The Mirror Master

The Soul Light landed on that line of text. Lu Bai silently chanted in his mind, ’Achieve!’

The Soul Light didn’t move, and the line of text remained unchanged.

He didn’t achieve the First Level of the Root Bone Stage, Skin Refining, as he had hoped.

The legendary signs of a complete physical transformation—of impurities being expelled from his pores—never appeared...

’I was getting ahead of myself.’

Lu Bai shook his head to himself.

Advancing one’s Cultivation Realm required dedicated, long-term practice. There were no shortcuts.

Lu Bai looked at another line of text.

[Fierce Tiger Stance · Profound (Uncomprehended) (Repairable)]

’I’ll try this one.’

Lu Bai directed the Soul Light onto this line of text and silently chanted, ’Comprehend!’

The moment the thought formed, the orb of Soul Light swiftly merged into the text.

The next moment, a flood of insights and experiences regarding the Fierce Tiger Stance rushed into his mind, like a sudden, profound enlightenment.

It was as if a thick fog had been parted, and everything suddenly became crystal clear!

Almost subconsciously, Lu Bai’s knees bent slightly and his back arched like a bow. His feet dug into the earth like a tiger’s claws, his spine curved like a great, coiled dragon, and his arms circled as if ready to pounce. His stance was as firm as a boulder.

Even the rhythm of his breathing subtly changed, becoming deep, heavy, and long, like the low panting of a fierce tiger.

Lu Bai clearly felt a scorching heat rise from within his body. A stream of pure energy traveled from his legs up through his entire frame, seeping into his skin and muscle. It felt as if his muscles were swelling and expanding, becoming solid and powerful!

’It worked!’

Lu Bai’s spirits soared.

Although the Soul Light couldn’t directly raise his Cultivation, it could help him comprehend Martial Arts with incredible speed!

This was incredibly important for his journey on the Martial Dao.

With the Soul Light’s help, he could attain instant enlightenment on Martial Arts that might otherwise take several months to grasp!

Now that he had comprehended the Fierce Tiger Stance, as long as he practiced diligently, reaching the First Level of the Root Bone Stage was just a matter of time!

Furthermore, Martial Techniques differed from Cultivation Techniques. Depending on the degree of mastery, they were categorized into four levels: entry, Minor Success, Great Success, and Perfection.

If the Soul Light could help him rapidly comprehend a Cultivation Technique, perhaps it could also help him rapidly advance his mastery of a Martial Technique!

His Five-Step Fist, for example, was only at the entry level.

If he could raise it to the Perfection level, his combat strength would obviously improve significantly.

Unfortunately, there was no Soul Light left in the Ancient Mirror.

Otherwise, he could have tested his theory right now.

Lu Bai held the Fierce Tiger Stance, and within moments, he was already drenched in a hot sweat.

Soon, he felt a wave of exhaustion and could no longer hold the position.

Devouring that malevolent entity earlier had already drained his Blood Qi.

After coming back, he had skipped dinner and thrown himself into practice. He was already starving, and after all this exertion, he had no strength left.

Lu Bai relaxed his stance and looked at the Ancient Mirror again.

Just as he expected, the line of text on the mirror’s surface had changed.

[Fierce Tiger Stance · Profound (Repairable)]

The word "Uncomprehended" had vanished, leaving only "Repairable".

Lu Bai paused, recalling something Chen Tieshan had said when he taught him the Fierce Tiger Stance.

Apparently, the complete version of the Fierce Tiger Stance was called the Mountain Monarch Bone Forging Technique. It was a Celestial Tier Technique that could train one’s sinews, bones, and skin all at once.

However, Celestial Tier Techniques were almost exclusively held by the Royal Family or major top-tier Sects and were never taught to outsiders.

Any versions that circulated among the public had been simplified and abridged.

Despite countless simplifications, the Fierce Tiger Stance was still a Profound Tier Technique, a testament to its original brilliance!

At this thought, Lu Bai’s eyes lit up.

