I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 109 Juan'er is reborn, and the old Taoist priest of Chunfeng Tower appears!

Chen Mo examined the baby's face for a while, memorizing its appearance, before covering Shui'er with her clothes. "Has Chunfeng Pavilion been experiencing similar incidents frequently lately?"

Li Wenqing said, "It had been quiet for more than ten days before, but now it has reappeared without any pattern. It's really tough on the girls involved."

Chen Mo turned around and looked at the huge five-story wooden building. He saw that the corridors on each floor were covered with a dense array of red lanterns, which looked particularly scarlet.

"Since Lord Li knows that something is wrong with Chunfeng Tower, why doesn't he shut it down? He should at least send someone in to investigate. If he continues to cover it up like this, who knows how many more people will suffer."

Li Wenqing looked bitter, sighed deeply, and leaned closer to say, "Young master, you don't know this, but the owner behind Chunfeng Tower is our county magistrate. Even if I wanted to... there's nothing I could do."

Chen Mo was taken aback.

"A higher-ranking official can crush you," and Li Wenqing truly had no other choice.

Chen Mo said nothing more and took his leave.

Behind them, Li Wenqing's shouts to the constables could be heard: "Hurry up and move the body away, don't make a sound. Constables at the gate, get out of here quickly, so as not to delay Chunfeng Tower's business."

Then came the sound of the carriage leaving, followed by the footsteps of a group of yamen runners hurrying on their way.

Chen Mo was somewhat moved after hearing this.

Shui'er hadn't done anything wrong, yet she suffered such a fate. Even the news of her death was concealed by the government; probably very few people know Shui'er is dead, and no one will erect a tombstone for her.

All of this was simply to avoid affecting Chunfenglou's business.

In chaotic times, the lives of ordinary people are no longer considered lives; they are even less valuable than weeds.

Chen Mo went to Qingfuju and knocked on the door. Guo Ziyu, dressed in white, opened the door.

"Miss Ziyu, can you hear the commotion of the yamen runners outside?"

Guo Ziyu's expression was cold. "I heard it. Someone must have died at Chunfeng Tower. These days, it's not easy for girls to make it in brothels. If they don't please the manager or upset the overnight guests, they'll be beaten and scolded. Occasionally, people are even beaten to death."

Chen Mo said, "The county magistrate, Li Wenqing, personally came to transport the body. I am quite familiar with Magistrate Li. I just went to see it; it was a girl who died of madness. There was a baby face on her abdomen."

Click.

Guo Ziyu suddenly stopped and turned to look at Chen Mo, "Madness?"

Chen Mo didn't hide anything and recounted in detail his conversation with Shui'er yesterday, concluding, "I've already killed that evil infant, so the madness should have disappeared by now. Does Miss Ziyu know why?"

Guo Ziyu fell silent for a long time. "This matter is very strange, and I can't say for sure. Come with me to see Old Tang and tell him about it. Let's see what Old Tang has to say."

Chen Mo agreed and followed Guo Ziyu to the backyard to find Old Tang.

Old Tang had just gotten up and was practicing Tai Chi in the courtyard, wearing a white undershirt. His movements were gentle and soothing, yet full of charm, as if he were blending into the surrounding world.

Upon seeing the two enter, Old Tang, though not stopping his health-preserving exercises, still inquired, "Miss, you're up very early. Is something the matter?"

Chen Mo recounted in detail what Shui'er had said last night, as well as the symptoms he had just seen on Shui'er's corpse.

After hearing the details, Old Tang's expression became very solemn. He lost all interest in practicing his health-preserving exercises and went to the living room to put on his coat. He remained silent for a long time before speaking, "Logically speaking, the madness should have disappeared after the evil infant died. But it has reappeared in the last few days. It is clear that the problem still lies with the Li residence."

It was found at the Li residence?
But everyone in the Li family was killed...

Chen Mo was somewhat surprised. "Could you elaborate, Elder Tang?"

While putting on his coat, Old Tang said, "I haven't been to the Li residence, so I can't say for sure what happened. But from what Miss told me about your visit, it's clear that the Li residence is not simple. The key lies in the evil god that Shen Yujun worshipped back then. That evil infant was just a remnant soul."

Tang Ziyu then added, "Does Elder Tang mean that the appearance of that baby's face might not have come from the evil infant, or even from the yellow-robed infant?"

Old Tang said, "Well, they're all just similar in appearance..."

Chen Mo was taken aback.

Xiao Ti had once said that he had devised a method to give birth through surrogacy and thus be reborn. He then channeled a wisp of the power of the first generation of ghost curses into Shen Yujun's body through incense.

However… Xiao Ti’s mastery of ghost curses was not proficient, and Shen Yujun also liked to sing ghost operas at home during her pregnancy. Perhaps it was because of singing ghost operas, or perhaps it was because Shen Yujun’s body was tainted by the power of ghost curses… that a powerful evil spirit was attracted. That evil spirit also entered Shen Yujun’s abdomen and stole the power of ghost curses from the fetus.

And so, the evil infant was born.

The problem lies with the evil spirit injected into Shen Yujun's abdomen.

Shen Yujun discovered the secret of Dayin Mountain earlier, and then married Li Qing, telling him about the spirit child who brought her a child. Finally, she took Li Qing to the mass grave of Dayin Mountain and dissected the abdomen of Xiaoti's mother.

