The Shadow Play Theater

Duan Shaohong sat in the Lu Family, wailing loudly, "Sister, have pity on your sister, let me take Huaiyi away, otherwise I will have no way to live."

Lu Maoxian dealt a ruthless blow to the Zhang family, Zhang Huaiyi's nominal father, Zhang Bochun, was beaten half to death.

Duan Shaohong took a very tough stance, telling Lu Maoxian's men to fight however they wanted, as their family would never back down.

She just didn't expect that Lu Maoxian's men would attack her as well.

It doesn't matter if she hits Zhang Bochun; she doesn't feel bad about it.

I got hit, and it really hurt, really badly.

The couple were not only beaten, but their house was also burned down, all their property was seized, and even her father, the Duan family patriarch, was implicated.

Duan Shaohong was so focused on the Lu Family's wealth that she didn't realize how ruthless the Lu Family could be.

Lu Maoxian sent people to kick the whole family out that day. Duan Shaohong dared not disobey and ran to the Lu Mansion to beg Duan Shaoxia for forgiveness.

Sending someone over is easy, but picking them up is difficult. The current "Zhang Huaiyi" is no longer the same Zhang Huaiyi.

Duan Shaoxia comforted her, "Sister, it's precisely at times like these that we mustn't back down; we must show the backbone of the Duan family!"

"I can't show my backbone anymore. Several of my bones have been broken," Duan Shaohong said, shaking her head. "Sister, have pity on me. Just pretend I never mentioned this, let's just let it go, okay?"

Duan Shaoxia slammed her hand on the table. "I can't swallow this! We still have to hold a banquet on the first day of the new year, so we have to get this done."

"You can't do it, you can't..." Duan Shaohong hugged Duan Shaoxia tightly. "If you really do it, you'll be collecting your sister's family's corpses!"

Duan Shaoxia frowned and said, "This won't do. Things that have been decided can't be changed. Little Qiu, how are the banquet preparations going?"

Qiu Zhiheng looked troubled. "The old master summoned the entire clan and explained the matter in public. Now, the whole clan refuses to accept invitations."

Duan Shaoxia remained silent, somewhat dissatisfied with Qiu Zhiheng.

Duan Shaohong quickly chimed in, "Sister, you have to listen to Steward Qiu. We can't go against the entire Lu Family on this. If no one in the Lu Family approves, our banquet won't do any good."

"Sister, please let me take Huaiyi with me, please, I'm begging you!"

Duan Shaoxia sighed and said, "We'll have to wait a bit before holding the banquet, but Huaiyi is already my son, and he must live in the Lu Mansion from now on."

"Then, then, what about my sister?"

"Why don't you go home first?"

Duan Shaohong exploded. "Where am I supposed to go? My house's burned down! Girl, are you really not going to let me live? At least let me stay here for now!"

Duan Shaoxia reluctantly allowed Duan Shaohong to stay at the Lu Mansion for the time being.

That night, Duan Shaohong wanted to see her son.

Zhang Huaiyi claimed he wasn't feeling well and didn't go to see her.

Lu Maoxian sat in the hall and smashed several teacups.

The incident at the theater has blown up.

The ten-minute video was shown, and everyone knew that Lu Maoxian vigorous and had plenty of energy left.

That's secondary.

The key is that many people know about Lu Maoxian's peculiar hobby: he likes to film the process.

Lu Maoxian an elder of the Qingshou Association, who studied the teachings of sages and acted as Great Virtuous Person, yet he actually liked to take pictures of them and then show them to everyone.

Could this be the ultimate secret of the sages?

This isn't just someone else's wild speculation; it's what the newspapers said.

The Ling family newspaper said this: The sage's ultimate wisdom lies in honesty.

The up-and-coming newspaper "Night Fragrance" also said the same thing: the essence of sagehood lies in frankness.

Was this movie really directed by Lu Maoxian?

Of course not.

Lu Maoxian likes girls, but he doesn't like movies. The things in the movies do happen, but he didn't make them.

