Chapter 6: Shattered Mirror

In the ancient records of the Exorcism Bureau, there was a story...

A woman, left alone as her husband went off to war, found herself engulfed in sorrow with no one to confide in. She could only weep silently in front of the bronze mirror.

But as time passed, she began to feel a growing sense of unfamiliarity with her reflection in the mirror. Especially at night, when the dim oil lamp cast eerie shadows, her own reflection seemed to stare at her with a sinister gaze, causing her great unease.

She wrote letters to her friends and family, expressing her concerns, but they dismissed it as mere imagination.

Then one night, in the depths of sleepiness, she heard a clear, metallic tapping sound—not from outside the door, but from within the mirror.

To her horror, her reflection in the mirror wore a grotesque expression, repeatedly slamming its head against the mirror as if trying to break free.

Overwhelmed, the woman fainted on the spot.

When she woke up, she sought the help of a monk from a nearby temple to exorcise the evil spirit.

The monk claimed that there was indeed a malevolent ghost concealed within the bronze mirror. It had the ability to transform into a human reflection. Whenever someone looked into the mirror and made eye contact with it, the ghost would silently devour their soul, growing stronger with each feeding.

The monk warned her, "You were fortunate to have found me in time. If this had gone on for a few more days, the ghost in the mirror would have sucked you dry, turning you into a lifeless corpse."

Terrified, the woman immediately pleaded with the monk to perform the necessary rituals to banish the spirit.

—Excerpt from "Strange Chronicles of Great Qi: Mirror Ghost," author unknown.

......

Gu Xu stood before the bronze mirror, meeting his own gaze in the reflection.

His mirror image displayed a sinister smile, raising its fist and knocking against the mirror.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

With each knock, faint cracks appeared on the surface of the bronze mirror.

Crimson drops of blood seeped through the cracks, slowly trickling down the mirror and forming a small pool of deep red on the floor.

Drip, drip.

"Ah—"

Witnessing this horrifying scene, the chubby boy Wang Guicai couldn't help but let out a scream. His legs gave way, and he sat on the threshold, his face as pale as a corpse. Clearly, he was still terrified by the recent events.

Gu Xu, on the other hand, remained unfazed.

In fact, deep inside, he felt a tinge of excitement. It had been a while since he had encountered such an interesting ghost!

This ghost was just perfect for his little experiment.

With that thought in mind, he took out a prepared "Supreme Northern Pole Demon-Slaying Ghost-Killing Talisman" from his pocket, silently recited the incantation, and tossed it lightly toward the bronze mirror.

This time, Gu Xu exercised caution, only using a single "Ghost-Killing Talisman"

He didn't want to accidentally obliterate this precious "guinea pig" with the overwhelming power of the seal, thereby losing valuable experimental data.

The talisman landed on the mirror, igniting a splendid spark.

In an instant, the room filled with a dazzling light.

The sun rose, casting its radiant morning glow upon the earth.

Wang Guicai, still sitting on the floor, looked up at this awe-inspiring sight.

"So, this is what it's like to be a practitioner of the Exorcism Bureau" the boy exclaimed in genuine admiration. "Amazing!"

Ever since he was little, Wang Guicai had heard his father talk about the exorcists of the Exorcism Bureau, the heroes who vanquished demons and ghosts in the darkest of nights. They possessed extraordinary magical abilities that made even the supernatural tremble in fear.

Wang Guicai had always been skeptical.

But today, witnessing this brilliant radiance with his own eyes, he truly understood the power of the Exorcism Bureau's practitioners.

The image of Gu Xu, descending like a divine being, was etched deeply in the young boy's impressionable mind.

After a brief moment, the light dissipated.

Everything returned to normal.

However, the peculiar bronze mirror had shattered into two halves, burnt black by the talisman.

Gu Xu stood in place, gazing at the remnants of the mirror, shaking his head with a tinge of regret. "Is that it?"

This mirror ghost had truly disappointed him.

Then, he took out a small notebook from his pocket and quickly made a record:

"Experiment Date: 16th of the 9th month, 23rd year of Tianxing.

Experiment Objective: Assessment of the 'Improved Supreme Northern Pole Demon-Slaying Ghost-Killing Talisman'

Subject: 'Mirror Ghost' (estimated to be of 'Wandering Spirit' level).

Experiment Result: Vaporised in three seconds.

Experiment Conclusion: In the face of the improved 'Ghost-Killing Talisman' all 'Wandering Spirit'-level ghosts are like paper tigers."

According to the Exorcism Bureau of the Great Qi Dynasty, ghosts were divided into four levels based on their danger: "Wandering Spirit," "Wild Ghost," "Evil Spirit," and "Fierce God."

