I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 130 A Beautiful Woman by My Side, Slaying an Evil God!!!

Although Chen Mo didn't know exactly what had happened, based on his experience of absorbing incense offerings twice in the past, he could estimate that... it was highly likely that someone had offered incense for him.

Moreover, it's quite large in scale.

Before I could think, a wave of pleasurable sensation washed over me. I felt every hair on my body unfurl, and I couldn't help but let out a blissful moan.

uh~
"It feels so good~ It's an indescribable feeling... No wonder ghosts are so eager for human offerings. Now that I've experienced it myself, it seems a bit... addictive!?"

As the incense continued to flow in, Chen Mo closed his eyes and thoroughly experienced the sensation. Only after he had initially adjusted did he open his eyes and begin to ponder.

"Who's putting me on a pedestal?"

Chen Mo had previously considered having Qiu Lan offer incense and prayers to him as a test, but he was afraid of frightening her. Besides, he himself felt that being worshipped as a living, breathing person just didn't feel quite right.

After being constantly hunted down by the Empress, Chen Mo forgot about the incident.

Unexpectedly, someone has now appeared and started to worship him.

I did the things I wanted to do but were not very comfortable doing myself.

He's quite efficient.

Not knowing who the other person was, Chen Mo felt somewhat uneasy. After all, he didn't know if the other person's actions were out of goodwill or if they had ulterior motives.
Only by knowing the details can one feel at ease.

Chen Mo thought about it using the process of elimination.

"Someone from Honghe County?"

That's impossible. Lord Bell and Lady Red Lantern were fighting tooth and nail over incense offerings, and all their acquaintances were dead. No one is offering sacrifices to them anymore.

My family in Fucheng?

That's impossible. My family members are all normal people; they wouldn't think of such crooked and evil ways.

The problem can only be in Dayu County.

He killed the wolf master, and he guessed it was related to this matter.

A girl with a bun hairstyle and her older brother? That's unlikely; those two are too young. They wouldn't think about such things.

Zhou Ziliang?
Fearing retaliation from Lord Wolf's men, Zhou Ziliang worshipped himself, seeking their protection.

“Zhou Ziliang might be capable of doing such a thing. However, the incense that flows into my body is extremely strong, and I'm afraid a large number of people will be worshipping incense. Zhou Ziliang doesn't seem to have that much power.”

After thinking it over and over, Chen Mo still didn't know which one it was, so he had no choice but to give up.

"Once the problem of the Red Lantern Goddess is solved, I will go to Dayu County to find out the truth. I must find out the reason behind it. This world is extremely strange, and I can't let myself be used without even knowing it."

Chen Mo cleared his mind of distractions and carefully sensed the details of the incense flowing into his body.

It was discovered that the incense burning into the body was intermittent, sometimes strong and sometimes weak.

After tidying himself up, Chen Mo made some deductions:
Incense should enter the body in real time.

Whenever someone burns incense, the incense smoke enters their body.

If many people offer incense at a certain time, the incense smoke will be strong. If few people offer incense at a certain time, the incense smoke will be weak.

Chen Mo lacked experience and couldn't accurately determine the number of people offering incense; he only had a vague sense of it.

As the incense entered the incense burner within Chen Mo's sea of ​​consciousness, the originally refined incense gradually became more robust, and the violent and fierce aura emanating from it also tended to soften.

The erosion left by the wolf lord is showing signs of weakening.

After experiencing it all, Chen Mo was quite surprised.

I never imagined that human incense offerings would have so many benefits: enhancing one's spiritual cultivation, making one more gentle, and slowing down the encroachment of ghosts...

Moreover, Chen Mo had a strong premonition that besides these three benefits, human incense offerings probably possessed other mystical properties yet to be discovered.

Chen Mo, always a person who was mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace, quickly thought of another problem:
"Since incense has so many benefits, are there any side effects?"

"For example, countless villagers worship me and make vows to be blessed by me. If I don't bless them... will there be any backlash?"

Chen Mo always felt that there were no such good things in the world.

"Forget it, there's no use in thinking about it blindly. I'll just ask the relevant people later. For now, I'll focus on absorbing the incense offerings."

Chen Mo absorbed the incense offerings for about an hour, then found that the incense had stopped burning.

Does this mean that no one burns incense after dark?

The sudden interruption of the incense offerings left Chen Mo quite displeased and feeling listless.

This feeling... is like a heavy smoker who is suddenly forbidden from smoking. You become restless and uneasy, and something just doesn't feel right.

Chen Mo stood up, dragging his tired and weak body, and paced back and forth in the room.

Anxious and uneasy.