It's clear that Shen Yujun's goal was to indirectly obtain the ghost bone using the ghost fetus. However, Chen Mo intercepted her attempt.

'If that's the case, then Shen Yujun knew what she was going to do before giving birth to the evil infant. The evil spirit that was injected into her body and stole the fetus must have been summoned by Shen Yujun through worshipping an evil god, in order to refine the ghost bones.'

"Also, I saw the Black and White Impermanence at the Li residence last time. Xiao Ti said they regularly come to Qinghe Town to find the Evil Infant, wanting to take it back to Dayin Mountain. I guess they want to summon the Evil Infant back to oversee the progress of forging the ghost bones? But Shen Yujun made the Evil Infant hide, which suggests there might be a conflict between Shen Yujun and the Evil God, or perhaps they each have their own agendas."

'When I killed Shen Yujun, she didn't summon the evil god behind her, clearly indicating a rift between them. Now that the evil infant is dead, perhaps the evil god behind Shen Yujun has learned of this and has begun to cause trouble?'

I intercepted Shen Yujun's ghost bone, but the evil god behind her... won't be coming for me, will it?

Thinking of this, Chen Mo had a bad feeling.

Old Tang gave Chen Mo a deep look, then said, "I'll be busy for a while, and I have to go back to my post today. Tongshan and Xiaoyu are coming back today. If Miss isn't in a hurry to return to the village, you could arrange for someone to go to Chunfeng Tower to check on things in the next couple of days. If you can find that old Taoist priest, you'll know the reason."

After making some arrangements, Old Tang said to Chen Mo, "Young Master Mo, please come with me to the backyard."

Chen Mo followed Old Tang to the room in the backyard alone.

This is Mr. Tang's bedroom. It's not very big, about 15 or 16 square meters. The furnishings are simple and old, with only a few wooden boxes, a wardrobe, a bed, and a desk.

To Chen Mo's surprise, Juan'er was actually sleeping on the bed.

Chen Mo glanced at Juan'er, then at Old Tang.

Old Tang understood Chen Mo's meaning, and his old face flushed with embarrassment. "Young Master Mo, please don't overthink it. I have no such hobby. Last night, when you weren't here, Miss told me about Juan'er. I heard that Young Master Mo wants to modify this humanoid array core and use it for himself?"

Chen Mo was surprised that Guo Ziyu was so concerned about his affairs, giving him both the Thunderclap Force and the True Essence Pill, and even remembering Juan'er's matter.

"That's the plan, Mr. Tang, do you have any ideas?"

When Old Tang looked at Juan'er, his eyes shone brightly. "Young Master Mo is a blessed man. I studied Juan'er carefully last night. Juan'er was originally a ghost puppet of the Shen family."

Chen Mo: "Ghostly Puppet Array?"

The information from the Goldfinger deconstruction does not match this.

According to the Golden Finger, the worship of evil gods came first, followed by the combination of the ghostly energy of the Li residence and the Qimen Bagua formation, which was then nurtured in the mother's womb and born.

Old Tang continued, "The Ghost Puppet looks like a rag doll, but it's actually a ghost that the Shen family subdued years ago. The power of awareness in these kinds of ghosts is the magic array. But Juan'er is still very weak and hasn't reached the level of having awareness yet. However, it's fine for setting up ordinary mazes. It's probably something Shen Liang brought from the Shen family. Later, Shen Yujun raised it in her mother's womb, which activated the puppet."

I see, that makes sense now.

How can a puppet in the shape of a doll be raised in the womb?

Old Master Tang said, "Young Master Mo still knows too little about ghosts. The so-called 'puppet' doesn't mean the ghost is actually a puppet. Rather, the Shen family uses the puppet to seal the ghost's blood and spirit. The so-called 'nurturing in the womb' means infusing the ghost's blood and spirit from the puppet into the womb for nurturing. Many ghosts that have been sealed away by aristocratic families for many years will enter a dormant state. They often need to be nurtured in the womb to be reactivated."

Chen Mo understood immediately, secretly pondering: It seems that not only humans are conceived from the womb, but ghosts also prefer the womb. In that case, Shen Yujun's giving birth to so many ghost infants was not done in the same way as human childbirth, but rather through this kind of nurturing.

Old Tang continued, "I have already used the family's magic to erase the Li family's magic array diagram from the back of Juan'er's head. Now Juan'er is no longer the key to the Li family's maze array, but a ghostly, ownerless key. If Young Master Mo wants to use it, just drip your blood into the back of Juan'er's head."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo immediately leaned over to examine the back of Juan'er's head, and sure enough, the magic array diagram on it had disappeared. He couldn't help but marvel at the miraculous power of Elder Tang.

As expected of a master from a prestigious family.

"What would happen to Juan'er if I bled?"

Old Tang looked quite reluctant, saying, "Juan'er will become the little devil you raised."

Did I just raise a ghost?
Why does it sound weird.

"What abilities does Juan'er possess?"

Old Tang said, "If you are proficient in magic arrays, you can inscribe a magic array diagram on her body, and she can activate the magic array and control it freely. It's like a magic array with a spirit, which is quite miraculous. If you are not proficient in magic arrays, then Juan'er is just an ordinary little ghost with a physical body."

