So it turns out I'm the demon!

Bai Xiang's gaze lingered on the portrait for a long time.

The woman in the painting does indeed bear some resemblance to her mother in her memory, only the other woman looks younger.

However, upon closer inspection, some subtle differences can still be observed.

The Empress Dowager always exuded a gentle and virtuous air of dignity, while the woman in the mural possessed a captivating charm in her eyes. Of course, this could also be a matter of the artist's subjective preference, resulting in a slightly different depiction.

"know?"

Seeing Bai Xiang staring intently at the painting for a long time, Jiang Mu couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

Bai Xiang snapped out of her daze and concealed the emotional turmoil in her eyes.

She shook her head and gestured in sign language:

"I don't recognize her. I just thought the painting was clumsy, but the woman's expression was quite spirited, so I was a little curious." Jiang Mu, unsuspecting, sighed as he examined the portrait with his hands behind his back.

"The woman in this painting was originally a wolf demon. And Mu Zilang, who painted this painting, was originally a human cultivator."

The two met by chance and embarked on a tragic love story that transcended species. Later, in order to save the female demon, Mu Zilang did not hesitate to destroy his human foundation and willingly transformed himself into a wolf demon.

The demoness longed to be reincarnated one day. Mu Zilang, however, waited here for sixty years, but she never returned. Actually, I think this so-called reincarnation is probably a hoax. Mu Zilang will likely never see his beloved woman again. Sixty years is...

Upon hearing this time span, Bai Xiang pondered silently.

The timing doesn't match up with his mother's.

If this female demon died here and was reincarnated sixty years ago, then by that reckoning, she should be about the same age as her grandmother. Thinking of this, the doubts that had just surfaced in her mind slowly subsided.

Perhaps it really is just a coincidence that they look extremely similar.

Jiang Mu gazed at the woman in the portrait.

Just like when he first saw the portrait in the cave, he felt that the woman's features were familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before, but he just couldn't remember where.

Standing behind the two, Yuan Aqing had no interest in listening to any tragic love story.

The girl stared blankly at the dilapidated altar, her expression somewhat dazed.

She felt as if a forgotten string in the depths of her mind had been quietly plucked, and she seemed to hear faint, chaotic whispers in her ears.

This place feels somewhat familiar.

"Master Jiang?"

Just then, a surprised voice rang out.

However, the wolf demon Mu Zilang appeared at the entrance of the cave, and was clearly surprised to see Jiang Mu and the others.

"I thought you couldn't stand the loneliness and left this heartbreaking place, not planning to wait any longer."

Jiang Mu said.

Mu Zilang patted the fallen leaves off his shoulder and gave a wry smile:

"I've been stuck here for so many years, even giving up the right to be a human being. How can I give up halfway? Even if I have to die, I want to die here."

Jiang Mu skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point:

"I've come this time to look for that opportunity you mentioned last time, the one left behind by the sword cultivator. I wonder if it's still there?"

Mu Zilang shook his head helplessly:

"It's gone. I don't know what happened last night, but that opportunity suddenly became active. I saw a sword light fly out of the mountains and head north. I guess it ran away on its own."

really.

Although she had already guessed this would be the result, Jiang Mu still felt somewhat depressed.

I should have come sooner; this girl missed it.

Now look what's happened! The duck that was about to be eaten has flown away. What a mistake!

Mu Zilang's gaze swept over everyone, and when it landed on Yuan Aqing, he paused, a look of surprise and confusion in his eyes. Just as he was about to say something, a cold, indifferent voice suddenly rang out:

"Did you paint the woman on this mural yourself?"

It was Mo Huaisu who spoke.

She stood quietly in front of the cave wall, her black and white Taoist robe making her appear even more ethereal and otherworldly in the dim cave.

Mu Zilang was taken aback, then nodded and replied, "I drew it."

Mo Huaisu then pressed on with the following question:

"Did she ever mention to you whether she had any sisters who looked similar, or any relatives from the same clan?"

Jiang Mu gave this abstinent sect leader a strange look.

I don't understand why the other person is suddenly so interested in gossip about a wolf demon.

What he didn't know was that Bai Xiang had secretly used her divine sense to send a telepathic message to Mo Huaisu, asking him to inquire on his behalf.

After all, her current persona is that of a mute housekeeper, making it inconvenient for her to speak.

Mu Zilang recalled for a moment, then shook his head and said:

"She never mentioned this to me. But she was a demon in human form, and demons always have their own clansmen, so there must be a reason for her existence. I did hear her mention it once, saying that she once had a mistress. But that mistress is dead, and she wasn't willing to talk about it, so I didn't ask any further."

Owner?

