I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 146 is out! He's obtained the inheritance of a powerful family! (Seeking monthly votes!)

"Eh!"

A sigh came from the study of the Shen family's villa.

Shen Zishan stood beside the long desk in the study, looking at the "Xing" character that Shen Wudao had presented, but he was no longer as excited as before. Instead, he sighed.

Over the past two weeks, Shen Zishan personally ordered the deployment of more than half of the Shen family's resources to search for and capture that Master Jin Guang.

To this day, the whereabouts of Master Jin Guang have not been found.

Shen Zishan was almost certain that Master Jinguang was Chen Mo, and even went to Tangjiabao to ask Tang Xianhe for him, but Tang Xianhe refused. Because of this, the Shen and Tang families almost came to blows.

Shen Zishan let out a long sigh, suppressing the anger in his heart.

Shen Zishan then picked up the mounted scroll to look at it, and then slowly hung it on the wall.

Standing to the side, Shen Wudao spoke up, "Godfather, Brother Qianshui's death was tragic; it must have been Chen Mo's doing. The Tang family might even be pulling the strings behind the scenes. Perhaps... we should move the plan forward and attack Tang Family Fortress right now!"

call!
Shen Zishan took a breath and muttered, "No rush. That old bastard Tang Xianhe doesn't have much time left. If we act now, we'll definitely win, but my Shen family will suffer considerable casualties, which isn't worth it. Once Tang Xianhe is dead, it'll be a piece of cake."

Shen Wudao nodded slightly, thinking to himself: His godfather can still maintain his composure at this time, which shows that he has a broad vision and his power and control are not diminished at all.

Thinking of this, Shen Wudao stepped forward to help Shen Zishan sit down and poured him some tea. "Father, don't get too angry. The Tang family will fall sooner or later. When that happens, I'll personally crush Chen Mo's head and Tang Binghu's head too. I'll give them to you to vent my anger."

Upon hearing this, Shen Zishan's furrowed brows finally relaxed. "I trust Wudao with his work. However, we must not be careless. The appearance of Master Jin Guang makes me uneasy. By the way, have you taken over the secret agent we left in Tangjiabao?"

The Shen family has placed a key hidden agent among the upper echelons of Tangjiabao.

Previously, this covert contact had been handled solely by Shen Qianshui.

Now that Shen Qianshui is dead, this covert operation naturally needs to be taken over by someone else.

Shen Wudao said, "I met him once in secret. However, he was wearing a mask, so I didn't see his face. But all the details of the rendezvous match up, so there should be no mistake."

Shen Zishan said, "That's good. Did the other party say anything?"

Shen Wudao: "I told you. Tang Xianhe recently went out quietly to Liyuan Town. He stayed there for more than ten days.

"Liyuan Town?" Shen Zishan was taken aback. "Could there be something wrong with this place? Tang Xianhe is nearing his end and rarely shows his face. This place seems problematic. He's probably gone to make contact with that Chen Mo."

Shen Wudao: "That's what I was thinking too. I've already sent Baishan to Liyuan Town to secretly follow Tang Xianhe. Once they find Tang Xianhe meeting with someone, they'll immediately send me a message. Then, I'll go to Liyuan Town myself and catch him red-handed."

A smile appeared in Shen Zishan's eyes. "If that can be done, it would be the best outcome. At that time, the Prefectural Magistrate will step in and put pressure on Tang Xianhe, forcing him to hand Chen Mo over to my Shen family. We can eliminate this hidden danger without bloodshed. Tang Family Fort's future prospects will be gone. Without any hope, Tang Xianhe will die even faster."

Shen Wudao: "What my godfather said is absolutely right."

Shen Zishan said, "Qianshui is gone. From now on, only you and Baishan will be by my side. Baishan has a rather violent temper, so I need your tolerance and guidance."

"Don't worry, Godfather, Wudao will do his best."

Shen Zishan chuckled and said, "That's excellent. How's your Blood Illumination cultivation going these days?"

Shen Zishan said, "Thanks to my godfather for giving me the Four Soul Jade, my Blood Illumination has already reached the fourth level. I'll be close to the fifth level soon."

"Good, good, as expected of the head of my Shen family. Once you reach the fifth level of the Illumination Realm, I will use the Four Soul Jade on you again. I will help you break through to the sixth level as soon as possible. I hope that in my lifetime I can see you transcend the mortal realm and step into the extraordinary realm!"

puff.

Shen Wudao knelt down abruptly: "Thank you, godfather."

"There's no need for such formalities among family." Shen Zishan helped Shen Wudao up, his face full of smiles.

Shen Wudao stood up and respectfully poured tea for Shen Zishan, then asked, "May I ask, Godfather, what is this Shikon Jewel? How can it be so wondrous?"

