I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 139 A Twisted Fate, Jiang Hongyue's Identity!!!

The person behind the Red Lantern Lady is... Jiang Hongyue!?
Chen Mo's pupils contracted, and his mind went blank for a moment.

Isn't Jiang Hongyue Jiang Xiaoti's mother?

How could she be the owner of the Red Lantern Goddess?
Chen Mo felt his mind was a bit of a mess.

He didn't continue questioning the Red Lantern Goddess, but instead mentally reviewed all the details of how he obtained this information.

First, Chen Mo remembered the first time he heard the name Jiang Hongyue was because of a letter left to him by the yellow-robed infant, which told a story:
Jiang Hongyue came to Dayin Mountain to visit relatives in her early years. She unfortunately contracted a powerful evil spirit and inexplicably became pregnant. Jiang Hongyue rushed home to see her husband and share the good news. However, her husband was furious upon learning of the pregnancy.

Jiang Hongyue's husband hadn't shared a bed with her for years, and convinced that she was carrying an illegitimate child, he kicked her out of the house. With nowhere else to turn, Jiang Hongyue returned to Mount Dayin and prayed to an evil god, hoping to learn the origins of her child and its father through the deity.

The evil god remains silent.

Jiang Hongyue then planned to rest and prepare for childbirth in Dayin Mountain.

She was pregnant for three years, but the baby still hadn't come out.

Later, Jiang Hongyue's husband died.

The husband's concubine took over the household affairs and sent an old Taoist priest with men to Dayin Mountain to kill the fetus in Jiang Hongyue's womb, so that the child would not fight for the family property after it was born.

However, after the old Taoist priest arrived at Da Yin Mountain and met Jiang Hongyue, he discovered that the child in Jiang Hongyue's womb was an evil spirit. He concluded that Jiang Hongyue had not had sexual relations with anyone, but had only been sexually conceived by an evil being from the underworld, which was why she was carrying a fetus that was half yin and half yang.

So the old Taoist priest set up an altar in the Dayin Mountain, intending to sacrifice Jiang Hongyue and the fetus in her womb.

Unexpectedly, the sacrificial ceremony went awry. All the participants and practitioners perished. The village where the altar was located was turned into a mass grave.

Sixty years passed in this way.

The fetus in Jiang Hongyue's arms, however, had not "died" because it possessed the bones of the Ghost Curse, and was always hanging on by a thread.

Later, Shen Liang was killed by the Red Lantern Goddess. In order to avenge him, Shen Yujun went to worship the ghosts of Dayin Mountain and got close to Li Qing. She made up a lie about giving birth to a spirit child. In the end, she and Li Qing went to some mass grave in Dayin Mountain and found a pregnant female corpse. They then cut out the dead infant from the woman's abdomen.

That baby was Jiang Xiaoti, who possessed the bones of a demon.

Shen Yujun lacked the bloodline of a noble family and could not directly fuse with the ghost bones. Therefore, she cultivated spirit infants, hoping to use them to digest Jiang Xiaoti's ghost bones, and then consume those spirit infants to indirectly obtain Jiang Xiaoti's ghost bones…

After reviewing this information in his mind, Chen Mo began to ponder:

Is Jiang Xiaoti lying?
Or is the Red Lantern Goddess lying?
Chen Mo intuitively felt that it was unlikely.

The message of filial piety and brotherly love was given when she was on her deathbed; as the saying goes, a dying person's words are good. At this moment, the Red Lantern Goddess also wanted to save her life, so there was no need for her to lie.

Then another possibility exists: the information Jiang Xiaoti knew was all gathered by himself, and therefore incomplete. The Red Lantern Goddess, on the other hand, knew much more, precisely the parts that Jiang Xiaoti missed.

However, Chen Mo also knew that this was just his speculation and should not be taken seriously. He needed to compare the information about filial piety and the Empress to know the truth.

After sorting through the information, Chen Mo asked the Red Lantern Goddess, "Did your master come to Dayin Mountain to visit relatives in the past?"

The Red Lantern Lady said, "Yes. When my master traveled south and passed through Nanzhou, he took me with him, and we went together to visit relatives in Dayin Mountain. My master treated me very well."

Sure enough, the first ring matched.

Chen Mo continued, "Later, Jiang Hongyue inexplicably became pregnant? She went home to tell her husband the good news, but it caused him to fly into a rage?"

The Red Lantern Lady said, "Yes. It's because the master and mistress haven't shared a bed for many years. The master is convinced that the mistress's child is illegitimate."

The second ring also matches.

Chen Mo continued, "And then what happened?"

