So it turns out I'm the demon!

Jiang Mu arranged for two horse-drawn carriages.

One car was placed for Bai Xiang and Mo Huaisu, and Yuan Aqing, who was still unconscious, was also placed inside. Bai Xiang was instructed to take good care of her.

He himself, along with Yan Zixiao and Xun Xiaozhang, rode alone in another carriage.

Jiang Mu had only one real purpose for this trip.

Kill Xun Xiaozhang.

If this woman doesn't die, the karmic connection that Yang Feifei planted in his soul before her death will not be resolved, and his star position will not be truly perfected.

Moreover, she's been eyeing that Star Core of the same system for quite some time now.

However, the timing and location of taking action are important.

Although Mo Huaisu, that Daoist nun, seems to be pure and detached from worldly desires, she is, after all, a great cultivator at the twelfth realm. No one knows whether she will meddle in other people's business at a crucial moment.

Therefore, Jiang Mu deliberately let Bai Xiang and Mo Huaisu's carriage go ahead.

The two vehicles were about half an hour apart.

This way, they could both be kept out of the way and have Mo Huaisu protect Bai Xiang and A Qing for him, killing two birds with one stone.

To prevent the inner guards from engaging in any underhanded tactics.

Inside the train carriage.

Xun Xiaomo took out a small bronze stove and placed it on the floor of the carriage.

This small stove has a unique design, with a coiled dragon pattern cast around its body, the dragon's head facing upwards and its tail downwards.

There was no charcoal fire inside the furnace, only three spirit stones embedded in it, arranged in a triangular shape.

There is an empty groove in the very center.

"With just this tiny, broken stove, you can track down Yang Feifei's whereabouts in this vast world?"

Jiang Mu leaned against the carriage wall and asked with great interest.

Xun Xiaomo nodded, his expression solemn:

"Lord Jiang, do not underestimate it. This item is called the Blood-Guiding Soul-Chasing Furnace, a tracking artifact secretly crafted by the Imperial Guard, specifically designed to use bloodline karma as a catalyst. Yang Feifei is Commander Yang's younger sister, sharing the same bloodline. Before coming here, you, my lord, have already infused a drop of your own blood into the furnace as a 'catalyst.' However, to activate this furnace, bloodline alone is not enough; we also need the Heavenly Origin Star-Stabilizing Token in Mr. Yan's possession as a stabilizing element."

That chess piece was originally paired with Feifei's Earthly Element Star-Guiding Piece; the two pieces were connected by an unseen force, which could aid in tracking. At the same time, Mr. Yan himself needed to activate the star power within the chess piece.

After saying that, she looked up and turned to Yan Zixiao, who was sitting opposite her, and said, "Mr. Yan, would you mind borrowing a chess piece for a moment?"

Yan Zixiao glanced at Jiang Mu, then took out a black chess piece from her bosom and handed it over.

This chess piece was the "extortion artifact" that Jiang Mu had violently modified with demonic energy. In order to keep Xun Xiaomo calm today, Jiang Mu forcibly disguised its appearance back to its original pure black form.

Xun Xiaomo took the chess piece and put it into the stove.

As she manipulated the magic seals with her fingertips, the spirit stones inside the furnace began to be consumed.

A faint red glow emanated from the array patterns on the furnace wall, and a faint smell of blood immediately filled the carriage.

"Mr. Yan, please place your hand over the stove opening."

Xun Xiaozhang gave the instructions.

Yan Zixiao did as instructed and extended her right hand.

The next moment, a long string of strange blue patterns suddenly appeared in his palm, and a suction force surged out, attracting the black chess piece inside the furnace and making it levitate in mid-air and spin.

Upon seeing this, Xun Xiaomo quickly pulled out a piece of yellow paper with a blood talisman drawn on it from his pocket and slapped it into his palm.

He then pressed his palm against the furnace wall.

The woman closed her eyes and began to concentrate on sensing the karmic connection between her bloodline and her unseen being.

While she closed her eyes to cast the spell, Jiang Mu subtly released her divine sense.

"It really does have a tail."

Jiang Mu's lips curled into a smile.

According to the feedback from the divine sense, four obscure auras were lingering in the dense forest and wild grass behind the carriage.

