I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 124 The Great Transmigration Revealed: The Eating Ghost, the Empress Has Erupted!

After dismissing Liu Changchun, Chen Mo did not rush to leave, but instead asked Lu Chengzhuang.

"How much do you know about this new Magistrate He?"

Lu Chengzhuang frowned. "According to the previous rules, every new county magistrate should go to the Red Lantern Temple to worship the goddess upon taking office. Then he should come to our incense hall to donate incense money. But He Zhizhou has been in office for more than half a month now, and he has not come to the hall. Our staff have gone to the county government office several times, but they have not seen Magistrate He."

Such a grand scheme?

"Since they sent an invitation, let's go and see what happens. They've taken the offerings from four towns of the goddess for nothing; we should at least demand an explanation."

Chen Mo got up and went out, taking Lu Chengzhuang with him.

Chen Mo naturally didn't care who controlled the incense offerings in these towns, but as the Left Incense Keeper, he had to act responsible. After all, Chen Mo also had to report to Shao Siming.

Today is a cloudy day, the sky is dark and gloomy, and the clouds are shrouding the sky, giving people a strange sense of oppression.

When Chen Mo arrived at the yamen gate, he saw a familiar face.

Chief Constable Wang He.

His face was bruised and swollen, and there were several bruises on his arms. He was kicking stones by the roadside, looking listless.

"Officer Wang."

Hearing someone calling, Wang He turned around and saw that it was Chen Mo. He was immediately taken aback and rushed over with a smile, "What brings Left Envoy Chen to the yamen today?"

Wang He used to not take Chen Mo seriously, but after receiving money from the Chen family every year, he would give Chen Mo some care and courtesy.

Unexpectedly...

In less than a year, this guy actually went from a spoiled brat to the fourth-ranking figure in the Red Lantern Gang... How could he dare to slack off in the slightest?
"I was invited by Magistrate He to the yamen to discuss official business. What happened to all these injuries you have?"

Eh.

Wang He sighed, looked around, and only whispered when no constables approached, "It's all because of Magistrate He's mistress. She has a terrible temper. She beats and scolds us subordinates all the time, treating us constables like we're not even human. Yesterday, the magistrate's mistress was going out to see a play, so she asked me to look after her cat. She even gave me some cat food, but I was busy chasing bandits and forgot to feed it. Later, when she found out, she whipped me."

At the end, Wang He showed a very aggrieved expression.

He was, after all, a low-ranking official in the imperial court, paid by the emperor and serving the court. Yet he was treated like dirt by one of the magistrate's mistresses, and was frequently beaten and verbally abused. No wonder he felt wronged and resentful.

Unfortunately, this place is remote, and the county magistrate has absolute power.

The clerks, though wronged, dared not speak out and could only suffer in silence.

Chen Mo didn't think much of it and just casually asked, "If you don't tell me, how will Magistrate He's mistress know you haven't fed the cat?"

Wang He said, "I'm puzzled too. That black cat seemed quite docile, it didn't meow or run away. It wouldn't be a big deal if it went hungry for a meal, but how did its lover find out... What bad luck."

Chen Mo didn't ask any further questions. "Is Lord Li Wenqing inside?"

"Yes, I'll take you there."

Wang He suppressed his grievances, pretended that nothing had happened, and led Chen Mo and Lu Chengzhuang into the yamen. They arrived at the side hall where the county magistrate's office was located. After greeting Chen Mo, he hurriedly left.

The side hall was small, filled with all sorts of official documents and cases. Li Wenqing sat behind a long table, head down, holding a wolf-hair brush in one hand and flipping through the documents with the other, occasionally making annotations.

However, the observant Chen Mo noticed several scratches and marks on Li Wenqing's face, seemingly made by a sharp object such as a fingernail.

Chen Mo walked in and called out, "Lord Li."

Upon seeing that the visitor was Chen Mo, Li Wenqing hurriedly placed the wolf-hair brush on the mountain-shaped brush holder, quickly stood up, and bowed, saying, "I was unaware of the arrival of Left Envoy Chen; I have failed to greet you properly."

Chen Mo raised his hand in a gesture of respect, "No need for formalities."

Li Wenqing nodded in agreement, but respectfully welcomed Chen Mo to sit in the chief seat and even poured him tea, muttering, "What brings Left Envoy Chen to the yamen today?"

Chen Mo took the teacup but didn't drink. Instead, he glanced at the scratches on Li Wenqing's face. "I came to the yamen to discuss matters at the request of Magistrate He. By the way, where did you get those scratches on Lord Li's face?"

The reason Chen Mo sought out He Zhizhou to find Li Wenqing was that he wanted to learn more about He Zhizhou through Li Wenqing so that he could have a better understanding of the situation.

Eh.