The Red Lantern Goddess said, "Later, the master drove the mistress out of the house. The mistress, having nowhere else to turn, went to Mount Dayin to worship an evil god, asking the god about the origin of her child. The evil god wouldn't tell, so the mistress planned to nurture her pregnancy on Mount Dayin and give birth. However, after three years of pregnancy, the fetus still hadn't been born. Later, the master's concubine took over the household affairs and sent an old Taoist priest with men to Mount Dayin to kill the fetus in the mistress's womb, lest the child fight over the family property after its birth. But when the old Taoist priest arrived at Mount Dayin, he discovered that the fetus in the mistress's womb was an evil god. So he set up an altar on Mount Dayin to sacrifice the mistress and the fetus together. But the sacrifice ceremony went awry, and everyone involved died."

Chen Mo listened carefully to every piece of information given by the Red Lantern Goddess and compared it with the information about filial piety and brotherly love.

It basically matches.

It's clear that neither of them was lying.

However, there is one discrepancy: Xiaoti said that Jiang Hongyue's husband died. But the Red Lantern Goddess did not mention this.

Chen Mo then asked, "Is Jiang Hongyue's husband dead?"

The Red Lantern Lady shook her head: "I don't know. I was originally just a beggar wandering in Nanzhou. My master was kind and gave me a meal."

Chen Mo noted it down, "Have you ever been to the Great Yin Mountain? Do you know what relatives your master went to the Great Yin Mountain to visit?"

The Red Lantern Goddess shook her head: "My master never went to the Great Yin Mountain when he was alive. He wouldn't let me go with him. I don't know what relatives he visited. Only after he died did he communicate with me through his soul."

Even after death, can we still communicate through our souls?
"How did your master give you that red lantern?"

“It appeared to me in a dream. When I woke up, there was a red lantern beside me.”

The more Chen Mo listened, the more he felt that Jiang Hongyue was very strange. "Do you know who Jiang Hongyue is?"

The Red Lantern Lady shook her head: "I was just a little beggar back then, how would I know what kind of family such a great person as my master came from? But my master was the most magnificent and elegant woman I had ever seen. Later, I also became a ghost in Honghe County, and always did what my master wanted. I never left Honghe County in my life. I also don't know where my master came from."

Chen Mo asked, "Your master keeps contacting you in your dreams?"

"Yes."

Chen Mo continued, "So, besides your master, there are other powerful evil spirits in the Great Yin Mountain?"

"Yes."

Chen Mo pondered for a moment, processing the complex information in his mind, and finally said, "Tell me the details of your master. How you met him, how he took you south, what he said to you... the more detailed the better."

This Jiang Hongyue is so mysterious it's frightening.

Chen Mo hadn't taken it seriously before, assuming it was just a dead female corpse. He had even promised Jiang Xiaoti to find Jiang Hongyue's body, bury her, and have Jiang Xiaoti's name engraved on the tombstone.

Now I feel...something's getting more and more wrong.

Even the Red Lantern Lady didn't know much about Jiang Hongyue, so Chen Mo had to ask for more details to look up later.

The Red Lantern Goddess didn't seem to mind at all and told her everything in detail.

That happened a hundred years ago. Jiang Hongyue was a very elegant and noble woman. She wore gold and silver, and was said to be quite powerful. Her entourage when she traveled south to visit relatives was very grand. When she passed through Nanzhou, even the then governor of Nanzhou personally came out to greet her.

Later, when they arrived in Honghe County, Jiang Hongyue led her entourage into the mountains, leaving the Red Lantern Goddess to wait in Honghe County.

In general, Jiang Hongyue did not have much contact with the Red Lantern Goddess while she was alive.

After listening carefully, Chen Mo didn't find anything amiss, only knowing that Jiang Hongyue was of noble birth. He guessed she was either a daughter of a prominent family or the wife of a high-ranking official in the imperial court.

However, after Jiang Hongyue died, she spoke a lot to the Red Lantern Goddess through a dream.

The Red Lantern Lady, grateful for her master's kindness, did everything according to Jiang Hongyue's instructions without ever asking for a reason.

The more this happened, the more uneasy Chen Mo felt.

"And what's going on between you and Lady Bell?"

Chen Mo remembered that when the Red Lantern Lady met the Bell Girl at the Zhou Mansion in Jiangkou Town, they looked like enemies meeting.

At that time, the Red Lantern Goddess even said that Lord Bell was a household slave, and that she became a ghost to protect herself from Lord Bell...

Lady Bell said that the Red Lantern Goddess had harmed her family.

Chen Mo kept all of this in mind.

The Red Lantern Lady said, "After my master died, he appeared in my dream to communicate with me. I went to the Great Yin Mountain to look for my master. I saw a village, but a family in that village blocked me and was harmful to my master. It was the family of Bell. I wanted to see my master, so I turned myself into a ghost. But even so, I still couldn't enter that village. Only by becoming a zombie could I enter that village."

