I became the demon of the female devil

Chapter 371 Stacking High? The Empress's Suspicion! Paper Flying Princess: Danger!
Chen Mo asked in confusion, "Which day is Commander Ye referring to?"

Seeing that he really couldn't remember, Ye Zi'e breathed a sigh of relief, but she still felt inexplicably disappointed. She shook her head and said, "It's nothing... Actually, I came here this time because I'm curious about something. Last night, even though we were hundreds of miles apart, how did Lord Chen know about the situation inside the county government office?"

"So that's what Commander Ye was referring to."

Chen Mo took out a talisman from his Heavenly Profound Ring, his palm glowing with a jade-like luster.

The talisman folded up on its own, turning into a paper figure the size of a palm. Then, he bit his fingertip and put a drop of blood on the paper figure's forehead. Under Ye Zige's astonished gaze, the paper figure actually "came to life"!

He sat up, stretched, and leaped off the palm of his hand, running happily across the bed.

"This is……"

"Paper puppetry is a fundamental technique in the path of magical cultivation."

Chen Mo explained, "Under normal circumstances, it requires distraction to control, but as long as you drive the wandering soul to attach to it, and nourish it with essence and blood, it can gain some intelligence and play the role of listening and remote communication."

Looking at the lively little guy, Ye Zige's voice rang out, "So, you not only cultivate both martial arts and magic, but you're also proficient in sorcery?"

“I’ve studied a wide variety of things, including martial arts, Taoism, magic, witchcraft, formations, alchemy, divination… I’ve dabbled in all sorts of things,” Chen Mo nodded.

"..."

Ye Zi'e was speechless for a moment.

She considered herself quite talented, having reached the threshold of becoming a grandmaster before the age of thirty, but in front of this guy, she was like a complete idiot...

How can the differences between people be so great?
"Wait a minute..."

Ye Zi'e caught the key information: "Lord Chen also knows divination? Can you tell my fortune?"

"Of course," Chen Mo nodded. "Which aspect would Commander Ye like to have calculated?"

After spending some time with her, his impression of Ye Zi'e has changed somewhat.

Moreover, since comprehending the "True Explanation of Observing the World," I haven't done any calculations for anyone else. Anyway, I'm just idling around, so I'll treat it as practice.

Ye Zige asked expectantly, "Lord Chen, could you please tell me roughly when I'll be able to break through to the Grandmaster level?"

This is the most important thing to her.

Only by entering the Celestial Realm will one be taken seriously by the Empress, and no longer just a dispensable minor character.

"How can such a thing be calculated?" Chen Mo said with a smile. "Whether you cultivate diligently or what opportunities you will encounter in the future are all uncertain factors... If future achievements could be seen simply by divination, wouldn't all the grandmasters in the world be taken into the hands of the imperial court?"

“That makes some sense…” Ye Zi’e looked slightly embarrassed.

"but,"

Chen Mo changed the subject and said, "Ye Qianhu is only one step away from becoming a Grandmaster. All he needs is an opportunity. I can help you see your true self and find the desire deep in your heart. Perhaps that can be the breakthrough to achieving Dao."

"Alright, then I'll trouble you, Lord Chen," Ye Zi'e said gratefully.

"Try to open your heart and don't try to resist."

The two sat facing each other. Chen Mo formed hand seals and murmured to himself, "Observe the mind without form, its light is pure and bright. When a thought arises, be aware of it; when aware, it illuminates and dispels all..."

As the incantation was chanted, his eyes became as deep as vortexes, and his pupils gradually shimmered with silver starlight.

Ye Zige stared blankly into those eyes, momentarily lost in thought. When she came to her senses, she realized that she had unknowingly entered a special space.

"This is where?"

All around was pitch black and deathly silent, like an undeveloped, chaotic void.

The only object was a mirror floating in front of me.

The surrounding area is carved with intricate cloud patterns, and the mirror surface is like it's plated with silver, making it impossible to see the face clearly; it can only reflect a blurry outline.

Ye Zige tentatively reached out to touch it, and ripples spread out like waves. The image reflected on it gradually became clear, but it was not her face, but everything she had experienced in the past.

……

……

The Ye family were originally wealthy merchants in Qingzhou. As the eldest daughter, she showed amazing martial arts talent from a young age.

Without any guidance, he developed a sense of qi at the age of five, was able to lift the stone lion in front of the door at the age of seven, and went up the mountain alone at the age of ten to hunt down a Blood Shadow Leopard.

