So it turns out I'm the demon!

Jiang Mu rubbed her eyes, making sure she wasn't seeing things.

The lamp spirit before him, worshipped by countless believers, is none other than Yu Xiaoqian, the silly little ghost who used to cling to him!

"Yu Xiaoqian, what are you up to, you little brat?"

Jiang Mu's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and he shouted sternly.

When he left Yancheng, he deliberately left this little female ghost at Chaomu Temple. He planned that when she grew up and became a nightmare, he could use her to control Si Rumeng, that rebellious tree demon.

But to my surprise, instead of becoming a nightmare, he transformed into a lamp fairy?

They even started a cult to deceive the people?

Faced with Jiang Mu's questioning, Yu Xiaoqian remained indifferent, showing neither the joy of a long-awaited reunion nor the shyness and attachment of the past.

She raised her jade-like finger and pointed it at Jiang Mu below.

In an instant, the yellow lanterns in the hands of the believers below flew out of their hands and flew towards Jiang Mu from all directions.

Thousands of lanterns converged to form a dim, yellow river of light.

Seemingly warm and peaceful, each lamp harbors a chilling murderous intent.

Jiang Mu frowned and flashed away.

The lanterns, following his trail, missed their target one after another, crashing together and exploding with a crackling sound, creating deep craters.

After dodging for a long time, Jiang Mu finally avoided the lantern bomb.

He looked up at the aloof-looking girl, his eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty: "Could it be that I've mistaken her for someone else? Or is it just a coincidence that we look alike?"

Among Jiang Mu's many female confidantes, Yu Xiaoqian's infatuation with him is the most straightforward.

Back in Yancheng, he faked his death and escaped by using a "scapegoat doll".

Upon learning of his death, this silly girl was devastated, even willing to risk her soul's destruction to join him in the underworld. How could such a devoted fan possibly kill him?

Just as Jiang Mu was pondering to himself, Yu Xiaoqian on the other side launched another attack.

She raised her delicate hand.

The surrounding air temperature plummeted, and a chilling ghostly aura surged forth like a tidal wave, rapidly coalescing in mid-air into a gigantic ghostly claw the size of half a stadium, which slammed down towards Jiang Mu's head!

￥HⅠ”

Jiang Mu used teleportation again to dodge.

Boom!

The enormous ghostly claw slammed down on the spot where Jiang Mu had just been standing, creating a crater several meters deep.

Jiang Mu glanced back and was secretly alarmed:

"This girl's strength has probably reached the eighth or even ninth level. This is abnormal. Could it really not be Xiao Qian?" Just as Jiang Mu was about to make a move to test the other party, the void suddenly rippled.

A woman's skin without facial features floated in mid-air.

The leather flapped gently in the wind, its edges slightly curled.

It flipped in mid-air, then quickly filled up, facial features appeared, limbs stretched out, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a complete woman. A painted-skin demon?

A thunderbolt flashed through Jiang Mu's mind.

He recalled the powerful demon, Lady Painted Skin, who had collaborated with Prince Sheng at the Divine Sword Sect to seize the divine artifact, the Golden Sword. Back then, that demon had trapped him with an illusion array, forcing him to retrieve a talisman from the forbidden tower to break the seal.

Later, when Mo Huaisu appeared, Lady Painted Skin fled.

"Lantern Fairy, stop!"

The woman stood in mid-air, holding a black bead in her palm.

As the black bead shimmered, Yu Xiaoqian, who had been so murderous just moments before, immediately stopped and stood quietly in place.

The surging ghostly energy around him quickly subsided, and he returned to his previous appearance.

Clearly, she was controlled by that mysterious black bead.

The woman stared at Jiang Mu and said calmly:

"Lord Jiang, how have you been? My wife instructed me to deliver a message to you: the Demon Slayer Society has no intention of being your enemy."

If you are willing to stop here and leave each other alone from now on, the Demon Slayer Association will naturally not bother you anymore.

But if you remain stubborn and insist on meddling in other people's business just because you have a little bit of skill... humph, then you'll have no shortage of trouble later." "Your wife? That old hag with the painted skin, right?"

Jiang Mu scoffed and retorted.

"She fled from the Divine Sword Sect like a stray dog ​​with her tail between her legs, so why is she now hooking up with this bunch of charlatans from the Demon-Slaying Society?" The woman's eyes turned cold as she said icily.

"My wife has always valued talent. She appreciates your potential, but she specifically asked me to give you a word of advice: the Demon Slayer Society's foundation is far more complex than you think."

If you insist on playing the hero, you'll end up hurting not only yourself but also your friends.

"Lord Jiang, you are a smart man; you should know how to choose."

Jiang Mu pointed at Yu Xiaoqian, who stood to the side like a puppet, and coldly asked, "I just want to know one thing: where did this Lantern Fairy come from?" The Painted Skin Demon coldly replied, "That's none of your business."

Jiang Mu's eyes darkened:

"Did your master, that master in disguise, use some kind of evil magic to turn her into this state and control her?"

