So it turns out I'm the demon!

A short while later, Bai Xiang led the clean-washed Yuan A Qing back out of the mist.

Then I saw the infuriating scene by the campfire.

Jiang Mu was teaching Mo Huaisu how to roast rabbit meat, step by step.

The two heads were quite close together, and the firelight cast their shadows together, making them look like an ordinary married couple. Bai Xiang felt a slight annoyance rise in her heart.

This guy gets to know women faster than he can turn the pages of a book.

No matter who they're talking to, they can always find an excuse to get close to them.

In such a short time, even Mo Huaisu's perpetually icy face had been softened by his charm, showing a bit of human warmth.

She walked over with a cold face and accidentally sat down between Jiang Mu and Mo Huaisu. She casually tore off a piece of golden-brown roasted rabbit meat from the rack, put it to her mouth, and took a bite.

Then, he tore off another piece and handed it to Yuan Aqing behind him.

"Thank you, Sister Xiang. Thank you, Master."

Yuan Aqing thanked him, took the roasted meat, and obediently ate it in small bites.

Jiang Mu didn't pay much attention to Bai Xiang's sudden "intervention".

He suddenly remembered something, and while flipping the skewers in his hand, he asked Mo Huaisu:

"By the way, Sect Leader Mo. Last time in that Illusory Desire Realm in Yancheng, you and I joined forces to find the leader of the Red Umbrella Sect named Red Lotus."

However, according to the information I have, the true mastermind behind the Red Umbrella Cult was the notorious villain Jiang Chaoxi. And the current leader, I've heard, is a male disciple who was once Jiang Chaoxi's apprentice.

Mo Huaisu nodded slightly. The warm light of the flames reflected on the woman's fair and jade-like profile, creating a picturesque scene. Her voice remained clear and cold as water: "You are right. The Red Umbrella Sect was indeed originally founded by Jiang Chaoxi. But the Red Umbrella Sect of today has deviated from Jiang Chaoxi's original founding principles and has become a true demonic sect."

She paused slightly before continuing:

"Currently, there are three leaders in the sect, and Honglian is only one of them. Although Jiang Chaoxi's disciple holds the title of sect leader, he does not fully control the power."

Above him is the true mastermind, whose identity is currently unknown.

Jiang Mu seemed lost in thought:

"So, the power struggles within the Red Umbrella Cult must be quite intense."

Mo Huaisu said calmly:

"Every power has its internal struggles, and our Daoist sect is no exception. However, the Red Umbrella Sect has a common goal and interest: to take over Daqing."

With this banner in place, they won't easily fall into internal strife. It's virtually impossible for them to disintegrate from within.

Jiang Mu nodded, letting out a sigh in her heart.

Whether it's the Red Umbrella Cult or the Demon Slayer Society, the core purpose of these forces is ultimately to divide up the world's fortune and increase their chances of success in their respective cultivation paths.

As for those who truly restored a bright and sunny sky for the people, not a single one did.

After eating and drinking his fill, Jiang Mu also took a bath in the makeshift bathtub. By the time he was ready, the demon horse had rested enough. He then invited the three women to get into the carriage, and they continued their journey into the night.

Traveling day and night.

Late on the third night, the carriage finally entered Tanzhou City.

Above the city, the strange phenomenon visible only to cultivators still hung in the sky, the inverted purplish-black vortex looking quite intimidating. Bai Xiangduan swept out his divine sense, covering a large part of Fazhou City.

A moment later, she withdrew her divine sense and muttered to herself:

"The aura of experts lurking in the shadows is increasing. With all sorts of people gathering, it seems that everyone wants a piece of the opportunity left behind by Jiang Chaoxi."

"Bai Xiang, take A Qing back to your courtyard first."

Jiang Mu stopped the carriage outside the courtyard gate, turned around and said to her, "I need to go to the Demon Slayer Bureau's office first to report to the head of the bureau and handle some official business."

He ran away halfway through being flirted with by the female ghost Yu Xiaoqian, and was filled with anger the whole way.

We need to find Aunt Shui right away to quench our thirst.

Official business?

Bai Xiang glanced at him sideways, too lazy to expose him, and waved her hand lazily before leading Yuan Aqing and Mo Huaisu back to their own courtyard. Jiang Mu watched the three women leave, then went straight to Shui Miaozheng's residence.

