I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 189 A Heart-to-Heart Talk with the Empress, and the Princess Presents a Grand Gift!
After bidding farewell to his father, Qin Luoxi hurriedly went to the governor's mansion.

The Prince of Zhennan's Mansion was a private residence.

The Governor's Office was the official government office that handled all kinds of military and political affairs in Nanzhou. Its full name was: Nanzhou Government Office.

The person usually in charge of the prefectural government office is the prefectural governor, a high-ranking official in charge of the entire territory. However, Qin Nanhe is a high-ranking prince of a different surname, and compared to a typical prefectural governor, he has greater autonomy. He also does not need to report everything to the imperial court.

Qin Nanhe has been in charge of Nanzhou for forty years, yet he has accomplished little. He has become a leisurely prince, indifferent to foreign affairs. In the last two years, he has even handed over the affairs of the government office to Princess Qin Luoxi.

Fortunately, Qin Luoxi was not only exceptionally beautiful, but also adept at handling military and political affairs. Initially, many of the older officials in the government were unconvinced, but now they were all completely convinced and praised this princess highly.

Upon entering the government office, Qin Luoxi went straight to her usual resting area in the backyard and called out, "Mulan."

Da da da.

As the deep, heavy footsteps sounded, a valiant woman in her early twenties came into view.

This valiant woman was dressed in white armor, holding a red-tasseled spear, and wearing long boots. Her brows exuded a cold and imposing aura.

This woman exudes an imposing aura without even raising her voice; her presence is so powerful it's suffocating. She moves with the speed of the wind, decisive and capable, displaying a military bearing.

Upon reaching Qin Luoxi, the woman bowed slightly and said, "Princess."

Qin Luoxi rushed into the room, taking off her coat and handing it to the woman named Mulan.

Mulan was greatly surprised: "Princess, what is the reason for this?"

Mulan grew up in the Zhennan Prince's Mansion and began receiving martial arts instruction from Qin Nanhe at the age of six. She has an excellent relationship with Qin Luoxi. Now, she naturally follows Qin Luoxi to help him and manage the affairs of the government office.

He was Qin Luoxi's most capable assistant.

“Mulan, someone just reported to the authorities that ghosts have entered Qianfo County and killed the children of the Buddha and Buddha, as well as a Mr. Yuanbao. Wear my clothes, ride in my carriage, and lead a large group into Qianfo County to investigate.”

Mulan was still very surprised when she heard what the princess said: "Princess, Qianfo County is an extremely dangerous place. We have never paid any attention to that place in the past."

Qin Luoxi deftly removed her gold hairpins, jewelry, bracelets, and other accessories. "Things were different before. Someone has come to report this to the authorities, and our yamen can't ignore it. Just do as I say."

Mulan replied, "And what about the princess?"

Qin Luoxi removed all her expensive jewelry, opened the wardrobe, and took out a plain blue silk dress to put on. "I'm going to Qianfo County as a pilgrim. You'll be in the open while I'll be in the shadows, conducting a dual investigation. Remember, don't let anyone see through your disguise. If any messages need to be relayed, have your subordinates deliver them."

Qin Luoxi is a decisive person.

Once a decision is made, take immediate action.

She was now dressed in a blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a belt around her waist and a very fitted skirt that showed off her great figure. She looked every bit the daughter of a wealthy family.

"Huh? Why aren't you leaving yet?"

Mulan nodded and then turned and left.

Qin Luoxi then sat in front of the mirror and carefully dressed herself up, applying some rouge and powder. She lost some of her princess-like heroism and gained more of her charming allure.

After fussing over herself, Qin Luoxi felt like a young lady from a wealthy family. Her appearance had also changed, and even strangers wouldn't be able to tell her identity, so she stopped.

"My father has been secretly plotting this for forty years. Now that the opportunity has come, I, as the first person to open the curtain, should certainly make a good contribution and share my father's burdens."

"I wonder who this person is who killed the Yin-Yang Ghost Child. I, the princess, must find this person and use them as an ally."

Qin Luoxi has been in charge of the government office for two years, but he has never accomplished anything noteworthy.

This time, he was naturally full of confidence and had the idea of ​​showing off his skills.

Click.

Qin Luoxi opened the drawer and took out a brocade box.

Upon opening the brocade box, one finds a very precious elixir, two talismans, and a special piece of meat.

"This is my first time undertaking such a task, so I must be cautious. My father entrusted this matter to me with the intention of giving me experience. I must ensure that nothing goes wrong."

"I'm bringing this Celestial Elixir with me."