Li Wenqing sighed deeply, “To be honest, I was once an official of the imperial court, with a heart full of patriotic aspirations. But after the new magistrate took office, I was reduced to a cat-watcher for the magistrate’s lover… One day, I failed to watch the black cat properly, and my lover scratched my face with his fingernails. I am truly ashamed of the Emperor’s favor and my mentor.”

Is it that same guy who keeps the black cat again?
Chen Mo asked calmly, "Has anything strange happened at the yamen recently?"

Li Wenqing nodded repeatedly, "Ever since Magistrate He took office more than half a month ago, our yamen has been plagued by strange occurrences. First, prisoners disappeared without a trace, and then the yamen runners also disappeared without a trace. I can't find any clues, I'm really ashamed..."

By the end, Li Wenqing's face was filled with terror, and he appeared pale and powerless.

It's no wonder Li Wenqing is so grief-stricken that even a prestigious local government has been plagued by misfortunes.

Chen Mo took a sip of tea. "How much does Lord Li know about He Zhizhou?"

Li Wenqing slumped into the chair, his former charisma gone, his expression blank. "I know He Zhizhou is from a prominent family, apparently from Nanyang Prefecture. He rose to his position by donating money."

Seeing that Li Wenqing had lost his former spirit, Chen Mo didn't ask any more questions. He led Lu Chengzhuang away from the side hall and headed straight for the courtyard where the county magistrate was staying.

Lu Chengzhuang leaned closer and said, "Left Envoy Chen, the yamen runners in this yamen are disappearing one after another. Could it be related to He Zhizhou?"

Chen Mo walked forward with his hands behind his back, "It's highly likely he's behind this."

Soon, we arrived at the back gate.

The door was ajar.

Just as Chen Mo was about to step across the threshold, he paused and said, "Lu Chengzhuang, don't come in. Go back and keep an eye on Li Wenqing."

Lu Chengzhuang had followed Chen Mo for a long time and knew that Chen Mo would not make meaningless arrangements, so he immediately agreed and turned to find Li Wenqing.

Chen Mo then stepped over the threshold and went inside.

The courtyard wasn't large. A vegetable garden had been cultivated on the left, with some vegetables planted there. On the right was a potted plant garden, displaying exquisite bonsai. A slender woman dressed in white was pruning a Podocarpus macrophyllus tree with shears. A tiny black cat perched on her shoulder, its golden vertical pupils staring at Chen Mo, sending a chill down one's spine.

Chen Mo couldn't help but glance at the black cat a couple more times.

Perhaps because she heard footsteps, the woman in white turned around, revealing a delicate face with a smile: "Welcome, Left Envoy Chen. The master is waiting in the living room. Please come in."

The woman put down the scissors and welcomed Chen Mo into the living room.

In the small living room sat a refined middle-aged man in an official robe, with a square face, a mustache, and a broad smile: "I've been waiting for this moment for ages, and now we finally have Left Envoy Chen here. Please take a seat. Xiao Nuo, serve Left Envoy Chen some tea."

Chen Mo nodded and sat down at the head of the table with He Zhizhou. Xiao Nuo brought over a teacup, but the black cat remained perched on Xiao Nuo's shoulder, staring intently at Chen Mo and occasionally letting out a fierce meow.

He Zhizhou laughed and said, "Xiao Nuo usually likes to keep cats and dogs to pass the time. I hope you can forgive her for making a fool of yourself, Left Envoy Chen."

Chen Mo didn't seem to care much and went straight to the point, "I wonder what business Lord He has invited me here to discuss?"

He Zhizhou gave Xiao Nuo a look, and the latter went into the back room and brought out a large box. She opened it in front of Chen Mo, revealing a glittering silver treasure inside.

It was a huge box, so full it was blinding.

Chen Mo narrowed his eyes. "What does Lord He mean by this?"

He Zhizhou laughed and said, "I heard that Chief Chen sent his guards and some of his family to the prefectural city a month ago. They said it was to go on a business trip, but in reality, they have settled down in the prefectural city. Chief Chen's father has also been selling off his shops recently and looking for people to take over. I thought that Chief Chen might be short of money, and it just so happens that I am not short of money."

Chen Mo narrowed his eyes. He thought to himself: This person investigated my family and is using that as leverage to threaten me. He can't be allowed to live!
He said calmly, "No money comes for nothing. Lord He, please speak frankly."

Ha ha.

He Zhizhou said, "Honghe County is not peaceful these days. Left Envoy Chen has monopolized the twenty-four incense halls of Hongdengzhao. Logically speaking, our county should not have cut off the incense offerings of four towns. This silver is just a small token of our county's goodwill, and we hope Left Envoy Chen will accept it with a smile."

Chen Mo made a rough estimate in his mind.

One large silver coin is worth fifty taels, and this box contains over a hundred large silver coins, totaling a full five thousand taels.

Five thousand taels of silver can buy incense for four towns.

