I am a swordsman in a strange city

Chapter 61 The Sword Sings and the Tiger Roars
The Pei Clan's Demon-Slaying Sword Hall was still empty, but many people were already standing outside.

Master Pei and Huang Di were standing outside, while Han Yitong, dressed in black, stood in the shadows.

"Fourth Master, have you thought it through? If you change your mind now, I can let them go back, and I can also help you in my personal capacity," Huang Di asked Fourth Master Pei.

"Director Huang, I have thought it through. This temple has been in our hands for so long. It helped our Pei family gain a foothold in Shanghai and brought us a lot of fame, but it also cost our Pei family a lot."

Master Pei's voice was somewhat low, but he spoke with great determination, as if he had made up his mind completely. This decision was difficult to make, yet also easy to make.

The difficulty lies in the fact that this is a 'temple' passed down through generations, the foundation of the Pei family; the ease lies in the fact that after his only grandson got trapped inside, he immediately thought of abandoning the temple.

He could no longer bear the blow of losing his grandson, nor did he want this fate to be repeated on his own Pei family.

"Since Fourth Master has thought it through, then let's do it according to Fourth Master's wishes. Whatever you say, we'll do it, and I'll get everyone to cooperate with you."

Master Pei nodded. Today, he not only wanted to hand over the temple, but also to take this opportunity to kill that vicious tiger.

Many people want to obtain the divinity of the mountain lord, and so does Master Pei. Does the Pei family not have it?

He entered the sword hall and began to move the furnishings around, moving the tables and chairs that were originally against the wall to the center.

"Director, what is he doing?" asked one of the people from the Cleansing Spirit Bureau.

"He's probably simulating a scenario, or you could call it setting up an array," Huang Di said.

"I've never heard of anyone from the Pei family knowing this?" the man asked again.

"I haven't heard of him being able to, but that doesn't mean he can't. Even if he can't, it doesn't mean he doesn't have friends who can. Look, if we compare these tables and chairs to mountains, aren't they mountains upon mountains, layer upon layer, with peaks and valleys?"

After Huang Di's reminder, the others also realized what was going on.

Then they saw Master Pei close all the doors and windows, and inside the house, Master Pei took out a ladder and untied the red cloth wrapped around the four beams in the room.

Once the red cloth is untied, you'll find incantations written in yellow paint inside.

Then, take down the eight corners of the house and place a small mountain seal there.

These small mountain seals are very inconspicuous, and the bottom of each seal is engraved with the character "镇" (zhen, meaning town).

These are all formations set up by someone to suppress the Mountain God Temple.

Then he took down the whip that was hanging on the wall.

He then took out the sword he used when he was young and tucked it into his waistband. He put on a black cloak, went to the octagonal table, lifted the black cloth, and a chorus of bells rang.

The shrine inside, resembling a birdcage, was revealed.

Inside the shrine, on an altar, are displayed tiger claws encased in metal.

After looking around a few times, he went to get some things, went into the small house, opened the door, came out, closed the door, and then untied the red cloth wrapped around the threshold.

Finally, a brazier was placed on the ground in front of the sword hall, and all the red cloths were burned.

Next, bring over a prepared piglet, have him bring a knife, stab the piglet in the throat, and then put it through the door.

The piglet screamed and rushed into the house, making a loud noise as it crashed into the frame. Master Pei shouted, "You vicious tiger, today our Pei family will settle things with you!"

The door wasn't wide open, but the windows inside were all closed, so there was no light. And somehow, a wind had picked up, and it seemed as if rain was spreading through the room, creating a fog that made it impossible to see anything clearly.

Faintly, one could hear the roar of a tiger, and the piglet screamed in agony, as if it were being eaten.

"Xiao Han, please take good care of Juzi for me," Master Pei said to Han Yitong, who was standing silently in the shadows.

"Yes, Fourth Master." As Han Yitong answered this, she became clearer from the shadows.

"Director Huang, let's go in."

Master Pei and Huang Di entered one after the other, walking among the tables, chairs, and tea tables.

Master Pei never actually entered this temple world.

