Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror

Chapter 413 353: Soul Search

Li Yuanjiao listened to Xiao Guiluan's explanation, his heart chilled, countless thoughts flashing through his mind:

'Where is Buzi now? Has he heard any news about my family? Xiao Guitu just fell under a spell, Guiluan immediately went to pay respects, would Buzi not become suspicious?'

'Should I use the Green Ruler Sword to remove the Immortal Mirror!'

Li Yuanjiao believed that if he quietly placed this bronze Immortal Mirror amidst the mountain forests or some river ditch, even a Zifu Perfected Person coming would not be able to find it; then if the Green Ruler Sword was put atop it, no one would notice anything amiss.

He mulled it over in his heart, legs stiff, another possibility flashing through his mind:

'The speed of a Zifu is unlike Qi Cultivation at all; if Buzi has already arrived at Wangyue Lake, he might now be watching from the Great Void!'

If Buzi had already reached Wangyue Lake, crossed the Sun Instrument Mystic Light Great Formation via the Great Void, then any movement he made now was under the other's watchful gaze—if he went to take down the Mirror now, he'd be seeking death.

'But I cannot sit here and wait for doom! A Zifu Monk would never be bored enough to waste time staring in the Great Void! With one sweep of Divine Skills, he could extract the truth—Buzi shouldn't be on the lake!'

Li Yuanjiao understood that a Zifu could break the void in a mere instant, should by all reason be much faster than Xiao Guiluan's return, his thoughts spun over and over, yet his actions did not slow, and he spoke in a low voice:

"Guiluan, you must return to Wutu Mountain!"

With that, he'd already headed toward the rear courtyard. Xiao Guiluan understood the urgency, swept away like the wind; Li Xuanxuan's face changed as well, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Only then did Li Yuanjiao stride out, suddenly feeling a sharp warning in his mind; the Mysterious Pearl Talisman Seed at his Sea of Qi Acupoint stirred violently, chilling his whole body, giving him the eerie feeling of being watched by something dark.

"Damn!"

He stopped abruptly, only to see the space before him plunge into darkness; slowly a green-robed cultivator materialized in the air, hands folded behind his back.

This green-robed cultivator wore a faint smile, seeming just twenty-seven or twenty-eight, robes fluttering, long hair loose, silently regarding him.

'Buzi Perfected Person…'

Bitter taste filled Li Yuanjiao's mouth. Chi Buzi, with some amusement, tilted his head, his green garment hanging down, and in his pristine right hand was a dainty white jade vial.

"And what is this thing?"

Buzi seemed to ask casually, but cold sweat broke out on Li Yuanjiao's forehead.

The jade bottle in Buzi Perfected Person's hand was none other than the Talisman Pill kept in the Li Family's treasury!

A Talisman Pill condensed by the Immortal Mirror!

'Buzi has already been in my family's treasury…'

Li Yuanjiao hurriedly bowed, feigning terror, his voice trembling:

"Li Yuanjiao of the Li Family under Green Pond, a junior, pays respects to Buzi Perfected Person!"

His voice was neither too soft nor too loud, just enough that Li Xuanxuan listening outside could catch every word—Li Xuanxuan's soul nearly fled, getting up intending to fetch the Dharma Mirror.

He'd barely taken a step before coming to his senses; with a Zifu Monk's Spiritual Sense, enveloping all of Lijing Mountain was easily done. Heading for the rear courtyard now would be right in front of Buzi's eyes.

Outside, Li Xuanxuan was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan; inside, Li Yuanjiao tried to stall for time, making an immediate judgment:

'Chi Buzi broke the Great Void and landed at my family's treasury at once… attracted by the Talisman Pill's spiritual force, came to ask directly…'

A Zifu Perfected Person could easily use the Great Void to bypass most formations and enter, but their Spiritual Sense too could not penetrate such barriers; only by entering in person could they know what was inside.

But the Li Family had five mountains, over twenty major and minor formations; together with those protecting the Spiritual Fields, perhaps over a hundred. Chi Buzi would certainly not inspect them all one by one.

Even on Lijing Mountain, there were five distinct formations: three Spiritual Fields, a shrine, and a clan treasury.

'He only went to the mountain-top treasury, not the shrine yet!'

Many thoughts flashed through his mind, but Chi Buzi only stared at him and softly said:

"So you actually recognize me?"

Li Yuanjiao bowed again, respectfully replied:

"I have seen the portraits of the four Perfected Persons of the Upper Sect. Yuanwu Perfected Person and Yuanxiu Perfected Person are both seasoned white-haired Daoists, while only you and Yuansu Perfected Person appear as green-robed youths. Yuansu Perfected Person presides over the Southern Border year-round, so that only leaves you…"

"Correct."

Chi Buzi smiled warmly at him; among the remaining four Zifus of Green Pond, Tang Yuanwu, Sibo Xiu, and Ning Tiaoxiao were of the same generation, the main supports of Chi Wei, hence all took 'Yuan' as their Dao title.

He was a generation younger; when he achieved Zifu, Green Pond Sect had ceased that tradition, so he was simply called Buzi. Seeing Li Yuanjiao recite so many Zifu so accurately, his smile widened, and he repeated:

"And what is this thing?"

He naturally meant the Talisman Pill. Li Yuanjiao answered at once, respectfully:

"This is what our lower clan acquired in the cave mansion, together with a strand of Taiyin Moonlight back then. Our clan did not recognize this pill, nor its worth, fearing disaster for harboring treasures, so we dared not show it to anyone…"

Chi Buzi waved to cut him off, smiling:

"This medicine is an excellent breakthrough aid, extremely rare—looks like it's an ancient refinement method. Your family's fortunes are not shallow, I see!"

Li Yuanjiao was about to reply when suddenly panicked, the world before him turned abruptly gray and dark, haze hanging heavy, as if veiled in night, all shrouded in mist.

'Divine Skills!'

His stomach cramped in stabbing pain, face wet with sweat; his consciousness fractured into fragments, and long strings of words floated hazily through his mind.

With what self-control remained, he shut his mouth, lips quivering, and the talisman seed in his Sea of Qi Acupoint stirred gently, releasing streams of cool air to keep his awareness intact—but not so much as to fully rouse him, lest he give himself away.