Chen Mo was clearly not proficient in magic arrays, and it was ultimately not very satisfying to have such a good treasure that he couldn't use. He thought to himself that he would have to study magic arrays properly later.

Although I received a lot of top-notch benefits from Mr. Tang and Guo Ziyu these past two days, who would complain about having too many benefits?

There's nothing shameful about humbly seeking advice.

Chen Mo cupped his hands and said, "I can tell that Elder Tang is a master of magic arrays. Elder Tang, please teach me magic arrays."

Old Master Tang didn't seem to think anything of it, and simply smiled and said, "Young Master Mo only learned about the Ghost Bone Fusion Technique last night, and then Miss gave you the Thunderclap Force and the True Essence Pill. It seems that Young Master Mo is trying to get rich quick. Don't bite off more than you can chew, and don't rush things. When it comes to martial arts, it's always best to proceed step by step. I myself only achieved something when I was fifty years old."

Chen Mo was thinking, "You are you, I am me, and I have a cheat code... I can really become a big fat man in one bite."

He said, "Old Tang is right. I also understand the principle of gradual progress. I'm not thinking about getting into the magic array as soon as possible, but also wanting more time to think and digest it. When it comes to learning, it's better to start sooner rather than later."

Old Master Tang praised, "It's better to do it sooner rather than later...that's true. But I'm too busy. Tongshan and Xiaoyu will be back soon. Xiaoyu is my apprentice whom I raised myself. Her mastery of magic arrays is extremely profound. You've only just begun, so it's enough for Xiaoyu to teach you."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Tang."

Old Tang laughed and said, "Young Master Mo, there's no need to be so formal. Since Miss values ​​you so much, I'm naturally willing to help you out. Besides, I'm old and useless now. Whether I can fulfill the task my family entrusted to me in this lifetime and bring back the family line... is still uncertain. The future of Honghe County still depends on young people like you. I think Young Master Mo is a talented person, but it's a pity that he doesn't have the blood of a noble family, otherwise... his future would be limitless."

In the end, Old Tang sighed, expressing his deep regret.

Chen Mo wanted to say that you didn't have to do that...

He said, "Old Master Tang has cultivated me so much. Even though I don't have the blood of a noble family, I will work hard and live up to Old Master Tang's expectations."

Old Tang was quite surprised. He looked Chen Mo up and down, and then his eyes became bright. "Good. Young Master Mo has a good ambition. When Xiao Yu returns, I will personally tell her about passing on the magic array to you. Now, bite your finger and drip the blood on the back of Juan'er's head."

Chen Mo nodded in agreement, then immediately bit his finger and dripped the blood onto the back of Juan'er's head.

To Chen Mo's great surprise, the blood actually trickled down the scalp and slowly seeped into the other person's skull, as if Juan'er was actively absorbing the drop of blood.

"Old Tang, why is that?"

Old Tang explained with a smile, "Because Young Master Mo has ghost bones in his body, his blood also contains some ghost blood. Juan'er herself is a ghost, so your blood naturally resonates with each other."

It turned out to be the case.

Chen Mo understood immediately, staring intently at the back of Juan'er's head. Soon, the donated blood was completely absorbed into Juan'er's skull.

"But it's just a resonance after all. To make Juan'er your little devil, this old man still has some things to do."

Having said that, Old Tang suddenly raised his right hand and made a sweeping motion in the air above Juan'er's head. Suddenly, a "whoosh" sound rang out, and a lightning-like force appeared between Old Tang's fingers, crackling loudly. The surrounding space shook.

Extremely magical!

Standing to the side, Chen Mo clearly felt an immense sense of oppression. He saw that Old Tang had used the power of lightning to forcefully inscribe a talisman on Juan'er's head with his fingertips.

The talisman solidified but did not dissipate, gradually disappearing under the scalp as if nothing had happened.

Is this the method of aristocratic families?

call!
Old Tang let out a long sigh and stopped. "When Juan'er wakes up, she will only recognize you. She recognizes your blood. If she goes far away, find an incense stick or a candle, drip your blood on it, and then light the incense stick or candle. Juan'er will be able to find you by following the candlelight."

Chen Mo noticed that Elder Tang looked somewhat weak after drawing the talisman, so he sincerely cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, Elder Tang."

"It's a small matter, nothing to worry about. I see that Juan'er is still young and in her developmental stage. She has the potential to grow further. If you raise her properly, she might grow into a Yellow Page Ghost. If that happens, Juan'er will have the power of consciousness. Then she can set up extremely powerful magic arrays, which would even threaten the disciples of aristocratic families."

Can you do this?

Juan'er is a treasure.

"By the way, when Juan'er wakes up later, will she still remember what happened at the Li residence?"

Old Tang said, "Last night I used a secret technique to erase her Li residence magic array diagram, so she can't remember anything from before. She will only follow you and rely on you. After all, Juan'er is just a ghost array puppet. She may have been a real ghost before, but she has been sealed away by the Shen family for many years and is now very weak."

Chen Mo understood, and his gaze toward Juan'er held a hint of expectation.

A short while later, Juan'er opened her eyes.

Without the grogginess of someone just waking up, she sat up abruptly, looked around blankly, glanced at Old Tang, and then fixed her gaze on Chen Mo. She seemed to recognize Chen Mo, so she climbed off the bed and smiled at him, "Brother Mo."