Bai Xiang seemed to be deep in thought.

Mo Huaisu listened calmly to Bai Xiang's telepathic instructions and continued to press, "Did she say where she's from? Or where she plans to go in the future?"

Mu Zilang shook his head again:

"She never mentioned that. I didn't think it was a big deal at the time, so I didn't ask if she didn't bring it up."

Bai Xiang was somewhat disappointed.

Now, she has regained some intuition.

This mysterious wolf demon woman who died sixty years ago and looked exactly like the Queen Mother may have some kind of connection with her!

In particular, she knew that her mother was not a native of the Mirror Kingdom.

Back then, my mother came to the Kingdom of Mirror alone, which is how she met my father and they became a couple.

Since the opportunity had already passed, Jiang Mu didn't linger. He led the three women down the mountain back to the carriage, preparing to head to nearby Yan City. One reason for this trip to Yan City was to visit his former superior, Tian Wenjing.

Let's talk face-to-face about his younger brother, Tian Wenyuan.

Although Tian Wenyuan committed numerous evils and attempted to sacrifice the entire city in blood, he ultimately deserved to die, and this debt should not be attributed to Jiang Mu.

However, considering that Tian Wenyuan had indirectly died at his hands, Jiang Mu was still worried that this might create some rift between him and Elder Tian. He wanted to talk to Elder Tian face-to-face to clear things up, so as not to have a lingering worry in his heart.

After all, this old man had once sheltered him and was one of the few senior figures he respected.

On the other hand, Bai Xiang said she was going to pay respects to her family.

Jiang Muben planned to take this opportunity to go and pay respects at his father-in-law's grave, burn more paper money, kowtow, and pray for his blessing as the son-in-law who was not yet married into the family.

I'll also try to improve my relationship with Bai Xiang.

However, when Jiang Mu told Bai Xiang about this idea, she was met with strong opposition.

Bai Xiang's attitude was unusually firm.

Her parents loved peace and quiet, and she didn't want anyone to disturb their rest.

Jiang Mu felt very depressed and disappointed after hearing this.

Seeing Bai Xiang's sorrowful expression, he couldn't bring himself to persist in his demands and could only reluctantly agree to wait for her in the city.

Half a day later, the carriage entered Yancheng.

The city, which had been besieged by the demon army for many days, has now regained much of its vitality. The streets are bustling with activity, shops are lining the streets, and the city is thriving. Jiang Mu led Yuan Aqing to the Demon Slayer Division.

Bai Xiang and Mo Huaisu went to pay respects to their parents, but in reality, they went for a stroll in the city.

When Jiang Mu appeared at the Demon Slayer Division, it immediately caused a commotion.

After all, when Yancheng was besieged, it was this very person who, like a god of war descending, single-handedly turned the tide. His formidable reputation and monstrous combat power had long been revered as a deity by these low-level demon slayers.

"Lord Jiang is back!"

"It really is Lord Jiang!"

Despite the admiring and awe-inspiring gazes of the many demon slayers, Jiang Mu remained very low-key.

He inadvertently wandered around the courtyard a few times, smiling and waving to the excited demon slayers, offering a few polite words like "Brothers, you've worked hard."

Amidst the admiring gazes of the crowd, he then entered Tian Wenjing's study.

Yuan Aqing was left outside to wait.

I pushed open the door and entered the study.

A faint scent of ink wafted over.

Tian Wenjing was standing behind his desk, wielding a brush and splashing ink on the Xuan paper.

Jiang Mu leaned closer to take a look.

The paper was written with the two large characters "无道" (meaning "without morality"), written in a vigorous and powerful style.

"Beautiful handwriting!"

Jiang Mu gave a thumbs-up and praised,

"Old Master Tian's brushwork is like a dragon soaring through the air, a tiger sweeping across the vast expanse—truly exquisite! If this were to be sold, it would be worth at least a hundred or eighty taels of silver." Tian Wenjing placed the brush on the brush holder and said calmly.

"Jiang Mu, let me ask you, who do you think is the most immoral person in this world?"

Jiang Mu thought to herself, "This old boss is probably fishing for trouble."

If I were to blurt out, "The emperor is incompetent and tyrannical," you'd probably turn around and split my head in two.

Jiang Mu looked bewildered: "This junior is of limited knowledge and understanding, and truly does not know the answer to such questions."

Tian Wenjing said, "The Tao is the most devoid of Tao."

Jiang Mu paused for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully: "Although I don't quite understand it, it makes a lot of sense."

Tian Wenjing was amused by his joking manner, which eased the tense atmosphere somewhat.

