I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 162 The Secret of the Human Sacrifice, The Capture of Chen Mo!!!
After hearing Nangong Ye's reflections, Chen Kun didn't dare to ask any more questions and led the way for Nangong Ye.

After crossing the Qinghe River, we left the Dayin Mountains and soon reached the banks of the Huai River.

The moon in the sky has returned to its white color, and the blood moon is no longer visible.

"call!"

Chen Kun let out a long sigh of relief, his body relaxing considerably. "Chief, where are we going now?"

Nangong Ye said, "You and I will go to Nanyang Prefecture, one in the open and one in the shadows, and we must find the whereabouts of the Four Souls Jade and the Flood Dragon. Once we find the person who roams the Flood Dragon, we will return to the Great Yin Mountain. Only then will the matter be settled."

Chen Kun sighed with emotion: "Your Excellency has truly devoted yourself to the people of the world, and I admire you greatly. I will go and investigate in secret."

"You are in the open. Don't expose me."

Nangong Ye spoke coldly, then took out a small boat doll, made a hand seal and blew on it. The boat doll expanded in the wind and immediately transformed into a very exquisite awning boat, quietly resting on the river.

Nangong Ye stepped onto the deck, and Chen Kun was about to follow when he heard Nangong Ye say, "It's inconvenient for you to follow me in the open. Go and take over the Nanyang Demon Suppression Bureau; it will make things easier."

Chen Kun was stunned: "But this place is a full two thousand miles away from Nanyang Prefecture... Chief, are you really willing to leave me all alone?"

"You are one of my Demon Suppression Division members, and it just so happens that you need more experience."

As soon as he finished speaking, the awning boat shot off the riverbank like an arrow and sped downstream towards Nanyang Prefecture.

Chen Kun: "..."

That's outrageous! They won't even take a short ride. And they say they need to get some experience...

Despite his complaints... Chen Kun felt a deep sadness as he looked at the white-haired woman standing alone at the bow of the boat, playing her flute.

Chen Kun is a member of the Demon Suppression Division in the capital, and has a considerable understanding of the current political situation in the Great Qian Dynasty.

"These past years have truly been tough on you, Chief. If it weren't for your tireless efforts in managing the Demon Suppression Division, the Great Qian Dynasty would probably have been in trouble long ago... This time, just hearing a ghost story has turned his hair white overnight. I really can't imagine what kind of ghost story it was..."

Chen Kun was secretly amazed, but dared not waste any time. He immediately rushed to Wuqiao Town, found a gentleman's house, and bought a horse. He then mounted the horse and headed straight for Nanyang Prefecture.

drive! !

……

Snake Hill, campsite.

After Chen Mo left the command tent, he saw countless disciples of the Demon Suppression Bureau prostrate beside Yun Zhongyue's corpse, sobbing softly. Disciples from the nearby Black Mountain Tower also rushed over upon hearing this, their expressions changing drastically.

They didn't know the cause of Yun Zhongyue's death, only assuming he was killed by the monstrous snakes of the Ten Thousand Snake Cave. They couldn't help but worry about their own safety.

Chen Mo didn't go over to check, and walked straight out of the camp.

"My lord, stay!"

Suddenly, a voice came from the side.

Chen Mo turned around and saw that it was Zhou Lie, the hunter who had led the way during the day. "What's the matter?"

Zhou Lie stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and asked with great alarm, "I just saw them crying, saying that Lord Yunfu Si was killed by a ghost?"

Zhou Lie was no ordinary hunter; he naturally knew the status of the Demon Suppression Bureau in Nanyang Prefecture, and he also knew that Director Yun was an extraordinary figure. He had originally thought that Director Yun's arrival at Snake Mountain would surely lead to the extermination of the snake monster.

Unexpectedly, I heard the devastating news that Yun Fusi had been killed.

I was terrified and extremely frightened.

Chen Mo saw through Zhou Lie's thoughts and said, "Yes. A hunter like you shouldn't stay here. Go back to town as soon as possible."

Pfft!
Zhou Lie immediately knelt on the ground: "Thank you for your consideration, sir. I will be grateful for your kindness for the rest of my life."

If Chen Mo hadn't spoken, Zhou Lie wouldn't have dared to run even if he wanted to. Otherwise, if he were later investigated and accused of desertion, it would be a matter of losing his head.

"Just leave quietly, don't make a fuss. If anyone asks, just say I told you to leave," Chen Mo said before leaving.

