So it turns out I'm the demon!

After Jiang Mu left, the courtyard became unusually quiet.

Chu Lingzhu sat listlessly on the stone bench in the pavilion, stretching her two slender, straight legs out from under her skirt and swaying them gently.

She pouted her pink lips and complained softly:

"Honestly, I was planning to find an inn to take a nice hot bath, but the owner wouldn't let me."

"Rou'er, smell me, I feel like I stink."

Lan Rou'er sat down next to her, leaned in and sniffed gently, then smiled and said, "No way, Lingzhu, you smell wonderful."

Chu Lingzhu glanced at her sideways, then suddenly chuckled, leaning her body towards Lan Rou'er and hanging her entire body on her shoulder:

"By the way, what did those bald monks on the street call us again? I'm 'Baoyue Bodhisattva,' right? As for your title, I was so busy taking pictures of the flower petals that I forgot to hear it clearly."

Lan Rou'er was swaying back and forth on her shoulder, and whispered:

"Pure, Lotus, Bodhisattva."

Chu Lingzhu sprang off her shoulder, took two steps back, clasped her hands together solemnly, bowed deeply to Lan Rou'er, and deliberately lowered her voice to feign a solemn tone.

"Amitabha Buddha, this humble woman greets Bodhisattva Jinglian. May the Bodhisattva ascend to the Pure Land soon and possess boundless Dharma power."

"Stop messing around."

Lan Rou'er's face turned red, and she reached out to tickle Chu Lingzhu's ticklish spot.

Two young girls in the prime of their youth were frolicking in the pavilion, their silvery laughter as clear and melodious as that of orioles.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, Lan Rou'er looked up.

But they discovered that a white-robed monk was standing in the courtyard at some unknown time.

The monk had red lips and white teeth, with a dot of cinnabar between his eyebrows.

Just then, the midday sun shone down from the courtyard, enveloping him and creating a halo around his back.

It was as if a compassionate Buddha had descended to earth.

"Ah..."

Lan Rou'er cried out in fright and quickly hid behind Chu Lingzhu.

Chu Lingzhu also noticed something was wrong and turned around.

Jingtan Holy Buddha stood with one hand in front of his chest, looking at the two girls with a gentle, jade-like smile on his lips. His voice was magnetic and ethereal: "Amitabha. The so-called 'Precious Moon' is the enlightenment of the mind and the realization of one's true nature, like the bright moon in the sky, illuminating all the ignorance and delusion in this world."

The so-called "pure lotus" refers to something that remains unstained by mud, unblemished by clear ripples, and retains its flawless true nature even amidst the defilement of the world. He took a step forward.

"This humble monk had thought that such extraordinary people with a karmic connection to Buddhism were nowhere to be found in this world. To meet you two today is my great fortune." The two female benefactors, having already attained the status of Bodhisattvas, have thus formed a karmic bond with this humble monk.

Chu Lingzhu stood up and said coldly:

"Monk, weren't you parading around the streets trying to fool people? What are you doing here?"

The Holy Buddha Jingtan smiled slightly, his eyes filled with compassion:

"This humble monk has come here to guide the two Bodhisattvas back to the Pure Land."

The two Bodhisattvas are pure and immaculate, why should they sink into this filthy mortal world?

"Why not return with this humble monk to Jingtan Temple, listen to the great Dharma teachings, and together practice the joyful meditation of the Pure Land, so that we may attain the golden body of Buddhahood as soon as possible?" He stood at the intersection of sunlight and shadow, a faint Buddhist light flowing around him.

However, a hidden glint in his eyes slid from Chu Lingzhu's face down to Lan Rou'er's waist.

As a master of the ninth realm, he practiced the Zen method of replenishing yang by absorbing yin.

He had only glanced at them on the street a moment ago, but he could tell that the two girls' eyes were still closed and their primordial yin energy had not dissipated.

They are still two unripe fruits that have not yet been picked.