Inside Shui Miaozheng's private residence, all was quiet and still.

The candlelight was still on inside, casting a warm yellow glow through the window paper.

Jiang Mu didn't even knock on the door; he simply teleported into the bedroom.

A thin gauze curtain hung in front of the bed.

Through the light gauze, one could see Shui Miaozheng lying on her side on the bed.

She was wearing only a silk nightgown, her long, dark hair cascading down her back. One hand rested casually at her side, while the other held a loosely open book.

His eyes were slightly closed, as if he had gotten tired of reading and was taking a short rest.

The dim candlelight spilled onto her reclining body, revealing two smooth, rounded curves that resembled a perfectly fitted millstone, slightly raised and still.

With even breathing, every rise and fall contained hidden strength.

An indescribable elegance and charm.

"who!"

Shui Miaozheng was extremely alert. Almost at the same moment Jiang Mu landed, she suddenly opened her eyes and got up.

But when she saw who it was, her murderous intent vanished instantly, and she exclaimed with delight:

"Little Jiang!"

Without a word, Jiang Mu walked over and pulled the beautiful woman into his arms, lowered his head and kissed her hard on the lips, then his hand fell down with a crisp "smack".

Shui Miaozheng felt a chill run down her spine, and raised her head, her eyes filled with a subtle, reproachful look:

"Little guy, you just got back and you're already bullying your aunt?"

Jiang Mu chuckled, then casually pinned the beautiful woman down beneath him, his gaze falling on the book she had been holding: "Why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night, Aunt Shui? What book are you reading?"

"Whoosh!"

Before Jiang Mu could even see the contents of the book, Shui Miaozheng snatched it away.

She haphazardly stuffed the books into a pile of clean clothes next to her, blushed, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, saying, "It's nothing, just some poems and songs to pass the time."

Jiang Mu chuckled inwardly as he looked at her guilty expression.

How can reading a proper poetry collection make you so embarrassed?

Nine out of ten times, he's the young imperial uncle.

Jiang Mu didn't have the mischievousness to expose the beautiful woman. Instead, he rolled over and pinned her down, looking down into her watery eyes, and said with a wicked smile, "It seems Aunt Shui must have been incredibly lonely while I was away. Alright, let's comfort her first."

Shui Miaozheng's red lips parted slightly, as if she was about to say something coquettishly, but all her words were cut off by Jiang Mu's domineering kiss between their lips in the next second. The candlelight flickered.

Their intertwined figures were reflected in the water.

One hour later.

Having finished his cultivation, Jiang Mu embraced the beautiful woman, whose body was covered in fragrant sweat, and felt a sense of exhilaration emanating from every pore of his body.

The frustration from being teased by the female ghost halfway through vanished completely.

He gently stroked the woman's delicate shoulder with his fingertips, then suddenly said, "Aunt Shui, I killed Xun Xiaomo."

Shui Miaozheng, who was squinting and savoring the afterglow, was suddenly startled. She lifted her head from Jiang Mu's chest and looked at him in surprise.

Jiang Mu didn't say it was for the sake of star positions, but said:

"That woman tried to set you up with all sorts of messy marriages, and she's clashed with me time and time again. She's never been kind to me. It's better to kill her now and prevent future troubles than to leave her lurking in the shadows."

Shui Miaozheng frowned, worriedly saying, "Killed a high-ranking official of the Imperial Guard? What if it gets found out..."

It's true that Xun Xiaozhuang was once her friend.

But since that woman had chosen to stand against her man, she had no room for hesitation and could only unconditionally support Jiang Mu. Besides, Xun Xiaomo had already completely broken ties with her last time in Yancheng.

The old feelings have long since faded away; there's no need to be sad.

Her only worry now is whether Jiang Mu's killing of the Imperial Guards will provoke retaliation from the imperial court.

Jiang Mu comforted him:

"The imperial court and Yang Qintian are not fools. Even without evidence, they would definitely guess that I was the one who killed him."

But in official circles, as long as there isn't overwhelming evidence that can be presented openly, I believe that the Demon Slayer Division, whether it's Ran Qingshan or those old guys above who want to protect me, will help me navigate the situation.

As for Yang Qintian, the Commander of the Imperial Guard...