Chen Mo: "..."

She doesn't remember anything from before, yet she can call out her own name directly?
It's truly miraculous.

Chen Mo turned to look at Elder Tang, who smiled and said, "She absorbed your blood, and I used talismans to instill basic information and rules into her brain. That's why she recognizes your name."

Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief, waved to Juan'er, and Juan'er came over. Chen Mo pinched Juan'er's delicate cheek, "Good girl, Juan'er. Do you remember what you're supposed to do?"

Juan'er said, "I remember, Juan'er must be a good girl and listen to Brother Mo. Also, Juan'er must do a good job as a puppeteer. If Brother Mo has nothing else to do, Juan'er will go and do the puppeteer."

As she spoke, Juan'er skipped and hopped to the living room, found a bunch of puppets, and began to focus on repairing them.

Compared to her previous cold and gloomy appearance, she is noticeably more cheerful now.

Seeing Juan'er focused on the shadow puppet, Chen Mo turned to Old Tang and asked, "Old Tang, did you tell her to call me Brother Mo?"

Old Tang chuckled softly, “Among the scions of noble families, there are also those who walk the ghost path. That is, they raise little ghosts. The little ghosts live off the favors of their masters, and the two are very close. Wouldn’t it sound more intimate to call you Brother Mo?”

Chen Mo shrugged, speechless.

Old Tang chuckled. "But you're a lucky one. Juan'er has a human body now. The peach wood hairpin on her head must be a magical artifact from the Shen family used to conceal her ghostly aura. As long as she doesn't encounter any aristocratic scions, outsiders won't be able to tell Juan'er's true identity."

Chen Mo remembered that the hairpin was given to him by Li Qing.

It's not surprising that Li Qing, having spent many years at the Li residence, would have picked up some nice items from Shen Yujun's belongings.

"By the way, Elder Tang, I heard that Juan'er's ghost array puppets won't go out of control as long as you focus your attention on the puppets. Now that Juan'er has remade them, is it still the same?"

Old Tang said, "Of course. Although Juan'er is your little devil, you are not a member of the Demon-Suppressing Family and do not have the bloodline of such a family. You still need to pay close attention to Juan'er's movements. If Juan'er is focused on the shadow puppets or still interested in them, then there is no problem. But if Juan'er loses interest in the shadow puppets in the future, then you need to be careful."

Chen Mo was taken aback. "When Old Tang said to be careful... does he mean Juan'er losing control or something else?"

Old Tang said solemnly, "I always felt that Juan'er's origins were a bit off. She might have once been a powerful ghost. It's just that the Shen family sealed her away with secret techniques for many years, which is why she's so weak now. Otherwise, the Shen family wouldn't need to keep using shadow puppets to give Juan'er constant hints and tame her. Once Juan'er stops focusing on the shadow puppets, it's possible that she might resurrect as a powerful ghost."

"But Young Master Mo, don't panic. No matter how powerful she is, she's still your brat. She won't harm you. Unless she can break free of my talisman, which is almost impossible."

Seeing Tang Lao's confidence, Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you so much, Tang Lao."

With a wave of his hand, Old Tang led Chen Mo out of the living room and into the courtyard. In a very good mood, Old Tang asked, "You watched the Ghost Bone Fusion Technique last night. Did you make any progress?"

Chen Mo shook his head: "No."

Old Tang then asked, "What about the Thunderclap Force?"

Chen Mo continued to shake his head: "No progress either."

Old Tang then revealed an expression of certainty, and immediately comforted him, "You are still young, and you don't have the blood of a noble family, so you don't need to force yourself too much. For an ordinary person like you to have achieved this much at this age is already quite remarkable, so don't give up on yourself."

Chen Mo said, "Old Tang is right."

Before long, it was lunchtime.

Tang Qi hadn't returned yet, so Guo Ziyu muttered a few words and went into the kitchen to cook.

Just as lunch was being served, there was a violent knocking on the door. Chen Mo opened the door and saw two strangers outside.

One was an extremely strong man who was 2.2 meters tall, with bulging muscles all over his body. His eyes were so wide that they could scare people to death. He looked like a small mountain when he stood in front of you.

Even more bizarrely, a girl in a pink dress, about fifteen or sixteen years old, sat on the burly man's back. She was beautiful, with a ponytail, a black longsword slung over her back, cloud-patterned boots on her feet, and a string of candied hawthorns in her hand. She would occasionally take a bite of the hawthorns, making a "crunch crunch" sound.

The burly man was already very tall and strong, and with the girl sitting on his shoulders, he appeared even taller and stronger, like a human pyramid. They blocked out all the light, leaving Chen Mo completely in the shadows.

Chen Mo recalled what Old Tang had said, and after a moment of stunned silence, he recovered. "But what about Tongshan and Xiaoyu?"

The burly man smiled憨厚ly, without saying a word. The girl on his shoulder, however, was taken aback. "Hey, how do you know us? Who are you?"

Before Chen Mo could explain, Guo Ziyu walked over and said, "He is the newcomer I was talking about, Chen Mo."

pat.

The girl in the pink dress suddenly jumped off the giant's shoulder, appearing in front of Chen Mo with a leap. She circled Chen Mo once, then clicked her tongue in amazement, "So you're the newcomer Miss was talking about. Not bad, not bad. A mere mortal can kill Shen Yujun. You deserve to join the outer sect of my Tang Family Fortress."

