I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 155 Chen Mo completely loses control, Jiang Hongyue revives!

The woman's voice was light and airy, yet it gave everyone an inexplicable sense of powerful pressure.

Even Chen Mo's pupils contracted, and he thought to himself: He hadn't even seen clearly when this woman attacked Shen Zishan... her speed was incredibly fast. Needless to say, she was extremely difficult to deal with, far more powerful than Bai Ye from before. Black Mountain Tower...

Shen Zishan seemed to have heard of the Black Mountain Tower before, and coupled with the fact that he had just been beaten to a pulp by Li Qing'er and his waist was still aching, he gritted his teeth and asked, "What advice does Miss Li have for me?"

Li Qing'er appeared in the courtyard of the mourning hall in one step. With a wave of her hand, a large willow tree ten meters away turned into dust, which made Shen Zishan's heart pound with fear.

Li Qing'er then spoke lightly, "I just had a couple of sips of tea with Yun Zhongyue, and we talked about the dispute between your Shen and Tang families. Yun Zhongyue is a government official, and he always has to follow the rules in his actions, so he can't take sides. His original intention was to let you fight it out, regardless of whether your two families live or die. Shen Zishan, what do you think of this approach?"

No matter how angry Shen Zishan was, he could see at this moment that Li Qing'er was definitely not someone he could afford to offend.

He was originally determined to destroy the Tang family, but the Blood Tiger Master had run into trouble and couldn't be detected. In addition, Shen Zishan believed that the Tang family's Black God Master was behind Shen Yu's death, so he became much more uneasy.

Shen Zishan naturally wouldn't show his guilty conscience; instead, he angrily said, "Miss Li, please speak your mind."

Li Qing'er was unaware of Shen Zishan's thoughts, but she didn't take it seriously and said directly, "My Black Mountain Tower is not a department of the imperial court, so we don't have many rules or taboos in our dealings. Right now, some bad things have happened in Nanyang Prefecture, and we are in need of manpower. In my opinion, why don't you two families stop fighting here and turn hostility into friendship?"

Shen Zishan forced himself to remain calm and snorted, "So many people from my Shen family were killed by Tangjiabao, and Miss Li says 'turn hostility into friendship' so easily."

Li Qing'er raised an eyebrow, her tone turning colder: "You're not willing to give up?"

Shen Zishan still wanted to negotiate, "If Miss Li wants our two families to stop fighting, that's fine, but the Tang family must return the incense offerings of those fourteen counties to my Shen family!"

Shen Zishan wondered if the recent troubles of Master Blood Tiger were caused by Chen Mo cutting off the incense offerings in more than a dozen counties.
Wow!
Li Qing'er suddenly smiled, and a chilling killing intent suddenly surged from her body, causing her clothes to flutter.

Da da da.

Li Qing'er, wearing cloud-patterned boots, walked step by step towards Shen Zishan. With each step she took closer, the murderous aura emanating from Li Qing'er intensified.

"Heh heh heh, how interesting... A fallen aristocratic ant dares to negotiate with my Black Mountain Tower. Back in other prefectures, I encountered a patriarch of a noble family who thought himself superior and tried to challenge my Black Mountain Tower. I wiped him out in one night. I thought that after that, there wouldn't be such foolish noble families in Southern Prefecture, but I didn't expect to see another one so utterly stupid today."

"Very well, I will send the Shen family to their deaths then."

As she spoke, Li Qing'er slowly raised her right hand, and streaks of blood-red silk emerged, suddenly flying up like bolts of lightning, surrounding Shen Zishan from all directions, densely packed like a rain of arrows, about to turn Shen Zishan into a beehive.

"Young Miss Qing, please have mercy!"

A loud voice rang out, and Yun Zhongyue rushed in with his men, immediately playing the good cop, "Shen Zishan has offended Miss Xiaoqing, and he deserves to die. But we are in dire need of manpower right now, so please, Miss Xiaoqing, have some leeway."

Li Qing'er showed no intention of giving up. "I've always had a bad temper, and I don't follow your official procedures. You want me to give up, so I'll give up?"

Yun Zhongyue laughed and said, "If we keep Shen Zishan, he will definitely be grateful for Miss Xiaoqing's kindness and will then serve her, allowing him to atone for his sins."

Li Qing'er then stopped, "Then I'll give you face. I have important business to discuss in three days. I need to see someone useful."

"Of course, of course." Yun Zhongyue smiled ingratiatingly, thinking to himself... Although it was acting, cooperating with this little Qing girl was really not easy.

