I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 157 Gathering Three Shikon Jewels: The Ritual to Summon the Gods!
Although these illusions were not very clear and lasted only a very short time, Chen Mo hadn't even had a chance to experience the essence and power of the dragon-walking technique before the scene abruptly ended.

"I really wanted more, and the screen was flashing way too fast."

"I seem to see a humble life breaking through its limits and transforming itself time and time again, going through the process of becoming a dragon and finally entering the sea... The turbulent events in this story are truly breathtaking. It would be even better if we could take a closer look at the details."

"Moreover, I feel that this scene of the dragon walking... has other meanings as well."

Just as Chen Mo was still immersed in the shock of the dragon-walking scene, he suddenly saw his body move.

"Uh... what am I supposed to do?"

Chen Mo knew he was still sleepwalking, but the willow leaf kept him somewhat conscious, and he roughly knew what he was doing in his sleepwalking state.

But Chen Mo couldn't wake himself up; he could only watch.

Da da da.

Chen Mo, seemingly oblivious to his breakthrough to the second level of silver life energy, continued to absorb the life essence of the giant serpent.

Before long, Chen Mo actually walked out of the riverbank and stepped on the water, walking in the Huai River.

then……

Chen Mo was stunned...

He walked along the Huai River, shouting something to the upstream and downstream banks, and gesturing wildly, making sounds that even Chen Mo himself couldn't understand. It seemed to be some kind of song.

If an uninformed person saw this, they might think Chen Mo was standing alone on the Huai River, performing a shamanistic ritual and chanting some kind of incantation.

Tang Wan, who was practicing her swordplay by the river, was completely dumbfounded.

Tang Wan knew about the sleepwalking incident.

But a sleepwalking young master like this is the first time I've ever seen one.

Is sleepwalking like this even possible?

Yesterday, the young master was just singing by the riverbank, but today he actually went into the river and started dancing and gesturing wildly. It seems... his sleepwalking symptoms are getting worse.

Tang Wan dared not be careless, so she picked up her sword and followed along the riverbank, afraid that the young master would escape her sight.

Compared to Tang Wan's surprise, Chen Mo himself was even more surprised.

Although sleepwalking greatly enhances one's spiritual abilities, the things one does while sleepwalking are truly frightening.

"Why am I making sounds that I can't even understand myself? And these shamanistic gestures and incantations? Is the Shikon Jewel controlling me? Or is it because the Shikon Jewel is acting strangely?"

"Please end this sleepwalking already, it's too creepy."

He thought the shamanistic chanting would end quickly, but it lasted for almost half an hour. Chen Mo felt completely exhausted, and finally collapsed wearily onto the surface of the Huai River.

The current was swift, and Chen Mo, unable to control his body, could easily be swept away. However, at that moment, several large snakes swam over, coiled around Chen Mo, and laid him down on the rocks beside the riverbank.

After that, the giant snake stood guard around, preventing anyone from getting close.

Chen Mo's lingering consciousness on the willow leaf was aware of what was happening around him, but he couldn't wake himself up. This consciousness remained only on the willow leaf in his mouth, and didn't enter his body.

This must be due to Li Qing'er's extraordinary abilities.

Although he was anxious, Chen Mo could only wait.

……

hiss!
At dawn, Chen Mo opened his eyes. He felt incredibly tired, as if all his bones were falling apart. His muscles and bones were numb, and even moving a finger hurt.

Fortunately, they eventually recovered.

Why am I so tired?

"Didn't I absorb the life essence of the giant serpent and improve my cultivation to the level of a two-stick black shadow ghost? The whole process should have been positive, so I shouldn't be this tired... The only problem is the part about the shamanistic ritual and incantations."

"The shamanistic rituals and incantations must be too mentally and physically exhausting!"

Chen Mo continued to ponder this line of thought, and the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt:
It's important to understand that Chen Mo is now a Shadow Corpse Demon with two tattoos and two incense sticks. His physical and mental strength is simply outrageously powerful. He could fight someone for three days and three nights without running out of energy.

How come you exhaust yourself after just a few shamanistic dances and chanting a few spells?
This shaman chanting incantations...something doesn't seem right.

Why do I need to perform shamanistic rituals?
Most shamanic rituals are ceremonies to invite and welcome the gods...

Are you invoking a deity yourself?
Hey!
Chen Mo spat hard, feeling an indescribable sense of horror: "Sleepwalking, frantically enhancing my cultivation...shamanistic rituals. What the hell am I doing?"

