I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 154 Terrifying Power, the Gods Awaken! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
"Hahaha, now they're all together, let them all go and be buried with my husband!"

Without uttering a single wasted word, Shen Yu swiftly drew a blood pattern on his palm, then clasped his hands together and roared ferociously, "Shen Family Bloodline, Outer Divine Power! I respectfully invite Lord Blood Tiger to descend upon my body and slaughter these evil Tang family members!"

"Die!!"

In an instant, Tang Feifei, who had been standing next to Tang Xianhe, suddenly shouted, "Stop her from using the Outer Illumination Divine Power!"

Tang Xianhe was well aware that if Shen Yu used her external illumination ability, it would be extremely troublesome. He was already running towards Shen Yu very fast, but he was still a step too slow. With a loud rumble, the entire ground caved in deeply.

Tang Xianhe was startled, thinking that the other party had successfully used the Outer Illumination Divine Power. He felt a surge of grief and indignation, bit his finger, and drew a blood-red talisman on his palm.

Tang Feifei rushed over at this moment, "Father, your health is not good to begin with. If you use the External Illumination Divine Power now, your body will not be able to withstand it."

Tang Xianhe pushed Tang Feifei away. "I sent you to deliver the message hoping you would go with the seventh brother, but you turned back. You found a place to hide. This is my fate. I don't have much time left. I'll just consider it as shedding my last drop of blood for the Tang family. That way, I'll have no regrets in this life."

Click.

Tang Xianhe had finished drawing the blood talisman on his palm and was about to unleash his external illumination technique when he suddenly heard Tang Feifei shout, "Father, something's wrong! Look at Shen Yu..."

Ok?
Tang Xianhe had already resigned himself to death, but when he looked up, he saw a truly horrifying scene:
Shen Yu had his hands clasped together, but he was still unable to unleash his external illumination supernatural power.

what happened?

Tang Xianhe was puzzled, thinking to himself: Although Shen Yu's strength is not as good as Shen Wudao's, it is above Shen Qianshui's. Logically speaking, he should have been familiar with the blood talisman and the way to use the External Illumination Divine Power long ago, so why can't he use the External Illumination Divine Power?
Was the blood talisman drawn incorrectly? Or is there a problem with another part of the process?

impossible!
Tang Xianhe instinctively felt it was impossible.

That is how the matter?

Although I don't know the reason, if Shen Yu can't use the Outer Illumination Divine Power, then I really don't need to use it, lest I hasten my death.

In Tang Xianhe's eyes, Shen Yu appeared extremely strange at this moment:
"Die! All of you, die!!"

"Shen family bloodline guide, external divine power, I respectfully invite Lord Blood Tiger to descend upon my body and charge into these Tang family villains!!"

"Die! All of you, die!!"

Shen Yu clasped his hands together repeatedly, but no Blood Tiger Lord appeared. Instead, he became completely deranged. Finally, to the astonishment of Tang Xianhe and the others, Shen Yu collapsed to Chen Mo's feet and kowtowed.
"Lord Blood Tiger, you've finally arrived! Please, take action and slaughter all those villains from Tang Family Fortress immediately!"

"Please!"

Upon hearing Shen Yu's words, everyone felt an indescribable sense of dread.

Shen Baishan and Tang Feifei both gasped.

Even Tang Xianhe looked incredulous: Chen Mo is Master Blood Tiger? How is that possible?

Others may not have seen Lord Blood Tiger, but Tang Xianhe saw him once when he was a child.

This is nothing like Chen Mo.

Absolutely impossible...

A strange sense of dread washed over Tang Xianhe, sending chills down his spine. He stared intently at Chen Mo's every move.

Everyone in the room stared at Chen Mo, terrified.

Amidst the utter shock of the crowd, Chen Mo slowly walked up to Shen Yu and coldly said, "Don't rush, don't rush. Before I make my move, I'd like to borrow your body for a while. Are you willing?"

Shen Yu kowtowed repeatedly: "I am willing! Shen Yu is willing to do anything for Lord Blood Tiger."

Chen Mo nodded: "Then you should commit seppuku."

Shen Yu paused for a moment, then immediately nodded: "Yes, Master Blood Tiger."

After saying that, Shen Yu picked up a broadsword from the ground and stabbed it into his abdomen. Then he pulled it horizontally, and with a "plop" sound, blood and internal organs gushed out.

Shen Yu's life force was visibly fading away. With only his last breath, he pleaded with Chen Mo, "Please, Lord Blood Tiger, kill the wicked gang from Tang Family Fortress."

Chen Mo nodded repeatedly: "I understand. Rest in peace."

bump!
Shen Yu collapsed into a pool of blood and died.

hiss!
Tang Xianhe and Tang Feifei both gasped in shock.

How can it be?

If Chen Mo is really the Blood Tiger Master, why would he kill members of the Shen family?