Chen Mo understood.

All the information matched up.

So... all of this is because of Jiang Hongyue.

Chen Mo let out a long sigh and continued to ask, "Do you know any ghost stories? People who hear ghost stories will be cursed by ghosts?"

The Red Lantern Goddess shook her head: "I know that similar ghost stories have happened in Honghe County, but I don't know the details."

Hearing this, Chen Mo became even more curious.

The Red Lantern Lady didn't know?
Chen Mo remembered that Su Yuqing and her stepmother had come to Dayin Mountain to visit relatives, but an accident happened during their visit. Later, Su Yuqing became troubled by this ghost story.

Logically speaking, Su Yuqing and Jiang Hongyue were together, so the Red Lantern Lady should know something about it.

Could it be that the Red Lantern Goddess is not of a high enough level?

Chen Mo tentatively asked, "Have you ever heard of someone named Su Yuqing?"

The Red Lantern Lady said, "I've heard of her. Su Yuqing and my master came south together to visit relatives, but then she disappeared without a trace. Su Yuqing was a woman of noble bearing, clearly a daughter of a wealthy family."

Chen Mo sorted through the information in his mind and said, "Jiang Hongyue planted the Other Shore Flower Spell on pieces of ghost bones to cultivate ghost infants, all in order to find someone who could use the Other Shore Flower Spell to lure her back to the human world. So, if I use the Other Shore Flower Spell today, Jiang Hongyue will sense it and come back to the human world to find me, right?"

"Yes."

"Is your master very strong?"

"I could sense in my dream that my master was terrifying. In fact, my master was already extraordinary when he was alive, and he became even more extraordinary after death. Once my master returns to the world, the world will surely be shaken. After all, my master is an extraordinary being who can provide the aura of zombies."

Chen Mo remained silent and glanced at the old man in black beside him.

At this moment, I had no interest in asking the old man any questions.

Chen Mo moored the awning boat next to a village with houses, then ran off the boat, borrowed an incense stick from someone, and continued on his way, lighting the blood incense.

"This matter is serious; I need to summon Juan'er to help."

Chen Mo moored the awning boat on a deserted shore, discovering it was a swamp, and steered the boat in. Then he waited quietly for Juan'er to arrive.

About two hours later, Juan'er arrived.

"Brother Mo, are you missing Juan'er?" Juan'er didn't know what had happened and smiled playfully.

"Yes, I miss Juan'er." Chen Mo beckoned Juan'er over, then instructed, "You stay here and watch over these two zombies. They're sealed off and can't move. Don't go near them."

Juan'er asked, "Where did Brother Mo go?"

Chen Mo said, "I have some personal business to attend to. I'll find you when I get back. By the way, if anyone approaches this place, chase them away beforehand. Don't let anyone know that these two zombies exist."

Juan'er asked, "What if we encounter bandits?"

"Then kill him."

"Okay. I like this."

"..."

Chen Mo shook his head helplessly, then packed his luggage, jumped off the edge of the boat, activated the True Fire of the Aristocratic Family, and used his lightness skill to skim across the water like a dragonfly, heading straight for the direction of the Green Wolf Gang.

"I must go find my master immediately and find an opportunity to find out where Jiang Hongyue and Su Yuqing came from. Otherwise, I feel too unsafe."

Tang Binghu encountered a zombie in his early years and then traveled all over the country to learn martial arts from masters. He must have seen a lot and was very knowledgeable. Jiang Hongyue was the lady of a wealthy family, and Su Yuqing was the daughter of a wealthy family.

There are probably quite a few common surnames in this world, such as Su and Jiang. However, when the two are combined, there should be some overlap, which would make investigation easier.

Jiang Hongyue is going to return to the human world and come looking for me.

This is truly disturbing.

……

Chen Mo arrived at the Green Wolf Gang as quickly as possible.

They discovered that the gang had very few members.

Chen Mo found Lu Chengzhuang, "Where are the gang members?"

Lu Chengzhuang was overjoyed to see Chen Mo return safely: "Young Master Mo, you're finally back! We were all so worried about you. Elder Tang Lei reported that you went to hunt down zombies. Later, the gang leader personally went to Tang Family Fortress, bringing the Third, Second, and Fifth Leaders with him. Even the Fortress Master of Tang Family Fortress came in person. It was quite a grand affair. It seems the Fortress Master of Tang Family Fortress was also worried about Young Master Mo."

Everyone went to Dazexiang. They're looking everywhere for the young master.

Chen Mo hadn't expected that even the lord of Tangjiabao would be mobilized.

This is one of the four most outstanding skills in Nanyang Prefecture.