Li Qing'er ignored Yun Zhongyue and walked up to Chen Mo, suddenly revealing a strange smile: "Master Jin Guang, you have quite the skills. I've helped you a lot. Don't forget about it later."

After leaving a message, Li Qing'er turned and left.

Did you help me a lot?

How come I didn't know...

Just as Chen Mo was wondering, Yun Zhongyue spoke up, "This young lady Xiaoqing is highly accomplished in cultivation. Her sister is the master of the Black Mountain Tower, a peak Silver Life Qi cultivator. How many heads do you have to dare offend young lady Xiaoqing?"

hiss.

Shen Zishan suddenly realized what was happening and gasped. A Daoist master at the peak of the Silver Life Qi realm... wouldn't that mean he could easily kill Lord Blood Tiger?

I had long heard that Black Mountain Tower was a mysterious force from the Southern Continent, but I never imagined it would be so terrifying.

Thinking of this, Shen Zishan's hair was all wet, and he quickly cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you for stepping in, Prefect Yun."

Humph.

Yun Zhongyue snorted coldly: "If I hadn't intervened in time, you would be dead by now. I've never interfered in your feud with the Tang family. But now that something bigger has happened in Nanyang Prefecture, I have no choice but to step in and mediate. The loss of incense offerings in the fourteen counties your Shen family lost is your own incompetence, and you can't blame anyone else. I think you two should stop here. The incense offerings in those fourteen counties will belong to Master Jinguang. Do you have any objections?"

After the series of blows and setbacks, Shen Zishan's expectations were getting lower and lower.

From initially determined to kill the Tang family, to later wanting to reclaim the incense offerings of fourteen counties, and now... just being alive is already a blessing.

Eh.

Shen Zishan sighed, "It's all up to the Prefect's arrangements."

Yun Zhongyue breathed a slight sigh of relief: "That's excellent. Master Jin Guang, Tang Xianhe, do either of you have any objections?"

Chen Mo naturally had no objections.

The incense offerings from fourteen county towns were openly allocated to him.

From now on, it will be perfectly legitimate. If the Shen family dares to covet these fourteen counties again, they will simply be killed.

Tang Xianhe wouldn't publicly refute Yun Zhongyue, so he agreed: "The arrangements made by Yunfu Division are very appropriate. I, Tang Xianhe, have no objections."

Yun Zhongyue nodded: "Then it's settled. Tomorrow, my Demon Suppression Division will issue an official document, transferring the incense offerings of the fourteen counties to Lord Jin Guang. Three days later, the three of you should come to my office. Miss Xiao Qing and I have something important to discuss with you. This concerns the very survival of the entire Nanyang Prefecture, so please don't be careless."

Chen Mo and Tang Xianhe bowed to each other and left the Shen family's gate.

It was already late at night, and the streets were quiet.

Tang Xianhe was in high spirits. "I thought there would be a bloody battle with the Shen family, but the Yunfu Division stepped in. It has temporarily resolved the conflict between the two families. By the way, congratulations to Young Master Mo, you have now rightfully secured the incense offerings of fourteen counties. This is a great thing."

My Tang family has been operating in Nanyang Prefecture for a hundred years, and we've only managed to secure the worship of the gods in twelve counties. Now, Young Master Mo has secured the worship of the gods in fourteen counties at once, while the Shen family only has ten counties left.

"Young Master Mo, you are now the head of the most powerful family in Nanyang Prefecture. Congratulations!"

Chen Mo was in a daze for a moment after hearing this.

I have now become the head of the largest family in Nanyang Prefecture.

That was quite sudden...

To be honest, Chen Mo wasn't fully prepared mentally.

Just then, a familiar business call came from behind.

"Young Master Mo, please wait."

The one who came was Mount Yunzhong.

At this moment, Yun Zhongyue had lost the official air he had displayed at the Shen family's residence, and instead showed more enthusiasm. "Miss Xiaoqing has mentioned Young Master Mo to me several times just now, and she spoke highly of him. I wonder if Young Master Mo would have some free time to come to my residence for a cup of tea?"

Chen Mo thought about it and figured he might as well ask.

After all, Li Qing'er and Yun Fusi's appearance tonight was too sudden, and it seemed like something big was going on behind the scenes.

Thinking of this, Chen Mo cupped his hands in greeting to Tang Xianhe: "Since Yunfu Si has invited me, I cannot refuse. Please, Old Master, return first."

After bidding farewell to Tang Xianhe, Chen Mo followed Yun Zhongyue down the street. They exchanged pleasantries. Yun Zhongyue was quite enthusiastic in his words towards Chen Mo, showering him with praise. He called him a young hero, a prodigy, the unicorn of Nanyang…

They only say the nice things.

