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

"Master, it's a bit of a waste to destroy this thing."

Chris leaned close to Cao Kun's ear and breathed softly, "This is a rare 'hosting-type evil artifact'."

Its hallucination-creating ability can be extremely useful in crucial moments.

Cao Kun nodded slightly.

This illusion was useless to him, but it was a miracle to others.

If used as the core of an array to set up an illusion array, it would be a good thing.

The ghost mirror seemed to sense Cao Kun's hesitation, and the words on its surface trembled even more violently.

"Yes! Master, I am truly of great use. If you will spare me, I am willing to give you everything I have."

Cao Kun pondered for a moment, then withdrew the lightning from his palm: "You're so big, it's too inconvenient to carry around. Can you shrink it?"

"Of course, of course."

The inscription on the antique mirror immediately changed.

The next second, the antique mirror began to shrink rapidly.

In the end, it shrank to the size of a palm and was held in Cao Kun's hand.

"Since that's the case, then I'll spare your life."

Cao Kun drew a complex restriction rune in the air with his right hand, then slammed it onto the mirror.

"A bond forged in life and death, an imprint etched in our hearts! Town!"

hum!

A beam of orange-red light forcefully penetrated the deepest part of the mirror.

The Mirror of Russell let out a soft, relieved sound.

The originally dark mirror surface instantly became crystal clear.

Cao Kun's cold face and Chris's smug smile were clearly reflected in the image.

Cao Kun sealed the antique mirror away and put it in his pocket.

This thing is a spirit and cannot be stored in the system space.

Otherwise, it will just become an ordinary mirror.

"Congratulations, Master, you've acquired a treasure. I'm off."

Chris chuckled and vanished in a flash.

Cao Kun turned his head and saw that Ivanka was still lying quietly on the ground, breathing steadily.

Cao Kun walked over to Ivanka, bent down, and lifted her up in his arms.

Cao Kun carried Ivanka into the master bedroom and placed her on the large double bed.

The moment her foot touched the bed, Ivanka let out a scream…

He suddenly opened his eyes, flailed his hands wildly, and grabbed Cao Kun's collar tightly.

"I believe Cao... he wouldn't harm me... I believe him!"

She screamed with her eyes closed, her voice trembling with despair.

Cao Kun sat on the edge of the bed, letting her hold him, and placed his right hand on her forehead, transferring a warm magical power to her.

"Ivanka, open your eyes, you're alright now."

Cao Kun's voice was deep and steady, carrying a reassuring sense of strength.

Ivanka's body stiffened, her eyelashes trembled violently a few times, and then she slowly opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was the magnificent crystal chandelier on the ceiling.

Then his gaze slowly moved down and landed on Cao Kun's cold and stern face.

She stared intently into Cao Kun's pupils.

There, the black and white were distinct, and the depths were like a pool, lacking the ferocious blood-red hue of the illusion I had just witnessed.

"Cao?" she asked tentatively, her voice hoarse, but she didn't loosen her grip on her collar.

"It's me." Cao Kun nodded. "Look around, those things have all disappeared."

Ivanka turned her head stiffly toward the door.

The antique mirror that used to hang at the corner of the corridor, exuding an eerie atmosphere, is gone.

The walls were smooth and the lights were bright.

The sticky feeling in the room, like countless tiny snakes crawling on my skin, completely disappeared.

"call--"

Ivanka's tense body suddenly collapsed, and she exhaled a long breath.

The feeling of exhaustion from surviving the ordeal instantly overwhelmed my entire body.

The next second, she suddenly sat up and threw herself into Cao Kun's arms without hesitation.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, almost embedding herself into his body.

Cao Kun felt the delicate body in his arms trembling violently, an instinctive reaction to extreme fear.

"Waaah... I really thought I was going to die..."

Ivanka buried her face in Cao Kun's shoulder and burst into tears.

As a socialite who wielded considerable influence in New York's business world, she had never been so vulnerable.

In that instant, money, power, status...

Nothing compares to the sense of security this man in front of her gives her.

Cao Kun let her cry, her shirt quickly becoming soaked with tears and clinging to her chest.

He raised his hand and gently patted Ivanka's back:

"It's remarkable that you chose to believe me even under such a delusion."

"Because only you are real."

Ivanka sobbed, looked up, her blue eyes filled with tears.

She looked at Cao Kun; the two were very close, close enough to feel each other's breath.

An ambiguous atmosphere quietly began to grow in the bedroom.

Ivanka felt the strong masculine energy emanating from Cao Kun.

This aura acted like a sturdy wall, keeping all evil spirits out.

Her heart began to race, no longer from fear, but from some primal thrill.

She didn't let go; instead, she tightened her arms slightly, her nose almost touching Cao Kun's.

"Cao, don't leave me... at least stay here tonight."

Ivanka's voice became extremely soft, with a hint of pleading.

Cao Kun looked at her delicate face, which was still streaked with tears, and ran his fingertips along her hair, which was damp with cold sweat.

Cao Kun didn't say anything more, but lowered his head and kissed her red lips.

The Manhattan skyline outside the window remains vibrant, but inside this room, all the noise has faded away.

That night, the owner of a mansion in Beverly Hills reaffirmed his dominance in his penthouse apartment in New York.

…………

the next day.

Sunlight streamed into the bedroom through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.

Ivanka woke up first.

She felt some soreness in her body.

But mentally, I felt an unprecedented sense of comfort.

The oppressive feeling of being watched and cursed completely disappeared.

She turned to her side and looked at Cao Kun, who was sleeping next to her.

Even in his sleep, this man makes you want to get closer.

She reached out her hand, her fingertips gently tracing Cao Kun's outline.

"Cao."

Cao Kun opened his eyes, his gaze as clear and cold as ever, without the slightest trace of the grogginess of just waking up.

Cao Kun sat up, his hand stroking Ivanka's smooth back, his fingertips lingering on her lower back.

"Unzip the zipper, let me see the mark," Cao Kun said calmly.

Ivanka's body trembled slightly as she obediently rolled over and lay face down on the pillow, pulling open her nightgown behind her back.

In the morning light, the dark red pattern resembling a child urinating was still clearly visible on the ivory-colored lower back.

The color was even darker than before, like a piece of old bloodstain that had seeped into the flesh.

"It's still there."

Cao Kun withdrew his hand, his eyes turning cold. "This shows that the Gongyang Sect has no intention of letting you go."

Ivanka turned around abruptly, her blue eyes filled with terror.

She didn't bother to pull up her clothes, and knelt down on the bed, tightly grabbing Cao Kun's arm: "Then what should I do?"

I can't keep hiding in Los Angeles forever; the Dong family has too many businesses here in New York.

Cao Kun pondered for a moment: "I will set up a 'Nine Palaces Spirit Suppression Array' in this apartment."

"As soon as any evil spirit steps through this door, the formation will immediately retaliate, and I can sense it instantly."

Upon hearing that she could have such "absolute territory" protection, the fear in Ivanka's eyes was finally dispelled by joy.

"Thank you, Cao."

With a burning gaze, she threw herself into Cao Kun's arms, her soft, delicate body pressed tightly against his chest.