Silver Dai

So what if Iron Buddha is dissatisfied? Can it butt its head against me?

Li Fan almost burst out laughing, but these three monks were indeed powerful. Iron Buddha Temple was just a branch of the Zhen Country Buddhism in Jiujiang Prefecture, where there were probably many experts, and they were not so easy to offend.

So Li Fan thought about it. Ultimately, the goal this time was to retrieve the Heavenly Book. He'd get the Heavenly Book first, and then see what kind of strange thing this Phantom Moon Treasure Mirror really was. If it was just a useless piece of trash to him, then there was no need to offend these bald guys. But if it was truly a valuable item, then there was no reason to return it for nothing.

Fa Jue could naturally see what Li Fan was thinking, but he wasn't worried at all. He simply put away the iron Buddha, clasped his hands together, and smiled, "Fellow Daoist, don't forget the two-day deadline."

Then, he gracefully vanished into the light, and his two junior brothers, without a single complaint, followed after their junior brother without even glancing at Li Fan.

This monk is so magnanimous? But then again, this treasure has been lent to Marquis of Jianchang for many years; it's probably not something urgent. If it truly is a treasure of the Iron Buddha Temple, then it will surely return someday. And...

Li Fan took out the Si Nan and looked at it. In the study, the Si Nan refers to books, not this mirror. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be his, but he had it in his hands anyway, so he would study it first.

So Li Fan also disappeared underground, wanting to find a quiet place to retrieve the Heavenly Book as soon as possible.

Li Fan could no longer stay in Jiujiang Prefecture Xun Kingdom, and Jiangling Prefecture of Zhen Country was also the territory of the monks. So he fled north and sneaked into the territory of the Well Lodgings Guard in Si Prefecture. The Four Imperial Guards of the Immortal Palace were old units passed down from the era of the Immortal Venerable. If units like the Nangong Immortal Army and the Luo Feng Immortal Army were equivalent to border guards, the Four Imperial Guards were equivalent to a proper national defense army.

When the Immortal Venerable established the Three Enclosures base, in addition to the nobles and officials who lived in the Immortal Palace of the Three Enclosures, there were also many common people outside the city walls. In order to manage and maintain order, he organized seven guard divisions in the North Suwei, south, and north, which were commanded by the generals of the four directions.

Each division's garrison was a military post. Each division was under the command of five thousand households. Each household had one male member who served as a soldier. The military post division was also responsible for protecting the safety of the five thousand households and their families, driving away the surrounding monsters, and fighting against the surrounding Demon Race, among other tasks.

As the Immortal Venerable waged wars in the south and north, dominated the Central Plains, and expanded into all directions, bringing the entire territory of the Eight Six Combinations and Six Directions into the Immortal Palace's domain, the Human Race also reaped the full benefits of war, and their population exploded.

Today, each of these households is a legitimate aristocratic family, with more than five members per household. Moreover, their family trees likely contain experts who have cultivated to the Golden Core or Nascent Soul Stage levels. Previously, a household under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Guard might have provided at most one male soldier, but now these military households have become warlords with generations of generals, and they also have vassal servants and slaves under their command. Three generations of their families have inherited military status, and it is possible for a single garrison to easily produce tens of thousands of Golden Core immortal soldiers.

Of course, due to the custom of infighting within the Immortal Palace, it was common for nobles and powerful families to lose political battles, have their property confiscated, and beheaded. Their close associates and former subordinates were also imprisoned and exiled to the border regions of the Eight Kingdoms, or to places like the South and North Seas to reclaim wasteland. But generally speaking, the 140,000 households that were established when the Guardian Army was founded were the Immortal Palace's arsenal and the core of its ruling group in various senses.

Of course, these are all macro-level observations. In reality, the decline of old families and the rise of new ones, the exile of powerful families from the Jingji and the entry of newly rich nobles from the outer regions into Luoyang are all common occurrences.

Although the Three Enclosures are theoretically the overlords of the world, if no true Immortal King of the Ascension Realm emerges, the local military families will naturally be unwilling to obey orders. Even if the Three Enclosures issue an edict to recruit troops, if the targets of the campaign offer no financial reward, the heads of the Imperial Guards might be too lazy to lead the expedition themselves, simply sending a few Foundation Establishment stage disciples from the Outer Sect to make up the numbers. So, you might say the Imperial Guards are weak, but they are certainly not weak; you might also say they are very strong, but that's hard to say.

