I became the demon of the female devil

Chapter 207 The Legacy of Military Strategy! The Emperor's Scheme!

"What did you say? What happened to Chen Mo?"

The Empress snapped out of her daze and said urgently, "Quickly, summon Zhong Lihe!"

"Yes."

The palace maid responded and withdrew.

A moment later, Zhong Lihe carried Chen Mo into the palace.

"This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress..."

"..."

Seeing Chen Mo's eyes closed and unconscious state, the Empress's brow twitched, and she said, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and help him to bed!"

Sun Shanggong quickly stepped forward, took the person from Zhong Lihe's hands, and helped him to place him on the small couch.

Grabbing Chen Mo's wrist, he channeled a wisp of primordial energy into him and examined him for a moment before saying, "Your Highness, rest assured, Lord Chen is fine. He is just a little weak due to a deficiency in his true essence and soul power. He will be alright after a rest."

The Empress finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He then turned to Zhong Lihe and said in a deep voice, "What exactly is going on?"

Zhong Lihe did not answer, but glanced around with a cryptic look in his eyes.

The Queen realized something and said, "All of you may leave."

"Yes."

The palace servants left the palace with light, quick steps.

After dismissing everyone, the Empress raised her hand and tapped the table. The palace doors closed automatically, and the atmosphere inside the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Can we talk now?"

"Go back to Your Highness..."

Zhong Lihe said in a low voice, "Chen Mo just entered the secret realm of Tianwu Arena, 'Mountain of Knives and Tomb of Swords,' to participate in the Trial of Military Strategy..."

"The Trial of Military Strategy?" The Empress frowned slightly and said, "He fainted because he overexerted himself during the trial?"

“That’s right.” Zhong Lihe nodded.

Which floor did he go up to?

"Top floor".

"……Um?!"

The Empress was stunned, wondering if she had misheard. "What did you say? The top floor?"

Zhong Lihe took a deep breath and said, word by word, "Chen Mo climbed to the thirty-third level of the platform and also obtained the inheritance of the art of war, causing all weapons to cease fighting and blades to fall in submission!"

? !
The Empress's beautiful eyes widened, her gaze filled with disbelief.

The amount of information in that sentence was so great that she found it difficult to process it all at once.

She naturally knew what that "inheritance of military strategy" meant... Back then, she defied all opposition to establish the Heavenly Martial Arts Academy, investing heavily, partly to cultivate a new generation of military officers to serve the court, but there was another, more important reason—

Seeking a successor who can be recognized by the Xuan Shu of Military Strategy.

However, the chances of this happening are extremely slim.

The Way of War is all about killing and warfare. To inherit the Way of War, one must not only withstand the infusion of malevolent energy into the body, but also undergo a "War Tribulation." At best, one will be assimilated by obsession and lose one's self; at worst, one will die and one's spirit will be annihilated...

No matter how talented you are, it's just an entry ticket.

Of all the people in the entire Yuan Dynasty, only one person might take this step: Princess Chu Yanli.

However, she refused to inherit the art of war, saying that she did not want to follow in others' footsteps, but wanted to forge her own path.

Why would the art of war approve of Chen Mo?

"Is it possible for a person to possess both 'national fortune' and 'military fortune' at the same time? What does this really mean?"

The Empress's expression shifted, utterly perplexed.

At this moment, Zhonglihe said, "Your Highness, the recognition of a master by the Xuan Shu of the Military Path is no small matter. If word gets out, I'm afraid some people in both the court and the palace will have ulterior motives..."

The Empress naturally understood this principle and said, "The time is not yet ripe; we must keep this strictly confidential... Who else knows about this?"

“There are a few military officers present, but I have already issued a silencing order, so there won’t be any problems,” Zhong Lihe replied.

What he said in the Sword Mountain and Sword Tomb was not just a threat; he also silently embedded Dao power into everyone's bodies. He could sense it instantly whenever someone mentioned it to others.

All military officers who are allowed to enter the Mountain of Knives and Tomb of Swords for training have undergone rigorous screening, have clean backgrounds, and are of impeccable loyalty.