The amount is quite substantial.

Chen Mo shook his head: "I cannot make decisions about the exchange of incense. I would also like to advise Lord He that Honghe County has been peaceful for decades thanks to the protection of the Goddess. Since you are new here, please do not do anything disrespectful to the Goddess, lest you bring trouble upon yourself. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

"Left Envoy Chen, please wait!"

He Zhizhou immediately stood up to stop him, saying, "This five thousand taels is just a small token of our county's appreciation for Left Envoy Chen. It has nothing to do with the incense offerings of those four towns."

Chen Mo was taken aback. "Oh?"

He Zhizhou laughed and said, "I won't hide it from you, Left Envoy Chen, but the death of the Red Lantern Lady is not far off. It will be within half a year at most. When the Lady falls, Left Envoy Chen will have no way out. Fortunately, I have found a way out for you."

Chen Mo sat down again. "Please explain in detail."

Seeing that Chen Mo was interested, He Zhizhou began to explain, "I am from a prominent family, and I have come to Honghe County on a mission. As the saying goes, 'The camp remains, but the soldiers come and go.' Even if the Red Lantern Goddess falls, a new deity will be born in Honghe County. And the incense offerings here are the camp that remains. My county has a method for absorbing incense offerings, which I am willing to share with Left Envoy Chen. You are the Left Envoy of Incense Offerings, and I am the local magistrate. If we join forces, we will surely be able to firmly grasp the incense offerings of this place. In the future, no matter which deity comes, we will be the ones in control, making a sure profit. Isn't that wonderful?"

Chen Mo finally understood He Zhizhou's plan.

He also came for the sake of offering incense.

After a moment's thought, Chen Mo asked, "I wonder what method Lord He uses to absorb incense offerings?"

He Zhizhou gave Xiao Nuo a look, and the latter went into the back hall, brought out a foot-tall shrine, and respectfully placed it on the incense table. He Zhizhou then opened the two small doors of the shrine.

Inside was a small black cat.

It bears a striking resemblance to the black cat perched on Xiao Nuo's shoulder.

I see……

This cat isn't an ordinary cat; it's a ghost in disguise. No wonder he knew Wang He forgot to feed it.

Chen Mo became interested: "How does Lord He plan to cooperate with me?"

He Zhizhou laughed, "Left Envoy Chen, you may not know this, but Lord Black Cat is an extraordinary deity. I was originally a down-on-his-luck scion of a noble family, with very thin bloodlines within me. I was not valued by my family and was exiled to Nanyang Prefecture. Fortunately, I received the protection of Lord Black Cat, which unlocked the power of my noble bloodline. From then on, I gained power and slowly earned money, which is how I paid the donation to come to Honghe County. If Left Envoy Chen simply places this shrine secretly in a corner of the ancestral hall, Lord Black Cat will be able to absorb the incense offerings of Honghe County without anyone noticing. When the Red Lantern Goddess falls, Lord Black Cat will be able to replace her in one fell swoop. At that time, Left Envoy Chen can become Lord Black Cat's chief attendant. That would be far more prestigious and promising than it is now."

Chen Mo held the teacup, swirled it slightly, and said, "Lord He's method is indeed excellent. However, this matter is of great importance, and I need to go back and consider it further. I will inform Lord He once I have made a decision."

After leaving a message, Chen Mo got up to leave.

brush!
Xiao Nuo blocked the entrance, while the black cat on her shoulder meowed loudly at Chen Mo.

"Lord He, what is the meaning of this?"

He Zhizhou then slowly stood up, walked to the door, and his smile turned sinister: "I sincerely invited Left Envoy Chen to discuss important matters, and I have already laid out my bottom line. We cannot let Left Envoy Chen leave just like that. Otherwise, this county will be in danger."

"Minister Chen, please don't overthink it. This county has no ill intentions; we sincerely wish to cooperate with you. We're merely trying to avoid any unforeseen circumstances. If you need to consider it, please stay here and think it over. Once you've made up your mind, offer incense to Lord Black Cat, and our cooperation will be considered complete."

Chen Mo said, "Is it really necessary to do it this way?"

He Zhizhou, with an air of complete control over Chen Mo, said, "As the fourth-ranking figure in the Red Lantern Clan, Chen Zuoshi has secretly arranged for his family to flee to the prefectural city to escape disaster. This shows that he knows the Red Lantern Clan is unstable. If I were to publicize this matter, Chen Zuoshi, do you think... the Red Lantern Clan would let you and your family live?"

pat.

Chen Mo slumped into his seat, looking utterly helpless. "Yes, Magistrate He is right. I've long since run out of options. Following Master Black Cat is a good idea..."

He Zhizhou smiled broadly, "That's right. We can clearly work together to build a bright future, so why let a little unpleasantness cause us to have a rift?"