"What outer sect? Such a newcomer is naturally qualified for the inner sect. Don't talk nonsense, lest people think I'm mistreating a newcomer." Old Tang walked out with a smile at this moment.

The girl in the pink dress squinted, called out "Master" to Elder Tang, and then smiled and said, "Master is just too eager to nurture talent. That Liu Laosan from Qingwu County is the head of a martial arts sect, a peak ninth-level martial artist. He has only just entered the outer sect."

Old Tang laughed and scolded, "How old is Liu Laosan? How many years do he have left to live? How can he be compared to sixteen-year-old Young Master Chen Mo?"

The girl in the pink dress waved her hand impatiently, "Anyway, you're the master, whatever you say is right."

After speaking, the girl in the pink dress approached Chen Mo and said with a grin, "My name is Tang Xiaoyu, and I'm sixteen years old. This is my older brother, Tang Tongshan. Brother, come over and greet the newcomers. Don't be impolite, or Master will scold us."

Tang Tongshan strode over with a "thump, thump, thump" sound. He seemed a bit slow to speak and somewhat simple-minded, so he scratched his head and said, "My little fish has already said everything. My name is Tang Tongshan, and I'm twenty-six. You can just call me Brother Tongshan."

Chen Mo said, "Hello, Brother Tongshan. Hello, Miss Xiaoyu."

Tang Xiaoyu chuckled and said, "He's really well-educated and handsome. He's definitely much better than that Liu Laosan with his pockmarked face. Master, Miss, I'm starving. Is there anything to eat?"

Perhaps because she liked Tang Xiaoyu very much, Guo Ziyu, who was usually not very talkative, smiled more. "Knowing you were coming back, I brought you food a long time ago. Go wash your hands, it's time to eat."

Chen Mo followed her to the ancient well, drew water with the well pulley, and while washing his hands, Tang Xiaoyu glared at Chen Mo, "Young Master Chen Mo, aren't you going home for dinner? It's impolite to eat at someone else's house." Chen Mo was speechless for a while, "Old Tang asked me to stay, and as a junior... I have no choice but to respectfully accept."

Tang Xiaoyu nodded, washed her hands, and then pulled Chen Mo towards the living room: "My brother has such a huge appetite, he can eat half a pig in one meal. Let's hurry up so we don't have to eat leftovers."

Tang Tongshan, the last to wash his hands, was shocked. He turned to look at his younger sister, a series of question marks suddenly appearing in his mind.

This...is my sister?
Tang Tongshan did indeed have a large appetite, but he was still rather reserved, knowing to be patient and not eating freely.

When they had almost finished eating, Old Tang asked, "Have you dealt with the remnant souls of the wild boars in Qingwu County?"

While swallowing rice, Tang Xiaoyu mumbled, "It was a wild boar tainted by ghostly energy that turned into a remnant soul. It ate people in the nearby villages and was already killed by my Tongshan with an axe."

Old Tang nodded as he recounted the events at Chunfeng Tower, concluding, "Since you're here, you should rest well this afternoon and follow Miss's arrangements tonight. Go to Chunfeng Tower and check on the situation. It would be best to find that old Taoist priest."

Hearing that the old Taoist priest liked to tell ghost stories, Tang Xiaoyu became interested: "I love listening to ghost stories the most, but I don't know how good the old Taoist priest's ghost stories are. If they're not good, hmph... he'll have a hard time."

Old Tang scolded, "The ghost stories you've heard before were all made up. This old Taoist priest is probably telling real ghost stories. Don't be careless..."

Chen Mo remained silent, listening to their casual conversation as he ate. Everyone around him was a scion of a noble family, while he was the only ordinary person.

That's quite a bit of pressure.

After the meal, Old Master Tang spoke up, "I have to go back to my duty. I'm afraid I won't be free for the next few days. You all stay here and listen to Miss's instructions, and don't cause any trouble. That Tang Qi... I wonder where he's off gallivanting again. If you see him, Miss, don't indulge him. Honghe County is not peaceful right now, and we aristocratic family disciples should be careful."

Guo Ziyu nodded in agreement. Old Tang then added, "By the way, Xiaoyu, when you have time, teach Young Master Chen Mo how to use magic formations. I will test you when you return next time."

After leaving a message, Old Tang returned to the backyard, picked up a bundle, and hurriedly went out.

Tang Xiaoyu put down her chopsticks, glanced at Chen Mo, and said with a slightly sour tone, "Young Master Mo, what kind of bewitching potion did you give my master? How come he values ​​me so much? When I first became his disciple, he barely paid any attention to me."

Chen Mo said, "Perhaps it's because Elder Tang is so eager to nurture talent."

Tang Xiaoyu said, "That's true. Although you are handsome, Master doesn't have a penchant for handsome young men. I'm tired from my journey back, so I'll go take a nap first. Later, I'll go to Chunfeng Tower to listen to that old Taoist tell ghost stories. When I have some free time, I'll teach you magic formations."