These words were naturally half true and half false, mainly because Li Qing'er's identity put a lot of pressure on Yun Zhongyue.

Yun Zhongyue's residence was not grand at all; in fact, it was quite simple. The courtyard contained various weapon racks, stone weights for training, and other items. It was clear that Yun Zhongyue enjoyed martial arts and lived a frugal life.

There were no maids or servants in the house, only Yunyi serving them.

"Yunyi, quickly make tea for Young Master Mo!"

After welcoming Chen Mo to his seat in the living room, Yun Zhongyue asked Yun Yi to make tea. After a few pleasantries, Chen Mo got straight to the point: "The Yun family's chief advisor invited me here so late at night; surely it's not just for tea?"

"Haha, Young Master Mo is a straightforward person. I won't hide anything anymore." Yun Zhongyue laughed loudly, then took out a booklet and handed it to Chen Mo: "Young Master Mo, please take a look first."

Chen Mo took the booklet, flipped through it briefly, and then frowned.

The book records the rise of the Zhou family and Zhou Ru.

Zhong Xu initially chose to use the Shikon Jewel for himself, but it went out of control. Zhou Ru, who was on good terms with Zhong Xu, later went to the Ten Thousand Serpent Cave outside the city and summoned a serpent monster. From then on, he used the Shikon Jewel to sign a contract of worship with the serpent monster.

From then on, the basilisk became the Zhou family's revered deity.

But not many years later, the basilisk went mad and devoured the Zhou family. Even the basilisk itself died. Its body was left in the Cave of Ten Thousand Serpents.

For more than ninety years afterward, the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes remained largely silent.

However, recently, strange things have been happening frequently on Snake Mountain, where the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes is located.

The commentary at the end reads: "The basilisk, which has been dead for ninety years, may be resurrected!"

Is the basilisk monster resurrected?
How can something that is dead be brought back to life?

Even in this chaotic and evil society, Chen Mo rarely heard of anything that had come back to life. Those ghosts were merely wandering spirits left behind after people died; they couldn't possibly be considered to have come back to life.

In this world, once someone dies, they're dead.

After reading the contents of the book, Chen Mo realized something else: for many years, the Shen and Tang families had been searching for the Zhou family's ruins, the reason for their demise, and the Shikon Jewel. They had received no news.

Why does this booklet investigate the information so thoroughly?

"May I ask, Lord Yun, where did this information in the book come from?"

Yun Zhongyue said, “Black Mountain Tower. I know what Young Master Mo is curious about. In fact, not only the Shen and Tang families, but also myself, have been searching for the ruins of the Zhou and Zhong families for many years without any results. But Black Mountain Tower is different. It is the most powerful secret service organization in Nanzhou, and it is said that there is nothing in the world that Black Mountain Tower cannot investigate.”

I see……

"Who decided on this concluding comment?"

"Naturally, it's Miss Xiaoqing."

Recalling Xiaoqing's methods, Chen Mo dared not underestimate her. "Is there really such a thing as the resurrection of the dead in this world?"

Yun Zhongyue said, "I also find this matter quite strange, which is why I thought of sending someone to Snake Mountain to investigate. However, Snake Mountain is very large, and my Demon Suppression Bureau is short-handed, especially in terms of experts. Miss Xiaoqing is well aware of this, which is why she asked me to mediate the conflict between your two families. By the way, allocating incense offerings from fourteen counties to Young Master Mo... this decision was made by Miss Xiaoqing."

Chen Mo understood.

No wonder Xiaoqing said she had helped him when she left.

Xiaoqing said they would discuss it in three days. Yun Zhongyue took the initiative to confide in me tonight, which probably shows that Xiaoqing values me highly and is trying to curry favor with me.

"Thank you for your kindness, Prefect Yun. I understand. I will go to the Prefectural Office in three days. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave now."

"Please proceed, Young Master Mo."

After watching Chen Mo leave, Yun Yi came up and said, "Father, I've been following you to Nanyang Prefecture for many years, and I've never seen you treat anyone with such warmth. He's just a young man, why should you treat him with such courtesy?"

Yun Zhongyue said, “What do you know? I’ll give more respect to the person that Miss Xiaoqing has taken a liking to. It will make things much easier for me when I return to Nanzhou to take up my post. If Miss Xiaoqing’s sister can put in a good word for me, my future path will be much smoother. The officialdom isn’t just about fighting and killing; it’s also about human relationships and social interactions.”

……

Chen Mo left the mansion and strolled alone on the street.

Today's events happened too suddenly.

Heishanlou, the younger sister of the tower owner, Li Qing'er, Yun Zhongyue.

