Chapter 029: The Eight Trigram Mirror

A thought sprang to his mind, but his face betrayed none of it. Behind him, the voice of Young Master Lu echoed again. "Young Master, let me take you to see the library of the estate. However, for safety's sake, it would be best if you refrain from wandering about. Even I wouldn't dare to roam freely in the estate," he advised, catching his breath as he seemed to have expended quite a bit of energy.

Yao Qian glanced at him; since he had already taken on the role of a fool, he would play it to the hilt. He let out a cold laugh and said, "Young Master Lu, don't frighten yourself. In broad daylight, under the clear sky, I would like to see what kind of monsters dare to appear before me. I want to see if these spirits are like us, with a head sitting atop two shoulders."

Hearing his sharp words, Young Master Lu wanted to offer more advice, but upon seeing the recklessness in Yao Qian's demeanor, he could only sigh and say no more. There was no point in conversing with such a stubborn, foolish scholar.

With a flick of his sleeve, he walked ahead, leading Yao Qian onward. As Yao Qian followed behind, he gradually heightened his guard while summoning 'Blue Star.'

They crossed through the open courtyard ahead, which seemed to be used for training, with numerous sticks scattered across the ground, carelessly left behind, and walked down a long corridor that appeared desolate. Even the pools on either side of the corridor were covered with a thick layer of rotting leaves, exuding an unpleasant odor.

As they passed the corridor, Yao Qian's eyes widened at the sight before him: a series of connected rooms, all locked with reinforced chains. Each door was plastered with bright yellow talismans, inscribed with strange symbols in red cinnabar, resembling ghostly scribbles. It seemed these rooms were meant to confine ferocious demons, fearing they might escape.

Yao Qian looked at the yellow talisman and, taking advantage of Young Master Lu's momentary distraction, secretly peeled one off and hid it on himself.

After a while of walking and stopping, roughly half a tea's worth of time had passed when they finally arrived outside a loft that resembled a Buddhist temple, with a pointed roof and rounded body, sprawling over three stories. This should be the library of the Lu estate.

With a creak, Young Master Lu pushed the door open, and Yao Qian followed closely behind. What greeted them was row upon row of bookshelves, some completely empty, while others were piled high with tattered books. Some shelves were still full, with neatly arranged tomes, and a rich aroma of ink filled the air.

"This is the library of the Lu estate, Young Master. You can browse freely here, but I apologize for not being able to stay longer," Young Master Lu's face had turned as pale as paper, sweat beading on his forehead, clearly exhausted.

Yao Qian cupped his hands in greeting. "Are you alright, Young Master Lu? Do you want to call a physician? You needn't worry about me; you should rest."

He had noticed that Young Master Lu seemed unwell, his weakness evident even after a short walk. If this continued, he might not survive much longer. His expression grew serious, realizing that whether or not something sinister lurked within the Lu estate, the situation was undoubtedly strange, as so many had died under bizarre circumstances.

Watching Young Master Lu ascend to the second floor from around a bookshelf, he followed him up and discovered a sparsely furnished study, likely a place for late-night reading or resting due to fatigue, now repurposed into a room. It was clear that Young Master Lu had been living here.

Seeing him lie on the bed like a walking corpse, it wasn't long before the sound of steady breathing indicated he had fallen asleep. After watching him for a while and confirming he was indeed asleep, Yao Qian slowly exited the second floor and returned to the first.

Finding a chair to sit, he fell into deep contemplation. However, he soon snapped out of it, a look of determination flashing across his face as he bit his lip, seemingly having made a decision.

Without even glancing at the books on the shelves, he walked out of the loft, retracing his steps.

Back outside the earlier rooms, which appeared to have been the residence of the Lu family, the rooms were beautifully decorated, surrounded by gardens and trees, although now they lay withered, much of it decayed and piled on the ground.

Yao Qian stared at the various rooms, his steps slow as he remained alert to the changes of 'Blue Star' at his side. Meanwhile, he heightened his senses, carefully attuned to the surrounding environment.

As he moved past room after room, he walked at a painstakingly slow pace, fearing he might miss something important. Half an hour passed quickly, and he found cold sweat beading on his forehead, a sense of urgency creeping in as he felt disheartened.

"Could it be that I was mistaken? Perhaps there is nothing sinister here at all."

With only a few rooms left, his expression darkened, and doubt began to creep in. But just then, a chill suddenly enveloped him, causing him to shiver involuntarily, as if he had fallen into an ice pit.

No, this chill was not the usual cold but a bone-deep cold, as if it could freeze his very blood and soul.

His countenance shifted abruptly as he looked up. This room was different from the others, set apart with considerable space around it, resembling a main hall of the estate.

Each of the eight connected doors was reinforced with chains, and each door was plastered with dozens, if not hundreds, of bright yellow talismans, each inscribed with strange symbols resembling ghostly drawings.

At that moment, he sensed that 'Blue Star' at his side seemed to emit a desire to devour, as if it had found a delicacy.

This feeling was very peculiar, but he understood its meaning.

"This is the place; what could it be?"

His eyes scanned the surroundings carefully, but aside from the talismans on the doors and the bagua mirror hanging over the entrance, he found nothing else. Yet the oppressive cold that surrounded him seemed endless, trying to seep into his body.

Now, he realized what had caused the Lu estate's oddities. It was clearly this chilling aura, continuously draining vitality and life, leading people to their demise without their notice.

"Could it be inside the room?"

Yao Qian's complexion had paled, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He felt as if something within him was being continuously eroded and absorbed by this cold aura.

Just as he prepared to kick open the door, confident that with his current strength, not even a wall could stop him, a sudden flash of insight struck him.

He looked up and saw the bagua mirror hanging above the entrance!