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墨書 Inktalez
Whenever I think of demons, I recall the snake demon from before. To mask her scent, she always surrounded herself with a fragrant aroma that made everyone sneeze uncontrollably. The memory of that incident still lingers in my mind. "Could it be the snake demon?"
"No."
"What is it then?"
Taotie couldn't rest his chin on his hands since both were occupied with plastic bags, so he could only tilt his head slightly. "I can't remember at the moment, but the demonic aura is very light, not strong."
As Taotie and I walked back, I said, "Jun Chong mentioned that Shi Qingqing was possessed by the Mirror Demon. What exactly is a Mirror Demon?"
"A Mirror Demon?"
Taotie looked at me with confusion, then stared in the direction where Shi Qingqing had left. He frowned and pursed his lips, as if deep in thought. After a long pause, he finally said, "No wonder her aura felt so familiar; she really is possessed by a Mirror Demon."
I was surprised. "Possessed by a Mirror Demon?"
"Yes," Taotie explained. "A Mirror Demon is usually a weak spirit. They excel at peering into people's hearts, which allows them to capture souls and consume them. Their combat abilities are very low, but a Mirror Demon would never openly replace someone and live their life."
"Why not?"
"Because they are weak in the outside world and can only thrive in the Mirror World, where they become powerful. However, a Mirror Demon typically only consumes the souls of those who are dying. I've never seen one living openly among humans after consuming a soul like this."
I frowned, feeling puzzled. Taotie's explanation only deepened my confusion.
"Forget it; let's head back for now."
I urged Taotie to quicken our pace, wanting to ask Jun Chong. He might know something more. As we turned the corner, I noticed a crowd of young girls gathered outside a Photography Studio. They were desperately trying to squeeze inside but were being turned away by the staff.
"Sorry everyone, today our Gold Medal Photographer is only accepting ladies aged 25 born in the lunar month of July for photoshoots. Please bring your ID to register if you meet the age requirement; it's still free!"
"Ah, why is it not me again? Once every half month, the odds are just too low."
"Just wait! There will be a chance eventually."
"I'm really envious; getting a free photo shoot from the Gold Medal Photographer is a lifetime honor for me."
I smiled at the crowd. People nowadays are getting better at business, always managing to ignite everyone's vanity. Suddenly, Taotie handed me a plastic bag. "Anxin, I'm going to take a call. Wait for me."
"Okay."
I stood in place, watching as a hand suddenly shot up among the group of women, waving and moving forward. "It's me! I meet the criteria, hahaha..."
It was a playful short-haired girl with two dimples on her cheeks, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, with flip-flops that made her look quite refreshing. She pulled out her ID from her small bag and handed it to the staff at the entrance. "Here you go, take a good look!"
"Meets the criteria. Miss, please come inside."
After confirming her information, the staff member at the Photography Studio invited her in. She walked in with an air of pride amidst a chorus of sighs and jealousy.
"Tch, shameless! Is there anyone so arrogant?" The jealousy among the women began to swell again, each one looking down on her.
"How can she not be arrogant? If it were me, I'd flaunt it too."
"But I remember when Shi Qingqing was chosen; she didn't show off at all."
"Shi Qingqing?" My gaze had shifted elsewhere but was drawn back by this name, my attention piqued.
I heard the first girl speak up again. "Her personality was definitely one to show off. Besides, she was the first one; I was also confused back then. I've seen her photos; they were indeed stunning, just like her current vibe—so annoying."
"Right!" another girl nodded in agreement. "She recently got into some trouble that made the news; many people said she was possessed! Who would have thought she'd wake up completely transformed into someone else? Suddenly becoming the new school beauty and stealing someone else's boyfriend—did you know that Fu Yuanyuan almost died from anger?"
"Hey, do you think she really attracted those things? That's why she changed so much in just a few days? I've heard some ancient legends can summon demons and spirits. Her transformation is too drastic; if it wasn't due to some shock, then she must have summoned something."
"Yes, I heard that she can smell good even when she doesn't use anything while taking a shower."
"Shh, don't say anything. Here they come."
As soon as she finished speaking, I saw Shi Qingqing affectionately linking arms with a man in his thirties. He was handsome and familiar, causing me to instinctively turn away. At that moment, Taotie had just finished a phone call. I grabbed two large plastic bags and hurried over to him, urging him to leave quickly.
The man approaching was none other than Su Ziqian.
Jun Chong had said that I couldn't interact with anyone from the Su Family without his permission. To avoid making him angry, it was better for me to leave first. However, how could Su Ziqian not see me? He smiled and greeted me warmly, "Anxin, long time no see."