I feel like nothing I do is right, and all I can think about is continuing to absorb incense offerings next time.

He sat down cross-legged and tried to practice his skills, but he couldn't concentrate at all; his mind was filled with thoughts of incense.

This state made Chen Mo very uncomfortable. He knew that in this state, a person couldn't do anything and was no different from a useless person.

Chen Mo hated this feeling.

Bang.

Chen Mo flung open the door and called out, "Lu Chengzhuang, is the medicine ready yet?"

Lu Chengzhuang emerged from the kitchen, his face covered in soot, revealing a set of even whiter teeth. "It's simmering; it'll take another half an hour. Is the young master feeling unwell again? Should I fetch a doctor?"

These past few days, Lu Chengzhuang has been puzzled. Chen Mo, who was usually fierce and violent like an iron man, suddenly became extremely weak, as if it were due to excessive blood loss.

Chen Mo's body went limp, and Lu Chengzhuang panicked.

He had followed Chen Mo on his escape, and had long regarded Chen Mo as his only support. He was still hoping that Chen Mo could help him escape the pursuit of the Red Lantern Lady.

If anything were to happen to Chen Mo, Lu Chengzhuang felt that his own time was almost up as well.

"No need. You continue to prepare the medicine. I'm going out for a walk and check out the surrounding area."

After leaving a message, Chen Mo strolled out of the Flying Inn.

Of course, Chen Mo also carried the wrapped mirror and broadsword on his back.

The entrance to Feilai Inn is right next to Meilin Street, the most bustling street in Ningdu County. Even at night, it is still crowded with people, and all the shops are open and thriving.

There were children chasing each other, peddlers shouting their wares, young girls carrying umbrellas on their way, and wandering knights-errant on their journeys.

It was bustling and lively.

After wandering around for a while, I didn't find anything amiss. The image of the Red Lantern Goddess in my mind was still dim, so I figured she probably wasn't nearby.

With his mind preoccupied with the incense offerings, Chen Mo found it difficult to concentrate on his martial arts practice. He decided to go out for a walk to clear his head and adjust his emotions.

"The incense is good, but the side effects are obvious... it's addictive. Once the incense is stopped, it will make people restless and anxious. And this should be the first side effect."

Chen Mo has a clear understanding of this.

He knew he needed to calm himself down, otherwise he would be ruined.

This kind of internal problem is even more terrifying than the Red Lantern Goddess.

Although the Red Lantern Lady was chasing him relentlessly, he could at least think of ways to escape. But if he couldn't adjust his mindset, he was no different from being dead.

He walked for a long time on the street, until late at night when the crowds dispersed and the streets became empty. Chen Mo's anxiety, however, remained unabated and only intensified.

"You're already so addicted after just one time absorbing incense offerings. What will happen if you absorb them a few more times?"

"Being worshipped isn't necessarily a good thing. Why don't I go to Dayu County to investigate and destroy my offerings? But this incense offering does have many benefits... I'll find a way to suppress this incense addiction first. If I really can't, then I'll destroy the offerings. Many things in life are hard to be perfect, and we always have to make choices."

Chen Mo made up his mind and continued strolling along the street, trying to suppress his anxiety.

result……

The more I tried to suppress my anxiety, the more anxious I became because I couldn't.

Just then, Chen Mo faintly heard the sound of a beautiful guqin.

At first, he just thought the guqin was played beautifully, but as he listened... Chen Mo found that his state of mind had become a little calmer.

"Hey? This piano music is something else."

Chen Mo followed the sound of the zither and arrived at a secluded courtyard not far away. He then climbed over the wall and stood on the roof tiles to look inside. To his surprise, he saw the living room inside was lit up.

I could vaguely see a beautiful figure playing the piano inside.

The melody of the guqin is elegant, melodious, clear, and soothing, as if it possesses a magical power to calm inner anxiety.

After listening for a while, Chen Mo found that his longing for the incense offerings and his anxious emotions had been completely soothed.

Just then, the music stopped.

Chen Mo's longing for incense returned, and he became restless once more.

Chen Mo was speechless.

Is the addiction to incense really that strong?
And how come this guqin sounds so good?
Bang!
Chen Mo jumped down from the wall and stood in the center of the living room. He cupped his hands towards the living room and said, "Miss, please don't be afraid. I am just a merchant passing through Ningdu County. I did not mean to break into your house at night. I just heard your zither playing and found it extremely beautiful. Would you mind playing another piece?"

Seeing that the woman inside did not speak, Chen Mo took out some of the remaining loose silver, walked to the front of the eaves, placed it on the steps, and then took two steps back: "One more song will suffice. I will be very grateful."