"This corpse-suppressing talisman can suppress hairy zombies with golden life energy. Take it with you."

"This ghost-suppressing talisman can suppress golden evil spirits, so bring it with you."

"This piece of 'Five-Flower Ghostly Meat' can enhance the cultivation of a golden vengeful ghost. I'm taking it with me."

"In this way, there will be absolutely no chance of failure."

……

After Chen Mo fell asleep, the scene in his consciousness changed. When he calmed down again, he found himself at the gate of the Red Moon Palace.

Upon seeing the familiar gates of the Red Moon Palace, Chen Mo no longer felt the initial trepidation and nervousness.

In the past three months, Chen Mo has come here at least twenty, if not thirty, times.

Some places, even if they seem eerie, become less frightening after a few visits.

Chen Mo walked to the door and was about to knock when he found it was ajar.

This is the first time.

It's clear that Aunt Jiang knew she was coming, so she simply opened the door.

Chen Mo then slipped in through the crack in the door.

Upon entering the front yard, one could see Jiang Hongyue, dressed in red, still watering the flowers and plants in the flowerbed. The plants were growing very well, but their red color was somewhat eerie.

"Your Majesty, let me help you."

Chen Mo was no longer as awkward as before, and he took the showerhead from Jiang Hongyue's hand to help her. Jiang Hongyue didn't stand on ceremony either, and simply let go of his hand. She stood behind Chen Mo, following him step by step.

This appearance is still somewhat frightening.

A woman dressed in a red traditional Chinese wedding dress, with a red veil covering her face, followed closely behind.

Chen Mo, however, took it all in stride and carefully watered all the flowers and plants, paying particular attention to the amount of water used for each type. He didn't need any extra guidance from Jiang Hongyue.

Jiang Hongyue looked around and nodded from time to time. "There are more than 30 kinds of flowers and plants here, and the amount of water needed for each kind is different. You remember them very well."

Chen Mo placed the showerhead in the tool shed in the corner, then turned back and took Jiang Hongyue's hand, walking towards the central courtyard: "The Empress's affairs are my affairs. No one is indifferent to their own affairs."

Jiang Hongyue smiled faintly and said nothing more.

Upon entering the living room, Chen Mo helped Jiang Hongyue to her seat and even made her some tea.

Jiang Hongyue took the teacup, then lowered her head slightly, placed the teacup under the red veil, and took a sip.

While Jiang Hongyue was drinking tea, Chen Mo took a peek.

Jiang Hongyue spoke up, "What are you looking at?"

Chen Mo suddenly realized: "I want to see Your Majesty's face."

Click.

Jiang Hongyue placed the teacup on the side table. "She's just an old hag. What's so interesting about her?"

Chen Mo replied, "Although I have never seen Your Highness, I can imagine that Your Highness must be the most beautiful woman in the capital. It is just a pity that I am unlucky enough to have never seen Your Highness's true face."

Humph.

Jiang Hongyue gave a soft hum, feeling quite pleased with herself, and said, "This palace is naturally beautiful enough to topple cities and kingdoms."

"You're really not modest at all..." Chen Mo thought to himself, but said aloud, "I imagine Your Majesty's true appearance is even more beautiful than that of a beauty that could topple cities and kingdoms."

Jiang Hongyue: "It's good that you know."

Chen Mo: "..."

its not right.

Jiang Hongyue used to be very quiet and quite modest.

Why are you being so unrestrained today?
Is it because I haven't talked to her for a while, and she's been feeling really stifled?
After a string of flattery, Jiang Hongyue finally spoke a sensible sentence, "Little Mozi, your cultivation has reached the Golden Ghost level. Your progress is quite good."

Chen Mo was just waiting to hear those words.

To remind the Empress to give her some red moonlight...

Chen Mo flattered her again: "It shouldn't have been this fast. It's all because of the Empress who gave me the Red Moon Essence. This Red Moon Essence is extremely miraculous, saving me a lot of cultivation effort. I was able to enter the Golden Dao realm thanks to the Empress."

He thought to himself, "They've already said all that."

As an empress... you should at least show some appreciation, right?
really……

Jiang Hongyue spoke up, "If Xiao Mozi likes it, I will give you a spider lily later."

Why not just give me the Red Moon Essence directly?
For the red spider lily?

I wonder how many strands of red moonlight are in a single spider lily...

Moreover, perhaps because Jiang Hongyue had lived in the palace for a long time, she always liked to address her juniors by their names.

Those were all terms used to refer to eunuchs.

Chen Mo felt a little uncomfortable, but considering that she was an empress, he let it go.

