I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 125 The sky collapses in Honghe County, shaking the Celestial Empire!

After the old woman left, Shao Siming tidied up the courtyard by herself, then returned to her bedroom and sat down at her dressing table to do her makeup.

She took off the red hairpin, and thinking of the scene when her eldest sister gave her the hairpin, she couldn't help but show a nostalgic expression.

Actually, my eldest sister is only sixty years old, but she has been spending a lot of time in the goddess's altar, so she has aged faster.

The eldest sister knew this perfectly well and always tried to keep Shao Siming away from the ancient tower as much as possible.

Shao Siming remembered all the kindness her elder sister had shown her, down to the smallest detail.

However, Shao Siming had her own mission, and this mission involved her identity, so she didn't tell her eldest sister. But Shao Siming suspected that her eldest sister had already figured it out, but just hadn't said anything.

Click!

Shao Siming inserted the red hairpin into her hair bun, and then continued to do her hair.

Just then, Shao Siming moved slightly. She immediately took out a life doll from her personal pocket.

The woman was of low birth, but she looked like an old woman.

At that moment, the fateful pair shattered.

"Sister!!!"

Shao Siming rose to rush towards the ancient pagoda when she suddenly heard the puppet speak in an old woman's voice, "Xiao Wan, perhaps you're on the right path. Don't worry about me, run!!!"

"Sister!!!"

Murong Wan rushed out of the courtyard, and as soon as she stepped out the door, she saw that the red door had been opened at some point.

A woman in a red robe stood outside the red gate, her face covered with white hair.

brush!
The woman immediately looked at Shao Siming.

Shao Siming gasped.

She was a secret agent of the Great Qian Demon Suppression Division, having killed and seen countless ghosts. She was never afraid of the ferocity of ghosts, but the moment those eyes stared at her, she felt an indescribable chill for the first time, a chill that sent shivers down her spine.

"red light……"

next moment--

The woman in red suddenly appeared in front of Shao Siming, opening her terrifying, blood-red maw to reveal countless sharp fangs, and bit down hard on Shao Siming.

"what!!!"

……

Cao Kun was in a good mood today. He gave some pointers on martial arts to a few disciples, accepted some of their gifts, and then went to his room early to prepare for bed.

A disciple named A Xiang was quite adept at interpersonal relationships and was highly regarded by Cao Kun. He helped Cao Kun to his room, even bringing him hot water to wash his feet, and repeatedly reminded him to take good care of himself.

Cao Kun, seeing this, became even more satisfied with A Xiang. "A Xiang, you've been with me for almost ten years now, haven't you?"

Ah Xiang was a young man in his early thirties, with a refined and scholarly air. He was a steady and meticulous person who paid attention to every detail. "Yes. It is Ah Xiang's blessing to be able to serve Master for ten years."

Cao Kun nodded slightly, "In a couple of days, when I have some free time, I will pass on my most treasured skills to you."

Ah Xiang was overjoyed, knowing he had finally made it through. "Thank you, Master. I'll wash your feet first!"

After washing his feet, Ah Xiang lit the stove again, moved it to Cao Kun's bedside, and then hurriedly left: "I'll stay outside. If Master needs anything, just call me."

Cao Kun nodded repeatedly, his brows furrowed with a smile, thinking to himself: "Ah Xiang is a filial son. I'm already this old, and I'm afraid I'll never be able to advance any further in this life, so I'll grant Ah Xiang's wish and pass on my skills to him. At least there's a successor."

Cao Kun got into bed fully clothed, covered himself with a quilt, and went to sleep.

Perhaps because he had a sense of hope and felt comforted, Cao Kun quickly fell asleep.

In his dazed state, Cao Kun heard A Xiang calling out.

Cao Kun tried to open his eyes, but it felt like a dream, and he was extremely tired, so he couldn't open them no matter what he did. Then, an indescribable, foul stench wafted over.

It's getting closer and closer.

Cao Kun finally couldn't take it anymore and suddenly opened his eyes.

In the dimly lit room stood a woman dressed in a bright red robe, with black pupils and white hair on her face.

Cao Kun rubbed his eyes hard, then opened them again, but they were still the same.

An unprecedentedly eerie feeling washed over him, causing Cao Kun to cower and tremble at the head of the bed. "You, you...who are you?"

"very hungry……"

The next moment, Cao Kun saw the woman open her blood-red maw, revealing rows of densely packed, sharp fangs, and bite down on his neck.

"what!!!"

……

Chen Mo carefully put away the letter that only he could understand, and then called Lu Chengzhuang over.

