Chapter 372: Chapter 209: The Mirror of the Mortal World Reflects a Thousand Faces

While Lan Jiwan was writing an email, He Kao was inside Floating Colors Grotto Heaven, looking at the empty valley among the mountains, feeling as if something was missing.

Aside from the stone chamber beneath the cliffs, there was nowhere to hide during rainy days, and this stone chamber was also semi-open, making meditation cultivation insecure. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Different cultivation methods require specific conditions. Meditating on the cloud-rock mountaintops has an immortal family aura, but it’s easy to get struck by lightning, even on sunny days the wind is strong.

Sitting on the roots of an ancient tree beside a flowing spring is very poetic, a favorite setting for artists. It’s suitable for appreciating the world and cultivating external perception, but not for deep meditation.

Why is there a need to create a quiet room for cultivation? It’s to have a stable environment free from disturbances. He Kao once struggled with meditating in the canopy of the Parasol Tree for this very reason.

There are plenty of birds and beasts in Floating Colors Grotto Heaven, and the open environment is not suitable for cultivating the Fundamental Heart Method of the Hidden Moth Skill, which requires a deep silence and can be disrupted if disturbed.

In the Grotto Heaven Blessed Lands of the other Seven Great Magic Sects, the Ancestral Hall is positioned like this. It is not merely a grand hall but a complex of buildings, with similar structures across the Seven Great Magic Sects.

In reality, Phoenix Tail Town also has an ancient architectural complex, publicly stated to be the ancestral hall of the locals, following the same architectural pattern.

He Kao considered building a courtyard in Floating Colors Grotto Heaven, using the Ancestral Hall structure of other magic sects as a reference, not copying it entirely, redesigning part of it, and gradually constructing the rest.

Who understands architectural design? Wu Yanjun’s senior, Ye Hui, he is also an expert in ancient architecture, owning a design institute and an engineering company, offering an all-in-one classical garden design and construction service.

It’s said that many scenic area’s planning and construction are contracted by Ye Hui’s company. When time permits, one could ask this elder for the blueprints and handle the construction temporarily by oneself.

As for the various materials needed from outside the grotto, Ye Liangcheng can handle that, first transporting them to the garden area, as there’s plenty of space there...

There’s no rush for these matters, He Kao is currently pondering the situation of Mei Guyu visiting Qi Yuan, and after some inquiries and analysis, it’s likely this elder truly is coming for cultivation.

She decided to join a workplace, seeing it as a form of cultivation. Even though He Kao has thoughts, there isn’t much he can do, like Old Man Jiang said, the company isn’t his.

So, He Kao aims to quickly enhance his strength to handle any potential troubles. The greatest strength enhancement of Tier Four Cultivation is not only reaching a new realm but being able to truly use various magical treasures.

For instance, with Xue Guanghan, He Kao can detoxify for Lan Jiwan, otherwise, he would have no good means, unless he asks Lin Qingshuang, an Observing Body Sect Tier Four physician for help.

Currently, what is the most useful and wondrous magical treasure for He Kao? It’s the Hidden Moth Gauze he specifically concealed himself in the grotto to refine!

The Hidden Moth Gauze is a relic from a thousand years ago from the Hidden Moth Sect, after being refined by Elder Li Xiuyuan, it looks like a black blindfold. In actuality, it is an Invisible Artifact; the blindfold is merely a visible manifestation.

The Hidden Moth Gauze was once the iconic magical artifact of the Hidden Moth Sect, almost a quasi-divine artifact. Regarding its wonders, Elder Li once demonstrated by swiping it across his face, transforming into Jiang Daozhen’s likeness, scaring Old Man Jiang.

Elder Li possesses great skill, but He Kao cannot effortlessly handle it like him; refining this magical treasure demanded significant effort. The so-called refining is not altering this divine artifact, but mastering and invoking its wonder.

After much exertion, He Kao finally managed to preliminarily control the Hidden Moth Gauze, left the grotto, entered his room in Guanliu District, went into the bathroom, turned on the light, and put on the Hidden Moth Gauze; the reflection in the mirror was actually Huang Si.

Despite mentally preparing, He Kao was still slightly startled, because the change was so convincing it felt like Huang Xiaopang was looking right at him from the mirror.

The Hidden Moth Gauze can alter one’s face, but it requires familiarity with the altered subject’s facial features, being able to recreate the details within the Primordial Spirit.

This is impossible for ordinary people; at least a foundation of Tier Three Cultivation is necessary. Sorcerers of the Micro Realm Sect specialize in this, keenly observing one’s appearance to recreate it in the Primordial Spirit, even crafting lifelike portraits in reality.

He Kao doesn’t need to sculpt, recreating the entity to be transformed in the Primordial Spirit is part of the Hidden Moth Gauze’s refining process.

He is most familiar with Gao Xue’e and Huang Xiaopang, but transforming into Gao Xue’e feels really weird, so he first refined the Hidden Moth Gauze to transform into Huang Si as a test.

The sect rules of the Hidden Moth Sect include "prohibition on impersonation for depravity, sabotage, or framing."

Actions like impersonation and framing should indeed be avoided, but the rule specifically listing this seems somewhat odd, which becomes understandable upon knowing the wonders of the Hidden Moth Gauze.

If He Kao went out like this to rob someone now, the police would likely apprehend Huang Xiaopang.

Looking closely at the mirror, it’s a slimmed-down and slightly taller Huang Si. He Kao only altered the face, but his own form remains unchanged.

