The world within the mirror remained the domain of the red-clad vengeful spirit.
Before entering the room, Yan Shouyi had resolved to decisively eliminate the red-clad spirit.
However, the spirit proved more cunning, using Xiao Xiaodao's girlfriend, Lily, as bait and escaping amidst the chaos.
Lin Zhitong examined Lily and found no immediate life threat, bringing a collective sigh of relief.
Xia Zhi felt uneasy about their surroundings. "If we can't find that female ghost, will we be trapped here forever?"
"Since we could enter, there must be a way out," Yan Shouyi stated with conviction.
He paused. "It's inconvenient to move with this unconscious woman. Zhitong, protect Officer Xia Zhi and Lily. I'll go out to find the red-clad spirit. Once I find a way to leave, I'll come back for you!"
Lin Zhitong frowned. "You want to go alone?"
"There's no other way," Yan Shouyi replied. "Fortunately, that red-clad spirit isn't particularly powerful. As long as we avoid mirrors, she poses little threat to us."
In fact, Lin Zhitong's cultivation was not weak. It was only because she had always been by Yan Shouyi's side that she hadn't had many opportunities to showcase her abilities.
If she were to face the red-clad spirit alone, she would certainly not be defeated.
This was why Yan Shouyi felt at ease leaving her to protect Xia Zhi and Lily while he went to seek out the red-clad spirit.
After they reached an agreement, Yan Shouyi walked outside, closed the door, and then affixed a ghost-repelling talisman to it.
While this talisman wouldn't completely stop the red-clad spirit, it would undoubtedly delay its entry, and should the spirit touch it, Yan Shouyi would be alerted immediately, allowing him to provide support.
After posting the talisman, Yan Shouyi suddenly heard a strange sound from the other end of the corridor.
It sounded like someone was dragging something heavy, approaching him step by step.
This sound was different from the rustling he had heard in the elevator earlier.
Yan Shouyi turned to look and saw a terrifying giant, about eight feet tall, at the end of the corridor.
The giant's face was already rotten and unrecognizable, its head nearly touching the ceiling. It dragged its damaged body, holding a massive hammer, along the path.
The strange sound Yan Shouyi had heard was the noise made by the hammer dragging on the ground.
"An evil spirit?"
Yan Shouyi frowned, surprised. Were there two spirits on the 34th floor?
The previous one was a vengeful spirit, and now this was an evil spirit. How did they coexist peacefully on the 34th floor?
The evil spirit stared at Yan Shouyi, its mangled tongue extending to lick its cracked lips, seemingly very interested in this unexpected intruder.
In the next moment, the evil spirit swung its hammer and charged towards Yan Shouyi!
The incandescent lights hanging along the corridor were easily smashed by the evil spirit's head, sending sparks flying, and darkness drew ever closer to Yan Shouyi!
However, just as Yan Shouyi raised his Zanpakuto, preparing to confront the evil spirit head-on, a figure suddenly appeared before him—
It was the red-clad vengeful spirit!
The red-clad spirit appeared suddenly and lunged at the evil spirit with bared teeth and claws. The five-foot-tall spirit leaped onto the giant evil spirit's head and began to bite furiously.
The evil spirit was not to be outdone, grabbing the red-clad spirit's head and tearing off a large clump of hair.
This sudden turn of events left Yan Shouyi momentarily bewildered.
Why were they fighting all of a sudden?!
Were they mortal enemies within the Ping'an Building?
Or was it a challenge from the spirits on the 33rd floor to those on the 34th?
Confused, Yan Shouyi suddenly noticed newspapers scattered on the floor.
He realized then that all the newspapers he had passed were printed on the same day, meaning they all carried the same content.
He picked up a newspaper and, by the light, suddenly understood.
"Another Murder at Ping'an Building: Young Girl Brutally Assaulted and Killed in 34th Floor Restroom!"
This was a newspaper from 2000. The article stated that a female employee on the 34th floor of Ping'an Building had been violated and murdered in the restroom. The perpetrator had brutally killed the girl and then smashed her head with a hammer.
Furthermore, according to expert speculation, the entire ordeal had taken place in front of a mirror, meaning the girl had witnessed her own violation and murder.
This girl was the current red-clad vengeful spirit. She had died wearing a red dress, witnessed everything in the mirror before her death, and thus harbored immense hatred. After death, she transformed into a red-clad vengeful spirit, haunting the 34th floor of Ping'an Building!
But this news article wasn't the most sensational; the truly explosive news was yet to come.
"Killer Walks Into a Trap, But Goes Mad During Crime Scene Identification, Smashing His Head Against a Mirror. Arterial Laceration from Mirror Shards Leads to Death After Failed Rescue!"
Yan Shouyi understood. The giant evil spirit he saw holding the hammer was actually the murderer of the red-clad vengeful spirit.
It was likely that after seeking revenge, the red-clad vengeful spirit had vowed to make the murderer suffer, thus transforming him into an evil spirit.