"Something might be going to happen at the Red Lantern Temple. Send a few trustworthy men to keep an eye on the area around the Red Lantern Temple. Report to me immediately if anything happens."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chengzhuang couldn't help but shrink back. "Left Envoy Chen, the Red Lantern Temple is the location of the Goddess's altar. What... could possibly happen there?"

Others might not have realized it, but Lu Chengzhuang, who had been by Chen Mo's side for a long time, had already made some guesses.

"Don't ask any more questions."

After leaving a message, Chen Mo returned to the living room and closed the door.

Chen Mo sat in the chair, pondering the letter left by Shao Siming, his heart filled with a slight excitement.

This bizarre world is also home to other transmigrators.

Could there be some secret behind this?
However, all of this can only be asked when I see Shao Siming again.

but……

Shao Siming left this letter, even at the cost of revealing her identity and secrets. It seems... Shao Siming felt she herself was unlikely to survive?
So, these were his dying words?

Otherwise, Shao Siming wouldn't have left such a secret.

When a person is about to die, secrets no longer matter.

Just how dangerous is this Red Lantern Temple?

"If that's the case... then I can't stay in this incense hall anymore."

Chen Mo felt increasingly uneasy, as if he had a thorn in his side.

Even if he were a ghost, he might not be able to defeat Shao Siming. If even Shao Siming was so desperate... there was no need for him to take such a pointless risk.

I have to leave immediately.

bump!
Chen Mo quickly packed a few clothes and suddenly opened the door.

"Left Envoy Chen, where are you going?" It was Lu Chengzhuang who had arranged for his men to keep watch over the Red Lantern Temple and had returned to stand guard outside. He was surprised to see Chen Mo leaving.

After a moment's thought, Chen Mo decided that Lu Chengzhuang was trustworthy and said, "Lu Chengzhuang, the Lesser and Greater Masters of Fate may be in mortal danger. Something terrible has happened at the Red Lantern Temple Fair. I have to leave here. Would you like to come with me?"

Perhaps because he had already suspected something similar, Lu Chengzhuang did not appear too panicked. After a moment's thought, he gritted his teeth and said, "This subordinate is willing to follow Left Envoy Chen to the death. Wherever Left Envoy Chen goes, I will go!"

Chen Mo said, "Then come with me."

Lu Chengzhuang hurriedly followed, "Where are the others?"

"I can't worry about that now."

"I've already sent some men to keep watch outside the Red Lantern Temple. Should we wait for them to send back a message?"

"Don't wait in the incense hall."

"Left Envoy Chen, Liu Changchun is actually quite good. Why not bring him over to assist you?"

Chen Mo thought for a moment and then said, "Okay. Go and call him, I'll wait for you at the door. Be quick."

"Yes."

Chen Mo arrived alone at the entrance of the incense hall. After waiting for a while, he saw Lu Chengzhuang and Liu Changchun rush out. Liu Changchun was a sensible person and, without asking the reason, simply asked, "Left Envoy Chen, where are we going now?"

Chen Mo said, "Let's go to Shuiyun Residence first."

The three of them settled down at Shuiyunju.

Chen Mo instructed Ma Tie to arrange a room for Lu Chengzhuang and Lu Chengzhuang, and then instructed Lu Chengzhuang to keep a close eye on the news of the group of men from the Red Lantern Temple.

They then went directly into the main room and closed the door.

He sensed some unusual activity in the black cat spirit within his body, so he sat down cross-legged and used his blood energy to suppress it.

The balance of being half-ghost must not be easily broken.

Otherwise, things could get messy.

Fortunately, Chen Mo learned the general principles of Tangjiabao's method for stimulating bloodline power, so he understood the profound meaning of stimulating blood energy and was able to control it skillfully.

After more than half an hour, the restless black cat's ghostly aura finally began to calm down.

call!
Chen Mo finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"If nothing happens at the Red Lantern Temple tomorrow, I will go and find Shao Siming to get to the bottom of this."

"There's still time tonight, so I'll temper my aristocratic bloodline and see if I can unleash my blood fire..."

Chen Mo cleared his mind of distractions and began to temper his blood fire little by little.

It was late at night, around the beginning of the Yin hour.

There was a sudden knock on the door.

dong dong dong.

Chen Mo immediately stopped his practice and asked, "Who?"

Upon hearing Qiu Lan's voice, "Young Master, it's Master Lu Chengzhuang looking for you. He says it's something extremely urgent."

"Let him in."

Chen Mo got up and sat down in a chair. Not long after, he saw Lu Chengzhuang rush in.

"Left Envoy Chen, it's exactly as you predicted. Something big has happened at the Red Lantern Temple."

really……

Chen Mo was surprised. "Tell me in detail."