After a long while, Chen Mo finally cleared his mind of distractions and sat down cross-legged.

"I need to figure out which god this shamanic ritual is actually invoking. But there's no point in thinking about it now. I need to solidify my own cultivation first. In any case, cultivation and strength are the foundation of my existence in this world."

Perform a little exercise.

The power of the ghost within his body surged, and the power of the stiffness mark also surged accordingly.

It's a whole level up from yesterday.

It's definitely a silver life force with two patterns and two incense sticks.

The rapid increase in his strength and cultivation level made it seem that Chen Mo's spirit was not able to bear it.

Actually, it's not that Chen Mo's spirit isn't strong enough, but rather that the idea of ​​increasing one's cultivation through sleepwalking is just too exaggerated.

Who... can grow a silver natal incense stick in just two days?
After a long time, Chen Mo finally became familiar with the new Daoist power within his body. As the power of the Corpse Demon circulated within him, his exhausted body also improved.

call!
Chen Mo let out a long sigh and slowly stood up.

"Having entered the second stage of the incense burning process, my six senses and six consciousnesses have all greatly improved. My awareness has also progressed significantly. It's just that my mental state is a bit weak. I'm back to being a small horse pulling a heavy cart. But I can still manage. As the incense offerings gradually spread to the fourteen counties, my mental problems will be resolved."

"The problem now is that my half-human cultivation level is too low. I've only reached the Second Stage of Illumination. It's already difficult to maintain the balance between half-human and half-dead ghost. I need to urgently increase my half-human cultivation and reach the Transcendent Realm as soon as possible."

Besides, sleepwalking...it's always unsettling.

Fortunately, Chen Mo wasn't one to be overly hesitant, and after a moment's thought, he dismissed the distracting thoughts. He ran ashore. Seeing Tang Wan standing blankly not far away, staring at him, he called out, "Wan'er."

After hearing the young master's words, Tang Wan finally came to her senses. "Young master, do you feel anything is amiss?"

Chen Mo said, "I'm fine. Now, let me ask you, when I was sleepwalking yesterday, did I do any of those shamanistic movements?"

Tang Wan shook her head repeatedly: "No."

Sure enough, the sleepwalking symptoms were worsening and undergoing some kind of change...

The first time it was just humming incantations, the second time it started performing shamanistic rituals, and who knows what will happen the third time it sleepwalks.

Chen Mo instructed Wan'er to get some food, then returned to the shelter, took out the mirror, lit incense, and woke up Su Yuqing.

Su Yuqing slowly woke up. Perhaps knowing that Chen Mo had recently encountered some trouble, she didn't complain. Instead, she asked directly, "Sleepwalking again?"

Chen Mo recounted the details of his sleepwalking, concluding, "Not only did he do the exact same things as yesterday, but it also changed. He started performing shamanistic rituals. You're very knowledgeable, do you know exactly what the shamanistic rituals are?"

Su Yuqing didn't mince words and said directly, "Does the young master still remember the movements and gestures of the shamanic dance? If so, why not demonstrate them for me?"

"The shamanic movements lasted for more than half an hour, and they were too complicated for me to remember clearly. I can only demonstrate a small part. I'll show you the steps." Knowing the importance of the matter, Chen Mo stood in front of the mirror and gave a brief demonstration.

A moment later, Chen Mo stopped, unable to recall the subsequent movements and gestures. Looking expectantly at Su Yuqing's red veil in the mirror, he asked, "Do you know about this ceremony?"

Su Yuqing's eyes were hidden beneath the red veil, and her voice became more solemn: "There are many types of shamanic rituals, mainly used for inviting and receiving gods. To put it bluntly, it's about letting the spirits possess one's physical body. It's somewhat similar to spirit writing. The gestures for inviting each spirit are different. However, the gestures you're using, young master, seem somewhat familiar to me. I've seen them before in the imperial treasury. I can't quite recall what they are."

I've seen the imperial treasury before... but I can't remember.

Chen Mo was both happy and worried: "Does the Demon Suppression Division and Black Mountain Tower of Nanyang Prefecture have any relevant records?"

"Then I wouldn't know."

"Think quickly. You'd better remember which god this shamanic ritual is actually invoking."

“It’s been too long, I really can’t remember. But don’t worry, my lord, I will try my best to recall. If I have any news, I will definitely let you know.”

Chen Mo nodded. "By the way, what was Jiang Hongyue before?"

"What is it? What does it mean?"

