Blind Ghostwriter: Starts with the full level of Nine Yang Magic Skill

Chapter 299 The Inner Demon Appears (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan watched as Ye Chen held the painting, looking completely absorbed and saying "Mmm," and their foreheads twitched involuntarily.

"Get out!"

Ye Jinglan rolled her eyes in annoyance, too lazy to bother with this guy whose brain was a little different from ordinary people.

Gu Mo shook his head speechlessly. Ye Chen's thought process was sometimes so bizarre that it was hard to keep up. He ignored him and focused his attention back on finding the restriction.

Ye Jinglan also composed himself and continued his investigation.

Both of them are top experts of their time, with extraordinary perception.

Gu Mo focused his mind and calmed his spirit. The moon-white true energy swirling around his fingertips acted like the most precise probe, meticulously scanning every inch of the underground palace's stone walls and floor, even penetrating into the rock layers below. Ye Jinglan, meanwhile, closed his eyes, sensing the extremely subtle energy fluctuations remaining in the air.

Time passed slowly, and the only sound inside the underground palace was the rustling of Ye Chen searching for treasures.

Finally, Gu Mo stopped in a seemingly ordinary corner of the underground palace. He squatted down, gently pressing his palm on the cold white jade floor tiles, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Found it?" Ye Jinglan immediately approached.

"Hmm, very well hidden." Gu Mo said in a deep voice, "It's not a restriction attached to the surface of the building, but directly connected to a ley line deep underground. This restriction... is less of a protection and more of an ingenious trap, a primitive array. It doesn't have any special power, no wonder my primordial spirit power couldn't sense it."

As he spoke, Gu Mo channeled his inner energy through his fingertips, tracing intricate patterns on the floor tiles: "Look, the core node of this restriction extends deep underground, connected to the undercurrent system at the bottom of this lake. Once it is forcefully triggered or dispelled in the wrong way, it will instantly disrupt the geological balance of this place, causing the water level of the entire lake to suddenly drop, forming a huge whirlpool and impact."

At that time, not only will the underground palace be completely destroyed and buried, but the flood caused by the backflow of the lake may even affect parts of Chang'an City, with unimaginable consequences. Forget about taking away the treasures here; anyone who enters will be lucky to survive!

Ye Jinglan said in a deep voice, "It fits the personality of that old codger Qi Miaoxuan. In his eyes, human life is no different from ants. So, if an ordinary person breaks in, even if someone as lucky as Ye Chen can avoid the poison bead and not touch it, the poison bead will still be destroyed and explode under this self-destructing formation, endangering Chang'an City."

Gu Mo nodded slightly.

"Brother Gu, can you solve this?" Ye Jinglan asked.

"It's a bit troublesome, but not too bad," Gu Mo said. "This restriction is closely connected to the earth's veins, and breaking it by brute force is too risky. We need to use pure internal energy to reverse-analyze its energy patterns, find the most critical 'anchor points,' and then peel them off one by one without disturbing the earth's vein water. It will take some time."

For an ordinary person, even a master of formations, facing this very primitive self-destructing formation would be troublesome, because the formation would self-destruct if not careful. However, Gu Mo's true energy is abundant, so he can use his true energy to forcibly fix the various anchor points of the formation.

“Brother Gu, please proceed with your actions. I will protect you,” Ye Jinglan said immediately.

Gu Mo said no more, slowly squatting down with his palms facing down, and a dense, almost tangible, pale golden true energy slowly poured into the ground. The true energy wasn't a violent burst, but rather like the most skillful carving knife, or the most resilient thread, carefully probing into the earth, following the invisible veins of the restriction, analyzing, and peeling away. The entire underground palace seemed to tremble slightly, and an invisible pressure permeated the air.

Time passed as Gu Mo focused intently on solving the puzzle.

About half an hour later, the light in Gu Mo's palm intensified and then slowly subsided.

Gu Mo stood up and said, "It's done. The restriction has been completely removed, and the connection with the earth veins has been severed. This place is safe now. You can arrange for people to come in and take away the valuables here at any time. Although they are not as valuable as those in the Ruins of ...