As long as I remain of value to the court, and as long as the emperor has not issued an imperial edict to execute me, he would not dare to openly and blatantly kill me, even if he had ten times the courage.

On the way here, Jiang Mu reviewed his current relationship with the imperial court.

Actually, the situation isn't that bad.

Although the people he killed had far-reaching implications, compared to his usefulness to the court, they were not enough to warrant a falling out.

Of course, the killing of Zhou Yuanzhi was indeed dangerous.

But Quan Shanhai kept it a secret for him, and no one else knew.

The others, without solid evidence, would not easily believe that a low-level cultivator could have the ability to kill an eighth-level expert.

Therefore, the conflict between him and the imperial court is still within a controllable range of negotiation.

Now, the conflict with the Imperial Observatory remains to be seen how it will develop.

Shui Miaozheng didn't speak, but gently rested her cheek on the man's chest again, her jade-like fingers unconsciously drawing circles on his chest.

Circle after circle.

It's as if they want to write down their feelings stroke by stroke.

After a long silence, she finally spoke softly:

"Little Jiang, if one day you have to leave the court, Aunt Shui will go with you. I believe that Inspector Ling will do the same."

We follow you, never the imperial court. Don't wrong yourself. If you don't want to say something, then you don't have to. As one of Jiang Mu's closest people, she could sense that this man would eventually part ways with the imperial court.

He had absolutely no concept of loyalty to the emperor at all.

He was like an eagle temporarily perched in a cage; once his wings were fully grown, that decaying cage would never be able to hold him. Shui Miaozheng revealed her feelings at this time because she feared that Jiang Mu, out of consideration for her position as the Prefect of Fazhou, might make some insincere compromise at a crucial moment.

She didn't want any estrangement to develop between herself and her man.

Jiang Mu chuckled, then lowered his head and placed a kiss on the top of her head:

"Don't overthink it. Things are far from that point. If we really do become irreconcilable enemies, don't worry, even if I have to tie you up, I will take every single one of you women with me."

The beautiful woman smiled gently, feeling a warmth in her heart.

The two talked intimately for a while, and when their feelings deepened, they naturally engaged in some more physical activity until the sky began to lighten.

The next morning.

After Jiang Mu and Shui Miaozheng finished washing up, they heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

"Master Boss!"

Ming Cuicui rushed in, looking flustered.

Upon looking up and seeing Jiang Mu there, the girl's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly bowed and greeted him, "Greetings, Lord Jiang."

"What's wrong?"

Shui Miaozheng asked, her voice still languid and hoarse, clearly not fully recovered yet.

Ming Cuicui straightened her expression and said:

"Zhu Chang went to Guanjia Village to slay a demon yesterday with Hall Master Meng and Hall Master Li, and they haven't returned yet. Should I take some men to check on them?" "Still not back?"

Shui Miaozheng looked somewhat surprised, her brows furrowing slightly. "No message from the flying eagle either?"

"no."

Ming Cuicui shook her head, her expression worried.

Jiang Mu interjected, "Have more monsters appeared nearby?"

Shui Miaozheng nodded and explained:

"Since Jiang Chaoxi's extraordinary encounter, it has not only attracted great cultivators from all walks of life, but also some traces of demons have appeared in the surrounding area. The day before yesterday, someone from Guanjia Village reported that a water demon was found near Wenlin Pool and had kidnapped several children."

I then arranged for Zhu Chang and a few others to go and check it out. Logically, they should have been back yesterday from that distance.

Jiang Mu thought for a moment and said:

"How about this, I'll take Ming Cuicui to Guanjia Village myself to see what the situation is like there."

He's a deputy director, after all; he can't just spend all his time indulging in pleasure.

There are always a few practical things that need to be done.

Shui Miaozheng hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded gently: "Then be careful. If anything seems amiss, notify the city immediately using the Flying Eagle Teleportation System. I will bring people to support you right away."

"Alright, alright, I know. Don't you trust me to handle things?"

Jiang Mu responded, casually put his arm around the beautiful woman's slender waist, and in front of Ming Cuicui, lowered his head and pecked her red lips.

Ming Cuicui's eyes widened, and her mouth opened into an "O" shape.

Although everyone was secretly gossiping, saying that there was some unclear private affair between Chief Shui and Deputy Chief Jiang.

But rumors are just rumors.

