Chapter 954: Mirror Sea Rising Waves

Wei Wuwei was an exceptionally astute person; he understood in an instant that Lu Shan-jun likely hoped Hu Yun would become Master Ji's disciple, a clear sign of Lu Shan-jun's considerable concern for Hu Yun. He mused for a moment, then his gaze drifted to a corner of the table Lu Shan-jun had set up, where a small incense burner slowly emitted calming sandalwood smoke, carved with an exaggerated, traditional-style lion.

"Mr. Lu, please calm your anger. Hu Yun becoming Mr. Xie's disciple was partly Master Ji's intention. Mr. Xie's background is quite extraordinary."

"Hmm?"

Lu Shan-jun looked at Wei Wuwei.

"I hope Patriarch Wei can enlighten me."

"I wouldn't presume to enlighten you; I merely speculate based on the information I possess. This Mr. Xie's origin is extremely mysterious. Before he suddenly appeared by Master Ji's side, there were no rumors of him anywhere, nor has he been seen with any other relatives or friends. He is merely very close to Master Ji. His appearance is like..."

Wei Wuwei stopped speaking at this point, knowing that Lu Shan-jun was also an intelligent man. Indeed, the latter's eyes flickered as he looked at Wei Wuwei and continued his thought.

"Just like... my master back then..."

Wei Wuwei nodded gently, then added.

"Of course, not many people know of Mr. Xie's precise existence. And compared to Master Ji, Mr. Xie's cultivation is clearly somewhat lesser, but he is absolutely formidable. Hu Yun will still learn excellent skills from him, and perhaps it's even more suitable for him."

Lu Shan-jun shook his head slightly.

"Alas, that fox cub was simply too playful. If only he had understood some propriety back then, he would have entered my master's tutelage long ago. Even if that Xie Beast's cultivation is indeed extraordinary, how could he compare to my master!"

Wei Wuwei could only echo.

"What Mr. Lu says is very true."

"Well, it's getting late today, I must leave. I don't know when we'll meet again. If Patriarch Wei sees my master, please convey my regards to him on my behalf."

Seeing Lu Shan-jun stand up, Wei Wuwei also rose and replied while bowing.

"I would have done so even without Mr. Lu's request!"

Lu Shan-jun nodded, then suddenly said with a serious expression.

"Tell my master to be careful; not everyone on the immortal path can be trusted. Also, Patriarch Wei needs to treat Zhuang Ze with caution. Northern Demon once told me privately that Zhuang Ze is an excellent seed for the demonic path. And although Brother Niu and I repeatedly tried to obstruct him that day, Northern Demon's cultivation, however flawed, is still significant. After sitting next to Zhuang Ze for so long, there might be unforeseen consequences."

"Mr. Lu, rest assured, I will pay attention."

Lu Shan-jun said no more. He returned a bow to Wei Wuwei, then with a single step, transformed into a wisp of clear breeze, drifting towards the sea. Wei Wuwei stood on the island, maintaining his bowing posture until the other disappeared, only then did he slowly straighten up.

In fact, Ying Ruoli had also mentioned these things before leaving. Wei Wuwei naturally took them to heart, but he also harbored his own thoughts.

'For Aze himself, this is now a deadlock. Even if Master possesses the art of 'turning the tide' and can perform the method of 'planting the Dao in a demonic heart,' if this deadlock between the demonic and immortal paths isn't broken, he will struggle to make any progress for the rest of his life. Perhaps it would be better for him to simply grow old and die slowly. Or perhaps he has his own ideas too...'

Thoughts flickered in Wei Wuwei's mind, but he muttered with a chuckle.

"Alas, that Hu Yun is in for some hardship later."

After that chuckle, Wei Wuwei packed up and left. Judging by Lu Shan-jun's earlier reaction, he clearly still harbored feelings about it.

Meanwhile, in an inner room of the Jade Embrace Pavilion, Aze lay sleepless in bed, tossing and turning. His mind constantly replayed what had happened earlier. He had told the woman posing as Master Ji's Daoist companion many things, almost revealing all his secrets.