As the sun set, a beautifully sculpted young girl, dragging a strange beast weighing several hundred pounds, staggered back into the city, leaving all the people along the way stunned.

This matter quickly escalated, causing a huge uproar throughout Qingzhou!

Many powerful figures in the martial arts world took the initiative to visit her, wanting to take her as a disciple. Among them were many prestigious and righteous sects. However, her parents felt that people in the martial arts world were not free to choose their own path. Even a first-rate sect could not escape being purged. The only right path was to enter officialdom.

To this end, he spared no expense and used his connections to send her to Tiandu City, where she joined the Iron Edict Bureau.

The Iron Edict Bureau is a subordinate agency of the Tianlin Guard. On the surface, it mainly forges weapons, but in reality, it recruits a group of children with good backgrounds and secretly trains them to provide talent for various departments.

In Qingzhou, the Ye family was considered a prominent family, but in the capital, they were not considered important.

Ye Zi'e was all alone, helpless and bullied, and the extremely harsh training gradually twisted her personality.

Her family became her only source of emotional support.

She practiced her spiritual cultivation even more diligently, hoping that one day she could go home and visit her family.

In the final adult assessment, Ye Zi'e became the top student among her peers with an almost overwhelming advantage, joined the Tianlin Guard Wu Tusi, and was promoted to Xiao Qi the following month.

Just when she thought she could finally reunite with her family, she received a sudden and devastating piece of news—

Banditry broke out in many parts of Qingzhou. The vicious bandits stormed into the Ye family home, burning, killing, and looting. Everyone in the house was slaughtered, including her parents!

Only the seriously injured old butler managed to escape in the chaos with his newborn sister, who was still in swaddling clothes!

boom--

Ye Zige slammed her fist on the mirror, her expression ferocious, her chest heaving rapidly.

The long-buried scars were reopened, plunging her into unspeakable guilt and pain.

But she also knew that no matter what kind of cultivation, in the end it is all about cultivating the mind. If she did not resolve the knots in her heart, even if she succeeded in attaining the Dao in the future, she would inevitably develop inner demons.

"call."

Ye Zi'e took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and continued reading.

What happened next was quite simple—

Just as she was contemplating suicide and wanted to end her own life, a woman appeared before her.

Beautiful, powerful, and indifferent.

Those azure eyes were devoid of any emotion, like a god sitting atop a frosty sky, looking down upon mortals.

Upon seeing her, he only said one sentence: "Since you are already prepared to die, why not give your life to me?"

Gazing at that stunningly beautiful face, Ye Zi'e nodded as if possessed.

From that moment on, the gears of fate began to turn, and she embarked on a completely different path.

Yu Youhan killed all the bandits, avenging her blood feud. She rose from a lowly flag officer to the position of commander, becoming a thorn in Yu Youhan's side in the Qilin Pavilion.

Over the years, Ye Zige has never given up searching for her sister's whereabouts, but there has been no news of her.

This became her biggest regret.

The scene ends here.

Ye Zi'e stood quietly in front of the mirror, head bowed and speechless.

The image in the mirror was a reflection of her inner self, essentially reliving the pain of the past.

But when she raised her head again, her eyes were full of determination, without the slightest wavering.

"My past self is long dead; it was the Empress who gave me a new life."

"As long as I can break through to the Grandmaster level and prove my worth, I can stay by Her Majesty's side forever... Even if I have to be a dog, I want to be the most useful one!"

As her state of mind changed, the image in the mirror also changed accordingly.

?

Upon seeing the scene before her, Ye Zige's expression froze, and she stood there dumbfounded.

Her eyes widened in astonishment, and a blush spread from her ears to the back of her neck.

"What I yearn for deep down..."

"It's like this?!"

……

……

In the bedroom.

Chen Mo yawned listlessly.

The so-called "seeing one's true nature" originally meant to eliminate delusions and realize one's true nature.

In the words of Taoist cultivation, it is to "attain utmost emptiness and maintain steadfast stillness," to abandon worldly scheming and return to one's true nature in harmony with the "Tao."

Only by knowing what you truly want can you take the first step towards harmony with the Tao.

Just then, Ye Zi'e's breasts heaved rapidly, her cheeks flushed red, and she looked completely bewildered.

"What's going on?"

Before Chen Mo could even react, Ye Zi'e pounced on him and pinned him to the bed. Her breath, as fragrant as orchids, caressed his neck, and her trembling voice reached his ears:

"Master Chen..."