Even so, we cannot let our guard down.

Zhong Lihe continued, "Because the martial arts inheritance was taken away, the sword and weapon evil has temporarily dissipated. It will take at least a month to fully recover, and I'm afraid it will be noticed by those with ulterior motives... Should we temporarily close the Heavenly Martial Arena during this period?"

The Empress shook her head and said, "At times like this, the bigger the commotion, the easier it is to detect anything unusual... First, shut down the Mountain of Knives and the Tomb of Swords, and temporarily replace it with the Fiend Formation. Everything else should remain as normal, as if nothing has happened."

"Yes."

Zhonglihe bowed his head and responded.

"Chen Mo will stay in the palace to recuperate for now. You may leave now," the Empress said, waving her hand.

Zhong Lihe hesitated and did not leave immediately.

Seeing his hesitant look, the Empress frowned and said, "Is there anything else? Speak plainly."

Zhong Lihe cleared his throat and said, "When the Eldest Princess was undergoing the Trial of the Mountain of Knives, she left behind a saying: whoever can reach the thirtieth floor can become her male concubine, and if he can reach the top, she is willing to give herself to him..."

"Now that Chen Mo has successfully reached the top, isn't it time for the Eldest Princess to fulfill her promise?"

?

The Empress's eyelids twitched. "Li'er actually said such a thing?"

Zhong Lihe nodded and said, "That's right, these are the words of the Eldest Princess herself. Now that Chen Mo has obtained the inheritance of military strategy, all he lacks is a title... If he can marry the Eldest Princess, then he will be the Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant, and his actions will be perfectly legitimate..."

He became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, feeling that his idea was perfect, completely oblivious to the Queen's gloomy expression.

boom!
The Empress slammed her hand on the table and roared, "Insolence! What nonsense are you spouting?"

Zhonglihe shuddered and hurriedly prostrated himself, kowtowing, "Your Highness, please calm your anger!"

After realizing what he had said, he swallowed hard and cautiously asked, "However... Your Highness, where did I go wrong?"

The Empress's breasts heaved as she gritted her teeth and said, "This matter concerns the honor of the royal family. How can it be treated so lightly? Besides... besides, Chen Mo might not even be willing!"

Zhong Lihe asked, somewhat puzzled, "To gain the favor of the Princess is a blessing he has accumulated over eight lifetimes. He'd be laughing in his sleep. How could he possibly be unwilling?"

"Hmph, that's not necessarily true!"

"With Li'er's personality, Chen Mo really wouldn't be interested in her!"

The Empress snorted and said, "Besides, Li'er was still young at the time and it was just something she said casually. It shouldn't be taken seriously."

"But……"

Zhong Lihe wanted to say something more, but the Empress interrupted him, "Alright, don't mention this matter again. You may leave."

"Yes……"

Zhong Lihe dared not say more and bowed as he withdrew from the main hall.

The Empress looked at Chen Mo lying on the small couch, her slender hands clenched tightly, and she bit her lip with her pearly teeth.

"We haven't even settled Zhu'er's matter yet, and now Li'er has been dragged into this... Chen Mo is handsome and talented; if she really takes a liking to him..."

"no!"

"I will absolutely not allow such a thing to happen!"

……

……

Zhong Lihe walked out of the main hall, still looking somewhat bewildered.

I felt that Her Majesty's reaction just now was too intense, as if her sore spot had been touched...

But this is clearly a win-win situation...

He walked along the palace path, leaving the inner court surrounded by red walls, when suddenly, a familiar voice reached his ears:

"Li He, what brings you here?"

Zhong Lihe turned his head to look.

There stood Jin, an eunuch dressed in a blue satin-sleeved robe, his hands behind his back. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Why aren't you sweeping the floor properly at Tianwu Field? What are you doing in the palace?"

Zhong Lihe, unusually, did not retort, but asked in a deep voice, "You had Chen Mo send over a blank jade slip, your real purpose was to have me test him, right?"