Is Jiang Hongyue a human being?

"That's for sure. Back then, Second Sister carried the purest bloodline of the Jiang family. She even entered the imperial palace, so she was naturally a human."

"I saw the complete Shikon Jewel, and I also saw the scene of a dragon transforming. I suspect that Jiang Hongyue is transforming from a dragon into a dragon. Do you know what's in this?"

"Transforming from a dragon to a serpent?" Su Yuqing fell into a long silence, finally shaking her head: "I don't know. Logically speaking, a human is a human, and cannot transform into a serpent. Only the peerless old snake in the mountains can transform into a dragon. Moreover, those are all legends, and may not be true. It could also be a special feature of the Four Souls Jade itself, and not necessarily Second Sister transforming into a dragon. After all, dragon transformation is too mysterious. Second Sister is a human, not a snake. How could she transform into a serpent?"

Chen Mo rubbed his forehead, thinking to himself: Su Yuqing knows far too little about Jiang Hongyue. Asking her would be pointless.

"Think carefully about the gestures and movements I'm about to perform," Chen Mo instructed, then wrapped the mirror in burlap.

Before long, Tang Wan had prepared some simple dishes, including wild game. She served them to Chen Mo.

"Young Master, the conditions outside are simple and not as convenient as home. I'm afraid you'll have to make do with it." Tang Wan seemed quite embarrassed, as if she felt she had wronged Chen Mo.

Chen Mo was indeed hungry, and picked up the wild game to eat. "Come, Wan'er, sit down and eat with me. By the way, from now on, don't keep calling me Young Master. Just call me Young Master."

"Yes, young master." Tang Wan replied, and sat down rather reservedly, eating only some vegetables and dried meat. She left the delicious wild game for Chen Mo.

Chen Mo gave half of the wild game to Tang Wan and instructed her to eat it. Only then did Tang Wan eat some of the wild game.

After the meal, Chen Mo instructed, "Remember, you must never let anyone know about my sleepwalking. Understand?"

"Wan'er understands."

Chen Mo took the brocade box, carried the mirror on his back, and sat down on the rocks by the river.

At this moment, the sky was bright, and the rising sun in the east cast a warm glow, making the surface of the Huai River shimmer and gleam with golden light.

Listen to the sound of the river waves and watch the white cranes flying high above the river.

Chen Mo's mind gradually calmed down.

Click!

Chen Mo opened the brocade box, took out the Four Souls Jade from Tang Family Fortress, and examined it carefully in his hand.

"I've only fused with one of Zhong Xu's Shikon Jewels, and I saw the scene of the dragon walking through sleepwalking. If I fuse with another Shikon Jewel, wouldn't I be able to see the scene of the dragon walking even more clearly and feel it even more vividly?"

"But after the merger, I'm afraid there will be an even more unpredictable situation."

After absorbing a large amount of Orochi's essence during his sleepwalking last night, Chen Mo now possessed enough original essence to fuse with the second Shikon Jewel. Whether or not to fuse with it... left Chen Mo hesitant.

After all, the Shikon Jewel is just too bizarre.

However... Chen Mo has never been a cowardly or timid person.

He is the type who is bold yet meticulous.

"I'm already experiencing sleepwalking and shamanistic practices, and things can't get much worse. I can't escape the Shikon Jewel anymore. Since that's the case, I might as well gather all four Shikon Jewels and see what happens next. Let me see what the Shikon Jewel really is."

"Moreover, the Shikon Jewel itself has the effect of accelerating the evolution of life."

"Overthinking is useless, just do it!"

With this in mind, Chen Mo opened the control panel.

[Currently available original solution essence: 46000]

[Deconstructable material detected]

[Should we deconstruct it?]

Chen Mo immediately had an idea:

Deconstruct!

boom!
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Chen Mo felt an unbearable stinging pain all over his body.

Chen Mo gritted his teeth, enduring and bearing it with all his might.

Before long, the pain disappeared, and lines of subtitles appeared.

Name: Shikon Jewel

[Level: Unknown]

Type: Boa constrictor

[Ingredients: 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.]

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

[Consumed 46000 original essences to modify his physique, making him compatible with this Shikon Jewel]

[Note: The modification process is irreversible. Preliminary assessment suggests this Shikon Jewel is more suitable for you now than the previous one, granting you the abilities of a serpent. However, the effect is limited because a crucial step is missing; the order is incorrect.]

[Should we make changes?]