’Could "Repairable" mean that it’s possible to restore the Fierce Tiger Stance to its complete, Celestial Tier form?’

Unfortunately, without any Soul Light, he couldn’t verify it.

As a newcomer to this world, Lu Bai had initially been wary of bizarre things like malevolent entities and Ghost Souls.

Now, however, he wished more of them would appear so he could absorb them all, turn them into Soul Light for the Ancient Mirror, and fuel his training!

Still, this wasn’t something he could rush.

After all, devouring malevolent entities consumed Blood Qi, and his was currently depleted. He had to recover first.

Lu Bai gradually calmed himself, gestured to the Black Dog beside him, and tiptoed outside.

’I need to find something to eat, quick. I have to restore my stamina and replenish my Primordial Energy.’

Outside, he could see through the courtyard gate into the Memorial Hall. Uncle Fu’s lonely figure stood watch inside, making sure the candles and incense sticks kept burning.

In the darkness, Lu Bai watched Uncle Fu’s solitary vigil. His expression was grim, his gaze tinged with cold indifference. He made no move to approach.

The fate of his predecessor’s family, combined with the fact that he was new to this world, made him wary of everyone.

This wasn’t like his past life, where you could get a second chance after making a mistake.

In a world where things like the Evil Suppression Technique and malevolent entities actually existed, there was no telling what other unknown dangers lurked in the shadows.

One careless misstep, and he could lose his life.

Lu Bai didn’t even fully trust the people closest to him.

Mrs. Wang was an exception; after all, even a vicious tiger won’t eat its own cubs.

Besides, she stood to gain nothing from the ruin of the Lu Family and the end of its line.

Uncle Fu, however, was a different story.

If Lu Bai had merely distrusted Uncle Fu at first, that feeling had blossomed into full-blown suspicion the moment he discovered the Brick Mourning.

As the Lu Family’s long-serving butler, Uncle Fu had personally handled many of the affairs concerning the residence’s renovation and expansion.

If he had decided to pull some strings or collude with an outsider, it would have been very difficult to detect.

Of course, this was only Lu Bai’s suspicion.

Whether Uncle Fu was truly a problem, whether he was worthy of trust—that remained to be tested.

Asking Uncle Fu to burn the brick earlier had been part of that test.

Without alerting Uncle Fu, Lu Bai slipped around to the kitchen in the rear courtyard. He found some cold leftovers and shared a makeshift meal with the Black Dog.

Even after filling his stomach, Lu Bai still felt a chill in his hands and feet.

His predecessor’s body was already frail, and the Ancient Mirror’s devouring of the malevolent entity had consumed a great deal of his Blood Qi, taking a significant toll.

Fortunately, the Lu Family was in the herbal medicine business, so they had plenty of potent tonics on hand.

Following his memories, Lu Bai found his family’s pharmacy, picked up a jar of medicinal wine steeped with old ginseng, and took a huge gulp.

The moment the wine touched his lips, it felt like a ball of fire searing his throat. As it slid into his stomach, it quickly transformed into a warm current that surged through his entire body, driving out the cold.

"Want some?"

Lu Bai poured some into a bowl and offered it to the Black Dog.

The Black Dog extended its tongue for a lick, but the spiciness immediately made it shake its head repeatedly. Its eyes watered as it backed away two steps, making no further attempts.

This Black Dog not only had pure black fur without a single spot of another color, but even its tongue was black.

Lu Bai chuckled, adjusted his grip, and took several more large gulps from the wine jar.

After downing half the jar, a healthy blush returned to his face. He was slightly drunk, a roaring heat filled his belly, and the feeling of weakness was completely swept away.

Buoyed by the alcohol, Lu Bai once again assumed the Fierce Tiger Stance.

With a full belly and his Primordial Energy partially restored, he was able to hold the stance for much longer than before.

Only when he absolutely couldn’t hold it any longer did Lu Bai stand up to rest.

Then he resumed the stance.

After a few more repetitions, the potency of the wine and medicine in his system was completely spent.