But he said, "It is a blessing that I can serve Your Majesty. How could I possibly ask for more favors from Your Majesty? Absolutely not."

Ah.

Jiang Hongyue said, "No one can refuse what I give. Xiao Mozi, please don't refuse."

Chen Mo then revealed a reluctant expression: "Since that's the case, then I'll accept it without further ado."

Jiang Hongyue nodded: "However, my crimson moonlight was stolen by that Rakshasa mother. My reserves are running low, and I still need this crimson moonlight to prolong my life. So I can't give you much more. If you can help me find my crimson moonlight..."

Chen Mo stared wide-eyed at Jiang Hongyue, thinking to himself: If I help you find the Red Moon Essence, what will you do? Share half with me?

Jiang Hongyue seemed to feel that she was in a better mood today, so she changed the extent of her promise, "I will remember Xiao Mozi's kindness."

Chen Mo was slightly disappointed... That's it?

But he said, "Your Majesty's words mean you're treating me like an outsider. It's my duty to find the Red Moonlight for Your Majesty. I consider Your Majesty family, so please don't treat me like an outsider."

Jiang Hongyue seemed to sense something and looked up at Chen Mo.

The more I look at it, the more satisfied I feel.

The thoughts that had been drained from Chen Mo's mind continued to descend.

"Little Mozi, you've been in Nanzhou for several months now. Have you found any clues about Mother Rakshasa?"

Chen Mo truthfully stated, "The Rakshasa Shrine where Rakshasa Mother resides is extremely mysterious and deeply hidden. To this day, I still don't know where the Rakshasa Shrine is. I only vaguely sense that the Golden Dragon Temple and the Rakshasa Shrine are connected. After all, the people of the Golden Dragon Temple can actually activate the Red Moon..."

After listening to Chen Mo's detailed account of what happened in Qianfo County last night, Jiang Hongyue said, "Jinlong Temple doesn't have that ability. It must be the vengeful spirit of that bitch Rakshasa Mother that descended."

Chen Mo was stunned...

The red moon covering Qianfo County last night was because the spirit of Rakshasa Mother descended upon Jinlong Temple?

Thinking of this, Chen Mo couldn't help but feel a wave of fear.

Fortunately, I was cautious last night and didn't take Su Yuqing up that mountain.

Otherwise... we'll really have to meet Rakshasa Mother.

Not to mention that Chen Mo was only at the silver level at the time, even if he had reached the gold level... it would still be far from enough for Rakshasa Mother to defeat him in a few blows.

Chen Mo asked, "Is Your Majesty so certain?"

Jiang Hongyue: "If you don't understand the subtle methods of using the Red Moon, you won't know the key. I can confirm that in the entire Southern Continent, only Mother Rakshasa can make the moon turn red. However, I have a question..."

At this point, Jiang Hongyue added, "Little Mozi, I won't hide it from you. Although I've come out of the Underworld, ninety percent of my crimson moonlight has been stolen, leaving only a tiny trace. That's why I can't appear in the mortal realm outside. I can only exist in this mirror world. Therefore, I don't know Rakshasa Mother's methods. The reason I killed Rakshasa Mother's spirit last time was because she read your memories."

Chen Mo understood...

This lady cares about her reputation.

Otherwise, there would be no need for further explanation.

But this also illustrates another point: Jiang Hongyue revealing this weakness means she's starting to consider herself one of her own. Of course, it's also possible that this empress has a backup plan; what if she manages to escape?

Chen Mo dared not believe it completely.

Chen Mo asked about something else: "I saw the Empress lying on my back during a ritual outside. Why is that?"

Jiang Hongyue didn't hide anything: "Because you have ghost bones and red moonlight inside you, you hallucinated my appearance. In fact, only you can hallucinate me on your back in your dream."

Is it true or not?
In any case, it's a good start that the empress has begun to confide in him.

"Your Majesty just mentioned a question; please feel free to ask. I am willing to share Your Majesty's concerns."

Jiang Hongyue nodded: "The reason I can use the red moonlight to conjure a red moon is because of the Red Moon Mirror. How could that Rakshasa mother do such a thing?"

Chen Mo immediately realized the reason: "I suspect that Rakshasa Mother obtained the blood of a certain ghost king. Originally, Rakshasa Mother was a human, but later she obtained the blood of a certain ghost king. That's how she transformed into a powerful ghost and was able to absorb and use the red moonlight."

Jiang Hongyue was taken aback: "Ghost King? How did you know that?"

This information was, of course, deduced by the cheat code.