Is the Zhou family patriarch, who died ninety years ago, about to be resurrected?

Chen Mo was quite surprised by the fact that the dead had come back to life.

"I'm afraid the problem still lies with the Shikon Jewel. That snake monster from the Zhou family went berserk and slaughtered all the Zhou family members, so it must have taken the Shikon Jewel. I reckon it was the power of the Shikon Jewel that revived the snake monster. But why did the snake monster die in the first place? Did it die from going berserk and losing control? Like Zhong Xu?"

"Although I don't know why it has revived yet, I have a feeling that something big is going to happen in Nanyang Prefecture. I'll go back and ask Tang Xianhe first. Also, I need to put pressure on Shen Baishan and make him steal the Shen family's Four Souls Jade for me."

……

Tangjiabao, Jingsi Garden.

Tang Binghu had rushed over and was serving Tang Xianhe at Jingsi Garden with Tang Feifei.

After tonight's events, Tang Xianhe's complexion had improved somewhat. However, his vital energy was noticeably weaker, making him appear as if his time was near.

After listening to Tang Xianhe's account of what happened, Tang Feifei and Tang Binghu gasped in shock.

Scalp numbness.

On the one hand, they were shocked by Chen Mo's astonishing methods and words, and on the other hand, they were also uneasy about the intervention of Black Mountain Tower and Cloud Mansion.

Tang Feifei breathed a sigh of relief: "Overall, it's a good thing. The crisis in our Tang Family Fortress has been temporarily resolved. Moreover, Master Jin Guang, Xiao Mo, has also gained official recognition from the Demon Suppression Division. From now on, the incense offerings of the fourteen counties will belong to Master Jin Guang. Our Tang family, together with Master Jin Guang, is now the most powerful force in Nanyang Prefecture. In the future, if the Shen family wants to deal with us, they will be powerless."

Tang Binghu nodded slightly, a relieved smile on his face: "Xiao Mo has suffered a lot along the way. First, he was chased by the Red Lantern Goddess, and then he was chased by the Shen family when he went out for seclusion. Now, he has finally made it. As his master, I am very happy for Xiao Mo."

Eh.

Tang Xianhe sighed and smiled, "Seventh Brother is truly insightful and decisive. If you hadn't taken Xiao Mo as your disciple and stood against all odds to protect him, Xiao Mo wouldn't have remained a close family member with us. Otherwise, the great calamity that befell Tang Family Fortress would have been difficult to resolve. You are decisive in your use of people, bold and righteous, and loyal. Yet you are also quite perceptive. In this respect, I am not as good as you."

Tang Binghu smiled bitterly: "Father, please don't say that. Although the matter has been resolved now, and the Yunfu Division and the Black Mountain Tower value Xiao Mo quite a bit, the more they value Xiao Mo, the more uneasy I feel."

Tang Xianhe said, "If you want to take something, you must first give it."

Tang Binghu said, "Yes. The more we give, the more effort we'll have to put in. And what's coming next is likely to be very dangerous. Could you tell me what the Yunfu Division is talking about?"

Tang Xianhe shook his head: "That wasn't mentioned."

Tang Binghu looked worried. "The more this is the case, the more uneasy I feel."

A short while later, footsteps sounded outside the door. It was Chen Mo who hurriedly walked in.

“Master, old fortress lord, third leader.”

Chen Mo cupped his hands in greeting before stepping forward to inquire about Tang Xianhe's health: "How is the old lord's health?"

Tang Xianhe noticed Chen Mo's concern and smiled slightly, "I'm fine, I can live for another month or two. By the way, what did the Yunfu Division want with you?"

After a moment's thought, Chen Mo didn't hide anything and told the truth.

Upon hearing Chen Mo's words, the three members of the Tang family frowned.

Tang Xianhe, in particular, was quite surprised: "So Zhou Ru went to Snake Mountain to invite the snake monster to worship. I didn't know that... But the snake monster has been dead for ninety years, and now it is about to be resurrected. I'm afraid this is a bad omen."

Chen Mo glanced at Tang Feifei, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Tang Xianhe immediately understood and said to Tang Feifei, "Feifei, Young Master Mo has been very tired after making several moves tonight. He must be hungry. Go and clean out the courtyard for Young Master Mo, and also prepare a good meal and wine. I want to thank Young Master Mo properly."

Tang Feifei nodded in agreement and then left.

Tang Xianhe then said, "Young Master Mo, please speak frankly."

Chen Mo said, "I'm thinking, the resurrection of an inanimate object is too bizarre; it doesn't usually happen. Is it possible that when the basilisk went berserk and devoured the Zhou family members, it took away the Zhou family's Four Souls Orb? Afterward, the basilisk died in its snake pit, and then the power of the Four Souls Orb triggered the basilisk's resurrection?"