Ye Jinglan said in a deep voice, "This is a lot of money. I roughly estimate that it is worth no less than 200,000 taels of silver. It can make a lot of weapons and armor. Jiang Kingdom is cold. If we use all 200,000 taels to buy clothes, it can also help many soldiers get through the winter. Alas, when it comes to war, isn't it all about money and lives?"

Ye Chen, standing to the side, held the painting and dared not speak.

He worried that these two men from the state of Qian would get indignant while discussing matters of state and then beat him up to vent their anger.

Firstly, he couldn't beat Gu Mo. As for Ye Jinglan, he didn't know why. Even though Ye Jinglan was currently ranked tenth on the Qian Kingdom's Heavenly Ranking, he, the third-best expert in the Chu Kingdom, always had a feeling that he couldn't beat Ye Jinglan.

"They're gone."
Gu Mo waved his hand and said, "Brother Ye, I won't get involved in moving the valuables. Be careful, make sure the sealed boxes are sturdy enough, and don't let the lake water corrode the contents, especially the jewelry and silk."

"I know, I'll keep an eye on it myself!" Ye Jinglan patted his chest and assured him.

The three immediately returned the way they came, passed through the underwater passage, and surfaced on the lake.

Outside, Su Ziyou had been anxiously waiting for a long time. When he saw them come out, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

After learning that the matter had been resolved, he finally felt relieved, and his worries vanished in an instant.

Subsequently,

Gu Mo and Ye Chen then left first.

Ye Jinglan immediately directed the elite Imperial City Guards, who had been waiting, to dive down in an orderly and tense manner with a large number of specially made sealed boxes to move the treasures from the underground palace.

The area around the lake had already been sealed off and mobilized by a large number of troops, attracting countless onlookers from Chang'an. The crowd surged, buzzing with discussion, all speculating about what major event had occurred beneath the calm surface of the lake.

Gu Mo and Ye Chen crossed the outer perimeter of the guard line and joined the bustling crowd, heading towards the Ye residence.

Although Gu Mo wasn't in a great hurry, he was still somewhat worried about the poison bead. Even though the poison bead certainly wouldn't affect him, he didn't want to see Chang'an suffer such a great calamity.

At this moment, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

As he walked with the crowd and passed an intersection, a faint yet exceptionally clear feeling stirred within him without warning. The sensation... was like a cold spider's thread gently brushing across the lake of his heart, carrying an indescribable meaning.

Gu Mo suddenly stopped and turned around abruptly!
His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over the throngs of people, the bustling vendors, the rows of shops behind him… everything seemed so normal and noisy. That fleeting feeling came quickly and went even faster, as if it were just an illusion. His sharp eyes searched carefully through the crowd, but he could no longer detect anything unusual.

"Big brother, what's wrong?" Ye Chen asked, puzzled, when he noticed Gu Mo had stopped while holding the painting.

Gu Mo frowned, sensed carefully for a moment, and finally slowly shook his head.

He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the feeling he had just experienced was like a trigger from a biological instinct, neither an attraction nor a call, but rather a feeling that something unique had appeared for a moment.

However, it passed in the blink of an eye.

The two then continued walking, their figures quickly disappearing around the corner of the street.

In the direction Gu Mo had just looked back, not far from the street corner, in a quiet corner of a tea stall, next to a simple wooden chessboard.

Liu Zhongfu, a renowned chess fanatic in the capital with white hair and beard, was scratching his head and forehead in front of the chessboard, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Opposite him sat a young gentleman dressed in an elegant blue robe, with an ordinary face but an indescribable composure and profundity in his demeanor.

On the chessboard, Liu Zhongfu's black pieces were surrounded and his defeat was inevitable. After much deliberation, he finally resigned in defeat, exclaiming, "Young master's chess skills are divine, and I... humbly admit defeat! May I ask your esteemed name? I am somewhat well-known in the chess world of the capital, but I have never heard of such a person as you."