Moreover, these military officers are entangled with various factions within the Three Enclosures. Now that the Immortal Palace has been almost completely wiped out, the nobles of the Imperial Guards are actively involved in the core political struggles of the Three Enclosures. Naturally, the high-ranking officials and nobles above them don't like to use these arrogant and fierce generals. If they were to be promoted to generals or prime ministers, wouldn't that just create another opponent for no reason? Therefore, they dare not lightly bestow even the prestigious titles of Four Generals.

Of course, there is another pattern: usually, if the Imperial Guards are strong, the presence of the outer vassal states is weak, and if the outer vassal states are strong, the presence of the Imperial Guards is relatively low.

For example, the Southern Imperial Guards is relatively low-profile among the four guardian armies. After all, in the two major battles against the Luo Feng Immortal Palace and then Nan Gong Immortal Palace, the seven armies of the Southern Guardian Army were always the first to bear the brunt, suffering several heavy blows, and even a few complete annihilation defeats. Many generations of warlords in the Southern Guardian Army were wiped out, resulting in a severe break in their lineage. Even the Three Enclosures had to transfer the Thunder Department to maintain order, which allowed the Xun and Zhen Country to seize the opportunity to develop. Meanwhile, the Three Enclosures also supported the vassal states and suppressed the local powerful families of the Southern Guardian Army to prevent the emergence of uncontrollable military towns.

Perhaps it is because of the current weakness of the Southern Imperial Guards that the Southern Country presents an illusion of peace and prosperity, unlike the North where battles and chaos reign at every turn.

Li Fan rushed to the territory of the Well Lodgings Guard, and after confirming that there were no powerful monsters at the Divine Transformation level within his Divine Sense range, and that there were no trashy Nascent Soul Nascent Soul Stage nearby who might get in his way, he found a dilapidated earth temple on the mountaintop to stay in, and only breathed a sigh of relief after setting up a magic array to conceal the secrets of heaven.

Before opening the box, Li Fan checked his mood. Because he had stolen a flying sword and repaired the jade flute, his current mood was about 4.5k/5.9k, and his energy recharge progress was 5.5k/5.9k.

Even fighting a Dao Ancestor shouldn't be a big problem, right? However, the power of the golden light in this mirror is actually similar to the Sword Light of the Black Sword, which still poses a threat to those in the Nascent Soul Realm.

So, just to be on the safe side, Li Fan took out the Gui Xu Dao Yi and the last three Luo Sect Dao Robes and wrapped them up tightly. Then, he put on the Unknown Face, ready to escape at any time, before carefully opening the box.

Fortunately, the mirror didn't shoot out any more death rays; inside the box were the mirror and a dead man's hand.

Li Fan leaned closer to examine it, and sure enough, this mirror really was the Phantom Moon Treasure Mirror; it was clearly written on the frame...

Moreover, the seal in the box and the talisman on the mirror are clearly the handwriting of the same person, and the system used is quite different from that of the Xuanmen sect. It seems that it really is the work of the young abbot of Iron Buddha Temple.

Although Li Fan didn't know what incantation was needed to activate the treasure mirror, the concubine wasn't a cultivator, and she had simply hung the mirror on the door before removing the talisman. It probably didn't require any ritual or incantation.

So, Li Fan, with a try-it-out attitude, peeled off the talisman on the mirror. The mirror gradually lit up, its surface becoming a golden lamp, casting a beam of light directly onto the roof of the earth god temple.

Li Fan leaned closer to the golden light and looked at the reflection in the mirror.

In the mirror, one could vaguely see pavilions and palaces, shimmering with precious light and colorful clouds. One could also see countless figures, as if there were countless beautiful fairies laughing and chasing each other in the mirror. It was like a paradise, a different world altogether, making one wish to actually immerse oneself in it and explore.