Upon seeing the last note, Chen Mo had an idea: "The python emerges from its cave, the snake swallows the elephant, the cicada stirs up clouds and rain, and the dragon grows its whiskers. These should be the four stages of the dragon's journey. The Zhong Xu Four Soul Jade I obtained before was the final stage, so its effects were limited. This snake Four Soul Jade from Tangjiabao is the second stage, and its effects are more direct."

call!
Chen Mo let out a long sigh of relief, clearing his mind of distractions.

"Revise!"

Boom!

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Chen Mo's body trembled again, his muscles cracking all over, as if a doctor were performing surgery on him, cutting into his flesh piece by piece. It took a long time for him to gradually adjust.

As the pain subsided, Chen Moren collapsed onto the rocks, utterly exhausted.

[The modifications are complete. You can now fuse this Shikon Jewel.]

[Hint 1: Break the Shikon Jewel and eat it.]

[Hint 2: The power of the Shikon Jewel is extremely strong and may cause your physical body great pain. But do not panic, your body has been modified and is compatible.]

Chen Mo circulated the power of the ghost to bring his body to its optimal state, and then circulated the Tranquility Mantra of the Taiping Sutra to completely calm his mind.

He picked up the Shikon Jewel again.

It resembles jade but is not jade, and it resembles iron but is not iron.

It has a python pattern painted on it.

"Come on, let me see what this Shikon Jewel really is."

Click!

Chen Mo crushed the Shikon Jewel into countless powders, then ate them all.

It tastes sour and astringent, dry and very difficult to swallow.

Gulu.

With the idea of ​​not wasting a single Shikon Jewel, Chen Mo swallowed it in one gulp.

At first, I didn't think much of it.

Soon, an unimaginable and terrifying power suddenly appeared in Chen Mo's stomach, flowing through his limbs and bones. It was as if countless tadpoles were swimming inside him, flowing into his limbs and bones. Wherever it reached, it brought great enhancement to his physical body.

Each tadpole was altering Chen Mo's physical body; some tadpoles were so powerful that they even ruptured his flesh and bones. Then, with the power of the zombies, the shattered muscles and bones began to revive.

Constant destruction, constant rebuilding.

The entire process was incredibly painful, to the point that Chen Mo couldn't help but scream.

Although it was agonizing, Chen Mo could feel that the remodeling of every muscle and bone was intensifying.

At the same time, a vision of a python appeared in Chen Mo's mind.

It was as if I had truly become a giant python.

This went on for an unknown period of time before finally stopping.

Hu Hu Hu.

Chen Mo gasped for breath, suddenly feeling his body undergo a transformation, becoming exceptionally cold and eerie. An extremely powerful force filled his muscles and bones, and with a slight wave of his hand, he could hear the sound of his bones and muscles resonating.

Raise your hand and gently pat the surface of the river.

Boom!

A huge wave of water, several meters high, immediately erupted.

"How insane! Is this the power of the Shikon Jewel? No wonder Tang Junxi didn't dare use it himself after obtaining it. Instead, he went to the Valley of the Dead outside the city to find the Black Armor Knight and used the Shikon Jewel to sign a blood pact with him. From then on, he worshipped the Black Armor Knight as a deity. No wonder Zhong Xu went berserk and died after using it. I was able to absorb and fuse two Shikon Jewel fragments at the same time. Besides my own strong physique, it was also because my cheat system modified my constitution. Such a rare treasure should be mine."

Chen Mo leaned over to the nearby puddle and looked at his reflection.

There were no obvious changes, except that my skin was firmer and smoother. It was now impervious to weapons and unaffected by heat or cold.

Furthermore, the chilling aura emanating from him became even more sinister.

"Huh? My stiffness marks seem to have changed?"

Chen Mo examined the patterns in his mind's eye and discovered a python pattern within them.

This pattern wasn't there before.

"The pattern of the Shikon Jewel will appear directly on the zombie pattern? That's strange. The Zhong family's pattern didn't appear on the zombie pattern before. Could it be because the order of the dragon-walking was much different?"

"If that's the case, if I collect all four Shikon Jewels, wouldn't I be able to transform from a dragon into a dragon?" Hiss!
The thought startled even myself.

He would never forget the illusion of the dragon-walking creature he had seen in his mind. It was clearly a humble life that unleashed a power that shook heaven and earth, transforming step by step into the wondrous spectacle of a dragon-walking creature.

If I could walk the dragon's path?

Chen Mo dared not think about it anymore.