Just then, a familiar and pleasant female voice came from the living room.

"It's you?"

Ok?
Just as Chen Mo was in a daze, he saw the beaded curtain in the living room being lifted, and a graceful woman in a purple silk dress walked out. It was the same woman he had met at the teahouse outside the city a few days ago.

Meeting her again felt somewhat like fate to Chen Mo, and his attitude softened. "I've unexpectedly met you again, young lady. What brings you to this place?"

The woman in purple also showed surprise. "I was originally heading west, but these past few days have been raining heavily, making the roads difficult to travel. So I stopped in Ningdu County, intending to continue my journey when the weather cleared. Please come inside and have a seat, sir."

Chen Mo didn't hesitate and went into the living room.

The living room wasn't large, but it was decorated very elegantly, and there was a faint fragrance that made people feel relaxed and happy.

When Chen Mo entered the living room, he sat down on a drum-shaped stool next to the octagonal table without any greeting. So the woman in purple brought over a stove and even offered to make tea for Chen Mo.

Nangong Ye swore that she had never served anyone like this since she took the seat of honor.

Chen Mo took the teacup and nodded. "Thank you, young lady."

The woman in purple replied coldly, "I previously suggested we enter the city together, but you coldly refused. Why have you come to my door today?"

Chen Mo smiled awkwardly: "Please don't misunderstand, young lady. I was being chased and killed before, and I had no choice in the matter. I refused you because I was thinking of you and didn't want you to be dragged into trouble for no reason."

The woman in purple softened her expression. "In that case, I should thank you, young master."

Chen Mo said, "No need for that. The piece you just played was very beautiful. Would you like to play it again?"

The woman in purple said, "Although this is my first time traveling the martial world, I enjoy playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting at home. If you like, young master, I will play another piece. However, if I suggest traveling together next time, please don't refuse so coldly."

Chen Mo sensed that this woman was quite vengeful, so he smiled and said, "If you are not afraid of getting involved in trouble, I can consider it."

The woman in purple then returned behind the curtain, sat down beside the zither, and began to play again with her slender, jade-like fingers.

Ding dong~
The music immediately became melodious and peaceful.

An unimaginable sense of tranquility flowed into Chen Mo's mind along with the musical notes. Like a spring breeze bathing the earth, it soothed all his anxiety and unease.

Chen Mo's mind immediately calmed down.

He closed his eyes, carefully sensing the wondrous aspects of the music.

Chen Mo knew that as soon as the music stopped, his anxiety would return. So he thought of memorizing every melody, then finding someone to play it for him day and night.

In this way, one can cure the side effects caused by incense burning.

After a long while, the peaceful melody stopped again.

Sure enough, the anxiety in my heart and the longing for incense resurfaced.

Chen Mo felt he had almost memorized the melody, but still asked, "This piece is truly wondrous; is there a sheet music?"

The woman in purple came out with a musical score. "This is a musical score I wrote in my early years. If you like it, young master, you may take a look."

Chen Mo immediately felt that this woman was quite understanding, so he accepted her hand: "Thank you, young lady. May I ask your name?"

The woman in purple said, "I have come out to travel the world without my family's knowledge, so I am now a member of the martial arts world. My name is not important."

Chen Mo said, "What you say is true, but we still need a name. That makes it easier to address her."

The woman in purple said, "Young master, you may call me Xiao Ye."

“Xiao Ye…a fine name. My name is Chen Mo. I apologize for disturbing you so late at night. I will take my leave.” Chen Mo rose to take his leave.

Seeing Chen Mo leave so swiftly, the woman in purple added, "That musical score is quite difficult. If you, young master, cannot learn it, you may come back here to find me. I have been staying here for the past few days."

"it is good."

Chen Mo is gone.

The woman in purple watched Chen Mo's departing figure and snorted softly, "This musical score is nothing special, but I infused it with the power of the Taiping Jing Jing Xin Jue when I played it. It's no wonder you can't learn it. Come and ask me for guidance tomorrow."

……

Chen Mo hurriedly returned to the backyard of the Flying Inn.

Lu Chengzhuang had prepared a nourishing tonic for his blood and qi early in the morning and brought it up: "Young master, the medicine is ready. It's just the right temperature."

After drinking three large bowls of herbal soup, Chen Mo felt a surge of heat within his body.

Last time, in order to suppress the wolf's erosion, Chen Mo burned one-fifth of his blood, and now his body is severely depleted of qi and blood. He has no choice but to continue taking the medicine.

After taking the medicine, Chen Mo handed the sheet music to Lu Chengzhuang: "Tomorrow morning, go to the brothel in Ningdu County and spend money to invite the most skilled courtesan who is proficient in playing the guqin. Make sure she brings her guqin."