As he spoke, He Zhizhou sat down next to Chen Mo, poured him tea, and coaxed him gently, "Left Envoy Chen, I won't hide it from you. I've activated the bloodline of the aristocratic families. You have to choose, whether you want to or not."

Chen Mo nodded in deep agreement, “Magistrate He is right. However, there is still one thing I don’t understand. Since Magistrate He is willing to cooperate with me, why did he secretly divide the incense offerings of the four towns? Doesn’t this add danger to our cooperation? I will have a hard time explaining to the Red Lantern Goddess, and you will also be targeted by her.”

He Zhizhou said, "I won't hide it from you, brother. I was forced into this situation. A while ago, I was forced into a deal by the Red Dance girl from the Great Yin Mountain. But it was because of this that I learned that the Red Lantern Goddess is about to fall. The evil god behind the Red Dance girl is about to emerge from the mountain, and that evil god is simply too powerful. The Goddess has no chance of winning, so you can rest assured, brother."

Chen Mo suddenly realized: "I see, then I have no more worries."

He Zhizhou was overjoyed: "Good, Brother Chen really has good taste. Xiao Nuo, go and get Brother Chen three sticks of incense."

Soon, Xiao Nuo brought three incense sticks, approached Chen Mo, and offered them to him.

Chen Mo slowly accepted the incense.

He Zhizhou watched with a smile: "From now on, we'll address each other as brothers. I'm a few years older than you, so I'm honored to be your elder brother... Ah!!!"

Before He Zhizhou could finish speaking, he suddenly let out a shrill scream.

However, his head was punched open by Chen Mo's two-finger lightning spike, leaving a large hole.

Chen Mo's other hand grabbed Xiao Nuo's head, and with a sudden "bang," her head was crushed like a broken watermelon, splattering brain matter and blood all over the ground.

"Who do you think you are, to presume to call me brother?!"

"Back then, Shao Siming killed the county magistrate with a snap of her fingers, and now... I've killed the county magistrate too!"

"Meow meow!"

The black cat screamed wildly, and in an instant, the entire living room became eerily quiet, with a terrifying aura of killing intent surging out.

Chen Mo suddenly stood up and kicked the ground.

Boom!

A terrifying surge of blood energy erupted like a tidal wave, instantly dispersing the surrounding ghostly aura. He raised his hand and unleashed a two-finger lightning spike towards the black cat.

boom! !

The black cat withstood a direct hit from the two-finger lightning spike. It was shocked to discover that the lightning's energy was incredibly powerful and potent, leaving a conspicuous wound on its abdomen. The black cat was terrified; with a meow, it tried to flee.

It moved at an extremely high speed, leaving almost only a black afterimage.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

Chen Mo stomped his foot on the ground again, and forty-nine thin threads of blood energy appeared in the room, densely distributed in all directions. Two of these incredibly sharp threads immediately severed the black cat's limbs.

puff!

The black cat immediately crashed to the ground, howling in pain. It tried to run away, but it couldn't escape the prison made of dense, fine threads. In the end, it collapsed to the ground in despair and indignation.

"When I entered, I secretly laid forty-nine Thousand Threads of Deception, which only took effect now. What do you think I spent so long dealing with He Zhizhou for? It was all to make sure you all died here."

Chen Mo walked step by step to the black cat, looked down at it, and said coldly, "You're just a little brat with only two incense sticks' worth of cultivation."

Meow meow meow.

The black cat meowed a few times and then spoke in human language: "Don't kill me, I am Lord Black Cat. I was originally a fierce ghost from Nanyang Prefecture, but I encountered a scion of a noble family and had my cultivation shattered, which is why I am so weak now. Give me incense, and I will become stronger and stronger, eventually recovering to the cultivation level of four incense sticks. At that time, I can help you become even stronger."

Chen Mo said, "So you can reach the level of four 'Channels of Dao' when you recover to your peak? Then I can't keep you here. Otherwise, you might threaten me in the future."

Black Cat: "...No, no, I won't kill you. There's no point in you killing me."

"No, no, no, it's meaningful. Because by eating you, I can also gain more spiritual power."

The black cat panicked a little: "What do you mean?"

Just then, dense ghostly runes appeared on Chen Mo's body, covering his entire skin, and a powerful ghostly aura was released.

hiss!
The black cat was completely panicked, utterly incredulous, "You, you...you're a fucking ghost!!!"

"what!!!"

The black cat is dead.

Chen Mo ate it.

To be precise, Chen Mo ate the ghost inside the black cat...

call!
Chen Mo sat cross-legged on the ground, processing the ghostly black cat.

"The Black Cat Master is not bad; he has the cultivation of two incense sticks. It's perfect for me to enhance my natal incense."

Three white incense sticks appeared in Chen Mo's mind.

