So it turns out I'm the demon!

Chapter 358 Mo Huaisu: In the end, I was tricked by Bai Xiang.

A ghostly aura filled the air, and karmic fires swirled within.

At this moment, Jiang Mu was gritting his teeth, struggling to traverse a narrow valley that was both unfamiliar and familiar.

It feels unfamiliar because the valley has changed significantly from how it was when he explored it before.

Under the impact of energy, the surrounding rock walls seemed to shrink even more tightly.

The passageway narrowed considerably.

The spiritual imprints that had once been left behind were also washed away completely.

It looks like it's been renovated and reinforced.

Even with Jiang Mu's strong physical body, and by exhausting all his cultivation, he could only advance inch by inch with great difficulty.

As they moved forward, wisps of ghostly energy seeped out from the rock walls on both sides, like hideous little claws pulling at Jiang Mu's body, trying to forcefully pull him out.

To stop him from continuing his search for the hidden Ghost Pill.

But Jiang Mu's main strength is his stubbornness.

The more you resist, the more determined I am to break through this barrier.

Fortunately, perhaps due to the presence of demonic energy that had once influenced him, the ghostly energy that had been blocking his path gradually weakened as he ventured deeper.

As if recognizing a familiar figure amidst confusion, they hesitated and made way.

But Jiang Mu wasn't particularly surprised.

Because he vaguely sensed that the aura of the Ghost Pill had changed, and was completely different from the one he had modified before.

It appears to be something that was devoured by Yu Xiaoqian and has undergone secondary modifications.

As Jiang Mu continued forward, wisps of cool energy originating from the Ghost Pill's source began to spread along the depths of the valley.

The valley was also a bit more humid.

"Almost there————"

Jiang Mu activated the demonic energy within his body, attempting to probe the Ghost Core.

But before his demonic energy could even touch the edge of the Ghost Core, an even greater repulsive force surged out from the bottom of the valley, pushing him out.

"Damn, it really doesn't recognize its master anymore."

Jiang Mu cursed inwardly.

He gritted his teeth, mobilized all his star power and demonic energy once again, and continued his assault.

"I refuse to believe it!"

On the other side, Xiaohe Town was isolated by a powerful sword domain.

Whether they were cultivators, commoners, or other living beings, they were all excluded.

But Yuan Aqing was still inside the inn.

The girl was still unconscious, but her forehead was covered in cold sweat, and her quiet face was contorted in pain, as if she were trapped in a nightmare.

Just then, wisps of silvery-white sword energy suddenly seeped out from her pores, enveloping her petite body.

A beam of light shot out from the sky.

The beam of light pierced through the roof of the inn and enveloped Yuan Aqing directly, like a searchlight shining on her.

Everything around me began to blur.

Everything seemed to have been emptied out, and the stage became solely for the girl.

The source of the beam of light comes from a mysterious star in the sky.

That cluster of stars did not belong to any of the Three Enclosures and Twenty-Eight Mansions; it seemed as if some powerful being had created it out of thin air outside of the laws of Heaven through supreme divine power.

A sharp edge beneath aloofness —

At this moment, he was forming a spiritual connection with the girl below.

After a short while, Yuan Aqing slowly opened her eyes.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes, looked around in a daze, and called out softly, "Sister Xiang?"

The room was empty, and no one answered.

The girl propped herself up on the bed, her head still feeling a little dizzy.

She remembered that before she lost consciousness, she was wielding her sword to protect Sister Xiang, and then a strange power surged into her body, and then she knew nothing more.

Thinking of this, Yuan Aqing's face changed color instantly.

"Sister Xiang!"

She grabbed the long sword leaning against the headboard and stumbled out of the guest room, shouting loudly.

The girl thought that Bai Xiang had been kidnapped by that bad guy, and her heart was filled with anxiety and self-blame, with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Sister Xiang! Where are you?"

However, no matter how she called out, the inn remained deathly silent.

The empty corridor was filled with only faint dust motes of light swirling in the air, creating a dreamlike and enchanting atmosphere.

Yuan Aqing, carrying her sword, stumbled downstairs and rushed out of the inn's main gate.

The moment she stepped out the door, the sight before her left her speechless.

The sky outside was no longer the normal night sky.

The sky seemed to have transformed into a giant, upside-down crystal mirror.

Countless sword lights weaved and intertwined in the clouds, the light flowing and illuminating the town of Xiaohe in a bizarre and fantastical way.