He had originally promised Ye Zhifei that he would only take the one in white with him.

But now that they were actually up close, looking at these two exquisite flowers that were so fresh and tender that they seemed to be able to be squeezed for water, the greed and evil fire in their hearts could no longer be suppressed.

He regretted it!

Screw it, I'm only bringing one!

Whether you steal one or two, it's still the same thing.

If one is taken away, the other will remain by Jiang Mu's side and will eventually be enjoyed by someone else.

Why not put them all in your own meditation room?

Once the deed is done, no matter how much Jiang Mu makes a fuss, that stupid woman Ye Zhifei will have to grit her teeth and clean up his mess for the sake of her own Xingdan.

Moreover, the entire Hailing Prefecture depends on his Jingtan Temple, and the imperial court is currently in dire need of manpower.

I doubt they'll do anything to him.

"Monk, I advise you not to have any wicked thoughts."

Chu Lingzhu watched him take a step forward, her eyebrows furrowed, and she scolded him in a delicate but angry voice.

"My master has a bad temper. Building that dilapidated temple wasn't easy; don't anger him. He might tear it down, tiles and all, and you'll have nowhere to turn then." "How dare others interfere with the good fortune of the two ladies?"

Jingtan kept moving.

With each step, a white lotus blooms from the crack in the brick, its petals swirling and unfolding before turning into points of light and disappearing.

"You bald monk, you're asking for it!"

Chu Lingzhu took out the model of the treasure ship that Jiang Mu had given her before leaving from her sleeve, and then pulled out a cinnabar talisman from her waist. She quickly wrapped it around the model and threw it to the ground.

This treasure ship does not require the user to possess spiritual power; it only needs to be activated by an external source of spiritual power.

boom

A covered boat appeared out of thin air in the courtyard, carrying Chu Lingzhu and Lan Rou'er onto the deck.

At the same time, a pale golden barrier rippled around the ship.

Jingtan Shengfo paused, his expression somewhat surprised.

"What is this thing?!"

Even with his ninth-level perspective, he couldn't see through the depth of this magic weapon for a moment.

A sense of foreboding crept into my mind.

This is the Demon Slayer Bureau. If we delay too long and attract Jiang Mu's attention, things will get complicated.

"Hmph, it's just a defensive magic item."

Jingtan Shengfo flicked a Buddhist rosary with his finger.

The prayer beads, carrying golden light, crashed into the barrier of the treasure ship. They made a dull hum when they hit the light shield, and then bounced away.

The light shield didn't even have a single crack.

His expression finally became more serious, and he put his hands together and silently recited a scripture.

His whole body shone with a great aura of Buddha.

A golden "己" character condensed and took shape on his chest, spinning as it moved toward the treasure ship.

However, the golden number "2" landed on the ship's barrier, only causing a tiny ripple before disappearing like raindrops falling into a lake. Jing Tan was completely dumbfounded.

A full-force attack from a ninth-realm Buddhist cultivator couldn't even break a wrecked ship?

What powerful being could possess such a magical artifact?

"Hey, you bald monk outside!"

Inside the light barrier, Chu Lingzhu stood with her hands on her hips, triumphantly shouting at the Jingtan Saint Buddha outside who was questioning his existence.

"If I were you, I'd hurry home, pack my bags, smooth out that scar on my head, and get as far away as possible. By the time my master comes out, it'll be too late to escape."

Jingtan Shengfo's expression was grim.

Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced outside the courtyard; the commotion had grown quite large.

The figures of several demon slayers could be seen faintly around the corner of the corridor in the distance.

If this drags on any longer, Ye Zhifei might not be able to cover for him anymore.

Jingtan gritted her teeth, her gaze fixed on the treasure ship with a gloomy expression, and suddenly let out a cold laugh:

"Do you two really think that a mere protective magic item can stop this humble monk? You have no choice but to accept this opportunity today." He stopped trying to attack head-on.