As the black cat's ghostly aura and natal incense were infused into it, the three natal incense sticks grew stronger and longer. At the same time, Chen Mo's ghostly aura continued to emanate.

The entire room was filled with a powerful ghostly aura, a hazy grayness.

"Absorbing the natal incense of ghosts really speeds up the cultivation process. I think... I can condense my fourth natal incense stick now?"

As it continues to absorb the Black Cat Master's natal incense...

Boom!

Chen Mo clearly felt a violent tremor in his mind, and his head spun. When he regained his senses, the fourth root incense appeared.

In an instant, Chen Mo felt his perception power rise to a new level, and the ghost's power, speed, perception... all aspects had been fundamentally improved.

Chen Mo carefully sensed the new ghost power, then let out a sinister laugh.

"Jie Jie Jie~"

"I am now a Yellow Pages Ghost with four sticks of natal ghost incense. Each additional stick of incense adds ten years of cultivation. It feels pretty good. The only downside is... the erosion by ghosts has intensified. I need even more blood energy to maintain the balance."

Gathering the ghostly energy within his body, Chen Mo circulated his blood energy and slowly restored his balance.

But it was a very difficult task.

This balance is clearly more fragile now.

"The power of aristocratic bloodlines is a good thing. As long as I activate my bloodline fast enough, I can always maintain a balance and not completely turn into a ghost. I really can't relax for a moment."

After completing all this, Chen Mo stood up, glanced at the two corpses beside him, and finally walked to the shrine, smashing it to pieces with a single punch.

"What kind of bullshit Black Cat Lord is this... How dare a brat enter the shrine? It's truly outrageous."

Chen Mo lit a fire, setting the room ablaze, and then walked out into the backyard.

As soon as they arrived at the backyard gate, they saw Lu Chengzhuang, Li Wenqing, Wang He, and a few others standing nervously outside the gate, looking at Chen Mo with disbelief on their faces.

They had heard some strange noises coming from the backyard, and it sounded eerie, so they all came to investigate. But they dared not go inside.

Unexpectedly, what appeared was Chen Mo, whose face was fierce and violent. Chen Mo said calmly, "Magistrate He worshipped an evil god called Lord Black Cat, which was a ghost. It was that black cat that ate the yamen's runners and prisoners. That ghost has been killed by me. It ruined the incense offerings of the goddess, and this is its fate."

After leaving a message, Chen Mo took Lu Chengzhuang and left.

Li Wenqing and Wang He rushed into the yard and saw that the house had been burned to ruins. After searching through the living room for a while, they found the charred remains of He Zhizhou and Xiao Nuo, as well as a cat.

Wang He roared, "That vile woman is finally dead! Good riddance! Left Envoy Chen is unparalleled in righteousness and courage!"

Li Wenqing was also filled with emotion, "No wonder strange things have been happening in the yamen lately. It turns out that He Zhizhou has been worshipping a ghost. This black cat is a ghost... We really have to thank Left Envoy Chen. Otherwise, we would have been killed by this corrupt official sooner or later."

Wang He kicked the broken shrine several times, venting his emotions fiercely, "Why worship that dog black cat? If you ask me, I'd rather worship Left Envoy Chen."

……

Chen Mo left the county government office and saw Shao Siming at the entrance.

She was still dressed in red, slender and tall, with a red hairpin still in her hair bun, the end of which had two golden bells that made a clear "ding-a-ling" sound when the wind blew.

Lu Chengzhuang wisely waited to the side, not daring to approach Shao Siming.

Chen Mo stepped forward instead, saying, "Young Master of Fate."

Shao Siming asked, "Liu Changchun told me everything. What happened inside?"

Chen Mo recounted the whole story, but of course concealed the fact that he had eaten a ghost.

Shao Siming wasn't too surprised when she heard this. She simply praised Chen Mo a couple of times, and then walked side by side with Chen Mo on the street.

Lu Chengzhuang followed behind, keeping his distance from the two.

The streets are bustling with shops, people come and go, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares fill the air, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.

“Young Master, we’ve lost the incense offerings of four towns. The villagers have stopped offering incense to the Goddess and are now worshipping an adult called the Bell Girl…” As he said this, Chen Mo instinctively looked at the two small golden bells on Young Master’s head and listened to their “ding-a-ling” sound.

Shao Siming said, "This is not your fault. There is no need to blame yourself. It is because the Bell Lord from the Great Yin Mountain has come down the mountain. If that Lord wants to exist in human society, he needs incense offerings. Otherwise, problems will arise in the long run."

Chen Mo said, "Is Your Highness just going to do nothing? Just watch as the bell-ringing girl steals the incense offerings?"

Shao Siming frowned, hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke, "Logically speaking, Your Highness cannot ignore this. If the incense is lost, Your Highness's cultivation will also be affected. But Your Highness has been acting strangely lately... I can't quite put my finger on it."