Their cultivation levels weren't high, around the fifth realm.

They must be secret agents from the Imperial Guard.

Jiang Mu did not rush to make a move.

As the carriage left Xiahe Town and arrived at a secluded path, he subtly released the Shadow Demon without a sound. Within moments, the four auras behind him vanished one after another.

Jiang Mu was actually quite clear about it in her heart.

If he kills Xun Xiaomo today, the Imperial Guards will definitely be the first to suspect him.

But openly turning against someone and secretly plotting against them are two completely different things.

Unless there is irrefutable evidence, and unless he openly exposes the hypocrisy of the Daqing court, both sides, for their own interests, can at least maintain a period of peace on the surface.

What he needs now is to cover up his true motive for killing Xun Xiaomo.

To outsiders, he killed Xun Xiaomo because of a series of personal grudges and grievances.

He must never let anyone know that he is trying to seize the star position belonging to the [Ji Shui Leopard] system within Xun Xiaomo's body, nor can he let anyone know that he wants to resolve the karma left behind by Yang Feifei.

"Any progress?"

Jiang Mu asked casually.

Xun Xiaomo kept his eyes closed, the patterns on the talisman in his palm flickering between light and dark.

She shook her head and said:

"Not yet. If Yang Feifei is hiding in a place protected by an array or barrier, her aura will be blocked, making it take longer to track her down. Let's wait a little longer."

Jiang Mu nodded, then suddenly asked:

"By the way, there's something I've always been curious about. Back in Yancheng, I seriously injured that good-for-nothing Yang Tianci. Later, I encountered a bizarre assassination attempt based on causality and almost lost my life."

Looking back, it must have been Yang Feifei who used some kind of secret technique to ambush me from afar to avenge her nephew, right?

Xun Xiaomo opened her eyes and looked at him, her eyes flickered, and she shook her head, saying:

"I truly have no knowledge of this. Given Lord Yang's character, he would not condone his own sister's transgression of the rules. Lord Jiang must have believed some unfounded rumors."

Jiang Mu chuckled, lifted the curtain of the car window, and looked at the rapidly receding wilderness outside, her tone mocking:

"I'm also a little curious, does this high and mighty Deputy Commander Yang really have no humanity at all?"

He used his own son as resources for his spiritual practice, and his own sister was also a pawn in his scheme.

Lord Xun, as his most trusted subordinate, aren't you afraid that one day you'll suffer the same fate as them?

Xun Xiaomo's face turned frosty as she coldly said:

"It seems that Lord Jiang has a deep misunderstanding of Commander Yang. This search for Feifei is precisely because Lord Yang is concerned about his younger sister's safety, which is why he has gone to great lengths to use the secret weapons and manpower of the Imperial Guard to track down her whereabouts."

Jiang Mu chuckled twice, lowered the curtain, and said, "Lord Xun, what exactly are you after?"

Xun Xiao frowned:

"What makes you say that, Lord Jiang? I don't understand what you mean."

"I believe you are loyal to the court."

Jiang Mu looked directly at her and said, "I've seen your unwavering loyalty to Yang Qintian. It's truly admirable that someone can be such a 'loyal dog'."

But what I don't understand is, what exactly are you after?

"You don't really think the imperial court will let you reach the pinnacle of power, do you? You don't really think Yang Qintian will share a bite of the meat in his bowl with you?" Xun Xiaomo sneered.

"In Lord Jiang's view, shouldn't one share the emperor's burdens and serve the emperor loyally? My cultivation, status, and even my life are all given to me by the court and Lord Yang!"

One should be grateful and repay kindness.

Lord Jiang, relying on his extraordinary talent, is arrogant and disregards all moral principles and laws. He doesn't even understand such basic principles of loyalty and righteousness; it seems he's been spoiled and pampered all along, truly considering himself an untamed wild crane.

Jiang Mu wasn't angry at the woman's mockery; instead, he nodded in agreement: "Hmm, it seems that Lord Xun is indeed a good dog who protects his master."

"you"

Xun Xiaomo was furious, but ultimately swallowed his anger, snorted coldly, shut his mouth, and refocused all his attention on the bronze furnace. As time passed, the red light inside the furnace grew stronger and stronger.