Tang Xianhe's gaze sharpened: "This... is possible. The origin of the four great families of Nanyang Prefecture is actually the Shikon Jewel. The Shikon Jewel possesses unfathomable divine power."

Hearing Tang Xianhe's answer, Chen Mo became even more convinced of his guess. "When the old lord took me to the ancestral hall before, he said that the Black God Lord used to answer, but in the last few days he hasn't spoken and has become irritable and terrifying..."

Tang Xianhe said, "You mean... all four Shikon Jewels have recently changed simultaneously? And the deities that caused the Shikon Jewels to grow are all different now?"

Chen Mo: "This is just my guess, and there is no evidence at the moment. The old lord and Lord Black God have spent the most time together and understand the characteristics of the Shikon Jewel best. What does the old lord think?"

Tang Xianhe remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "But the Four Souls Jade hasn't shown any unusual activity in the past hundred years. I can't make a hasty conclusion. If I could inquire about the Blood Tiger Master of the Shen family... by comparison, I would have a better understanding."

Chen Mo pondered for a moment, "The old lord is indeed meticulous; it's only right. I'll handle this matter. I've placed an informant in the Shen family; I'll go see him tonight. I'll return soon."

After leaving a single sentence, Chen Mo departed.

He was going to see Shen Baishan.

All the information available so far is speculative and lacks empirical evidence.

After all, the Zhou family's snake monster had been dead for over ninety years, and the reasons for its resurrection were varied. The Tang family's Black God Lord's strange behavior was just an isolated case. To find out whether the Four Souls Orb was truly the problem, the best way was to ask the Shen family's Blood Tiger Lord.

……

Not far from the Shen family's house, in an empty alley.

“Master.” Shen Baishan was summoned by Chen Mo’s blood curse and came here to meet him.

Chen Mo sent out ghost shadows to keep watch around, making sure no one was paying attention, before getting straight to the point: "Has your Shen family's Blood Tiger patriarch been making any unusual moves lately?"

Shen Baishan naturally dared not hide the truth, "I don't know. Lord Blood Tiger is in the Blood Tiger Ancestral Hall, and only my father can go there normally. He did take Shen Wudao there twice before, but I am not the heir and am not qualified to go."

Chen Mo snorted coldly: "Since that's the case, what use are you to me? Go to hell."

pat.

Shen Baishan was so frightened that he immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed, begging for mercy: "Master, don't worry, I already know where Father's Four Souls Jade is. Give me some time, and I will definitely steal the Four Souls Jade for you."

Shen Baishan was terrified of his master. He had witnessed firsthand how Chen Mo had used methods to drive his sister to suicide and over a hundred other members of the Shen family to their deaths. He was certain that his master had intentionally let him escape.

too frightening.

This owner is terrifying.

Fearing he would lose his usefulness, Shen Baishan put all his effort into proving that his existence was valuable.

Chen Mo finally breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll give you three days. If you can't steal the Shikon Jewel within three days, you can forget about living. No, this Shikon Jewel didn't originally belong to your Shen family, so how can you call it stealing? It's just changing owners. In this world, treasures have always been obtained by the capable. Don't you think that makes sense?"

Shen Baishan nodded frantically: "Yes, yes, Master is right. Such a treasure is only worthy of Master's possession. I will bring the Four Souls Jade to Master within three days."

Chen Mo waved his hand, signaling Shen Baishan to leave.

Shen Baishan felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He got up and stumbled away, but after a few steps he suddenly turned back. "Master," he said, "I just remembered a detail. When I ran home tonight, my father heard the news of my sister and more than a hundred members of the Shen family's deaths and flew into a rage. He immediately tried to use the Blood Illumination Divine Power to summon the Blood Tiger Lord. But the Blood Tiger Lord did not appear. Although my father said at the time that there was no need to disturb the Blood Tiger Lord, after you asked me just now, I think... it wasn't that my father didn't want to disturb him, but that the Blood Illumination Divine Power was useless."

Oh?
Chen Mo understood.

"Understood. You still need to confirm whether Lord Blood Tiger has been acting irritably and strangely lately. Also, bring me the Four Souls Jade immediately."

"Yes, Master, rest assured, this time I will definitely serve you to the death."

……

When Chen Mo returned to Jingsi Garden in Tangjiabao, it was almost dawn.

Tang Binghu and Tang Xianhe remained in the living room, where a table of hot food and wine had been prepared. Tang Feifei, on the other hand, was sent elsewhere.