Shen Zishan said, "This jade is related to the origin of my Shen family's status as a demon-suppressing family, and it is also the key to our communication with Lord Blood Tiger. In two years, when you officially take over the Shen family, I will naturally tell you everything. At that time, the Four Soul Jade will also be handed over to you. It is the lifeblood of our Shen family."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wudao didn't ask any further questions, but instead asked in a different way: "So, does that mean that the Zhou and Zhong families, who have been extinct for a long time, also possess the Four Souls Jade?"

Shen Zishan said, "Of course there are. Back then, Zhou Ru of the Zhou family and Zhong Xu of the Zhong family were the same generation of family leaders as my father. Together with Tang Junxi of the Tang family, all four of them obtained the Four Soul Jade, and from then on, the four great demon-suppressing families appeared in Nanyang Prefecture. However, the spirit masters of the Zhou and Zhong families had problems, which led to the death of all the members of their families, without leaving a trace. I sent people to search for many years, but I still couldn't find the Four Soul Jade of these two families. It's a great pity. If my Shen family could gather two Four Soul Jade, why wait for Tang Xianhe to die of old age? We could just sweep through the Tang family directly."

Shen Wudao said, "If these two pieces of the Shikon Jewel were obtained by someone else, wouldn't that create a demon-suppressing family? In that case, my Shen family would have two more formidable enemies?"

Shen Zishan frowned and said, "Theoretically, that's true. However, the Tang family and I have searched for many years without finding the whereabouts of these two Shikon Jewels. The probability of outsiders finding them is even slimmer. Alas, this happened ninety years ago, before I was even born. Let's not even think about it..."

……

Liyuan Town.

It governs a village, in a desolate and abandoned old house.

Tang Xianhe and Tang Feifei stayed here for more than ten days.

Tang Feifei was puzzled, wondering what her father was planning. He always made her search the old house. But after turning the entire house upside down, she found nothing.

Even so, Tang Xianhe still stayed here and showed no intention of leaving.

That morning, Tang Xianhe had Tang Feifei search the old house inside and out again.

Tang Feifei found nothing, and finally couldn't help but ask while making breakfast for her father, "Father, this old house has been abandoned for at least seventy or eighty years, and several sections of the courtyard wall have collapsed. There's nothing there... I wonder what Father is looking for?"

Tang Xianhe sat in the living room, eating breakfast. "Then let's keep looking. We'll eventually find some clues."

Seeing that her father wouldn't explain, Tang Feifei didn't press him further. After finishing her meal, she cleared the dishes and then continued searching.

Tang Xianhe stood under the eaves, gazing at the sun in the sky for a long time. Finally, as if he had thought of something, he went to a study, lit a lamp, and began to look through some books.

Because the house had been left unattended for too long, the books on the bookshelves had become moldy, many had gotten wet, and the writing had become blurred and illegible.

Tang Xianhe, however, did not give up. He searched through the books one by one, carefully identifying the handwriting.

Information about the Zhong family came to mind:
First, the Zhong family became a demon-suppressing family under Zhong Xu's leadership. Zhong Xu was a martial arts prodigy, a contemporary of his father, and also the one who obtained the Shikon Jewel.

Later, the Zhong family's patriarch went mad and devoured the entire Zhong family. This led to the disappearance of the Shikon Jewel.

But these were all popular sayings at the time.

Whether the Zhong family has any descendants or not, no one knows.

Tang Xianhe knew that people in this world valued their descendants, and families especially emphasized the continuation of the family line. Because of the use of generational names, many descendants' names were chosen in advance.

For example, if a grandfather in a family dies, even if his great-grandchildren haven't been born yet, they will still inscribe auspicious words for their great-grandchildren on the grandfather's tombstone: "May talent flourish."

This means that once the eldest great-grandson is born, his name will be his surname followed by "person", the second great-grandson's name will be "Cai", and so on.

Finally, Tang Xianhe found a draft of the inscription on a tombstone in a hardcover book.

Although the writing has blurred and faded, it can still be discerned upon close inspection.

The vertical line in the middle reads: "Tomb of the late ancestor, Zhong Xu." The right side lists Zhong Xu's illustrious achievements, his birth date, and his death date, among other details.

The names of the descendants are written on the left side.

The first one is Zi Yi: Li

Next is the Sun Tzu's divination: Circular

Next are the great-grandchildren: Li

“Zhong Xu died ninety years ago, at a young age. His son may have been born then, but his grandson certainly wasn’t. Yet the inscription on his tombstone says that for the next four generations of Zhong Xu’s family, only one son was born. This doesn’t make sense…” Tang Xianhe frowned.

Which ancestor didn't hope for a house full of children and grandchildren?