But Chen Mo couldn't say, only saying, "I've been investigating information about Rakshasa's mother recently. I know this much. But I don't know where this Ghost King comes from."

Jiang Hongyue frowned, crossing her long legs. "Ghost King... usually refers to the Azure Ghost. It's an existence that surpasses the Celestial Realm, comparable to a human True Spirit Realm expert. Logically speaking, even if that Rakshasa mother obtained the Ghost King's blood, she shouldn't be able to control Red Moon, which covers an entire county. There must be some other reason behind it."

other reasons?

Chen Mo suddenly remembered the last sentence of the Golden Finger's deduction:

[Deduction 4: Due to insufficient information, it is impossible to deduce the type and existence of this ghost king. Preliminary assessment indicates that this ghost king is extremely powerful.]

Could this be it?

Chen Mo cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, since Mother Rakshasa grew up relying on the blood of the Ghost King, if I obtain some of the Ghost King's remains or something similar, could I then dismantle Mother Rakshasa?"

Ha ha.

Jiang Hongyue laughed: "Xiao Mozi's idea is good, but you are too weak right now. Even if you obtain the remains of the Qinggui, you won't be able to use them, let alone dismantle them. This is only a theoretical possibility."

Chen Mo naturally wouldn't tell Jiang Hongyue that he had a cheat code.

After hearing her words, Chen Mo became certain that he had this possibility.

Jiang Hongyue seemed to have thought of something and beckoned to Chen Mo, "Little Mo, come here."

Chen Mo walked up to Jiang Hongyue and said, "Your Majesty."

Jiang Hongyue asked, "Where did you get the avatar you used last time?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo instinctively became wary.

Jiang Hongyue noticed that Chen Mo was a little nervous and smiled, "Don't be afraid. I can feel your feelings for me. I need to know the origin of that incarnation so I can make some arrangements."

Knowing he couldn't avoid it, Chen Mo said, "Years ago, I bought a miraculous herb on the black market. After consuming it, I could have an avatar. I wonder what Your Majesty's plans are?"

Jiang Hongyue asked, "Can you create another avatar?"

Chen Mo didn't know what this terrifying empress was planning, nor did he dare to agree directly. He only said, "This... I can't guarantee it. We'll have to try. It might work, or it might not."

Jiang Hongyue said, "Then let's find a way to create another avatar. I need it."

Chen Mo agreed, "Okay."

"Come, let me tell you a story."

Chen Mo: "..."

Chen Mo initially said he enjoyed listening to Jiang Hongyue tell stories, simply to get closer to her. He wanted to encourage this lonely woman to talk more and prevent her from becoming resentful.

But... the stories the Empress told were really boring.

It's like digging a hole for yourself.

Jiang Hongyue: "What? You don't like listening to my stories anymore?"

Chen Mo forced a smile: "How could that be? I love listening to Your Majesty tell me stories. It's like a mother telling a story to her child."

Jiang Hongyue raised her hand and a drum stool appeared in front of her. She patted the stool and said, "Then sit down. By the way, did you enjoy the story I told?"

"Yes, it sounds beautiful, extremely beautiful."

"Then I will begin my story. Where did we leave off last time?"

"The story goes that a scholar went to a temple and encountered a female ghost."

"Yes, yes, that's it. Let me continue. Now, the scholar saw that the female ghost was beautiful and began to have designs on her..."

"By the way, Your Majesty. Did that scholar die later?"

"Don't interrupt, listen to me slowly. The story is long, with many twists and turns. What's the point of just hearing the ending..."

"What Your Majesty says is true..."

……

hiss!
When Chen Mo woke up, it was already dusk.

A splitting headache.

Unexamined.

The story of the scholar and the female ghost kept replaying in my mind.

That sounds awful.

It's smelly and long.

I really don't know how the Empress could like such a boring story.

"I brought this on myself... I insisted on pestering the Empress to tell me stories."

Chen Mo shook his head and blinked hard, finally managing to clear his head a bit.

Juan'er had already prepared the meal, and she and Su Yuqing were waiting in the living room.

After washing up, Chen Mo went out for a meal.

During a break from eating, Su Yuqing brought up what was happening outside, "Young Master, something strange happened today. The Nanzhou government office, which usually doesn't get involved in anything, sent a large number of people to Qianfo County today. They said that the place is haunted by evil spirits and they need to protect the safety of the pilgrims and temples here."

Chen Mo was also surprised: "A large number of people?"