Lu Chengzhuang flipped through the sheet music, finding nothing amiss, and was quite surprised: "Why has the young master taken a liking to playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting? If you want to find a courtesan to spend the night with, you can just go to a brothel. Why go through all this trouble?"

Chen Mo said, "I have my own plans, so don't ask any more questions."

Lu Chengzhuang wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling that this Young Master Mo was an extraordinary person, and agreed.

Unable to practice his skills due to his restlessness, Chen Mo spent the night in a state of anxiety.

The next morning.

The incense has been burned again.

"Hmm~"

Chen Mo immediately sat up cross-legged on the bed, carefully experiencing the wonderful effects of the incense. His anxiety disappeared, and he entered a state of complete absorption.

"There seem to be more incense offerings today than yesterday. That's good. It's best not to let it stop."

After a morning of practice, Chen Mo was in excellent condition.

However, Chen Mo also discovered that although incense has many wonderful uses and can gently enhance one's cultivation, the speed is very slow, far less direct and rapid than the ghost-eating-ghost method.

It was noon.

The incense has gone out again.

hiss!
Chen Mo immediately became anxious.

It's even more serious than last time.

I just don't feel right.

"It's midday and no one's offering incense for me? This feeling of being out of control is really unsettling."

Chen Mo went out: "Lu Chengzhuang, did you bring the person?"

Lu Chengzhuang was waiting outside early: "I brought her. She's waiting in the side room. She's a top courtesan, her zither skills are first-rate, and her price isn't cheap. The girl is also quite pretty."

"Looks aren't the point; the main thing is your musical skill." Chen Mo hurriedly followed Lu Chengzhuang to the side room.

Sure enough, I saw a beautiful girl wearing a semi-transparent silk dress, with a white strapless top underneath, a very short skirt, and a semi-transparent gauze draped over it.

As soon as Lu Chengzhuang entered, he introduced, "This is our young master Mo. He specially spent a lot of money to invite you here to compose music. Don't disappoint him."

The girl was very polite. She stood up and bowed to Chen Mo, saying, "Thank you for your favor, young master. My name is Yu'er. I have been performing at Hongxiu Tower since I was a child. I am most skilled at playing the guqin."

Chen Mo sat down in the grand chair with an air of nonchalance, took the tea that Lu Chengzhuang offered him, took a sip, and asked, "Have you looked at all the musical scores?"

Yu'er said, "I have read it several times and know it by heart. I have also played it several times in private and it is perfect."

Chen Mo was overjoyed: "Good. If you play well, I will redeem you from your servitude and keep you by my side from now on."

Upon hearing this, Yu'er immediately showed an incredulous expression and said tremblingly, "My ransom is very expensive, probably several thousand taels."

Chen Mo waved his hand dismissively: "Anything that can be solved with money is not a problem. Now play for me."

Yu'er was truly shocked by Chen Mo's charisma, secretly thinking that she had met a good man and that her life now had hope. As for the musical score, it was really nothing special, and she was confident that she could play it very well.

"Thank you, young master. I will certainly play well."

Yu'er thanked them again, then sat down next to the guqin and began to play according to the score.

Chen Mo closed his eyes early, waiting for the melody that would soothe his restless heart to appear.

however……

The melody appeared, and it sounded very nice.

But... it was really nothing special. It didn't help my anxiety at all.

After listening to the piece, Chen Mo's anxiety not only didn't improve, but worsened. Facing Yu'er's expectant and apprehensive gaze, Chen Mo waved his hand in disappointment, "That's not the feeling. Take it back."

Yu'er left in disappointment.

Not long after, Lu Chengzhuang returned. "Young master, I think Yu'er's zither skills are very good. Her playing is very beautiful." Chen Mo shook his head: "You don't understand. Go to other brothels and find girls with good zither skills to play for you. If there are any daughters of wealthy families who are proficient in playing the zither, you can also find them."

Lu Chengzhuang said awkwardly, "Young master, we don't have much money left. Hiring girls from brothels will cost extra money. If you insist on finding someone with good zither skills, we might as well go to a brothel. That would save us a lot of money."

Chen Mo considered it briefly, then said, "Alright. Let's go to the brothel then."

In one afternoon, Chen Mo visited five or six brothels and found more than a dozen girls to play the zither.

The melody is correct.

But it just didn't work.

Chen Mo had no choice but to leave in disappointment.

"Could there be something hidden in this musical score? Or is it not a problem with the score, but with the person playing it?"