He pointed to the chair opposite him, gesturing for Jiang Mu to sit down, and said:

"You brat, you made a special trip to see me today. Did you always think that I would become your mortal enemy because of Tian Wenyuan's death?" "Not really."

Jiang Mu denied it.

Tian Wenjing walked to the window and pushed it open halfway.

The gentle sunlight in the courtyard fell softly on the desk, illuminating the still-wet ink on the characters, giving them a subtle sheen.

Tian Wenjing said:

"If that's really what you think, then you're underestimating my magnanimity."

Leaving aside the fact that Tian Wenyuan's attempt to sacrifice the entire city was deserving of death, besides, even if I truly wanted revenge, my old bones no longer have the strength, do they?

Jiang Muqian chuckled twice, pulled out a chair and sat down, saying sincerely:

"But as the older brother, upon learning of your younger brother's tragic death, you must still feel anger and resentment, right?"

Tian Wenjing pulled out a new sheet of paper, pressed down the edges with a paperweight, and picked up his pen to continue writing.

As he wrote, he spoke slowly:

"Of course I'm angry. But what I'm angry about is my younger brother."

Actually, you must still have a knot in your heart that you came here today.

You're implying that when you asked me whose natal deity was the "Buddha's Lamp Fire," I didn't tell you it was my brother, and that I was deliberately protecting him, right?

Jiang Mu stopped smiling and nodded, saying:

"That's right. I did suspect that you already knew Tian Wenyuan had a problem and were deliberately keeping it from him. But after thinking about it, I felt that you wouldn't be that kind of person."

Tian Wenjing twitched the corner of her mouth slightly:

"Jiang Mu, don't easily trust anyone. I'm not an exception. The way I present myself to you may not be my true nature. However, regarding the 'Buddha's Lamp Fire,' I still need to make things clear to you. Tian Wenyuan's natal divine object is not the 'Buddha's Lamp Fire,' but 'Gold in Sand.'"

As for why his divine object later transformed into the "Buddha's Lamp Fire," even I, an old man, am utterly baffled.

"So it was [Gold in Sand]..."

Jiang Mu muttered to herself,

"It is estimated that the [Gold in Sand] has limited effect on cultivation. He probably later encountered that monk who called himself 'True Ancient Buddha' by chance, and the other party forcibly modified his natal divine object by some means, replacing it with Buddha's lamp fire."

"A divine object is ultimately the foundation of one's destiny; to change it is tantamount to selling half of one's soul."

Tian Wenjing sighed, his face looking much older than before:

"My younger brother was proud and arrogant all his life, always striving to be the best. But I never imagined that on the path of competing for supremacy, he would go astray and fall to such a depraved and insane state."

Jiang Mu, I will not blame you for killing him.

"I can only blame myself for being blind, for not noticing the abnormalities in his martial arts and temperament sooner. If I had stopped him sooner, perhaps I could have saved those innocent people who died unjustly..."

Jiang Mu remained silent for a long time.

If someone else had said these words, he might have thought they were just polite words for show, meant for the living.

But when Tian Wenjing said this, there was no extra emotion in his eyes, only a layer of exhaustion and remorse.

He didn't know what to say to comfort her, so he could only silently apologize.

Jiang Mu, unwilling to dwell on this heavy topic, changed the subject and asked:

"Elder Tian, ​​have any powerful monsters been spotted near Yancheng lately? If you need my help to stretch your muscles, please don't hesitate to ask." Tian Wenjing shook his head and said:

"Yancheng has been peaceful lately. There are only some minor demons roaming around, which my brothers can handle. The real trouble is in Yuancheng. Since Yuancheng fell, most of the demons have flocked there. The imperial court sent troops and people from the Demon Slayer Bureau, but with little effect."

I reckon it won't be long before the headquarters sends someone to invite you to Yuancheng for support."

Jiang Mu chuckled, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his legs:

"Go to provide support? No. Let me be frank with you about Yuancheng. I don't get along with Chief Lin Anchang. There's a messy score to settle with him under the city walls."

Besides, I don't lack any resources right now, so the small reward from the imperial court won't be of much help.

However, Elder Tian, ​​on my way here, I encountered a force called the "Demon Slayer Society" in Xiahe Town. I met them, and the local people were quite bewitched by them.

I find it strange that the imperial court hasn't done anything about their arrogance.

Tian Wenjing said helplessly:

"In this world today, demons are rampant, the situation is chaotic, and all sorts of evil forces have emerged. I have naturally heard of this 'Demon Slaying Association,' and it is indeed a considerable troublesome organization."

The imperial court initially intended to mobilize troops to wipe them out, but suddenly changed its mind and tacitly allowed them to continue to exist.