It's likely that Tang Lei witnessed his battle with the Red Lantern Lady and was shocked. His report inadvertently elevated his own status, which prompted the old lord to personally intervene.

Chen Mo, exhausted from his long run, said, "Go to Daze Township and tell Master that I'm back. I was injured and am recuperating at the gang's headquarters. Tell them not to worry."

"Yes. The gang leader was worried sick about Young Master Mo. He'll be overjoyed to know he's returned safely. I'll go report right away." Lu Chengzhuang immediately accepted the order and left.

Eh.

Chen Mo touched his forehead, then returned to his residence, pushed open the gate, and went inside. He then lay down in the main room.

I examined the wounds on his abdomen and shoulder.

To avoid being poisoned by the Red Lantern Goddess's corpse poison, Chen Mo tore off several large pieces of flesh. Now, the wounds have mostly healed, leaving some noticeable scars. In a few days, the scars will disappear as well.

The Yellow Pages Ghost's regenerative abilities are no joke.

While waiting for his master to return, Chen Mo took a bath to wash away his fatigue, changed into a new robe, and finally went to the bedroom to remove the linen cloth from his back. He took out the mirror, placed it on the incense table, and lit an incense stick for it.

"Come out. I have something to ask you."

Normally, if Chen Mo lit incense and called out a couple of times, the red-veiled ghost bride would definitely appear.

But today was unexpected; Su Yuqing didn't show up.

Chen Mo called out a few more times.

Still no response.

Chen Mo was a little angry: "If you don't come out, I'm going to dump you on the side of the road and never care about you again."

Only after these words were spoken did the mirror surface slowly change.

A new bridal chamber appeared, and the woman with the red veil was still sitting by the dressing table, doing her makeup. She said with a hint of resentment, "Why is the young master so fierce to me?"

Chen Mo didn't waste any words and went straight to the point: "Let me ask you, is Jiang Hongyue really your stepmother?"

"How could I possibly deceive you, young master, about such a matter?"

"Then tell me honestly, what exactly happened when you went to visit relatives in Dayin Mountain? What exactly happened? Tell me everything in detail."

Su Yuqing hesitated for a long time before saying, "It's not that I intentionally concealed it, but that I cannot say."

"What can't be said?"

Su Yuqing said, "Because this experience is that ghost story. If you, young master, hear it, you will surely be cursed and die. You have already died once, do you want to die a second time?"

what?
Jiang Hongyue and Su Yuqing's experience is that terrifying ghost story?

Even though Chen Mo has now mastered the first level of the Dragon Elephant Technique, he still doesn't dare to listen to this ghost story easily.

I originally thought this ghost story was just a story, but it turned out to be about Jiang Hongyue and Su Yuqing's experiences visiting relatives.

Now that you mention it, this ghost story really does seem a bit eerie.

Are you lying to me?

"I am half-married to you, young master, and I am counting on you. I would never deceive you."

Chen Mo then changed his question: "Which family do you and Jiang Hongyue belong to?"

Su Yuqing shook her head again: "I can't say either. I can't reveal any information related to that encounter. Otherwise, it will trigger that ghost story. In that case, you will be doomed. Unless you become a zombie, then you might not be afraid of that ghost story. I can tell you about it."

Is there really such a strange thing?
Chen Mo originally felt that this ghost story was far removed from his own life and that he could ignore it.

Now it seems that it won't work.

This Jiang Hongyue, she's got me all tangled up in her body.

Learning about this ghost story is imperative.

Chen Mo changed his question: "Jiang Hongyue was very strong before, but did she reach the fifth level of advancement?"

Su Yuqing said, "Of course."

What was Jiang Hongyue's temperament like when she was alive?

"A rare and great philanthropist."

How have I treated you?

"Of course it's good. However... human nature is often distorted before and after death. The kinder a person is, the greater their resentment after death. After the misfortune that happened when I was visiting relatives, I got separated from my second aunt. I don't know what happened to her afterward."

"Your second aunt has cast the Red Spider Lily Curse; she doesn't want to die. She's even looking for someone who can cast a ghost curse to guide her back to the human world. Your second aunt wants me dead."

"Then I do not know. If Second Sister were to become a ghost and return to the human world... that would be quite terrifying."

"How scary is that?"

"I dare not think about it. I can't even imagine how terrifying the people who survived from the Great Yin Mountain must be. Anyway, Nanyang Prefecture is nothing; Second Madam could wipe it out with a flick of her wrist." "..."

Chen Mo fell into a long silence.

Chen Mo didn't completely believe everything Su Yuqing said, but he generally trusted her. After all, they had known each other for ten years, so there was some trust between them.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door.

Chen Mo guessed that his master and the others had returned. So he found a piece of burlap, covered the mirror with it, and placed it on the bedside table. Then he ran to open the door.