Aze had previously relished the feeling of confiding in someone close, but now his mood was equally sour. He didn't know how to face Master Ji anymore.

For the next few days, Aze remained somewhat distracted. However, whenever he had an opportunity, he would seek out Wei Wuwei, who had free time, to ask about things written in the *Yellow Springs*.

A month later, a willow-leaf-shaped flatboat carrying several people flew above a calm sea. Looking far ahead, two crescent-shaped islands could be seen facing each other on the water's surface. The waters between them were completely calm, resembling a giant mirror from a distance. This was precisely the Mirror Abyss Sea Pavilion's sea realm.

On the flatboat was a woman who, from time to time, would touch her right cheek. A burning, stinging sensation always lingered there. Whenever this happened, although her expression remained calm, a chilling glint would flash in the depths of her eyes.

If Lian Ping'er's own physical strength had not been comparable to that of demon cultivators skilled in body refinement, she probably wouldn't have even had the chance to use the life-substitution technique. Thus, even though she knew she needed to remain calm, she had come to hate the Dragon Girl, Aze, and even the Northern Demon, whose demonic aura knew no restraint.

Soon, the flatboat flew close to the Mirror Abyss Sea Pavilion, landed on the surface, and slowly sailed into the Mirror Sea. Everyone on board subconsciously looked at the sword-carved characters on the cliff face of the Great Moon Island.

"So many years have passed, and the sword intent of these carvings still hasn't dispersed."

"Yes, it is indeed admirable." "Precisely, the stronger this sword intent, the better!"

Lian Ping'er pulled down the hood of her cloak, revealing a smiling face as she looked at the sword carvings on the cliff.

"This is originally a sword-carved formation. It gathers the sword intent of three master sword cultivators and continuously strengthens in conjunction with the heavy waters of the Mirror Sea. By now, its power is like a mountain."

On the other side of the Mirror Sea, a small boat was anchored, with a person on board holding a fishing rod, angling. At this moment, he looked up towards the distant cliff, pondering who might be on the flatboat.

A disciple from the Mirror Abyss Sea Pavilion flew from the larger crescent island to the fishing boat and bowed to the angler.

"Ancestor Lu, the Pavilion Master has an urgent matter and requests your presence."

Lu Min glanced at the disciple, nodded, and was about to stand up, when he suddenly caught sight of a slight ripple forming where his fishing line met the water.

'A fish bit the hook?'

"Ancestor, don't keep the Pavilion Master waiting!"

Lu Min frowned slightly, gazing wistfully at the trembling fishing line. He hadn't caught a single Glazed Guiwater Golden Scale Sturgeon in almost twenty years, and today, one had finally taken the bait. What a pity.

Lu Min sighed. With a flick of his rod, the hook and line were reeled in, and the spiritual fish naturally escaped. With another flick, the line wrapped itself around the rod. The posture of lifting and retrieving the rod held an innate sword intent.

"Let's go."

Lu Min lightly leaped, rising on a gentle breeze, and went with the notifying disciple to the Great Crescent Island.

Although the Mirror Abyss Sea Pavilion was not an immortal sect in the conventional sense of a major faction, it was still a renowned immortal gate. Thus, the Crescent Island naturally featured immortal pavilions resembling palaces.

However, this time the guiding disciple led Lu Min into a stone building and proceeded into an underground passage within it.

"Is the Pavilion Master in the underground chamber today?"

"Yes, Ancestor. Besides you, several other elders will also be arriving."

"Oh."

Lu Min nodded, then frowned in confusion.

"Am I confused from fishing? Is there something important today?"

"This junior does not know, Ancestor. You should ask the Pavilion Master yourself. This junior will take his leave!"

As they spoke, they had already arrived outside the sealed stone door of the underground chamber. The guiding disciple bowed and then left.

Lu Min nodded at the disciple, then looked at the stone door, and, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture, called out inside.

