Chapter 109: The Second Gu Xiangnan

Zhang Baolian switched on the flashlight function of her phone, shining it into the shrine statue.

At last, everyone could clearly see: inside the mountain god's statue hung a colossal sword nearly two meters long.

Its tip was embedded into the ground.

Strangely, the sword’s blade was intricately engraved with dense runes.

On the ground surrounding the sword, mysterious symbols were also drawn.

“Seventh Senior Sister, what the hell is this? Why hide a sword inside the statue?”

“How shameless! The Fusang people have actually nailed onto our dragon vein!” Zhang Baolian trembled with anger.

“What do you mean?”

“The dragon vein determines a nation's fortune. The Fusang people have pierced our country's dragon vein to sever our national destiny!” Zhang Baolian explained.

Yang Dianfeng’s face turned ashen with fury:

“Damn it, what a good-for-nothing trick, just outright evil!”

“Watch me pull this sword out!”

With that, he reached out to grab the sword.

Zhang Baolian quickly grabbed his arm, “Don’t touch it yet. We need to study it first.”

“What do you mean? Is there a trap here?”

Yang Dianfeng halted his movement.

Zhang Baolian carefully observed, then took out a compass and began calculating.

She wasn’t very familiar with Fusang’s formation techniques, but their geomancy shared the same Taoist lineage as their own country’s. Some aspects were generally similar.

She squatted beside the shrine, scrutinizing the mysterious symbols.

She realized these markings could not be touched casually.

After some time, Zhang Baolian understood: to break this formation, they first had to calculate the position of the “Life Gate.”

The so-called Life Gate was one of the eight directions in Qimen Dunjia, a classical Chinese divination method.

These eight gates were:

“Rest Gate, Life Gate, Injury Gate, Obstruction Gate, Illumination Gate, Death Gate, Fright Gate, and Opening Gate.”

Zhang Baolian used the compass to quickly calculate which direction was the Life Gate.

However, the usual directions had been deliberately scrambled.

Therefore, she had to re-derive them entirely.

The process was extremely complicated—one miscalculation would cause the entire effort to fail.

Fortunately, Zhang Baolian was highly skilled.

She soon completed the calculations.

She found the pattern in the northwest and prepared to erase it by hand.

In truth, Zhang Baolian was still unsure if her calculations were correct.

Her heart pounded as she reached out to rub off the symbol.

At first, it wouldn’t come off.

Gu Xiangnan said, “Let me lend you a hand.”

He channeled his spiritual energy and placed his hand over Zhang Baolian’s. This time, the pattern was easily erased.

Suddenly, an invisible current seemed to ripple through the air.

Encouraged, Zhang Baolian continued to erase the symbols in the order she had calculated.

Once more, Yang Dianfeng reached out to grab the sword.

“Wait!”

Zhang Baolian shouted, stopping him.

Yang Dianfeng withdrew his hand, looking puzzled.

“I have a feeling the Fusang people wouldn’t let us dismantle this formation so easily. We must be extremely careful.”

This massive sword was densely inscribed with runes.

Its blade was extraordinarily sharp. Gu Xiangnan circled the sword.

Looking up, his heart skipped a beat.

There was a human head above—

Instinctively, he recoiled in fear.

But on closer inspection, it was only a mirror.

The mirror sat atop the sword, facing downward, reflecting the top of one’s head.

What Gu Xiangnan had seen was his own reflection.

A false alarm.

He approached again, staring up at the mirror.

It looked ancient; the surface was somewhat blurry.

As he gazed, the image within the mirror began to slowly rotate.

It was as if a mysterious force was drawing his eyes in.

His gaze was held captive, unable to look away.

A wave of dizziness washed over him.

Suddenly, the reflection of Gu Xiangnan began to spin, rapidly rushing toward him.

He dodged quickly to the side.

The mirrored Gu Xiangnan tore free from the glass, hanging upside down in midair before him.

This bizarre sight filled Gu Xiangnan with terror.

He shouted to Yang Dianfeng and Zhang Baolian nearby:

“Don’t come any closer!”

The two hastily stepped back, maintaining their distance.

The false Gu Xiangnan smiled sinisterly.

He opened his mouth and said:

“Gu Xiangnan, you’ve finally come. I’ve waited so long for you.”

The voice was identical to Gu Xiangnan’s own.

The face was exactly the same!

Gu Xiangnan stared in shock at this “himself.”

But something felt off.

Just then, Zhang Baolian screamed in terror:

“His face!”

“What’s wrong with his face?”

Gu Xiangnan tensed.

Zhang Baolian pointed at the false Gu Xiangnan’s face, trembling:

“His features are reversed.”

Gu Xiangnan looked carefully.

Indeed!

Though upside down, with head downward and feet upward, his features were in their original places—but inverted vertically.

No wonder they had immediately recognized the resemblance.

A chill ran down his spine, his hair standing on end.

Yang Dianfeng and Zhang Baolian exchanged incredulous glances.

Yang Dianfeng said suspiciously:

“What on earth is this? A person? A ghost? Or some kind of illusion?”

Zhang Baolian was equally baffled.

Though Zhang Enguo had taught her much, she knew little about this mirror’s secrets, which originated from Fusang.

Gu Xiangnan’s fury surged as he shouted:

“What kind of evil spirit dares to take my form? It’s courting death!”

He reached out and struck toward the false Gu Xiangnan.

However, the false one did not dodge; instead, he grasped Gu Xiangnan’s hand firmly.

Gu Xiangnan froze.

This was unexpected.

In the next moment, the false Gu Xiangnan used Gu Xiangnan’s own force, pulling himself down from the air.

He landed upright, feet on the ground, head up, steady and poised.

The three were stunned, instinctively stepping back half a pace.

Previously, the false Gu Xiangnan had hung upside down.

Now turned upright, they could clearly see his features:

All inverted.

His mouth and eyes drooped downwards, and his eyelids were where his eye bags should be.

When he smiled broadly, the corners of his eyes and mouth drooped as if crying.

This eerie visage sent shivers down their spines.

The false Gu Xiangnan smiled that uncanny smile and said slowly:

“Gu Xiangnan, I’ve waited a long time. Just exchange places with me.”

Gu Xiangnan’s anger flared; he refused to waste words.

He summoned the Infinity Sword into his hand.

The golden blade cut through the air, leaving a dazzling streak, slashing toward the false Gu Xiangnan.

Yet, to everyone’s surprise, the false Gu Xiangnan also produced a sword—not golden, but radiating a fierce aura.

He met Gu Xiangnan’s attack without hesitation.

“Clang!”

The swords clashed with a sharp metallic ring.

Gu Xiangnan felt a tremendous force surge through his hand, nearly wrenching the sword from his grip; the muscles in his palm tingled painfully.

He was shocked.

The false Gu Xiangnan’s strength was on par with his own.

Moreover, their sword techniques were identical.

Could this be his shadow?