I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 207 Infiltrating the Moon Worship Cult, the Flying Zombies Have Arrived! (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

Chen Mo, who is always diligent, made a special trip to the eaves to watch the rain today, and even asked Su Yuqing to come and make tea.

As for Juan'er and Xiaoxiao, they were busy making wooden puppets in the side room.

Chen Mo likes rainy days like this.

The quiet, lonely feeling... is quite nice.

Just then——

yawn.

Chen Mo suddenly yawned violently, almost vomiting up the tea he had just drunk.

Su Yuqing thought Chen Mo was unwell, so she quickly asked with concern, "Is Young Master feeling unwell?"

Chen Mo took a deep breath and said, "I'm physically fine, but I feel like someone is talking badly about me behind my back."

Su Yuqing smiled and said, "Young Master has always been kind to others, so no one would speak ill of you behind your back. You must be overthinking it."

While saying this aloud, Su Yuqing added in her mind: Those who dared to curse you behind your back have all been killed by you.

"I also think that I've always been kind to people, so there shouldn't be such a person..." Chen Mo said, but suddenly caught a glimpse of a beautiful purple figure outside the hanging flower gate out of the corner of his eye.

In Chen Mo's memory, women wearing purple dresses were a rare sight in this world.
Upon closer inspection, they were surprised to find that the beautiful figure looked very familiar.

"Xiaoye!?"

Chen Mo immediately stood up, ignoring the heavy rain falling from the sky, and ran to the back of the hanging flower gate.

Squeak.

Chen Mo pushed open the hanging flower gate with all his might.

Suddenly, a woman in purple, holding a purple oil-paper umbrella, stood in the rain outside the door.

Nearly two years have passed since I last saw her, and I still find the woman standing in the rain to be stunning, ethereal, and serene.

"It really is Xiao Ye. Hahaha." Chen Mo was in a great mood and suddenly stepped forward to pat Xiao Ye on the shoulder. "Come in and sit down. I've been thinking about you a lot."

Nangong Ye wasn't unhappy at all. He just stood quietly, his clear eyes fixed on Su Yuqing, who was brewing tea under the eaves, and said, "What a beautiful woman. No wonder you didn't come to see me even after you arrived in the outskirts of the capital."

Chen Mo was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Xiao Ye, you've misunderstood. There's another reason why I'm not going to the capital. Come in and have some hot tea, and I'll explain it to you in detail."

Although he spoke politely, he was thinking to himself: Why is Xiaoye being so sarcastic today? Even if we take a step back... isn't it normal to have three wives and four concubines in this world? Xiaoye is in the capital, she should know this.

Nangong Ye didn't hesitate at all and quietly followed Chen Mo into the courtyard, where they sat down in the living room.

Su Yuqing then made tea for the two of them.

Nangong Ye accepted the teacup, thanked him, and then quietly drank the tea without saying a word.

The atmosphere became rather awkward for a moment.

Chen Mo felt a strange sense of reunion, but after a moment's thought, he roughly understood why: it seemed that Nangong Ye had some feelings for him.

If you can't even sense that.

Chen Mo is simply asking for trouble.

Since Nangong Ye has this intention, the problem lies with Su Yuqing.

If this isn't made clear, the atmosphere at today's meeting... might not be good.

"Xiaoye, it's been almost two years since we parted ways at the Red River. A lot has happened in between. It's already a miracle that I made it to the outskirts of Beijing alive. I thought I would never see Xiaoye again in this lifetime."

First, play the victim card.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Nangong Ye looked up, his eyes filled with worry: "What happened?"

Chen Mo said, "Do you remember when we finally survived the human-dragon sacrifice at the inn in Honghe County, you stared at my back and said there was something on it?"

Nangong Ye suddenly recalled the scene and felt a pang of unease: "At the time, I only vaguely felt that there was something on your back, but I couldn't see it clearly. Later, I looked more closely and didn't find anything, so I thought I was seeing things. Could there really be something on your back?"

Chen Mo then kept everyone in suspense: "This matter is of great importance. But Xiao Ye and I have been through life and death together several times, so I suppose it's alright to talk about it?"

Nangong Ye glared at Chen Mo: "I'm the one who's been taking care of your family, young master. If you're still hiding this from me, then you're treating me like an outsider."

These words immediately eased the tension considerably.

Chen Mo then said, "Xiao Ye, do you still remember when I was mentally unwell?"