Sure enough, a group of people arrived.

Each one of them possessed a dignified and extraordinary bearing.

The leader was Master Tang Binghu.

"Good disciple!!"

Tang Binghu, unusually, came up and gave Chen Mo a broad and strong hug. "You really worried your master to death. I was worried that you had fallen into the trap of that zombie. Heaven protects you, your disciple has returned safely."

Feeling his master's deep concern, Chen Mo felt much relieved. "It happened so suddenly that I didn't have time to inform my master before I took action myself. I'm sorry that my master is worried about me. It's all my fault."

"Hahaha, what are you saying? I, Tang Binghu, am deeply gratified to have such an outstanding disciple as you. Come, come, let me introduce you." Tang Binghu pulled Chen Mo's arm and introduced the leaders of Tang Family Fort one by one.

"This is the Fifth Leader, also my Fifth Brother, Miss Ziyu's father. You should have met him before. This is the Third Leader, Tang Feifei, and this is the Second Leader, Tang Bingdao. They have all sent people along the Honghe County area to search for you."

After introducing several leaders, Tang Binghu solemnly introduced the old man with white hair and beard: "This is my father, the lord of Tang Family Fortress, one of the Four Great Masters of Nanyang. Tang Xianhe. Father, this is my disciple Chen Mo."

This was the first time Chen Mo had met Tang Xianhe.

Although the old man was quite old, probably close to ninety, he had white hair and a youthful face, exuding an imposing and majestic aura, like a mountain, radiating an indescribable sense of grandeur and power. Even with Chen Mo's current cultivation level, he felt extremely insignificant in front of this old man.

Chen Mo regained his composure and cupped his hands in greeting: "I am Chen Mo, greetings to Lord Tang."

Ok.

Tang Xianhe nodded slightly: "Not bad. Although you've lost all your hair, it doesn't diminish your appearance. You're truly a heroic young man. Were you injured during your fight with the zombies?"

Chen Mo pulled open the prominent scars on his chest and abdomen. "I was bitten twice by that zombie. But I managed to cut off some pieces of flesh in time, so I wasn't infected by the zombie's poison. Plus, I used the power of the ghost, so my recovery speed was fast."

Old Master Tang and Tang Ziyu already knew about Chen Mo's ghost bones, and they had likely reported it to the higher-ups. There was no need to hide it.

Moreover, Chen Mo used this as an excuse to absorb Tang Ziyu's aristocratic bloodline, which allowed him to use the aristocratic family's techniques.

Everyone was secretly shocked when they saw the conspicuous wounds on Chen Mo's body. They admired the young man's decisive and ruthless methods; otherwise, they might have suffered the consequences.

Tang Xianhe was even more satisfied. "He's decisive. That's how a man from Tangjiabao should be. However, being bitten by a zombie is still a potential problem. Let's go inside and I'll take a look at him."

Chen Mo felt it was unnecessary, but he didn't want to refuse the other person's kindness outright, so he agreed.

The group entered the living room in the courtyard. Tang Xianhe sat at the head of the table and called Chen Mo aside. He carefully examined Chen Mo's pulse and wounds.

Everyone was extremely anxious, fearing that something might have happened to Chen Mo.

Although Tang Xianhe did not explicitly state his arrangements for Chen Mo, his family members, having heard him laugh heartily at Chen Ashui's house, knew how much the old man valued Chen Mo.

If anything were to happen to Chen Mo, it would be a real loss for Tangjiabao.

Everyone now sees Chen Mo as a treasure.

A moment later, Tang Xianhe stopped.

Tang Binghu leaned closer and asked, "Father, how is Xiao Mo?"

Tang Xianhe said, "Fortunately, Xiao Mo acted decisively and cut off the flesh in time. If it had been delayed any longer, I'm afraid the corpse poison would have entered the lungs and internal organs. Then it would have been truly beyond saving."

Tang Binghu breathed a sigh of relief and exclaimed repeatedly, "Thank goodness, thank goodness!"

Tang Xianhe took out two pills and handed them to Chen Mo, saying they were precious medicines for healing and could speed up the recovery of injuries.

After taking the pill, Chen Mo indeed felt heat rising in his muscles and bones, and the muscles at the two injured sites began to twitch. The wounds continued to heal.

Seeing that Chen Mo's condition had improved, Tang Binghu asked about the details: "Later, you chased those two zombies to the Huai River, what happened then?"

Chen Mo naturally couldn't mention Xiao Ye's matter, so he simply took all the credit for himself, telling the details half-truthfully and half-jokingly, and finally said: "It's all thanks to my master for passing on the Dragon Elephant Skill to me. I was still a little short of mastering it, but the Red Lantern Lady forced me to bring out my potential and I broke through that threshold."