If Chen Mo wasn't Master Blood Tiger, how could Shen Yu have committed suicide because of a single sentence from Chen Mo?
In the end what happened?
Even a figure as exceptional as Tang Xianhe was unaware of what was happening at this moment.

Then, something even more terrifying happened at the scene:

"Ah!!! I don't want to live anymore. I want to die!!" A member of the Shen family suddenly ran out of the crowd, covered his head with his hands, knelt on the ground and cried bitterly: "I caused the deaths of my parents when I was young, I deserve to die. Father, I will go and apologize to you right now."

After saying that, the young man slammed his head on the ground, and with a sudden "thud," his brains splattered out, and he died.

After the first disciple went mad, the second disciple also went mad.

"Ah, what's the point of my life? Being driven and enslaved everywhere, this kind of life is meaningless."

bump.

The disciple took the knife and chopped off his own head, dying instantly.

Following suit, more and more members of the Shen family went mad.

One by one, they committed suicide.

"Ugh, life is so meaningless."

"I'm dead."

"I should have died when I was three years old, but I'm still alive. It's a sin."

“I heard the call of the gods, and the gods told me... it’s time for me to go to heaven.”

bump!
Puff puff puff puff...

Over a hundred members of the Shen family committed suicide.

Heads rolled, corpses piled high, blood flowed like a sea.

The entire square in front of Tangjiabao was filled with the pungent stench of blood and entrails. Only Shen Baishan remained, running for his life…

"This is terrifying, absolutely terrifying, ahhh..."

Shen Baishan fell to the ground after running only a few steps, rolled a few times, then got up again and ran away on all fours.

The night was as dark as ink, and the air was thick with a suffocating smell.

The disciples of Tangjiabao were all drenched in sweat, their hair standing on end, and they looked at Chen Mo as if he were an unbelievable monster.

Chen Mo, however, acted as if nothing had happened. He slowly walked up to Tang Xianhe, cupped his hands slightly, and asked, "Old Lord, are you alright?"

Hearing Chen Mo's words, Tang Xianhe finally snapped out of his daze. Gone was his previous composed demeanor; he was now completely flustered. "I'm fine. Xiao Mo, what's wrong..."

After saying that, Tang Xianhe seemed to realize something and immediately rushed to Shen Yu's corpse, opening his palm. He was shocked to see that what was drawn on it was not a blood talisman at all, but a jumble of random circles.

No wonder he couldn't use the External Illumination Divine Power and couldn't summon Lord Blood Tiger.

The reason was... Shen Yu experienced intense hallucinations, eventually going insane. She mistook Chen Mo for Lord Blood Tiger and committed suicide because of a single sentence from Chen Mo.

And then, thinking back to the hundreds of Shen family members who just went mad and committed suicide...

Tang Xianhe finally understood how Chen Mo had done it: the power of awakening!

Moreover, it possesses a level of awareness far exceeding that of the Yellow Pages Ghost. It can not only create panic in people but also modify their six senses and consciousness, creating illusions.

However, the power of awareness can only create illusions at most; they are not real. Once the illusion passes, the person will return to normal.

The power of attraction can read memories, modify memories, and even inject fictitious memories that never existed. This is naturally far more terrifying. It's tantamount to turning non-existent memories into a person's real past, memories that will accompany them for their entire lives, completely distorting their humanity.

Even so, it is quite remarkable that the power of enlightenment has reached this level.

Shadow Ghost!
A possibility immediately flashed through Tang Xianhe's mind: only those who have reached the level of the Shadow Ghost possess such terrifying power of perception.

In other words, the ghost bones within Chen Mo's body have evolved, and the ghostly power within him... has reached the level of a shadow ghost.

That's comparable to Lord Blood Tiger and Lord Black God.

Thinking of this, Tang Xianhe gasped, and when he turned to look at Chen Mo, his eyes had changed.

In the past, when Tang Xianhe saw Chen Mo, although he thought Chen Mo was outstanding, he still treated him like an elder to a junior, his attitude instinctively carrying a superior-subordinate flavor. But at this moment...

Tang Xianhe dared not do that again.

Tang Xianhe completely abandoned his pride, quickly walked up to Chen Mo, and cupped his hands in greeting: "Young Master Mo's methods are profound. Thank you for your help in rescuing my Tang Family Fortress from danger."

Chen Mo quickly helped Tang Xianhe up: "Old Master, please don't be so formal. I am originally from Tang Family Fort. When I was desperate, I was taken in by my master. I came here on my master's orders."

After speaking, Chen Mo took out the Tang Family Fortress Lord's token given to him by Tang Binghu and showed it to everyone. "I am Chen Mo. I have come here to provide assistance under the orders of my master, Tang Binghu, and with the fortress lord's token in hand. To make things easier for me, my master has appointed me as the young fortress lord of Tang Family Fortress and has also bestowed this token upon me."

