The Mirror Master

Lu Bai said goodbye to Li Tianxing and hurried back to the Luo Family’s residence with Ah Ming.

Just as he walked through the gate, he ran into Luo Qing and her brothers seeing several doctors from Bluestone City out.

Luo Qing’s arm was wrapped in gauze, with a trace of crimson blood seeping through.

"Sister Luo, how did you get injured?"

Lu Bai asked with a frown.

"It’s just a minor injury. It’s nothing serious."

Luo Qing shook her head. Then, her expression darkened and she said softly, "Xiaolu, I’m sorry. I..."

"What’s wrong?"

Seeing her reaction, Lu Bai realized this probably wasn’t the only trouble the Luo Family was facing.

Luo Ben said, "Brother Xiaolu, the Black Dog... he’s not going to make it."

Upon hearing this, a jolt shot through Lu Bai. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as a sliver of killing intent leaked out unconsciously!

Luo Ben and Luo Xiao had never felt such an aura from Lu Bai before and were startled.

Lu Bai said nothing, simply turning and running toward his courtyard.

"Brother Xiaolu, wait! Don’t rush!"

Luo Qing and her brothers hurried after him.

"What happened?"

Lu Bai asked as he walked, his expression grim.

Luo Xiao said, "This morning, two Daoists from the Xuanjian Sect came over with some men. For some reason, the Black Dog suddenly charged forward to bite them.

The Qi Refiner from the Xuanjian Sect was enraged. Without a word, he summoned his Flying Sword and thrust it at the Black Dog.

My sister reacted fast and threw herself in front of the Black Dog to protect him, but she was a step too late. The Flying Sword slashed her arm and pierced right through him."

Lu Bai stopped in his tracks, his eyes flashing.

’The Black Dog would never bite someone without a reason.’

’Ever since he started following me from Liuxi Town, he has only ever shown aggression toward Ghost Witches, other evil entities, or people shrouded in Ghost Qi.’

’There’s something wrong with those two Cultivators from the Xuanjian Sect!’

Lu Bai’s killing intent flared.

When he got back to the courtyard, Lu Bai saw the Black Dog lying motionless on a wooden table, its eyes shut tight.

Madam Wang and Uncle Fu were at its side.

Madam Wang gently stroked the Black Dog’s body, her eyes slightly red.

"Sigh... such a good dog."

Uncle Fu sighed.

Back then, if this dog hadn’t dug up that brick, the Lu Family would still be completely in the dark.

"Ah Bai is back."

Uncle Fu said, getting to his feet.

Lu Bai walked to the table. He saw the wound on the Black Dog’s side was wrapped in gauze. It wasn’t breathing anymore.

Uncle Fu said, "Elder Luo came to take a look. He said that even though Miss Luo’s intervention helped the blade avoid the heart, it still pierced its chest. The Sword Qi tore its heart meridians apart. He said it most likely won’t survive.

Elder Luo even transferred a sliver of his Innate True Qi into it, but it was no use."

Lu Bai gently stroked the Black Dog’s body, which was already growing cold. He said nothing, his expression terrifyingly grim.

"What’s that Qi Refiner’s name?"

Lu Bai asked.

Luo Ben answered, "His surname is Mo. I think his name is Mo Shaohan."

"Good. Good. Good. Mo Shaohan."

Lu Bai muttered the name, his voice ice-cold.

’He had never felt such an intense urge to kill someone!’

’I don’t care who you are or what power backs you.’

’Even when he had just arrived in this world and had to face the Lu Family’s crisis, killing Lu Ziyuan and his family and dealing with Madam Zhou had been mostly for self-preservation.’

’But right now, he wanted to slaughter this man, consequences be damned!’

He remembered once watching a film series where the protagonist’s roaring rampage was sparked by the death of a dog.

At the time, he thought the premise was a little absurd.

Only now did Lu Bai truly understand the feeling.

Ah Mo was more than just a dog to him.

Without Ah Mo, he wouldn’t have survived to this day!

Watching the silent Lu Bai, Luo Qing was overcome with guilt.

Before he left, Lu Bai had entrusted the Black Dog to her care.