"After all, this is a world teeming with evil spirits, so I can't be too blindly optimistic. I have a feeling that I'm being driven by something. The most important thing right now is to figure out exactly what the shamanic ritual is. I'll go back to the prefectural city and ask Li Qing'er and Yun Fusi."

Having made up his mind, Chen Mo familiarized himself with his new physical body once more. To his astonishment, he discovered that it was several times stronger than before.

Although it's still a two-pattern, two-stick incense burner, it's already extremely abnormal.

Chen Mo felt that his actual combat strength now... could no longer be measured simply by the number of incense sticks and the number of zombie patterns.

Just then, Tang Wan's voice came from behind: "Young Master, people from Tang Family Fortress are looking for you."

"coming."

Chen Mo ran ashore and walked to Tang Wan's side.

Tang Wan clearly felt that Chen Mo's aura had become exceptionally cold, making her afraid to look directly at him. After trembling for a while, she finally mustered up the courage to speak, "That disciple is waiting outside. I didn't let him in to disturb your cultivation, young master."

Chen Mo nodded slightly: "Wan'er did well, that's how it should be."

After walking several dozen meters to the back of the shelter, Chen Mo saw a young man in his early twenties wearing the robes of a member of the Tang family.

Upon seeing Chen Mo, the young man was immediately terrified by an extremely chilling aura and stammered, unable to speak.

Chen Mo held his breath. "What is it?"

Only then did the young man dare to speak, "It was the fortress lord who sent me to the Huai River to look for the young fortress lord. I searched all the way along the river before I finally found him. The fortress lord asked me to pass on a message, asking the young fortress lord to go back. He said that the old fortress lord is missing."

"The old lord of the fortress is missing? Did he leave any clues?" Chen Mo wondered. Logically speaking, Tang Xianhe was indeed nearing the end of his life, but he shouldn't have disappeared.

"The Lord of the Fortress didn't say anything, he only told the Young Lord of the Fortress to go back as soon as possible."

"it is good."

Chen Mo instructed Tang Wan to stay and continue practicing her swordsmanship, then followed the young man on horseback into the city, asking him some questions along the way. He learned that the young man's name was Tang Wei, and that he was a master of the Bloodfire level.

Since Tang Wei provided limited information, Chen Mo didn't ask any further questions.

When we arrived at Tangjiabao, it was already noon.

Ouch!
Law! Law!
Chen Mo reined in his horse, handed it to Tang Wei, and galloped into Tang Family Fort. When he arrived at Jingsi Garden, he faintly heard Tang Feifei sobbing, and Tang Binghu's comforting voice beside her.

"Master, Third Master. What happened to the old lord?"

When Tang Feifei and Tang Binghu saw Chen Mo arrive, they felt they had found a pillar of support. Tang Feifei wiped away her tears and recounted the whole story.

Chen Mo was also puzzled upon hearing this, "Did the old lord leave any letters? A will?"

Tang Feifei shook her head: "No. I understand what Young Master Mo means. He thinks that my father didn't want his family to be too sad when he passed away, so he chose to leave alone. But my father is not that kind of person. Even if he were to leave, he would leave a will. The thing my father cared about most in his life was Tang Family Fortress. My father was most worried about his descendants being sad and grieving. He wouldn't leave without a reason."

Chen Mo nodded, "Third Master, don't be in a hurry, let me take a look."

Chen Mo searched the Jing Si Garden thoroughly, inside and out, but found nothing unusual.

There were no distinctive footprints, nor any signs of a struggle.

Finally, Chen Mo returned to the living room, sat down to ponder, and said, "Master, you were the last to leave the old lord's side last night. Did the old lord say anything to you?"

Tang Binghu didn't hide anything and told him everything. Finally, he said, "At that time, Father must have realized that his time was coming to an end, and he said mostly farewells. But it wouldn't have been like that he suddenly disappeared. Father also said that he had about a month left."

In the end, Tang Binghu showed a look of deep guilt and self-reproach.

Chen Mo closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, then opened them again. "Have you checked the ancestral hall in the backyard?"

Upon hearing this, both Tang Binghu and Tang Feifei were taken aback.

Tang Feifei said, "The ancestral hall is a forbidden area, and only Father can go there normally. Even though Seventh Brother is the fortress lord, he can only go there under Father's guidance."

Chen Mo had a gut feeling.

“Yesterday, the old lord took me to the ancestral hall to pay respects to the Black God. Let’s go take a look at the ancestral hall.” Chen Mo got up and walked out.