Grandpa Jin readily admitted, "If I were to tell you directly, I'm afraid it would provoke your rebellious nature... Just having him stand in front of you is enough. I believe with your discerning eye, you'll naturally see his extraordinary qualities..."

Zhong Lihe was silent for a moment, then sighed softly, "I thought I had overestimated him enough, but I still misjudged him..."

"Ok?"

"What happened?" asked Eunuch Jin, puzzled.

Zhongli He's lips moved, transmitting his voice to Jin Gonggong. Upon hearing this, Jin Gonggong's expression froze, shifting from confusion to shock, and finally to unbelievable ecstasy.

"The legacy of military strategy?!"

"Chen Mo... he has gained the approval of the Profound Pivot of Military Strategy?!"

Even though I was mentally prepared, I never expected Chen Mo to be able to do this!
"After years of waiting, we have finally seen a glimmer of hope!"

"We must seize this opportunity!"

Grandpa Jin was breathing rapidly, his expression filled with excitement.

However, Zhong Lihe transmitted his voice, saying, "Don't be too happy yet. I feel that Her Majesty the Empress is acting a bit strange... Just now, I suggested that the Eldest Princess and Chen Mo be married, but Her Majesty refused and seemed quite angry..."

After pondering for a moment, Eunuch Jin said, "With Chen Mo's current strength, I'm afraid he is not good enough to catch the eye of the Eldest Princess. This matter does indeed need to be considered carefully."

Zhong Lihe shook his head and said helplessly, "Once the situation in the Southern Frontier stabilizes, the Eldest Princess should be returning to the capital soon. Given her personality, I'm afraid she'll cause trouble then..."

The two exchanged a glance, a hint of worry flashing in their eyes.

"It's too early to talk about these things now. Let's deal with the immediate matters first." Eunuch Jin looked up at the massive palace located on the central axis and lowered his voice, saying, "Things are accomplished in secrecy, and ruined by leaks. Before everything is settled, we must not let anyone know!"

"Including the eldest princess!"

Zhong Lihe nodded: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

After saying that, he turned and walked out of the palace gate.

Eunuch Jin stood there, lost in thought for a long time.

Thinking of the time when Chen Mo had his accident and how distraught the Empress looked, a rebellious thought suddenly popped into her mind.

"Holy crap, no way!"

"We're probably overthinking it..."

……

……

Qianji Palace.

All the doors and windows were tightly closed, and the gaps were even sealed with wooden boards. The entire hall was pitch black, so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, and the air was filled with a rotten and damp smell.

Step, step, step——

A young eunuch carrying a candle slowly walked into the inner room and placed it on a small table next to the carved dragon and auspiciously colored canopy bed.

By the dim candlelight, the outline of the golden silk curtain could be vaguely seen—

The man lay on the bed. It was late spring and early summer, with a gentle breeze and warm sunshine, yet he was covered with a thick quilt and remained completely still, his breathing barely perceptible.

"Your Majesty, it's time to take your medicine."

The young eunuch said softly.

He opened the wooden box in his hand and took out two red pills.

An old, large hand emerged from within the gauze curtain, its skin loose and wrinkled, resembling a piece of withered wood weathered by wind and rain.

The young eunuch placed the pill in his palm, and then the large hand slowly withdrew.

Then, a soft chewing sound came from inside the gauze curtain.

After a moment, a hoarse, shrill voice rang out, "What day is it today?"

The young eunuch replied, "Your Majesty, today is the day of Wuwu in the third month of spring."

"The day of Wu-Wu, fire and earth are mutually supportive, the sun and moon shine brightly and good fortune abounds, the meeting of the Killer and the Official signifies martial prowess, it is truly an auspicious day... cough cough cough..." The emperor coughed as he spoke, as if these words had taken a great toll on him.

After calming down, he raised a finger and said weakly, "I'm tired, you may leave."

"Yes."

The young eunuch, holding the candle, bowed and withdrew.