Upon seeing the token, and having witnessed Chen Mo's terrifying methods, the disciples of Tangjiabao bowed and paid their respects, their eyes filled with fervent light.

"Greetings, Young Master."

"See Young Master!"

Chen Mo didn't mince words, shouting, "Return to Tangjiabao immediately, each of you armed and on patrol in shifts. Our feud with the Shen family isn't over yet. Remember, we cannot let our guard down."

"Yes!"

The disciples obeyed and left.

Chen Mo then put away the token and bowed to Tang Xianhe, saying, "Old Master, this matter is not yet over. I have important matters to discuss with you. May we go to the Jing Si Garden?"

Tang Xianhe nodded repeatedly, "Alright. Feifei, you lead your men on patrols."

Tang Xianhe quickly led Chen Mo to Jingsi Garden. After inviting Chen Mo to sit down, Tang Xianhe personally poured tea for him. Chen Mo hurriedly stood up to decline, saying, "I cannot accept tea from the old lord. It is only right that I pour tea for you."

Tang Xianhe pressed Chen Mo back into his seat, quite stubbornly saying, "Others might not be able to accept this, but you are. If I tell you to sit, then sit."

Chen Mo had no choice but to sit down: "Thank you, Old Master."

Tang Xianhe poured tea for Chen Mo and sat down beside him. "Our Tang Family Fortress was able to get out of trouble this time thanks to Young Master Mo's righteous help. I will remember this kindness. How is the situation with Seventh Brother?"

Chen Mo gave a detailed account of the situation of the Green Wolf Gang, and finally said: "Old Master, the conflict between our Tang family and the Shen family has been brewing for a long time. Tonight, the conflict has already begun, and we must not let it stop. We should take advantage of the situation to completely eliminate the Shen family and prevent future troubles."

Tang Xianhe was slightly surprised, probably not expecting Chen Mo to be so decisive at such a young age. He nodded and said, "Young Master Mo is young, yet so decisive. He is someone who can accomplish great things. I think so too. Now that the war has begun, if we don't destroy the Shen family, our Tang family will die. Everything will be decided tonight. But before that, I have a question for you, and I hope you will not hide it from me, Young Master Mo."

Chen Mo also knew that the situation was urgent.

Now that we've taken action against the Shen family, we absolutely cannot leave any future troubles.

The Shen family has a Blood Tiger patriarch after all, and relying solely on Chen Mo... would likely be dangerous. Chen Mo also needs to borrow the power of the Black God patriarch from Tang Family Fortress.

With a formidable enemy at hand, Chen Mo saw no need to conceal anything. "Please speak, Old Master."

Tang Xianhe took a deep breath: "Your ghostly power has reached the level of a shadow ghost?"

Chen Mo: "To be honest, Old Master, I was in seclusion for three months. I finally entered the Shadow Ghost Path. I just returned today."

Tang Xianhe breathed a sigh of relief. "Just as I thought. No wonder Shen Yu had hallucinations and committed suicide. The power of the Shadow Ghost's perception is truly terrifying. In that case, we really do have a chance of defeating the Shen family."

Tang Xianhe didn't hesitate and asked directly, "Seventh Brother, can I give you the Four Soul Jade from our Tang Family Fortress?"

"Give it."

Chen Mo took out the brocade box from the bundle on his back and placed it on the table: "Before I set off for the prefectural city, I discussed it with my master. My master gave me the Four Soul Jade, saying that with the Four Soul Jade I could communicate better with Lord Black God. If I join forces with Lord Black God, the probability of killing Lord Blood Tiger of the Shen family will be much greater."

Even though Tang Xianhe had expected it, he was still shocked when he saw Chen Mo take out the brocade box. He thought to himself: "Seventh Brother is truly decisive; he gives away the Four Souls Jade so readily. Back then, I held this Four Souls Jade for decades, treating it like a precious treasure. It wasn't until a few days ago, when I made Seventh Brother the fortress lord, that I gave him the Four Souls Jade. Compared to him, I am not as good as Seventh Brother."

With a sigh, Tang Xianhe didn't think much of it and said, "What a deep and intimate bond between master and disciple! That's wonderful. I'll now tell you how to communicate with Lord Black God using the Four Souls Orb. Open the box, hold the Four Souls Orb in your hand, and I'll explain it to you."

Click.

Chen Mo opened the brocade box as instructed and found a black jade pendant inside, about a quarter of the way into a circle, with a creature that resembled a snake but was not quite a snake engraved on it.

Since Chen Mo himself was a snake-type zombie, he felt a strange sense of familiarity and a sense of horror when he saw this species.

"Old Lord, what is this?"

Tang Xianhe explained in detail: "This is a python. A python swallowing an elephant."

蚺？
A python swallows an elephant.

