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

I can help you imprison ghosts.

"Ivanka, well done."

Cao Kun spoke softly, then flicked his right index finger lightly.

A streak of orange-red light shot out and instantly disappeared into Ivanka's forehead.

Ivanka's body suddenly went limp, and all her fear and tension vanished in that instant.

Her eyes became unfocused, then she slowly closed them and fell forward.

Cao Kun swayed slightly and caught her steadily in his arms.

He felt the delicate body in his arms rising and falling with her rapid breathing.

Cao Kun gently placed her on the dry floor of the corridor.

He turned around abruptly and looked in the mirror: "It's our turn."

"Buzz—!"

The surface of the antique mirror rippled violently, like the surface of a lake tossed with a stone.

Immediately afterwards, the surrounding scenery began to distort.

The minimalist entryway cabinet suddenly started making a strange creaking sound.

The solid wood cabinet was strangely elongated and deformed, sprouting more than a dozen long wooden legs.

It lunged at Cao Kun like a giant beetle.

The overhead lights transformed into crimson eyeballs, staring intently at him.

Immediately afterwards, the walls of the entire apartment began to twist like melting candles.

The expensive wallpaper had peeled off in large pieces, revealing the wall behind it that looked like flesh and blood throbbing.

Large swathes of dark red liquid dripped from the ceiling, hitting the floor with a dull "thud".

Cao Kun snorted coldly, made a hand seal, and chanted rapidly in a clear voice:

"The Supreme Star, responding without ceasing."

Exorcise evil spirits and protect your life.

Wisdom is clear and bright, and the mind is at peace.

The three souls are eternal, and the spirit is never lost.

"Hurry, hurry, as the law commands!"

The Purification Mantra!

As the last few words were spoken, an invisible ripple spread across Cao Kun's body.

"Snap!"

A crisp cracking sound rang out, and the wooden legs and blood-red eyeballs vanished instantly, restoring the living room walls to their original state.

But this is just the beginning.

The mirror trembled again, and this time, the entire apartment vanished completely.

Cao Kun found himself standing on a scorched wasteland.

The sky was dark red, and molten lava flowed down the cracks at our feet.

All around, weathered crosses stand densely packed.

Countless charred and mutilated figures crawled out from behind the cross.

It let out a chilling roar and surged madly towards Cao Kun.

"A mere illusion, what can it do to me!"

Cao Kun took a step forward.

"Bang!"

A charred, slimy claw slammed down on Cao Kun's shoulder, but he didn't even flinch.

The moment the claw touched him, it pierced right through him and vanished into nothingness.

Cao Kun continued forward, his gaze always fixed straight ahead.

In his eyes, these hideous monsters were nothing more than a bunch of flickering noise.

A skeleton wielding a giant axe came crashing down from the front, the axe blade whistling through the air as it struck directly at Cao Kun's crown.

Cao Kun could even smell the stench of death and sulfur on it.

All of this is so real.

But Cao Kun remained unmoved and did not dodge or avoid the attack.

The axe blade pierced through his head without making a sound or leaving any wound.

He wandered amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

With each step taken, the surrounding monsters would launch a frenzied attack.

Blades pierce, teeth tear, flames burn...

All the attacks dissipated like bubbles the moment they hit him.

Cao Kun was getting closer and closer to the antique mirror itself.

In this hellish illusion, the mirror transformed into a massive black altar, shimmering with an ominous, ghostly light.

Just as Cao Kun was only five steps away from the altar, he suddenly stopped.

Without warning, his body shifted half a meter to the side and back.

"Crackling sound—!"

A blinding purple bolt of lightning erupted from Cao Kun's palm, striking precisely an open space in front of him.

The place was originally empty, but the moment the lightning struck, a withered black shadow suddenly appeared.

It was holding an extremely sharp, barbed scalpel in its hand.

It was less than three centimeters from Cao Kun's waist.

"ah--!"

A heart-wrenching scream echoed through the illusion.

The dark figure was blasted into dust by the lightning, and the surrounding wasteland shook violently.

"Ding! Killed an F-rank ghost, gained 5000 merit points!"

A system notification sounded in Cao Kun's mind.

Cao Kun withdrew his hand, a cold smile playing on his lips:

"A bit clever. Knows how to mix real attacks with illusions."

They wanted to take advantage of my moment of carelessness to deliver a fatal backstab.

Unfortunately, it's useless to me.

"Now, it's my turn."

Cao Kun took a step forward, and lightning erupted from his body.

This time, he no longer walked slowly.

boom!

Cao Kun transformed into a dazzling orange-red ball of electricity.

Wherever it passed, bones shattered and charred corpses were obliterated; the entire hellish scene was torn to pieces by lightning.

Cao Kun stood in the shattered void, with real and tragic figures flashing before his eyes.

A young woman wearing an old-fashioned nightgown is holding her own head in her hand.

Just as it was about to let out a piercing scream, a bolt of purple lightning pierced right through it.

"what!"

The screams abruptly stopped.

Next came an old man with a face covered in blood. He opened his toothless mouth and tried to bite Cao Kun's neck.

However, the moment it came into contact with Cao Kun, it was blasted into dust by the lightning.

More figures appeared.

Men, women, young and old, and many others.

There are at least a hundred.

What they have in common is that none of these things are human.

"Ding! Killed a G-rank ghost, gained 500 merit points."

"Ding! Killed an F-rank ghost, gained 5000 merit points."

……

The system's notification sounds were as frequent as rapid drumbeats.

Cao Kun swept forward, crushing the illusory white bones scattered on the ground.

Suddenly, the scene before him shattered completely, and Cao Kun was back in Ivanka's apartment.

He stood in front of that huge antique mirror.

Cao Kun asked calmly, "How do you want to die?"

The mirror seemed to realize something...

On the originally dark mirror surface, countless blood-red threads intertwined wildly.

In the end, it formed lines of trembling text.

"My Lord Celestial Master... have mercy!"

"I didn't know your identity; I was blinded by base greed!"

"Please don't destroy me! I'm willing to serve you; I can be your most loyal servant!"

The words changed rapidly, revealing a strong sense of flattery and a desire to survive between the lines.

Cao Kun stopped and the lightning around him receded into his body.

But his right hand was still lightly pressed against the edge of the frame, and there was a faint arc of electricity flickering in his palm.

"Spare me?"

Cao Kun sneered, "Give me a reason not to dismantle you."

The text reappeared on the mirror:

"I have a great use! I can create the most realistic illusions for you to confuse your enemies!"

I can also... be a cage.

I can help you imprison ghosts!

Those ghosts were all refined by me while I was imprisoning them in the mirror world!

The vine-like patterns on the frame began to writhe wildly, as if humbly kowtowing.

Cao Kun frowned slightly.

It can create illusions and imprison ghosts?

This feature does sound quite appealing.

Just as Cao Kun was considering whether to smash it with a single palm strike, a cloud of pink smoke filled the air.

Chris revealed herself and landed on Cao Kun's shoulder.

Her long, slender legs swung back and forth, her eyes fixed on the antique mirror.