The young man smiled slightly, a gentle smile, but his eyes seemed to hold the depths of an ancient ice age. He slowly and methodically arranged the chess pieces, his movements elegant.

Upon hearing the old man's question, he paused slightly, as if considering it for a moment, before raising his eyes and speaking softly in a tone that was both playful and as if stating a perfectly ordinary fact:
"The name... is still... Qi Miaoxuan."

As soon as he finished speaking, he stood up leisurely, straightened his perfectly wrinkle-free robes, turned around and merged into the noisy crowd behind him. His figure disappeared in an instant, like a drop of water merging into the sea.

Only Liu Zhongfu remained at the tea stall, staring blankly at the unfinished chessboard.

This Qi Miaoxuan is none other than the immortal old man Qi Miaoxuan that Gu Mo and Ye Jinglan were talking about.

However, after the battle in the northern desert last year, Qi Miaoxuan did not expect that Gu Mo was the third dragon in the world, which caused the Azure Dragon Soul in the Reverse Scale Blade to awaken prematurely. He suppressed the dragon soul with one hand and fought Gu Mo with the other, and was beaten black and blue and fled in a panic.

after that,

He absorbed the Fire Qilin's body to strengthen himself, and then used himself as an array to fuse the Fire Qilin's primordial fire, suppressing the dragon soul and completing his plan of using a slave to devour its master. Now he has successfully sealed the dragon soul in the Reverse Scale Blade, where it burns tirelessly.

As he walked, Qi Miaoxuan entered a special state, so that although he was still walking on the street, no one could see him.

He said in a low voice, "Azure Dragon, what you just did was a bit shameful. You were thinking of taking over the body of the third dragon for your own use, but now you're asking him for help. You treated him as a vessel before, and now you think he's one of your own kind? You're really acting like a dog!"

Qi Miaoxuan's chest rippled slightly, and then he heard the Azure Dragon's voice in his ear: "You lowly slave, don't be so smug. I will die, but my Origin Qi will not dissipate. After you die, I will still have the opportunity to reappear in this world!"

Qi Miaoxuan said, "I may disappoint you, but I will not die. I will become the Heavenly Dao that you can only dream of."

"You're talking nonsense. That god in the Outer Heavens was the first being in the world to awaken to intelligence, and even He couldn't become the Heavenly Dao. You... are delusional, just an ant trying to see the sky. Before, I was there to block your way, so the god couldn't see you. Now, do you think you can still hide?" Azure Dragon mocked.

Qi Miaoxuan chuckled and said, "Azure Dragon, do you know what you beasts are least comparable to humans in?"

"What? You're the beast!" Azure Dragon roared.

Qi Miaoxuan said, "Humans can use their brains, but you can't. Think about it, how many years have you existed, while humanity has only existed for a fraction of that time? Yet you still lose to humans."

Is that god in the outer heavens just monitoring the human world through a heavenly gate and a demon in one's heart? As long as someone takes care of these two things, the god won't be able to see what's happening in the human world for a short time, and I'll have time to do whatever I want.

A day in heaven is a year on earth. When the outer heavens once again watch over humanity, I will have mastered all the powerful forces in the world, enough to ascend to the outer heavens. What then are gods?

Qinglong sneered, "That's just the talk of a frog in a well!"

Qi Miaoxuan scoffed, “I am a born saint. With your Azure Dragon Space Power, the Reverse Scale Blade is invincible, and the Fire Qilin has unlimited energy. When I kill the Seven-Colored Peacock and obtain its immortality, won’t I be enough to kill a god?”
If that's still not enough, so be it. I will kill the Xuan Turtle again to absorb its invincible defensive abilities, and then control the Mirror of Reincarnation. If that's still not enough, then I will borrow the power of the mortal realm. What are gods anyway?

Qinglong said in a deep voice, "When you kill the inner demon and eliminate the Heavenly Gate, the gods will definitely see it. At that time, you will have no chance to implement any of your subsequent plans."