“I remember. At the time, I thought it was because you were exhausted after the human-dragon sacrifice.”

"That's what I thought at the time, but then I found that my back was aching terribly. When we arrived in Nanyang Prefecture, I asked Li Huabai to find a bone-revealing mirror. Guess what I saw on my back?"

Nangong Ye became a little nervous. "Young Master, please don't keep me in suspense."

Chen Mo said, "It's Jiang Hongyue."

Nangong Ye's pupils shrank instantly, and her beautiful eyes widened.

Others might find this absurd, but Nangong Ye and Chen Mo had both experienced the human-dragon sacrifice together, and Nangong Ye did indeed feel something on Chen Mo's back at the time.

After comparing the before and after, I immediately believed it to be true.

Nangong Ye's expression changed: "And then?"

Chen Mo said, "Later, I made a deal with Jiang Hongyue. I went to Nanzhou to destroy the Rakshasa Temple and helped Jiang Hongyue retrieve the Red Moon Essence. Now Jiang Hongyue has rebuilt her Yang Soul. I don't know where she went."

Although Chen Mo spoke simply and casually, Nangong Ye stared intently at him, his eyes becoming very deep.

There is one Rakshasa Temple in Dayin Mountain.

Emperor Tianbao hid inside and thus escaped the calamity.

This demonstrates the power of the Rakshasa Temple.

Without even thinking, Nangong Ye knew that Chen Mo had suffered a lot and gone through many dangers along the way.

Thinking of this, Nangong Ye sighed: "It must have been a difficult journey for you, young master. You must have suffered a lot. Now that Jiang Hongyue has reshaped her Yang Soul, she has most likely gone to the palace to seek revenge, or she has gone to the Jiang family. I'm afraid the capital will not be peaceful from now on."

Chen Mo said, "Those are matters between important figures, and I don't pay much attention to them. I'm already very fortunate to have survived Jiang Hongyue's clutches. By the way, let me introduce you. This is the former dynasty's eldest princess, Su Yuqing. Xiao Ye has seen Jiang Hongyue's memories, so she should recognize her."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Ye raised his head and looked at Su Yuqing.

At first glance, the woman seemed vaguely familiar, but because she was wearing a red Xiuhe dress, she couldn't recognize her. Now, upon closer inspection... she was indeed the former dynasty's eldest princess whom Jiang Hongyue had seen in her memories.

Knowing the identity of this princess, Nangong Ye felt a strange sense of joy.

This at least shows that... Chen Mo hasn't been having affairs with other women.

His character... is fairly reliable.

Nangong Ye stood up slightly and bowed slightly: "So it is Her Highness the Eldest Princess in person. I have been impolite."

Su Yuqing was quite unpretentious and returned the greeting: "Miss Nangong, you are too kind. The world has turned upside down, and things have changed. There is no longer any princess. She is just a pitiful person abandoned by the times. If it weren't for your pity, I would still be a lonely ghost with nowhere to go."

Nangong Ye comforted her, "Your Highness, please don't give up on yourself like this. You are of royal blood and of noble status. The court is still relatively clear-headed. Although Emperor Jingtai is devoted to Taoist cultivation, he is open to advice and promotes those from humble backgrounds. He has the ambition to reform the government. However... the Empress Dowager still rules from behind the curtain. His Majesty's power is not great. If Your Highness is considering returning to the court, I can offer some assistance."

Su Yuqing smiled bitterly: "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Nangong, but I have no such intention. I only wish to stay by your side and live out my remaining years."

Nangong Ye didn't say anything more.

Chen Mo didn't want to continue on such a serious topic, so he said, "Xiao Yu, please get some wine and dishes. Xiao Ye is a rare guest tonight, so please treat him well."

Su Yuqing nodded in agreement and hurriedly left.

Nangong Ye then approached Chen Mo, slightly surprised: "Young Master, you treat the former dynasty's eldest princess like this? It's just like His Majesty's style."

Chen Mo: "I didn't know her identity before, so I just called her that. I got used to it after a while. By the way, which demon-suppressing family in the capital are you? Can I not call you Xiao Ye?"

Nangong Ye paused for a moment: "If you're used to calling me that, then keep calling me that."

Compared to others who addressed him respectfully as "Lord Nangong" or "Chief," and who were all extremely deferential and trembling before him, Nangong Ye quite liked Chen Mo's manner and way of addressing him.