Chen Mo was startled: "Could you explain in detail?"

Shao Siming turned to look at Chen Mo, then suddenly smiled: "Are you that curious about Her Majesty?"

Chen Mo found an excuse: "After all, I am the Left Incense Keeper, and I rely on Her Majesty for my livelihood. Naturally, I am worried about Her Majesty's condition."

Faced with this impeccable reason, Shao Siming didn't refute anything, but only sighed, "Don't be so curious. You've been staying at the Incense Hall recently, so keep a close eye on the incense offerings in the villages and towns under its jurisdiction. I estimate that the number of villages and towns losing their incense offerings will continue to increase. I will visit the Incense Hall more often in the future to find out the situation."

Chen Mo nodded in agreement.

After bidding farewell to Shao Siming, Chen Mo took Lu Chengzhuang back to the Incense Hall.

We took a headcount.

There are still eighteen incense masters remaining.

Perhaps because everyone knew that the incense offerings had been lost and the goddess had not made any move, everyone was not in high spirits.

Chen Mo didn't make any decisions, only instructing everyone to pay attention to the incense offerings in the villages and towns under his jurisdiction. He then returned to the west courtyard to practice his martial arts. During this time, he returned the Thousand Silk Instructions to the martial arts pavilion of the Red Lantern Temple and borrowed some martial arts manuals to read.

Although the martial arts techniques were all at the internal level, Chen Mo felt that they were still worth practicing and wouldn't be useless.

True Qi is a kind of existence that connects the past and the future. After being combined with blood energy, it can make internal martial arts more powerful, even exceeding the level predicted by the author.

Two days later, Liu Changchun brought more bad news.

"Left Envoy Chen, the incense offerings in Tiancun Town and Baishi Town have also been lost."

"understood."

"Left Envoy Chen, the situation is escalating rapidly. I feel we'll continue to lose offerings. Things are about to collapse. Are we just going to do nothing?"

"There's no need to act rashly; just continue to monitor the incense offerings in various villages and towns."

Liu Changchun felt very aggrieved, but dared not refute: "Yes."

After dismissing Liu Changchun, Lu Chengzhuang came over to make tea, his face also filled with worry. "Left Envoy Chen, this can't continue like this. In all the years that have passed in Honghe County, nothing like this has ever happened. Is Her Majesty setting up a grand scheme?"

Strategic planning?

These words reminded Chen Mo.

But upon closer reflection, it didn't seem quite right.

Evil spirits cannot live without incense offerings.

Chen Mo himself was a ghost, and he knew very well how important incense was to ghosts—almost like their lifeblood. Could the Empress really stand idly by while others stole incense?
Chen Mo thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure out the reason. "The Empress's mind is unpredictable, so let's not speculate. Just follow Shao Siming's orders and do our own job well."

Lu Chengzhuang then stopped asking questions.

Three days later, Liu Changchun sent another message.

The incense offerings of six more towns have been lost.

At this point, of the thirty-six towns under the jurisdiction of Honghe County, twelve had lost their incense offerings. That's a third gone.

The incense masters of the entire temple were completely panicked, and a sense of panic began to spread.

Chen Mo felt increasingly uneasy.

I always feel like something big is going to happen.

That night, Shao Siming arrived.

Chen Mo had Lu Chengzhuang prepare a sumptuous dinner and held a grand reception for Shao Siming in the west courtyard. Chen Mo even brought out his treasured peach blossom wine and poured it for Shao Siming.

During a break from eating, Chen Mo explained the dire situation of the family line being lost.

The Empress has already lost a third of her incense offerings; surely she can't remain silent for long?
Shao Siming picked up her wine cup and took a sip. "So quickly, the incense offerings of twelve towns have been lost. Three-tenths of the Empress's plates have been lost."

"Has Your Majesty expressed any opinion?"

Shao Siming, clutching her wine cup, shook her head: "No, it's just that Her Majesty has been acting increasingly strangely lately. Something might happen at the Red Lantern Temple."

"Why is Your Highness behaving strangely?"

Shao Siming said, "People often mysteriously disappear from the Red Lantern Temple. My elder sister and I are uneasy about this. We even asked the head servant to search for the cause, but we haven't found any clues."

Chen Mo was taken aback.

In this world overrun by ghosts, the disappearance of a few people is nothing unusual, quite commonplace.

But that's a red-light district temple.

Even Chen Mo couldn't see through Shao Siming's profound cultivation.

Moreover, there is an even more powerful Grand Master of Fate, and a Tang Elder with considerable strength.

People can disappear right under their noses...

That's a bit scary.

Who can do it?

The answer is obvious.

Take it!
Shao Siming placed the wine cup on the table, gesturing for Chen Mo to continue pouring. After the cup was full, Shao Siming took another sip, "This peach blossom wine is indeed good, but it still can't compare to Huiquan wine."