Instead, he withdrew the Buddha's light and touched the cinnabar between his eyebrows with his finger.

As a drop of blood from his heart was forced out.

He picked a black lotus seed from between his eyebrows with his fingertips.

The black lotus seed transformed into a beam of light, which did not attack the light shield, but instead sank directly into the ground beneath the awning boat.

"Huh? This monk can't break the boat, is he planning to dig a tunnel?"

Chu Lingzhu, inside the light barrier, watched this scene, her pretty face slightly hardening, and a sense of foreboding rising in her heart.

next moment.

The Holy Buddha Jingtan clasped his hands together, sat cross-legged, and floated in mid-air.

Countless thick, black stems burst forth from the cracks and clung to the gunwale of the treasure ship.

They wrapped around it one after another.

Immediately afterwards, a huge black lotus flower bloomed from the ground.

The layers of petals closed in, swallowing the treasure ship along with the pale golden barrier into the heart of the flower, enveloping it into a black bud.

Then it rotates and rises from the ground.

Since we can't break through this shell, let's move the shell and the people together!

"Get up!"

Jingtan the Holy Buddha, his eyes bloodshot, roared.

Then, the black lotus lifted the ship into the sky, transforming into a streak of black light like a shooting star in mid-air.

Jingtan Saint Buddha's figure flashed and merged into the black light.

One person, one lotus, one boat—they vanished into thin air within the courtyard of the Demon Slayer Division.

All that remained were rubble and deep pits scattered everywhere.

Ye Zhifei had just picked up her teacup when the loud explosion occurred.

Her expression changed, and she cursed inwardly at that bald monk for what he was up to.

We agreed to strike quietly while she was distracted. Why make such a commotion? Were you afraid Jiang Mu was deaf and couldn't hear us?

What was that sound?

Jiang Mu narrowed her eyes slightly.

Just as Ye Zhifei was about to smooth things over, the chair opposite her was already empty.

Jiang Mu's figure flashed across the threshold like a bolt of lightning, even causing the door panel to slam against the wall.

"Master Jiang, wait!"

Ye Zhifei quickly threw down her teacup and chased after him.

When Jiang Mu arrived at the front yard, it was already a mess.

The once flat courtyard now appears as if it had been plowed by some enormous creature, with a deep pit sunken into the ground.

The surrounding stone tables and benches were also broken and scattered all over the ground.

Chu Lingzhu and Lan Rou'er have also disappeared.

When Ye Zhifei, who had followed along, saw this scene, she almost wanted to drag the monk back on the spot and scold him again.

They agreed to only take one, but ended up taking the whole pot.

But her expression changed drastically; she deliberately gasped, covered her mouth with her hand, and exclaimed:

"What...what's going on?! Where are they?"

A patrol of demon slayers ran over upon hearing the noise.

Ye Zhifei immediately adopted the airs of a leader, pointed at the deep pit, and angrily rebuked:

"What are you all doing? What happened here?"

The leader's legs began to tremble when he saw Ye Zhifei's ashen face.

"My lord, it seems a demon has broken in."

"You bastard!"

Ye Zhifei flew into a rage, "This is the sacred ground of the Daqing Demon Slayer Division! What kind of monster has the audacity to run rampant here?!" As she spoke, she suddenly seemed to remember something, and her expression changed drastically:

"Could it be that dragon demon?"

She turned to Jiang Mu and explained:

"Master Jiang, there is a dragon demon in Hailing Prefecture that dwells deep beneath the sea year-round. Every few months, it stirs up storms and devours livestock on the shore. Two months ago, that beast, in retaliation for the Demon Slayer Division's extermination order, brazenly broke into the government office in broad daylight and injured people, causing a similar disturbance. It seems that beast has returned."

"Don't worry, Master Jiang, we will find that beast as soon as possible and rescue your friend safely."

Ye Zhifei looked guilty and anxious.