Su Yuqing said, "Yes. I just went out to buy some things and saw soldiers patrolling everywhere on the street, as well as exorcists dressed as Taoist priests. The worshippers were all cheering and applauding enthusiastically."

Chen Mo murmured, "I remember the governor's mansion has never been one to interfere in affairs. When Hua Yunfeng, the governor of Zhenmo Prefecture, died in Nanyang Prefecture, no one cared. But today they've taken action. Is the governor's mansion backed by the Prince of Zhennan?"

Su Yuqing said, "Yes, Miss Huabai just mentioned it too. I saw that you were sleeping, so I didn't disturb you." Chen Mo realized that something was wrong and immediately said, "Juan'er, go and call Huabai here."

Juan'er nodded in agreement and immediately went out the door. Not long after, she returned with Li Huabai.

Li Huabai is followed by Yuanfang.

Perhaps because he had tasted the sweetness of going out with Li Huabai for a day, Yuanfang was all smiles, even happier than if he had eaten candy.

Chen Mo asked Juan'er to add two more sets of bowls and chopsticks, and then invited Li Huabai and Yuanfang to sit down and eat together. He took the opportunity to ask about the Prince of Zhennan.

Li Huabai, who was in charge of the Black Mountain Tower, knew quite a bit about the Prince of Zhennan. "That Prince of Zhennan was named Qin Nanhe. Forty years ago, he made great contributions and was recommended by Prime Minister Li. At that time, Qin Nanhe, who was already the governor and a first-rank minister, had no further titles to bestow, so Emperor Jingtai granted him the title of Prince of a different surname. He was stationed in Nanzhou, but afterwards... this Qin Nanhe became a leisurely prince, hardly doing any work, spending his days at home growing flowers and farming. Forty years have passed, and Nanzhou has almost forgotten that such a prince ever existed."

Two years ago, when Qin Nanhe's daughter came of age, he temporarily entrusted her with the military and political affairs of the governor's office. This made people realize again that there was indeed a Prince Zhennan in Nanzhou.

Chen Mo said, "The governor's mansion is the government office and residence of a state, and it is related to the military, politics and people's livelihood of the region. Can the Prince of Zhennan allow his daughter to temporarily hold such an important position?"

Li Huabai said, "Ordinary governors naturally don't have this right, but the Prince of Zhennan is a prince of a different surname, and he has a certain power to appoint officials within his jurisdiction. He only needs to report to the court. He can even keep 30% of the taxes for himself."

I see……

This Southern Prefecture is equivalent to half of the Zhennan King's territory, similar to a fiefdom. It only nominally maintains the status of a prefecture, symbolizing that the Great Qian Dynasty is, on the surface, still a completely unified feudal dynasty.

The imperial court also has its pride. It seems that such situations are not uncommon in order to maintain overall unity.

Chen Mo came to his senses: "What's Qin Nanhe's daughter's name?"

Li Huabai said, "Qin Luoxi is a very capable woman. She was granted the title of Princess of Nan'an by Emperor Jingtai shortly after birth, and she has been highly praised for her two years in charge of the prefectural governor's office. Because she has never made a public appearance, no one knows the extent of Qin Luoxi's abilities. It was Qin Luoxi who brought people to Qianfo County this time."

Chen Mo nodded: "It seems Qin Luoxi has come with ill intentions. Do you know what she's planning to do here?"

Li Huabai shook her head: "I don't know. However, I have met the Prince of Zhennan a few times. I met him once when I went to Nanyang Prefecture last time. The Prince of Zhennan instructed me to maintain order in Nanyang Prefecture."

Have you ever seen that Qin Luoxi?

"I've seen it."

"Then I'll trouble Miss Bai to draw a portrait of Qin Luoxi. That way I'll be prepared and have a clear idea of ​​what to do," Chen Mo said, then invited everyone to eat.

Actually, I had my own calculations: Qin Luoxi hadn't come earlier or later, but just as I killed the Yin-Yang Ghost Child, she arrived immediately. What a coincidence! I had to be on guard.

After the meal, Chen Mo asked Li Huabai to continue investigating the Ghost King and the Rakshasa Shrine of Jinlong Temple, while he returned to his room to cultivate in seclusion.

Chen Mo's plan was simple.

The Thousand Buddha County is home to a thousand ghosts, all of whom serve as nourishment for the county.

This is the perfect place for me to develop slowly.

Chen Mo walked to the bedside and saw the red spider lilies scattered beside it.

"Huh? I didn't notice it when I just woke up. I suppose this is the spider lily that the goddess gave me. Let me see how many strands of red moonlight it contains."

Chen Mo picked up the spider lily and held it in his hand.