Tang Xiaoyu and Tang Tongshan went back to their rooms to sleep. Chen Mo helped Guo Ziyu clear the dishes. Afterwards, Chen Mo returned to his own room, and only after closing the door did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"The scions of noble families are truly extraordinary. Tong Shan's aura is so powerful that one dares not look him in the eye. Even if I unleashed the full power of my Ghost Bone, I would be no match for him. That Tang Xiaoyu seems mischievous and clever, yet she actively seeks out ghost stories about the dead..."

"While it's true that people are enthusiastic and respectful towards me, it's also true that deep down they don't treat me as someone on the same level as them."

Having lived two lives, Chen Mo was well-versed in human relationships and, after spending two days together, naturally discerned the differences between them.

The feeling... is like a billionaire attending a class reunion. Looking at his old classmates who aren't doing so well, even though the billionaire didn't mean to look down on them, the sense of class difference is evident in their conversation.

It's not that the wealthy person has a problem; it's that the two sides are genuinely not on the same social class. This feeling is impossible to hide. For example, when old classmates are enthusiastically discussing how to get their children into a good school, no matter how much a billionaire tries to engage, he won't truly be involved.

This feeling made Chen Mo feel uneasy.

Having finally transmigrated, and possessing such a remarkable cheat code, Chen Mo imagined that one day he would stand proudly at the table, competing with them on equal footing.

"These guys from Tangjiabao are all pretty good. In the end... I'm still too weak!"

Composing himself, Chen Mo sat down cross-legged.

Begin refining the Thunderclap Force.

Although Chen Mo had reached the eighth level of Martial Master, opened his Ren Meridian, and possessed a powerful and abundant inner energy, mastering the first level of Thunderclap Force was still extremely difficult.

As dusk fell, Guo Ziyu prepared dinner and called everyone to come and eat.

With Elder Tang absent, Guo Ziyu assumed the role of the eldest sister, and her authority remained considerable.

During a break after dinner, Tang Qi finally returned.

Guo Ziyu said sternly, "Where have you been? Why are you only coming back now?"

Upon hearing Guo Ziyu's question, Tang Qi gave Chen Mo a grateful look.

Actually, Tang Lao and Guo Ziyu had asked Tang Qi where he had gone before. Chen Mo could tell that Tang Lao and Guo Ziyu didn't like their children hanging out in brothels, so it was no wonder that Tang Qi had to sneak out last night...

Chen Mo naturally wouldn't say anything more, lest he ruin the harmony between the two sides.

Tang Qi, without blushing or panting, said, "Hey, last night I met some shady friends who insisted on dragging me out for a few more drinks. I got a little drunk and ended up sleeping at a friend's house until now. These shady friends are always ruining my plans. If I weren't on duty in Qingwu County and needed to network with officials and merchants, I really wouldn't want to associate with these hypocritical guys."

Guo Ziyu didn't ask any more questions. "Sit down and eat quickly. We'll go to Chunfeng Tower to check on the situation afterward."

Upon hearing the name Chunfeng Tower, Tang Qi felt a little uneasy and pretended to be serious, saying, "How could a scion of a noble family like us go to such a filthy place as Chunfeng Tower?"

Chen Mo: "..."

He's a veteran.

Guo Ziyu told the ghost story, then said, "Old Tang went back to his duty and won't be free lately. The madness at Chunfeng Tower has reappeared, and it's raging. We need to send someone to check it out. It's not appropriate for a woman like me to go to such a brothel too often. Tongshan is too big and too conspicuous, so it's not suitable either..."

Tang Qi interrupted righteously, "Then it's not appropriate for me either. I, Tang Qi, have never been to a brothel in my life. Let Young Master Chen Mo go."

Chen Mo: "..."

Dude, aren't you overacting?

That's enough.

Guo Ziyu glanced at Chen Mo: "Young Master Mo looks like a proper scholar, he's not suitable."

Tang Qi: "Then it looks suitable to me?"

Before Guo Ziyu could answer, Tang Xiaoyu said, "You look like a seasoned sly old fox. You could go to brothels every day and no one would suspect a thing."

Tang Qi sighed, "People in this world are vulgar; they judge others by their appearance. I've suffered because of my looks."

Guo Ziyu couldn't listen any longer, so she waved her hand to interrupt, "This matter is settled then. Tang Qi will go to Chunfeng Tower later to find that old Taoist priest."

Chen Mo spoke up at this moment, "Miss Ziyu, why don't I go with Young Master Tang Qi?"

Guo Ziyu was clearly unwilling, "That kind of filthy place is the most corrupting to people's hearts. It's better for Young Master Mo not to go."

Chen Mo didn't know why Guo Ziyu was so against him going to the brothel, so he took out the letter left by Xie Dong and explained the reason, saying, "My friend Xie Dong has been dead for many days. Before he died, he left a will for Ru Hua of Chunfeng Tower, still thinking of her. I have already wasted a lot of time, and I can't delay any longer."

The letter was one thing, but Chen Mo also wanted to see what kind of background the old Taoist priest had. After all, it involved the ghost bone from the Li family. If Chen Mo were alone, it would be difficult to go, but now that a scion of a prominent family was clearing the way, it presented an opportunity.

Guo Ziyu looked at the letter in Chen Mo's hand and finally did not refuse. "Young Master Mo is a man of great loyalty and righteousness. In that case, you should go with Young Master Tang Qi. But remember, do not linger there, lest your mind be corrupted."