Qi Miaoxuan chuckled and said, "I already said I'm not going to kill him myself. Weren't you just asking for help from your kind, that Gu Mo? Isn't he the most suitable person to kill the inner demon?"

"You came here just to lure him into a battle with his inner demon?" Qinglong asked, puzzled.

“What else do you think?” Qi Miaoxuan said, “If I wanted to stop them from finding the poison pearl, I could have controlled it remotely to detonate it and plunge the entire city of Chang’an into a plague. Why would I need to make this trip?”
The inner demon can invade anyone who touches the barrier to the ascension realm. Although not one in a hundred of these people will be able to successfully ascend, the inner demon will invade in advance to prepare.

There are now two people around Gu Mo who have theoretically reached the threshold: Ye Jinglan and Ye Chen.

Three hundred years ago, when the Heart Demon found Yu Twelve, I secretly fought him and intercepted a portion of the Heart Demon's power. Now, it's placed in the Cold Mountain Treasure Vault. Ye Jinglan has a strong mind, and that portion of the Heart Demon's power cannot shake him. I deliberately set up a scheme targeting Ye Chen's mental weakness of lust, and that kid will definitely be targeted by the Heart Demon.

When the time comes, if Ye Chen shows any abnormality, Gu Mo will be able to detect it. Fortunately, Gu Mo currently possesses some of the Source Qi of the Reincarnation Mirror. With his talent, he should be able to discover that he can use the Source Qi of Reincarnation to suppress his inner demons.

Even if Gu Mo couldn't kill the inner demon, he could definitely severely injure it. Fortunately, there is still a prodigy named Jiang Ruoxu in the mortal world. He can finish him off. He is the most talented person in the mortal world in the last thousand years. He touched the realm above ascension with pure humanity.

Although Gu Mo also touched upon the realm of ascension, he was, after all, a dragon. Hmm, speaking of which, you didn't leave behind any dragon eggs or anything like that back then. Logically speaking, besides the dragon vein, shouldn't there be other dragons besides that?"

The Azure Dragon remained silent; clearly, it didn't know why either.

……

The silvery moonlight streamed through the carved window lattice into Ye Chen's room at the Honglu Temple, covering the floor with a layer of cool frost.

In stark contrast to the tranquil night was Ye Chen's restless heart.

He did not fall asleep, nor did he meditate and regulate his breathing as usual. He just sat blankly at the table. The oil lamp had long been extinguished, and only the moonlight illuminated the painting he carefully held in his hands.

The woman in the painting, dressed in a colorful long dress and with exquisite features, seemed to have captivated him completely.

Her smile seemed even more lively under the moonlight, and her affectionate eyes captivated Ye Chen, who couldn't help but murmur admiring sounds. His fingers unconsciously caressed the cold drawing paper, as if touching the skin of his dream lover.

In a daze,

The cool moonlight that fell upon the painting seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, suddenly condensing and flowing, seeping into the painting in strands. A soft yet eerie seven-colored halo appeared on the surface of the painting, rippling out like water.

Such a bizarre scene appeared on a painting, but Ye Chen didn't seem to find it strange at all, and continued to stare at it intently.

The eyelashes of the stunningly beautiful woman in the painting fluttered slightly, like butterfly wings!
Immediately afterwards, her eyes, which were originally just painted and contained fragments of starlight, suddenly became lively and deep, as if they had crossed the boundaries of time and space and looked straight into Ye Chen's heart.

Her lips parted slightly, and a gentle, tender voice, filled with endless affection and sorrow, rang out:

"My lord... I have finally waited for you..."

Ye Chen shuddered, a wave of dizziness instantly engulfing him. The bizarre occurrence of the person in the painting speaking didn't frighten him; instead, he was overjoyed and exclaimed, "You were waiting for me?"

“It’s me, my love… I am your Qiu Niang…” The woman in the painting’s eyes sparkled, holding a thousand years of longing and deep affection. “We have finally… met again.”