The woman sneered, toying with the black bead in her hand:

"This girl was picked up by my wife by chance. When we met her, she seemed to have swallowed some kind of evil thing, which caused her soul to backfire and she lost her mind. It was my wife who took pity on her and used this 'Soul-Suppressing Pearl' to preserve her true spirit, and only then did she recognize my wife as her master."

This time, my wife reached a cooperation agreement with the Demon Slayer Association, so I went along with it and let her show her face as the "Lantern Fairy" to help bewitch these foolish people.

"What, does Lord Jiang intend to stand up for this girl?"

Hearing this, Jiang Mu's heart sank.

Then it really is Xiaoqian.

This silly girl probably ate some evil thing, causing her to go mad and lose her mind. The old demon happened to see this and took advantage of her vulnerability, using that broken bead to enslave her.

Jiang Mu stared at the beads in the woman's hand and said calmly:

"She's my friend. If you really don't want to be my enemy, give her back to me."

The woman was taken aback at first, then laughed:

"Lord Jiang, you really are a leopard that can't change its spots. Your cunning ways haven't changed at all. What's wrong? You can't resist a pretty woman, and you even want to bring a female ghost back to your bed to warm it up?"

Jiang Mu's tone was chilling, and the demonic runes on his blood-red armor flashed continuously:

"I'm not kidding. Give her to me!"

The woman's smile vanished, her gaze turning icy: "So what if she used to be your friend?"

Now, she's nothing more than a docile dog by my wife's side. My wife feeds her, clothes her, and provides her with shelter; her life belongs to my wife. From now on, she has nothing to do with you.

At this moment, Yu Xiaoqian stood quietly to the side, like an exquisite jade sculpture.

She did not react to the woman's insults.

Jiang Mu was too lazy to waste another word. His figure suddenly disappeared from the spot and teleported directly in front of the Painted Skin Demon.

He formed his right hand into a claw and grabbed at the Soul-Suppressing Pearl in the other's palm.

The woman, caught off guard by Jiang Mu's swift action, paled and hastily dodged, raising the bead high and shrieking, "Lamp Fairy, kill him!"

Almost at the same instant the woman gave the order, a ghostly fire erupted in Yu Xiaoqian's eyes, who had been like a puppet.

"Sizzle"

She moved with lightning speed, cutting between Jiang Mu and the woman.

Ten slender, fair fingers suddenly sprouted into sharp, ghostly claws, several inches long, and clawed towards Jiang Mu's face.

Jiang Mu struck out with a backhand palm.

Blood River True Knowledge and Ghost Claw collided at close range, and the resulting shockwave sent both of them staggering back several steps.

He steadied himself and shouted at the cold face, "Xiao Qian! Wake up! Look who I am!"

Yu Xiaoqian seemed not to hear.

Her attacks did not stop for a moment; if one claw missed, she would immediately follow with another, displaying extreme ferocity.

The woman retreated to a safe distance, watching Jiang Mu being forced to retreat by Yu Xiaoqian, a gloating smile appearing on her face: "Lord Jiang, this girl really is your friend. No, judging from this, she's probably more than just a friend, isn't she?"

"What a coincidence! If you, Lord Jiang, are truly so reluctant to part with her, why not become a loyal dog for my lady? Perhaps, if she's in a good mood, she might even grant you two the privilege of being a pair of star-crossed lovers in her doghouse!"

"So noisy!"

Jiang Mu's eyes turned cold, and with a flick of his wrist, a golden mountain descended from the sky, crashing down on the Painted Skin Demon.

【Qianjinshan】!

The demon's expression changed drastically, and he cried out, "Help me!"

Yu Xiaoqian stretched out her ghostly claws and grabbed the woman, narrowly escaping from the edge of Jinshan's embrace.

"Boom!"

The mountain of gold crashed to the ground, raising layers of dust.

The woman broke out in a cold sweat, utterly enraged and humiliated, and pointed at Jiang Mu, screaming hysterically:

"Lantern Fairy, peel his skin off!!"

Yu Xiaoqian lunged at him again.

Gazing at the familiar, pretty face filled with murderous intent, Jiang Mu used teleportation repeatedly to dodge while simultaneously considering a countermeasure.

A smile returned to the woman's face, and she said slowly:

"Jiang Mu, this is what happens when you oppose us. So what if she's your woman? I can tell her to go east, and she'll go east. I can tell her to go west, and she'll go west..."

"Got it!"

A flash of inspiration struck Jiang Mu.

"This girl only survived thanks to the power of Buddhist offerings and prayers. Perhaps I can use those offerings to stimulate her and see if I can awaken her senses!"

Thinking of this, he immediately took out the Buddhist lamp.

The tiny golden flames of the lamps swayed in the night breeze, and a pure, authentic aura of incense and prayer spread outwards.

Just as Jiang Mu had just summoned the Buddhist lamp and hadn't even had a chance to activate the incense and vows within it, Yu Xiaoqian's murderous attack suddenly stopped.

She tilted her head slightly, her nostrils flaring as if she were smelling something.

The next instant, her body dissipated like wisps of smoke, and when she reappeared, she was already pressed against Jiang Mu's face.