Tang Binghu repeatedly praised, "That's how it is. A person's potential often explodes suddenly under extreme pressure. I didn't expect that the Red Lantern Lady would actually help Xiao Mo. However, this matter is still too dangerous. If you encounter zombies in the future, you must never take action yourself. You must report back."

Chen Mo nodded in agreement.

Tang Feifei suddenly asked, "What about the zombie's corpse?"

Chen Mo made up another excuse: "The Huai River was very high. I severely injured the Red Lantern Goddess and fell into the water myself. Later, I don't know where the Red Lantern Goddess was swept away by the flood. It took me a long time to climb out."

Chen Mo wanted to say that he had killed the Red Lantern Lady, but he didn't know what the symptoms of a zombie's death were. To prevent them from pressing for details, he simply said that she had been severely injured, to avoid any further complications.

Everyone agreed with this explanation.

The Huai River's current is not rapid, but it spans hundreds of meters and is quite deep, with strong undercurrents. Given that the attack took place on the river's surface, it's perfectly reasonable that the Red Lantern Goddess was severely injured and swept away by the current.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Tang Xianhe spoke up: "Alright, after this battle, Xiao Mo must be tired. Let's not ask any more questions here, and let Xiao Mo rest well."

Chen Mo finally breathed a sigh of relief after watching everyone leave.

At least it didn't make everyone overthink it.

Chen Mo took a nap and didn't wake up until dusk.

Lu Chengzhuang had already prepared dinner.

Just as Chen Mo was about to eat, Tang Mei walked over.

"Elder Tang Mei, is there something you need from me?"

Tang Mei glanced at the simple meal and smiled, "Now you are the Fifth Elder of the Gang, the Gang Leader's personal disciple. How can you eat such plain food? The Gang Leader sent me to call you for dinner."

Chen Mo put down his chopsticks and followed Tang Mei out. He thought to himself that he might as well ask his master about Jiang Hongyue and Su Yuqing.

We arrived at our master's villa.

Tang Binghu prepared a sumptuous dinner and opened a bottle of fine vintage wine. He invited Chen Mo to sit down and said, "Xiao Mo, if you don't like the food in the gang in the future, you can come here for a meal. It's just an extra pair of chopsticks, no trouble at all."

Tang Binghu usually ate with Tang Peng.

The father and son were usually busy with their own lives, only exchanging a few words during meals. Over time, it became a habit. Now that Tang Peng was gone, Tang Binghu felt extremely lonely, so he asked Chen Mo to come.

"Thank you, Master."

"Don't be so polite, come and sit down."

The master and apprentice sat down facing each other, eating and drinking, chatting idly. Tang Binghu's words revealed his affection for Chen Mo, truly showing that he treated Chen Mo like family. However, Chen Mo could see that although Tang Binghu was in high spirits today, a deep sadness was evident in his brows, likely because he missed Xiao Peng.

After the meal, Chen Mo spoke up, "Master, I have something to ask you."

Gulu.

Tang Binghu took a sip of wine. "Just say it."

"Master, have you ever heard of Jiang Hongyue?"

Tang Binghu was slightly drunk, but when he heard the name, he was still stunned for a moment. "It sounds familiar... Let me think."

Tang Binghu shook his head and thought for a moment, then finally shook his head: "Steward, I feel like I've heard this somewhere before, it seems like it happened a long time ago. Why are you asking about this?"

Chen Mo didn't explain why, only saying, "I'm just curious. Has Master heard of Su Yuqing?"

Tang Binghu pondered for a moment: "It sounds familiar, I think I've heard it before... It must be something from a long time ago. Oh right... I heard my father mention it when I was young. Yes, it was my father who told me."

Chen Mo felt a slight joy in his heart.

As expected, Master is very knowledgeable.

That is indeed something from a very long time ago.

The time when Jiang Hongyue and Su Yuqing came to Dayin Mountain to visit relatives must have happened a hundred years ago.

Tang Xianhe lived to be ninety years old, which is very close to that time. It's not surprising that he knew some details.

Chen Mo stood up and poured tea for Tang Binghu. "Master, could you please take me to see Lord Tang?"

Tang Binghu sighed, "Father doesn't have many years left to live on. He usually stays in Tangjiabao to recuperate. It's rare for him to show up for you today, so he must like you. It would be very difficult for anyone else to see Father, but you'll have no problem. This afternoon, before he left, Father told me to take good care of you. If anything happens, just go to him. Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to Tangjiabao to see Father."

"Thank you, Master."

"It's just a small matter."

After dinner, Tang Binghu gave Chen Mo some pointers on the Dragon Elephant Kung Fu.