The inner chamber fell into darkness again. After a long while, the emperor's hoarse voice rang out once more: "I can sense that someone has devoured the Taiyi Gengjin Dragon Qi. It should be the wisp that Chu Yanli took back then..."

"Find out who it is..."

"Cough cough cough..."

From the darkness in the corner, faint rustling sounds could be heard, then there was complete silence.

……

……

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Mo awoke from his deep sleep, his consciousness gradually returning to normal.

"hiss……"

He struggled to sit up, leaning against the headboard, and rubbed his still throbbing temples.

Within the mountain of knives and the tomb of swords, the impact of the malevolent energy had already greatly depleted his strength, and then the "Stop the War" technique completely drained his true essence and soul power...

Looking around, I saw that I was lying on a large, carved rosewood bed, with silk curtains hanging all around me, and a faint, calming fragrance filling the air.

"This is... the Palace of Mental Cultivation?"

"It must have been Master Zhong who brought me here..."

Chen Mo looked down and saw that his clothes had been removed, leaving him only in a thin white undergarment.

He reached out and pulled open his collar; the tiger totem on his chest had disappeared, as if nothing had ever happened.

However, the system panel notification told him that this was not an illusion.

[Mastering the Military Seal - Forging Weapons and Refining the Body (0/1000)]

At the same time, a vast amount of complex information flooded into his mind.

Weapons are not merely weapons of killing; they are the very essence of the struggle between heaven and earth.

Forging weapons and tempering the body can make one proficient in a hundred weapons; observing formations and comprehending the Dao can transform one into the force of a thousand armies; nurturing evil spirits and breaking through barriers can make one the master of ten thousand calamities!
Every blade of grass and every tree becomes an army to conquer cities and seize strongholds; every breath becomes an order to break through enemy lines and slay generals!
This is not a cultivation method, but the true "Tao"!
"Winning a hundred battles is not the way; only when all eons have passed and nothing remains can the truth be seen!"

"To break through the shackles and become a grandmaster, one must possess a Daoist essence that resonates with oneself..."

"However, this weapon-wielding seal seems to already belong to the realm of laws... Is this what is called a Dao mark?"

Chen Mo pondered to himself.

I was just helping to deliver a message, but I didn't expect to get such an unexpected reward... Not only did I get a dragon aura for free, but I also got a tiger head tattoo that can be continuously upgraded.

He tried to imbue the weapon seal with his true spirit, but there was no reaction whatsoever.

"What does this number mean? Does it mean I have to absorb evil energy?"

crunch--

Just then, the door opened, and a graceful figure walked in.

Chen Mo rolled his eyes and lay back down on the bed.

The Empress came to the bedside, reached out and lifted the bed curtains. Seeing that Chen Mo was still "unconscious," her brows furrowed slightly.

"Even though Dr. Li examined him and said everything was normal, three hours have passed and he still hasn't woken up?"

She gathered her skirt with both hands, outlining her shapely curves, and sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at his chiseled face, her eyes momentarily lost in thought.

"That little thief is really handsome..."

Her slender, jade-like fingers gently traced her eyebrows and eyes, following the tip of her nose to her lips, her earnest expression as if she were caressing a work of art.

Thinking of Chen Mo's reckless behavior towards her last night when he was slightly drunk, a blush rose on his oval face.

"Hmph, you always find new ways to bully me, you're so wicked!"

The empress muttered to herself.

Seemingly out of a desire for "revenge," she couldn't help but reach out and rub Chen Mo's cheeks, as if she were kneading dough.

Because Chen Mo rubbed her like that last night too...

"I'll crush you, you big bad guy..."

Just as the Empress was venting her anger, a pair of large hands wrapped around her slender waist, and then she felt a dizzying sensation.

?

Before the Empress could react, Chen Mo had already pinned her down.

Those deep eyes looked down at her with a hint of mockery.

"Does Your Highness dislike being bullied by this humble servant?"

"..."

……

……

P.S.: I've been vomiting and having diarrhea since last night, and my fever reached 39 degrees Celsius. I went to the hospital and found out it's gastroenteritis...or2
(End of this chapter)