Immediately, Shao Siming stood up, took out a letter, and handed it to Chen Mo: "I have a premonition that something big might happen at the Red Lantern Temple. If something does happen, open this envelope and read it; all the answers you seek are inside. As for the Incense Hall, you can decide for yourself. Even if Lord Lingdang eventually seizes all the incense offerings in Honghe County, he will still need to set up an Incense Hall. Your position will be useful to Lord Lingdang. As long as there is no conflict between you, Lord Lingdang will still value you. Of course, the Incense Hall gathers some of the strongest martial artists in Honghe; you can lead the Incense Hall to become independent and establish a gang or something. It's all up to you."

Chen Mo hadn't expected things to escalate so quickly, and felt uneasy. "Shao Siming, is the situation really that serious?"

Shao Siming said, "I'm afraid it's even more terrifying than I thought. If something happens, self-preservation should be the priority. I've said everything I needed to say, Chen Mo... Take care. I hope to see you again someday."

After leaving a message, Shao Siming left the living room.

Chen Mo looked at that lonely figure and suddenly felt something, so he chased after her. "Shao Siming, I haven't asked your name yet."

Shao Siming turned around and smiled: "My surname is Murong, that Murong. I'm leaving."

Shao Siming waved her hand nonchalantly and then left under the moonlight.

Watching Shao Siming's figure disappear into the distance, Chen Mo picked up the envelope in his hand.

Should we only open it after something goes wrong?
This is not Chen Mo's style.

tearing~
Chen Mo tore open the envelope and took out the letter.

Inside were two lines of neat handwriting:

When you arrive in Suzhou, you'll see that every house is situated by the river.

I am Murong Wan from Gusu, a secret agent of the Demon Suppression Division of the Great Qian Dynasty. I feel very fortunate to meet an old friend in this world.

hiss!
Chen Mo gasped.

My scalp tingled, and I got goosebumps all over my body.

Huiquan wine... Shao Siming previously said that peach blossom wine couldn't compare to Huiquan wine. Huiquan wine happens to be a specialty of the Suzhou area.

She had already given herself a hint.

No wonder she has always taken such good care of herself, treating herself excessively well.

This Murong Wan... she's a time traveler just like me.

Since I'm not the only one who traveled to this world, is there some kind of passageway that allows me to go back?
Secret agents of the Demon Suppression Division of the Great Qian Dynasty...

Turtle...

This Shao Siming is truly remarkable; she transmigrated to this world many years before me. Does she know anything else about this world?

"Murong Wan, Murong Wan, you must not die. I still have so many questions to ask you."

Chen Mo raised his head and looked up at the sky, where he saw dark clouds shrouding the moon, making it appear gloomy.

……

Red Lantern Temple.

In a small courtyard beside the ancient pagoda, Shao Siming and the old woman were preparing their meal.

The old woman was exhausted, but she still endured her aching body and started cooking in the kitchen of the small courtyard. Shao Siming leaned against the door frame, quietly watching the old woman with a broad smile on her face.

"Big sister, you've been here for almost forty years, haven't you?"

As the old woman cooked, she said, "It's been almost forty-five years."

Shao Siming murmured, "Time flies so fast. Forty-five years have passed in the blink of an eye."

The old woman said, “That’s right. I remember when you were first born, your family all said you were cursed and wouldn’t live long, that you would die young. I didn’t believe in such superstitions, so I got you a hairpin to wear. Don’t lose that hairpin, the bell inside contains the blessings of the gods.”

Shao Siming smiled and said, "Eldest sister has said this countless times. I know it. By the way, when does eldest sister plan to return to Nanzhou?"

The old woman sighed, "I've become the High Priestess of the Empress, serving her day and night. I'm afraid I won't have time to go back."

Shao Siming gritted her teeth and said, "Elder sister, your health is not good. You should go back to visit your parents. Besides, staying in the altar will make you age faster."

The old woman said, "The Empress cannot be without someone to serve her."

Shao Siming said, "Elder sister, you can go home with peace of mind. I will stay and serve Your Majesty. Shao Siming... if you change the name, it will become Da Siming."

The old woman abruptly stopped using the ladle in her hand and said in a deep voice, "I did indeed have the idea of ​​making you the Junior Master of Fate before, so that you could inherit my identity after I left. But now that I'm feeling better, you're not in a hurry anymore. Besides, the Empress hasn't been doing well lately, and you can't take care of her."

Shao Siming stepped forward and grabbed the old woman's hand: "Elder sister, since you know that the goddess is not right, you shouldn't stay in the altar. Recently, people have been disappearing in the Red Lantern Temple. I've been investigating but haven't found any trace. I suspect... it's related to the goddess. To be on the safe side, elder sister can't go to the altar anymore."