"I want it so badly..."

???

Chen Mo was completely bewildered.

The intention was clearly to help her break free from delusions and return to her true self, but it feels like she's been given an aphrodisiac.

"Commander Ye, calm down."

"Can't calm down at all."

Ye Zi'e wrapped her legs around his waist, her eyelids trembling slightly, and whispered, "I know you look down on me, but we've already done it, so doing it again shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"No, what exactly did we do?" Chen Mo asked blankly.

"It's alright. Since you've forgotten, I'll help you remember." Ye Zige sat up, untied the belt around her waist, revealing the purple bodice underneath, her stunning figure on full display.

Her waist was as slender as a willow swaying in the breeze, with clear lines and not an ounce of excess fat.

Her slender hand reached down, a smile playing on her lips. "It seems you're prepared, sir. This is even tougher than your words."

"..."

Chen Mo's eyebrows twitched.

Is this woman crazy?

Haven't you learned your lesson from last time?
Just as he was about to throw Ye Zige out, a knock sounded on the door.

Xu You's voice came from outside the door:
"Lord Chen, is Commander Ye with you?"

"I have something important to report to her, but I can't find her anywhere."

? !
Upon hearing this sound, Ye Zie suddenly woke up.

After being pulled out of the illusion, she looked at Chen Mo, who was pinned beneath her, and then at her own disheveled state, and swallowed hard.

Ruined……

"Commander Ye, are you inside?" Xu You's tone was a little impatient.

Ye Zi'e shuddered and hurriedly said, "Coming, coming!"

She got up, hurriedly dressed, and then picked up the paper figure that had just been made. "I was just talking nonsense. I hope Lord Chen won't take it to heart... I'm quite interested in this. If you don't mind, I'll take it and play with it."

Without waiting for Chen Mo to speak, she turned and ran out.

Chen Mo frowned as he watched that hurried figure leave.

"Can you please explain yourself clearly? What do you mean by 'anyway, it's already been done'?"

"Also, what exactly did this person see in the Mirror of the Heart?"

……

……

Next room.

Ye Zige knelt on the ground, trembling. "Your Majesty, this is truly a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstand?"

Yu Youhan sat in the chair, coldly staring at her, "I asked you to try and find out the origin of that paper figure, and you actually tried to steal it? You really don't have a good memory."

"Your Majesty, calm down!"

Ye Zi'e hurriedly explained, "I really didn't have that thought. I was just lost in the illusion and had no idea what I was doing..."

Yu Youhan was in no mood for further discussion. Suppressing her anger, she said, "Where is that paper figure? Bring it here for me to see."

"At this."

Ye Zi'e presented the paper figure.

Yu Youhan reached out and took it, sensing it briefly before her brows furrowed.

"It really is the power of the Qingyu True Scripture."

"Being able to create paper puppets in the blink of an eye means he has mastered this technique."

She handed over the "Azure Jade True Scripture" and the Azure Nether Seal to Chen Mo less than three months ago.

This technique is already at the pinnacle of cultivation, and its difficulty far exceeds that of most Heaven-rank techniques. Even with Chen Mo's astonishing talent, it's still a bit too exaggerated for him to master it in such a short time.

Unless it's dual cultivation...

"This paper figure is not quite the same as the one he used at the Fengmu County government office."

"Not only is the ability much weaker, but there are also subtle differences in the refining techniques. It doesn't seem to be from the same person; it must have been given to him by someone else..."

"so……"

"The vixen who caused the Hongling to fluctuate violently a while ago, making me look bad in front of the Empress... was that Ji Lianxing?"

A first-rank sorcerer, proficient in paper puppetry, and practicing the same cultivation method as Chen Mo, makes it easier to cause fluctuations in Dao power...

That matches up perfectly!

Yu You's cold eyes flickered with an uncertain light.

She knew that over the years, Ji Lianxing had been traveling around seeking revenge and had never given up, but she had never taken it to heart.

I never expected the other party to be so audacious.
"I haven't settled the score with you for using the Gu on Chen Mo last time, and now you're resorting to a honey trap?"

"You dare to covet my man? You must be tired of living!"

Feeling the almost frozen air, Ye Zige's face turned pale, and she lowered her head, not daring to utter a sound.

Thinking of the scene in the mirror where she saw herself and the Empress stacked high, with Chen Mo checking her academic credentials, she couldn't help but feel flustered.