The long street was deserted.

There wasn't even a sound of wind.

"Sister Xiang————"

Yuan Aqing stood helplessly on the empty street, and tears finally welled up in her eyes.

Before the master left, he entrusted me with the important task of protecting Sister Xiang, and I had made a solemn promise to him.

But now, he couldn't protect her; she'd been kidnapped by bad guys.

"Master—Ah Qing is useless—"

Just as the girl was crying uncontrollably, she suddenly seemed to sense something and raised her tear-filled face.

All that could be seen in the sky was the strange phenomenon of being torn apart by sword energy.

A giant lotus flower formed from sword intent is slowly blooming in the void.

A cold glint emanated from the edge of the sword lotus.

As the petals unfolded one by one, the ethereal figure of a woman was faintly revealed at the heart of the lotus.

The woman's figure was not real, but merely an outline formed by sword energy, yet it gave people the illusion of unparalleled beauty and looking down upon all living beings.

Yuan Aqing was so captivated by the sight that she even forgot to cry.

"Thump! Thump!"

Her chest suddenly began to pound violently.

It seemed that something was being awakened and responded to by that mysterious sword lotus.

Before the girl could react, a soft, silvery light suddenly rose from beneath her feet, condensing around her into a lotus bud that was about to bloom, gently lifting her up.

The giant sword lotus in mid-air was also slowly descending.

The two lotus flowers, one above the other, face each other from afar, like two parts of the same flower that have been separated for many years, slowly moving closer to each other.

Just as Yuan Aqing took off.

A ripple suddenly appeared at the edge of this sealed "Sword Domain" space.

"Sizzle!"

A crack was torn open in the space by a sharp blade.

The Grand Elder Zhu Wuxian and Vice Sect Master Yang Chihong of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, along with a group of core disciples, forcibly shattered the magic barrier at the edge of the Sword Domain.

Then a barrier appeared in this space.

"The sword lotus has bloomed!"

Zhu Wuxian stared at the sword lotus blooming in the sky, his face filled with excitement.

But his smile immediately froze on his face.

"What is that?"

Everyone was stunned, and their gazes all fell on the small ball of sword lotus light below.

A figure could be vaguely seen inside the sphere of light.

"There are other people within the Sword Domain?"

Yang Chihong's sinister eyes were filled with surprise. "Where did this expert come from? How dare he covet the opportunities of my Sword Sect?"

Zhu Wuxian stared grimly at the rising sphere of light and said coldly, "To be able to break into the Sword Domain means that one's cultivation is no less than the tenth realm. Whoever it is, daring to steal from the Myriad Swords Sect deserves to die. Sect Master Yang, you go and deal with this person; I'll collect the Sword Lotus."

As he spoke, Zhu Wuxian took out an ancient scroll from his sleeve and tossed it into the air.

The ancient scroll unfurled with a rustling sound.

It is decorated with a sword vein array that emits golden light.

Tiny sword-shaped runes flowed across the image, each one humming and resonating with the sword domain.

"Disciples, heed my command! Form the sword formation!"

Zhu Wuxian shouted loudly.

The disciples who followed quickly dispersed, each sitting cross-legged in a specific position below the ancient scroll, forcing out their fingertips' essence blood and injecting it into the map in mid-air.

The golden light on the ancient scroll suddenly surged.

Countless sword threads descended, wrapping around the sword lotus in mid-air, like a large net trying to catch it.

However, Yang Chihong stood still in the face of the Grand Elder's order.

He glanced at the sword threads flowing across the ancient scroll and said, "Elder, you should deal with this person. I'll take care of the sword lotus. Since the opponent is a master of the tenth realm or above, and I'm only at the initial stage of the eleventh realm, I'm afraid I'm not capable of killing him in a short time."

Zhu Wuxian turned her head, staring at him with a half-smile: "What? Sect Leader Yang, are you perhaps worried that I'll monopolize this sword lotus? We've been fellow disciples for many years; don't you trust my character?"

Believe it for nothing.

Yang Chihong sneered inwardly.

You're even willing to set a trap for your own son; what good are years of being fellow disciples?

Yang Chihong laughed and said, "Elder, you are mistaken. That expert of unknown origin is quite powerful. Elder, your cultivation is above mine, so it would be safer for you to take action. As for the small matter of collecting the sword lotus, I will handle that."