Lu Bai could feel a noticeable improvement in his stamina.

Once the effects wore off, Lu Bai would take a few more gulps of the medicinal wine and continue his training.

In this manner, the night passed. Before he knew it, the sky had begun to lighten.

The jar of medicinal wine was empty, its potency completely refined and absorbed.

Despite practicing the Fierce Tiger Stance all night, Lu Bai felt not a trace of fatigue. In fact, he was brimming with energy.

He went through a set of the Five-Step Fist and noticed a clear difference from just a few hours ago.

His steps were solid, his punches and kicks packed with power, and his movements carried the force of a whistling wind!

A single night of practice had been more effective than several years of his predecessor’s training.

At this rate, if he continued to supplement his training with restorative tonics like the medicinal wine, he might be able to reach the First Level of the Root Bone Stage in a matter of days!

He couldn’t say for sure about others, but facing the two Guards who had deserted the Lu Residence should no longer be a problem.

Lu Bai left the pharmacy and glanced toward the Memorial Hall.

There had been no sound from the Memorial Hall all night; Uncle Fu had kept watch there since dusk.

Perhaps due to his age, he couldn’t stay awake any longer and had dozed off.

Without a sound, Lu Bai took the Black Dog and quietly left the Lu Residence.

To increase his strength quickly, he couldn’t just train diligently; he also needed the help of Soul Light.

Since it wasn’t fully light yet, Lu Bai planned to wander through Liuxi Town to see if he could encounter any malevolent entities to absorb. It would also be a good chance to familiarize himself with the Ancient Mirror’s functions.

With the Eye of Illusion, he wasn’t worried about any entities being able to hide from him.

Unfortunately, after man and dog had made a wide loop around town, the sky had fully brightened, yet they had found nothing.

Apparently, the creation of malevolent entities and Ghostly Creatures was not a common occurrence. There was likely some specific pattern to it.

The number of pedestrians in town was growing, and many street vendors had already set up their stalls.

Not far away, a plume of smoke drifted into the air, and a small crowd was gathering in that direction.

"Did you hear? The Zhang Family’s house caught fire just after dusk yesterday. Carpenter Zhang burned to death, leaving behind Mrs. Liu and their four children. It’s so tragic."

"You don’t know the half of it. First, Carpenter Zhang burned to death. Then, in the middle of the night, the Zhang Family’s house caught fire again. Mrs. Liu and the four children all died in the blaze. Not a single one survived!"

"What? That’s horrible!"

"It must be King Yama reaping their souls! I don’t know what sins the Zhang Family committed to deserve having their entire family wiped out like this. There was no escaping it."

Lu Bai’s eyes flickered, and he became lost in thought.

’It seems the method for breaking the Brick Mourning worked.’

’However, according to the book, burning the Mourning Brick should only cause a backlash against the caster. It shouldn’t have involved anyone else.’

’In other words, Carpenter Zhang’s death by fire was the result of the backlash from the Evil Suppression Technique.’

’The rest of the Zhang Family dying in the fire later that night should have nothing to do with the technique’s backlash.’

’They were most likely silenced.’

The thought flashed through his mind, and Lu Bai was secretly alarmed.

’Such ruthless methods!’

Besides Carpenter Zhang, the other five members of the household, including four children, were all killed. No one was spared.

’Uncle Fu was at the Lu Residence all last night and never left. This has nothing to do with him.’

’That leaves only one possibility.’

’Carpenter Zhang died by self-immolation from the backlash, which must have attracted the attention of the person pulling the strings.’

Lu Bai went to the area near Carpenter Zhang’s house and activated his Eye of Illusion, searching for a long time without finding any trace of malevolent entities.

’I wonder how that malevolent entity inside the Peach Talisman was formed?’

’Resentment? Malice? Or was there some other reason?’

’Peach Wood is a wood of pure yang, always used to exorcise ghosts and ward off evil. How could a malevolent entity hide inside it?’

Lu Bai pondered this for a moment before turning to head home.