Chen Mo said, "Then that settles it."

Nangong Ye stopped dwelling on this trivial matter. "Back in Honghe County, I sent you to the capital. But you wanted a peaceful life. I never imagined you'd still end up in the capital."

Chen Mo touched his forehead: "I was insignificant. I never expected the world to be so terrible. Xiao Ye was right, I need to go to a bigger stage."

Nangong Ye was pleased to hear this and nodded, saying, "Young Master is no ordinary person; he should come to the capital and stir up trouble. But why don't you come to the capital? The outskirts of the capital are ultimately a small place."

Chen Mo didn't hide anything, "Didn't I say before? I'm not human anymore. I'm a zombie, a ghost. There are countless experts in the capital. If I encounter someone who hates evil... wouldn't I be asking for trouble?"

Nangong Ye glanced at Chen Mo: "Is that why you haven't come to the capital to see me, young master?"

Chen Mo: "Yes. Chen Kun told me that Xiao Ye has taken great care of my family over the past year or two. I should have come to thank her. But alas... my health won't allow it."

Nangong Ye pondered for a moment, then said, "I have a way."

"What method?" Chen Mo's family was all in the capital, so naturally he wanted to go there to see what was going on. Besides, the capital was the biggest stage; it was only a matter of time.

Nangong Ye said, "Offer amnesty."

"Recruitment?"

"Yes. Whether it's the Three Departments and Six Ministries of the Imperial Court, or other government agencies, they will recruit and grant identity tokens to some of the corpse ghosts who have made contributions to the court. In this way, they can freely enter and leave the capital."

"I have no intention of serving the imperial court," Chen Mo stated directly.

He had no good feelings towards the imperial court.

Serving the imperial court is out of the question.

Unless there is some extremely great benefit.

Chen Mo has always been known for his independent and unconventional ways. He has never held any official position in the imperial court.

He just wants to do what he wants to do.

I don't want to be tied down.

Nangong Ye said, "I hold a position in the Demon Suppression Division. I can represent the Demon Suppression Division in seeking amnesty. The term 'amnesty' is not appropriate; you should consider me an unofficial member of the Demon Suppression Division. The Demon Suppression Division is not entirely under the jurisdiction of the imperial court. The imperial court cannot issue any direct orders to the Demon Suppression Division."

Chen Mo hesitated.

Nangong Ye continued, "The unofficial staff of the Demon Suppression Division are under its protection. They can use the Demon Suppression Division's name, which makes things much easier. Moreover, you, young master, do not accept orders from the imperial court. You are only responsible for slaying demons and monsters. Haven't you always enjoyed slaying evil spirits and ghosts? Doesn't this suit your taste perfectly?"
If you agree, young master, I will have Chen Kun deliver your token and document.

Chen Mo did not refuse Nangong Ye's offer, after all, judging from his experience at the Ghost Market last time, the Demon Suppression Division's tiger skin was still very useful.

"Alright. But it's agreed that if you ask me to do something I don't want to do, I won't do it."

Seeing that Chen Mo accepted her kindness, Nangong Ye nodded: "Of course. Chen Kun has already told me what you did in Daxing County. What are your plans next, young master?"

Chen Mo explained his plans.

Upon hearing this, Nangong Ye became interested: "If you can find the stronghold of the Moon Worship Sect, that would be a great achievement. I will personally commend you for your merit."

Chen Mo wasn't interested: "There's no need for self-praise. I have my own reasons for doing this."

Nangong Ye: "Young Master probably doesn't know how valuable the Demon Suppression Division's contributions are, does he?"

Chen Mo scoffed: "How valuable is it?"

"Great merits from the Demon Suppression Division can be exchanged for corresponding treasures, secret techniques... the benefits are beyond your imagination, young master."

Chen Mo immediately became interested: "Please tell me in detail, Xiao Ye."

"The merits of the Demon Suppression Division are divided into minor, medium, and major merits. The Moon Worship Cult has been lurking in the capital region for hundreds of years, and no one has ever found the location of its headquarters. Finding a Moon Worship Cult stronghold would only be a minor merit. But if you, young master, can follow the clues and find the location of the Moon Worship Cult's headquarters, that would be a major merit. The reward for a major merit is at least equivalent to... several million taels of silver. It can be exchanged for treasures and secret techniques at the peak of the Celestial Realm, or even at the initial stage of the True Spirit Realm."