Seeing Yang Chihong's repeated excuses and refusal to go, a cold glint flashed in Zhu Wuxian's eyes, but he did not retaliate. He said calmly, "Very well. Since Vice Sect Master Yang has reservations, then you shall take charge of the formation and collect this Sword Lotus opportunity. I will personally go and deal with that rat."

With that, he flicked his sleeve.

"Whoosh!"

A red flag flew out from his sleeve and landed in front of Yang Chihong.

Then, Zhu Wuxian's figure blurred as she swept towards the ball of light where Yuan Aqing was in mid-air.

Yang Chihong looked at the battle flags but did not reach for them.

He first flicked out a talisman, watching it swirl around the flagpole to confirm that there were no sinister forces attached to the flag before taking the flag in his hand and beginning to cast a spell.

At this moment, Zhu Wuxian had already approached the ball of light.

As the distance closed, he secretly made a hand seal with his left hand hidden in his sleeve, and a poisonous bee that looked as if it were cast in purple gold appeared.

"go!"

Zhu Wuxian gave a soft shout.

The poisonous bee flapped its wings and swooped down at the ball of light that enveloped Yuan Aqing, then raised its stinger high and fired continuously like a crossbow.

However, when the poison needles landed on the surface of the light cluster, they were like raindrops hitting an iron plate, flying away without even leaving a mark.

Zhu Wuxian frowned slightly, and his fingertips changed their hand seals.

The poisonous wasp's body shifted in mid-air, instantly swelling into a ferocious giant wasp the size of a calf.

call out!

The giant bee crashed directly into the ball of light and then exploded.

The exploding liquid is extremely corrosive and can easily burn through high-grade armor and magical artifacts, but when poured onto the ball of light, it is completely purified by the sword energy flowing on its surface.

"Who exactly is this person?"

Zhu Wuxian stood on the flying sword, greatly surprised.

Even though he had gotten within ten feet of the person inside the sphere of light, he still couldn't see their true face.

Just then, Yang Chihong's voice came from below: "Elder, the formation isn't working. That guy's aura is too domineering. It seems that the opportunity for the Sword Lotus has been forcibly cut off, making it impossible to draw upon!"

Zhu Wuxian's expression darkened upon hearing this.

He stared coldly at the ball of light that was still drifting upwards towards the sword lotus, then snorted coldly, his anger turning into a mocking laugh: "Hiding your head and tail, are you afraid of being exposed and hunted down if you steal the opportunity? Today I'll see if you have three heads and six arms, or if you've just become a leopard with a death wish!"

He brought his sword fingers together and drew a line in the air with his fingertips.

A sword aura, tens of feet long, erupted from his fingertips like an inverted golden galaxy.

"boom!!"

The golden sword river slashed at the sphere of light.

Amidst the deafening roar, the ball of light, like a candle flame flickering in the wind, shifted several feet to the side.

But it quickly regained its footing and continued flying upwards.

"How could this be?"

Zhu Wuxian's face turned ashen, his eyes filled with horror.

How could a sword strike from a dignified elder of the twelfth realm not even break through the opponent's defensive shield?

Who exactly is this other person?

He no longer held back, swinging his hands repeatedly.

Eight sword energies flew out simultaneously, landing in eight different locations around the ball of light, their energies intertwined.

In the blink of an eye, they intertwined to form an impenetrable cage of sword energy.

The ball of light was trapped inside.

However, the ball of light paused only slightly, and the silvery-white light on its surface suddenly contracted inward for a moment before expanding outward.

Like a flower blooming.

A shockwave emanated from the center of the light cluster, shattering the sword energy cage into pieces with overwhelming force.

Zhu Wuxian gritted his teeth and continued to form hand seals.

The void behind him trembled.

A statue of a Buddha, hundreds of feet tall, rose from the ground.

The face of the Dharma Image was blurry, but dozens of chains as thick as palace pillars extended from its body, each chain engraved with sealing runes.

The chains roared out, like raging dragons emerging from the sea, plunging into the sphere of light from all directions and pulling it back.

Zhu Wuxian's forehead veins bulged, and he channeled all his star power into his Dharma form, dragging the ball of light back as he roared sharply downwards.

"Yang Chihong! What are you waiting for? Quickly form an array and seize this opportunity!"

Upon seeing this, Yang Chihong bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the array flag in his hand, and began to wave it.

"rise!"

The array diagram shone brightly.