Chen Mo agreed, "Don't worry, Miss Ziyu, I know what I'm doing."

Tang Xiaoyu spoke up, "Miss, why don't I change into the makeup and clothes of a girl from Chunfeng Pavilion and go along to help out?"

Without even thinking, Guo Ziyu refused outright: "You're too young, you can't resist the temptation of that place, no way."

Tang Tongshan quickly chimed in, "That's right, what were you doing there? Every man there is wicked. They'd love to eat you alive. With your parents gone, you have to listen to your brother."

Tang Xiaoyu pouted unhappily.

……

It's night.

Tang Xiaoyu returned to her room, opened the window a crack, and saw Chen Mo and Tang Qi change into the robes of wealthy young men and leave. She then secretly closed the window. Afterward, she changed into men's clothing herself and stuffed a soft, flexible sword into her belt, using it as a belt.

Click.

Tang Xiaoyu carefully pushed open the back window, poked half her head out and looked around. Seeing no one, she dashed out and disappeared into the night.

"I absolutely have to go and hear that ghost story."

……

"Young Master Mo, thank you for covering for me. Otherwise, Miss would have definitely scolded me."

After leaving Qingfuju, Tang Qi did not forget to express her gratitude.

Chen Mo nodded. "Did you find anything amiss when Young Master Tang Qi spent the night at Chunfeng Tower last night?"

Tang Qi shook his head repeatedly: "Last night I invited three fresh-faced girls to spend the night with me, tsk tsk tsk, it was so great. They practically drained me dry. I slept so soundly that I didn't notice anything unusual."

Three?
They're really outgoing and know how to have fun.

Chen Mo didn't ask any more questions and followed Tang Qi into the Spring Breeze Pavilion.

As soon as you enter, you hear seductive and alluring sounds. Countless scantily clad and beautiful girls come and go, calling everyone they meet "Master," their voices sending shivers down your spine.

Many seats were occupied by guests, some with their arms around alluring women, whispering sweet nothings to each other.

The punishment in the previous life was severe, so it was not easy to witness such a scene.

Because his predecessor was a regular here, many girls knew Chen Mo.

As soon as Chen Mo and Tang Qi found a seat by the window, many girls came over to greet them warmly.

"Oh, isn't this Young Master Mo? It's been so long since I've seen you. Would you like me to keep you company tonight?"

“Isn’t that Young Master Mo? I can accompany you too. Young Master Mo called me ‘my darling’ earlier…”

Chen Mo didn't like girls who were too heavily made up, so he declined them all. Soon, an older but rather charming madam came and poured wine for Chen Mo in a friendly manner, "Young Master Mo is a rare guest of our Spring Breeze Pavilion. Which girl would you like tonight?"

This made Tang Qi, who was standing to the side, extremely envious.

I don't get that kind of treatment myself.

Chen Mo looked around at the countless alluring women, feeling quite dazzled.

The madam noticed Chen Mo's low spirits and said, "Young Master Mo, it seems you've set your sights on Su Mei, the top courtesan at our Spring Breeze Cottage. But unfortunately, a wealthy young master has already booked her, and she's currently in her room drinking and playing music with him. She probably won't be free for quite some time. Miss Qiu Ju is also quite nice; perhaps I should call her over?"

Chen Mo withdrew his gaze and asked, "Is Miss Ruhua here?"

The madam frowned. "Ruhua is here, but she hasn't been feeling well these past few days and has taken leave. She's in her room right now. If Young Master Mo insists on having Ruhua, I can take you there."

It's common for the girls at Chunfeng Tower to take leave, but if a big client comes, the madams and managers will naturally force the girls to serve him. After all, Chunfeng Tower is in business to make money, and when it comes to profit, they don't care about the girls anymore.

Chen Mo said, "Alright, then I'll trouble you."

Tang Qi knew Chen Mo's purpose, so she didn't say much. She got up and went up to the fourth floor with the madam, passing through long corridors and rooms.

Every time Chen Mo passed a room, he heard seductive sounds coming from inside.

"Sweetie, have one."

"Master, don't rush. I still have work to do."

"Just tell me what kind of work you need."

"..."

No wonder my predecessor and his older brother came here every day.

Who wouldn't want to come to a place like this?
At the end of the corridor, in a room in the southeast corner, the madam stopped and knocked loudly on the door. "Ru Hua, a guest has arrived and specifically requests to see you."

A hoarse, weak voice came from inside, "Mother Jin, I'm not feeling well today. Please decline the invitation."

The madam refused and continued knocking on the door, saying, "Is this Young Master Mo?"

Sure enough, the voice inside became a few decibels louder, "Which Young Master Mo?"

The madam said, "It's the second young master of the Chen family. You've met him before. Young Master Mo and your former lover, Young Master Xie Dong, are good friends. Don't make things difficult for me."

Finally, the sound of someone getting up came from inside, followed by footsteps approaching.

Squeak.

The door opened.

The person who opened the door was a girl with a very good figure, wearing an off-the-shoulder dress with a gauze overcoat, which was very alluring. However, her complexion was not good, and she was deathly pale.

Chen Mo glanced at Ru Hua and thought that apart from her slightly large mouth, she was actually quite pretty.

Ru Hua gave Chen Mo a deep bow, "This humble servant, Ru Hua, greets Young Master Mo. Please come in and speak with me."