Even if a descendant is truly a single-line heir, the tombstone wouldn't be engraved with a single character, as inscriptions represent a kind of expectation. Unless... Zhong Xu knew that his descendants could only be single-line heirs.

How could Zhong Xu know about the younger generation's affairs?

Moreover, the Tang and Shen families have been unable to find Zhong Xu's grave for many years...

……

Huangmei Opera troupe.

The night was deep, and a cold wind was blowing.

Before Chen Mo could even see the subtitles following the Shikon Jewel, he saw a long-haired, dark figure in the room looking at him and making a sinister sound.

Juan'er, who was standing to the side, shrank back in surprise.

Chen Mo considered for a moment: This long-haired black shadow was truly eerie, it didn't even possess any ghostly aura. He'd let the shadow test its strength for now; even if the shadow was killed... it wouldn't be a big deal.

Thinking of this, Chen Mo did not hesitate any longer and immediately released his ghost shadow into the wall. In an instant, his ghost shadow rushed towards the long-haired black figure and grabbed it.

I thought the ghostly figure would be met with resistance from the long-haired, dark shadow. But...

brush!
The long-haired, dark figure seemed startled and immediately retreated back onto the roof beam.

Just ran away?

Chen Mo thought to himself: This long hair must be the hair that's attached to Zhong Lihong's head. No wonder Zhong Lihong's hair is so thick and lush. The haunting of the opera troupe must be related to this long hair. I can't let this hair find a chance to continue attaching itself to Zhong Lihong.

With that in mind, Chen Mo immediately broke down the door and entered.

Zhong Lihong heard the door being broken down and turned around in fright. Seeing Chen Mo, she breathed a sigh of relief, "Young Master..."

Before she could finish speaking, Zhong Lihong collapsed to the ground and fainted.

Chen Mo immediately squatted down and checked Zhong Lihong's breathing. "She's not dead yet, Juan'er, keep an eye on her."

After giving him a word of advice, Chen Mo jumped onto the roof beam and searched around for the long hair.

But then she discovered that her long hair was gone.

Chen Mo lit several more oil lamps, illuminating the entire room brightly, making every detail on the beams clearly visible.

Where did my hair go?

Left with no other choice, Chen Mo jumped off the roof beam. "Strange... thankfully my shadow followed me..."

Feel the ghostly presence slightly.

"...Where is my ghostly figure? Why can't I sense it anymore?"

Chen Mo was slightly startled, and then felt a sharp pain.

Based on experience...

Ghost Shadow, damn it, is dead!

There had been a time before when the ghostly figure went out of his perception range and died. This caused Chen Mo a great deal of pain.

Now that ghostly figure... is dead again.

Chen Mo immediately realized there were two possibilities: either the ghost had escaped his perception range, or it had been eaten by the long-haired ghost.

After a moment's thought, Chen Mo felt that the latter was more likely.

After such a long period of training, Ghost Shadow's perception range exceeded one thousand meters. In just a few breaths, the long-haired ghost had run a thousand meters away... though it wasn't impossible.

But Chen Mo's intuition told him that the probability of him being eaten was higher.

Chen Mo is no longer the rookie he used to be. Clutching his aching chest, he said, "Fine, fine, you long-haired ghost, you even dare to eat my shadow..."

Juan'er noticed that Chen Sheng was angry, so she said, "Young master, are you going to stay and fight that long-haired ghost?"

Snapped.

Chen Mo flicked her on the forehead, "That long-haired ghost has disappeared somewhere. Let's get out of here first."

Juan'er: "..."

Juan'er would not disobey Chen Mo's orders, so she immediately picked up the bald-headed Zhong Lihong and hurriedly followed Chen Mo back to the side courtyard.

When Chen Mo passed by Guo Xing's residence, he could still hear the voices of a man and a woman talking inside. After their previous argument, the two had put aside their differences and were laughing and joking with each other.

But Chen Mo felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.

Back in the courtyard, Chen Mo closed the gate and then had Juan'er place the unconscious Zhong Lihong on the bed. He also had Juan'er fetch hot water to wipe the blood off Zhong Lihong's head.

Yes, Zhong Lihong's bald head was covered with bloody holes. It looked as if her hair had been ripped out by the roots, making her appearance truly gruesome.

After wiping away the blood, Chen Mo lifted his bamboo hat and sat on the edge of the bed, carefully examining the bald woman in front of him.

Juan'er squatted on the cabinet next to her, resting her chin on her hands, and suddenly said, "Hey, this Zhong Lihong's bald head does look somewhat similar to Young Master Mo's bald head..."

Chen Mo glared at Juan'er: "You think you're funny?"

Juan'er pursed her lips, not daring to say more. But a barely suppressed smile was clearly visible between her brows.