Tang Feifei was somewhat stunned: "That's forbidden ground. Seventh Brother... what if he offends Lord Black God?"

The children who grew up in Tangjiabao from a young age regarded the Black God as an unapproachable deity, an existence that could not be violated or challenged. This concept was deeply ingrained in them.

Tang Binghu tightened his grip: "This concerns my father's life and death; I can't worry about that now."

The three of them went to the ancestral hall in the backyard.

The gate was tightly closed, and the walls were covered with vines and ivy, giving it a very desolate appearance.

As Tang Binghu and Tang Feifei approached, their expressions became noticeably more serious. Tang Feifei, in particular, even showed a hint of fear, as if she were afraid of offending Lord Black God. She repeatedly told Chen Mo to respect Lord Black God and not to offend him.

Chen Mo nodded in agreement and then pushed open the courtyard gate.

Squeak.

The heavy door slowly opened, and a cloud of musty smoke billowed out.

After entering, we walked all the way to the entrance of the ancestral hall.

The doors to the hall were tightly closed. At the entrance were an altar, incense burner, offerings, and a futon for kneeling.

Everything is normal, there's nothing unusual.

There were no footprints around, and the incense table and the gate showed no signs of damage.

Tang Feifei breathed a sigh of relief, "It seems Father hasn't been here before."

Tang Binghu nodded as well.

Chen Mo pointed to the incense table: "Master, look at this incense table."

Tang Binghu approached the incense table, examined it carefully, and said, "This incense table is very old, but there's nothing unusual about it."

Chen Mo replied, "I came here yesterday with the old lord, and the incense table I saw then is different from this one."

At Chen Mo's level, his spiritual power is strong and his memory is astonishing.

This detail is foolproof.

Tang Feifei said, "Perhaps Father changed it in private?"

Chen Mo stared intently at the tightly closed gate, thinking to himself: Although Tang Feifei's explanation could be made, the Tang Family Fortress had suffered a series of mishaps in the past two days, and the incense table was still intact last night; the old fortress lord had no reason to replace it.

With this in mind, Chen Mo said, "I suggest we open the ancestral hall door and go inside to take a look."

Tang Feifei exclaimed, "Absolutely not! This is where Lord Black God rests in seclusion. No one has entered for decades. Except when he uses his external divine powers, Lord Black God stays here. Opening the door would be a great disrespect to Lord Black God, and it would mean disaster for our Tang Family Fortress."

Chen Mo ignored Tang Feifei and turned to look at Tang Binghu.

Tang Binghu also said, "What Third Sister said is not an exaggeration. Not to mention you and me, even Father has never been inside in his entire life. Since we haven't found any trace of Father being here, let's not disturb Lord Black God's seclusion."

Seeing that his master had spoken, Chen Mo couldn't insist, "Then let's look elsewhere."

The three left the ancestral hall and closed the gate of the villa.

Just after the three left, a dark figure appeared in the main hall of the ancestral hall and let out a "hehehe" laugh.

"Hehehe, I sense the presence of the Shikon Jewel. It's on that kid. Interesting."

Chen Mo, who had just stepped out of the gate, suddenly stopped.

Tang Binghu, who was walking ahead, noticed that Chen Mo hadn't followed, so he turned around and asked, "Xiao Mo, what's wrong?"

Chen Mo shook his head: "It's nothing, maybe it's just my imagination."

Just now, Chen Mo felt the python's four soul jade inside his body move slightly, but it quickly disappeared.

Thus, Chen Mo and Tang Binghu searched the entire Tang Family Fortress, but still couldn't find Tang Xianhe's whereabouts. Tang Binghu had no choice but to send men out to search. Seeing his master's anxious and worried appearance, Chen Mo felt a pang of sadness.

"Master, I have someone in mind who might have a solution."

Tang Binghu was overjoyed: "Who?"

Tang Feifei also came over, looking at Chen Mo with anticipation.

Chen Mo said, "Black Mountain Tower is a force from Southern Continent. They claim there's no information they can't find out. If I ask them for help, I might be able to find the whereabouts of the old fortress master."

Tang Binghu was overjoyed and excited. "Then I'll have to trouble Xiao Mo. I heard that doing business with Black Mountain Tower is expensive. Third Sister, go and get some silver notes for Xiao Mo."

"Okay, okay, I'll go get it right away." Tang Feifei hurriedly left, and when she returned, she had a thick stack of silver notes in her hand, which she stuffed into Chen Mo's hand. "Young Master Mo, I'm entrusting the matter of finding my father to you."