"Pavilion Master, I have arrived."

After waiting for a moment, Lu Min frowned slightly. The sealed stone door was a powerful barrier, but sounds from outside could be transmitted inward one-way.

"Pavilion Master, Lu Min requests an audience!"

Lu Min heightened his tone slightly, but still received no response. After hesitating repeatedly, he reached out and touched the stone door, feeling a slight resistance, which confirmed the barrier was active.

After a moment's thought, Lu Min formed a sword-finger gesture and tapped several spots on the stone door. Streaks of light began to dart across the few star-like points he had left, then the entire stone door glowed faintly and slowly opened inward.

However, the moment the stone door opened, Lu Min's eyes widened, and he looked inside in horror.

"Pavilion Master!"

Lu Min instantly appeared in the center of the somewhat empty underground chamber. After looking around, he lowered his gaze to the floor. The ground was covered in blood. In the center of his vision, the Pavilion Master of the Mirror Abyss Sea Pavilion lay decapitated, his throat slit...

"Sword art, he died by a sword! Who... who was it?"

Lu Min was immensely shocked. The Pavilion Master had died silently within the underground chamber?

"Pavilion Master!" "Pavilion Master—" "Ah—"

Two more startled cries came. Two elders seemed to be just entering, side-by-side, while the guiding disciple also saw the Pavilion Master's body and cried out in alarm.

"Elders, a powerful enemy must have infiltrated our Mirror Abyss Sea Pavilion. When I arrived, I found the Pavilion Master had met with misfortune. The perpetrator must be skilled in swordsmanship, possess unfathomable cultivation, and even gained the Pavilion Master's trust to commit this crime within the underground chamber..."

"Lu Min! Aren't you the master swordsman?"

"Precisely, weren't you deeply trusted by the Pavilion Master?"

The words of the two elders made Lu Min freeze slightly.

"How could Lu Min attack the Pavilion Master? Elders, do not panic and disrupt yourselves. We need to quickly..."

"Lu Min! We saw with our own eyes that you killed the Pavilion Master! How dare you argue!"

One elder roared furiously, while the guiding disciple beside them looked stunned.

"What? Ancestor Lu..."

Before the disciple could finish his words, he suddenly felt an itch on his neck. And almost at the exact moment this sensation arrived, his spirit dissipated, and he lost all consciousness.

Lu Min watched in disbelief as the disciple's head fell and he collapsed. In his panic, he faintly understood what was happening.

"You... you!"

"Seize Lu Min and avenge the Pavilion Master!"

"Act!"

The two elders suddenly burst into action, attacking Lu Min together. The latter, caught off guard, found it impossible to parry and was instantly severely wounded. But how could he willingly die like this? He erupted with astonishing sword intent, preparing to take them down with him.

"Careful!"

"Boom..."

The stone building of the underground chamber exploded, and a streak of sword light flew out. But voices had already spread throughout the Mirror Abyss Sea Pavilion below.

"Lu Min, betraying his master and annihilating his ancestors, acted heinously. He suddenly attacked and killed the Pavilion Master in the underground chamber. All cultivators of the Sea Pavilion, quickly unite and apprehend him—"

"Lu Min killed the Pavilion Master—" "Lu Min injured the elders and killed the Pavilion Master—"

Besides the emphatic, irrefutable declarations, various cries of astonishment also arose. However, Lu Min's current state rendered him powerless to do anything. He also knew well that he had fallen into a trap and could only flee with all his might, transforming into a streak of sword light, soaring towards the slanted sky. But as he flew a hundred zhang high, he saw a white light ignite from the direction of the cliff face.

The next moment, countless streaks of sword qi transformed into flowing lights, shooting out from the cliff face, flying towards all parts of the Mirror Abyss Sea Pavilion, and stirring the entire Mirror Sea. The Mirror Sea, usually as calm as a mirror, now churned with thousands of waves.

Lu Min now had only one thought in his mind.

'No, no, I cannot die, I cannot die!'