Chen Mo naturally saw what Juan'er was thinking and shouted, "Don't laugh."

Juan'er held it in for a moment, but couldn't help it any longer, and burst out laughing: "Young master, I didn't mean to, I just couldn't help it."

Chen Mo touched his bald head and ignored Juan'er.

He reached out and gently placed his hand on Zhong Lihong's bald head, carefully feeling it over, and immediately noticed something unusual:
“Ordinary people’s hair and beard, although they grow under the skin, do not grow very deep. Plucking a few hairs or beard hairs will not cause bleeding. But Zhong Lihong’s hair is different… the roots are deep under the skin and have mixed with the blood.”

"Could it be that Zhong Lihong's emaciated state was not due to grief and anger, but rather because she was sucked dry by that long-haired ghost?"

Chen Mo thought the speculation made perfect sense.

But there are still things I don't understand: this long-haired ghost, regardless of how profound its cultivation is, is certainly unpredictable in its methods. It can conceal its ghostly aura and devour its own ghostly shadow... Logically speaking, for such a ferocious evil ghost, sucking Zhong Lihong to death would be far too easy.

Why didn't they kill Zhong Lihong?
Furthermore, the long-haired ghost forbade Zhong Lihong from seeking the Taoist priest to exorcise the evil spirit from the opera troupe, but Zhong Lihong insisted on doing so. Finally, the long-haired ghost said: "There is no Zhongli, no Guo Xing, it's all your fault..."

Zhong Lihong's answer was: No, it wasn't me, that wasn't me...

So, who is telling the truth?

still is……

There were just too many problems, and Chen Mo was completely overwhelmed, unable to figure out the reasons behind them.

"Juan'er, watch over her. If she wakes up, let me know immediately. I'll be in the side room." Chen Mo instructed Juan'er, then turned and left the bedroom, settling into the side room.

Click.

Chen Mo lit the oil lamp and sat down cross-legged on the spot. Clearing his mind of distractions, he opened the panel to review the records he had previously deconstructed.

Name: Shikon Jewel

[Level: Unknown]

Type: Unknown

?

So many unknowns have emerged?

This is the first time I’ve seen it.

The more this was the case, the more curious Chen Mo became about the Shikon Jewel. He gathered his thoughts and continued reading.

[Note: This is a complete fragment of the Shikon Jewel, which can accelerate the evolution of life forms (including Shiki) to a higher level and can activate special symbiotic bloodlines.]

[Ingredients: The first Shikon Jewel dies, leaving it ownerless. However, the resentment of the first Shikon Jewel remains, causing it to harbor resentment that attaches itself to its descendants, surviving by absorbing the blood of their offspring.]

[Hint 1: The Shikon Jewel is not an item of the Shikon Jewel. It is a special object that can induce the birth of Shikon Jewels. It possesses various extraordinary functions.]

[Hint 2: You possess a small amount of symbiotic blood within you. The main bloodline of this symbiotic blood also originates from the Shikon Jewel, but not from the fragment before you.]

[Hint 3: You can nourish the Shikon Jewel with your own blood, granting you various special abilities. This can accelerate your evolution.]

[Hint 4: Because this Shikon Jewel is incomplete, there are unknown parts that are difficult to decipher. These unknown parts may pose a risk.]

After reading all the information, Chen Mo fell into a long silence.

"From what I know, when Jiang Hongyue passed through Nanyang Prefecture, she gave gifts to the Zhou, Zhong, Shen, and Tang families, which made them the families that suppress demons. Now it seems that this gift is the Four Souls Jade. Zhong Lihong... Zhong Li... it seems that this Four Souls Jade belongs to the Zhong family."

"The four great families each have their own deity to worship. The Shen family worships the Blood Tiger Lord, and the Tang family worships... the Black Armor Knight, also known as the Black God Lord. Now it seems that the deities worshipped by these families were mostly born because of the Shikon Jewel."

"The Black Gods of the Shen and Tang families are alright, but the Gods of the Zhou and Zhong families went mad and devoured their own clansmen. Why did the Gods of the Zhou and Zhong families go mad?"

"This Zhong Lihong might be a descendant of the Zhong family. And who is that Xiao Huan?"

Chen Mo felt he was very close to the truth, but there were still some details he didn't understand.

"I need to figure all this out as soon as possible and then get this Shikon Jewel. After all, it's the thing that created the Demon-Suppressing Clan. The Shen and Tang families have been searching for it for over a hundred years. If I get my hands on it, I'll have the ability to contend with the Shen family's Blood Illumination Divine Power."

"It's a pity my ghost was killed again... I don't know where that long-haired ghost went. If that long-haired ghost escapes from this opera troupe's house, it will be a huge loss. I'll have to ask Zhong Lihong about it when she wakes up."