They were so close that their noses almost touched.

Holy crap!

Jiang Mu was taken aback.

Before he could react, Yu Xiaoqian's little hand had already clapped out.

Jiang Mu was sent flying dozens of feet away.

The Buddha lamp in his hand was forcibly snatched away by the other party, and then, under Jiang Mu's dazed gaze, Yu Xiaoqian opened her small mouth and took a bite out of the Buddha lamp.

Clunk!

The Buddha lamp, like a loaf of bread, had a bite taken out of it by the girl.

Jiang Mu was stunned.

"What are you doing? You can't eat that stuff!"

He hurriedly used teleportation to appear in front of Yu Xiaoqian and reached out to snatch the Buddha lamp back.

Yu Xiaoqian, who was enjoying her Buddha lamp, noticed someone trying to steal her food. Her eyes flashed with a fierce light, and she swung her palm again, sending Jiang Mu flying!

After swatting Jiang Mu away, Yu Xiaoqian continued to nibble on her food.

The woman in the distance was also stunned.

Coming to her senses, she stomped her foot in exasperation and yelled, "What are you doing, you idiot? Kill him already!"

Yu Xiaoqian ignored her.

The woman raised the Soul-Suppressing Pearl in her hand and commanded sternly, "You brat, do you really think you're some high and mighty immortal? I order you to kill him immediately!"

However, no matter how she tried to activate the beads, Yu Xiaoqian seemed to ignore them as if she had blocked the signal.

They were simply indulging in eating.

As she ate the Buddha lamp, Yu Xiaoqian's delicate body suddenly trembled.

The wisps of golden karmic fire that were originally attached to the Buddha lamp were now intertwined with the ghostly energy within her body.

Half of it is the sacred radiance of Buddhism, and the other half is the deathly aura of the underworld.

At the same time, her nails changed.

Several inches of nails grew from the tips of all ten fingers at the same time, with Buddhist and ghostly energy intertwined and entwined on them, which was very eerie.

The demon with the painted skin finally lost its patience. Holding the Soul-Suppressing Pearl, it rushed towards Yu Xiaoqian, roaring angrily:

"Are you deaf?! I told you to go kill someone!"

The words came to an abrupt halt.

Yu Xiaoqian suddenly raised her head.

His eyes gleamed with golden light, yet a sinister aura emanated from the depths of that light.

When the woman met those eyes, her heart tightened, and a shadow of death enveloped her.

Before she could react, Yu Xiaoqian flashed in front of the woman and placed her five fingers directly on her face.

"Pfft!"

Five sharp claws pierced deep into flesh.

Yu Xiaoqian's eyes were icy cold as she forcefully pulled her wrist downwards!

"Aaaaaaah!!!"

With a woman's shrill scream, her face was ripped off.

Then Yu Xiaoqian clenched her fingers, and a ball of black flame rose from her palm, burning the painted-skin demon to ashes.

Ashes fell softly from between her fingers and drifted in the wind.

The Soul-Controlling Bead rolled out of the ashes and shattered.

Jiang Mu, who had just crawled out of the haystack after being slapped away, gasped in shock at the sight. He silently withdrew his foot, pressing his back against the earthen wall behind him.

What's going on?

After eating a bronze-level buffet, the once soft and cute little ghost girl has unexpectedly evolved into a super fierce ghost?

Yu Xiaoqian closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and let out a sharp shriek towards the night sky.

Amidst the shrieking sound, her fingernails continued to extend, growing to a hundred feet in the blink of an eye.

Golden Buddhist patterns flowed across her jet-black nails, like ten agile giant pythons swirling and dancing around her.

With a swift movement of her arms, her fingernails pierced through each of the believers below.

The believers' bodies exploded with a series of thuds after being pierced by her fingernails, turning into puffs of black smoke. The black smoke then flowed back into her body along the fingernails, and with each puff of smoke she absorbed, her aura grew stronger.

Ninth rank, tenth rank, tenth rank Great Perfection...

It only stopped slowly when it just reached the threshold of the eleventh step.

After absorbing all the energy, Yu Xiaoqian slowly retracted her hundred-foot-long fingernails.

She turned her head, her eyes, a mixture of Buddhist light and ghostly aura, coldly locking onto Jiang Mu below.

"Is there anything else?"

The woman stretched out her delicate, white hand, palm facing up.

"What?"

Jiang Mu's scalp tingled from the oppressive force, and she didn't react for a moment.

"lamp."

"Uh, that's all. Just that one."

Jiang Mu shook his head, then a glimmer of hope rekindled in his heart. He tentatively asked, "Xiao Qian? Have you regained your memories? Do you recognize me?" Yu Xiaoqian coldly replied, "Of course I recognize you."

You recognized me, so why did you choke me?

Did they recognize him or not?

Just as Jiang Mu was about to ask further questions, Yu Xiaoqian suddenly grabbed him with her five fingers, pulled him over, and pressed her fingers directly against his throat:

"Since you're no longer of any value, then you might as well die."

Is this what you call knowing someone?