But the red-clad spirit hadn't anticipated that the transformed evil spirit would be quite formidable. Thus, the two began to fight for control of the 34th floor, much like animals fighting for territory.
Now, the red-clad vengeful spirit and the evil spirit were fighting ferociously, their hatred for each other so intense that they had no time to pay attention to Yan Shouyi, the tempting morsel.
But this couldn't go on. Yan Shouyi still needed to capture the red-clad vengeful spirit and have her lead them out of the mirror world.
In contrast, the hammer-wielding evil spirit seemed to be gaining the upper hand in its battle with the red-clad spirit. It was likely that Yan Shouyi's earlier attack had injured the red-clad spirit, making it no match for the hammer evil spirit.
With a slip, the red-clad spirit was knocked to the ground by the hammer evil spirit's palm!
Following that, the hammer evil spirit raised its massive hammer and brought it down fiercely onto the red-clad spirit's left leg!
Bang!
This blow cracked the ground, and the red-clad spirit's left leg was directly smashed and broken!
Severely injured, the red-clad spirit crawled away using both hands, but her speed was not fast. Instead, she was dragged back by the hammer evil spirit, and her other leg was also broken!
The hammer evil spirit intended to torment the red-clad spirit until her soul was scattered!
Seeing this, Yan Shouyi's brow furrowed. Although the hammer evil spirit was a transformed villain and the red-clad spirit a victim, the red-clad spirit had also committed many heinous acts after her death.
Da Niu, the photographer for Xiao Xiaodao, had been killed by the red-clad spirit.
Therefore, Yan Shouyi was unsure whether he should intervene and eliminate the hammer evil spirit.
As he hesitated, the red-clad spirit suddenly spoke, pleading for help, "Kill him for me, and I'll let you go!"
Yan Shouyi was startled. So this red-clad spirit could speak?
Since that was the case, and both parties would get what they wanted, Yan Shouyi had no reservations.
The hammer evil spirit was about to bring its hammer down on the red-clad spirit's head, aiming to scatter her soul. At that very instant, Yan Shouyi acted.
He suddenly appeared before the vengeful spirit and blocked the evil spirit's massive hammer with his Zanpakuto!
Clang!
The collision of the two weapons sent sparks flying, illuminating the entire corridor.
The evil spirit seemed surprised, unable to comprehend how Yan Shouyi, with his physique and the seemingly thin Zanpakuto, could block his hammer.
However, the evil spirit didn't dwell on it and immediately swung its hammer again, aiming for Yan Shouyi's head!
If this blow landed, not only Yan Shouyi's head but even a large iron block would be deformed, and Yan Shouyi's head would explode like a watermelon.
"Heaven and Earth Xuanzong, Myriad Qi's Root. Cultivate for eons, achieve my divine power. Within and without the Three Realms, only the Dao is Supreme. Golden light appears swiftly, protect my body!"
A flash of golden light appeared, and a golden barrier suddenly materialized before Yan Shouyi. The evil spirit's hammer struck the golden light, not only failing to break it but also rebounding. The hammer was directly knocked from its grasp!
Yan Shouyi seized the opportunity, killing intent flashing in his eyes. He leaned forward, bent his knees, and leaped up, channeling this power into a horizontal sweep of his Zanpakuto!
Swish!
The sound was like a cleaver splitting wood.
Yan Shouyi landed behind the evil spirit, and along with him, the evil spirit's ugly head also fell.
The Golden Light Divine Incantation of Longhu Mountain, when wielded by Yan Shouyi, could ward off most evil attacks.
The evil spirit, unaware of Yan Shouyi's strength, had its head easily severed as Yan Shouyi seized the opportunity.
Bang!
The evil spirit's mountain-like body crashed down, the resulting gust of wind even blowing the newspapers on the ground.
Immediately, the evil spirit's body began to decay rapidly, like a plant accelerating its wilting.
In a short while, the evil spirit had completely turned to ash, its soul scattered.
Seeing this, the red-clad vengeful spirit seemed greatly relieved.
She was also severely injured and unable to move, lying on the ground, spitting out words.
"This beast harmed me when he was alive, and tormented me even after death. I was on the 34th floor, and he was on the 33rd. Whenever he had the chance, he would come to the 34th floor to trouble me! I didn't want to be killed by him again, so I had to keep killing people to increase my strength. If it weren't for you this time, I might have been completely annihilated!"
The female ghost's voice was pitiful, but her words were not so pure. The act of killing was spoken of by the ghost as if it were natural and commonplace. Yan Shouyi understood that a vengeful spirit was, after all, a vengeful spirit, and would never take human lives seriously.
Thus, he said sternly, "Your tragic past has its own karma, and I have no interest in understanding it. Now that I have killed your enemy for you, you should fulfill your promise and let us out."
However, the female ghost fell silent, as if she had no intention of keeping her word.
Yan Shouyi's expression darkened, his voice carrying a hint of threat:
"I could kill that evil spirit, and I can easily kill you. In fact, I have ten thousand ways to make you wish you were dead! So, don't even think about playing any tricks. Hurry up and let us out!"