Under the interplay of moonlight and iridescent light, her figure began to appear three-dimensional and clear, stepping out of the painting and sitting beside Ye Chen.

"Qiu Niang? We...know each other?"

Ye Chen's voice was somewhat numb, and he suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity with the woman in front of him.

"It's more than just knowing each other..." Qiu Niang's voice choked with emotion as she said, "Three hundred years ago... you and I were a match made in heaven, a perfect couple, deeply in love. But fate played a cruel trick on us. At the crucial moment when we were joining hands to ascend to immortality, we encountered a calamity... To save me, you willingly burned your divine soul, pushing me into the immortal realm, while you yourself... suffered a shattered foundation, falling into the endless cycle of reincarnation in this mortal world... My love, for three hundred years, Qiu Niang has missed you every moment..."

Ye Chen felt something was off, but that feeling vanished when he met Qiu Niang's eyes. A strange sense of sorrow and destiny welled up in his heart, as if the distant memories of his past life had truly been touched deep within his soul.

Looking at Qiu Niang's tearful and heartfelt appearance, he slowly took her hand and said softly, "So...so that's how it is! Qiu Niang, you've suffered so much! I...I don't remember anything at all..."

"It's alright, my lord!"

Qiu Niang burst into laughter through her tears, her smile blooming like spring flowers, carrying an unparalleled allure. "Now I am a celestial being. Although I cannot descend to this world in my true form, a wisp of my divine thought is attached to this ancient painting in order to find you. Heaven has eyes, and I have finally found my beloved's reincarnation!"

Her tone became fervent and full of hope, "My love, you sacrificed yourself for me in our past life, so in this life, let Qiu Niang help you ascend to immortality once more! Let us, husband and wife, once again be carefree and immortal lovers, shall we?"

"A divine couple...eternal life..." Ye Chen's mind was completely captivated by this beautiful prospect, and his eyes blazed with an intense longing. "Okay! Qiu Niang, what should I do? I'm willing to do anything to be with you!"

"My lord, do not be hasty." Qiu Niang's voice was gentle as water, carrying a soothing power. "To ascend to the path of immortality, the foundation is the most important. My lord, please tell me in detail the cultivation techniques and secrets you are currently practicing. Although I am not of this world, I still possess the realm of immortals. Perhaps I can offer you some insights, eliminate hidden dangers, and point you in the right direction."

"Qiu Niang, you're so good to me!" Ye Chen was so moved he almost cried. He immediately sat cross-legged, cleared his throat, and recited the mantra of the Great Sun Demon Art he had been cultivating without reservation: "Qian Yuan Heng Li Zhen, Kun Hou De Zai Wu, Yin and Yang interact, where the opportunity for transformation is hidden..."

Seeing that Ye Chen had fallen for the trick so easily, a hint of joy flashed in Qiu Niang's eyes.

As a force of inner demons spread among humans, theoretically speaking, she can be considered an incarnation of an inner demon. She possesses consciousness, but her purpose is to invade the martial arts will of cultivators in various ways, such as greed, anger, ignorance, love, separation, hatred, pain, and so on!
This is why even the most powerful cultivators in the world cannot defeat their inner demons after ascending to immortality; it is because their inner demons have already planted a trap for them long ago.

The most common method is the one we see now: after shaking the cultivator's mind, altering their martial arts in various ways. This can both greatly increase the cultivator's power and speed, allowing them to break through quickly, and also sow the seeds of future trouble.

originally,

In Qiu Niang's prediction, Ye Chen, who was able to reach the level of touching the threshold of the Ascension Realm at such a young age, must be an exceptionally strong-willed individual. She had prepared a series of backup plans.

As a result, it was completely useless.
Ye Chen's willpower is so weak that it's not even as strong as that of an ordinary person. She even began to doubt how he acquired his martial arts skills!
However, this is a good thing for her.
He started explaining his martial arts skills in just a few words.

However, Qiu Niang's smile did not last long.
As Ye Chen narrated, things gradually solidified and stiffened.

