The bustling atmosphere of the marketplace hit him like a wave as he opened his eyes to find himself standing on an ancient street paved with blue stones.
People bustled to and fro, some clad in long robes and cheongsams, while others donned athletic wear, all exuding a strong sense of the era.
Catching sight of the "coin-rat tail" braids on the back of several men's heads, Lu Li realized he was no longer on Blue Star.
The Kunlun Mirror had activated its "Cross-border" Divine Skill, sending him to an Otherworld!
Just then, a "tram" clanged its bell as it passed by.
Lu Li stepped aside to the curb, just in time to see the traditional characters on the side of the tram—Jinmen Tram Company.
"Jinmen..."
Seeing this familiar name, Lu Li had a pretty good idea of where he was.
Although he had escaped one disaster, his expression was far from relieved.
After crossing over, the Kunlun Mirror became unresponsive, as if it had fallen into a deep slumber... or rather, gone into shock, and that sense of blood connection was gone as well.
Obviously, this was due to the forced cross-border action. Aside from feeling distressed about this, Lu Li also worried about how he would return.
Without the Kunlun Mirror, he was essentially trapped in this world!
He couldn't help but loathe Toby and the others even more! Those mocking, cruel laughs seemed to linger endlessly by his ear.
Moreover, his father's ashes were still at home—he didn't even know if they would be smashed in a fit of rage...
Anxiety and anger mingled within him, leaving Lu Li's mind in utter chaos!
But now was not the time for agitation.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, calming himself down to ponder his current predicament—
"The Kunlun Mirror brought me here through 'Cross-border,' this world must have some mystical aspect, it could very likely be the... homeland of the Kunlun Mirror!"
"I need to find a way to repair the Magic Treasure here, and regain the power to protect myself! Otherwise, even if I go back, those beasts won't let me off..."
While Lu Li was preoccupied with his thoughts, he suddenly heard a "tap tap tap" sound of a stick hitting the ground from behind him.
Turning around, he bumped right into a fair and slender girl.
Luckily, the girl had a couple of Youzi in her arms, which softened the blow; she didn't seem to be hurt too much.
But her pure eyes could only stare into the void, her pupils unable to focus... she was a blind girl!
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize someone was..."
At that moment, the blind girl instinctively held the bamboo stick and her book in front of her in a defensive posture.
Lu Li quickly apologized, "I'm the one who should be sorry, I was the one standing in your way without making a sound."
His clear voice and humbly apologetic demeanor instantly cleared up the misunderstanding.
Relieved, the girl nodded and chuckled lightly before turning to continue on her way.
But after a few steps, she almost walked into a wooden telephone pole.
She stretched out her pale, delicate hand to feel the pole, seemingly to orient herself, while looking across the bustling road with a troubled expression...
Lu Li stepped forward and asked, "Do you want to cross? Can I help you?"
The girl nodded repeatedly, "I do need to cross, but there's too much traffic."
"Then hold onto my sleeve."
Lu Li willingly extended his arm, but the girl, acting on instinct, placed three fingers on his wrist, as if taking his pulse.
After a few seconds, she realized her action and shifted her grip to his sleeve cuff.
Lu Li didn't mind, and led the girl safely across the bustling street.
"Thank you, young master~"
"Don't mention it."
Just as the two strangers were about to part ways,
suddenly, a disturbance broke out in the area!
~~~~~~~~~~
A large group of police officers dressed in black uniforms rushed over to disperse the crowd and clear the road.
Then, an extravagant sedan chair carried by eight people appeared from around the corner.
On both sides of the sedan chair, an overwhelming crowd chased after it. They stretched out their hands, shouting excitedly, just like fervent fans chasing after a star.
The commotion quickly spread, and everyone desperately pushed forward.
The blind girl was jostled about, her bamboo stick knocked out of her hand, yet she clung to her book tightly.
"Careful!" Lu Li swiftly opened his arms to shield her.
Many people were bewildered by the scene, repeatedly asking what was going on.
