The Mirror Master

"What about the Ghostly Creature?"

Chen Xiaofeng, filled with fear, couldn’t help but ask.

"Its whereabouts are unknown. It must have fled."

Liu Feng saw Chen Xiaofeng’s terror and said, "I’ve already had my men go door-to-door to inform everyone. Tell them not to sleep tonight. Keep a fire lit at home to keep things bright. We just need to get through tonight."

When day breaks, I’ll send someone to report this to Bluestone County. People from the Evil Extermination Bureau will come to handle it."

A chill went down Chen Tieshan’s spine.

The Evil Extermination Bureau was an organization within the Wu Dynasty that specialized in dealing with Ghostly Creatures and other evil beings. They held immense power and an extremely high status, answering directly to King Wu.

In the Wu Dynasty, only the major prefectures and counties had members of the Evil Extermination Bureau stationed there.

It was said that the minimum requirement to enter the Evil Extermination Bureau was reaching the Innate Realm!

A small place like Liuxi Town had no one from the Evil Extermination Bureau garrisoned.

The constables at the Government Office were just ordinary Martial Artists. They couldn’t discern anything unusual, and without evidence, they figured it was better to let sleeping dogs lie and didn’t report it.

Chen Tieshan let out a sigh of relief. "Since people from the Evil Extermination Bureau are coming, that Ghostly Creature is as good as dead."

Then, Chen Tieshan thought of something else and asked, "Lord Liu, you just mentioned that Madam Zhou expended too much energy performing a ritual last night... Could my situation be related to this?"

"Hehe."

Liu Feng chuckled lightly. "Hall Master Chen is a sharp one."

As he spoke, Liu Feng took a blood-stained puppet from his robes. It was pierced with over a dozen Silver Needles. He handed it to Chen Tieshan and said, "This should be some kind of Evil Technique. It’s the reason you were in excruciating pain just now, Hall Master Chen."

Chen Tieshan took it and, looking at the fabric on the puppet, had a sudden realization.

During his fight with Fei Ming earlier today, he had lost one exchange of blows, and his opponent had sliced off a corner of his clothing!

Chen Tieshan pulled the Silver Needles from the puppet’s body, untied the piece of fabric, and held it up to the torn spot on his own clothes.

It was a perfect match!

At that moment, Chen Tieshan understood.

The Zhou Family had made such a huge scene coming to his door today not because they truly wanted to fight, but mainly to get this piece of his clothing!

"What insidious and vicious methods!"

Chen Tieshan’s expression turned ugly as he gritted his teeth.

Liu Feng said with a grin, "If I hadn’t seen this puppet and realized it was related to you, Hall Master Chen, I wouldn’t have come to disturb you in the dead of night. You don’t mind, do you, Hall Master Chen?"

"Not at all, not at all..."

Chen Tieshan had just replied when he noticed Liu Feng’s displeased expression and immediately understood.

Liu Feng’s visit was primarily to seek a reward.

Chen Tieshan quickly forced a smile. "The Chen Family is deeply grateful to you, Lord Liu. We weren’t prepared for a visit today. Tomorrow, I will personally visit your residence to express my thanks."

Only then did Liu Feng’s smile return. "You’re too kind, Hall Master Chen. It was nothing."

Chen Tieshan asked, "May I ask, my lord, what should I do with this puppet?"

Liu Feng waved his hand. "Just burn it. Now that the Witch is dead, the Evil Technique is useless."

"Lord Liu, what is Madam Zhou’s background? How did she know such an Evil Technique?"

Chen Tieshan couldn’t help but ask.

He had roamed the Jianghu for many years but had never encountered such a bizarre and inescapable method.

Liu Feng’s expression shifted slightly. After a moment’s hesitation, he gave Chen Tieshan a meaningful look.

Chen Tieshan understood and quickly leaned in.

Liu Feng glanced around before whispering in his ear, "In this world, only the Witch Race knows this kind of Evil Technique. Our Wu Dynasty’s Evil Extermination Bureau, aside from exterminating evil spirits and Ghostly Creatures, has another, more covert purpose: to exterminate the Witch Race!

The Evil Techniques of the Witch Race are insidious and strange. I had only heard rumors before; tonight is the first time I’ve seen one in person. No wonder I couldn’t find any problems before.

I’ve heard that even the Late King’s death was related to them."

Chen Tieshan’s face was a mask of shock.

Liu Feng added, "You were a victim, so it’s fine for me to tell you. But don’t spread this information around and cause unnecessary panic."

"How can you identify a member of the Witch Race?"

Chen Tieshan asked again.

Liu Feng said, "The Witch Race look just like us. They hide among the populace and are very difficult to detect.

However, you don’t need to worry. Over the years, the remnants of the Witch Race have been mostly purged from the Wu Dynasty. I just never expected one to be hiding here in our Liuxi Town."

Chen Tieshan quickly said, "This is all thanks to Lord Liu’s sharp eyes and keen insight."

Liu Feng was clearly pleased to hear this. The thought of this great achievement being credited to him made him chuckle. "Hehe, I was merely doing my duty. It’s all part of the job."

"By the way, I heard the Lu Family’s youngest son is staying with you?"

Liu Feng asked.

"Yes," Chen Tieshan said.

Liu Feng said, "When you get the chance, you should let him know. The Lu Family’s tragedy was most likely Madam Zhou’s doing.

The branches of Lu Ziheng and Lu Ziyuan at least have one survivor to carry on the bloodline. You could say it’s a blessing in the midst of tragedy."

Chen Tieshan repeatedly agreed.

Liu Feng didn’t stay long and left in a hurry.