Chen Mo said, "The difference between the peak of the Celestial Realm and the initial stage of the True Spirit Realm... is huge. What's the explanation for this?"

Nangong Ye smiled and said, "Ordinary people who make great contributions will naturally receive the reward of being at the peak of the Celestial Realm. But you are not an outsider, so if I say a few words, I will receive the reward of being at the initial stage of the True Spirit Realm."

Chen Mo smiled and said, "I'll take on this unofficial position in the Demon Suppression Division for now. I'll communicate with Chen Kun later when there's progress."

Before long, Su Yuqing had prepared the wine and dishes.

After the three of them had a meal, Nangong Ye got up to say goodbye.

Chen Mo personally saw him off at the door. When they reached the door, Nangong Ye suddenly turned around and asked, "No one outside knows the identity of the Eldest Princess yet, right?"

Chen Mo shook his head: "No."

Nangong Ye sighed: "She will return to the imperial family sooner or later. There will likely be many twists and turns in the future, so I hope you will prepare in advance, young master."

Chen Mo watched Nangong Ye's departing figure, pondering Nangong Ye's words.

Will we eventually return to the imperial family?
It seems to be a pointed remark.

But Nangong Ye didn't say much, so Chen Mo had no choice but to give up.

Back in the main room, Su Yuqing showed great interest in Nangong Ye. "This is the Xiao Ye that you know, young master. She is truly outstanding and unfathomable. Even I cannot discern the depth of her cultivation. I am afraid she is at least a human cultivator at the True Spirit Realm."

Chen Mo said, "Xiao Ye's identity is definitely not simple. She is most likely a high-ranking member of the Demon Suppression Division, or the direct descendant of a top-tier Demon Suppression family. However, she is a reliable person. Xiao Yu doesn't need to overthink it."

After saying that, Chen Mo returned to his bedroom and took out the booklet of wooden puppets from Master Huang's house to look at.

When Chen Mo left the Huang residence, he brought with him all the relevant books and notes that Master Huang had been researching, especially the wooden puppet and the other crescent moon sculptures.

"According to Xiaoye, it seems that Master Huang has made contact with people from a certain Moon Worship Cult stronghold. If we find this stronghold, it will be a small achievement. If we can follow the clues to find the location of the Moon Worship Cult's headquarters, it will be a great achievement."

A reward for great merit is certainly desirable.

But this was not the reason why Chen Mo agreed to be an unstaff member.

He accepted this arrangement not only because the Demon Suppression Division's influence was useful, but also mainly because... he doubted he could obtain the Undying Bone from the Moon Worship Cult on his own... and the Demon Suppression Division happened to be interested in the Moon Worship Cult as well.

If the Demon Suppression Division were to intervene and muddy the waters, Chen Mo felt the success rate would be much higher.

"Our current focus is still on Yang Yan's wife, Chen Qian. I hope Yang Yan will come here to find me."

The following morning, Chen Kun arrived with fine wine. He also brought Chen Mo's official documents and token confirming Chen Mo's status as an unofficial member of the Demon Suppression Division, thus solidifying Chen Mo's identity and allowing him to leverage the Demon Suppression Division's influence in the future.

Even if you encounter a skilled opponent in the capital, you can show your identity token to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Chen Mo accepted the documents and token, saying, "Thank you for making this trip, Brother Chen."

Chen Kun smiled and said, "Brother Chen, there's no need to be so polite. By the way, has Miss Nangong been here before?"

Chen Mo: "I was here last night. What happened?"

"It's nothing, just asking." Chen Kun said it was nothing, but in his heart he was thinking: Lord Nangong really has a refined taste. She publicly refused the Empress's invitation to the banquet before. But she personally traveled dozens of miles for Chen Mo. She really cares about Chen Mo.

"By the way, Brother Chen, do you know what position Xiao Ye holds in the Demon Suppression Division?"

"Haha, Brother Chen, why are you asking this? Miss Nangong forbade me to say. Just ask her yourself later. By the way, Miss Nangong told me that Brother Chen is going to search for the Moon Worship Cult's stronghold as an unofficial member of the Demon Suppression Division. If successful, it will be a great achievement. Great achievements for our Demon Suppression Division are extremely rare..."

After seeing Chen Kun off, Chen Mo continued to study Master Huang's album of notes.

Trying to find information about a certain location within it.