Cool.

As the ghost bone was activated, the spider lily began to vibrate, and strands of red moonlight flowed out, entering Chen Mo's body through the pores of his skin.

Two strands in total!

Although the quantity is small, the purity is very high.

It was much more concentrated than any wisp of red moonlight that Chen Mo had absorbed before.

absorb!

Chen Mo absorbed the essence, and soon two strands of red moonlight flowed into the ghost bone within his body, then entered the natal ghost fragrance in his sea of ​​consciousness through the ghost bone.

It spurred the growth of the natal ghost incense by a small section.

The magnitude of the change is not significant.

But it was several times more effective than the wisp of red moonlight absorbed in the canyon.

"Wonderful! The things Your Majesty gave are truly wonderful. If Your Majesty were to give me all the Moonflower plants from the garden... I simply cannot imagine it."

Chen Mo couldn't help but think this way.

In the days that followed, Chen Mo rarely left Baohua Temple, spending his free time in seclusion. Occasionally, he would test the effects of a spirit leaving its body, and also try to summon the old monk of Baohua Temple.

Meanwhile, the old monk Baohua had been living a miserable life lately.

He was originally an old monk at Baohua Temple, but he was repeatedly controlled and tortured by Chen Mo and Su Yuqing.

This night.

Chen Mo's spirit left his body and went to Baohua Hall, where he used his spiritual power to summon the old monk Baohua.

When the old monk Baohua saw Chen Mo, he was terrified. "Master, what are your orders for summoning this humble monk out in the middle of the night?"

When the old monk Baohua first met Chen Mo, he referred to himself as a poor monk.

Later... he changed his name to "Little Monk".

Chen Mo wasn't killing innocent people indiscriminately. The old monk Baohua had a hard time too. He was repeatedly reprimanded by the Buddha because of that beast Yuanfang, and he lived in constant fear. He was already in a terrible state.

Moreover, Chen Mo was staying at someone else's temple, so it wouldn't be right to kill the monk without even knowing the facts.

Chen Mo said, "It's nothing, I just came out to chat with you. Let me ask you, have you ever been to Jinlong Temple?"

The young monk Baohua said, "I was originally a little ghost raised by the Buddha of Jinlong Temple. I was assigned to stay here to help increase the incense offerings. I haven't been back to Jinlong Temple since then."

Do you know why Kinryu-ji Temple suddenly went into seclusion a hundred years ago?

The young monk Baohua shook his head: "I don't know. The Buddha would not tell me such a secret."

Chen Mo: "How can I get to Jinlong Temple?"

The young monk Baohua said, "That's simple. The old monk who offers the most incense pills each year will have the opportunity to receive the Buddha's teachings. At that time, he can go to the mountains during the year-end grand ceremony to receive the Buddha's blessing."

Chen Mo was taken aback, then pondered for a moment: It's only early February. If Baohua Temple manages things properly, it might very well win first place for the year. But Yuan Fang is a beast, always drawing white lines and cursive scripts. Asking him to manage incense offerings is worse than killing him. Wait… why manage incense offerings? We can just steal incense pills!

Jinlong Temple is hidden so deeply that it would be difficult for Li Huabai to obtain any useful information by investigating it alone.

If you don't enter a tiger's den, you can't get a tiger's son.

To fully understand the mystery of Jinlong Temple's disappearance and its relationship with the Rakshasa Shrine, one must visit Jinlong Temple itself.

Chen Mo felt that he would have to take this step sooner or later.

However, Jinlong Temple is very strange, and it would be unwise to go up the mountain rashly.

With that in mind, Chen Mo spoke up: "Bao Hua, how about we make a deal?"

Humph.

The young monk Baohua snorted coldly: "You have controlled my spirit, and my mind is no longer free. Just give me your orders directly, there's no need for such hypocrisy."

The young monk Baohua harbored resentment.

It was bad enough that Yuanfang, that beast, had caused me to be ridiculed. What was even more infuriating was that... Yuanfang had brought two other beasts with him, and they had them under his control.

This is simply unbearable.

Chen Mo didn't mind the young monk Baohua's resentment: "I'll make you hand over the most incense pills in a row. That way, I'll give you the opportunity to go to Jinlong Temple. I'll then control you there to see for yourself. How about it?"

Bao Hua was pleased with the first half of the sentence, but the second half plunged him into despair. Realizing Chen Mo was up to no good, he reluctantly agreed.

Chen Mo said, "You've lived a miserable life all these years, looked down upon by the other old monks at every turn. Anyone could come and trample on you. Living like this is worse than death. One should live life to the fullest at least once. What do you say?"

