Chapter 55
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Chapter 55: Dual Mirrors
The rumbling sounds of thunder echoed throughout the night.
It seemed as though a powerful being was venting its fury in a fit of shame and anger.
Hidden in the hidden chamber, Wang Chen remained awake all night, maintaining a state of high alert.
Only when the outside world fell silent did he cautiously emerge from the tunnel.
Dawn had broken.
The room and its surroundings were in complete disarray; the four Evil Beasts had utterly devastated Wang Chen’s small abode.
Cleaning up the mess would require considerable effort.
But Wang Chen’s first priority was to deal with the body of the cultivator in the yard.
The cultivator had been reduced to a charred corpse, barely recognizable as human.
The storage bag on his person was completely destroyed.
Wang Chen had a vague recollection of him; he might have been one of the neighbors he had encountered before, though he couldn’t recall the name.
He cast the Fire Crow Technique, turning the charred corpse into ashes.
“Dust to dust, earth to earth, the soul returns to Thick Earth…”
As Wang Chen chanted the Rebirth Incantation, a sudden gust of wind swept through, lifting the ashes from the ground and spiraling them into the sky.
After completing the rite, he left the small courtyard and hurried straight to Old Sun’s house.
Old Sun’s home was only about two hundred steps away from Wang Chen’s.
He was his closest neighbor.
Although the old man often flaunted his seniority and had a penchant for taking advantage of others,
Wang Chen still hoped that nothing had happened to him.
The previous night, he had seen two wolf beasts running from Old Sun’s direction.
He had immediately sensed grave danger.
If Old Sun and his family of three were fated to face Calamity, Wang Chen would have to perform the rite for them as well.
Upon arriving, Wang Chen found that Old Sun’s courtyard gate had been destroyed.
The door to the main room lay on the ground, covered in footprints.
“Old Sun?”
Wang Chen called out loudly, then barged into the bedroom.
Yet, he found nothing.
No blood, no body, and not a single trace of a struggle!
Just as he was overcome with confusion, the ground near the corner suddenly sank with a rumbling sound, revealing a dark, gaping hole!
“Doggie!”
A head with graying hair popped out, saying, “I’m here.”
Wow!
Wang Chen stared in disbelief.
He watched as Old Sun swiftly emerged from the tunnel.
Then he led out a woman and a half-grown child.
The whole family was safe and sound!
Wang Chen was impressed.
Old Sun was still the man!
He had worried about their safety, only to realize he had been fretting over nothing.
Wang Chen couldn’t help but ask, “Old Sun, did you dig a tunnel?”
“Heh heh.”
Old Sun grinned broadly, proudly saying, “I’ve had it for over ten years, learned it from the old master.”
Wang Chen was left speechless.
Thinking about it, it made perfect sense.
Old Sun had lived here for decades; regardless of his character, his life experience and knowledge must be considerable.
It was only natural for him to have a backup escape route and a hiding place!
With Old Sun’s family safe, Wang Chen felt relieved.
He prepared to bid farewell and leave.
However, as he stepped out of the bedroom, he suddenly noticed a mirror hanging above the east wall of Old Sun’s main room.
The mirror was oval, only half a foot tall, with a simple design of white copper and silver edges.
But it was hung at a height that would be difficult for most people to reach, even on tiptoe!
Doubt crept into Wang Chen’s mind.
If he remembered correctly, this mirror should be a Dual Mirror.
The Dual Mirror had two sides, one for yang on the outside and one for yin on the inside, allowing the viewer to spy on the outside world.
Wang Chen had seen such magical items at the Four Seas Trading Association.
The problem was, when he had inquired, he learned that the cheapest Dual Mirror cost five hundred spirit fragments.
How could Old Sun afford it?
Although Old Sun managed three times the number of spirit fields as Wang Chen, as an experienced former single spiritual plant farmer, he certainly earned more spirit stones each year than the average person.
However, this old man often indulged in pleasure and frequently visited the Fragrant Pavilion.
How much could those spirit stones withstand in terms of extravagance?
Moreover, the Dual Mirror had very limited use for cultivators; it had no offensive power and provided no defense.
Even if Old Sun came into some unexpected fortune, it wouldn’t make sense for him to spend it on such an item.
But despite his doubts, Wang Chen managed to keep a calm expression on his face.
Wang Chen returned to his home.
The calamity had passed, but the trouble was just beginning.
The doors of the house were all destroyed, and the bed in the bedroom had been shattered into pieces.
Everything needed to be replaced.
Then, Wang Chen discovered that the rooster and hens in the chicken coop were lying lifeless!
He had raised these five chickens—one male and four females—for nearly two months, feeding them all the grain husks he had ground.
He had been looking forward to enjoying fresh eggs from his own coop in just a matter of days.
But now, they were all dead.
Wang Chen felt utterly disheartened!
Truth be told, eggs could be purchased in Yunshan City at a reasonable price.
But he hadn’t raised the chickens solely to use up the grain husks; he had wanted some small animals to bring a bit of liveliness to his home.
He wanted to make his cultivation journey feel less lonely and monotonous.
With a helpless shake of his head, Wang Chen used the Fire Crow Technique to send the chickens off peacefully.
The five chickens had met a tragic end.
He had no idea what calamity had befallen them the previous night.
Though it was a pity, Wang Chen had no intention of eating the dead chickens.
If something went wrong, it wouldn’t be worth the risk.
After thoroughly cleaning his home, Wang Chen headed straight for Yunshan City.
When he didn’t find any horse carriages by the roadside, he decided to make the journey on foot.
However, the scenes he encountered along the way left him shocked beyond description.
Many houses had collapsed into ruins, and numerous spirit fields bore signs of trampling or lightning strikes.
A significant amount of spirit rice, still in its growing season, had been destroyed, resulting in devastating losses!
Additionally, Wang Chen occasionally heard faint cries coming from unknown directions.
Even in broad daylight, as he ran, a chill crept into his heart.
As he neared Yunshan City, the number of travelers on the road increased.
Everyone moved hurriedly, their faces etched with fear and anxiety.
Many cultivators were fleeing into the city with their families in tow!
At the city gate, a bottleneck had formed, and it was only through the stern commands of the patrol guards that order was barely maintained.
The atmosphere within the city was tense.
Though the shops were open, most of the staff seemed to have no thoughts of conducting business.
Wang Chen noticed many people huddled at street corners, whispering and discussing the events of the previous night.
Rumors and hearsay spread like wildfire.
Moreover, the number of Wei Hall disciples patrolling the streets had increased significantly.
They were fully armed, their stern expressions and vigilant postures stirring uneasy thoughts in the minds of onlookers.
Wang Chen arrived at the Four Seas Trading Association.
The atmosphere inside the association was relatively calm, though there were few customers.
He managed to meet with Manager Jin without any trouble.
Wang Chen had come to Yunshan City not only to purchase doors, beds, and other household items but also to sell the Evil Energy Pearls he had obtained the previous night and to acquire a batch of cultivation materials.
He planned to elevate his cultivation level in the coming days!
