Just as he had this thought, Lu Jiangxian felt uneasy, and a clear pool appeared hazily before his eyes, startling him.
"Of course, there is still the Pristine Water!"
He was in Chi Buzi's sea of consciousness; not within his own mirror world. Lu Jiangxian knew that reading Chi Buzi's memories would alert the True Monarch of the Azure Pond Sect...
I can't kill him... Since I can't erase his memories, I'll plant a shamanic spell in his spiritual sense!
Lu Jiangxian waved his hand, condensing the dense moonlight and setting up a backlash monitoring spell. He reluctantly extracted a string of talisman qi.
I'll tie you to my boat so you can't go running to Pristine Water to tattle!
After setting up several layers of precautions to ensure that Chi Buzi would be utterly destroyed if the spell activated, Lu Jiangxian had a sudden inspiration. He used his divine sense to bring forth an object.
This was a piece extracted from the soul of Maha Jinlian, purified numerous times by Lu Jiangxian's moonlight. It was now blank and shining white.
A bold idea arose in Lu Jiangxian's mind, almost making him quiver with excitement.
Why not... replace him with a substitute... make him one of my own...
After careful consideration, Lu Jiangxian shook his head. Chi Buzi, after all, was associated with Pristine Water. If the sect discovered something was amiss upon his return, it would spell disaster for Lu Jiangxian.
Then a compromise—create a friend out of him!
He took the glowing orb and embedded it with fabricated memories, including various exalted immortals and immortal courts from past lives, checking everything thoroughly.
Satisfied with his work, he also altered the shamanic spell in Chi Buzi's Shenyang Mansion, linking it to the soul fragment of Maha Jinlian. After reviewing it, he was extremely pleased with his handiwork.
"It's flawless!"
————
On Mount Lijing.
The continuous sound of blood tears falling from Chi Buzi's body had stopped, leaving an eerie silence that made even the faintest sound audible.
"Hmm..."
Daoist Master Buzi pushed open the door and stumbled forward, a strange smile on his face. He leaned against the doorframe, taking another step out.
Buzi!
Li Yuanjiao's mind was racing with alarm bells.
The Daoist Master in green robes stepped forward, his eyes closed, the blood tears having ceased. Buzi then exhaled deeply, stiffly turning his head toward the members of the Li Family.
Li Yuanjiao felt his legs go numb and a chill run down his spine, raising the hair on the back of his neck.
At that moment, Buzi's face was divided; one side was clean and sharp-featured, while the other side was distorted and covered in fine white fur with the muscles twitching slightly. His ears were elongated and drooped downward.
His eyelids moved slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes, revealing empty black sockets with bulging green veins around them, the red-purple eyelids struggling to open.
"G... Greetings, Daoist Master!" Li Yuanjiao's hoarse voice echoed in the courtyard.
Buzi stared blankly at him for several breaths before speaking, "What Daoist Master? I am an Immortal Official under the command of the Immortal Lord at the Water Mansion of Dangjiang Creek.... What era is this? Where is the Immortal Court? Which is the nearest Water Mansion?..."
Buzi took a moment to examine his body before exclaiming, "After waiting so long to obtain a Purple Mansion Realm body, why is it still a damn devil cultivator?! How can devil cultivators run rampant in broad daylight in this era?"
The Li Family stared at him, dumbfounded. Buzi looked at them impatiently and asked, "Are you recipients of the talisman? Which sect do you belong to?"
Li Yuanjiao was still processing Buzi's words when Buzi suddenly stepped back, muttering, "No, I need to find a Water Mansion and reclaim my immortal position!"
He shouted, "You little yellow hats, quickly open this broken formation before I break it with a single palm, making you cry all over the place!"
Li Yuanjiao, observing Buzi's behavior, felt a sudden jolt of fear in his heart as his mind raced with thoughts.
Could it be that Chi Buzi has been possessed by some being with Metallic Essence? This entity keeps talking about a Water Mansion; who knows how ancient it is... no wonder Chi Buzi looks so disheveled! But... why isn't this being using the Great Void to travel..?
Since Chi Buzi was possessed, Li Yuanjiao wanted this disaster to leave as soon as possible. He quickly deactivated the formation, revealing the dark night sky.
"Good! You little yellow hats are sensible!"
The Metallic Essence spirit was overjoyed and flew away like a shooting star, leaving a loud laugh behind.
"Visit my Water Mansion of Dangjiang Creek another day, and I will surely reward you with merit!"
————
Chi Buzi then left the Li Family, flying south. As Lu Jiangxian's residual power waned, his expression grew increasingly bizarre. He suddenly stopped, shouting aloud, "What Metallic Essence fiend is this?!"
As soon as he spoke, he became furious and slapped himself on the face with incredible force, shouting, "Audacious! The Daoist Lord is an Immortal Official of the Water Mansion of Dangjiang Creek, not some fiend!"
Chi Buzi was shocked, raising his hand to press against his Shenyang Mansion. Halfway through the motion, his hand stopped in mid-air, as if struggling against an invisible force. Chi Buzi warned, "I am a disciple under the Pristine Water True Monarch, you fiend... stop this! I will find you a good body!"
"Body? I want yours!"
The soul remnant left by Lu Jiangxian, infused with Maha Jinlian's personality, was chaotic and unruly, spewing profanities endlessly.
But Chi Buzi ignored him, focusing on controlling his hand toward his Shenyang Mansion. As the original owner of the body and a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, he was slowly gaining the upper hand.
Seeing itself losing, the immortal official laughed coldly, and a bright spell mark rose within Chi Buzi's soul.
Try moving again! I'll detonate this spell and escape with Metallic Essence, then I'll see what you can do!
Chi Buzi looked down in disbelief, muttering, "How is this possible..?!"
What's impossible? What did you think I was doing when I took control of your body earlier? You can try, see if you can exterminate me faster than I can detonate this formation!
The immortal official, thinking it was a remnant of metallic essence, felt triumphant, no longer controlling Chi Buzi, allowing him to land by a stream.
It continued, I've waited in that yellow hat's mind for decades, finally using that Supreme Yin Moonlight to lure you! A pity that you're a devil cultivator... why didn't you hide properly instead of wandering around seeking death? I won't hold it against you devil cultivators as long as you take me to a Water Mansion and send me to the Immortal Court... maybe I'll even petition the Immortal Court to give you a chance at survival.
Chi Buzi suddenly laughed maniacally, angered. He immersed his spiritual sense into his Shenyang Mansion, cursing at the white glowing circle, "What nonsense! What Immortal Court? What Water Mansion?! You are full of ancient, unheard-of nonsense! What kind of era is this? Stupid... fool!"
He cursed angrily, then suddenly paused, greed rising in his heart.
Before him, several objects that were neither talismans nor seals, floated within the glowing circle, glowing dully. A sweet fragrance of fate, blood qi, and incense filled the air.
What... What is this?