As dusk fell, Chen Mo had consumed a nourishing tonic, and his health had improved somewhat.

Chen Mo then took the sheet music and went to Xiao Ye's courtyard again.

Xiao Ye, as usual, brewed tea to entertain him. "Young master, you've spent the whole day studying the zither score. Have you gained anything?"

Chen Mo shook his head: "I've studied it all day, but haven't gained any insights. I think only Miss Xiao Ye can play this score with such exquisite melody. Could you play another piece for me?"

"It's impossible."

Xiao Ye returned to the guqin behind the curtain and sat down, glancing at Chen Mo out of the corner of her eye: "Studying all day, only to be studying in a brothel. Taking my sheet music to a brothel... How filthy."

The music resumed.

hiss!
Chen Mo felt a long-lost feeling.

It's the taste.

Be calm and composed, and have a gentle heart.

All distracting thoughts disappeared.

By this point, Chen Mo had realized that this was a human problem.

Some exceptional skills in playing the guqin still depend on the person performing them.

After listening to the music, Chen Moren became more polite: "Miss Xiaoye is truly a born musician. May I come here often to listen to your music?"

Xiao Ye said calmly, "I wander the world alone, and I am already lonely and miserable. If you, young master, come often, I will be happy."

The next few days.

Besides taking medicine to nourish his blood and qi, Chen Mo also practiced his martial arts by absorbing incense offerings. Whenever the incense offerings went out, he would go to Xiao Ye's courtyard to listen to music.

They lived a leisurely and comfortable life.

Gradually, Chen Mo realized that Xiao Ye was no ordinary person.

She possessed an indescribable tranquility; perhaps only someone with such tranquility could play melodies imbued with that tranquility. Later, Chen Mo discovered... even when Xiao Ye wasn't playing, Chen Mo felt no anxiety simply by being near her.

After questioning, Chen Mo learned that Xiao Ye was from a powerful family in Jingcheng Town. Because her family was forcing her into marriage, Xiao Ye refused and secretly left to travel the world.

Although Chen Mo didn't quite believe what the other person said, he generally felt that the other person should be from a family that suppressed demons.

Later on, Xiao Ye would even go to Chen Mo's courtyard to play music, chat, or cook food.

Chen Mo never expected that Xiao Ye was also such a good cook.

Nangong Ye swore that he had never cooked for anyone like this since he became the head chef.

Ten days passed in a flash.

After a series of intensive tonics, Chen Mo's depleted qi and blood were finally fully restored.

……

call!
That evening, after absorbing the incense offerings in his room, Chen Mo revealed a satisfied expression.

"The wolf's erosion has been basically suppressed, and the blood fire has also progressed further, essentially reaching perfection. Next, we can begin refining the true fire. I just don't know how the true fire differs from the blood fire..."

In addition, the progress of burning the fifth stick of natal ghost incense is about one-tenth complete.

Chen Mo opened the panel to check the fusion progress of the ghost bone.

【Name: Shadow Demon Bone】

Integration Progress: 49/100

[Unknown part: Not yet awakened]

[Note: When the fusion rate exceeds 50%, a new power will be awakened.]

"The fusion rate of this ghost bone is progressing far too slowly; it has only reached 49 after so long. However, it will awaken new power once it exceeds 50. It is worth looking forward to."

Chen Mo got up and stretched his arms and legs.

They are energetic and vigorous, with inexhaustible strength.

Their strength has reached an unprecedented peak.

Even when facing a Yellow Page Ghost with five perfect incantations, Chen Mo felt no fear whatsoever, and could even kill it directly.

But there is bad news too.

The image of the goddess in my sea of ​​consciousness is no longer dim; it has not only regained its original radiance but has become even stronger. Occasionally, it even shows some fluctuations.

Based on Chen Mo's experience, this was a sign that the Empress was approaching him.

This left Chen Mo speechless.

I've already run over 400 li (approximately 200 kilometers).

You, the Red Lantern Lady, still won't let go. You're determined to kill me before you're satisfied, aren't you?

Boom boom boom!
There was a knock on the door.

"Young master, Miss Xiaoye has already prepared dinner."

"coming."

Chen Mo hurriedly went out and saw a steaming four-dish-and-soup meal laid out on the table in the living room. Xiao Ye, dressed in purple, was already sitting down and eating.

Lu Chengzhuang served Chen Mo rice, praising, "Miss Xiaoye is so skillful. We've been running all this way and haven't had such delicious food."

Xiao Ye, though pleased with the praise, seemed rather unhappy. "Eat quickly. The heavy rain has stopped today. Does the young master plan to continue his journey westward? You must take me with you. This is my first time traveling the world, and I'm not very safe traveling alone."