But when Li Fan closed his eyes and used the method of blind observation to investigate, he found that there was clearly nothing there. The mirror in his hand was still the same mirror, and there was no such thing as a vast, mysterious place. However, he could sense that as the magic weapon was activated, many characters, incantations, and magic arrays were floating around the mirror, as if flying insects were attracted by the light of a searchlight.

Li Fan frowned, looked at himself in the Bagua mirror, thought carefully for a while, and came to a preliminary conclusion.

This treasure mirror must be some kind of profound illusionary magic artifact, capable of drawing one's soul into it, making one feel as if they have entered some kind of Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land. However, it doesn't have such a powerful alluring effect on a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator like him.

How was that book hidden inside? And how can it be retrieved?

Do I have to search again, like I did when I met Du Xia on the ship, by using my spiritual energy to leave my body and enter the illusionary realm within a magical artifact?

However... although he was not afraid of demons and monsters in the mortal world, and could stare dead at any Devil Embryo or Dao Ancestor with one eye, if his primordial spirit left his body, he would have no means of attacking or protecting himself. Just like what he saw in the Inner Landscape of the Divine Court, that red eyeball did not seem to be with his Gui Xu Nascent Soul, but was merely residing in this Dao body shell.

Li Fan hesitated for a moment, then held the mirror in his hands and examined it closely for a while. He could see a palace manor in the mirror, and as he got closer, he could almost hear the chirping of orioles and smell the fragrance of rouge and flowers. Every now and then, some beautiful women would walk past the mirror, each one dressed in flowing fairy robes and palace skirts. However, they walked in a hurry, as if they were drifting away with the breeze and colorful mist, and for a moment, he could not see their faces clearly.

Li Fan squinted and pondered for a while. Thinking of the novel written by the Marquis of Jianchang, he suddenly had an epiphany and tried calling out to the mirror, "Purple hairpin, purple hairpin!"

After calling out for a while, a fairy maiden seemed to hear her, turned around and looked in the mirror, "Who's calling? Purple Hairpin isn't here."

Her sudden turn of the head caused a commotion, making Li Fan's mood drop slightly. This celestial beauty had probably landed face-first, as if she'd been flattened by a millstone, her head deflated like a lump of dough. Compared to her mangled, bloody face, even the giant's features seemed distinct...

Li Fan suppressed the urge to vomit, recalled the voice of the Marquis of Jianchang when they first met, and said in a high-pitched voice, "It's me, I'm the Marquis of Jianchang."

The bald-headed fairy chuckled softly, "When you ask someone to play the flute, you call yourself 'this humble servant,' but when you turn your back on them, you call yourself 'Lord Marquis.' Why haven't you come for a while, little wife? Your sisters miss you so much."

"Playing the flute, ugh..." Li Fan looked at his face in the mirror and couldn't help but gag.

The woman with the sunken head immediately sensed something was wrong. "Huh? What's wrong with your voice, young lady? Why is it so foggy that I can't see your face? Why don't you just come in?"

"Cough cough cough, I've caught a slight cold these past few days. The doctor said I'm weak and told me to rest and not overwork myself. Here are the books I kept for you, twelve of them on methods of improving health and cultivating inner strength. They say they can help me replenish my energy. Please fetch them for me quickly, so I can meet with you when I'm feeling better."

The woman with the sunken head was quiet for a moment, then chuckled softly, "You're the one who said it's useless, and you're the one who said it's useful too. Fine, just wait, I'll go get it right away."

Is it really that simple? Won't they find out?

Li Fan was a little confused, but soon he heard a voice coming from the mirror, "Quickly use the mirror to look at the wall, I'm coming out."

Li Fan squinted, then hid the talisman on the mirror in his sleeve. He then tossed the mirror into the air, whereupon it hung from the beam. A beam of light shot out from the mirror, illuminating the wall of the earth god temple and forming a portal of light.

Then, amidst the flickering shadows, the silhouette of a beautiful woman became increasingly clear and solidified, emerging from the portal of light.

She could indeed be called a beauty this time; she probably just used one of the three great evil arts of East Asia to give herself a beauty filter that was at least an 80 out of 100. But Li Fan already knew what this thing was all about, and he didn't have the slightest thought of lust at first sight. He glanced at the fact that she wasn't holding a book in her hand and knew that his plan to impersonate the Marquis of Jianchang had failed.