"There's no point in overthinking. I'll go into seclusion for a while to recover from the loss of energy and blood caused by the death of Ghost Shadow. I need to revive Ghost Shadow as soon as possible."

Chen Mo cleared his mind of distractions and began to meditate in seclusion.

The next morning.

Its daybreak.

call!
After a night of seclusion in his room, Chen Mo's depleted energy and blood had largely recovered. Bright sunlight streamed in through the paper window, warming him comfortably.

Chen Mo looked down at his feet.

There was only a faint trace.

The ghostly figure grows at an incredibly slow speed.

And they keep getting killed... It's really a headache.

However, Ghost Shadow is really useful.

"The eight incense sticks of the ghost's life essence have been fully completed, and the eight marks of the zombie's body have also been completed. The Dragon Elephant Technique is about to enter the third level. The bloodline and blood mist levels have also been completed... Without breaking through to the nine incense sticks and nine marks, my strength will not increase in the short term."

"The key lies in this Shikon Jewel."

Chen Mo didn't like the life of being displaced, but now that he was being hunted down by the Shen family, he had no choice.

If I obtain the Shikon Jewel and reach the Nine-Patterned Nine-Pillar stage, and cultivate for a while longer, I will no longer need to fear the Shen family.

Thinking of this, Chen Mo felt a little better.

After a quick wash, Chen Mo took out a large amount of scented powder from his inner pocket and applied it to his body until the strong fragrance masked the stench of death. Only then did he stop. He then put on his coat, donned his bamboo hat, and went out.

I saw Juan'er leaning on the windowsill, her hands supporting her chin, staring blankly at the sun in the sky.

"Juan'er, has Zhong Lihong woken up?"

Juan'er glanced at Chen Mo and shook her head: "No. I've tried everything, but nothing works. He's sleeping very soundly."

"I gonna go see."

Chen Mo entered the room and checked Zhong Lihong's pulse again.

The pulse is strong, the blood flow is steady, and breathing is good.

However, his body was very weak and he was unable to wake up.

Chen Mo also infused her with the power of her aristocratic bloodline in an attempt to awaken Zhong Lihong.

But it didn't work.

This gave Chen Mo a bit of a headache.

He had so many questions to ask Zhong Lihong, especially about the possible whereabouts of the long-haired ghost. If Zhong Lihong didn't wake up, it would be a real problem.

The longer it drags on, the greater the chance that the long-haired ghost will escape.

Juan'er jumped down from the window at this moment and said, "Young master, I feel that her unconsciousness is very strange. Maybe we need to find the long-haired ghost, cover her head with his long hair, and she will wake up?"

Chen Mo pondered for a moment and said, "That possibility cannot be ruled out. But last night she clearly separated from the long-haired ghost and could still speak... I'll go ask Xiao Huan."

At the mention of Xiao Huan, Juan'er instinctively shrank back: "That Xiao Huan is too abnormal, how dare you go to see her, young master?"

"They're just not normal, not necessarily ghosts. You stay here." Chen Mo left those words behind before hurriedly leaving the courtyard.

Once outside, they hadn't gone far when they saw Xiao Huan running around the entire house, utterly panicked and anxious, calling out her mistress's name. When she saw Chen Mo, Xiao Huan rushed over like a madwoman, asking, "Young Master, my mistress is missing! Brother Guo and I have been searching all morning but haven't found her. Have you seen her?"

Seeing that Chen Mo remained silent, Xiao Huan continued walking forward, muttering to herself, "I must find Miss, or something terrible will happen."

Chen Mo suddenly spoke up: "What major event could have happened?"

Xiao Huan said, "Brother Guo and I won't be able to survive without Miss."

Chen Mo suddenly stepped forward and asked, "Why can't you survive? Didn't you only come to the opera troupe as a maid in the last two years? You can always find another place to live. Don't think like that..."

"No, I can't. I can't leave Miss. Young Master, you don't know, Miss and I depend on each other for survival. I can't leave Miss... otherwise I won't be able to live, and Miss won't be able to live either."

Chen Mo said, "I know where your young lady is, but she has fainted."

"Please take me there, young master."

Chen Mo led Xiao Huan to a secluded room.

When Xiao Huan saw that Zhong Lihong had lost her hair, she let out a shrill scream, "Ah, Miss, how could you become like this? Miss...you are so pitiful."

Chen Mo and Juan'er watched from the side.

Not long after, Juan'er hurriedly picked up Zhong Lihong and ran towards Zhong Lihong's room, crying and shouting, "Miss, wait for me. Xiao Huan won't let you do this."

Watching Xiao Huan run out of the courtyard, Juan'er shrank her neck and said, "Young master, something's not right."