At the same time, beams of light shot out from the sword imprints between the brows of all the disciples in the formation and converged into the tip of the flag.

In an instant, a vast net woven from golden sword energy rose from the array diagram, like an inverted giant bowl, and swept towards the sword lotus in the sky!

Meanwhile, outside the Sword Domain.

The deafening roar that shattered the clouds echoed between heaven and earth.

Xuanyuan Wendao lightly touched the wooden sword with his toes, his figure hovering in mid-air, the sky behind him stirred up by his sword energy like a boiling ocean.

Countless sword shadows spread out behind him, stretching as far as the eye could see.

It was as if he alone was an army composed of sword intent.

Higher in the sky, purple lightning bolts writhed and rolled through the clouds like angry pythons, each explosion illuminating the night sky for dozens of miles around as bright as day.

Purple lightning forms the soldiers, and sword energy forms the battle formation.

The two exchanged a few blows in mid-air, yet the world around them already showed signs of collapse.

Bai Xiang gently exhaled a breath of stale air, her chest rising and falling slightly.

In the previous tentative exchange, neither of them went all out, but they had both figured out the other's strength.

She had to admit that, in her current condition, she was no match for her opponent.

Bai Xiang coldly praised, "To be able to summon the Emperor's Lightning to protect oneself, one truly deserves the [Gouchen] star position among the Four Emperors. For Sect Leader Xuanyuan to possess such strength at such a young age is comparable to that old monster in the Imperial Observatory."

In the star system of this world, the lowest level is the Earthly Fiends and Heavenly Generals.

Above that are the Twenty-Eight Mansions.

The highest level consists of ten "Emperor-level Star Positions" that represent the ultimate fortune and divine power in the world.

Among them, besides the supreme [Ziwei],

The Four Emperors occupy four of these seats.

They are: [Ziwei], [Gouchen], [Nanji], and [Houtu].

The sect leader of the Myriad Swords Sect, Xuan Yuan Wen Dao, is none other than the pivot of all stars, the [Gou Chen] who controls the killing and destruction of heaven and earth!

The image of Gouchen is actually the Qilin.

Located in the center, it governs the day of Wu, and is a benevolent beast that governs with the virtue of earth.

He is fond of killing and warfare, wields the power of ten thousand swords, and can summon thunder from the heavens.

Those who possess such a star position are born for battle, and their swordsmanship and offensive power are unparalleled in the world.

Xuanyuan asked, shaking his head and smiling, "You flatter me. Although Emperor-level Star Rank is strong, it is still divided into different grades."

Compared to your harem and the Celestial Pivot of the Imperial Observatory who oversees the workings of heaven, my cultivation is but a grain of rice, ultimately inferior.

At this moment, Mo Huaisu, who had been forced to become a bystander, stood a hundred feet away.

Looking at those two stunningly beautiful figures, she sighed inwardly.

Although the two of them did not engage in a full-scale battle, the aftershocks from their mere few tentative clashes of their Daoist auras were enough to make her, who was quite far away, feel a tremor in her mind.

Bai Xiang was right. The higher they got, the more the difference between realms became like an insurmountable chasm.

Without reaching the thirteenth realm, one can only ever be a spectator in this grand game of chess.

They don't even have the right to sit at the table and make a move.

Just as Mo Huaisu was feeling downcast, Bai Xiang suddenly turned to look at her, revealing a meaningful smile: "Sect Leader Mo, it's so boring just watching, why don't you lend me a hand?"

Mo Huaisu's expression was subtle, and he did not respond.

Bai Xiang said, "My foundation is unstable right now, so I can't go all out. If you are willing to lend me your natal Dao field to integrate with and support me, then I can go all out and have a good fight with this Sect Leader Xuanyuan."

In return, once it's done, I'm willing to lend you the power of the stars to help you break through to a higher realm. Of course, whether you succeed or not depends on your own destiny.

Upon hearing this, Mo Huaisu's beautiful eyes lit up.

She was moved.

She is currently in the late stage of the twelfth realm, just one step away from the Great Perfection.

However, she had been stuck on this last step for far too long.

No matter how hard she cultivated herself or how much she tried to comprehend, that barrier remained unmoved, as if there was a door right in front of her, but she just couldn't find the key.

She began to suspect that there was something wrong with her approach.

He wondered if his practice of "abstinence" had led him into a dead end.