Under the cover of night, they ran for seven or eight miles until they reached the banks of the Huai River, where they found a secluded section of the river to stop.

call!
Chen Mo found a relatively flat rock and lay down, looking at the crescent moon in the sky, waiting for the moment of sleepwalking to arrive.

"Although I no longer have the willow leaf from Li Qing'er to keep me conscious this time, I now have an avatar. Our consciousnesses are interconnected. Apart from myself, no one should know that I have an avatar. Even if I were to perform a shamanistic ritual, my consciousness could observe my own condition through my second brother. There's no need to panic."

Sleepwalking is not scary.

What's truly terrifying is when you sleepwalk and completely lose consciousness, having no idea what happened or what you did. That's what's truly frightening.

"In addition, I have now gathered four Shikon Jewels, and the path to becoming a dragon has been opened. I wonder if this will prevent sleepwalking... If it can be prevented... that would be great."

Before Chen Mo could think any further...

hum!
The flow of Qi and blood reversed, and it began.

With a slight sense of awareness, Chen Mo discovered that it was himself whose blood and qi were flowing in reverse, while his second brother was unharmed.

This is easily explained: after all, Chen Mo essentially used a cheat system to replicate the Shikon Jewel and create a clone. Previously, the shamanic ritual targeted himself, and now it's still targeting himself…

Having learned from previous experiences, Chen Mo was no longer panicked.

"Second brother, leave my body and follow me to observe me. Prevent me from losing control," Chen Mo ordered his second brother.

Upon receiving the order, the second brother immediately leaped out of the loach tattoo on his skin and jumped into the Huai River, observing from a distance. Chen Mo's consciousness also appeared on the loach's body.

next moment--

Bang.

Chen Mo collapsed to the ground again, losing consciousness. Then, groggily, he stood up and continued his sleepwalking process.

The message from the swallowing water indicated that many large snakes had appeared in the Huai River, providing Chen Mo with a source of vital energy. Immediately afterward, Chen Mo unconsciously walked onto the surface of the Huai River and began chanting incantations while simultaneously performing a shamanistic ritual.

This time, Chen Mo saw it very clearly. He recorded every action the main body performed and every incantation it chanted in his mind.

The reason he couldn't do it before was because the consciousness lingering on the willow leaf was too small, almost negligible. Its effectiveness was limited. Now, with his second brother's clone, Chen Mo's spirit is exceptionally strong, and storing memories is no longer a problem.

The clearer the view, the more horrified Chen Mo became.

"My true form is a shadowy corpse demon with four incense sticks and four markings. It's really outrageous that my consciousness was instantly shattered and I started performing shamanistic rituals."

"I have absolutely no power to resist this manipulation."

"It's really making me feel insecure. If this matter isn't resolved soon, I really can't enjoy my meals."

Chen Mo also tried to communicate with his main body using the consciousness of his clone, but found it to be completely ineffective. His main body, as if possessed, became a complete puppet.

And so, a whole night passed.

At cockcrow, the main body, exhausted, finally stopped and collapsed onto the water. The giant snake then lifted it and carried it to the rocks on the shore.

hiss!
When the sun rose, Chen Mo's true form regained consciousness and cried out in pain.

I still feel soreness, numbness, and weakness in my hands and feet, as if all the bones in my body are falling apart.

After a long time, with the circulation of the Life Incense and the power of the Stiff Mark, the body slowly returned to normal.

Chen Mo stood up, shaking his groggy head: "This time, we went even further upstream along the Huai River, more than thirty miles. The shamanic rituals were more intense, and the techniques were more complete. I really don't know what will happen if it continues to develop."

"I need to figure out what this shamanic ritual is as soon as possible. But Li Qing'er doesn't know, and Su Yuqing can't remember either... Where can I ask her?"

After all, that happened a hundred years ago.

Most of the people from that era are dead.

"Headache. I'll go back and check the libraries of the Green Wolf Gang and Tang Family Fortress to see if there are any relevant clues. Since this shamanistic ritual belongs to the art of spirit writing, I'll study spirit writing more. Also, I'll go back and ask Li Qing'er again."

Having made up his mind, Chen Mo recalled his second brother, transformed into a mudfish tattoo, and began heading towards the camp.

"The amount of original essence we harvested today is less, only around 20,000. Perhaps it's because this section of the river is further away from the Dayin Mountains?"

"Dayin Mountain..."

"Could it be that the ultimate goal of this shamanic ritual is to send me to the Great Yin Mountain?"

Although he had been away from Honghe County for several months, Chen Mo still felt a sense of dread whenever he thought of Dayin Mountain.