But he had been waiting for this day for many years. The person who helped him prepare this formation back then was Pei Ju's maternal grandfather, who was his only remaining friend.

His friend did not actually enter the temple, but rather his consciousness did. After going inside once, he memorized the terrain and was able to set up this simulated scene.

Although it was his first time, Master Pei trusted him completely. He said that if this method could allow him to enter in his true form, then it definitely would.

He said that many years later, your sword hall would be deeply intertwined with the aura of that shrine. As long as my seal is broken, entering the sword hall would be like entering a temple.

Over the years, there has been a faint sense of mystery leaking out. Although it was dispelled by Master Pei, it also confirmed what his good friend had said.

A mixture of truth and deception.

The real and the virtual are inherently intertwined and mutually transformative.

He walked here, bypassing one obstacle after another, as if he had climbed over one mountain after another.

……

Pei Ju stood with his sword in hand, facing the white-robed old man who had also stepped into the temple with his left foot.

He was certain that this was the person who had just been brought in by the black-robed deacon.

Moreover, he was certain that he could enter by himself, but because he needed to bring others in with him, he would lead the way in the mirror and walk with them. If anyone disrupted the ritual, he would immediately abandon them and enter alone.

Pei Ju didn't know what would happen to those people who were moving through the mirrors without guidance, but since guidance was needed, it would definitely be a troublesome matter if the guide suddenly left.

When the old man turned around, he saw the other person's strange eyes.

It looks like a glass bead.

His pupils were like the black inside a glass bead. When Pei Ju was stared at, he felt a chill run down his spine and a sense that he had been seen through.

"We will eventually meet here in this temple. Hello, Pei Jieyang's grandson." The dean glanced at Pei Ju indifferently before looking at the statue shrouded in the branches and leaves of the trees.

Pei Ju's gaze fell on the black-robed deacon again, his malice intensified, probably because Pei Ju had ruined his mission.

Pei Ju carefully watched to see if he took out a mirror to look at himself.

Be extra careful around people who know magic.

Only by truly facing these people who possess strange magic can one truly appreciate the difficulty of swordsmanship. Sometimes, one can fall victim to their magic without even seeing them, and may even die without knowing who attacked them.

"The Pei family has supported the mountain spirit for five generations, which can give it new life. Now that you have come here, your grandfather Pei Jieyang is not far away."

Pei Ju remained silent, but he already vaguely understood what he meant. "Who are you?" Pei Ju asked.

"You can call me Mr. Jing, or you can call me Dean Jing." The old man still didn't look at him, but carefully examined the statue.

"Don't you know that this temple is registered with the Cleansing Bureau? What do you want by coming in here?"

At this moment, the black-robed deacon spoke up, saying, "The spiritual realms of the world have no borders. Haven't you heard that saying?"

Pei Ju had never heard such a thing before.

“The Spirit Realm has no borders, but it does have a place of belonging,” Pei Ju retorted.

"No, no, no." Dean Jing raised a hand, shook his finger, and said, "We have never believed that the Spirit Realm belongs to any one person or organization. We have the ability to freely enter and leave the Spirit Realm, so we have the right to do so."

“You don’t,” Pei Ju retorted.

“Our power doesn’t need to be given to us by others. Pei Jieyang’s grandson, let me teach you something. How much power you have depends entirely on your ability. If you don’t have any ability, then you should obediently follow the rules set for you by others. If you are a capable person, then you can use your ability to break free from what binds you.”

"However, young man, you have no chance. In the current situation, a mere swordsman like you cannot bear the burden, nor can you seize the opportunity."

If you simply listen to him without delving into his meaning, you might find him approachable. But if you delve into the meaning behind his words, you can deeply feel his indifference and apathy.

Just then, they seemed to hear the faint roar of a tiger echoing from the dark mountains outside.

Not long after, a strange sound of musical instruments was heard again.

I don't know what instrument it was playing, but the sound seemed to come from the mountains. It wasn't high-pitched or pleasant to listen to, and it didn't have any distinct syllables. It was like a lump of paste, or like an old man pouring out his heart.

Pei Ju listened intently, though he didn't know what it was.

Mr. Jing and He Hong remained silent, listening intently.