This is precisely why she has been hesitant lately about whether to "enter into desire" in order to find a breakthrough opportunity.

The cypress tree represents the "harem" star position.

The empress of the harem is the mother of the nation, embodying the virtue of Yin, the earth's yin energy, and possessing the divine power to nurture all things and nourish the foundation of the Dao.

If she could receive such a powerful initiation and baptism from the stars, nurturing her foundation, perhaps she could truly break through her limitations in one fell swoop.

Of course, all of this is predicated on her unconditionally trusting Bai Xiang.

Lending one's natal aura to another for fusion is equivalent to handing over one's soul and half of one's life to that other person.

During this time, if Bai Xiang harbored even the slightest malice, she could easily cause Bai Xiang to suffer a qi deviation and die with just a thought.

Moreover, Bai Xiang's feelings may also leave traces.

For example, if Bai Xiang has deep feelings for someone, even if she eventually leaves her dojo, she will still leave traces within it.

It seeped in subtly and silently, and then influenced her.

In short, in this treacherous world of cultivation, the word "trust" is too elusive.

Mo Huaisu hesitated.

Xuanyuan asked a question, his expression becoming more serious after hearing Bai Xiang's words.

He looked at Bai Xiang and directly exposed her identity, asking, "Your Majesty, what opportunity do you intend to seize today?"

""

"I just want to give it a try."

Bai Xiang's smiling eyes revealed an air of arrogance and disdain. "If I have the ability to seize it, then it means that this opportunity is destined to belong to me."

If I can't take it, then so be it, I'll just leave. Who told you, Sect Leader Xuanyuan, to threaten me just now?

Oh, right————

Her smile vanished, her eyes turning cold. "I hate being called Empress more than anything in my life. Unfortunately, what you just said has angered me again."

1

Xuanyuan asked, feeling a sudden headache.

He was quite certain that the woman wasn't joking with him.

Previously, he had noticed that the other party had been concealing their presence and unwilling to reveal their identity, so he thought that the other party would be cautious in their actions and would never risk their life unless absolutely necessary.

But who would have thought that this woman was so proud and aloof at heart?

They're quick to flip the table at the slightest disagreement.

But upon further reflection, I felt relieved.

After all, she is the one who holds the position of "harem," and her very being exudes the nobility and domineering nature of an empress.

Even if they fall on hard times, that arrogant spirit that looks down on the world will not disappear.

I blame myself for being so rude and threatening the other person.

Now look what's happened; the tigress has been enraged.

Of course, Xuanyuan Wendao was unaware that Bai Xiang actually had little interest in the inheritance of the Sword Immortal.

The reason she was so forceful in intervening was simply to help Jiang Mu try and see if she could snatch it away.

"That's enough."

Xuanyuan Wendao sighed helplessly, cupped his hands slightly, and said, "66."

"I apologize for my inappropriate words just now. I hope you will be magnanimous and not hold a grudge against a mere country swordsman like myself."

"I don't accept it."

Bai Xiang crisply uttered three words, instantly killing the conversation.

Xuanyuan asked, his chest tightening from the retort.

With a wry smile, he could only turn his gaze to Mo Huaisu and said earnestly, "Sect Leader Mo, this matter is extremely dangerous. One wrong step could lead to utter ruin. I hope you will think carefully before acting, and not be misled by others, lest you squander the foundation of your hard-earned cultivation."

If you can't threaten Bai Xiang, can't you threaten me?

Mo Huaisu glanced at Xuan Yuanwen, then turned to look at Bai Xiang, who stood proudly, his heart torn between two conflicting emotions.

For people at their level, every opportunity to touch the threshold of the Great Dao is like a fleeting shooting star in the night sky—something that can only be encountered by chance and cannot be sought after.

Moreover, which opportunity isn't accompanied by enormous risks?

As the head of the Daoist sect, she devoted her life to cultivation, and what she valued most was the Daoist heart.

The principle is to follow the way of nature and govern by non-action.

But if one doesn't even have the courage to reach out and accept it, then it's not inaction, but cowardice.

Although she didn't trust Bai Xiang.

But she's willing to take the gamble!

Fortunately, a woman like Bai Xiang wouldn't like men, so there's no worry about them leaving a mark on her dojo and affecting her ruthless and abstinent way of life.

Finally, a resolute glint flashed in Mo Huaisu's cool eyes, and her lips parted slightly: "Alright, I'll help you!"

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