The old woman smiled and said, "The Goddess has protected us for many years, so it's normal for unusual things to happen occasionally. We are sincere to the Goddess. She wouldn't harm us. Now is the time when the Goddess needs us, how could I leave? Don't say such disrespectful things."

Shao Siming tried to persuade her further: "But recently, the incense offerings of twelve towns have been lost, and the Empress hasn't offered any explanation. This is not right; the Empress cannot live without the incense offerings. They are the lifeblood of the Empress."

The old woman sighed, "Your Majesty has been fighting the ghosts in the Great Yin Mountain for so many years, it's normal for her to be a little tired sometimes. Don't think too much about it, come and eat."

Shao Siming didn't say much more, and helped carry the food to the courtyard, where the two sisters ate.

The old woman didn't eat much, so she put down her chopsticks. "I've noticed you've been going to the incense hall quite often lately. Have you taken a fancy to that young man from the Chen family?"

Shao Siming said, "Elder sister, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Hahaha.

The old woman laughed and said, "I've been through this before, there's nothing shameful about it. I've met that young man from the Chen family. Although his background and status can't compare to our Murong family, he's still diligent and ambitious. He seems reliable and family-oriented. If you like him, there's no need to hide it. I, as the eldest sister, will go find him and act as your matchmaker."

Shao Siming shook her head: "No. I can handle my own affairs."

"You're stubborn as a mule. Others might think you're cunning, but I can see right through you. In a few days, I'll go talk to that kid." The old woman said with a chuckle.

After finishing her meal, the old woman washed the dishes and then said, "I'm going to the altar to serve the goddess. If you have nothing else to do, go to the incense hall to find your boy."

"Sister, if you keep doing this, people won't talk to you anymore."

"Hahaha."

The old woman laughed twice, then picked up some old objects and went out the door.

After entering the red gate, the old woman went to the processing room next to the altar, where Old Tang was preparing some meat dishes. These meat dishes were similar to ghost food, but also different, and looked quite disgusting.

After carefully inspecting the food, the old woman asked, "Master, is Her Majesty's food prepared?"

Old Tang brought out a large basin of meat and handed it to the old woman: "Great Master of Fate, everything is ready."

"Well, you may leave through the back door. I'll go take care of the Empress," the old woman said, then carried a large basin of meat toward the altar.

Old Tang tidied up his disheveled hair and clothes, and was about to leave through the back door when he suddenly, as if possessed, stayed behind, closed the door, and peered through the crack at the altar.

Then I saw the old woman trembling as she carried a large basin of meat up to the altar.

Da da da.

The old woman walked step by step to the coffin, then put down the large basin of meat, kowtowed on the ground, and said, "Your Majesty, I have brought you food."

Bang, bang!
A commotion came from the scarlet coffin, and then the lid loosened. A hairy hand reached out from inside and grabbed a large bowl of meat. Immediately afterwards, the sound of crunching and gnawing came from inside the coffin.

The old woman kowtowed and said respectfully, "It's the same amount as before. If Your Majesty has no other instructions, I will take my leave."

It was customary to send food to the Empress at fixed times and in fixed quantities every day.

Each time the Empress finished eating, she would rest in peace.

The old woman was already used to it.

She took the empty basin, turned around and walked towards the outside of the altar. After taking only two steps, she suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold behind her, along with heavy breathing.

Immediately following, a chilling, hoarse voice came from behind.

The voice wasn't the chilling kind of a ghost's voice, but it was far more chilling than a ghost's voice.

Even the old woman, who was never afraid of ghosts, felt a chill run down her spine.

"It doesn't quench my thirst, and I'm still hungry."

The old woman, who had cared for the goddess for over forty years, felt terrified for the first time and dared not turn back: "I, I'll do it again."

Na Sen's cold voice rang out again, "No need, this stuff doesn't quench my thirst."

Bang bang bang.

The coffin lid vibrated.

The old woman couldn't help but turn around, and then she saw a scene she never dared to imagine in her life—

Suddenly, the coffin lid was shattered by some terrifying force.

This is incredible in itself, because the coffin is a powerful magical artifact!

Even ordinary ghosts cannot break it.

It was actually shattered.

Then, a woman in red suddenly sat up straight in the coffin.

Dressed in red, with a head full of gold hairpins.

Its face was covered in white hair, and a pungent, nauseating stench emanated from it.

The next moment, the female corpse suddenly appeared in front of the old woman, opened her pair of dark and deep eyes, exhaled a mouthful of foul stench, and made an extremely sinister sound.

"Thank you for taking care of me all these years. You have finally allowed me to complete my transformation once again. Now, I no longer need incense offerings. I am so hungry... By consuming the flesh and blood of your family, I will attain enlightenment."

As she spoke, the female corpse opened her mouth, revealing a mouthful of densely packed, sharp fangs, and bit down hard on the old woman's neck.

Click!

"what!!!"

(End of this chapter)