"Third Master, please don't be like this. The old lord has been kind to me, so it's only right that I help. You continue to send people to search. I'm going to Black Mountain Tower to ask him something." Chen Mo took the silver notes and went out.

……

"Tang Xianhe has disappeared?"

At the Black Mountain Mansion, Li Qing'er listened to Chen Mo's words and accepted Chen Mo's silver notes.

This banknote is worth a full twenty thousand taels.

Li Qing'er didn't count the money, but handed the silver notes to Bai Ye beside her. "Xiao Bai, send someone to inquire whether Tang Xianhe left Tangjiabao last night. If he did, go to the garrison and the government office to inquire, and ask the soldiers guarding the city. Also, ask our own family members. Make sure to get detailed statements."

"Yes, Sister Qing." Bai Ye accepted the order and left.

Li Qing'er remained calm and composed, pouring Chen Mo a cup of tea. "Young Master Mo, please don't worry. As long as Tang Xianhe leaves Tang Family Fort, my people will definitely find the information. Moreover, Black Mountain Tower works very quickly; we'll have the results in about three hours. Please wait here for a moment, Young Master Mo."

Chen Mo nodded and drank his tea while waiting.

A perfectly healthy person can't just disappear for no reason.

Li Qing'er said, "Young Master Mo's cultivation has improved so quickly. In just one day, he has surpassed others' ten years of cultivation. It's truly astonishing."

Chen Mo wasn't surprised to hear this. On the contrary, he thought Li Qing'er was an extraordinary person.

Li Qing'er can read and modify memories.

It is evident that Li Qing'er possesses an extremely powerful ability to inspire.

Although Chen Mo's cultivation level increased rapidly, he was never able to awaken the power of inspiration.

"Miss Xiaoqing is too kind. My meager skills are nothing compared to yours."

Li Qing'er sighed, "But you are young, young master. Youth means potential. You can't find many people in the entire Southern Continent who have reached your level of skill at the age of sixteen."

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Chen Mo got straight to the point: "By the way, does Miss Xiaoqing know anything about the rituals of shamanic dancing?"

Li Qing'er had a very good impression of Chen Mo, so she said a few more words, "I have cultivated the power of invocation, so I naturally understand the rituals of shamanic dancing. Shamanic dancing, to put it bluntly, is possession by a ghost, which is a type of spirit writing. Why does Young Master ask about this?"

Knowing the situation was urgent and unable to find a better excuse, Chen Mo had no choice but to attribute it to his friend, "My sleepwalking friend always performs strange rituals and gestures while sleepwalking. I was curious about it, and since I had some free time today, I asked Miss Li Qing'er for advice."

It's that friend of yours again...

Li Qing'er smiled inwardly, but said aloud, "Young Master's friend is truly an extraordinary person. Would you be so kind as to demonstrate?"

"It's impossible."

Li Qing'er dismissed the other servants in the living room, and Chen Mo began to gesture in front of her. At first, Li Qing'er remained calm and collected, but as she watched... she frowned and her eyes widened.

When Chen Mo finished gesturing, Li Qing'er's entire expression changed.

Upon seeing Li Qing'er's drastic change in expression, Chen Mo felt a greater sense of pressure, but he concealed his feelings and pretended to be relaxed, saying, "Miss Qing, can you tell which kind of spirit writing technique it is?"

Li Qing'er shook her head: "I have seen this ceremony before, but it was a long time ago. I'm not sure. I need to talk to my sister about it before I get back to you. How about that?"

Chen Mo cupped his hands in greeting: "I wonder how long it will take?"

Li Qing'er said, "I can communicate with my sister through a special method. I will be able to reply to you tomorrow."

Chen Mo said, "Thank you, Miss Xiaoqing."

"It's a trivial matter, not worth mentioning."

The two chatted idly, and time flew by.

Bai Ye had already returned, holding a booklet in his hand, which he handed to Li Qing'er: "Sister Qing, I've inquired in detail. The guards at the city gates in the east, west, south, and north didn't see a single old man leave. In addition, I questioned the yamen runners and soldiers who patrolled near Tangjiabao last night, as well as the shop assistants in the vicinity, and they didn't see Tang Xianhe leave."

Li Qing'er didn't look at the booklet, but handed it to Chen Mo: "Last night, a major conflict broke out between the Shen and Tang families, so I had the Yunfu Division send people to keep a close watch on them, including my Black Mountain Tower staff. This was to ensure that the two families wouldn't continue fighting. The relevant records are all in this booklet. It can be confirmed that Tang Xianhe did not leave Tang Family Fort."