Beyond that, there was a level that existed only in legends—the "Ghost King"—said to have dominion over countless spirits, capable of turning the mortal realm into the realm of the dead.

Among them, "Wandering Spirits" referred to ghosts that hadn't fully developed their spiritual intelligence and possessed relatively weak power. While they could pose a certain threat to ordinary people, they were easily dealt with by practitioners.

Therefore, after eliminating the "Mirror Ghost" so casually, Gu Xu felt no sense of pride.

There was nothing remarkable about bullying the weak.

But at this moment, Gu Xu suddenly realized a serious issue—

If this "Mirror Ghost" was so weak, why did the Exorcism Bureau offer a reward of two hundred and forty merits for its elimination? That was the same reward one would receive for killing twelve formidable demons!

It was worth noting that the Exorcism Bureau had many skilled practitioners of the art of divination who rarely made mistakes in assessing the difficulty of a task—of course, divination had its limitations and couldn't provide exact information about all the ghosts, nor was it immune to interference.

Moreover, the process of killing the mirror ghost had been far too smooth, completely at odds with Gu Xu's divination results of initial difficulties but ultimate resolution.

Was this mission really so easy?

Gu Xu squinted his eyes.

Gazing at the mansion enveloped in a gloomy atmosphere, a daring speculation formed in his mind.

......

Meanwhile, Xiaohan sat with her legs crossed, holding a large sword in her arms, leaning against a cushioned chair. Her relaxed posture contrasted sharply with the heavy atmosphere of the mansion.

She was waiting for Gu Xu to call out, "Heroine, save me!"

In the script of heroines slaying ghosts, the skilled heroine always appeared at the most critical moment.

Acting too soon wouldn't showcase her true power.

Only by resolving difficulties that others couldn't solve could she demonstrate her strength as a formidable warrior.

Unconsciously, Xiaohan concocted a brilliant scene of "the hero saves the damsel" in her mind. A slight smile formed on her lips, revealing her satisfaction.

Undeniably, both her combat prowess and Gu Xu's handsome looks perfectly fit the description of a "hero saving the damsel."

At that moment, Gu Xu calmly walked out from the eastern wing of the house.

His expression was composed, his steps unhurried. He wore a pristine blue robe, as if taking a leisurely stroll in his own backyard.

The chubby boy, Wang Guicai, tightly clutched onto Gu Xu's sleeve, following him closely. His face was as pale as a corpse, clearly still haunted by the recent events.

"Did you run into trouble?" Xiaohan looked up at Gu Xu.

"Not really, it's been taken care of," he replied calmly.

"So quickly?"

"It's not that I was quick, it's just that the ghost wasn't up to par."

Xiaohan straightened her posture, hummed dissatisfied, and said, "You're such a jerk. You didn't even leave me a chance to rid the world of evil! I still haven't used the 'Overlord Sword Technique' I exchanged last week in Qingzhou Prefecture!"

"The 'Mirror Ghost' was no match for your 'Overlord Sword Technique,'" Gu Xu retorted with a smile, aware of her playful tone.

"Indeed." Xiaohan nodded, unabashedly agreeing with his words.

At that moment, Wang Guicai's widow, Mrs. Wang, approached them, carrying two steaming cups of tea. She nodded slightly and said, her voice mournful and melodious, with a touch of seduction that would make any man involuntarily feel compassion.

However, though she mentioned her "late husband," her gaze secretly glanced at Gu Xu, seemingly captivated by his handsome face.

Gu Xu gave a faint smile.

Mrs. Wang's peculiar behavior confirmed his suspicions.

The mirror ghost was just an appetizer.

As for the true boss...

"Please don't mention it, Mrs. Wang," Gu Xu took the teacup, politely speaking, "In fact, the true culprit responsible for your husband's death has yet to be brought to justice. Our mission is still ongoing."

"The true culprit?" Mrs. Wang's face briefly showed a hint of anxiety. "But didn't you just eliminate the evil spirit?"

Xiaohan and Wang Guicai also stared at Gu Xu with surprise in their eyes.

Gu Xu chuckled lightly and continued, "The mirror ghost only feeds on souls, not hearts. However, Wang Guicai told me that his father was killed by having his heart ripped out by a ghost. In other words, the real murderer is still at large."

"Do you think I'm right, Mrs. Wang? Or should I address you as... the Painted Skin?"

......

Footnotes:

(1) "The sun rose, casting its radiant morning glow upon the earth." - Tang Dynasty poet Jiaoran's "Imitating Ancient Poetry."