Chen Mo was very curious, "But I remember our Lord Black God was a black-armored knight on horseback?"

Tang Xianhe said, "Back then, my father and the other three families obtained different Shikon Jewel fragments. The four families were rivals and rarely communicated with each other, let alone shared their Shikon Jewel images. When my father saw the Zhong and Zhou families rise to power and become demon-suppressing families, he became anxious. So he found a black-armored knight in the Valley of Headless outside the prefectural city, used the Shikon Jewel on the knight, and reached a mutually beneficial agreement. In reality, this method of use was not quite right."

really……

Chen Mo knew that the Four Soul Jade of the Zhong and Shen families had also malfunctioned.

It's reasonable for the Tang family to make a mistake.

He then asked, "What's wrong with how you're using it?"

Tang Xianhe sighed, "After using the Four Souls Jade, the Black God's cultivation indeed increased greatly. Not many years later, with the blessing of incense offerings from twelve counties, he became the Shadow Demon. My Shen family also rose to prominence because of this. However, the Black God's appearance changed; countless snake scales appeared on his body, eventually resembling a python. But the increase in his cultivation was genuine. My father investigated for many years but couldn't find the reason. Later, I also investigated for many years but still couldn't find the reason. The only family that might know the answer is the Zhong family. Because Zhong Xu's path is different from the other three families."

The other three families dared not directly wield the power of the Shikon Jewel, opting instead to use it indirectly through demons. Only Zhong Xu, reckless and daring, used the Shikon Jewel himself. However, Zhong Xu later went mad and killed his own family. The Zhong family vanished swiftly, leaving not a trace. If one could find the Zhong family's Shikon Jewel, or the notebooks left behind by Zhong Xu, the reason behind this would be revealed.

"It's a pity, I've searched for so many years and still haven't found it. I almost found it in the ancient village last time, but unfortunately, I encountered a zombie, and it escaped. The notebook and notes left by Zhong Xu were most likely taken by that zombie. It's truly a shame; I've searched my whole life, and that was the closest I ever came to the truth."

In the end, Tang Xianhe looked extremely regretful and somewhat unwilling.

Chen Mo was speechless.

What a coincidence...

"I've also heard my master mention that the old lord of the fortress made a move recently, which caused his health to deteriorate."

Tang Xianhe quickly stopped, saying, "Let's not talk about those past events. I'll teach you a spell to communicate with Lord Black God..."

"it is good."

Chen Mo listened attentively as Tang Xianhe recited a spell. Tang Xianhe, still not convinced, had Chen Mo repeat it twice to confirm it was correct before saying, "This is it. Come with me to the ancestral hall in the backyard to offer incense to the Black God. Then we'll go to the Shen family to settle this score."

Chen Mo agreed without hesitation. He then followed Tang Xianhe through layers of courtyards and turned through more than a dozen corridors, finally arriving at a secluded villa.

This courtyard was utterly desolate, unlike any other lively courtyard. It hadn't been tended to for a long time, and a sense of decay permeated the air. Moss and weeds grew on the blue bricks of the courtyard, and even the gate exuded a musty smell.

Squeak.

Tang Xianhe pushed open the door, causing a cloud of dust to rise.

As he led the way inside, he said, “Master Black God prefers tranquility and has a cold and aloof nature. He doesn’t like to be disturbed. Previously, no one but me could enter this place, which is why it looks rather desolate. In fact, Master Black God has always adhered to the contract over the years and has never harmed anyone from Tang Family Fortress. Young Master Mo, please don’t worry too much.”

Chen Mo was naturally unafraid, and glanced around at the vast, abandoned courtyard.

The courtyard was quite large, measuring a hundred feet square. At the far end was a shrine hall, the door of which was closed. Under the eaves above the entrance were incense tables and offerings.

"contract?"

Tang Xianhe said, "Yes, it's the contract that our Tang family made with the Four Soul Jade and Lord Black God. It's also a contract of symbiotic blood. Lord Black God is the main bloodline, and our Tang family is the symbiotic bloodline. It is because of this contract that our Tang Family Fortress has the bloodline of a noble family and eventually became a demon-suppressing noble family."

Chen Mo keenly realized a problem: "What is the purpose of the Shikon Jewel?"

Tang Xianhe didn't hide anything, "Besides enhancing life's evolution and stimulating the subject's special bloodline, it also has the effect of a contract. The reason this contract can be maintained is because of the Four Souls Jade. Our Shen family possesses the Four Souls Jade, which allows us to maintain the contract and establish a symbiotic relationship with Lord Black God."

I see……

Chen Mo didn't know before that the Shikon Jewel could also be used to form a contract.

Something feels wrong.

For a moment, Chen Mo couldn't pinpoint what the problem was.

While pondering, he had already followed Tang Xianhe to the outside of the ancestral hall.

