Yinshan Record

Chapter 139 Illusionary Spells
Su Che was of course unaware that someone was preparing to compete with him.

The two superior rooms were quickly prepared, one for Su Che and one for Lu Bai.

The walls are decorated with calligraphy and paintings, and the incense burner on the table slowly burns sandalwood incense. The sounds of pedestrians on the street and the melodies of Suzhou storytelling performed by female singers outside drift into the air.

Madam Tie, on the other hand, had the heroic air of a chivalrous woman from the martial arts world. Her words and actions made it seem as if the previous conflict between the two sides was all fabricated and a complete illusion.

"We happen to have a few groups staying here for a few days, so we'll set up a feast tonight. Firstly, to invite Young Master Zuo to taste their food, and secondly, as a small apology."

The plump woman spoke sincerely.

Since one doesn't hit a smiling face, Su Che agreed first.

But it would be a miracle if they could even go.

Su Che estimated that once the gate to the Yin-Yang Realm opened at noon today, he would enter the Yin-Yang Realm.

Back then, all you could hear were ghostly wails; no other music was worth listening to.

"Please take your family and settle down here for now, young master. I will not disturb you any longer."

Madam Tie smiled and took her leave, leaving Su Che and Lu Bai behind.

As for Taigong Chong, that old devil simply ran away to avoid suspicion.

After everyone had dispersed, Lu Bai pulled out a talisman from his sleeve, and with a flick of his palm, the talisman flashed with a purple light.

This is the symbol of Yang and Kaiming.

In the Southern Dynasties, wealthy families would hang this talisman in their courtyards every day because it was believed to have the effect of regulating yin and yang and enhancing spiritual energy.

Hanging it in the yard will prevent the family from suffering from plagues or nurturing evil spirits, and even the flowers, plants, and trees will grow better than those of other families.

People who travel the martial arts world also carry this talisman because it is extremely sensitive to any fluctuations in magical power. After all, the yang energy summoned by this talisman is very weak, and it can detect any abnormality as soon as it is disturbed.

If someone is spying on you or has some hidden tricks up their sleeve, you can sense it as soon as the talisman lights up.

Not everyone is like Su San, who has the Chiwen Ring that allows her to use the mirage to conceal her whereabouts, like a dragon soaring through the heavens or a snake lying in the earth. Everyone has their own methods.

"Young master, this place is probably..."

After the talisman burned completely, there was no trace of yang energy around it, but instead, it aroused layers of ghostly energy, and the sound of the wind in one's ears was faint and indistinct, like the wailing of ghosts.

"This building must be using illusion magic."

Su Che pulled out a chair.

"This table and chair, the surrounding furnishings, and even those living people outside might all be illusions created by others."

Lu Bai understood.

He wasn't new to the life of a secret policeman; although he started as a jailer, he still had some experience and common sense.

In the cultivation world, so-called illusion magic does not form a separate system or tradition like Taoism, Buddhism, demons, and monsters.

However, it is indeed a very effective method of application, and each sect has explored it within its own scope.

Illusion, or magic, is not a purely ethereal dream or illusion.

Its core and essence is to distort the true nature of things.

It's like a scholar who spends the night in the middle of nowhere, only to stumble upon a nobleman's mansion hosting a banquet.

A hundred dishes of delicacies and a thousand cups of fine wine were served. The singing and dancing pavilions were filled with beautiful women. He was invited to take a seat and became drunk before he knew it. The host arranged for him to rest in a guest room, where a beautiful maidservant was to attend to him.

The night was too short. When it was fully light, I found myself surrounded by ancient cypress and pine trees, and stone figures. As I walked forward, I discovered that this place was actually a large tomb.

At this moment, his back was drenched in sweat. Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name. He turned around and saw what appeared to be a white face among the pine branches. His master was embracing the beautiful maid he had spent the night with and looking at him.

But the scene was fleeting. Still shaken, he started to walk away, but after only a few steps he fell to the ground, tripped over a wooden figurine about half a person's height.

In his anger, he was about to smash the wooden figurine when he touched a line of small characters: "In noble families, such things are commonplace; let not scholars suffer from lovesickness."

In shock and shame, he realized that the person he had spent the night with was this wooden figurine.

This was the illusion used by the master in that scene, transforming the ancient tomb into a mansion of a noble family, with the wooden figurines used as burial objects all serving as servants and guests. Although it was bustling and lively, in reality it was just a one-man show by his own family.

The delicacies served at the banquet were indeed of exceptional quality, and the singers and dancers were all exceptionally beautiful and charming.

The premise is that the illusion does not dissipate.

The problem is that so few cultivators can achieve immortality, and how many people throughout the ages have been able to attain the first-grade Earth Immortal?

As for illusions that can coexist with this world, where can one find them?
This Yuelai Inn must have used illusion magic. If Su Che were willing to spend some time and effort, he might be able to glean more insights from this place.

Since the entire inn is part of a magical system set up by someone else, there are naturally fluctuations of magical power everywhere.

Spying?

It's like talking into someone's ear.

“In that case,” Lu Bai said with a wry smile, “aren’t we just walking right into their trap?”

"It's alright, each has its own advantages. Some things just need to be said clearly to them."

Su Che sneered: "This time, the Sword Burial Man, a disciple of my sect, disappeared inexplicably in Guo Bei County. Everyone in the sect is furious. The two places of Shanyin and Guo Bei, as well as Xuanshan, have long been breached. Only Yin Yang Realm is the most suspicious. We must demand an explanation from them."

Lu Bai deduced the meaning of the words from beginning to end, and after much thought, he finally understood them.

This Su Lixing is a natural-born spy; his ability to be a man of a thousand faces left Lu Bai speechless.

And so it began.

A disciple of the Ghost Ancestor Palace of Beimang has come to investigate the disappearance of the Sword Burial Man, who is also his master.

The time, place, and people are all included.

As long as that so-called Sword Burial Man is not sitting in the Yin-Yang Realm at this moment, then everything is foolproof.

Well, the world is so big, it's unlikely that the Sword Burial Man is actually in the Yin-Yang realm.
Lu Bai roughly understood what Su Che meant and quickly added.

"Then what about our hidden agents placed here..."

Now that he had gone from being a young master who provided medicine to a disciple of the Ghost Ancestor Palace, Lu Bai was somewhat worried about his original plan.

Whether or not to report the matter in the Yin-Yang Realm to Yu Ze, the Vice Minister of Shanyin County, is a minor matter.

Should Eunuch Feng from the Imperial Horse Administration inform them?
After all, Su Lixing's real purpose in coming to Guobei County was to investigate the Golden Book Conference and the Northern Dynasty forces that were vaguely visible behind it.

As for the Yin-Yang Realm, the Ghost Ancestor Palace, and even the Yin-Yang Dharma King and so on.

To be honest, it has something to do with Su Lixing, but not much.

Not to mention Zhang San and that cow.

Although Lu Bai didn't know why Su Lixing wanted to involve such an ordinary yamen runner with little cultivation in this matter.

However, since the other party is Su Lixing's confidant, that's a different story.

But can that cow really play any role in such a delicate matter?

"Don't move yet."

Su Che glanced at Lu Bai.

"Let's rest for a bit, and talk again after we get out of the Yin-Yang realm."

(End of this chapter)