However, this Mr. Huang was very cautious and did not reveal the location of the stronghold or the people he was in contact with. He did mention the password and method of contact, as well as some strange symbols.

For Chen Mo, who had just arrived in the outskirts of Beijing, it was completely a mystery.

Good thing...

Yang Yan has arrived.

They arrived at dusk, bringing some fine wine and other gifts.

"Brother Yang, it's enough that you've come in person, there's no need to bring gifts." Chen Mo accepted the gifts and politely welcomed Yang Yan into the living room, asking Su Yuqing to make tea.

Upon seeing Su Yuqing's stunning beauty, Yang Yan exclaimed, "Brother Chen is truly a blessed man. It's something to be envied." Chen Mo knew that Yang Yan had misunderstood, but he didn't explain. He simply said, "I envy Brother Yang, for your loving relationship with your wife, which has lasted a long time."

Yang Yan seemed to understand: "Well said. Although my wife and I have had many ups and downs, our love is truly deep."

During a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Mo inquired about Chen Qian's condition.

Yang Yan said, "Thanks to Brother Chen for the color-changing corpse infant, my wife is already able to get out of bed and walk. She's still a bit short of fully recovered. If we could get another color-changing corpse infant, she would recover even faster. By the way, Brother Chen told me about that Master Huang last time..."

"Brother Yang, please wait a moment." Chen Mo went into the bedroom and took out Master Huang's notebook and the crescent moon puppet sculpture, handing them all to Yang Yan.

Yang Yan was overjoyed after carefully examining the materials: "These documents should be useful. The transaction codes and symbols in them look somewhat familiar. However... my wife will need to see them to understand. After all, my wife is a member of the Moon Worship Cult. May I take these pages back with me?"

Of course not...

These booklets are Chen Mo's bargaining chips.

If Chen Qian sees this and doesn't include me, that would be bad.

He said, "To be honest, Brother Yang, I am also looking for the Moon Worship Cult's stronghold. I have put a lot of effort into these books. If you insist on taking these books back to show your lord, I must..."

Yang Yan said, "That's only right. We shouldn't delay, please come with me, Brother Chen."

……

Arriving once again at the secluded mansion in the ghost market, Chen Mo saw Chen Qian already sitting in the living room. She was wearing a simple gray dress, with little makeup, and her face had regained some color, but she still looked sickly.

Upon seeing Chen Mo, Chen Qian politely cupped her hands in greeting, saying, "This humble servant is Chen Qian. Thank you, Young Master Mo, for the color-changing corpse infant."

Chen Mo raised his hand in a gesture of respect: "Madam, you don't need to be so polite. I was only there for a transaction last time. I can't accept such thanks from you."

"Although it's a transaction, a discolored corpse infant is extremely rare. I appreciate your kindness, young master." Chen Qian thanked her again before taking the booklet and turning the pages. She also compared it with the crescent moon object and the wooden puppet for reference.

Chen Mo and Yang Yan sat quietly to the side, waiting.

After a long while, Chen Qian put down the book, and Yang Yan hurriedly asked, "Did you see anything, my wife?"

Chen Qian said, "That Master Huang did indeed make contact with a stronghold of the Moon Worship Cult. Judging from the contact token and insignia, that stronghold is located near Daxing County."

Chen Mo was taken aback: "The Moon Worship Cult's stronghold is in Daxing County? How did you figure that out, Madam?"

Chen Qian picked up the booklet and pointed to a small seal script character "兴" on it: "This is the character '兴'. It represents Daxing County. Young master, you may not know this. The Moon Worship Sect is a very ancient tribe. It has a long history, and its core symbols and characters still use ancient small seal script. It is different from the characters we use today. People who are not members of our sect may not be able to recognize it."

It turned out to be the case.

Chen Mo asked, "Could Madam have found that stronghold?"

Chen Qian picked up the crescent moon sculpture and the wooden puppet: "These sculptures and puppets were made from local materials. Ask the skilled craftsmen in Daxing County, and they should be able to find the location."

Chen Mo: "But I remember that it was written in Master Huang's book that he bought this puppet from the ghost market."

Chen Qian said, "It must be that the people in the stronghold were short of money, or they were eager to buy other treasures. That's why they secretly took a wooden puppet that contained a color-changing corpse infant to the ghost market to sell."