Although Chen Mo had spent 40,000 units of original essence to modify his physique, transforming it into the Dragon-Elephant Physique, making cultivation twice as effective, he still gained considerable insights after receiving guidance from Tang Binghu. Upon returning to his villa, Chen Mo closed the gate and continued practicing the Dragon-Elephant Technique.

“My master’s achievements in Dragon Elephant Kung Fu far surpass mine. This guidance has benefited me greatly, and I can cultivate much faster.”

boom!
With a simple gesture, he indeed became much more proficient in the Dragon Elephant Kung Fu.

After this confrontation with the Red Lantern Lady, Chen Mo realized even more clearly that... to survive in this chaotic world, his current achievements were far from enough. Fortunately, the Green Wolf Gang was large enough and rich in resources to support his cultivation for a long time.

"I'm still not strong enough. Only when I can reach Xiaoye's level will I have a foothold."

"Mortals fear demons and evil spirits, but the scions of noble families seem less afraid, even daring to use the power of ghosts to strengthen themselves. Judging from Xiaoye's tone, it seems that becoming a demon completely... isn't such a big deal? The scions of noble families in the capital have such a grand vision?"

……

The next morning.

Chen Mo sat cross-legged in his room in seclusion, the morning light streaming through the half-open window onto his face, warm and comforting.

call!
Chen Mo let out a long sigh, slowly opened his eyes, and gradually finished his practice, reviewing what he had gained.

"The duel with the Red Lantern Lady has unleashed a lot of my potential. My True Fire is showing signs of reaching its peak. In a few days, I can begin to activate the fourth layer of my aristocratic bloodline, Blood Mist. Although Tang Lei's Blood Mist isn't very powerful, that's because he has too little of it. If I were to reach the Blood Mist level, the energy of my Blood Mist would be seven or eight times greater than his. With that, I might be able to fight the Lady."

"The incense offerings in Dayu and Ningdu counties are becoming increasingly abundant, flowing into my body constantly, except at night when there is no incense. My cultivation as a Six-Choice Yellow Page Ghost is also nearing completion. If I can reach the Seven-Choice Yellow Page Ghost realm soon, I can advance even further."

"What I'm most worried about is this Shadow Bone inside my body. The fusion rate is over fifty percent, which has awakened the power of the Blood Curse for me. Because I used the Blood Curse, I've been targeted by Jiang Hongyue. It might even bring Jiang Hongyue back to life... I need to find out about Jiang Hongyue's background as soon as possible, and also that ghost story. Su Yuqing did say that unless I become a zombie, I won't be afraid of this ghost story... a zombie!"

Zombies!

Chen Mo muttered those two words.

He began to ponder it.

Looking back on the battle with the Red Lantern Lady, it was truly astonishing.

Even without Su Yuqing's words, Chen Mo still harbored the idea of ​​changing himself into a zombie.

Now that Jiang Hongyue is putting pressure on him, Chen Mo feels increasingly insecure.

"Today, I'll go with my master to see Tang Xianhe and ask about Jiang Hongyue's background. If she has a powerful background, then... I'd better change myself into a zombie as soon as possible."

Zombies…

hiss!
The thought of soon turning into a zombie still made Chen Mo a little scared...

dong dong dong.

There was a knock on the door.

Chen Mo hurriedly got up to open the door and found that it was Lu Chengzhuang who came.

"Young Master Mo, the gang leader just sent someone to tell you to prepare yourself and meet him at the main gate in a little while."

"understood."

Chen Mo returned to his room, tidied up, hid the mirror under the bed, washed up, changed his clothes, and hurriedly left.

After walking only a few steps, I saw a familiar figure approaching.

"Young Master Mo, congratulations. You've gained Grandpa's favor and even defeated the zombie."

It was Tang Ziyu who arrived.

Chen Mo said, "I have to thank Miss Ziyu for leading me to join Tang Family Fortress back then, otherwise I wouldn't have this opportunity."

Tang Ziyu said, "I'm also going back to Tangjiabao anyway, let's go together."

Chen Mo agreed, and the two walked side by side. During this time, Tang Ziyu asked about the details of the battle, specifically whether the Red Lantern Lady was dead or not. Chen Mo then repeated what he had told everyone earlier.

Upon arriving at the main gate, they saw Tang Binghu, dressed in a brown robe.

Chen Mo politely cupped his hands in greeting: "I've kept Master waiting."

Tang Binghu waved his hand dismissively, "Don't stand on ceremony. Let's go, let's set off."

The three rode away from the Green Wolf Gang and galloped all the way to the prefectural city, arriving at the Tang Family Fortress.

This was Chen Mo's second visit to Tangjiabao, but the treatment he received was vastly different from his first. Countless members of Tangjiabao greeted Chen Mo with clasped hands and smiling faces, addressing him as "Young Master Mo" with utmost respect.