Above the entrance to the main hall of the ancestral hall hangs a plaque with five large characters: "Temple of the Black-Armored Knights".

Tang Xianhe led Chen Mo to the incense table, lit three incense sticks, and then kowtowed, muttering, "Today, Chen Mo, the young master of my Tang Family Fortress, has obtained the Tang family's Four Soul Jade. I have brought Chen Mo here to pay my respects to Lord Black God and to get acquainted with him. If Chen Mo later becomes acquainted with Lord Black God, I humbly request that Lord Black God grant him favors and treat him as one of my Tang family's sons. Tang Xianhe is grateful to Lord Black God."

Chen Mo also lit three incense sticks, but while doing so, his gaze remained fixed on the tightly closed door. He vaguely saw a dark shadow flickering inside, emitting a low "heh heh heh" sound. However, no matter how Tang Xianhe asked, the person inside did not respond.

Eh.

Tang Xianhe seemed to sense Chen Mo's confusion and said, "Young Master Mo has already paid his respects to the Black God, so he can be considered to have accepted the position. Let's leave now."

Chen Mo felt a chilling atmosphere in the ancestral hall, with an extremely eerie feeling. He had a feeling that something bad would happen if he stayed there too long, so he didn't linger and followed Tang Xianhe out of the ancestral hall.

After leaving the ancestral hall, Tang Xianhe explained, "A month ago, when I offered incense to Lord Black God, he would reply to me. But these past few days, I don't know why, Lord Black God has stopped talking and has become somewhat irritable. But it's alright, the contract of the Four Souls Orb is still valid, let's go to the Shen family first."

Chen Mo replied, "Yes."

Tang Xianhe suddenly stopped, looked Chen Mo up and down, and then smiled. "Young Master Mo, rest assured, if we fail to take down the Shen family, I will risk my life to protect you and help you escape first. It doesn't matter if this old man dies, but you are the hope of Tang Family Fortress. You absolutely cannot be harmed."

Chen Mo didn't say anything, but felt a sense of emotion.

Tang Xianhe is, in some ways, very similar to his master, Tang Binghu.

They were all willing to sacrifice themselves for their families, one after another.

A century-old family would not have been able to rise to prominence without the diligence and hard work of two generations.

If even a prominent family is like this, what about others?

……

The Shen and Tang families of Nanyang Prefecture were indeed extremely prestigious, almost overshadowing the prefectural government and becoming the most powerful aristocratic families in Nanyang Prefecture.

However, it is impossible for the Shen and Tang families to completely control all life and death power in Nanyang Prefecture.

Because there is another place that is even more powerful than the Shen and Tang families.

Demon Suppression Office.

The imperial court established the Demon Suppression Headquarters in the central capital to oversee the entire realm. It also set up Demon Suppression Prefectures and Demon Suppression Offices in various states and prefectures. This was all to ensure the final continuation of the Great Qian Dynasty and to maintain order within the court.

If the Great Qian Dynasty's rule was shared by the imperial court and various powerful families, then the Demon Suppression Division was the sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of these families.

It was precisely because of the existence of the Demon Suppression Division that the imperial court and local powerful families were connected, which made the powerful families outwardly required to obey the laws of the imperial court.

The Nanyang Demon Suppression Bureau is naturally the Damocles' sword hanging over Shen Tang's head.

late at night.

The imposing Demon Suppression Bureau was staffed with various skilled warriors in armor, who patrolled with swords, exuding an imposing aura.

The most central meeting hall of the prefectural government is called the Demon Suppression Hall.

The furnishings inside the hall were even more magnificent than those in the government office, and there were no statues enshrined there. It all looked perfectly normal.

A man dressed in a black robe sat behind a long table in the center of the hall, processing some documents.

The one who is seated here is Yun Zhongyue, the chief of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

It is also the foremost of the four great peaks of Nanyang Prefecture.

Yun Zhongyue looked to be no more than forty years old, with long, flowing hair and a hair crown. He had thick eyebrows, dark eyes, and a square face, exuding an imposing presence even without anger.

Click.

After finishing the last document, Yun Zhongyue placed the wolf-hair brush on the mountain-shaped brush holder and stretched. "Strange things have been happening frequently in Nanyang Prefecture lately, and there are more and more ghost stories. This is the first time in more than ten years that I have encountered so many strange things."

After saying that, Yun Zhongyue called out to the outside, "Yun Yi!"

Da da da.

Footsteps approached, and a refined young man in a long robe walked in. He looked to be in his early twenties, handsome and well-educated.

"Father, have all the books been dealt with?"

Yun Zhongyue waved his hand and said, "Take all the books to the archives for classification and sealing."

"Yes."

Yun Yi carried a large pile of documents to the door, handed them to several capable subordinates, and then returned to make tea for Yun Zhongyue. "Father, you are working so hard day and night for the official duties of the prefecture. It pains me to see you like this. Father, you must take care of your health."

