While in Hollywood, I used Taoist magic to quell American terrorism.

Om-!

A powerful and mysterious force sealed off the magnetic field of the entire room.

The phantom, which had originally tried to escape, crashed into the invisible barrier, bursting into a cloud of black smoke and letting out another painful roar.

"Master Cao... what... what happened?"

Hearing the noise, Scott burst through the door and was so frightened by the sight of the room filled with red light and the distorted shadows in mid-air that his legs went weak.

I managed to stay upright by holding onto the door frame.

Cao Kun didn't even turn his head: "Get out! Close the door behind you!"

Seeing that his daughter was alright for the time being, Scott didn't dare to delay. He gritted his teeth, retreated behind the door, and gripped the doorknob tightly.

Cao Kun stared at the illusory figure that was darting left and right within the formation.

That thing finally revealed some of its true form.

It has no fixed shape; it's like a lump of rotten flesh stitched together from countless painful, smiling faces.

Every face wore that stiff, distorted "dangerous smile" that stretched almost to the ears.

It is not just a mental virus; it has evolved in this world into a kind of anomaly called "The Smiling Demon."

"Heh heh...you can't save...her..."

Layers of overlapping echoes emanated from the illusory figures.

Cao Kun sneered, "With your abilities..."

The phantom formed by countless smiling faces suddenly accelerated...

It transformed into a dark red streak of light, shooting straight towards Cao Kun's brow.

Cao Kun stood still, not even lifting his eyelids, and didn't even adopt a defensive stance.

"call--"

The phantom passed through Cao Kun's body, but it was like a gust of wind blowing across a stubborn rock.

Cao Kun was completely unharmed, and didn't even flinch.

The phantom stopped abruptly in mid-air, turned around, and all those smiling faces simultaneously revealed expressions of surprise and uncertainty.

"How is that possible... Why... do you have no trauma?"

The overlapping, heavy sounds rang out again, this time tinged with obvious panic.

"trauma?"

Cao Kun turned around, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"Of course there is trauma, it's just that you're not at a high enough level yet."

Cao Kun raised his head, his eyes cold. "I've never seen anyone infected by you commit suicide in front of me."

Your rules don't apply to me.

The phantom let out an angry roar.

Undeterred, it charged at Cao Kun again.

It even conjured countless bloody hands, attempting to tear apart the man's mental defenses.

But each time it charged, it could only pass through Cao Kun's body.

It couldn't even leave a wrinkle on Cao Kun's clothes.

This is the limitation of rule-based evil spirits.

Before the rules are met, they are invincible and mysterious.

But in the eyes of those outside the rules, they are as weak as a phantom.

Finding itself unable to deal with Cao Kun, the phantom suddenly spun around and lunged at Taylor on the hospital bed once more.

As long as it can re-enter Taylor's consciousness, it can continue to hide.

"Dream on."

Cao Kun flicked his right hand slightly, and golden light once again emanated from Taylor's body.

"Bang!"

The phantom collided with the golden light as if it had hit a red-hot iron wall.

A cloud of acrid black smoke burst out, and it was sent flying with a scream.

"Hehe... Let me go... I'll leave this place..."

The phantom began to beg for mercy, its voice becoming shrill and pitiful.

It tried to rush towards the door, but was locked inside the room by the power of the formation.

Cao Kun flipped his hand, and a magic bell appeared in his hand.

"bite--"

With each sound, the phantom shrank a size.

Its originally enormous size became increasingly thinner under the vibrations of the ringing.

Cao Kun was toying with a fly trapped in a transparent glass bottle.

Whenever the phantom tried to break through in a direction, he would casually unleash a burst of energy from his finger, forcing it back.

"Don't you like making people laugh?"

Cao Kun walked to the corner and looked at the shrunken, ball-shaped shadow.

"Come on, smile at me."

The countless mouths on the phantom were tightly closed.

He could no longer produce that chilling laughter.

It kept crashing within the red light condensed by the array.

That arrogance vanished, leaving only utter despair.

It discovered that it was completely locked into this dimension by this man.

They can't get out, and they can't escape.

It could even sense that the man was gradually eroding its spiritual essence.

"No...don't destroy me...I want to go somewhere else..."

"Even if you stay for a second longer, you're polluting the air."

Cao Kun's eyes sharpened, and his mocking expression vanished.

He made a lightning hand seal with his left hand, and faint purple arcs of electricity flickered in his palm.

The lightning at Cao Kun's fingertips grew increasingly dazzling.

Purple arcs of electricity crackled and popped in the air, almost igniting the distorted air around them.

Just as he was about to unleash the lightning, the air beside him suddenly rippled.

"Master, wait a moment."

Chris's magnetic, yet somewhat urgent voice rang in my ears.

Immediately afterwards, a cloud of pink mist condensed in the air.

Chris's curvaceous figure slowly came into view.

She didn't look at Cao Kun, but stared intently at the "smiling spirit" struggling within the formation.

His eyes gleamed with undisguised greed.

Cao Kun glanced at her sideways, his voice cold: "What do you want to do?"

Chris swayed her slender waist and walked to Cao Kun's side, her eyes full of seductive charm.

Her tone was somewhat ingratiating: "Master, it would be such a waste to just kill it."

Don't forget, I am also a kind of spiritual entity.

Although this "smiling spirit" is disgusting, its spiritual essence is extremely pure and stable.

That's the nourishment it has accumulated through countless "sowings."

Cao Kun's heart skipped a beat, and the lightning at his fingertips subsided slightly: "So?"

Chris leaned close to Cao Kun's ear, her breath sweet and her voice low.

With a hook-like allure: "If I can devour it, my spiritual core will be greatly strengthened."

At that time, I will not only be able to help you handle more complex financial and online information...

Even... during moments of pleasure, I no longer need to reveal my bloodied and mangled true form.

I can maintain this perfect state that will satisfy you.

No matter how drastic the "fluctuations," they won't make me lose control.

"this one?"

Cao Kun spoke calmly, his face expressionless.

However, his hand, crackling with lightning, suddenly flipped over.

The originally violent lightning intent instantly subsided, transforming into a tangible barrier of magical power.

He pressed the illusory figure firmly against the wall.

"Why aren't you making a move?" Cao Kun shouted coldly.

"Hehe, thank you for your kindness, Master."

Chris chuckled, her expression instantly turning sharp.

She no longer maintained that alluring human form, but instead suddenly exploded.

It transformed into a massive, eerie pink vortex of consciousness.

The vortex, with its powerful suction, instantly enveloped the phantom formed by countless smiling faces stitched together.

"No...no! What is this thing! Let me go!"

The Smiling Spirit let out its final, and most heart-wrenching, scream.

The once-solid smile was shattered by the vortex.

It transformed into wisps of pure black energy, which were gradually devoured and consumed by the pink light.

The red light inside the room flickered violently, and the battle flags buzzed.

A full ten minutes passed before the dark shadow completely disappeared.

Chris's figure re-formed in mid-air.