Chen Mo ignored Juan'er and quickly followed Xiao Huan, asking Juan'er if she needed any help.

Xiao Huan said, "No need. What happened to you, Miss?"

Chen Mo recounted what he had seen last night.

brush.

Xiao Huan suddenly stopped and turned to glare at Chen Mo.

The usually gentle and refined Xiao Huan showed a hint of anger for the first time. "Young master must be mistaken. My young lady is not a ghost. It's that lingering spirit of Zhongli! Young master, please don't doubt it. If you have no power, please leave."

After saying that, Xiao Huan carried Zhong Lihong back to the room and then slammed the door shut.

Chen Mo and Juan'er stood in the courtyard, unable to see what was happening inside. They could only hear Xiao Huan's heart-wrenching cries.

"Miss, you can't leave. What will happen to Xiao Huan if you leave?"

"Miss!!"

"Brother Guo, what should I do?"

The heart-wrenching screams were truly devastating.

Chen Mo thought Xiao Huan would stop crying after a while, but Xiao Huan cried harder and harder, calling him Brother Guo and Miss Guo repeatedly.

Looking like this, she probably won't stop crying for most of the day.

"Juan'er, you stay here and watch over Xiao Huan. I'm going to take a look around." After saying this, Chen Mo left the courtyard and wandered around the house alone to investigate.

It was daytime, and the light was excellent.

Chen Mo went to the theater, saw the long-abandoned stage, and then went to the dressing room behind the stage to see some props, costumes, and so on.

There weren't many props.

The costumes are also very diverse, including various costumes for Huangmei Opera, as well as costumes for deities and clowns used in ghost plays.

However... all the clothes are about the same size.

There are also some opera masks, all of which are the same shape and size.

Chen Mo went to the large stove's kitchen again.

There were more than thirty sets of bowls and chopsticks inside, as well as a variety of kitchen utensils.

It looked exactly like the troupe that had once had as many as thirty members. But there was something different. This led Chen Mo to a thought:
Perhaps... these thirty-odd guys don't even exist.

From beginning to end... there was only Zhong Lihong!

But Xiao Huan did say that the Huangmei Opera troupe used to be very successful, and many people came to watch the performances.

Could it be... that this is also something Xiao Huan imagined?
Thinking of this, Chen Mo immediately left the courtyard. He went out onto the street and saw many residents busy at work. Chen Mo found an old man by the roadside. "Old man," he said, "I have a question for you. Do you know anything about this Huangmei Opera troupe?"

The old man, carrying a hoe and a bamboo basket, was clearly heading to the fields. But when he saw Chen Mo wearing a straw hat and looking like someone not to be trifled with, he stopped and replied, "I know a little. This Huangmei Opera troupe has been abandoned for decades. It's even been haunted, so no one dares to go there anymore."

Wasted for decades?
It's completely different from what Xiao Huan said.

Chen Mo continued, "Isn't there a maid named Xiao Huan who comes out often?"

Eh.

The old man sighed: "There was a maid named Xiao Huan. She was pitiful. She refused to leave the opera troupe and lived a very hard life."

Chen Mo asked, "Did Xiao Huan go to the Huangmei Opera troupe two or three years ago?"

The old man said, "I don't remember clearly. Many people say in private that Xiao Huan is an illegitimate child left behind by someone in the opera troupe. She is not well-liked in the surrounding area."

A bastard?

Chen Mo continued, "Is there a female troupe leader in this house?"

The old man shook his head: "I don't know about that, I've never seen them. I've only seen Xiao Huan coming and going often. Young master, you're from out of town, aren't you? Don't get close to this opera troupe. It's very eerie."

After leaving a message, the old man picked up his hoe and bamboo basket and left.

Chen Mo continued to ask several passing villagers, and the answers he received were all the same.

I've never met Zhong Lihong before.

Seeing that he couldn't get any more information, Chen Mo turned around and went back into the house.

For the next three days, Chen Mo stayed at home.

The door to Zhong Lihong's room remained tightly shut, and Xiao Huan's sobbing could still be heard from inside, calling out "Brother Guo" and "Miss." She looked utterly heartbroken.

Juan'er stood outside the door, feeling very uncomfortable due to the emotional state of the situation.

That morning, Chen Mo came to the courtyard again and still heard Juan'er calling for Miss and Brother Guo, crying her heart out.

Juan'er tugged at Chen Mo's hand: "Young Master, Xiao Huan is so pitiful. Why don't we go in and comfort her?"

Chen Mo shook his head: "Xiao Huan is too agitated to hear anything. You just stay here."

After saying goodbye to Juan'er, Chen Mo went to the house one last time.

Finally, it stopped in front of an abandoned room in the backyard.