Upon seeing Chen Mo enter, Tang Binghu greeted him warmly: "Little Mo, you must be exhausted after a long night. Sit down and have something to eat."

"Thank you, Master."

Chen Mo took his seat and ate the food and wine. He listened to his master and the old lord's praise, but his mood was not high.

After a few rounds of drinks, Chen Mo recounted the information provided by Shen Baishan.

Tang Binghu and Tang Xianhe exchanged a glance and immediately lost their appetite.

Tang Xianhe, in particular, showed deep worry. "It seems there really is a problem with the Four Souls Jade. This is strange. The Four Souls Jade hasn't shown any unusual activity for over a hundred years, so why is it acting up now? The serpent monster has revived, and both the Blood Tiger and the Black God are enraged. No wonder Shen Zishan had to compromise tonight and agree to give up the incense offerings of fourteen counties; it turns out he couldn't send any messages to the Blood Tiger. That makes sense."

Chen Mo agreed wholeheartedly: "Old Lord, how about I demonstrate our Black God's external light technique? Let's see if it's feasible?"

Using the power of external illumination to summon the Black God is a momentous event.

The saying goes, "It's easy to invite a god, but difficult to send him away."

Therefore, Tang Xianhe hesitated, but Tang Binghu spoke up, "Father, this matter is of great importance. I think we can give it a try. If even our Tang Family Fortress cannot use the Outer Illumination Divine Power, we will have a better understanding of the situation and be able to make plans for our next actions."

Tang Xianhe finally nodded: "Okay."

Just as Chen Mo was about to make a move, Tang Binghu stopped him: "Using the Outer Illumination Divine Power requires the physical body and spirit to bear a tremendous burden. If you are not careful, you will damage your constitution. You have only recently learned Blood Illumination. I will handle this matter."

After saying that, Tang Binghu didn't give Chen Mo a chance to refuse. He walked directly into the courtyard, bit his finger, drew a blood talisman on his right palm with his left hand, and then put his hands together, releasing the power of the blood talisman on his body.

"The bloodline of the Tang family, the power of external illumination. I respectfully invite the Black God to descend upon me!"

boom!
A terrifying blood-red pressure transformed into a gust of wind, spreading outwards from Tang Binghu in all directions.

And then... no more.

Tang Binghu tried several more times, but all attempts failed.

Finally, he had no choice but to stop. He rushed into the living room, his face full of surprise. "Father, it's really as Xiao Mo said. Even our Tang Family Fortress can't detect the Black God. I'm afraid that all four Soul Jade pieces have malfunctioned at the same time."

Tang Xianhe's face was already pale, filled with disbelief. "This is strange, so strange. How could this be... um?"

Tang Binghu suddenly shuddered violently, as if struck by lightning, and fell straight backward.

"Father!"

Tang Binghu rushed forward to help him up, exclaiming, "Father, what's wrong?"

puff!

Tang Xianhe suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and tightly gripped Tang Binghu's arm. "Seventh Brother, I feel my family bloodline shrinking and flowing back, as if it's about to disappear."

what?
Chen Mo and Tang Binghu both gasped, feeling an indescribable sense of dread.

The bloodline of aristocratic families... is disappearing?

How can it be?

The Tang family has been a demon-suppressing family for over a hundred years, and through four generations of inheritance... the family bloodline has long been solidified and deeply ingrained.

It can actually... disappear?
"Seventh Brother, is there something wrong with your bloodline?"

While tightly embracing Tang Xianhe, Tang Binghu sensed the bloodline within his body and shook his head: "My aristocratic bloodline is fine."

call.

Tang Xianhe breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good, that's good. Perhaps I'm just getting old, and I've really reached the point where my life is coming to an end. I'm tired, Young Master Mo, you should go and rest in the other courtyard. I want to have a private talk with Seventh Brother."

Chen Mo cupped his hands in greeting, "Take care of yourself, Old Master."

After Chen Mo left, Tang Binghu quickly helped Tang Xianhe to the bed in the room and lay him down. While giving him the power of the aristocratic family, he patted Tang Xianhe's chest to help him catch his breath.

Looking at his aged father on the bed, and thinking of how his father had worked hard for Tangjiabao all his life, Tang Binghu was overcome with grief. "Father, it is my incompetence that I have failed to share your burdens. You have suffered so much in your life."

Hu Hu Hu.

Tang Xianhe, panting heavily, gripped Tang Binghu's hand tightly. "Don't think like that. You are my good son. Although people always compare you to Shen Wudao, making you live in Shen Wudao's shadow, I know you've had a very frustrating year, always comparing yourself to Shen Wudao and suffering too much criticism. Actually, the more you compare yourself, the more confused you become. My son, you've already done very well. Why become Shen Wudao? Just be yourself, that's enough."