In her eyes, which held the promise of a galaxy, a look of utter bewilderment flashed across them, as if she were listening to something cryptic.

Immediately afterwards, the bewilderment turned into astonishment, and the astonishment quickly transformed into an indescribable... utter bewilderment!
What... what are all these things?

Ye Chen's incantation sounded somewhat reasonable at first glance... but upon closer listening, it was utter nonsense! It was completely incoherent!

She wanted to alter it but didn't know how!
After all, the prerequisite for tampering is having a secret manual, even a trash manual will do!
“My lord…” Qiu Niang’s voice carried a hint of barely perceptible dryness and a forced gentleness, “Your technique… um… is quite… unique.” She racked her brains before finally finding a relatively neutral word.

"Unique?" Ye Chen's eyes lit up. "Qiu Niang, you also think it's extraordinary, right? This martial art is the legendary Great Sun Demon Art. Can you quickly take a look and tell me where it needs to be modified and how I can break through to a higher level faster?"

Qiu Niang: "..."

Even if you put a pile of shit on a gold plate, it's still shit!

She didn't know what seasonings to add to make it palatable.

After a brief silence, Qiu Niang decisively abandoned this path.

Her face blossomed with a captivating smile that could bewitch anyone, her eyes brimming with allure.
"My dear~"

Her voice suddenly became soft and seductive, carrying a captivating magic, "The matter of cultivation techniques, though fundamental, cannot be rushed. We have been separated for hundreds of years, our longing for each other is unbearable... In this beautiful moment, why be fixated on those tedious incantations?"

Qiu Niang stretched out her slender fingers and touched Ye Chen's cheek, her action full of provocative meaning.

"There is a difference between immortals and mortals. Although I cannot embrace you in my true form, my love, we still have the method of dual cultivation to communicate our hearts and enjoy the pleasures of love."

Qiu Niang's voice, like a feather, tickled Ye Chen's heart. "This method is a secret passed down in the Immortal Realm, harmonizing Yin and Yang, and blending together like water and milk. I can transfer a wisp of pure immortal essence into your body, which will not only nourish your physical body and cleanse your meridians, but also help you comprehend the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, and strengthen your foundation. In the future, your cultivation will naturally be twice as effective with half the effort, progressing by leaps and bounds... far superior to that... um, unique cultivation method, which requires arduous practice. My lord, are you... willing to... study this wondrous method with Qiu Niang?"

As she spoke, Qiu Niang loosened her robe, revealing her delicate shoulders. The alluring curves and her passionate eyes were enough to make any normal man's blood boil.

Looking at the alluring Qiu Niang, Ye Chen felt unable to control his emotions, and his breathing became heavy. Then, he directly hugged Qiu Niang.

"Quick! Qiu Niang, we..."

He couldn't wait to loosen his belt.

Qiu Niang covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with endless anticipation and a hint of barely perceptible coldness, as if her prey was about to be caught in the net.

Sexual intimacy is also the most direct means of attacking one's inner demons. No matter who it is, it is when they are doing this that they are most vulnerable and most able to attack their mind and spirit.

Ye Chen took a deep breath, trying to calm his wildly beating heart, and prepared to welcome this "sacred" moment that transcended his past and present lives.

However, just as his mind was racing, his desire reached its peak, and he was about to take action—

Without warning, the terrifying experience in the brothel that day flashed vividly through my mind!
The nauseating smell, the extreme contrast between sight and touch, the bone-chilling disgust... it was like the coldest tide, instantly drenching him to the core!
His body's most honest reaction betrayed all his will and desire.

Under the immense psychological impact, they instantly went silent, becoming... completely unresponsive and utterly indifferent.

then,

Ye Chen looked at Qiu Niang on the bed and said seriously, "Well... Qiu Niang, I think that although we were husband and wife in our past life and were very loving... I think we can get to know each other better first. The moonlight is just right now, so we can sit down and talk about life, philosophy, and ideals..."

Qiu Niang: "??"