This was seen by Ling Miaoying using her voyeuristic cultivation technique, and she used a magical artifact to project it onto the video.

Lu Maoxian furious. That night, he summoned more than twenty of his trusted confidants and ordered them to keep a close watch on Ling Miaoying 'Ling Miaoying movements and to take her life as soon as they had the chance.

In addition, Ling Miaoying's film company was not spared either. From the actors to the production staff, they were all dealt with one by one, so that no one would dare to work for Ling Miaoying in the future.

The cinemas are also taking drastic measures; if anyone dares to show "Blood Blade Detective" again, they'll burn the theater down.

He had wanted to do this for a long time; it was originally the sage's instruction, and if anything went wrong, the sage would take care of it.

Now that he has completely fallen out with the Ling family, instead of going back and forth, he might as well settle things on his side before the Ling family makes any drastic moves.

Around 10 p. m., Lu Maoxian received a message that Ling Miaoying and the popular actress Tu Yinghong were studying the script at the company.

Lu Maoxian led his men to the film company. He knew that Ling Miaoying was a high-level cultivator, and if he made a big show of it, the other party would definitely be on guard. So he first had Xu Huairong seventh-level poison cultivator, release poison near the building.

Xu Huairong had killed many voyeurs and was familiar with their techniques and habits. Dozens of meters away from the building, he placed a bamboo basket on the ground and sat down by the roadside to smoke a pipe.

To an ordinary person, he would just look like an old man taking a break. But dealing with a spy can't rely solely on sneak attacks; the slightest movement will alert the enemy. So you have to show yourself in the open while taking action in the shadows.

Inside his bamboo basket, a colorless and formless snake spirit silently approached the vicinity of the building.

The snake spirit opened its mouth and released venom, causing the guards who were originally on duty around the building to suddenly become dazed.

They were poisoned, but their behavior did not change significantly; they continued to patrol around the building.

The snake spirit entered the building and then released its poison. Xu Huairong sat on the ground, sweating profusely. It took him more than ten minutes to release all the snake spirit's poisonous mist, and he was also exhausted.

Inside the film company, everyone's eyes were glazed over, but no one stopped working.

The accountant was still doing the calculations, his fingers randomly fiddling with the abacus beads.

The screenwriter is still revising the script, his pen scribbling all over the notebook.

The crew was repairing the set, hammers clanging aimlessly.

Ling Miaoying was still discussing the plot with the Best Actress. The plot had changed less, but the depth was well maintained.

The poison cultivator Xu Huairong nodded slightly to Lu Maoxian, indicating that he had succeeded.

Lu Maoxian pressed down on his palm, signaling him to withdraw the poisonous mist.

Xu Huairong tapped his pipe, sat silently for a moment, then picked up his bamboo basket and left the building.

He retrieved the snake spirit and the poisonous mist.

To be on the safe side, Lu Maoxian waited a few more minutes before letting his men go upstairs.

He wouldn't go into the building himself; who knows what kind of traps might be inside? Lu Maoxian wouldn't take any unnecessary risks.

Lin Zhixiao, a martial arts master at the sixth level, led more than a dozen people into the film company. Ignoring everyone else, he went straight to the top floor of the building.

Pushing open the door to Ling Miaoying's bedroom, one sees Tu Yinghong in front and Ling Miaoying behind, both looking dazed, yet still exchanging frequent words.

Lin Zhixiao rushed out with his short knife, suddenly stepped forward, and chopped off Ling Miaoying's head with one stroke.

Ling Miaoying's body stopped moving, and blood gushed out from the cut like a spring, splattering all over Tu Yinghong.

Tu Yinghong seemed oblivious, her body still swaying back and forth.

Lin Zhixiao chuckled and said, "Old Xu's poison is really potent!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Zhixiao swung his knife and slashed Tu Yinghong, then ordered his men, "Leave no survivors in the building, kill them all."

Everyone was armed with weapons, and they went from upstairs to downstairs, killing anyone they saw.