Suddenly, a white thread separated from the black chess piece floating above the furnace opening.

At the tip of the silk thread, a drop of crimson blood clung, swaying in mid-air like a snake searching for its way.

"Found it!"

Xun Xiaozhang's face lit up with joy.

She quickly brought her index and middle fingers together, pulled the white thread stained with blood, and pressed it to her forehead.

Then, they began to track Yang Feifei's exact location.

But the next moment, the joy on her face suddenly froze, and she stared at Jiang Mu with a look of utter disbelief.

Seeing her expression, Jiang Mu knew that the woman had already found out.

He picked up the black chess piece from the stove, slowly put it back in his pocket, and said with a smirk, "I underestimated your inner guard. I didn't expect this thing could actually be found out."

Xun Xiaozhang felt his head buzzing:

"You... how could this be... how could you have her karmic connection on you? This is impossible!!"

"boom!"

In response, Jiang Mu suddenly unleashed a powerful punch.

The carriage instantly fell into pieces.

Xun Xiaomo was also sent flying backwards.

"Sit inside and don't move. Don't run around." Jiang Mu turned her head and said this to Yan Zixiao before disappearing from the spot.

The next moment, he appeared in front of Xun Xiaomo.

Xun Xiaomo rolled several times on the wasteland before finally managing to steady himself.

She knelt on one knee, her left hand covering her chest, while her right hand had already pulled out several talismans from her waist.

The talisman spontaneously combusted in her palm.

It transformed into golden light shields, blocking her way.

She stared at Jiang Mu in shock: "Yang Feifei... you actually killed her?"

"That's right."

Jiang Mu readily admitted it.

"You're a madman!"

Xun Xiaozhang gritted her teeth, "So you've been lying to me the whole time! Jiang Mu, how dare you! Do you really think you can do whatever you want? Do you think Lord Yang wouldn't dare kill you?"

"Of course he wants to kill me, just as I'll kill him sooner or later."

Jiang Mu touched her chest with her fingertip.

Armor activated.

A tall figure floated up, looming over Xun Xiaomo's head, like an ancient demon god exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.

"But before that, you need to go down first and reserve a spot for him on the Bridge of Helplessness."

Before he could finish speaking...

Jiang Mu clenched his right fist, the armor on his arm glowing brightly red, and punched towards the golden light shield.

"Damn it!"

Xun Xiaomo cursed under his breath, channeling his star power into the talisman in an attempt to resist.

With a loud bang, Jiang Mu's fist, imbued with the true essence of blood, slammed into the light barrier, causing the ground to tremble violently.

Xun Xiaomo was thrown back by the shockwave, his back breaking three or four trees before crashing heavily into a pile of rubble.

She spat out a mouthful of blood mist and said sharply:

"Jiang Mu, do you think you can kill me with such a low-level scheme without the Imperial Guards not knowing it was you? I am an official of the Imperial Court! If you kill me, you, Jiang Mu, won't survive either!"

"So what if you know? Do you have any evidence?"

Jiang Mu raised her right hand.

Hundreds of sharp, blood-red blades instantly erupted from every pore of his body, like a dense rain of blades, slashing towards Xun Xiaomo. "Escape!"

Seeing the blade's energy approaching, Xun Xiaomo let out a sharp shout.

The talisman exploded in her palm, transforming into hundreds of golden paper butterflies that scattered in all directions.

At the same time, she herself transformed into a butterfly, mingling among them.

The scent of these paper butterflies was exactly the same as her own.

Each one was releasing the same spiritual energy fluctuations as her, enough to deceive the divine senses of most pursuers.

[Spiritual Divination]!

Jiang Mu glanced at it casually and found Xun Xiaomo.

"Bang!"

The golden light dissipated.

Xun Xiaomo fell out of human form again and rolled around on the ground in a sorry state.

As Jiang Mu approached step by step, a flicker of despair and madness finally flashed in her eyes. Gritting her teeth, she pulled a small stone from her pocket and swallowed it. "【Stone Seal】!"

This is her ultimate forbidden technique for saving her life.

Once cast, the caster's physical body and soul will be trapped inside a stone cocoon. At the same time, a layer of gray stone-carved shell will condense around the caster, enveloping them inside.