The buyer that Master Huang contacted was likely the peddler. Master Huang was cautious, fearing the discolored infant inside the puppet wouldn't be released, which is why he repeatedly contacted the peddler. The peddler gave Master Huang some methods. These pages record the passwords used by Master Huang to contact the peddler.

Chen Mo understood: "So... as long as we find this peddler, we can find the Moon Worship Cult's stronghold near Daxing County?"

Chen Qian nodded: "That should be the case."

They are indeed members of the Moon Worship Cult.

In no time, he had analyzed most of the information in the album and notes.

Chen Mo felt that things were becoming clearer and clearer.

Yang Yan said, "If we can find that stronghold, we will definitely be able to find other color-changing corpse infants inside. The problem now is that Master Huang is dead. Moreover, many people in Daxing County know that something happened to the Huang family. If we rashly use Master Huang's name to contact him, I'm afraid that peddler will be wary."

Chen Qian was also troubled, "Now we have all the methods, the only thing missing is how to contact this peddler. The Moon Worship Cult is strictly managed, and it is extremely difficult for outsiders to enter without an acquaintance to guide them."

Chen Mo suddenly said, "I have an idea. We can pretend to be a good friend of Master Huang and say that we have a terminal illness and want to buy a puppet at a high price. When the peddler sees that we know Master Huang's contact code, he will most likely believe us."

Chen Qian and Yang Yan both looked at Chen Mo and nodded.

“This method is worth a try.” Chen Qian nodded. “However, there is something I don’t understand and would like to ask you, young master.”

"Madam, please feel free to speak."

"The Moon Worship Cult is a dangerous place. I was abused for breaking the rules back then, which is why I have so many health problems. My husband and I went to that stronghold to find the discolored corpse infant. Why would you come with us on this dangerous journey?"

Chen Mo found an excuse: "To be honest, Madam, I want to use this opportunity to find the headquarters of the Moon Worship Cult. I also have a reason to go."

Chen Qian didn't ask any further questions. "Young Master was introduced by Feng Si Niang, and Lord Chen of the Demon Suppression Division is also a guarantor. I naturally trust him. Husband, let's finalize this cooperation. I think Young Master is quite skilled. Having more people means having more help and increasing the chances of success."

Yang Yan glanced at Chen Mo, then at his weak wife, and nodded in agreement: "Alright. Let's not delay, let's set off for Daxing County."

……

Seven days later.

Twenty miles outside Daxing County, there is a town called Feihua Town.

This place is not far from Daxing County, but the soil is excellent, suitable for planting many valuable trees, and the villagers mostly make a living by logging. Many famous woodcarvers have come from here.

It is said that some master craftsmen can even carve wood carvings with divine qualities, possessing the power to refresh the mind and promote restful sleep. These pieces not only fetch high prices in the market but have also entered the imperial palace as decorative displays.

It's quite a well-known town.

The most famous wood carving shop in town is Xu's Wood Carving Shop.

The shopkeeper, Xu Liang, was over seventy years old. His wood carvings were often imbued with a divine quality and were widely loved. He had even worked on carving projects for the imperial palace and was a renowned master craftsman.

That night, it was raining.

Xu Liang was carving the image of a demon in the workshop, with his two apprentices helping him.

One of the fat men was the eldest apprentice, helping to hold the lamp. Perhaps his arm was a little sore from holding the oil lamp for too long, so he said, "Master, won't this carving of evil spirit images in the middle of the night really attract evil spirits?"

Ha ha.

Xu Liang chuckled softly, "The so-called divinity is merely a remnant of my inspirational power. Truly divine wood carvings are extremely rare. Only the Bodhisattva I carved for the Empress Dowager back in the palace possessed divinity. This is something that can only be encountered by chance. There will never be any real evil spirits."

The fat man finally breathed a sigh of relief, happily holding up the lamp, his tone much more relaxed, "Master, you are the head master, each statue is worth at least tens of thousands of taels of silver. Why work so hard? Don't ruin your health."

Eh.

Xu Liang sighed, "In the end, it's still about money. Although I earn a lot, I spend even more. Otherwise, why would I have to work so hard?"

Just then, a servant came in from outside. "Manager Xu, three strangers have come in. They say they want to do business with you."

Xu Liang refused without hesitation: "We close late at night and do not see guests. If they want to carve wood carvings, tell them to come back tomorrow. They only need to leave a deposit of ten thousand taels."

The servant said, "They say they're an old acquaintance of the manager, and they've got a terminal illness. They want to do a big business deal with the manager. They even have a thick stack of silver notes..."