Tang Binghu was struck by his father's words and couldn't help but shed tears. "Thank you for your understanding, Father. If I were just any other leader, I could think this way. But I am the lord of Tang Family Fortress, bearing the expectations of four generations of Tang Family Fortress and the life and death honor of hundreds of people on my shoulders. So I have no choice but to compare myself with my rivals. It's not that I want to be this way, but the world forces me to be this way. For decades, I have never dared to slacken my pursuit."

Tang Xianhe stared at Tang Binghu for a long time, knowing he couldn't change Tang Binghu's mind, so he said, "I've suffered my whole life, always thinking that it's enough if I suffer a little. As long as the younger generation can have an easier time, it's worth it. But the world is hard, and now this sorrow has also fallen on my son. I don't have many days left to live, and I should finally put down the burden of this life. But you, Seventh Brother, have a long road ahead of you, and this sorrow will follow you from now on."

Tang Binghu was already sobbing uncontrollably.

Tang Xianhe coughed twice. "Alright, I'm not going to die anytime soon. I'm tired, you can leave now. I want to be alone for a while."

Tang Binghu didn't linger. He got up and walked to the door, then suddenly stopped: "Father, is there anything else you need to tell me?"

Tang Xianhe laughed and said, "My son has grown up and is better than me in many ways. There's nothing to explain."

Tang Binghu is gone.

cough cough cough.

Tang Xianhe suddenly started coughing violently.

He let out a long sigh, and his already withered face suddenly became even thinner, as if all the blood in his body had been drained away. He lost a lot of weight and looked like skin and bones.

“It’s not that I’m old, but that the main bloodline in my symbiotic blood… has completely disappeared. Now I’m just an ordinary person.”

Tang Xianhe shakily got up, put on his shoes, and looked in the mirror.

He found himself looking extremely frightening in the mirror; he was practically indistinguishable from a dried-up corpse.

"Something must have happened to the Shikon Jewel. Lord Black God has started taking away the Tang family's symbiotic blood. That contract that lasted for a hundred years has also become invalid."

Tang Xianhe appeared calm. He even did his makeup, then took a dragon-head cane and shakily walked out of the living room.

Standing under the eaves, Tang Xianhe looked at the dawn breaking in the sky, his eyes filled with longing.

“Father, I remember when I was six years old, you made me a bowl of longevity noodles. After I finished eating the noodles, you carried me on your shoulders and took me to school to begin my studies. I still remember the taste of that bowl of noodles.”

Tang Xianhe smiled, went to the kitchen, and started kneading dough and beating eggs.

I made a bowl of noodles.

Then one person ate it.

As he ate, Tang Xianhe's eyes welled up with tears.

Afterwards, Tang Xianhe, leaning on his cane, went out and went to the Temple of the Black-Armored Knights.

Da da da.

He gently walked to the incense table, leaning on his cane. He looked at the incense table, at the incense burner, and at the tightly closed door behind it.

Eh.

Tang Xianhe sighed, "Back then, my father took a piece of the Four Souls Jade from Jiang Hongyue, went to the Valley of the Dead, and invited the Black God. From then on, the Tang family developed its symbiotic bloodline. For the next four generations, my Tang family worked hard and made great strides, finally achieving the family fortune we have today. But alas... the Four Souls Jade brought us success, and it also brought us destruction. What was the point of four generations of my Tang family's efforts?"

Four generations, a hundred years, once hopeful, now despairing. In the end, dust to dust, ashes to ashes, all that effort for nothing.

As he spoke, Tang Xianhe slowly raised the dragon-headed cane in his hand, his deep eyes blazing with an unprecedented intensity. "Father, you once said Zhong Xu was foolish for giving the Four Souls Jade to himself. Now I see, Zhong Xu was the wise one. Our Tang family has worshipped evil spirits for over a hundred years, thinking that we could strengthen our family with a worthless contract. But in the end, it's better to rely on ourselves than on others!"
"A mere ghost is still just a ghost; how dare it rise above humans? How dare it enter the ancestral hall of the Tang family?!"

Boom!

A powerful surge of true energy suddenly erupted from the dragon head staff.

Even though Tang Xianhe had lost his noble lineage, he was still a formidable internal martial arts master. With his last breath, he unleashed a powerful burst of true energy. In an instant, the incense table shattered, and the ancestral hall doors were pushed open.

"Even if you must return, let me see what the evil spirit that my Tang family has worshipped for a hundred years has become."