As the forbidden technique was activated.

Xun Xiaomo's body was quickly covered with a layer of gray-white stone carvings, as if he had become one with the stone carvings.

"Clang!"

Jiang Mu's blood-red blade strike landed on the stone carving, but it failed to even break through the stone's outer layer.

Its hardness is truly beyond imagination.

The sound of Xun Xiao's collision came from inside the stone cocoon:

"Jiang Mu, do you know what this is? This is a Xuanwu Stone Cocoon. Even a tenth-realm cultivator wouldn't be able to break it open in less than half an hour. I've already sent a signal to the other inner guards, and reinforcements will arrive in less than an incense stick's time. You can try to see if you can break through this stone shell first, or if the inner guards find you first."

Jiang Mu, I've been patient enough with you; you're the one who doesn't know what's good for you. Don't worry, when the time comes, not only you, but all those women around you, that little maid—none of them will escape!

I won't kill her. I'll let her live, so she can become the loyal dog of the court you speak of!

Although Xun Xiaomo made some harsh remarks, her heart was bleeding.

Although the Stone Heart Sealing Heaven Seal is invincible in defense, its side effects are also terrifying.

Each use of this technique deprives the caster of ten years of lifespan and a portion of their cultivation foundation. She would never use it unless it was a matter of life and death. Jiang Mu examined the stone statue of the woman and said, "It seems unable to move. If it can't move, then things are easier."

He reached out and placed his palm on the surface of the stone pupa.

Xun Xiaozhang, seeing his bewildered behavior, didn't think much of it and continued to mock, "Save your breath, Jiang Mu. What you should be doing right now is running away like a stray dog ​​with its tail between its legs!"

Jiang Mu ignored her shouting.

He closed his eyes and channeled the demonic energy into the stone sculpture through his palm.

As demonic energy continued to be injected, the stone cocoon began to deform little by little, softening and cracking.

Xun Xiaomo was terrified, and the color drained from her face in an instant.

"What did you do? This is impossible!"

She desperately tried to use the remaining star power in her body to reinforce the stone cocoon, but the black demonic energy ignored her resistance and continued to seep in, like rainwater seeping into the soil.

"Crack..."

The stone wall began to soften and peel away, eventually cracking open.

Before Xun Xiao could escape, Jiang Mu kicked her in the chest.

"Bang!"

Xun Xiao was sent flying backwards.

Jiang Mu followed closely, his figure blurring as he stepped on the woman's face, shoving her head into the mud.

At this moment, Xun Xiaomo finally revealed the fear that came from the depths of her soul.

"Jiang Mu...you can't kill me..."

Her voice trembled, "If you kill me, Lord Yang will definitely not let you off..."

"Bang!"

Before the woman could finish speaking, her head exploded under a kick.

Red and white things were splattered all over the ground. The headless body twitched twice and then fell silent.

Jiang Mu withdrew her foot and squatted down expressionlessly.

He tore open the woman's clothes and thrust his right hand into the area where her dantian was located.

With a twist of his wrist, he forcefully scooped it out.

He dug a star pill out of the corpse.

Jiang Mu looked at the blood-stained Star Pill in his palm, a burning glint in his eyes. Then, he pressed the Star Pill against his abdomen.

The star position that Xun Xiaomo occupies is the "Kang" in the "Ji Shui Bao" system, which is the first of the seven southern constellations.

[Ji Shui Bao] has only three companion stars in total for one night.

Right now, Jiang Mu has collected both [chaff] and [mortar].

With only the last core element, the [Ji] star position, missing, he will be able to complete the star position puzzle for this night and achieve a great leap to perfection!

After absorbing the Star Pill, Jiang Mu stood up.

He looked around and found a wild boar's den behind some bushes not far away, so he threw Xun Xiaomo's body into it. After doing this, he turned and walked towards the carriage.

Beside the dilapidated carriage.

Yan Zixiao was anxiously waiting in place, leading the frightened horse.

Seeing Jiang Mu emerge from the woods unharmed, his tense nerves finally relaxed, and he quickly went to greet her, saying:

"Don't worry, Lord Jiang, I, Old Yan, am blind and deaf. I didn't see or hear anything just now." Jiang Mu was amused by his appearance and chuckled as he scolded him:

"What? Afraid I'll kill you too, to silence you?"