"I need to hurry, I feel like something big is about to happen."

When we returned to the camp, we found that it was no different from the night before.

Li Qing'er still hasn't returned.

The bodies of Yun Zhongyue and Yun Yi have been disposed of; those that could be pieced together were pieced together, and those that could not be pieced together were covered with clothing.

"Young Master Mo, you're finally back. Shall we go check out the Ten Thousand Serpent Cave?"

Faced with Bai Ye's expectant expression, Chen Mo thought that Li Qing'er was still useful to him, and also wanted to see if the giant snakes in the snake den had returned... so he agreed.

"Thank you, Young Master Mo!" Bai Ye said with tears in his eyes. He then took some items and weapons and followed Chen Mo out of the camp.

Chen Mo had no weapons; he set off carrying only a mirror on his back.

The two followed the path they had taken the night before and soon arrived at the outside of the Grand Canyon.

The snakes that had been coiled around had all disappeared, leaving not a single one behind; all around was quiet.

Upon entering the canyon, numerous snake holes were visible on the rock walls on both sides, but no more large snakes were seen.

This left Chen Mo quite disappointed.

Soon, they arrived at the large cave at the end of the canyon.

Upon entering the cave, the scene was similar to what Chen Mo had seen yesterday. The difference was that all the snakes inside had fled.

They searched the entire cave but couldn't find Li Qing'er.

They didn't even see Shen Zishan.

"Sister Qing~"

Bai Ye shouted until his throat was hoarse, but he heard no response.

Chen Mo said, "Miss Bai Ye, I'm afraid Li Qing'er has also met with misfortune. Only the two of us escaped. This place is not safe to stay any longer, let's go back."

Bai Ye was still somewhat unwilling to give up, so she searched the cave several more times, both inside and out, before finally leaving with Chen Mo in tears.

Back at the camp, Chen Mo comforted Bai Ye for a few moments, then said, "You take care of things here. I'll be leaving now. If you need anything, come find me at Tangjiabao anytime."

"Thank you for your help, Young Master Mo." Bai Ye was quite polite and thanked Chen Mo.

After Chen Mo left, Bai Ye searched along the mountain path again, calling out "Sister Qing" with tears in her eyes all the way.

Bai Ye would never forget that she was originally a lonely and miserable girl. It was only after gaining Li Qing'er's favor that she joined the Black Mountain Tower with Bai Ye. Li Qing'er raised Bai Ye almost like an elder sister.

The church taught Baiye to read and write, and to practice martial arts and Taoism.

It took more than 20 years of hard work to achieve what Baiye is today.

Now that Sister Qing is gone, Bai Ye feels sad and lost, and feels as if he has returned to the lonely days of his childhood, which is really unpleasant.

"Sister Qing, what will I, Bai Ye, do if anything happens to you..."

Just as Bai Ye was sobbing in grief, a clear voice came from the woods behind her.

"noob."

brush!
Bai Ye immediately turned around and saw a dark figure in the woods ahead. She quickly ran over and called out, "Sister Qing, is that you?"

The dark figure immediately said, "It's me. But I look terrible right now. Little White, you'd better not look at me."

"No, you are my Qing-jie. Xiaobai's life was given to her by Qing-jie. If you are corrupted by ghosts, I will take you to get treatment." Bai Ye continued walking forward. He heard the dark figure sigh.

After walking several dozen meters, Bai Ye saw Li Qing'er's appearance and immediately covered his mouth, his pupils dilated, revealing an expression of disbelief.

Li Qing'er's upper body was that of a human, but her lower body had become a snake.

"Sister Qing, how could this be?"

Li Qing'er remained relatively calm and recounted the events in detail, concluding, "If it weren't for my advanced cultivation, reaching the Transcendent Realm and mastering the Dao of Talismans, severing the connection between my upper and lower body, I would have completely transformed into a snake by now. What did you encounter last night?"

With tears in her eyes, Bai Ye recounted what happened last night: "That Shen Zishan was the Blood Tiger Master, who had completely transformed into a giant snake. He even ate his son, Shen Baishan. I was terrified and ran around in all directions, but I couldn't escape the cave. Then, I don't know how, I suddenly ran out."

"Little Bai, I'm so sorry. It was my carelessness that led me to underestimate the snake monster's abilities. I never imagined we'd all fall into its trap. Is Young Master Mo alright?"

Bai Ye didn't answer, but stepped forward and hugged Li Qing'er. "Sister is already like this, why are you still worried about others? I'll take you back right now and find someone to treat you. They can definitely cure you."