Lu Chengzhuang called out to the outside, "Xiao Jiuzi, come in and talk."

Da da da.

As footsteps sounded, a young man dressed in the robes of a disciple of the incense hall walked in tremblingly. He had only reached the doorway when his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, his face filled with fear.

Chen Mo knew that the little wine boy was probably frightened. "Lu Chengzhuang, help him sit down. Qiulan, pour him some tea. Let him have a sip of tea, catch his breath, and speak slowly."

Xiao Jiuzi sat down, took a couple of sips of tea, and only after catching his breath did his expression improve. "Left Envoy Chen, it was terrifying, absolutely terrifying... I was ordered by Master Lu to take five men to guard outside the Red Lantern Temple. At first, nothing was wrong inside, it was quiet. But soon, screams of agony came from all directions. The sounds were so pitiful... I thought we all worship the goddess, so I wanted to do my part, so I grabbed my weapons and rushed into the Red Lantern Temple... and then, and then..."

At this point, Xiao Jiuzi's breathing became rapid, and he was extremely frightened, almost unable to catch his breath. It was only after Lu Chengzhuang channeled his inner energy into him that Xiao Jiuzi calmed down and continued speaking.

"I saw a woman dressed in red with white hair on her face, chasing and biting the men in the Red Lantern Temple. She specifically targeted their necks... Everyone was bitten to death by this woman. Moreover, those bitten by this woman simply vanished, turning into a mist of blood!"
We all got caught in the crossfire too. Luckily, I was at the very back from the start, and when I realized something was wrong, I ran away... otherwise I would have been dead too.

"Left Envoy Chen, what on earth is going on? Isn't the Red Lantern Temple the altar of the Goddess? How could such a terrifying ghost appear there? Isn't this ghost afraid that the Goddess will kill it?"

Chen Mo felt a chill run down his spine.

Needless to say...

The only person who could act so recklessly in the Red Lantern Temple is probably the Red Lantern Goddess herself.

This red-clad ghost is none other than the Red Lantern Goddess herself.

But... hasn't the Red Lantern Goddess been protecting this place's incense offerings for decades?

How did he suddenly go mad?
They even eat it among their own followers?

No more incense offerings?
Lu Chengzhuang and Liu Changchun also gathered around, staring at Chen Mo with horrified expressions, their legs trembling. Ma Tie and Qiu Lan, standing to the side, were even more pale, as if the sky had fallen.

call!
Chen Mo let out a long sigh and said, "This red-clothed ghost is none other than the Red Lantern Goddess herself. The Red Lantern Goddess bites people at the Red Lantern Temple, and she will probably bite people at the Incense Hall as well. We absolutely cannot go back to the Incense Hall."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room was so frightened that they collapsed to the ground.

Even though Lu Chengzhuang and Liu Changchun had expected it, their legs still went weak when they heard Chen Mo say those words. They simply couldn't accept that the Red Lantern Goddess they had served for so many years was actually such a ghost.

Qiu Lan and Ma Tie felt as if the sky had truly fallen.

Is the Empress a ghost?

Or is it a crazed, man-eating monster?
If this gets out, how will the hundreds of thousands of villagers in Honghe County cope?

Chen Mo remained relatively calm. "We're all from the Incense Hall, and we don't know if the Red Lantern Goddess will come looking for us. Liu Changchun, go check the area around the Incense Hall. Don't get too close; just observe from a distance."

Liu Changchun trembled all over, clearly feeling extremely frightened.

Chen Mo said, "I don't take in useless people. If you want to come with me, you'll have to do something."

Liu Changchun was different from Lu Chengzhuang. The latter served him at all times and even helped escort his family to the prefectural city, so he was considered one of his own. But Liu Changchun was not.

Liu Changchun looked up and saw Chen Mo's fierce and violent expression. He immediately understood his situation and replied, "I understand. I'll go right away."

After Liu Changchun left, Chen Mo told Ma Tie to take Xiao Jiuzi down to rest.

Only Lu Chengzhuang, Qiu Lan, and Chen Mo remained in the room.

Lu Chengzhuang spoke in a trembling voice, "Left Envoy Chen... what should we do now?"

Chen Mo said, "I'm afraid everyone in the Red Lantern Temple is dead. The Empress is ruthless; she'll eat the grass near her own nest first. I can't figure out what she'll do next. If the incense hall also suffers... then it means the Empress especially likes to eat her own people first. We'll be in great danger."

Lu Chengzhuang murmured, "I hope that the Empress's act of eating the people in the Red Lantern Temple was just an impromptu one. She absolutely mustn't go to the incense hall..."

Chen Mo also hoped for the same, but his intuition told him... that the worst-case scenario was likely to occur.