Chen Mo had passed by this room several times before, and from the outside, it appeared very dilapidated, filled with miscellaneous items and various bottles and jars. He hadn't gone inside to investigate.

Over the past three days, Chen Mo searched the entire house thoroughly but found nothing unusual, nor did he find any trace of the long-haired ghost. This gave him a new idea.

Click.

Chen Mo stepped into the abandoned room.

After moving aside the bottles and jars, and some pieces of wood, they finally found a rotten incense table in the corner of the room. On it was a broken incense burner, and the incense inside was rotten and moldy.

There was also a decaying memorial tablet, collapsed in the corner of the incense table.

Memorial tablet?

With a thought, Chen Mo went up and picked up the spirit tablet.

Brush off the dust.

The writing on the right side is already blurred and illegible.

The middle column of characters is faintly visible: The memorial tablet of the late ancestor, Mr. Zhong Jiaxu.

The first two lines on the left read:

Child

from

The next two lines read:

孙

ring

Further down it reads:

重孙
Korea

Having lived two lives, Chen Mo naturally knew that when ancestors died, the names of their descendants were often written on their memorial tablets and tombstones. Some unborn children would also be named and written on them in advance.

However, elders generally hope for a large family, and will only list offspring if they are already born and the same generation cannot have more children. Unborn descendants will naturally be listed in greater numbers.

It won't be a case of only one son per generation.

Chen Mo's pupils immediately contracted.

“Zhong Li, Xiao Huan… Zhong Huan. Zhong Lihong… are all third-generation descendants of Zhong Xu.”

"If Zhong Lihong is real, then Xiao Huan must be at least in her fifties. How could she be a little girl?"

Just then, Chen Mo noticed two more memorial tablets beside him.

He picked one up to look at it.

This memorial tablet is much newer, and the writing is still quite clear.

The middle column of characters clearly reads: "The spirit tablet of the late ancestor, Mr. Zhong, a member of the Zhong family."

"This is the memorial tablet for Zhong Xu's son, Zhong Li. Zhong Li died decades ago. And Zhong Lihong also said that the villain three years ago was named Zhong Li and was killed by Guo Xing?"

Chen Mo felt a sudden, inexplicable chill.

"The Zhong family members are all incredibly strange. Could it be that the Zhong family's ancestral spirit went mad and ate its own members because of their strangeness?"

Chen Mo gathered his thoughts and picked up another spirit tablet to examine it.

This wooden memorial tablet has been updated, and the writing is clearer.

The middle column of characters is clearer: The spirit tablet of the late ancestor, Mr. Zhong Jiahuan.

hiss!
Chen Mo felt even more terrified.

Are you referring to Xiao Huan?

She died decades ago.

What was that little ring I saw before?
Besides, Xiao Huan is clearly a woman, so how can she be tested?
Mourning parents...

Kao is a man, Bi is a woman.

How could the gender be wrong when the younger generation erects a monument for their ancestors?

Chen Mo increasingly felt that the Zhong family... was very problematic.

Li is Zhong Xu's great-grandson, making her the youngest descendant.

It seems that it was Zhong Lihong who erected the monument for Xiao Huan...

"So, is Xiao Huan Zhong Lihong's father or mother?"

The Zhong family was once a powerful family that could suppress demons, on par with the Shen family. The deity lost control and went mad, wiping out the entire family... So why did they leave behind descendants? And each of those descendants is more abnormal than the last.

Just as Chen Mo was in a daze, he caught a glimpse of a spirit tablet under the incense table.

"There's one more?"

Chen Mo bent down and picked up the spirit tablet.

This memorial tablet has been updated, and the inscription is clearer.

The middle column of words is very eye-catching: The memorial tablet of the late ancestor, Zhong Gong Lihong.

The right side is blank.

The left side for descendants is also blank.

hiss!
Chen Mo took a deep breath: "Zhong Lihong is dead too? Then who erected this memorial tablet?"

When ancestors pass away, their memorial tablets are carved by their sons.

It's understandable that Xiao Huan died and Zhong Lihong erected a monument.

But Zhong Lihong is dead... Who erected her tombstone?
Could it be that Zhong Lihong has children?

But there's no one left in this house.

Moreover, Zhong Lihong is clearly a woman, so why did she use the word "exam"?

Chen Mo immediately searched through all the clutter in the room, trying to find other spirit tablets, but he couldn't find any.

Finally, Chen Mo placed the four memorial tablets side by side for comparison and found that the handwriting on them was exactly the same. It seemed as if they were written by the same person.

"Damn... the Zhong family is too strange. A demon-suppressing family that suddenly perished, I really don't know what terrible things they encountered back then. I can't stay in this place. Since I can't find the Four Souls Jade, it seems that I am not destined for it. Moreover, this Four Souls Jade is very strange, and obtaining it may not be a good thing."