The madam beamed and instructed Ruhua to serve him well. After exchanging a few polite words with Chen Mo, she happily left.

Ru Hua greeted Chen Mo and Tang Qi as they entered, then cautiously closed the door before going inside to make tea for them. Her voice was a little hoarse as she said, "Young Master Mo, I'm not feeling well today and I'm afraid I can't stay with you. Please don't take offense."

Chen Mo took out the letter and handed it to Ru Hua. "I'm not here to ask you to keep me company. Xie Dong left you a letter before he died. I was delayed and am only delivering it now."

Ru Hua was greatly surprised, quickly took the envelope, and opened it to read.

Inside was a letter and a thick stack of hundred-tael silver notes, totaling two thousand taels.

Ru Hua did not take the silver note, but instead unfolded the letter to read it.

As she read, Ru Hua burst into tears, the tears dripping onto the letter, leaving wrinkled, round stains.

Chen Mo spoke coldly, "Back then, when Xie Dong heard that you had spent the night with Young Master Wei, he flew into a rage and beat up Young Master Wei. Afterwards, he was spanked by the Xie family patriarch and even put in solitary confinement. Tell me, why did he do that? Xie Dong was truly devoted to you..."

Ru Hua quickly raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, and said, "That day, it was Mama Jin who forced me to accompany Young Master Wei. In the end, Young Master Wei insisted on doing 'that' to me, but I refused no matter what, and even pushed him away, which resulted in Mama Jin hitting me. Actually, I hadn't lost my virginity; I had saved it for Young Master Xie Dong. Later, I went to the Xie residence to explain to Young Master Xie Dong, but after the Xie family learned my identity, they beat me. My injuries haven't healed yet."

As she spoke, Ru Hua rolled up her sleeves, revealing clearly visible, prominent whip marks. Although the stutterer's skin had peeled, it was still evident how severely he had been beaten.

"Later, I heard the news of Young Master Xie Dong's death... I didn't even have a chance to explain. It's all my fault, I harmed Young Master Xie Dong..." Ru Hua sobbed uncontrollably, wailing loudly.

Seeing that she didn't seem to be faking it, Chen Mo sighed.

Throughout history, how many men who had affairs with courtesans have met a good end?

"Alright, the letter has been delivered. I'll be leaving now." Chen Mo stood up to leave.

puff.

Ru Hua suddenly knelt on the ground, "Young Master Mo, please save me."

Considering that she was Xie Dong's lover and had some genuine feelings for him, Chen Mo stopped. "Save you for what?"

Ru Hua said with tears in her eyes, "Last night I saw Shui'er go mad and die. I know she suffered because of that ghost story. Xiang'er was the same before. In the middle of the night last night, that old Taoist appeared at the door and knocked, asking if I wanted to hear a ghost story. I said no, and the old Taoist said he would come back to ask me again at midnight tonight. Please, Young Master Mo, redeem me. I don't want to stay here anymore."

Chen Mo was taken aback, then glanced at the silver notes on the table. "Xie Dong gave you the money, so you can redeem yourself."

Ru Hua gritted her teeth and said, "Ever since the ghost story at Chunfeng Tower, the managers have refused to allow redemption. Only when a big customer speaks up will the managers relent out of consideration for their past relationship."

Just then, Tang Qi, who had been feeling depressed, suddenly became interested: "Did the old Taoist say he's coming again tonight?"

Ru Hua nodded emphatically: "Yes."

Tang Qi gracefully took her seat. "That's very good. We can discuss the matter of redeeming her tomorrow. We'll stay here tonight and wait for that old Taoist priest to arrive."

After saying that, Tang Qi invited Chen Mo to sit down: "Young Master Mo, don't panic. Tonight, let's see where that old Taoist comes from."

Chen Mo also took a seat. "Ru Hua, let's talk about redeeming her tomorrow."

Ru Hua thanked them and sat down to pour wine for the two of them. Then she picked up Xie Dong's suicide note and read it, shedding tears several times. She had no mind to care about the stack of silver notes anymore.

Chen Mo saw everything Ru Hua did and felt that Ru Hua might actually have some genuine feelings for Xie Dong. It would be good to redeem her from her servitude tomorrow, as it would be a small consolation for Xie Dong.

Time ticked by, and the room remained quiet. Even through the door, the sounds of sensual pleasure could be heard from the next room. As night deepened, most of the guests departed, and the entire Chunfeng Tower fell silent, as did the house itself.

Chen Mo and Tang Qi, however, dared not be careless and activated their six senses to pay attention to their surroundings.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew in. The candlelight in the room flickered a few times and then went out.

The large room was plunged into darkness.

Ru Hua was startled and exclaimed, "It was the same scene yesterday! That old Taoist priest is coming!"

Tang Qi shouted, "Don't make a sound."

finally--

Da da da.

A series of light footsteps approached, growing louder as they drew nearer.

Immediately afterwards, the figure of an old Taoist priest appeared outside the door.

The shadow stopped at the doorway and then knocked.

dong dong dong.

A sharp knock on the door rang out in the deathly silent room, quite jarring.

Then a sinister and extremely hoarse voice rang out:

"If you want to hear a ghost story from this humble Taoist priest, you don't have to pay if you don't like it."

(End of this chapter)