As for Qiulan, she was completely stunned at this moment, her hands and feet trembling uncontrollably.

Not long after, Ma Tie returned and comforted Qiu Lan.

About half an hour later, footsteps were heard outside.

But Liu Changchun scrambled in, practically falling through the threshold.

Lu Chengzhuang quickly went up to help him up, "Brother Liu, has the incense hall also been affected?"

Liu Changchun gasped, “Yes, yes. I saw from afar that there was no one in the incense hall. I even vaguely saw a woman in red moving around inside! Everything is just as Chen Zuoshi predicted. The Empress only eats her own subordinates, only the disciples and managers of the Red Lantern Gang. We're finished, we're finished... It's too scary, too scary.”

Qiulan, who was standing to the side, couldn't catch her breath and fainted.

Chen Mo told Ma Tie to carry Qiu Lan away to rest.

"Left Envoy Chen!!"

Liu Changchun suddenly stood up and grabbed Chen Mo's arm: "What should we do now? Run out of Honghe County tonight?"

Chen Mo shook his head: "It's more dangerous for us to go out now that Her Majesty is out there. We should at least wait until dawn. Besides, I don't think we can escape."

Lu Chengzhuang was greatly surprised: "Why?"

Chen Mo said, "Because we've all cultivated the Red Lantern Spirit Preservation Technique, we've been under the watchful eye of the Goddess for a long time. Running away won't help. It's possible that the Red Lantern Goddess made us cultivate the Spirit Preservation Technique just for this day."

hiss!
Liu Changchun and Lu Chengzhuang were trembling with fear and felt utterly hopeless.

brush!
Chen Mo stood up. "Since we can't avoid it, let's think of a way. You all stay here and don't go out. I'm going out for a bit."

Liu Changchun cried out in anguish, "Left Envoy Chen, we feel very insecure without you."

Chen Mo said coldly, "If the Red Lantern Goddess comes looking for you, even I can't protect you. Just wait and see."

Liu Changchun watched Chen Mo's retreating figure, feeling utterly desperate. He muttered to himself, "How could this be... How could the once-beautiful Red Lantern Goddess suddenly turn into a ruthless killer? And she only kills her own people. There's no justice in this world!"

Lu Chengzhuang was a little calmer. "Since things have come to this, there's no use in despairing. I feel despair too. We're lucky, at least we survived. And we're with Left Envoy Chen. Perhaps Left Envoy Chen will come up with a solution."

Liu Changchun shook his head: "Impossible. Left Envoy Chen is merely a master of internal martial arts; he couldn't possibly be a match for Her Majesty. Impossible..."

……

After leaving Shuiyun Residence, Chen Mo walked down the street and headed towards Qingfu Residence.

At the same time, it released ghostly figures, remaining constantly vigilant about its surroundings.

There's a reason for letting them stay at Shuiyun Residence. Juan'er set up a magic array there that can isolate many things.

But staying at Shuiyun Residence all the time isn't an option either; that would be no different from being a headless fly.

The Red Lantern Lady's sudden madness made Chen Mo feel an unprecedented sense of crisis.

It was so abrupt.

The Red Lantern Goddess, who had been protecting this place and receiving incense offerings from hundreds of thousands of villagers, suddenly went mad... It's estimated that the Lesser Master of Fate and the Greater Master of Fate may have sensed that something was wrong with the Goddess, but they didn't expect her to go so mad.

"I wonder if Shao Siming is dead or not... I hope she's not. And Old Tang, as the head servant of the Red Lantern Temple, has been serving the Lady in the ancient pagoda. I wonder what's going on? I should go and talk to Guo Ziyu. If Old Tang is alive, then we'll know what's going on with the Lady."

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Mo quickened his pace and soon arrived at the entrance of Qingfu Residence.

Without even knocking, they climbed over the wall and entered.

Upon entering the courtyard and passing through the hanging flower gate into the central courtyard, they saw lights on in the living room. Tang Tongshan, Tang Qi, and Guo Ziyu were all sitting in the living room, their expressions serious and very worried.

Upon seeing Chen Mo arrive, the three breathed a sigh of relief and greeted him.

Chen Mo rushed into the living room, sat down directly, and asked, "Where is Old Tang?"

Guo Ziyu shook her head, "We're worried about Old Tang too. We just received news that something terrible happened at the Red Lantern Temple; everyone inside is dead. Does Young Master Mo know what happened?"

The Red Lantern Temple was the altar of the goddess, and Guo Ziyu and her group had been planning in Honghe County for many years, so naturally they were most concerned about the movements of the Red Lantern Temple. Chen Mo recounted the situation in detail.

hiss.