"Could this be my chance to break through to the Grandmaster level?"

"If I really did that, I'd probably get slapped to death by the Empress..."

……

……

Tiandu City.

Yanle Street, Yunshui Pavilion.

The red lanterns above the entrance have been removed, indicating that the store is temporarily closed to visitors.

Since Chen Mo and Feng Jinyu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, had discussed the matter, Yunshui Pavilion had become a "no man's land." There were no mandatory requirements, and whether or not it was open for business depended entirely on Yu'er's mood. Moreover, the higher-ups would not ask for a single penny of commission.

Aside from not being able to easily leave the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution), they were no different from ordinary people.

At this moment, all the tables and chairs in the tavern had been removed, and a dozen or so futons were placed on the ground. The Xu family members were sitting cross-legged, meditating and cultivating.

Ji Lianxing stood with her hands behind her back, her gaze sweeping over them.

Snapped--

He flicked a pebble, which hit a distracted girl, eliciting cries of pain.

"Concentrate your mind and focus your attention on the dantian."

"If you can't even calm your mind while meditating, you might as well go back to doing odd jobs!"

"Yes!"

Everyone's hearts tightened.

Thinking of the dark and hopeless life he had lived in the past, he dared not slack off in the slightest and focused intently on practicing his cultivation technique.

Sensing the increasingly powerful aura emanating from Yu'er and the others, Ji Lianxing nodded in satisfaction.

"The Daoist Master's Marrow Cleansing Pill is indeed remarkably effective. The girls already had good physiques, and after being tempered, they have reached an even higher level."

"Especially Yu'er and Liu Miaozhi, they are about to break through to the fifth rank."

"When Chen Mo comes back, I'll definitely give him a surprise. Maybe he'll be in a good mood and give me another handful of silver notes...hehe..."

Just as Ji Lianxing was pondering to herself, she suddenly felt a chill down her back and sneezed several times in a row.

"hiss--"

Who's talking about me?

……

……

At the same time, a golden flying boat swept across the sky and silently left Kyoto.

Once inside the clouds, its surface ripples, gradually becoming transparent and blending into the sky, making it completely imperceptible to the naked eye.

On the spacious deck, dozens of guards in black armor stood, holding swords and spears, as immovable as statues.

In the very center stands an exquisite pavilion, carved from jade, radiating extreme luxury.

On the terrace, the Empress leaned on the jade railing, looking down at the view below. "Shouldn't we be leaving Zhongzhou soon?"

Chu Yanli leaned back in her chair and said lazily, "We've only just left the city, it's still a long way off. Even if we fly at full speed, it will still take at least half a day."

"So Zhongzhou is this big?" the Empress exclaimed in surprise.

"As the mother of a nation, you don't even know how big the territory is. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?" Chu Yanli shook her head and said.

"As for specific numbers, I know them, but I don't really have a concept of them..."

The Empress had never left the capital since childhood, and after entering the palace, she rarely even left the imperial city.

This time, I'm going on a long journey to southern Xinjiang. Besides feeling excited, I'm also a little nervous.

Sun Shanggong, standing to the side, had a buzzing in her head.

I thought the Empress was just saying things in anger last night, but when I woke up, I found myself on a flying boat.

Before I could even react, I was already gone from Kyoto...

This is so sudden!

She hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Your Highness, why don't you reconsider? It's not too late to turn back now... Not to mention the dangers along the way, during the time we've been away, with no one in charge of the court, wouldn't the court be in complete chaos?"

The Empress said calmly, "I ask you, whose world is this?"

"Of course it belongs to the emperor."

"Whether it's chaotic or not, what does it have to do with me?"

"..."

"Wu Lie neglects state affairs, and I've been the one supporting him all these years. Haven't I given enough?" the Empress sneered. "The Emperor is faking his death, and the Consort has fled. Why should I be 'imprisoned' in the palace?"

Lady Sun's lips twitched slightly. "That's true, but..."

"Hold on, all the backlogged matters have been dealt with, and the situation in the city has stabilized. If anything happens, Jinwu will send a message."

"As for safety, with Li'er and the Imperial Guards accompanying us, there's no need to worry."

"Just one last bit,"

The Empress stretched her waist, revealing her graceful curves, and said with a smile, "Remember, when you're out and about, don't call me Your Highness, call me Miss Jiang."

Sun Shanggong: "..."

(End of this chapter)