"Long time no see! I have something to do, so I’ll be going now!"
Since there was only one way home, I forced myself to greet him as I passed by. Suddenly, Su Ziqian cheerfully said to me, "Come work at the Su Family next week; the price is Soulstone."
I stopped in shock and turned around, but he had already been pulled away by Shi Qingqing. Her voice was filled with dissatisfaction as she complained, "Who is that woman? You looked at her more than you looked at me."
Su Ziqian smiled lightly and continued walking. I rubbed my ears and turned to Taotie beside me. "Did you hear what he just said?"
"I did."
"Is it credible?"
"The Su Family is a prominent yin-yang family; their reputation is established. But with the passage of time, truth and falsehood depend on people's hearts. If he dares to offer you Soulstone as an invitation to join the Su Family, it seems the head of the Su Family values you highly."
"Who is the head of the Su Family?"
"They changed recently, just when you entered the Underworld. It's a woman; I'm not sure of the details, but it seems she just returned from abroad."
"Oh." I wasn't interested in this information and waved my hand dismissively. "Let's go back first and discuss it with Jun Chong before making any decisions."
On our way home, before we even entered the door, Jun Chong's cold voice drifted towards me from inside. In an instant, he appeared right in front of me, lifting my chin with one hand and looking slightly displeased. "Did you meet with Su Ziqian?"
"How do you know?"
"The unique stench of the Su Family," Jun Chong waved his hand dismissively. I pouted in dissatisfaction and said, "I saw something on the way. I need to talk to you."
Jun Chong lowered his eyelashes, casting two fan-shaped shadows on his lower eyelids, long and thick. "Fifth Master, you should go prepare some food first."
"Alright."
I was pulled into the study by Jun Chong. On the desk lay a book, and I was surprised to find he was reading at home. Curious, I walked over to take a look and felt a sense of familiarity. Upon closer inspection, I exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't this the book by Molin?"
"Yes, I borrowed it from Molin. When you have time, memorize all the contents of this book for future reference."
"But this book belongs to the Su Family."
Jun Chong smirked, a hint of pride in his expression. "The Su Family is where it all began. Although this book is theirs, much of the content has been lost over time. Even if you can't use it, memorizing it will give you some credibility and prevent them from looking down on you."
"But what if they accuse me of stealing from the Su Family?"
"Don't worry." Jun Chong patted my head with a large hand, playfully tugging at my hair with a somewhat arrogant tone. "Molin's master has got your back; what is there to fear?"
"…"
Returning to the main topic, I put away the book and recounted everything that had happened today to Jun Chong. "Shi Qingqing actually woke up. Fifth Master said she was possessed by the Mirror Demon, and with Su Ziqian getting close to her, they must have discovered something. This Photography Studio seems a bit strange; Shi Qingqing only had problems after taking photos here."
"Possessed by the Mirror Demon?"
"Yes. Fifth Master also found it quite strange."
Jun Chong wrapped his arms around me as we sat in the spacious chair, propping himself up with one hand while tapping his sharp nails lightly. "What Fifth Master said is true; it's rare for a Mirror Demon to dare enter the human world and even possess someone. The fact that it forced a Mirror Demon to appear among humans indicates one thing."
"What is that?"
"In the Mirror World, there exists a dangerous entity that they fear but cannot defeat. The only way they can come to the human realm is by exchanging their souls, hiding within human bodies."
"So that's why Shi Qingqing has become like this?" I pondered for a long time, tugging at a strand of Jun Chong's long hair. "That Photography Studio must be problematic. It's only open to the public once every half month, and the people selected must have matching birth dates. Plus, that Gold Medal Photographer definitely has something to do with it."
"There’s no such thing as a free lunch. The birth date is equivalent to the Birth Date and Time; only those who match can integrate more easily."
As Jun Chong spoke, he began to pry my fingers off one by one to save his hair from the pain I caused. I was dissatisfied and grabbed another strand, grinning at him mischievously as I said, "No wonder they choose customers this way."
Jun Chong, still unwilling to give up on saving his hair, pinched my waist, prompting me to immediately let go. He quickly tied his hair back with a hairband.
"Did you notice the death aura surrounding that woman?"
"I didn't see anything."
"Look into that woman’s situation. The Mirror Demon only chooses dying souls like Shi Qingqing's. If the souls they select are not close to death, it means something in the Mirror World is truly harming them."
"Got it."
Jun Chong nodded in satisfaction, and a sly grin appeared on his handsome face as he added, "As for Su Ziqian, tell him to inspect the goods first; otherwise, cancel the deal."
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