Chen Tieshan had been so shocked by the haunting at the Zhou residence that he hadn’t had time to think things through.

But after Liu Feng’s reminder, he suddenly thought of Lu Bai!

Others might not know Lu Bai.

But he knew of Lu Bai’s strength and had witnessed his terrifying methods.

’Could tonight’s events be related to him?’

At this thought, Chen Tieshan suddenly turned and strode quickly toward Lu Bai’s quarters.

"Father, where are you going?"

The siblings Chen Xiaofeng and Chen Qianqian were stunned for a moment, then, worried for their father’s safety, they hurried after him.

"Father, what’s wrong?"

Chen Qianqian couldn’t help but ask when she saw that her father’s expression was off.

Without breaking his stride, Chen Tieshan said in a low voice, "Madam Zhou’s death might be connected to Lu Bai."

"Huh?"

Chen Xiaofeng and Chen Qianqian were bewildered, not understanding how Lu Bai had suddenly been dragged into this.

Chen Xiaofeng said, "Didn’t Lord Liu just say that Madam Zhou died from a backlash from the Ghostly Creature?"

Chen Tieshan said gravely, "Madam Zhou managed to stay hidden for so many years. How could she be so stupid as to perform a ritual that would cause her to lose control of a Ghostly Creature?"

Liu Feng had just said that Madam Zhou was decapitated and that perhaps it was a backlash, but he clearly hadn’t told the whole story.

Besides, the timing of it all was too much of a coincidence.

Fei Ming was crippled, his arm severed. In all of Liuxi Town, besides himself, probably only Lu Bai had the ability to sneak into the Zhou Family residence and kill someone!

Of course, this was just his speculation. He still needed to verify it.

In the blink of an eye, the three of them arrived at the quarters where Lu Bai and the others were staying.

That Miss Xiaodie was standing in the courtyard.

"Miss, you’re awake."

Chen Tieshan said, "Is Lu Bai inside?"

Xiaodie pouted slightly. "It’s so noisy outside. He’s probably the only one who could sleep through it."

Chen Tieshan approached and, sure enough, heard the sound of steady, deep breathing from inside.

’Could it not be Lu Bai? Was I just overthinking things?’

Chen Tieshan shook his head and was about to turn and leave.

But he stood at the door, pondered for a moment, then turned back, knocked lightly, and called out softly, "Nephew Lu, Nephew Lu..."

"Huh?"

A moment later, a voice came from inside.

After a short while, Lu Bai slowly opened the door. He looked at Chen Tieshan and the others with sleepy eyes, yawned, and asked, "Hall Master Chen? What’s the matter this late at night?"

Chen Tieshan’s expression flickered for an instant before returning to normal. He said, "There was some trouble outside. I wanted to see if you were in any danger, Nephew."

"What kind of trouble?"

Lu Bai asked groggily, as if he still wasn’t fully awake.

"It’s nothing. We can talk about it tomorrow. You should get some rest, Nephew. Sorry to disturb you."

Chen Tieshan chuckled, then led Chen Xiaofeng and Chen Qianqian away at a quick pace.

Once they were a good distance away, Chen Xiaofeng laughed. "Father, you were overthinking it this time, weren’t you? He was sound asleep in his room."

"He’s the one who killed Madam Zhou. I’m almost certain of it!"

Chen Tieshan said abruptly.

"What?!"

The two siblings jumped in fright.

Chen Tieshan said, "Although he made it back in time, he hadn’t managed to get rid of the smell of blood on him."

Chen Qianqian frowned and couldn’t help but say, "Father, aren’t you being a little paranoid? He was handling so much Black Dog Blood today, of course he would smell like blood."

"You’ve never killed anyone. You wouldn’t understand."

Chen Tieshan’s expression was grave as he said, "That was the smell of human blood."

The two siblings exchanged a shocked and doubtful glance, still finding it hard to believe.

Chen Xiaofeng added, "If he really did kill Madam Zhou, then he’s done a great service for the people and performed a great merit for the Wu Dynasty. Why wouldn’t he step forward?"

"That is what makes him extraordinary."

Chen Tieshan glanced at his children. "Young people like you, in your teens and twenties, love to show off. The moment you achieve something, you want the whole world to know."

Chen Xiaofeng’s face flushed red.

When he reached the Third Level of the Root Bone Stage, he had hosted several banquet tables in Liuxi Town, inviting all his friends to celebrate.

And when he was accepted into Bluestone Academy, he threw a huge, lively matriculation party.

Chen Tieshan continued, "But Lu Bai quietly cultivated to the Third Level of the Root Bone Stage, hiding it from everyone! It’s precisely because of this that Lu Ziyuan’s family had no defenses up, allowing him to avenge his closest kin."

"It’s just like tonight’s incident. If he were to jump out and claim credit for it, on the surface, he would be in the spotlight, admired by all. But he would also likely bring disaster upon himself."

Liu Feng said that the remnants of the Witch Race in the Wu Dynasty had been mostly wiped out, but there was no guarantee some hadn’t slipped through the cracks.

If Lu Bai were to make this public, he would certainly attract their attention.

Chen Tieshan’s expression was solemn as he said gravely, "As for what happened tonight, you hear it and you forget it. Don’t mention it to anyone, and don’t let on that you know anything in front of Lu Bai. Understand?"

Chen Xiaofeng and Chen Qianqian nodded instinctively.

"’Hide your sharpness and embrace simplicity; blend your light and join the dust.’ A principle I only came to understand after passing the age of fifty."

Chen Tieshan’s expression was complicated. He shook his head and sighed, "This Lu Bai... he’s no small fry."

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