Click.

Xu Liang immediately put down his carving knife, considered for a moment, and said with a smile, "Please ask them to go to the living room. I'll change my clothes and come over."

"Yes."

After the servant hurriedly left, Xu Liang told his two disciples to go and rest, "That's enough for today. You two should go and get some rest. I have a big business deal to discuss."

Xu Liang changed into decent clothes and walked towards the living room, a smile on his lips, muttering to himself, "I'm so broke lately. It was much better to make money off Master Huang last time. I only ever did one big deal with Master Huang. He's also got a terminal illness, probably another fat sheep like Master Huang. He deserves to be fleeced, hehe."

Upon entering the living room, Xu Liang saw three people.

Two men and one woman.

The woman was extremely thin and had a deathly pale face; she looked like she had a terminal illness and was about to die.

Thinking of this, Xu Liang felt that the matter was almost certain.

"I've heard you want to do a big business deal with me, Xu?"

Yang Yan helped Chen Qian up and said, "We are close friends of Master Huang. After learning that Master Huang had a terminal illness, we made a deal with Manager Xu. My wife also has a terminal illness and wants to ask Manager Xu for a solution."

Xu Liang glanced at the thick stack of large-denomination silver notes in Chen Mo's hand, a smile on his face. As he poured tea for the three of them, he said, "It's no trouble at all. The sculptures I, Xu, carve have the effect of refreshing the mind and nourishing the body. If your lady were to buy a sculpture and place it by her bedside, it would surely have miraculous effects over the years."

Humph.

Yang Yan snorted: "Manager Xu is joking. My wife is terminally ill, and ordinary sculptures won't do her any good. I want to buy a wooden puppet like Master Huang. The price is negotiable."

Xu Liang's pupils contracted, and he squinted, "You claim to be Master Huang's close friend, but do you have any proof?"

Chen Qian weakly gave the password for the rendezvous.

Xu Liang listened carefully and nodded. "As expected, he is a close friend of Master Huang. I, Xu, am not one to mince words either. Recently, the price of puppets has skyrocketed. The price will need to be increased by 30%."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo and the other two exchanged a glance.

it's him!
That peddler.

Bang!
Yang Yan took a step forward and suddenly appeared in front of Xu Liang.

Xu Liang was startled: "What are you doing... Ah!"

He slapped Xu Liang on the head.

Chen Mo immediately felt an extremely powerful force of attraction flowing into Xu Liang's body.

Unexpectedly... Yang Yan's cultivation level is extremely high, probably equivalent to that of a six-stick golden vengeful ghost. At least one golden vengeful ghost of that level is inside him.

"I don't believe you, you old fox. It would be much better to just read your memories directly."

After a moment, Yang Yan stopped. "It really is that peddler. He's a carving master of the Moon Worship Cult. On the surface, he's the owner of Xu's Carving Shop, but in reality, he specializes in carving old objects for the Moon Worship Cult's strongholds."

Chen Mo didn't completely believe Yang Yan's words, so he stood up, walked to Master Xu, and read the other's memories again.

The information we received was similar to what Yang Yan had said.

They also learned the location of the stronghold.

I roughly know that this Moon Worship Cult's stronghold is quite large, located in a logging camp outside Flying Flower Town. It has a large number of people who specialize in creating zombies.

Because Xu Liang's position in the stronghold was not high, he had limited contact with different levels of people and did not travel to many places, so he was not very familiar with the personnel structure of the entire stronghold.

"My lady, there's hope for you!" Yang Yan exclaimed with delight. "I'll have Xu Liang lead us into the Moon Worship Cult's stronghold and steal another color-changing corpse infant."

Chen Qian breathed a sigh of relief: "Is there any danger inside?"

Yang Yan said, "With Xu Liang as cover, there should be no problem."

Chen Qian nodded: "I will go with you, my husband. Otherwise, I would rather die than go."

Seeing Chen Qian's resolute attitude, Yang Yan had no choice but to agree.

Before long, Xu Liang was subdued and kept calling him "Grandpa".

Chen Mo kicked him: "Lead the way to the Moon Worship Cult's stronghold."

"Yes Yes."

Xu Liang dared not refute him.

He immediately nodded in agreement, then led the three out of Xu's shop, through the town's streets, and into a nearby mountain area.