The three men turned pale and their hands and feet trembled after hearing this.

Guo Ziyu was the first to react, "Has the Red Lantern Goddess gone mad? But this is too illogical. It's not easy for the Red Lantern Goddess to manage the incense offerings here. She needs incense offerings to increase her cultivation, and these incense offerings are the Red Lantern Goddess's lifeblood. No matter how crazy the Red Lantern Goddess is, she wouldn't kill her own subordinates."

Chen Mo was also puzzled, so he asked, "Is it possible that the Red Lantern Lady had a human consciousness before, but has now completely lost control? And then went berserk and started killing people?"

After all, the Red Lantern Goddess was originally a person. It was only after absorbing Shen Liang's aristocratic bloodline that she somehow became a ghost.

For many years, the Red Lantern Goddess has used the incense offerings from this formula to increase her spiritual power. Now, her spiritual power has greatly increased, and she has lost control of it.

That's one explanation.

Guo Ziyu shook her head: "According to Elder Tang's information, the Red Lantern Goddess has long since completely transformed into a ghost and lost her humanity. Losing humanity only means lacking human empathy and a sense of belonging, not completely losing her reason. Even if she had completely transformed into a ghost, it wouldn't have been like this. Something else must have happened."

Chen Mo held the teacup, pondering countless possibilities, but ultimately felt that none of them could explain the strange events that had been happening recently.

For example, even though the incense offerings of twelve townships had been lost, the goddess didn't seem to care.

From that time on, the Empress started acting strangely.

Guo Ziyu sighed and asked, "By the way, has anything happened to the incense hall where Young Master Mo is?"

Chen Mo said, "The incense hall also suffered. They were all eaten by the Red Lantern Goddess. Not a single one was left."

what?
Tang Qi was taken aback. "The incense hall is quite a distance from the Red Lantern Temple. There are countless villagers and households in between. If the Red Lantern Goddess only wanted to eat people, why didn't she eat the villagers near the Red Lantern Temple? Why go to such lengths?"

Chen Mo voiced his guess, "I suspect that the Red Lantern Goddess only eats disciples who have cultivated the Red Lantern Divine Preservation Technique. Eating ordinary people wouldn't have much effect on her."

Tang Qi and Tang Tongshan turned to look at Guo Ziyu.

Besides Chen Mo, Guo Ziyu was also present and had practiced the Red Lantern Spirit Preservation Technique.

Chen Mo asked, "Miss Ziyu is very knowledgeable. Is there any basis for my guess?"

Guo Ziyu said, "What Young Master Mo said... is not without reason. If that's the case, then the Red Lantern Goddess spread the Red Lantern Divine Preservation Method so widely in her early years just for today. This old thing is really good at hiding things. In this way, I'm afraid she will devour all the managers and core disciples of the Red Lantern Clan."

Tang Qi was very worried, "Miss, what are you going to do?"

Guo Ziyu looked at Chen Mo, then sighed and shook her head, "I don't know either. Let's wait for Old Tang to come back, if he's still here..."

The three of them waited quietly in the living room.

The atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Squeak!

Suddenly, the door opened. The four people in the living room jumped up in surprise and turned around. A moment later, they saw Old Tang rushing in.

"Old Tang, you're finally back."

"Master, I was so worried about you."

Old Tang looked exhausted and terrified. He waved his hand and said, "Young Master Mo is here too. You've come at the right time. I have something to say."

Guo Ziyu said, "We also have something important to tell Elder Tang."

Old Tang was taken aback. "Then you two go first."

Guo Ziyu summarized Chen Mo's information and recounted it in detail.

Old Tang's face changed drastically upon hearing this. "Even the incense hall has been affected. It seems that the Red Lantern Goddess really only preys on her own people. Especially those who have cultivated the Red Lantern Divine Preservation Technique, no matter where they hide, she will find them... Alas, the sky is about to collapse in Honghe County."

Chen Mo asked, "Old Tang, what exactly happened at the Red Lantern Temple? That goddess had been healthy for decades, how could she suddenly go mad? What was she after?"

Old Tang sat at the head of the table, summarizing everyone's information. After some thought, he said, "It seems that the countless pieces of information Young Master Mo collected have been useful. Now, after weighing them, I've figured out what this Red Lantern Lady is really up to. This fellow knew all along that the incense offerings of Honghe County would eventually be snatched away by the ghosts of Dayin Mountain. Trying to prolong her ghostly life with incense offerings is ultimately not a long-term solution. After all, this place is close to Dayin Mountain, and too many ghosts are eyeing the incense offerings of Honghe County."