While eating, Lu Chengzhuang noticed that Chen Mo didn't answer, so he came out to help: "Young master, Miss Xiaoye's zither skills are superb, and her cooking is outstanding. We still have a long way to go on our journey westward. Having one more person won't hurt."

Chen Mo felt the stillness within his body, then moved closer to Xiao Ye and found that the stillness within his body had doubled.

Click.

Chen Mo ate a piece of meat, swallowed it, and said, "I have no objection, but I'll be frank with you first: we're being chased by a very powerful monster. If you come with us, you might not be able to get away with it. If that monster catches up, I might not be able to protect you."

Xiao Ye breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "I've been traveling the world, and I'm always looking for a monster to kill. I'm doing my part to uphold justice. If that monster comes, you won't need to protect me, young master. I will never blame you."

These days, Xiaoye feels that things are really too difficult for her.

They served him faithfully and flattered him.

Now Chen Mo has finally relented.

When have I ever suffered such injustice?
If that zombie hadn't been so important, Xiaoye would never have done this.

Chen Mo glared at Xiao Ye, looking at her like she was an idiot, and corrected her, "It's hard enough to survive in this world, there aren't many chivalrous people out there. Don't let your hot-bloodedness get the better of you and cost you your life. If you follow me, you'll obey my orders. Otherwise, I'll just abandon you."

It wasn't that Chen Mo was heartless, but being chased by the Empress all the way was no small matter. Chen Mo didn't want to bring along a young lady from a noble family, only to have an extra burden on her.

Having a calm demeanor can be helpful, but if someone has a spoiled, demanding personality, they'll cause trouble everywhere. Some things need to be made clear.

Xiao Ye pouted unhappily and replied, "I understand. I will do as you say, young master."

Chen Mo waved his hand and said, "Let's eat. After dinner, prepare our luggage and set off immediately."

After the meal, everyone packed their luggage and prepared to set off.

Just then, the innkeeper of Feilai Inn walked in with his fifteen-year-old son, smiling and saying, "Young Master Mo, are you leaving already?"

The old manager would love to keep such distinguished guests for a few more days.

Even if they are leaving, we should still come to see them off and leave a good impression.

Chen Mo slung the wrapped mirror and broadsword over his shoulder and said, "These past few days, I've troubled you, innkeeper, to run around and help me buy medicinal herbs. I'm in a hurry to get going, so I'll be leaving tonight."

The old innkeeper spoke kindly for a while, then said, "Young Master Mo, why not stay another night? Tonight happens to be the Lantern Festival at the Temple of the Third Eunuch, a grand annual event. The Third Eunuch will also come out to bestow blessings upon everyone. The Third Eunuch we worship here only gets to see him once a year. Why don't you watch the Lantern Festival before you leave? If you can receive the Third Eunuch's blessing, your journey will surely be smooth and safe; otherwise, it would be such a pity..."

At first, Chen Mo didn't think much of it.

Upon hearing that the Third Master was going to come forward to offer his blessings to everyone... he immediately had an idea.

"Since the shopkeeper has so kindly invited me, I would be honored to accept. However, I am not familiar with this..."

Upon hearing that a distinguished guest like Chen Mo wanted to see the lantern festival, the old shopkeeper immediately became interested: "That's easy. I have some influence in the city. I can take Young Master Mo to the temple to participate in the lantern festival. At that time, Young Master can donate some incense money and then see the Third Eunuch up close."

Chen Mo became increasingly interested, "May I ask how much incense money is needed to see the Third Eunuch up close?"

The old shopkeeper smiled and said, "Not much, five taels will suffice. If you donate a thousand taels, you can take a large incense stick to the Third Eunuch to offer your prayers. The Third Eunuch will also extend a benevolent hand, pat the young master's forehead, and personally bestow blessings upon him."

"Please wait for me outside, shopkeeper. I'll be there in a moment. We'll go to the lantern festival together."

The old shopkeeper was overjoyed: "Very well, my son and I will wait outside."

Chen Mo returned to his room and asked Lu Chengzhuang, "How much silver is left?"

Lu Chengzhuang took out the crumpled silver notes and counted them carefully: "Recently, the expenses for buying medicine for the young master have been very high, and we only have six hundred taels left."

Chen Mo had never worried about money before, but after running away, he was now in trouble because of it.

Chen Mo took the silver notes, counted them, and confirmed that there were indeed six hundred-tael notes. He then looked at Xiao Ye beside him, "Miss Xiao Ye, may I borrow four hundred taels? I will return it to you soon."