Yan Zixiao chuckled dryly twice, scratched the back of his head, and didn't say anything, but there was definitely a hint of lingering fear in his eyes.

That kid went way too far.

That's a high-ranking official in the Imperial Guard! He's a madman.

Jiang Mu stopped teasing him, bent down and crawled into the carriage, picked up the bronze stove that Xun Xiaomo had used to track Yang Feifei from the floor, and casually put it into her storage space.

Since this thing can trace bloodline causality, it might come in handy in the future.

He turned to Yan Zixiao and said:

"Alright, the problem is solved. Let's part ways here. Whether we meet again depends on fate and luck. This carriage can still be used after some repairs. Take it and continue your journey."

Yan Zixiao nodded and said sincerely:

"To be able to meet someone like Lord Jiang is a great fortune in my life of wandering the world. Take care, my lord, until we meet again!" After saying this, Yan Zixiao leaped onto the carriage and cracked his whip.

Jiang Mu watched him leave.

Once the carriage disappeared from sight, the [Demon Wings] burst forth from its back, flapping its wings and soaring through the air like a black arrow. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, it caught up with the carriage carrying Bai Xiang and the others.

Jiang Mu folded her wings and crawled into the carriage.

Inside the train carriage.

Yuan Aqing, who had been in a coma, has woken up.

Her complexion was much better than the night before, and her face had regained some color. However, her lips were still a little pale, making her look like someone who had just recovered from a serious illness. Despite her weakness, she had a fresh and delicate air, like bamboo shoots after a rain.

"master!"

As soon as she saw Jiang Mu enter, Yuan Aqing threw herself into his arms and burst into tears, "I'm so sorry, Master... It's all my fault, I've dragged you down with me, I almost caused you..."

"Silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Jiang Mu gently stroked the girl's hair and softly comforted her.

"It was my recklessness as the master to drag you into this mess. As long as you're alive, nothing else matters."

Once the girl had calmed down and stopped sobbing, Jiang Mu cupped her tear-streaked face and asked earnestly:

"Speaking of which, do you know what happened after I passed out?"

Yuan Aqing shook her little head blankly:

"Ah Qing doesn't know either. When I saw you faint, Master, I was so scared that I rushed over to pick you up... but I can't remember anything after that."

Seeing the girl's bewildered and confused expression, Jiang Mu didn't press further and said:

"Never mind. I guess some powerful figure just happened to pass by and snatched the opportunity away."

Now that you're alright, I'll take you to Jingouzi Mountain to try your luck.

"Um!"

The girl nodded obediently.

Jiang Mu actually had some guesses in her mind.

That chance encounter last night might have been at Jingouzi Mountain.

He brought Ah Qing out this time to seek opportunities in Jingouzi Mountain, but he didn't expect it to cause such a big commotion.

Let's check it now.

If you have her, try to get her for yourself.

If not, then forget it.

What is destined to be yours will be yours, and what is not, you cannot force. Opportunities cannot be forced.

The carriage sped along the official road.

Half a day later.

The group finally arrived deep into Jingouzi Mountain.

Jiang Mu, along with Bai Xiang and the other two women, found the hidden altar cave.

At this moment, the wolf demon Mu Zilang was not inside the cave.

The moment Mo Huaisu and Bai Xiang stepped into the cave, they both frowned.

With their combined cultivation levels, they could naturally sense the vast aura remaining in the cave and the mystery of the formation.

A long time ago, there was clearly a super overhaul here.

Jiang Mu pointed to the altar and explained:

"I told you before that a wolf demon dwells in this place. He said he has been waiting here for many years, just to wait for a woman who once reincarnated here through an altar."

"Look, there's still a portrait of that woman on that stone wall over there."

As Jiang Mu spoke, she pointed to a smooth cave wall behind the altar.

Bai Xiang turned her head to look.

At first, she just glanced at it casually.

But that one glance was enough to make her eyes widen, her gaze fixed on the painting, and a storm raged within her.

because……

The woman in the painting on the stone wall.

Her eyebrows and eyes... are remarkably similar to those of her mother!