So, while that Bell Lord seized the incense offerings from twelve towns, the Red Lantern Goddess did nothing. It wasn't that she didn't want to do anything; rather, she had been orchestrating this situation forty years ago. She had devised a better plan.

Chen Mo asked with a face full of curiosity, "What method?"

call!
Old Tang took a deep breath: "In this world, gods, ghosts, and demons all love incense. But only ghosts cannot live without incense. Demons do not need incense offerings."

Tang Qi was shocked: "Old Tang, are you saying... that the Red Lantern Goddess has turned herself into a demon?"

Old Tang shook his head: "Demons are too powerful and too far away from us. In all my years, I have never seen a real demon. They are all legendary beings. But besides demons, there is another kind of being that is closer to us, but equally terrifying. This kind of being does not need incense offerings."

Guo Ziyu seemed to realize something and gasped, "Old Tang, are you saying that the Red Lantern Lady has spent forty years gradually transforming herself into..."

Old Tang nodded emphatically: "That's right. I've always worked as a butcher and cook in the ancient pagoda, feeding the goddess a special kind of blood food every day. I've never seen this kind of blood food before; it's similar to the ghost food eaten by fierce ghosts, but it's not ghost food. I didn't think much of it before, until tonight... I saw the Red Lantern Goddess run out of the red coffin and eat the Great Master of Fate. Only then did I realize the goddess's plan."

"Ah, the Grand Master of Fate is a scion of a noble family, his cultivation and strength far surpassing mine, yet he was devoured in one bite by the Red Lantern Lady. He offered absolutely no resistance from beginning to end; it's truly terrifying."

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Chen Mo asked, "Elder Tang, what exactly is that being you're talking about?"

brush!
Old Tang's gaze sharpened as he stared intently at Chen Mo: "A zombie! A being even more monstrous than a ghost. It transcends the Three Realms and is outside the Five Elements. I've only ever seen records of them in the notes left by my ancestors in Tangjiabao years ago. I've never actually seen a zombie. I thought I'd never encounter one in my life. But here I am in Honghe County. This means that the Red Lantern Lady's cultivation has truly reached the heavens. No one in the entire Honghe County can restrain her now."

"Alas, what a tragic fate! That Red Lantern Goddess hid far too well. Now that she's a zombie, we'll never be able to reclaim the incense offerings from this place."

Hearing this, everyone felt extremely heavy-hearted.

Chen Mo felt a chill run down his spine.

It's bad enough that there are ghosts in this world, but now even more terrifying zombies have appeared.

It's really not easy to survive in this world.

Moreover, he had cultivated the Red Lantern Spirit Preservation Technique, which had already caught the eye of the Red Lantern Goddess. He didn't know what would happen next.

Fortunately, Chen Mo was not timid or cowardly, and he quickly adjusted his emotions.

"Old Master Tang, is Shao Siming dead?"

Eh.

Old Tang sighed, "The Red Lantern Goddess first ate the Great Master of Fate, and the second ate the Lesser Master of Fate. She's already dead. I was lucky to escape. I used the Black God's magic to cover up the Red Lantern's spirit-preserving technique, which is how I managed to escape. However... this goddess has turned into a zombie, and it's only a matter of time before she comes after us. All our years of preparation in Honghe County are probably going to be in vain. What a pity, what a pity!!"

After saying that, Old Tang started coughing repeatedly.

Heartbroken.

Guo Ziyu said, "Report it to Tangjiabao. After all, Tangjiabao is stationed here by the Imperial Demon Suppression Division. Even if things go wrong, the Imperial Demon Suppression Division will lend a helping hand."

Old Tang shook his head: "I'm afraid it's no use. Our Tang Family Fortress is too busy taking care of itself in Nanyang Prefecture, and the Imperial Demon Suppression Division is high and mighty. How could they care about our life or death? Besides, the Demon Suppression Division is just a figurehead of the Imperial Court. It has direct jurisdiction but does not belong to the Imperial Court."

Guo Ziyu fell silent.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Chen Mo didn't speak, but after gathering some information, he finally said, "Elder Tang, since there's no hope of seizing the incense offerings here, if we go to Nanyang Prefecture, is it possible to avoid the Red Lantern Goddess's surveillance?"

Old Tang shook his head: "It's unavoidable. However, Nanyang Prefecture is a large city with powerful families in charge. Even if the Empress knew, she might not dare to cause trouble."

Chen Mo nodded: "If there is no way to deal with the Empress, I suggest we head to the prefectural city first thing tomorrow morning. If you have made up your minds, please come to Shuiyun Residence to let me know. If Elder Tang has other plans, you can also let me know."

Old Tang was greatly shocked and aged considerably in an instant, but he didn't say a word.