Xiao Ye was straightforward; she took out four hundred-tael silver notes and stuffed them into Chen Mo's hand.

"Thank you, Miss Xiaoye. Please wait here for me. I'm going to check out the lantern festival. I'll be right back."

Just as Chen Mo was about to leave, Xiao Ye called out to him, "The lantern festival is so beautiful, why don't we go together? I'd like to see the sights too."

Chen Mo felt that although Xiao Ye wasn't one to cause trouble, she still had a bit of a spoiled young lady's temper, so he said, "You're from the capital, you've seen the world. This little temple fair in Ningdu County is probably nothing to you. There's nothing to see."

Xiaoye said, "Every place has its own unique customs and traditions. The capital city is too restrictive, so there's not much to see. The lantern festival here is much more interesting."

Seeing Chen Mo's displeasure, Xiao Ye had no choice but to lower her stance: "Young Master, rest assured, once we're outside, I will obey your every command. I will absolutely not cause you any trouble. Surely you won't even grant me this small request?"

Chen Mo said, "Then let's go together. Lu Chengzhuang, keep an eye on her on the way and don't let her cause any trouble."

"Yes, young master."

The three of them took some luggage and went out, where they met the old shopkeeper at the door. They then headed towards the San Gong Gong Temple.

The old shopkeeper was a devout follower of the Third Eunuch, and he enthusiastically told Chen Mo about the Third Eunuch's virtues along the way. His son was fifteen years old and about to take the imperial examination, so he planned to go to the Third Eunuch's place today to ask for his blessing, hoping to pass with flying colors.

Chen Mo listened attentively and roughly understood where the Third Eunuch came from.

The third old man was originally a peach grower.

The villagers ate the peaches from the Third Grandfather and all their illnesses disappeared; they lived long and healthy lives. They then began to worship this Third Grandfather. Later, a shrine was built in his honor.

That is, the Temple of the Three Dukes.

In this way, the Third Eunuch became a deity worshipped by everyone in Ningdu County.

Before long, we arrived at the Temple of the Three Dukes.

The place is overcrowded, and lanterns are hung everywhere.

Local villagers brought their families and children to see the lantern festival and guess lantern riddles, creating a very lively atmosphere.

At the main entrance of the temple dedicated to the Third Grandfather, there was a donation box for incense money, and a monk sat by a long table, taking notes with paper and pen. Villagers who donated five taels of silver could enter the temple to worship the Third Grandfather.

The old shopkeeper was generous and took the initiative to pay five taels of silver for Chen Mo and his companions.

The monk finished registering the guests and said with a smile, "Manager Li, you're a rare guest! Please come in quickly. The Third Eunuch's blessing ceremony is about to begin."

"Thank you."

Manager Li cupped his hands in greeting before leading Chen Mo and the others through the temple gate.

The temple was very grand, and there were many worshippers inside, each carrying incense and offering their prayers.

Chen Mo also took incense and followed the long queue to the square outside the central hall of the temple. He saw a large crowd gathered there, forming a long queue, waiting to offer their prayers at the entrance of the hall.

Chen Mo led Lu Chengzhuang and the other person to proceed in the queue for the first time. To Chen Mo's surprise, Xiao Ye didn't cause any trouble. Although she was curious about the customs around her, she remained calm and followed the queue.

As Chen Mo approached the main hall entrance, he saw that the worshippers ahead of him had reached the entrance but were not allowed to enter. Instead, they knelt at the entrance, offering incense and prayers towards the inside.

Candles were lit in the main hall, and a smiling old man could be clearly seen sitting in a chair, watching worshippers come to the entrance to offer incense. One worshipper offered a thousand taels of silver. A monk came and collected the silver note, then handed the worshipper a large incense stick, about half a person's height. The worshipper held the incense stick in both hands and entered the hall, kneeling before the Third Eunuch to offer incense.

The Third Master then gave a peach to the pilgrim and patted him on the forehead as a blessing. The pilgrim left satisfied, earning the envy of the other pilgrims around him.

Soon it was Manager Li's turn, but Manager Li was a sensible person and took the initiative to give up his seat: "Young Master Mo is an honored guest, please go first."

Chen Mo nodded, stepped forward, and said to the monk beside him, "I have great respect for the Third Eunuch, and I would like to exchange for a large incense stick!"

Upon hearing this, the pilgrims queuing around him all turned to look at him. Their gazes towards Chen Mo changed.

"This young master is truly arrogant."

"A single stick of incense costs a thousand taels of silver; that's incredibly extravagant."

"This young master is handsome, but he has lost all his hair at such a young age. Could it be that he is going to spend a thousand taels to beg the Third Eunuch to regrow his hair?"