"Thank you, Miss Xiaoqing."

Chen Mo took the booklet and went out.

The information obtained from inquiring with the soldiers guarding the city and the shopkeepers in the surrounding area was naturally unreliable.

However, the Shen and Tang families were fighting last night, and the Demon Suppression Bureau and Black Mountain Tower sent people to keep an eye on both families to prevent them from continuing to fight in private. Therefore, the information provided by these disciples is reliable.

When Chen Mo left, he flipped through the book, which contained the testimonies of various disciples, so it seemed to be true.

So... Tang Xianhe disappeared inside Tangjiabao.

We searched the entire Tangjiabao area several times, but the only place we missed was the ancestral hall.

"It seems that Tang Xianhe's disappearance is related to the Black Armor Knight Shrine. My intuition was right."

As Chen Mo walked down a street, he suddenly heard a shout coming from an alley.

Ok?
Chen Mo turned his head and saw that Shen Baishan was hiding in the corner of the alley, looking around and beckoning to Chen Mo with a shifty look in his eyes.

Chen Mo glanced around to make sure no one was watching before entering the alley. "What do you want with me?"

"Hehe~"

Shen Baishan chuckled, revealing a set of large, yellow teeth. He then took out a small brocade box from his inner pocket and handed it to Chen Mo with both hands: "Master used to despise me for being useless, and even said I should just die. Now I've finally done my part for you. Please take a look."

Chen Mo curiously took the brocade box, opened it, and took a look.

hiss.

His pupils contracted, and he saw a fragment of the Shikon Jewel, which protected a giant serpent even more ferocious than a python.

It's a grasshopper!

The rain and clouds rise!

The third step of walking the dragon.

He had already mastered the second and fourth steps of the Dragon-Walking Technique. Now he had the third step as well. All that was missing was the Four Souls Jade from the Zhou family, representing the first step.

To be on the verdict of Shen Baishan's deception, Chen Mo even reached out and picked up the broken jade, holding it in his hand and playing with it for a while.

The cold touch, the familiar feeling.

That's right.

"Okay, okay. You're still somewhat useful."

thump.

Shen Baishan suddenly knelt on the ground and kowtowed, "Please, Master, remember the great service I have rendered to you and release me from the control I have been under, and give me my freedom."

Chen Mo didn't even glance at Shen Baishan, only playing with the Shikon Jewel in his hand, a smile appearing between his brows. He casually said, "No rush. I need to use this Shikon Jewel first. If I use it well, there won't be any problems. Then I'll consider lifting the curse on you."

Shen Baishan was clearly unwilling, his face turning a deep purplish-red as he kowtowed again, looking utterly pitiful: "This humble servant is utterly loyal to Master. Even without the curse, my loyalty to Master will remain unchanged..."

Chen Mo interrupted, "Since you are so loyal, what does it matter whether there is a curse or not? Don't you think that makes sense?"

Shen Baishan was stunned, his face filled with despair.

He wanted to slap himself.

They actually jumped into the trap they set themselves.

Seeing that Shen Baishan remained silent, Chen Mo turned to look at him and said coldly, "You seem so unwilling, it seems you harbor resentment towards me. In that case, I cannot keep you here."

Hey!
This person is ruthless.

Shen Baishan was terrified and hurriedly kowtowed frantically: "No, no, no, I had no such intention. I now think that having Master's curse is quite good. It just shows my loyalty to Master. There's no need to lift the curse."

Chen Mo said, "You are a promising student. Let's go back then."

After leaving a message, Chen Mo took the brocade box and left.

Watching Chen Mo's departing figure, Shen Baishan felt as if he had lost his soul, collapsing to the ground, unable to shed a tear.

He had planned to steal his father's Shikon Jewel and give it to his master, who would then lift his curse.

I was just too naive.

If I go back now, my father will surely beat me to death...

Chen Mo was naturally unaware of Shen Baishan's scheme. By the time he returned to the gate of Tangjiabao, it was past dusk, and twilight had fallen. Looking up, he saw dark clouds covering the sky above Tangjiabao, as if a colossal beast was about to devour the entire Tangjiabao alive.

"What a turbulent time. It's highly likely that Lord Black God has lost control."

Chen Mo let out a long sigh of relief and stepped into the gate of Tangjiabao.

(End of this chapter)