Ye Zhifei's expression gradually became somewhat stiff.

Because she realized that Jiang Mu didn't follow up on her words at all.

This young prodigy of the seventh realm simply stood there quietly, staring at her with a cold gaze.

Ye Zhifei's expression became somewhat unnatural under his gaze.

She subconsciously raised her hand to tidy the not-too-messy strands of hair at her temples, then forced an apologetic smile:

"Master Jiang, I'm truly sorry, it was my negligence. Rest assured, I will definitely give you an explanation for this."

"I have always been unwilling to believe that a prefectural governor of Daqing would betray his own people and harm his own people."

Jiang Mu finally spoke.

"Manager Ye, out of respect for Manager Ran, I'm willing to believe you. But you've disappointed me greatly."

Jiang Mu took a step forward, approaching Ye Zhifei:

"I'm giving you one last chance. Tell me honestly, were my two friends taken away by that damned holy Buddha? Were you deliberately trying to lure me into the signing room just now?"

Ye Zhifei's face spun between pale and flushed twice.

A surge of anger, a feeling of being offended, overwhelmed her guilt. She straightened up, her voice trembling with rage:

"Master Jiang, what do you mean by that?"

I, Ye Zhifei, have been slaying demons and monsters in Hailing Prefecture for over a decade, risking my life for my comrades and blocking countless demon tides, large and small, no less than twenty times. Today, you have no evidence whatsoever, just because I colluded with outsiders to murder my colleagues.

Very well! Since Master Jiang is so suspicious, then I, Ye, will swear an oath to the heavens today.

If I, Ye Zhifei, ever harbor even the slightest intention to collude with outsiders or harm your friend, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!

Jiang Mu listened without showing any emotion, only asking a question indifferently:

"Where is Zhao Xianzhen?"

Ye Zhifei replied coldly, "There are urgent matters concerning the demonic threat at the First Hall that need to be addressed. As his deputy, Manager Zhao has naturally gone to oversee things at the front. He is not in the yamen."

"Were you sent away...?"

Jiang Mu suddenly chuckled and shook his head. "It seems there's still some hope for the Demon Slaying Division of Hailing Prefecture; at least there's still a normal person among them." He turned around, his gaze drifting towards the direction of Jingtan Temple in the city.

"Alright. Since Master Ye has put it this way, even making such a vicious oath that will lead to certain death, then I will personally go to that Jingtan Temple."

Go check on my two friends and see if they're inside.

If I were here, I, Jiang Mu, would raze this Jingtan Temple to the ground today!

"At that time, I hope that Manager Ye will keep his word and uphold the solemn oath you made."

Ye Zhifei sneered inwardly, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes.

They even trampled Jingtan Temple to the ground?

What utterly shameless talk!

You're just a greenhorn who's only just broken through to the seventh realm. No matter how monstrous your talent is, what makes you think you can challenge a high-ranking monk at the peak of the ninth realm? Besides, that bald monk has the entire Glazed Zen Heart Sect standing behind him!

He must have been out of his mind to travel a thousand miles to get himself killed.

Ye Zhifei said coldly:

"Master Jiang, it's your prerogative to go wherever you want to find someone."

I'll say it again: I'll immediately send men to track down that deep-sea dragon. As for whether your two friends will return safely, that's up to their own fate.

However, out of consideration for our past as colleagues, I would like to offer you one last piece of advice.

Jingtan Shengfo is a living deity worshipped by the people of Hailing Prefecture.

If you cause trouble at Jingtan Temple due to your own selfish desires and incur the wrath of the community, even the Chief Inspector might not be able to protect you. Young man, consider the consequences before you act.

"Don't worry, I'll bring him his bald head to you." Jiang Mu walked towards the outside of the yamen.

Ye Zhifei watched the other person's departing figure and muttered a curse under her breath:

"What 'Number One Prodigy of Daqing'? In the end, he's just an arrogant fool."