The young monk Baohua said, "My life is entirely in your hands, sir. How could I possibly refuse?"

Chen Mo said, "I have never liked threatening others. If you are unwilling, then forget it."

The old monk Baohua's heart pounded wildly.

Isn't this a threat?
That's so hypocritical.

He said with a hint of reluctance, "Hehe, don't be angry, sir. I'm willing. I've been looked down upon by those bastards for so many years, and now I have a chance to shine. I'll be grateful for your great kindness."

The main reason is... his life and death are in the hands of others, he really has no choice. He might as well have a moment of glory.

Chen Mo turned around and smiled, "Baohua is a pragmatic person."

Bao Hua twitched the corner of his mouth: "It's all thanks to Master's kindness."

……

"Hey? Who stole my incense pills? Damn it, I'll fight that thief to the death."

"Hey? My family's incense has been stolen! Which thief is causing this trouble? Come out and face your death!"

"You beast! The incense pills I've been saving for days have been stolen by someone for no reason. I was even thinking about how Yuanbao is dead and I was aiming for first place next month. Who could be such a beast?"

"You beast!!"

The incense offerings of various temples were stolen, but no one knew who the beast was.

It's Chen Mo, of course.

Chen Mo was imbued with golden cultivation, and his soul left his body.

Stealing a few incense pills is no big deal.

In just seven or eight days, he had collected more than the number the old monk Yuanbao had previously collected. It seemed that first place this month was already secured.

Here comes the problem...

It's just a show, to make Baohua Temple look presentable. Otherwise, it would be too easy to arouse suspicion.

Chen Mo was considering having Li Huabai find a famous monk to perform a ritual at Baohua Temple to attract more worshippers. This would be enough to cover things up on the surface.

Of course, during this time, Chen Mo also used the name of that evil nun to kill several ill-tempered old monks. He also collected a wave of original solution essence. Finally, he accumulated 38 original solution essence.

Being in a place like this, it's really inconvenient not to maintain a certain amount of original insights.

Late that night, Chen Mo killed an old monk.

After making some arrangements, they headed towards Baohua Temple.

He pondered:

"I've finally gathered 45 original essences. If I come across a good one next, I can modify the compatibility. Qianfo County is so big, the disappearance of a few lesser-known temple masters shouldn't be too serious for Jinlong Temple. I can use the name of the evil nun to continue attracting Jinlong's attention to investigate. That way I'll feel more at ease."

"Overall, Qianfo County is a pretty good place. It suits me."

After walking through a secluded street, you'll see the dilapidated gate of Baohua Temple ahead.

Ok?
Is someone following me?
When he reached a large tree, Chen Mo vanished in a flash.

Da da da.

A beautiful woman in a blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) emerged from the street corner. She looked around but couldn't find Chen Mo. She couldn't help but wonder, "Where did he go? I just saw him go to the temple. He was acting suspiciously; he must have done something bad. And he seemed to be quite skilled."

This woman was none other than Qin Luoxi.

Qin Luoxi rushed into the woods, only to find it dark and densely vegetated, forcing her to strain her eyes to survey her surroundings while remaining vigilant and on guard.

"What about people?"

Just then, Qin Luoxi felt a movement above her head and immediately looked up.

Then they saw a cold, lifeless corpse fall down, its face almost touching Qin Luoxi's.

Its face was ashen, covered in lividity and other signs of death; its pupils were white, and its long tongue was sticking out.

dead body?

hiss!
Qin Luoxi gasped in shock.

Although she was quite skilled and held important military and political positions in the governor's mansion, earning her the nickname "Iron Lady," she had rarely left Nanzhou City since childhood and was still very afraid of corpses.

Just then, the corpse stuck out its long tongue and licked her pretty face.

"what!!"

Qin Luoxi finally couldn't take it anymore. She cried out and tried to fight back. Then, her mind was violently impacted, and she collapsed to the ground like dry tinder.

Half of it was a psychological shock, and the other half was fright.

Wow.

Chen Mo slammed down from the tree. "The daughter of the Prince of Zhennan, the Princess of Nan'an... is that all?"

That feels a bit relaxing...

……

When Qin Luoxi woke up again, she found herself lying on the bed with her hands and feet bound by ropes.

Did that guy capture me?
This was Qin Luoxi's first thought, and she immediately felt a deep sense of unease. She was about to cry for help when she realized she couldn't speak.