The Demon Suppression Bureau is different from the government offices of the imperial court.

Most officials in the imperial court were assigned through the imperial examinations, or through donations, or through promotion. Most of them were not from the same family, and it was extremely rare for fathers and sons to work in the same government office.

However, those serving in the Demon Suppression Division are mostly scions of powerful demon-suppressing families assigned from various regions. Naturally, fathers and sons, or relatives, often work together. After all, the bloodline of these families is not meant to be lost to outsiders.

Yun Zhongyue took a sip of tea. "There's nothing I can do. The Prefectural Governor has entrusted me with an important task, putting me in charge of Nanyang. I must do my best. Only then will I not have let down the Prefectural Governor's expectations. By the way, has anything unusual happened in the prefectural city these past few days?"

Yun Yi said, "Nothing else is wrong, but the Shen and Tang families have started fighting. I'm afraid it will be a fight to the death tonight."

"Ok?"

Yun Zhongyue was taken aback: "Shen Zishan has always been restrained, what's wrong with him today?"

"Shen Wudao was killed..." Yun Yi recounted the events in detail, concluding, "The Shen family believed that the Jin Guang Master who killed Shen Wudao and Shen Qianshui was Chen Mo from Tangjiabao. However, Tangjiabao refused to admit it, and Shen Yu, unable to bear the loss of her husband, went mad and led people to besiege Tangjiabao."

The decisive battle between the two powerful families is of paramount importance. Father, would you be willing to mediate?

Gulu.

Yun Zhongyue took a sip of tea, looking completely unperturbed: "These two families have a long-standing feud. I can mediate for a while, but I can't mediate forever. Let them be. Once a winner is decided, things will settle down."

Yun Yi said, "The Shen family has a great chance of winning. If Tang Family Fort is gone, the Shen family will dominate the city. We won't be able to control them. It's better to have two powerful families to check and balance each other."

Yun Zhongyue smiled. "My son is quite clever, understanding the balance of power in the court at such a young age. However, my term will be completed in a few months. I will then return to Nanzhou to take up my post. Let the next person handle the mess here. We don't need to provoke anyone."

"Father is indeed the most thoughtful."

"I'm tired, you may leave." Yun Zhongyue dismissed Yun Yi, then leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "Although I still have a few months left in my term, Nanyang Prefecture has been quite turbulent lately. I hope nothing bad happens during my term... Who?"

Yun Zhongyue suddenly stood up, looking warily at the darkness around the hall: "Stop playing tricks, come out."

Wow.

With a slight rustling sound, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows ahead, which then transformed into a beautiful woman dressed in a light blue fitted dress.

"The Yunfu Division is so imposing. I only came here to ask for a cup of tea, yet I was reprimanded by the Yunfu Division."

Yun Zhongyue stared at the woman in green for a long time before finally realizing, "So it's Miss Xiaoqing from Black Mountain Tower. I was being rude. Miss Xiaoqing, please sit down and let's talk."

The woman in green didn't care about the prefectural official and sat down directly in the chief seat.

Yun Zhongyue didn't get angry at all. Instead, he smiled and made tea for Xiaoqing. "I had already read the message from the Prefectural Governor. He said that the Black Mountain Tower had sent a powerful spy to the prefectural city to investigate. He asked me to cooperate and make things convenient for him. I didn't expect it to be Miss Xiaoqing."

Xiaoqing took the tea and sipped it gently: "I just arrived in the prefectural city. I've seen quite a few interesting things along the way, and I've also met an interesting person."

Yun Zhongyue sat down to the side, smiling ingratiatingly: "Anyone who can amuse Miss Xiaoqing must be extraordinary. I wonder which person in Nanyang Prefecture has such an honor?"

Xiaoqing said, "It is the Golden Light Master that your son just mentioned."

Yun Zhongyue was slightly surprised and immediately held this Master Jinguang in higher regard. "I wonder what makes Master Jinguang so special?"

Xiaoqing said, "That Master Jinguang killed Shen Wudao and also seized the incense offerings from more than a dozen counties belonging to the Shen family."

Yun Zhongyue said, "I've heard about this too. Because of this, Shen Yu from the Shen family is currently leading her men to fight a bloody battle with the Tang family. With the Blood Tiger Master of the Shen family, the Tang family probably has no chance of survival. Although Shen Yu is a young lady from a respectable family, her skills are quite formidable. She's not easy to deal with either."

Xiaoqing said, "Shen Yu is dead. The hundreds of Shen family members who went with him are also dead. The Shen family has suffered more than half its losses this time."

Yun Zhongyue was slightly surprised: "If Shen Yu knew about Master Jin Guang's methods, he certainly wouldn't use his own cultivation to fight the Tang family to the death. He should have directly used his external divine power. How could this be?"