We're already in this state, and now you want to talk about life, philosophy, and ideals? Are you crazy?!
Ye Chen slowly pulled up his pants and said, "Let's talk about something sensitive. What are your thoughts on the war situation between the Qian and Chu states in the Jiang Kingdom?"

Qiu Niang: "...Useless!" Then she added: "Useless to the point of being an impeccable piece of trash."

Ye Chen was greatly shocked.

In that instant, an unnamed fire suddenly erupted.

It was this momentary surge of emotion that jolted him back to his senses. Looking at Qiu Niang before him, he felt a chill run through his body, a coldness shooting from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He immediately channeled his inner energy and shouted, "What kind of monster are you?"

Qiu Niang said calmly, "A good-for-nothing with a strong sense of self-respect."

Ye Chen: "I..."

Before Ye Chen could even try to argue, his mind became increasingly clear.

In a daze,

Ye Chen suddenly straightened up and realized that he had fallen asleep on the table at some point, and had just had a dream.

He slowly rolled up the painting and put it away, saying softly, "Thank goodness it was just a dream... I should be fine... I'm definitely fine!"

Then, he suddenly stood up, walked to the door, and shouted, "Hey, Ah Qi, you mentioned somewhere you met that miracle doctor a few days ago, right? I'm just feeling a bit unwell and wanted to ask him to give me a couple of acupuncture treatments, nothing else! What could possibly be wrong with me, hahaha..."

……

The following day, martial law was imposed throughout Chang'an.

The ceremony for establishing the heir apparent has officially commenced.

Gu Mo was naturally invited and was summoned to the capital city early on.

However, the process of establishing an heir apparent was extremely complicated and tedious. Gu Mo only made a symbolic appearance at the beginning to give Emperor Qian face, and then left directly.

Gu Chudong went to the palace to freeload with Li Li, while Ye Jinglan, Su Ziyou, and Zhuo Qingfeng, who had just returned yesterday, all had to stay at the ceremony as high-ranking officials.

Therefore, Gu Mo left the capital alone.

However, he didn't see Ye Chen at the ceremony today. After asking around, he learned that Ye Chen was feeling unwell and was resting. So, Gu Mo decided to go to the Honglu Temple to see Ye Chen on the way.

However, as soon as he arrived at the entrance of the Honglu Temple, he saw Ye Chen sneaking around with a bag, looking around suspiciously like a thief.

Gu Mo was a little curious, so he immediately got off the carriage, took a step, and was instantly behind Ye Chen. He whispered, "What are you doing, stealing something?"

"No, I'm perfectly healthy..." Ye Chen suddenly stood up straight.

Gu Mo: “…”

"Hey, big brother, what are you doing here? Didn't you go to the Crown Prince Establishment Ceremony?" Ye Chen asked.

"I went, but I was bored so I came back," Gu Mo explained, pointing to the large bag Ye Chen was carrying and asking, "What's this? You look like you're stealing a dog?"

"No," Ye Chen quickly replied, "I just went shopping and bought a few things!"

Gu Mo looked suspicious and said, "What kind of good person would buy things like cinnamon, deer antler, and cynomorium... and even cistanche and epimedium? Tsk tsk tsk, Ye Chen, the things you just bought are quite a coincidence!"

Ye Chen looked completely bewildered and said, "No, big brother, how could you tell that?"

Gu Mo said, "I am a doctor, and my medical skills are unparalleled. I can smell the aroma of these medicines from a distance. However, if you have any needs for aphrodisiacs and kidney tonics, come to me. I will prepare a Ten-Ingredient Tonic for you, which I guarantee will be a hundred times better than anything you can find on the market!"

Ye Chen grasped Gu Mo's hand and said, "Big brother, from now on you're my big brother. Once a big brother, always a big brother. From now on, you'll be the elder brother and I'll be the younger brother..."

"Come on!" Gu Mo chuckled. "But logically speaking, with your martial arts skills and internal strength, and considering you're only in your twenties, it shouldn't be like this..."