But she had failed to protect him.

Her father’s tendons had been severed today, the Luo Family’s future looked bleak... So much had happened in a single day, and she felt utterly exhausted.

"Good boy," Madam Wang said softly. "Ah Bai is back to see you."

At the sound of her voice, the Black Dog’s body suddenly stirred.

The Black Dog slowly opened its eyes.

"Ah Mo!"

Lu Bai cried out, his voice filled with excitement.

The Black Dog’s pupils were unfocused. It stared at Lu Bai for a long moment before finally seeming to recognize him. It opened its mouth slightly and let out a soft whimper, as if to say goodbye.

’Maybe there’s still a chance to save Ah Mo!’

A sliver of hope rekindled in Lu Bai’s heart. He looked around at the others.

They remained silent.

Madam Wang said, "Qing’er just had several groups of doctors from the city come and look. They all said he can’t be saved. Ah Bai, you... sigh."

Lu Bai seemed to think of something. He quickly looked at Ah Ming beside him, crouched down, and asked, "Ah Ming, you try. Can you save Ah Mo? Any method is fine!"

The onlookers secretly shook their heads, assuming Lu Bai was so grief-stricken that he had become delirious.

Who else would ask a rooster for help at a time like this?

Ah Ming didn’t make a sound, standing stock-still.

’When it first came in, it had already assessed the Black Dog’s condition.’

’The Black Dog’s injuries were severe. The Sword Qi imbued in that strike had all but extinguished its life force.’

’But in truth, the Black Dog wasn’t completely dead yet. A sliver of intense Evil Qi remained within its body, barely protecting its heart meridians.’

’But as time went on, that Evil Qi would dissipate, and then it would be truly dead.’

’There was nothing it could do about this situation.’

’Not unless someone had a heaven-defying ability to bring back the dead.’

Just then, a Luo Family guard approached from the entrance, holding a letter. "Young Hero Lu," he said, "a four or five-year-old child at the gate brought this letter and asked me to give it to you."

Lu Bai remained expressionless, ignoring the man.

His heart was a whirlwind of killing intent, regret, and frustration. He was in no mood to read a letter.

Luo Ben waved the guard away, gesturing for him to leave.

The guard added, "Second Young Master, the Xuanjian Sect also had a letter delivered just now. It was given to the Elder."

"What kind of new trouble is the Xuanjian Sect trying to stir up?"

Luo Ben and Luo Xiao’s faces filled with resentment.

"CLUCK!"

Just then, Ah Ming let out a cry.

Lu Bai’s heart skipped a beat.

’A four or five-year-old child?’

Lu Bai shot to his feet. "Was it a four or five-year-old girl, a Daoist Child?"

The guard replied, "Yes, dressed like a Daoist. She even had a squirrel perched on her shoulder."

’It’s Yun Luo!’

Without another word, Lu Bai snatched the letter from the guard’s hand and bolted outside.

He reached the gate of the Luo Family residence but saw no sign of Yun Luo.

"Where did that Daoist Child go?"

Lu Bai asked.

"She left as soon as she delivered the letter. Huh?"

The guard beside him looked confused. "She’s already gone? How did she leave so fast?"

Lu Bai quickly unfolded the letter.

On it was a single line of elegant script.

"Willow Shade Courtyard, at the end of Bluestone Alley in the city’s west."

Lu Bai spun around, charged back into the courtyard, scooped up the Black Dog in his arms, and ran out of the Luo residence, sprinting toward the west side of the city.

’In all of Bluestone City, if anyone could save the Black Dog, it might be the Daoist Nun from the Four Seas Pavilion.’

’But he had no idea if she could actually do it.’

’Regardless, this was his last hope.’

"Ah Mo, just hold on a little longer. We’re almost there."

Lu Bai sprinted through the streets, repeating the words to the Black Dog over and over.

"What’s going on with the Black Hand Young Hero? Has he lost his mind?"

"The Luo Family is done for. When the nest falls, no egg is left unbroken. He’s probably cracking under the pressure."

Seeing Lu Bai in such a state, the pedestrians of Bluestone City quickly got out of his way.