Guo Ziyu spoke up again, "Isn't there also Lady Bell? I wonder if Lady Bell can handle Lady Red Lantern?"

Suddenly, Old Tang realized something and looked up sharply: "Miss wants Lord Lingdang and the Empress to fight each other so we can reap the benefits?"

Guo Ziyu said, "It's probably impossible to reap the benefits without doing anything, unless both of them are dead. However, if we can deal with the Red Lantern Lady, we can avoid being devoured by her. Even if we go to Nanyang Prefecture, we won't have to live in fear."

Chen Mo agreed. This was a good idea.

I wonder if these two evil gods will fight each other.

Soon, Chen Mo remembered something: "There's a woman named Hongwu under Lord Lingdang's command who met me a month ago. She said she's coming to see me soon. If possible, I can mention it. If there's nothing else, I'll head back."

After saying that, Chen Mo got up and left.

Chen Mo did not return to the Chen residence, but instead went back to Shuiyun Residence.

He ignored everyone and went straight to the back room in the backyard, where he lit an incense stick for the mirror.

Chen Mo was in low spirits after Shao Siming's death.

I finally met a time traveler, but I didn't expect him to just disappear like that.

We didn't even have a chance to exchange more than a few words.

Before long, the wedding room appeared on the mirror, along with Su Yuqing, who was covered with a red veil.

Su Yuqing then spoke up, "Is Young Master Mo in a bad mood?"

Chen Mo glanced at the woman in red. Perhaps because he knew about the existence of zombies, he no longer felt afraid when looking at ghosts; instead, he found them somewhat...cute?
Su Yuqing continued, "If Young Master Mo is in a bad mood and has no one to talk to, why not talk to me? I'll be a listener."

Chen Mo thought this method was good.

There are indeed too many things to say, but no one to talk to.

"Alright, I'll tell you then..."

Chen Mo explained the whole story in detail.

Su Yuqing's focus, however, was quite different: "Young Master Mo seems to be very concerned about the death of that Young Master?"

The voice wasn't loud, but it had a slightly sour tone.

Chen Mo sensed that Su Yuqing seemed to be jealous, but he wasn't really interested. "If you can't chat, don't make awkward conversations. Let me have some peace and quiet."

Su Yuqing said, "Young Master Mo is so fierce. But Young Master Mo probably doesn't understand that Shao Siming."

Chen Mo was taken aback: "What do you mean by that?"

Su Yuqing said, "That Shao Siming is a cursed one; people with that kind of fate don't live long. I saw that fellow before; in fact, that woman died not long after she was born."

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow: "Shao Siming is already dead?"

Su Yuqing said, "That's right. Did Young Master Mo notice the red hairpin and the two gold bells in her hair?"

"remember."

"The problem lies with this hairpin and bell. This bell is a soul-summoning bell. A powerful being used the soul-summoning bell to extend Shao Siming's life. However, the soul inside the bell is no longer Shao Siming's own."

Chen Mo was greatly surprised: "You must be lying to me."

Su Yuqing said resentfully, "How could I dare to deceive you, young master? Everything I said is true. That Shao Siming died right after birth. Later, someone obtained a soul-summoning bell for her and infused it with the soul of another person."

Chen Mo was stunned.

This situation is quite similar to my own.

If that's the case, then it means that Shao Siming is dead... but the soul inside Shao Siming... seems to be dead too?

It's a pity.

Chen Mo wasn't one to mince words, and after regaining his composure, he asked, "Have you ever heard of zombies?"

Su Yuqing said, "I've heard of it. It's an existence even more ferocious than ghosts. It possesses an immortal body that transcends the Three Realms and Five Elements. What, does Young Master Mo want to turn himself into a zombie? If so, that would be a good thing."

Chen Mo was speechless. "What's so good about becoming a zombie?"

Su Yuqing said, "Young Master Mo, you may not know this, but there are great benefits to becoming a zombie."

Oh?
Chen Mo had just said it casually, but Su Yuqing took it seriously.

Chen Mo looked up at the mirror and said, "Tell me, what's so good about becoming a zombie?"

Su Yuqing said with utmost seriousness, "Young Master Mo previously refined the ghost, but he still needs to use the bloodline of his aristocratic family to resist its corruption. However, this is not a long-term solution. The bloodline of the aristocratic family can only block the corruption of the ghost for a while, but it cannot block it for a lifetime. Sooner or later, he will be corrupted by the ghost and will not have a good end."

Chen Mo deeply agreed: "That's right. No scion of aristocratic families who has ever used the power of a ghost has ever met a good end. What about zombies?"

Su Yuqing said, "If Young Master Mo were to become a zombie, he would be completely immune to the corruption of ghosts."