It turned out that his mouth was stuffed tightly with a rag, filling his oral cavity and even his cheeks. His cheeks couldn't contract, so he couldn't spit out the rag.

Turning my head again, I saw that the guy was sitting next to me, opening his bundle. He even took out a brocade box and started looking inside.

Woo woo woo.

Thinking of the treasures in the brocade box, all precious gifts from her father, which Qin Luoxi had been reluctant to use for many years… she let out a whimper.

"Hehe~"

Chen Mo turned around with the brocade box in his hand and took out a pill from it: "Tell me, what is this?"

Woo woo woo.

Qin Luoxi shook her head frantically.

Chen Mo said, "If you don't shout, I'll take the rag out of your mouth. Okay?"

Woohoo.

Qin Luoxi shook her head frantically, her eyes glaring at Chen Mo as if spitting fire.

Chen Mo pretended to be threatening, stroking Qin Luoxi's face: "What a beautiful face. If I were to make two cuts on it... I wonder what would happen?"

woohoo~
Qin Luoxi was so frightened that tears streamed down her face, and then she nodded frantically.

"That's right, good boy."

Chen Mo then took the rag out of Qin Luoxi's mouth.

call.

Qin Luoxi breathed a sigh of relief, moved her aching cheeks, and then said, "Please don't hurt me. I can give you money."

Chen Mo toyed with the pill in his hand: "I'm not short of money. Now, tell me, what is this pill? Don't try to fool me, or I'll slash your face."

Qin Luoxi was so frightened that her whole body was covered in hair. She curled up and trembled.

"It's the Celestial Pill. After taking it, it can greatly increase the probability of breaking through from the Great Perfection of the Transcendent Realm to the Celestial Realm. This was given to me by my father... my father."

Chen Mo said, "You clearly have a ninth-level Great Perfection cultivation level, why don't you use it?"

"I... I'm still a bit unprepared. I plan to prepare more thoroughly before taking it."

Chen Mo put down the pills and picked up a talisman: "What's this talisman for?"

Qin Luoxi didn't want to say, but Chen Mo glared at her fiercely, so she said, "It's a corpse-suppressing talisman, which can suppress the hairy zombie with golden life energy."

What a good thing.

Chen Mo took out another talisman: "Where is this talisman?"

"It's a ghost-suppressing talisman; it can suppress the golden evil spirit."

You're quite the lavish princess... you bring a lot of treasures with you on your trip.

"And what about this piece of meat?"

"It is the flesh of the Five-Flower Ghost, which can enhance the cultivation of the Golden Ghost."

good good!
Chen Mo quickly put the several good items into the brocade box.

Qin Luoxi: "Can you give my things back? I'll exchange them for something else. It's an equal exchange; I need these things."

Chen Mo smiled and said, "How could I possibly return it to you... Princess Nan'an?"

From the moment Chen Mo was followed by Qin Luoxi, Chen Mo had no intention of letting her go back, otherwise it would be a big problem.

Since people can't leave these things out indefinitely, it's a waste to just leave them there. We might as well make use of them first. At worst, we can pay her back later... consider it money we bought ourselves.

Qin Luoxi's eyes widened: "You, you know me?"

Although Qin Luoxi was wearing makeup, her appearance differed from the portrait given by Li Huabai.

But Chen Mo, having transmigrated from his previous life... what kind of makeup hadn't he seen?

He had seen an extremely ugly woman who had disguised herself as a beautiful woman.

I've also seen a woman transform herself into someone else through makeup.

Chen Mo saw through Qin Luoxi's little tricks in no time.

“I’ll gladly accept these things. Thank you for the gifts, Princess. I’m sorry to trouble you to stay here from now on.” Chen Mo first lowered the other party’s expectations, then suddenly changed the subject: “However, if you tell me what your purpose is in coming here, I might consider letting you go.”

snort!
Qin Luoxi had recovered by now. "You're a big liar. I won't tell. Even if I did, you wouldn't let me go. My life talisman is in my father's hands. If you dare to kill me, my father will arrive instantly."

Having accepted the favor, Chen Mo didn't want to frighten the little girl too much, so he said, "Then stay here. I'll have a ghost serve you."

Qin Luoxi trembled again and immediately said, "If I tell you my purpose, will you let me go?"

"Yes."

What if you lie to me?

"Then you'll have to accept your fate."

"..."

Chen Mo had no time for idle chatter with this woman; he was eager to dissect the Celestial Pill and the Five-Flower Ghost Year Meat...

This princess is a big problem; we can't let her go.

Keeping her around might allow us to get more information about the Rakshasa Shrine.

(End of this chapter)