Ye Chen looked troubled and said, "I didn't want to either. If I hadn't had that dream last night, I wouldn't have known that my incident at the brothel had such a big impact..."

Ye Chen then recounted the events of his dream from the previous night. After finishing, he said with a sorrowful expression, "Big brother, is there any hope for me? Am I being too sensitive...?"

Gu Mo chuckled lightly, "Let's put aside whether it's too sensitive for now. Let's discuss how you actually had such filthy thoughts about a painting. Ugh, you..."

Ye Chen quickly said, "Big brother, it's really not my fault. You didn't look at that painting carefully yesterday. It's really painted so well, it looks so real. I fell in love with it after just one glance. Really, I felt like she was smiling at me... Wait, that's not right, she really did seem to be smiling at me!"

Gu Mo: "??"

Ye Chen suddenly widened his eyes and said, "That's right, big brother, yesterday in the underground palace, that painting smiled at me, but I don't know why, my mind suddenly went blank, and then I just ignored it!"

Gu Mo's heart immediately tightened, realizing that there might really be a problem. After all, Ye Chen's current destiny was somewhat destined to take on some risks.

"Where's the painting?"

"In my room!"

Immediately, the two quickly entered the Honglu Temple and arrived at Ye Chen's residence.

Ye Chen hurriedly went inside and handed the painting to Gu Mo.

Gu Mo slowly unrolled the scroll and examined it carefully. He had to admit that the girl in the painting was indeed very beautiful. She wasn't the kind of stunning beauty that would immediately amaze people, but rather the kind of girl who was delicate and charming, giving people a very comfortable feeling. She looked innocent and pure at first glance.

However, there is nothing wrong with this painting.

"Big brother, have you figured out the problem?" Ye Chen asked.

Gu Mo frowned. He hadn't noticed anything wrong with the painting; it was just an ordinary portrait.

“I’m afraid it’s not the painting that’s the problem,” Gu Mo said, “but rather that there was something in the painting before. Since it appeared in your dream, I’ll go and take a look inside your dream!”

Ye Chen asked in confusion, "How do we get there?"

"You just need to take a nap."

"I can't sleep right now, it's broad daylight..."

Before Ye Chen could finish speaking, Gu Mo delivered a swift chop to Ye Chen's head, causing Ye Chen's eyes to roll back and him to collapse to the ground.

immediately,

Gu Mo then pointed at Ye Chen, and a wisp of primordial spirit power instantly entered Ye Chen's consciousness.

Ye Chen was indeed dreaming.
In his dream, Ye Chen returned to his childhood, where he had a happy and fulfilling family and a childhood sweetheart with whom he was inseparable. They were childhood friends with a deep affection for each other and promised to get married when they grew up.

But the good times don't last long,
One day, a group of bandits suddenly appeared and robbed the village.

Ye Chen and Xiao Qingmei fled, but were caught by the bandit leader. The bandit leader laughed cruelly and raised his big knife to slash at Xiao Qingmei.

Ye Chen screamed in agony, that狰狞 smile was the nightmare he least wanted to mention deep in his heart.

He was filled with anger and hatred, but he couldn't muster the courage to face his fear.

Just then, a figure in white descended from the sky, like a god, and kicked the bandit leader away, sending him crashing into a tree and killing him instantly.

Then, the man in white landed lightly in front of Ye Chen, smiling slightly.

This is Gu Mo.

Upon seeing his childhood sweetheart rescued, Ye Chen breathed a long sigh of relief and exclaimed, "Thank you, God..."

however,
Before he finished speaking,
Then I saw Gu Mo slap his childhood sweetheart on the head.

then,

Little Qingmei twisted her head around in a circle, then bounced back, her head swinging back and forth on her neck, but she looked bewildered and said, "Shouldn't you have helped him overcome his fear? How did you become that fear yourself?"

Gu Mo chuckled and said, "If I become fear, doesn't that mean this dream becomes my domain? Who can leave and who should stay is all up to me. You can't leave either, am I right—Inner Demon!"

(End of this chapter)