"This servant, Yin Dai, greets this gentleman." The woman with the shriveled hair wasn't surprised at all; she had indeed seen through Li Fan's lie. She bowed with a smile. At this moment, she was only wearing a silk skirt over her inner garment, deliberately revealing her fair thighs and chest. She said with a coquettish smile, "My lord, aren't you afraid of causing trouble by stealing the Marquis's treasures?"

'Li Fan suffered a spiritual attack, and his mood dropped slightly.'

This form is visible to the naked eye; it emerged from the mirror and was condensed using the magic of the treasure mirror. So, is it a spirit or an object...?

Li Fan didn't make a move for the time being, only saying calmly, "Where's the book?"

"Hehe, my lord, you are so clueless about romance." Yin Dai laughed. "Let me give you a piece of advice: those books don't teach the right way. My lord, you are already a rare talent in the world to retrieve the Phantom Moon Treasure Mirror from the Marquis's mansion. Why covet external methods?"

Li Fan sneered. Every time this ugly guy spoke, the system reminded him that he was being attacked by the primordial spirit and his mood had dropped slightly. It was quite insidious. "Alright, enough nonsense. Just tell me if you're going to hand over the book or not."

Yin Dai's expression remained unchanged. "It's alright, this servant doesn't covet those heretical methods. It's just that I haven't seen the Marquis for quite some time, and I've been quite worried. Today, you impersonated his voice to trick me and even knew Zichai's name. Surely the Marquis must be in your hands?"

"This servant is deeply indebted to the Marquis and has at least ensured his safety, which is why I can hand over the items to you. How about it? One hand gives the book, the other gives the person. Isn't that fair?"

Li Fan was speechless for a moment.

Seeing that he didn't answer, Yin Dai's smile gradually faded. "What, what have you done to the Marquis!"

Li Fan had no choice but to take out the novel from his pocket and toss it at Yin Dai, saying, "I guessed about your affair from the book. Your lord died a few days ago, wasn't he killed by your 'essence cultivation'?"

"What! No, that's impossible! We performed rituals to change his fate; he should have escaped death! How could he possibly die! You're lying to me!"

Yin Dai let out a piercing scream and pounced like a vengeful ghost.

Li Fan was prepared. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword, blasting away most of the local temple. Yin Dai was instantly reduced to minced meat.

But as the mirror light shifted, the scattered pieces of flesh twisted and solidified, exploding into a clump of connected flesh that wrapped around Li Fan's face!

Li Fan remained expressionless, only his Crimson Eyes glaring between his brows.

Suddenly, a scream echoed from the darkness, and the skin and flesh exploded into ashes with a "poof," leaving only faint, ghostly shadows writhing like snakes, accompanied by gusts of eerie wind.

"Soul Condensation and Spirit Refinement!"

Li Fan tried to grab a handful, but caught nothing, and frowned.

It seems that whatever that thing is, although its transformation was seen through by Crimson Eyes and it was severely injured, it is not completely dead yet. Therefore, he cannot capture and imprison its remnant soul. However, this has alerted the enemy, and it is likely that the enemy will not dare to come out again.

Li Fan flew up and took the mirror off the beam, then pasted the talisman back on.

The light in the mirror vanished instantly, and the lingering image of Yin Dai disappeared like a dream. Only from the other side of the mirror could one still hear the piercing scream of fingernails scratching glass.

Tsk, this is a bit troublesome... Are there five such men in the mirror, all the mistresses of the Marquis of Jianchang?

Li Fan wasn't really confident about fighting in his primordial spirit state, and for a moment he found it somewhat tricky.

Hmm... how about... we just worship the moon for a month?

It's not about worshipping the False Moon, it's about worshipping the bright moon.

Since he had already delivered the package to Luo Feng Old Lord, in a sense, he had indeed obtained the 'Heavenly Book' and was in a good mood, he might as well go to the moon and hand in the mission to the mountain lord.

Okay, I'll learn a couple of attack skills in my spirit form, and then come back to farm this Phantom Moon Treasure Mirror dungeon.