Gradually, the sound of the unknown wind instrument stopped, and after a while, a voice rang out from outside the temple.

"What wind blew Mr. Mirror into my little temple?"

The voice was serious yet cold, but to Pei Ju, it immediately evoked a sense of warmth, because he recognized it as his grandfather's voice at a glance.

“Pei Jieyang, you’ve come too. It seems you and your grandson are going to die here together today,” Mr. Jing said with a faint smile.

"Whether I live or die is irrelevant, but it won't be easy for you to get out alive. The Suspended Mirror Research Institute you founded will probably be left without a successor." Master Pei's voice continued.

"Heh, you, Pei Jieyang? You're far from it," Mr. Jing said with a hint of sarcasm.

As soon as he finished speaking, an old man stepped into the darkness outside the temple.

This person was wearing a thick black cloak.

At that moment, Pei Ju suddenly realized that his once tall grandfather was actually so thin under his cloak.

Beneath his black cloak, he carried a sword in one hand and a package in the other.

After entering, he walked directly towards Pei Ju and placed the package on the ground next to Pei Ju. He did not let Pei Ju take it, because it would be too inconvenient to have the package in his hand if a fight broke out later. These are all details.

"Grandpa," Pei Ju said, "how did you get in?"

“My only grandson is trapped here, how can I not come in?” said Fourth Master Pei.

As Master Pei spoke, he was sizing up Mr. Jing. He had become thinner, but his gaze was exceptionally sharp as he stared at Mr. Jing.

“Pei Jieyang, Pei Jieyang, you’ve spent your whole life guarding this temple, yet today you still have to come here to die. You’ve died a worthy death. It’s a pity that your Pei family, using the tiger’s power to scheme against it, has miscalculated. Five generations of your family will die here, giving this evil tiger a chance to rise again,” Mr. Jing said mockingly.

"Three out of five generations of the Pei family have served tigers, and we have borne the consequences ourselves, so you don't need to worry about it. However, you have prevented my grandson from leaving, and this debt needs to be settled," Fourth Master Pei said coldly.

This was the first time Pei Ju had seen his grandfather speaking to his adversary.

"Oh, how do you plan to calculate it?" Mr. Jing said, seemingly unconcerned.

Master Pei pursed his lips, shifted his body to the side, and took a step forward.

"Where is the mountain king?"

As soon as the sound faded, a tiger's roar rang out.

Sword drawn

Amidst the roar of a tiger, a flash of sword light pierced the darkness within the temple.

For a fleeting moment, it was impossible to tell whether it was the sound of a sword whistling or a tiger roaring.

Or perhaps it's the sound of a sword's cry and a tiger's roar.

However, Master Pei's body rushed forward several feet in one step, instantly closing in on Mr. Jing's body.

In that instant, Mr. Mirror quickly drew a circle in front of him, and that circle immediately became a mirror.

The mirror was as big as a shield, yet that mirror-like shield shattered instantly under the sword's light.

When it shattered, there was a sound of glass breaking, but what Pei Ju found unbelievable happened.

After the mirror shattered, both of them disappeared.

Pei Ju saw human figures reflected in the shards of mirror on the ground and walls.

It was as if Mr. Mirror and He Hong had both hidden within these mirror fragments, and suddenly many people split off from them.

He stared at one of the mirror shards and realized that the other person was pointing at his grandfather with their hand, while dozens of overlapping sounds rang out at the same time.

“Pei Jieyang, you claim to possess the God-Slaying Sword, but you’re nothing special. Today, I’ll show you the latest magic developed by my Suspended Mirror Research Institute.”

So many mirrors emitted light at the same time, shining towards Master Pei. Each beam of light was so dazzling, like streaks of sword light.

Master Pei did not retreat in the slightest, but instead roared to the sky, his roar seemingly accompanied by the howl of a tiger.

At the same time, he slashed his sword into the void.

He didn't dodge, didn't retreat, and didn't target any particular mirror. Instead, he slashed his sword at the void in front of him.

The sword in his hand emitted a strong sword light, and the tiger's roar sounded like a sword's cry. The void blurred in that instant, like waves that had been shattered.

(End of this chapter)