Even so, spending a thousand taels is still too expensive.

"Rich young masters are known for their extravagant spending; silver is nothing more than a stone in their eyes. We don't understand that kind of world."

"Absolutely, absolutely, we don't understand the thoughts of rich young masters."

"..."

Manager Li was also taken aback. He knew Chen Mo was arrogant, but he didn't know he was this arrogant. Then he thought that such an arrogant pilgrim was a distinguished guest of his inn, and he felt honored. He quickly came out and said a few words, "This young master Mo is staying at our Feilai Inn, which is truly an honored guest. He is extremely sincere to Master San. We hope everyone will come to Feilai Inn more often in the future, so that we can share in Master San's good fortune."

Everyone nodded in approval.

Chen Mo was speechless at Manager Li's behavior, thinking to himself, "What kind of time is this, and he still doesn't forget to advertise his own inn... His ideas are certainly advanced, he should be doing business."

Lu Chengzhuang and Xiao Ye, standing to the side, were taken aback, not expecting Chen Mo to spend a thousand taels to offer incense to the Third Eunuch. However, the two quickly realized what Chen Mo's plan was... and were secretly alarmed.

"When distinguished guests arrive, please donate a thousand taels of silver and a large incense stick!"

A monk exclaimed, then came up and took Chen Mo's silver notes, gave him a large incense stick, and said to Chen Mo with a smile, "Young master, you are truly a devout follower of the Third Eunuch. You are a blessed man. Quickly take the large incense stick and enter the main hall to offer incense to the Third Eunuch. You may be rewarded with a peach from the Third Eunuch."

"Thank you."

Chen Mo thanked them, then, holding a large incense stick, entered the main hall amidst the envious gazes of countless people.

The main hall was extremely grand, with candles placed everywhere, making it brightly lit.

At the far end stood a colossal statue of the Third Eunuch, pure gold, majestic and solemn. Before the statue was a grand armchair, upon which sat a plump, fair-skinned, kind-looking old man. Beside him was a small table laden with a plate of large red peaches. In front of this was a large incense burner for holding large incense sticks.

Holding a large incense stick, Chen Mo walked forward with utmost respect.

I opened the panel and saw the kind old man.

The Yellow Pages Ghost of Five Incense Sticks.

However, it was a complete success after only five incense sticks burning.

Chen Mo knew there were no problems.

Da da da.

Chen Mo walked up to the kind old man and respectfully inserted the large incense stick into the incense burner.

Ah!
The kind old man said with a benevolent expression, "Not bad, not bad. If there were more pilgrims like you in Ningdu County, we would have accumulated a lot of merit. Come forward and let's talk."

Chen Mo nodded in agreement, walked around the large incense burner, and stood two meters away from the kind old man.

The kind old man asked, "What does the young man desire?"

Chen Mo respectfully said, "My family is in business, and I travel all over the place. Although I have practiced some minor martial arts, I accidentally ingested some medicinal herbs, which caused me to lose my hair at a young age. Losing hair is not a big deal, but I am of marriageable age, and my appearance is really unsightly. I have long heard that you, Third Eunuch, are kind and benevolent, and possess unparalleled martial arts skills. I have come here to beg you to grant me the favor of helping me grow my hair back."

"Hahaha."

The kind old man touched his bald head and said, "It's understandable that young people care so much about their appearance. This is not difficult. Eat the peach I give you, and your hair will grow back."

After saying this, the kind old man took a peach from the table and said, "Come forward, take the peach and eat it. Your marriage will surely be harmonious and happy from now on."

"Thank you very much, Third Eunuch, for bestowing upon me the immortal peach."

Chen Mo stepped forward, reaching for the peach, thinking to himself: "A mere ghost dares to call himself a god, and even calls this lousy peach a 'celestial peach,' that's bad enough. But to sell it for a thousand taels each? That's just too much."

The kind old man smiled and handed the peach to Chen Mo: "When your hair grows long in the future, please remember to come to the temple again and return the favor with a large incense stick."

"A thousand taels is a small amount, but you want to sell it for two thousand taels..." Chen Mo thought to himself, but said aloud, "I remember the Third Eunuch's instructions. May I borrow something from the Third Eunuch?"

The kind old man smiled and said, "What do you need... Ah!!!"

puff!

Before the old man could finish speaking, he suddenly let out a piercing scream. It turned out that Chen Mo's two-finger lightning spike had pierced a large hole in his head.

"I'll lend you your head!"

boom!
The next moment, Chen Mo's entire body erupted with blood and fire. He drew his sword with a backhand and slashed fiercely at the old man's body!

(End of this chapter)