I……

Chen Mo suddenly stood up, staring intently at Su Yuqing in the mirror, his heart pounding wildly.

In Chen Mo's mind, zombies were a more terrifying existence than ghosts.

He never thought about becoming a zombie.

But I never expected that becoming a zombie could completely suppress the invasion of ghosts.

I never imagined zombies would have such benefits.

Are you serious?

Su Yuqing said, "I only wish for Young Master Mo's well-being, how could I deceive you? Zombies are beyond the Three Realms and outside the Five Elements, they are immortal. Ghosts of the same level are like kittens in front of zombies. They have absolutely no resistance. Ghosts are said to be able to penetrate everything, but they cannot penetrate the immortality of zombies."

Chen Mo thought it made sense: "If you become a zombie, will your appearance change significantly?"

Su Yuqing said, "If it is done properly, there will be no obvious changes."

Chen Mo became interested: "How can one become a zombie?"

Su Yuqing shook her head: "Zombies are too terrifying and extremely rare. I've only seen them a few times in my early years. I don't know much about zombies. But the Red Lantern Lady did it, which shows that ghosts with physical bodies can transform into zombies."

Chen Mo sat down cross-legged and pondered for a while.

Suffering from the torment of being corrupted by ghosts, and relying on maintaining balance... is ultimately not a long-term solution.

Zombies seem to be the optimal solution.

Others may not be able to become zombies.

But if you have cheat codes or modification functions... it's possible to turn into a zombie.

If one could obtain some part of the Red Lantern Lady's body, it might be possible to manipulate things.

The problem is... this Red Lantern Lady is just too terrifying.

He had also cultivated the Red Lantern Spirit Preservation Technique, and if he got close to her... he was afraid he would be devoured by her.

That's really too dangerous.

Just then, Su Yuqing spoke up, "If Young Master Mo trusts me, I do have a way."

Chen Mo asked, "What method?"

Su Yuqing said, "Next time, bring this mirror with you. When you get close to the Red Lantern Goddess, release the mirror. I will use my power to draw her into the world within the mirror."

Gollum~
Chen Mo swallowed hard, thinking to himself: This ghost bride is pretty fierce. She's not even afraid of zombies.

Su Yuqing seemed to see through Chen Mo's thoughts. "Although I am a ghost and trapped in the mirror, I am highly skilled. I only need to pull that zombie into the mirror, and I will have a way to deal with it."

Chen Mo did not agree immediately, "Let me think about it."

Although he had spent ten years with Su Yuqing, they had a certain level of trust in each other. At least Chen Mo knew that Su Yuqing wouldn't harm him, and she was still hoping that he could help her get out of the mirror.

Then the problem is coming...

Chen Mo suddenly said, "If it's a zombie, wouldn't it be immune to the ghost curse? Even if it hears the ghost story, it won't die? Isn't that your real purpose?"

The ghost bride in the mirror suddenly turned her head to look at Chen Mo and smiled sinisterly.

……

Daegan, Kyoto.

Kyoto has a magnificent and imposing imperial palace, which is extremely grand and impressive.

However, the palace was not the most magnificent building.

Even more magnificent than the palace is a 36-story wooden building.

Nantian Tower.

The Nantian Tower is only a hundred meters tall, but it is the tallest building in the entire imperial city.

Because this is the headquarters of the Great Qian Demon Suppression Division.

Moreover, the head of the Demon Suppression Division also resides here.

In contrast to the eerie atmosphere of Honghe County, Nantian Tower exudes a majestic aura, soaring straight into the sky.

On the thirty-sixth floor of the wooden building, a woman in a long purple dress stood by the railing, her slender hands resting on the railing, her beautiful eyes gazing down at the capital city.

Moreover, this person's appearance is seven-tenths similar to Shao Siming's, but he is even more elegant and otherworldly than Shao Siming.

The master of Nantianlou, and the head of the Demon Suppression Division of the World.

Only one person, Nangong Ye.

Not long after——

Da da da.

A man clad in silver armor and carrying a long sword strode in, then bowed behind the railing. "Chief Nangong, Her Majesty the Empress invites you to a banquet in the palace."

Nangong Ye parted her lips slightly, "I won't go."

The silver-armored man cupped his hands and said, "Yes, I will decline Your Majesty's offer."

"and many more."

Upon hearing the woman speak, the silver-armored man immediately stopped. "What further instructions does the Chief have?"

Nangong Ye spoke up, "Something's happened in Honghe County on the southeastern border. A little zombie ate one of my chess pieces. Make some preparations and come with me to Honghe County."

"Yes."

(End of this chapter)