Lin Zhixiao killed the accountant who was doing the bookkeeping and discovered a hidden door in the room.

Pushing open the hidden door, I saw several people inside, their eyes glazed over, counting money.

It turns out this is a vault.

After killing the men counting the money, Lin Zhixiao discovered a hidden door in the vault.

This Shadow Play Building actually has quite a few rooms.

Lu Maoxian waited quietly downstairs for news from inside.

"Master, there seems to be some noise." One of the servants heard some sounds of fighting.

Lu Maoxian taken aback; he had heard it too.

Lin Zhixiao is a renowned assassin; he shouldn't have caused such a commotion.

Lu Maoxian looked around. Although it was late and there were few pedestrians on the road, it could easily cause trouble if someone noticed him.

A rickshaw puller walked by on the road, seemingly oblivious to everything.

There was a beggar searching for food in the garbage dump, and it seemed like he didn't hear anything.

Lu Maoxian frowned, waiting for Lin Zhixiao to finish quickly.

How many people are in the entire building?

These people are all poisoned. He's only a sixth-level martial arts cultivator, and he brought so many people with him. Why did he have to dawdle for so long?

"What's this kid doing?" Lu Maoxian muttered to himself, looking around.

A man carrying a sign said, "He's on the third floor, I saw him."

Did you see him?

Lu Maoxian the Shadow Play Building and saw Lin Zhixiao there.

He was tidying up several workers who were setting up a set on the third floor.

The Shadow Play Building has become transparent!

Is the building fake?

Oh no, we've fallen for their trap!

Lu Maoxian took a step to leave, when he suddenly heard Ling Miaoying say in his ear, "Grandpa, where are you going? The movie isn't over yet, and you're already leaving?"

Ling Miaoying's figure suddenly appeared in front of Lu Maoxian, with actress Tu Yinghong standing beside her.

Lu Maoxian nodded and exclaimed in admiration, "Boss Ling, you're really skilled! You managed to fake such a large building!"

Ling Miaoying shook her head and said, "This is not fake, it's real. Your people are killing people inside the building. There are endless people to kill in this building. Ask Lin Zhixiao if the people in this building are real."

These people can talk, walk, and a knife can cut their skin and draw blood. They even show symptoms after being poisoned. Can you honestly say they aren't True Person?

Lu Maoxian speechless.

He's lived to such an old age and has never seen such methods before.

Ling Miaoying patted Tu Yinghong's peach and pointed at "Ling Miaoying" and "Tu Yinghong" in the building. "Look, they're alive again, their heads have grown back, and they're starting to act again. They're so into their roles, doesn't this seem real?"

Tu Yinghong shook her head and said, "I don't think it's real. You're not really in character yet. I'll show you what it means to be truly in character in a moment."

Ling Miaoying pinched Tu Yinghong's cheek. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lu Maoxian suddenly spoke up to use his technique. An arrow shot into Lu Maoxian cheek and passed through his right cheek.

Lu Maoxian spat out a mouthful of blood and pulled out a calligraphy brush from his pocket to write.

A short knife fell from the sky and severed Lu Maoxian's forearm at the elbow.

Lu Maoxian took a few steps back. Several of his men protected him, while others rushed forward to fight Ling Miaoying Lu Maoxian.

The figure that rushed towards Ling Miaoying could not touch Ling Miaoying or Tu Yinghong; it was just an illusion.

Ling Miaoying looked calmly at Lu Maoxian and slowly said, "Ever since the company caught fire and burned my film, I've invested heavily in precautions. Old Master Lu, let me ask you a question: was it you who set this fire before?"

Lu Maoxian shook his head.

"You don't acknowledge it, huh?" Ling Miaoying sneered. "I'm going to film a new movie soon, so you probably won't be able to see it."

PS: He Jiaqing asked Ling Miaoying to spare Lu Maoxian's life, but Ling Miaoying had no intention of doing so.

Dear readers, please give all your guaranteed monthly votes to Salad!