Xiaoqing said, "Then Master Jinguang made his move. Guess how Shen Yu and those disciples died?"

Yun Zhongyue was greatly surprised: "How did he die?"

Xiaoqing sipped her tea casually and said, "They've all gone mad and committed suicide. Shen Yu went mad too and disemboweled himself."

hiss!
Yun Zhongyue gasped in shock.

Others might not understand the hidden meaning in Xiaoqing's words, but Yun Zhongyue understood them perfectly.

The power of awakening!
An extremely terrifying power of awareness.

I'm afraid this Golden Light Master has reached the level of the Shadow Ghost.

But this was just Yun Zhongyue's guess. He still asked, "Could it be that Master Jin Guang's cultivation level is..."

Xiaoqing said, "That's right, I was watching from a distance at the time. That Master Jinguang... the ghostly power within him has indeed reached the level of the Shadow Ghost. Right now, Master Jinguang has taken Tang Xianhe to the Shen family. Do you think the Shen family has a chance of winning?"

Yun Zhongyue said, "Lord Blood Tiger is indeed powerful, but if he were to fight two against one, I'm afraid it would end in mutual destruction."

Xiaoqing smiled and said, "Prefect Yun has keen insight. That's what I thought too. I know Prefect Yun's term is about to end, and he doesn't care which of the two great families dies. After all, the victor will take over the incense offerings of the entire prefecture. There won't be any trouble. Prefect Yun only wants local peace and stability, and no major chaos. But what if both great families die? Wouldn't Nanyang Prefecture immediately descend into chaos?"

hiss!
Yun Zhongyue felt a chill run down his spine.

He originally thought that as long as Nanyang Prefecture remained stable during his term, he wouldn't care who won or lost between the two powerful families. But he couldn't allow both families to collapse.

That would cause trouble.

Thinking of this, Yun Zhongyue's face turned somewhat pale: "So, Miss Xiaoqing means that I need to step in and mediate."

Xiaoqing said, "I am just a secret agent of Black Mountain Tower, and I never interfere in the affairs of your Demon Suppression Division."

Yun Zhongyue laughed and said, "We are friends, and today is just a casual chat. If I were to mediate, to what extent would it be appropriate? The two families have a long-standing feud, and the trouble was caused by Master Jin Guang. But Master Jin Guang's Taoist skills are profound, and I am in a difficult position."

Xiaoqing said, "What's so difficult about that? Didn't Master Jinguang take away the Shen family's inheritance? Why don't you just publicly allocate these counties to Master Jinguang? In this way, the prefectural city under your jurisdiction will have a great help. Wouldn't it be more stable to have a three-way balance of power?"

Yun Zhongyue considered for a moment: "I'm afraid the Shen family won't agree. As I represent the Imperial Demon Suppression Division, I can't be too biased."

Xiaoqing said, "Shen Zishan still wants to regain his former glory, so naturally he won't agree. If I take action and suppress him to the point where he can't even protect himself, then he'll agree. People are all about comparisons."

"Thank you so much, Miss Xiaoqing!" Yun Zhongyue stood up to express his gratitude, then said, "Miss Xiaoqing, you've helped me so much, surely there must be some conditions involved?"

Xiaoqing took out a booklet and handed it to Yun Zhongyue: "Take a look."

Yun Zhongyue respectfully accepted the booklet, and after flipping through it, he was shocked. "Something happened at the Ten Thousand Serpent Cave?"

Xiaoqing said, "The Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes is where Zhou Ru went to invite his family's deity. That Zhou family's deity came from the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes. Later, the deity went mad, ate all the Zhou family members, and then died in the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes. For the next ninety years, nothing unexpected happened. The Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes also remained unchanged. But recently, my Black Mountain Tower discovered that the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes has undergone a change. It seems that the Zhou family's deity, who died ninety years ago, is about to be resurrected."

hiss!
Yun Zhongyue gasped: "The Zhou family's deity, who has been dead for ninety years, is about to be resurrected? How is that possible?"

Xiaoqing said, "I also find it puzzling. This matter is very strange. It's possible that something big will happen during your term. So, you should mediate. With Master Jinguang around, we'll have more strength. After the mediation, you can bring the three stewards to find me. Then, we can work together to go to the Ten Thousand Snake Cave to find out what's going on."

The unusual activity at Mount Dayin was one thing, but then Nanyang Prefecture followed suit. What a coincidence!

After leaving behind a single sentence, Xiaoqing disappeared into the darkness and vanished completely.

Yun Zhongyue cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you for your guidance, Miss Xiaoqing. Otherwise, something terrible would have really happened in the last few months of my term."

"Men, take stock of the troops and head to the Shen family immediately."

……

Shen family.

The night was as still as water, and the mourning hall was quiet.

The Shen family members all went out with Shen Yu.

Shen Zishan remained alone in the mourning hall, weeping beside Shen Wudao's coffin.