A busybody showed off, saying,
"The new 'Chuyun Envoy' is to pass by here. It's said that he possesses the cultivation of 'Refining God' and 'Manifesting Saint'!"
"Manifesting Saint! Isn't that equivalent to a... True Monarch!"
"Indeed, a living Immortal! Touching an Immortal is said to cure all diseases and grant a long life!"
Crowds eager to glimpse an Immortal jammed the roadside, preventing Lu Li from being able to leave; he chose instead to stay put, protecting the blind girl while waiting here.
Before long, the palanquin bearing the "Chuyun Envoy" arrived.
The palanquin looked like a portable pavilion one could carry, and a dignified elderly man was seated within, presumably the Chuyun Envoy.
He was dressed as a Divine Officer, with a faint golden halo shimmering around his head.
A "Eight Diagrams Mirror" floated beside him, sparkling brilliantly—a clear sign it was no ordinary object.
Lu Li immediately showed a look of surprise!
This artifact bore a striking resemblance in essence and material to the Kunlun Mirror!
Just then, the surrounding crowd exclaimed,
"It's a Magic Treasure! A Magic Treasure of a Refining God Cultivator, worth 10 million taels of silver!"
"Displaying a Magic Treasure publicly like this is an obvious show of power! Doesn't the court care?"
"The Emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty is too busy building his own tomb to concern himself with affairs of state."
...
Hearing this clamor, Lu Li had an idea—the Kunlun Mirror he had must also be a "Magic Treasure"!
Linking this to previous mentions of Refining God and Manifesting Saint, his spirits lifted further,
"This world indeed has a systematic cultivation system! Not only can I restore the Kunlun Mirror, but I can also obtain extraordinary power!"
At that moment, the luxurious palanquin of the envoy drew ever closer.
Following the palanquin, there were two rows of well-disciplined soldiers acting as a ceremonial guard.
But upon their rifles… hung the Sunrise Flag!
Lu Li's gaze instantly turned cold!
This sort of flag, Grandpa Lu killed many of them back in the day. He vividly remembered the household's fire poker, which was a katana.
And as his emotions shifted, Lu Li noticed something even more alarming—
Above the Chuyun Envoy, in the half-space, there were eerie ripples in the water, as if a living creature was moving?
He focused hard and widened his eyes, and the forehead's center grew warm as the invisible "Heavenly Eye" opened…
After seeing clearly what it was, Lu Li's face turned deathly pale in an instant!
Above the head of the distinguished-looking "Chuyun Envoy" floated a… giant spider!
It was as big as a basketball court, with a body covered in vibrant, ink-like, sinister patterns.
Its 8 eerie eyes glared at the crowd, filled with cruelty and… greed!
The people were completely oblivious to the massive creature above, excitedly shouting to "receive Immortal Aura," desperately pressing forward.
Even many parents, holding their children, stretched their arms forward, saying, "Immortal, please touch my child!"
The Chuyun Envoy retained his noble demeanor, but the massive spider over his head became restless, extending fangs thicker than a human towards the children!
Thankfully, there was still a large public around, including many journalists armed with cameras.
The Chuyun Envoy frowned slightly, and the giant spider withdrew its fangs.
Lu Li breathed a sigh of relief, unaware that staring at the spider for too long had been a provocation!
Suddenly, the giant spider sharply turned its gaze toward him!
Lu Li's hair stood on end as he quickly averted his eyes, nearly making direct eye contact with the spider.
The spider rotated its complex eyes searching the area, finding nothing, and then let out a piercing shriek over the region!
Ordinary people couldn't hear the commotion, but it exploded in Lu Li's mind, leaving him with a splitting headache and severe dizziness!
He stifled his urge to show any reaction until the Chuyun Envoy's procession had gone far and most of the people had followed.
Only then did Lu Li grab his head, trying to ease the pain and vertigo.
"Aargh, damn old ghouls… It seems this place isn't exactly peaceful either."
At this moment, the blind girl sensed something amiss and asked softly,
"Young Master, what's wrong? Do you feel unwell?"