Witnessing this scene firsthand was quite a shock to the young girl.

But on second thought, Ming Cuicui felt it was only natural.

After all, Lord Jiang is a rare and exceptional genius in Daqing, with extraordinary cultivation and handsome appearance.

And their own lord is an unparalleled beauty, renowned throughout France.

The two are a perfect match.

Shui Miaozheng hadn't expected Jiang Mu to do this in front of her subordinates, and her beautiful face flushed bright red.

She pinched the man's soft flesh at the waist, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed, then turned to glare at Ming Cuicui, adopting the authority of a head steward:

"I didn't see anything just now, understand?"

"Oh, I understand!"

Ming Cuicui nodded her head vigorously like a chick pecking at rice, and quickly followed Jiang Mu as if fleeing.

After leaving the Demon Slayer Division, Jiang Mu and Ming Cuicui headed towards Guanjia Village.

On the way, Ming Cuicui's irrepressible gossip spirit finally ignited, and she asked curiously:

"Lord Jiang, when exactly did you and our Chief Minister get together? You kept it a secret for quite a while."

Jiang Mu glanced at her:

"You little brat, instead of focusing on your cultivation, what are you doing prying into the private affairs of adults all day?"

Ming Cuicui retorted, unconvinced:

"I'm just curious. You don't know, there were countless noble young men from prominent families who pursued our Lord in Fazhou City, but our Lord always kept them at arm's length and didn't even give them a second glance."

Your subordinate originally thought that the Commander would never fall in love with a man in his life.

But this isn't surprising. After all, Lord Jiang, you're so capable and handsome. Most women in the world, unless they're blind, would be attracted to you.

"By the way, Lord Jiang, when are you planning to get married? May I come and have a drink at your wedding?"

Jiang Mu was overwhelmed by the girl's barrage of questions, so he simply asked her in return:

"Never mind when we get married. I'd like to ask you, when are you and Zhu Chang planning to get married?"

Ming Cuicui blushed, her earlier gossipy air completely dissipating. She lowered her head and muttered with a resentful expression:

"That idiot, he always makes excuses, saying his cultivation isn't high enough yet, or that a real man should establish himself before starting a family. It's infuriating!"

Jiang Mu couldn't help but laugh at the girl's eager-to-marry expression:

"Then you have to take the initiative. If you don't make a move, another woman might beat you to it one day."

"I'm giving you a real example. Your Water Master did a great job. He grabbed what he needed without hesitation, and that's how he got me. You should learn from him."

Ming Cuicui blushed and hummed:

"I'm a girl, I wouldn't take the initiative..."

Jiang Mu laughed heartily and stopped teasing her; the two quickened their pace.

In less than an hour, they arrived at Guanjia Village.

However, as soon as they entered the village, the two sensed that something was wrong.

Everything is perfectly normal in the village.

It's so normal it's almost abnormal.

The villagers went about their work or relaxed in the cool air; wisps of smoke rose from their chimneys, and the sounds of chickens and dogs filled the air... a scene brimming with life.

There was none of the panic and unease one would expect after encountering a monster.

Moreover, Jiang Mu and Ming Cuicui wandered around the village but didn't see a single demon slayer.

Jiang Mu frowned, walked up to an old man smoking a pipe by the wall, and politely inquired:

"Old man, I have a question for you. Did a group of demon slayers dressed in official robes come to your village yesterday? Did you see which direction they went?"

The old man seemed to be hard of hearing, and he tilted his ear to shout, "What did you say?"

Ming Cuicui leaned closer and, with all her might, asked again loudly.

The old man then heard clearly, but shook his head: "I've never seen one, I've never seen any officials come to our poor, remote place."

Never seen it before?

Jiang Mu and Ming Cuicui exchanged a surprised glance.

Zhu Chang led a team here to carry out a mission, which is a verifiable record of the Demon Slayer Division. How could they not have even entered the village?

Jiang Mu suppressed his doubts and asked loudly again:

"Old man, have you recently heard of a man-eating water monster appearing near your village? I heard it even kidnapped some of the village children, is that true?"

"What water sprite? What child?"

The old man waved his pipe and said irritably:

"What nonsense are you spouting in broad daylight? Our Guanjia Village has excellent feng shui; we've lived in peace for generations for hundreds of years. Where would any demons or monsters come from?"