He did not go to Tangjiabao because something made Shen Zishan very uneasy.

He had just visited the Blood Tiger Master of the Shen family, only to find him irritable, terrifying, and unresponsive. No matter how he used the Four Soul Jade, he couldn't communicate with the Blood Tiger Master.

This made Shen Zishan realize that his external illumination technique might be affected and its effectiveness greatly reduced.

Therefore, he sent two of his men to Tangjiabao to find Shen Yu.

As for why he didn't go himself, he wanted to stay at home and await Master Blood Tiger's reply. If something happened to Master Blood Tiger, the entire Shen family would be finished.

After sobbing for a while, Shen Zishan finally composed himself. "How could Master Blood Tiger be unable to communicate? In all these years, nothing like this has ever happened. Heaven is not protecting my Shen family. We absolutely cannot take action against Tang Family Fortress now. We must wait a few days to see if Master Blood Tiger can regain his ability to communicate."

Just then, a young man rushed into the mourning hall, shouting, "Master, something terrible has happened! The Second Miss and the others are all dead! I was on my way to deliver the news when I saw... the Second Miss and the others went mad and committed suicide."

Shen Zishan grabbed the young man: "What did you say? Over a hundred members of the Shen family have gone mad? And committed suicide?"

"Yes, yes. It was terrible, absolutely terrible. I've never seen anything so terrible before."

Shen Zishan inwardly cried out: It must be the Black God who secretly intervened. Only then could he possess such power.

After a long silence, Shen Zishan finally spoke, "What about Baishan?"

The young man said, "Second Master has run away. He should be back soon."

Before long, Shen Baishan stumbled and crawled into the mourning hall, throwing himself down at Shen Zishan's feet and kneeling: "Father, it's too terrible, too terrible... Quick, quick, bring out our Blood Tiger Master. The people from Tangjiabao are probably rushing here, ready to fight us to the death."

pat.

Shen Zishan cried out in despair and sat down heavily on the ground.

The Shen family had only about 170 or 180 members in total. Now half of them are dead.

His own children are almost all dead.

It's all because of that Golden Light Master.

Lord Jin Guang!

"Master Jin Guang! I, Shen Zishan, will not let you go even if I become a ghost!" Shen Zishan bit his finger, drew a blood talisman, and clasped his hands together.

"External Illumination, divine power! I respectfully invite Lord Blood Tiger to descend upon my body!"

The next moment, there was no response.

what happened?

It's really true that external imaging can't detect it?
This has never happened before.

Shen Zishan quickly realized that this was top secret. He couldn't say anything… he absolutely couldn't let outsiders know that the Shen family's secret agent was not Master Blood Tiger… otherwise, there would be utter destruction.

Shen Zishan was a thoughtful man. Even in front of his son and that disciple, he immediately suppressed his anger and pretended to interrupt his spellcasting. "Forget it, there's no need to disturb Lord Blood Tiger. I'll go and take a look."

Da da.

Two figures scaled the wall and rushed in.

It was Chen Mo and Tang Xianhe.

brush!
Tang Xianhe rushed to the disciple who had brought the news, crushed his head with one hand, and he died with his brains splattered everywhere.

"Shen Zishan, we've been entangled and fighting each other our whole lives, and the blame shouldn't extend to our descendants. Let's have a good fight right here today and settle our long-standing grievances, shall we?"

Shen Zishan pondered: He couldn't communicate with Lord Blood Tiger at the moment, and the Divine Lord of Tang Family Fortress had already intervened; he couldn't afford to fight Tang Xianhe to the death. But since the man had come knocking and openly challenged him, he had to teach him a lesson before backing down. Otherwise, everyone would think the Shen family was easy to bully, and the Shen family would truly have no place to stand.

Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, fine. Then it will be as you say. Let me see what this ninety-year-old geezer is capable of!"

boom!
Shen Zishan took a step forward with a roar, and the air around him surged like a dragon and a tiger, transforming into a terrifying gust of wind that swept towards Tang Xianhe.

Just then——

Boom!

A streak of azure light shot in like lightning striking rotten wood, crashing into Shen Zishan. He was slammed to the ground, dazed and seeing stars.

puff!

Shen Zishan spat out a mouthful of blood, flying backward for more than ten meters. He rolled on the ground for a while before standing up and looking ahead warily: "Who? Who is it?"

Wow.

A woman in green suddenly appeared on the roof tiles of the courtyard wall and said coldly, "Black Mountain Tower, Li Qing'er. I'm here today to discuss a business deal with you."

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.: Please vote for me with a monthly pass! With that, the groundwork laid in the previous chapters is complete, and the protagonist's growth returns to the main storyline. What follows is the gradual unveiling of Jiang Hongyue's story. This is the most crucial and important part of the middle chapters. I'm exhausted from writing this detailed outline!
(End of this chapter)