirror.

Then Shi Hui pulled the cutlass fish and finally entered this world.

The situation on the field was reversed again.

When they saw Shi Hui and Daiyu coming in, all the shadows that were ready to attack froze immediately.

They opened their eyes wide, as if they saw something terrible.

Then they let out a sharp, fearful cry, as if they were deeply frightened.

That kind of sound was not something humans could make. When they made that terrified cry, the entire space seemed to be filled with their voices—this sound was harsh and piercing, like a knife cutting, making everyone shudder. Their voices were also accompanied by sharp wails and sad groans, as if they were experiencing some unspeakable pain.

Accompanied by these shrill roars that seemed to come from the depths of hell, the shadows began to flee in panic, as if they wanted to get away from some terrifying existence as quickly as possible. They were no longer numb and sad as before, and without the slightest pause, they disappeared in an instant, as if they had never existed.

In an instant, the entire street became empty, leaving only Xiao Yao, Yu Luying, Yu Bo, Shen Jie, Shi Hui and Daiyu facing this mysterious world.

"I..." Xiao Yao said.

"Damn." Hairtail continued.

"Hairtail, you're great. A real person never shows his true colors." Xiao Yao started to tell his signature jokes, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Who am I, where am I? What am I doing? What happened?" The cutlassfish shook its head around in panic.

"Ah!" Xiao Yao suddenly heard two girls' screams.

"What happened again?" Xiao Yao looked in the direction Shen Jie and Yu Luying were looking: "Ah!"

"Ah!" The hairtail followed with a sound after realizing it belatedly.

"Don't say 'ah'," Yu Bo said, "This is Master Shi Hui."

Xiao Yao thought, isn't this obvious?

In everyone's eyes, Master Shi Hui has completely changed.

His face was originally broad, typical of a middle-aged man, and now it was even fatter, with a square mouth, wide ears, and a rosy face. The smile on his face pushed the fat upwards, squeezing his already small eyes into two slits.

He was two or three times fatter than before, and his shirt didn't fit the collar at all, highlighting his smooth, round belly.

The monk held a long Zen staff that was engraved with dense Sanskrit characters. The top of the staff was wrapped in a large piece of cloth, and no one knew what it looked like.

Seeing that he had his chest exposed, Xiao Yao first ruled out Marshal Tianpeng.

"You... look peaceful and happy, don't you?" Xiao Yao walked forward and poked Shi Hui's bulging belly.

"Shi Hui is still Shi Hui, donors don't have to worry." Shi Hui's mouth was slightly upturned, his eyes were slightly closed, and the sound of his voice became like Buddhist chanting.

"Okay, that's awesome." Xiao Yao gave a thumbs up.

"Amitabha." Shi Huili chanted the Buddha's name with one hand, pretending to be so cool.

"Lao Hui," Yu Bo said, "Does your fortress still have the deterrent function of... driving away evil spirits?"

"Not really," Shi Hui shook his head and said, "It's just that the level is crushing, and the realm is slightly higher."

Level crushing, do you really think this is a game? Xiao Yao thought.

"How do you check the level?" Xiao Yao asked.

"The so-called level," Shi Hui explained with a smile, "is an artificial summary of the range of the spiritual energy intensity of the fortress. I prefer to call it a 'realm', and the term 'level' is just to make it easier for you internet-addicted teenagers to understand."

? You are the internet addict.

"Then, can we see the level?" Xiao Yao asked Shi Hui: "What level are we now?"

"Yes," Shi Hui nodded and said, "If you accept me as your master, I will teach you the method of 'observing qi'."

Xiao Yao was ready to make a move, but Yu Bo protested, "Lao Hui, you are robbing the sheep right in front of me, right?"

Shi Hui rubbed his belly and laughed: "Well, you should just stay with your brother Bo and have a good time."

Xiao Yao: "Oh..."

Shi Hui: "The shadows on the surface here are basically at the first level, and you... may only be at the third level. With the 'power of unity' you possess, you already have a spiritual power that can rival the seventh level."

"The power of unity," Xiao Yao repeated the word, "Does it mean that the more friends I have, the better my personal abilities will be?"

"You could say that," Yu Bo continued, "Increasing the number and depth of bond power is the third way to increase your strength. It seems like this is a special talent for team leaders."

Xiao Yao was a little smug: "Does the bond with ordinary people who don't know the shadow world count?"

"It's up to the donor to discover it on his own." Shi Hui turned to Shen Jie and said, "From my observation, this female donor has already reached the fourth level."

"Soga." Shen Jie said.

"Father Yu," Shi Hui looked at Yu Luying again and frowned, "Your niece is not simple."

"Ah? What's wrong?" Yu Luying was a little nervous: "Don't I still have a fortress?"

"You..." Shi Hui stared at Yu Luying: "If I am not mistaken, you have reached the 6th level with your own strength."

"Ah..." said Yu Luying.

"But your fortress has always been hidden under some kind of...wrapping and covering, and it needs a suitable time to be revealed. To use an inappropriate analogy," Shi Hui thought for a moment, and then changed his words: "Forget it, I won't fight, I am a monk."

Yu Luying: "Monks don't tell lies."

Shi Hui replied slowly: "Only when the six senses are pure can rice grow; going backwards is actually going forward."

Yu Bo said to Yu Luying: "Buddhism emphasizes the cause and condition of enlightenment. If he doesn't talk about it, don't ask. Let's go."

Shen Jie was already impatient and eager to try: "Master Shi Hui, where can we find monsters of higher levels to fight?"

"In theory, the deeper you go underground, the stronger the power of the shadow will be," Shi Hui raised his head and looked at the subway station entrance not far away. "That downward passage leads to the hidden depths of people's hearts."

……

About two or three hours later, Xiao Yao and Shen Jie returned home, exhausted.

"Ah, I'm so tired," Xiao Yao kicked off his shoes. "What level is this old monk? He's too scary, isn't he?"

"It's just the main character helping the smaller characters to gain experience." Shen Jie trotted towards Xiao Yao's bedroom with her sock-clad feet bent.

"If I had met him earlier, he should have been able to clear both Teacher Yao's and Teacher Song's halls single-handedly?" Xiao Yao watched Shen Jie drag the red plastic bathtub out from under his bed.

"I admire you for still having the energy to take a shower."

"I'm sweating all over, how can I go to bed without taking a shower?" Shen Jie glared at him and said, "You have to take a shower too."

"Okay, okay, wash." Xiao Yao replied.

"You go out and wait for a while. Tianyun should be asleep at this time. I'm afraid of disturbing her, so I'll lend you my room." Shen Jie pointed outside in the direction of the door.

"Let me rub your back," Xiao Yao blurted out, "You're leaving tomorrow, and I want to talk to you."

"...Okay." Shen Jie tilted her head, thought for three seconds, and agreed.

Chapter 174 Please keep your first time for me

2023-04-27

The night before Shen Jie left, Xiao Yao rubbed her back in his bedroom, which served as a living room and dining room. The situation at that time can be briefly described as follows.

The curtains were drawn tightly. The girl sat in the red plastic bathtub. She couldn't lie down, so she had to curl up her legs. Fortunately, she was not tall, so it wasn't particularly uncomfortable. If it was Yu Luying... Forget it. Xiao Yao couldn't think about it anymore. He shook his head.

Xiao Yao filled the bathtub with water, so a lot of water splashed onto the ground on both sides of the bathtub, making it wet.