There are many open-air logging workshops in these mountains. Because of the heavy rain today, the loggers have all gone to bed early. The mountains are quiet, with the occasional howl of wild animals adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Deep in the mountains, there was no one around, only a chilling silence.

The surrounding trees are also different from those outside.

These trees were not only tall and imposing, but also strangely shaped. Human faces even appeared on their bark. Despite the absence of wind, the branches of these trees creaked and rustled, making a "whoosh" sound.

Chen Mo had accessed Xu Liang's memories and was aware of this situation.

It is a special type of wood called human blood wood.

Human blood wood doesn't absorb water; instead, it needs human blood to nourish it. If you cut into it, it will bleed. It's truly bizarre.

After walking only a hundred meters, Chen Mo felt a ghostly aura around him, and some trees even emitted ghostly howls.

Sudden--

Click!

Suddenly, a ten-meter-tall tree of human blood on the side leaped up and appeared directly in front of everyone, blocking their way. It violently waved its branches, and a human face appeared on the trunk, opening its mouth.

"No outsiders allowed. Trespassers will be put to death."

The surrounding people and Bloodwood joined in the commotion and protest, shaking their branches and rustling loudly. The entire forest immediately erupted in howls and wailing, as if the trees would pounce and devour Chen Mo and his companions if they dared to take another step forward.

Xu Liang quickly took out a token and then said with a smile, "It's me, it's me. I'm Xu Liang, in charge of carving wood carvings for the Holy Church."

The leader, Xue Mu, stretched out a branch, took the token from Xu Liang's hand, looked at it closely, and then tossed it back to Xu Liang: "What are those guys doing?"

Xu Liang said tremblingly, "He's my helper."

"Go in. Last time, a zombie puppet was stolen from inside, which was really disgusting. I don't know who did it. Don't get any bad ideas. Otherwise... hehe, I'm starving." The man with the bloody wood threatened a couple of times before moving aside to make way for him.

Xu Liang's face turned pale, and he hurriedly led Chen Mo and the other two forward.

Before long, they arrived at the entrance of a mountain stronghold.

The village looked quite large, surrounded by a thick stone wall. Two wooden figures, each three meters tall, guarded the gate; one wielded a large knife, the other a giant axe, both looking fierce and menacing. They only allowed passage after seeing the token given by Xu Liang.

Chen Mo remained silent the entire way, but he still felt a sense of unease.

He had been to many places and seen many strange things. But this was the first time he had ever seen such a strange place.

Once inside the mountain village, tents were everywhere, along with lumberjacks and carvers.

These guys were all quite skilled, and their carvings were half demons and half babies. Many of them even recognized Xu Liang and greeted him.

While smiling and responding, Xu Liang led Chen Mo to a quiet room.

The room wasn't large, but it contained countless baby sculptures. They looked similar to the ones Chen Mo had previously obtained from Master Huang.

Xu Liang said in a low voice, "These are all unfinished products. The sculptures have the ability to seal zombies, but they don't actually seal zombies. The sculptures that have sealed zombies are all in the temple in front. Last time, I only managed to steal a wooden puppet by chance when I went to empty the chamber pot for the servant."

Beyond this room, you arrive at the entrance to a separate courtyard.

The villa was grand and quiet. The gate was ajar, and there were no guards.

Chen Mo knew that this was the waiter's residence.

He had read Xu Liang's memories and knew that Xu Liang had given the waiter a chamber pot. However, Xu Liang had never seen that waiter and therefore did not know the waiter's abilities.

The three of them hid in a corner and argued amongst themselves.

Yang Yan hardened his heart: "Since I'm already here, I'll sneak in and take a look. Brother Chen, please keep an eye on my wife for me."

Chen Mo thought it was good to have Yang Yan lead the way. At least they could see how dangerous it was. Even if something went wrong, it wouldn't be his problem.

"Brother Yang, be careful. Something's not right here. They're making zombies. And the ones they're making are golden zombies. It's very eerie."

"I know what I'm doing." Yang Yan nodded and then took two steps forward.

Just then——

brush!
Yang Yan suddenly stopped and stared blankly into the courtyard, feeling a shiver run through him.

Chen Mo looked up and was shocked to see a zombie dressed in an official robe slowly rising from the courtyard, flying higher and higher.

Zombies...can fly?
Chen Qian pulled Yang Yan back: "Husband, be careful, this is... a flying zombie comparable to the Qing Gui!"

(End of this chapter)