Click.

Tang Xianhe stepped into the ancestral hall.

He stared wide-eyed into the darkness.

Then they were dumbfounded.

"how come……"

The next moment, a huge black shadow suddenly appeared above Tang Xianhe's head, opened its blood-red maw and bit directly at Tang Xianhe, "Hehehe, after eating you, I will take the Shikon Jewel."

"run!!!!"

Tang Xianhe let out one last roar, and then fell silent.

……

Meanwhile, Chen Mo moved into the villa that Tang Feifei had cleaned.

The courtyard is not large, but it is quite unique.

Tang Feifei was not there, leaving behind a female disciple named Tang Wan to serve her.

Tang Wan was only fifteen or sixteen years old and not considered a core disciple of the Tang Family Fortress, as her bloodline purity was low. When Tang Xianhe planned to withdraw the Tang Family Fortress disciples, Tang Wan wasn't included. However, Tang Wan was unaware of this and therefore felt deeply grateful to Tang Xianhe and Tang Feifei.

Tang Wan had previously witnessed Chen Mo displaying his power and killing over a hundred members of the Shen family at the gates of Tang Family Fortress, and she had also seen Tang Xianhe treat Chen Mo with utmost respect. Therefore, Tang Wan naturally held Chen Mo in high esteem. She made Chen Mo's bed, fetched water for him to wash his feet, prepared snacks, and brewed tea.

Then, standing respectfully to the side, he asked, "Young Master, would you like to wash your feet first and then rest early?"

Chen Mo shook his head: "No need, you should go and rest early. I can manage on my own."

"Yes, I'm in the next room. If Young Master needs anything, just tell Wan'er." Tang Wan respectfully left the room and closed the living room door behind her.

Chen Mo opened the brocade box and took out the Four Soul Jade from Tang Family Fortress.

"This is a python, a python that swallows the image. The deity the Zhou family invited is a snake monster, also a snake. The Zhong family's is a whisker. The Four Soul Jade used by the Shen family's Blood Tiger Lord is a lizard, a kind of snake that stirs up great clouds and rain."

"A python swallows an elephant, stirring up great clouds and rain... A giant snake with long whiskers?"

"What exactly is Jiang Hongyue up to?"

"I still don't understand what the Zhong family's 'beard' is, and I don't know the pattern of the Zhou family's Four Souls Jade. If I can get the Zhou family's Four Souls Jade, I can piece it together."

"Moreover, all of this should have been intentionally orchestrated by Jiang Hongyue. The recent resurgence of the serpent monster, the rage of the blood tiger, and the disappearance of the Black God... should also be related to Jiang Hongyue. It's getting closer and closer..."

"Just now, Tang Xianhe's body underwent a drastic change. He said his aristocratic bloodline was shrinking and flowing back, as if it had disappeared. Could it be that something happened to the Black God Lord? Is he taking back the aristocratic bloodline? But the Tang family's symbiotic bloodline has been maintained for a hundred years without any problems. Master also said that his bloodline is fine..."

Too many questions flooded Chen Mo's mind.

This made Chen Mo's head explode.

What exactly happened to Lord Black God?
What is Jiang Hongyue up to now...?

Why didn't anything happen to me since Zhong Xu's Shikon Jewel was fused into my body?
Just then——

puff!

Chen Mo's blood and qi suddenly reversed direction, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

bump!
He suddenly seemed to lose control, even more violently than Tang Xianhe had been, and actually fell straight to the ground.

puff!

Another mouthful of blood spurted out.

Thump, thump!
My heart is pounding.

Two fleshy horns sprouted from his forehead. The demon bones within his body also underwent a violent change, pulsating.

Immediately afterward, the Other Shore Flower Curse within Chen Mo's body also went out of control. It surged wildly through his body, flowing throughout his limbs and bones.

thump!
thump!
Chen Mo felt his heart pounding harder and harder. He vaguely sensed a heart, the size of a well's opening, beating far away...

The earth shook violently, and the mountains trembled.

Powerful, terrifying, and unstoppable.

Chen Mo clearly felt that he was as insignificant as dust in front of this huge heart.

puff!

Chen Mo completely lost control of his body, and mouthfuls of blood gushed out.

Immediately afterwards, Chen Mo felt that his natal incense burner and the stiffness patterns within his body were in disarray.

The balance between the half-human, half-ghoul has been shattered.

The next moment, a hallucination appeared in Chen Mo's mind:
A colossal red serpent, seemingly spanning mountains and seas, is reviving somewhere.

"what!!"

Chen Mo could no longer hold back and let out a shrill scream.

His last vestiges of consciousness were fading away.