That’s alright, the Hidden Moth Gauze has the ability to interfere with Divine Sense and perception, allowing one to obscure physical traits, and more masterful users can even leave others convinced they are seeing Huang Si’s physique.

If the Hidden Moth Gauze has any drawbacks, it’s that while speaking, the voice won’t change, requiring He Kao to adjust on his own.

In fact, the Hidden Moth Sect has an Applied Technique that can mimic various voices by controlling the vocal cords. He Kao has only trained in it simply, allowing him to alter his voice characteristics, but has yet to precisely mimic any individual.

Achieving such a level is truly challenging, and He Kao lacks the time to specifically cultivate it. The legacy development of the magic sects over millennia includes numerous Applied Techniques; no one likely has the time to master them all.

He Kao immediately withdrew the magic, and the Hidden Moth Gauze reverted to its blindfold form, even if he can mimic other appearances, the process continuously consumes mana.

At this moment, he took out his phone for a glance and received a message notification.

Then he flashed to the Gu Mountain Secret Mansion, took out another phone, and flashed again to the Nanhua Suburbs, where he logged into an email on that phone and received a message from Lan Jiwan.

This showed He Kao’s caution; if a skillful hacker tried to trace his login location via the email, they wouldn’t find any clues.

Moreover, this phone wasn’t his, and he wouldn’t power up different locations in quick succession, so even the telecom department wouldn’t detect anomalies.

He Kao finished reading the email with furrowed brows—was Shi Yun Road insane?

Sorcerers certainly desire wealth, but mundane money only ensures the necessities for life and cultivation, as many things cannot be bought with money.

For example, He Kao can spend a million to buy two tubes of Awakening Incense, but only through Lin Qingshuang’s connections; how much would he need to buy Hidden Moth Gauze?

Spiritual Elixirs and Treasures of Heaven and Earth can sometimes be purchased, but such transactions often come with interpersonal value. Within the Magic Sect and sorcerer communities, there’s another invisible value assessment and exchange system.

Would someone kill their uncle just for money? Well, several small targets could indeed drive some people crazy!

No matter how cleverly Shi Yun Road executes the plan, should anything happen to the Shi Haotu couple, he’d be the primary suspect.

Even if evidence can’t be found to act against him directly, others might still speculate, especially fellow sorcerers and elders. For some matters, suspicion alone suffices, and he’d be inevitably distanced and guarded against.

The greater problem is the master; if he truly unlocked Shi Yun Road’s seal in the shadows, it’s a challenge to the authority of the Ancestral Hall. Aren’t they worried about being found out?

From He Kao’s perspective, Shi Yun Road was likely taken in; not that the master couldn’t unlock the seal for him, but demanding a thirty-percent stake in the new company is absurd!

If the deal went through, the master would practically possess Shi Yun Road’s entire being, controlling his fate entirely. Why risk exposure to hold shares through a proxy?

This demand might have been to gain Shi Yun Road’s trust, as helping without discussing terms often seems unreliable.

He Kao, as an observer, sees these things clearly, but Shi Yun Road may not, or he might gamble on his luck, which is blind greed.

The email mentioned Shi Haotu’s new company project, and He Kao was aware because it’s on the client list of his project group.

The company is registered as "Huishiming Brand," an online trading platform. It has a capital of twenty million and is negotiating cooperation with He Kao’s "Virtual City" project, intending to open stores in the virtual world.

Shi Haotu’s controlled Huish Trading is not merely a trading entity but also in industrial production with numerous production bases and factories, holding resources in Zhujiang Province.

Huish Trading integrates these resources, not only controlling the production and supply side but also client channels on the sales side, with substantial annual overseas trade volume.

Shi Haotu’s new "Huishiming Brand" company aims to centralize online projects onto one platform, with plans for listing next.

The commercial prospects are indeed promising, but for a master to risk exposure for thirty percent of this company? It doesn’t add up.

So who, with what intention, would want to "help" Shi Yun Road?

He Kao didn’t speculate baselessly; he immediately contacted Elder Gu Chun... Surprisingly, Gu Chun’s call went through, though he might have been flying; could there be signal in the sky?

He Kao briefly spoke, and Elder Gu Chun told him to discuss it in person.

He Kao asked for a meeting place, accommodating places he’d visited for convenience. Though Elder Gu Chun could fly, his speed wouldn’t match the Hidden Moth.

Gu Chun suggested meeting at Qi Yuan, asking He Kao to find a place to wait. He Kao then invited the elder to Guanliu District. After hanging up, he realized Elder Gu hadn’t said how long to wait—was he nearby?

He Kao waited in Guanliu District for almost an hour, just before work time, and messaged President E for leave. After requesting leave, he saw Elder Gu Chun already present on the living room balcony.

He Kao hurriedly greeted, "Where did you fly from, Elder?"

Gu Chun said, "Not very close, handling affairs in the neighboring province."

He Kao said, "You’ve worked hard, Elder. Tea is ready, please sit and rest... I have an email here, it’s best you see it yourself; the specifics need verification."

After viewing the email, Elder Gu’s expression remained neutral; he asked, "Who uncovered this? What talent!"

If a high-tier sorcerer secretly monitored Shi Yun Road and his mother, their conspiracy wouldn’t be hard to uncover. But the challenge lay in the unexpected starting point and meticulous tracking investigation.

Based on the email, the investigator noticed a faint anomaly, extended suspicion, confirmed numerous details, and unearthed the hidden plot. Their careful and discreet actions showed great skill.

He Kao laughed, "Earth Master, this is the talent you recommended me last time."

**