In my guess, the imperial court probably thinks that it doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it can catch mice, it's a good cat.

Although the Demon-Slaying Association acts in an extreme manner, it has indeed killed quite a few demons on the surface, which, for the current situation, is more beneficial than harmful. "Helping the imperial court slay demons?"

Jiang Mu's face was full of sarcasm. "I've dealt with their higher-ups. They themselves have the means to control demons. They shout about slaying demons and monsters while using them like dogs. Is this what they call 'the benefits outweigh the drawbacks'?"

Tian Wenjing's gaze was deep:

"If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. As long as they openly kill a lot of demons, it will be more beneficial than harmful to the current court."

As for the dirty tricks they did behind the scenes, those high-ranking officials in the court were happy to turn a blind eye as long as the fire didn't directly affect them.

At this point, Tian Wenjing changed the subject and looked at Jiang Mu, asking:

"By the way, I heard that the fortuitous legacy left behind by the great demon Jiang Chaoxi has already shown signs of appearing in Fazhou?"

Jiang Mu's expression also became more serious, and he said:

"When I left Huzhou, strange phenomena in the sky and earth had already begun to appear in the direction of Fazhou. That secret cave realm will probably not be fully opened for another month or so."

"At that time, those major repairmen will probably rush towards Yunzhou City like mad dogs, drawn by the scent. That place will inevitably be embroiled in another bloodbath." Tian Wenjing walked to the bookshelf and took out a booklet wrapped in gray cloth from a hidden compartment.

He pushed the booklet onto the table in front of Jiang Mu:

"This is for you."

"What treasure?"

Jiang Mu curiously untied the gray cloth, revealing an old, thread-bound booklet.

However, when he opened the booklet, it was completely blank.

The pages were spotless, without a single ink stain. He turned a few more pages, and they were still blank.

"A wordless book?"

Jiang Mu was completely confused.

Tian Wenjing said solemnly:

"This is a memo written by Jiang Chaoxi himself back then. He used a forbidden technique to hide all the daily details recorded inside. Ordinary methods simply cannot reveal its true contents."

Perhaps, this time his fortuitous inheritance has manifested in the state of France, where some kind of energy can unlock the forbidden techniques in this book.

"Take it with you, and you might discover the secrets recorded inside..."

Isn't this just a diary?

Jiang Mu was speechless for a moment.

Who the hell keeps a diary?

Jiang Mu tucked the "encrypted diary" into his pocket, looked at Tian Wenjing suspiciously, and asked, "Old Tian, ​​where did you get this?" Tian Wenjing didn't answer his question, but instead earnestly reminded him:

"You don't need to ask about the origin of this thing; knowing won't do you any good. Just remember to always be careful in everything you do."

Jiang Chaoxi's opportunity is too tempting, and it will inevitably attract all the great cultivators who have been living in seclusion.

Those old monsters, none of them are easy to deal with.

If you encounter an insurmountable danger, avoid it if possible, and never be reckless. No matter how great your luck and fortune are, you might still stumble and fall one day.

"I have taken to heart Elder Tian's teachings. I am quite familiar with the principle of running away when you can't win."

Jiang Mu nodded seriously.

Inside the front courtyard of the Demon Slayer Division.

Yuan Aqing sat alone on the stone bench, swinging her dangling legs, looking up at the clear blue sky, somewhat lost in thought.

Although from the time she woke up last night until now, her behavior has been no different from that of a well-behaved and obedient maid.

But ever since she fainted last night, her heart has felt like it's stuffed with a wet cotton ball, a kind of indescribable blockage, and she feels like she can't breathe.

This feeling reached its peak, especially when she saw the altar used for reincarnation at Jingouzi Mountain.

It felt as if a rusty saw was pulling back and forth in my mind.

It seemed they wanted to saw her head open and release something.

A whisper occasionally reached my ears.

The voices came from near and far, and occasionally she could make out the repeated words:

"Kill him...kill him...kill him..."

The sound echoed deep within her mind, as if reminding her.

Yuan Aqing shook her head, raised her hands and covered her ears tightly, wishing she could smash her head open with the hilt of her sword to drag out that annoying voice.

Just as the girl was about to break down.

Suddenly, she felt a soft touch on her ankle.

Yuan Aqing looked down.

A chubby little white rabbit, pure white all over, was lying next to her boots.

"Oh, what an adorable little bunny!"

Yuan Aqing bent down and carefully hugged the little white rabbit into her arms.

A warm and soft touch came from my palm.

A smile spread across the girl's face as she gently teased him.

As the girl relaxed, the jumbled whispers that had been nagging at her gradually subsided.

"It's mine."

Just then, a detached voice suddenly rang out.