Chen Mo dropped the memorial tablet and hurriedly left.

He was going to find Juan'er and take her away from this place.

Upon arriving at Zhong Lihong's residence, they saw Juan'er squatting on a stone in the yard, her hands supporting her chin, staring at the door of the room. Inside, Xiao Huan's crying could still be heard, her mouth constantly calling for Miss and Brother Guo.

"Juan'er, is there any noise inside?"

Juan'er shook her head: "No, it's the same as before."

"Let's not wait any longer, let's leave here," Chen Mo called out.

Juan'er was taken aback: "They're leaving already? Xiao Huan was crying so hard, aren't they going in to comfort her?"

"No more comforting. This place is too eerie. I don't understand what's going on. It's not ghosts or zombies, but something even stranger has happened. Let's go." Chen Mo grabbed Juan'er and strode towards the gate.

Juan'er was clearly reluctant to leave, but she dared not disobey Chen Mo, so she followed him.

When Chen Mo reached the main gate, he suddenly stopped.

He keenly noticed that Juan'er kept repeating two sentences.

"Miss, how will Xiao Huan survive if you leave her alone?"

"Brother Guo, what should I do?"

It wasn't like this before.

Although the meaning is similar, there is some variation in the wording.

"Juan'er, Xiao Huan keeps repeating these two sentences?"

Juan'er said, "Yes."

"Since when?"

"Just recently. There was a slight change in what I said earlier."

strangeness……

This is spoken in a very mechanical way, like a broken record.

Chen Mo turned to look at the room, and after a moment's thought, said, "Let's go in and take a look."

Juan'er immediately cheered up and said as she followed Chen Mo to the room, "Great! I'll go in and comfort Xiao Huan. Xiao Huan is so pitiful."

Squeak!

Chen Mo pushed open the door.

It was quiet inside.

Juan'er rushed into the room first and said, "Xiao Huan, don't be so sad, your young lady is still breathing..."

Juan'er couldn't finish her sentence.

Because...

Xiao Huan and Zhong Lihong were no longer in the room.

All the doors and windows were locked, and there was no sign that anyone had gone out.

hiss!
Juan'er shrank back and immediately retreated behind Chen Mo. "Young Master, I've been outside the door the whole time... how could two perfectly healthy people just disappear like that?"

Chen Mo pointed to the bed in front of him, "Look."

Juan'er turned her head and saw a strand of hair lying on the bed, its shape resembling a human figure. Another strand of hair was lying on the edge of the bed, also forming a human figure; this strand of hair was moving, opening its mouth to speak.
"Miss, how will Xiao Huan survive if you leave her alone?"

"Brother Guo, what should I do?"

Startled, Juan'er clung tightly to Chen Mo's leg, "...How can hair talk?"

Chen Mo slowly walked over, reached out and gently patted the hair on the edge of the bed. The strand of hair slid to the floor and fell silent. Then it caught fire and dissipated.

The hair on the edge of the bed was also burning, leaving only some ash and a burnt smell.

call!
Chen Mo let out a long sigh, closed his eyes, and reviewed the previous information:
Sure enough, four generations of the Zhong family died.

It's like being under some kind of curse.

It seems that the destruction of the Zhong family and the madness of the deity who ate people were related to this.

But who erected the monument?
Just then, Juan'er spoke up: "Young master, look... there's a memorial tablet on the desk now, it wasn't there before."

brush!
Chen Mo immediately opened his eyes and turned to look at the table, where a brand new spirit tablet stood.

There are no words on the left and right sides.

The large characters in the middle are exceptionally clear:

The memorial tablet of our late father, Mr. Chen Gongmo!
"Damn it, who set up my memorial tablet?"

An indescribable sense of dread washed over me.

This is just too weird.

There was talk before about who erected the monument for the Zhong family, and now it's here...

brush!
Chen Mo looked around, releasing the power of his aristocratic bloodline. "Who, who's playing tricks here? I know you're here, come out."

There was silence.

Chen Mo, with his keen senses, did not detect any ghostly or zombie aura.

"Juan'er, let's go quickly." Chen Mo called out and strode towards the door. After a few steps, he realized Juan'er hadn't followed, so he turned around to look. He saw Juan'er staring at the top of her head with a look of terror on her face.

Chen Mo asked, "What are you looking at?"

Is there some kind of ghost crawling on my back?
Juan'er's pupils dilated: "Mo, Brother Mo... your hair is growing little by little! Growing... so fast!"

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.

P.S.: 20,000 words today. My goal for this month is 600,000 words. Please subscribe and support!
(End of this chapter)