Clearly, the fact that Chen Mo was the fifth elder of the Green Wolf Gang and a direct disciple of Tang Binghu had already spread throughout Tang Family Fortress.

The younger generation felt envious and jealous, but dared not show it.

Chen Mo was very approachable and returned everyone's greetings. After passing through a winding corridor, they finally arrived at an extremely secluded courtyard.

The courtyard was quiet, without even a gatekeeper. Above the gate hung a plaque with the three characters "Jingsi Garden" written on it, the ink of which had blurred and had clearly not been freshly painted for a long time.

Upon entering the courtyard, one finds bamboo, potted plants, a pond, and a rockery. The scenery is exquisite.

Tang Xianhe sat by the pond, holding some bait in his hand, throwing it in from time to time, attracting a group of large red koi carp to compete for the food.

Upon entering this place, Chen Mo felt a sense of tranquility.

She has a similar calm demeanor to Xiaoye.

"Grandpa, you're feeding the fish all by yourself again."

Tang Ziyu leaned closer and spoke with a smile.

Tang Xianhe's face was full of kindness, all traces of his previous imposing manner. He chuckled and said, "When you get old, this is all you have to do. Oh, Seventh Brother is here. Young Master Mo is here too. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Tang Binghu politely cupped his hands in greeting: "Xiao Mo said she had something to ask her father, but I couldn't be bothered to inquire. Xiao Mo, Zi Yu and I are going to check on Xiao Peng. You stay here and keep your father company."

Chen Mo nodded in agreement, watched the two leave, and then slowly walked up to Tang Xianhe, cupping his hands in greeting: "Chen Mo greets Lord Tang."

Tang Xianhe chuckled and said, "At my age, I no longer care about such formalities. Don't be so formal. Just say what you need to say."

Chen Mo didn't mince words and asked directly, "May I ask, Lord Tang, have you ever heard of Jiang Hongyue? Or perhaps Su Yuqing?"

Click.

Tang Xianhe's hand, which was holding a bag of fish feed, suddenly stopped and trembled slightly for a moment before he continued to feed the fish, his expression unchanged: "Why are you asking this?"

Chen Mo, as usual, made an excuse, "I'm just curious. If Lord Tang knows anything, please let me know."

Tang Xianhe clearly refused to say, "Don't be so curious. If there's no particular need, don't ask. Just go back."

Upon hearing these words, Chen Mo knew that Jiang Hongyue must have a problem.

And the problem is not small.

Otherwise, Tang Xianhe, one of the four great masters of Nanyang, wouldn't be so wary of him.

Chen Mo naturally wouldn't let this only opportunity slip by. "What if it's necessary?"

Tang Xianhe's voice became more serious: "Is there any need for this?"

Chen Mo said, "When I was in Honghe County, I accidentally obtained a piece of ghost bone. It was with the help of this ghost bone that I was able to fuse with the bloodline of Miss Tang Ziyu's family and thus learn the unique skills of Tang Family Fortress. It was only when I fought with the Red Lantern Goddess the other day that I learned... this ghost bone came from Jiang Hongyue."

Wow!

The bait bag in Tang Xianhe's hand suddenly slipped and fell into the pond with a "clink".

The next moment, Tang Xianhe suddenly looked up, staring at Chen Mo in disbelief, his eyes wide: "The ghost bone you obtained came from Jiang Hongyue!?"

Seeing Tang Xianhe's expression, Chen Mo felt even more uneasy: "Yes."

Tang Xianhe sighed and shook his head repeatedly: "A tragic fate, a tragic fate indeed. I thought Tang Family Fort had welcomed a prodigy, but it turns out to be such a tragic fate..."

"No...you're putting a lot of pressure on me," Chen Mo said. "Please, Lord Tang, speak frankly."

Tang Xianhe sighed deeply, his heart aching, and his expression revealed profound disappointment. He scrutinized Chen Mo for a long time before finally speaking, unable to bear it any longer, "I consider you young, and since you've become entangled in this tragic relationship, I might as well tell you. Jiang Hongyue was a figure from a hundred years ago. Do you even know what year it is today?"

Chen Mo roughly calculated: "The sixty-ninth year of the Jingtai reign."

Tang Xianhe nodded: "That's right, today is the sixty-ninth year of Jingtai. A hundred years ago was during the Tianbao era of the late emperor. The Jiang family was the head of the four great demon-suppressing families of the Great Qian Dynasty at that time, and Jiang Hongyue was the most outstanding figure in the Jiang family. A hundred years ago, Jiang Hongyue was... the former empress!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

This chapter took five hours to write. I had to synthesize all the information from the previous chapters, searching and comparing them to make sure there were no discrepancies. The update is a bit late. Also, please vote with monthly tickets!
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