Li Qing'er said seriously, "No. My elder sister instructed me to keep a close eye on Chen Mo. This person is extremely important to my Black Mountain Tower's plans. Tell me quickly, how is Young Master Mo?"

Bai Ye then recounted the events surrounding Young Master Mo, concluding, "Young Master Mo is unharmed. He returned last night carrying the bodies of the Yun family's father and son..."

call!
Hearing that Chen Mo was unharmed, Li Qing'er breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good that Young Master Mo is alright. My elder sister and the Prefectural Governor are about to come south to Nanyang Prefecture. My elder sister has repeatedly told me to keep a close eye on Chen Mo. Now that I'm in this state, I can't return to the Black Mountain Tower's headquarters. Find me an empty house in the city, and I'll go there to recuperate under the cover of night. It's inconvenient for me to show myself, but you must make sure to have as much contact with Young Master Mo as possible."

With tears in his eyes, Bai Ye replied, "I know."

Li Qing'er reached out and wiped away the tears from Bai Ye's eyes. "Alright, young lady, don't cry. You should take your people back now. I'll return to the city at night. Otherwise, people will see me and think I'm a ghost."

"I'll go and prepare a big house for Sister Qing right away. We'll meet outside the East Gate tonight."

"Okay. Go ahead."

"Okay, Sister Qing, don't worry. I'll find a way to cure you." Bai Ye wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and ran away.

After watching Bai Ye leave, Li Qing'er's face darkened. "It's really unreasonable that Young Master Mo was able to walk out of the cave unharmed. And Bai Ye, how come he's so lucky? It seems that Master Jin Guang is keeping too many secrets."

……

Several days passed in a flash.

Tang Xianhe has been buried. Everything in Tangjiabao has returned to normal.

Tang Binghu ordered that all the incense offerings in the counties under the jurisdiction of Tangjiabao be replaced with those of the Golden Light Lord.

In this way, the incense offerings of Master Jin Guang were spread throughout a total of twenty-six counties. The incense offerings flourished. The incense offerings in the only ten remaining counties still belonged to the Shen family. Since Shen Zishan might still be alive, Chen Mo did not let Shao Qiu collect this portion of the incense offerings.

Tang Binghu originally intended for Chen Mo to become the fortress lord, but Chen Mo politely declined.

After all, Tang Family Fortress was named after the Tang family, and it wasn't quite appropriate for Chen Mo, who was named after the Chen family, to become the fortress lord. In the end, Chen Mo continued to serve as the vice lord of the Green Wolf Gang, while Tang Binghu remained the lord of Tang Family Fortress, concurrently holding the position of gang leader.

Feilai Mountain, the Green Wolf Gang.

Baicao Garden.

squeak~
Chen Mo lay on the Drunken Old Man's Chair under the eaves, the chair creaking slightly as it rocked back and forth.

Chen Mo leaned back leisurely, enjoying Tang Wan's leg massage while flipping through an ancient book.

The cover of the ancient book bears the words: Overview of the Art of Spirit Writing.

For the past few days, Chen Mo has been staying at the Green Wolf Gang. On one hand, he has been actively recruiting disciples to fill the vacancies left by Tang Lei and his group, and on the other hand, he has been practicing martial arts and studying. He is particularly focused on the knowledge of spirit writing techniques.

Fortunately, the Green Wolf Gang had accumulated sixty years of experience, and its library possessed a rich collection of books covering a wide range of subjects. Among them was a detailed account of the art of spirit writing.

Wow.

After finishing one book on spirit writing techniques, Chen Mo picked up another book next to him and began to read it, becoming completely absorbed in it.

Tang Wan, standing to the side, felt sorry for him: "Young Master, you haven't rested all morning. Aren't your eyes hurting? Why don't we stop and go for a walk? Wan'er thinks the scenery on the west side of Feilai Mountain is quite nice. There's a large area full of cherry blossoms there, it's so beautiful."

Wow.

Chen Mo turned a page of the book. "Go and take a look."

Tang Wan pouted, "Wan'er went to see him. She just felt sorry for the young master, who was always buried in books."

Chen Mo: "..."

Do you think I wanted this?

The recent cases of shamanistic rituals have become increasingly bizarre, making me feel really unsafe.

Chen Mo couldn't eat or sleep well until he figured out the shaman's true intentions.

Just then, footsteps came from outside the door.

"Son!"

But Lu Chengzhuang rushed in carrying a huge pile of books. "I went to the black market and bought all the books related to spirit writing. Where should I put them?"

Chen Mo didn't even look up. "Just put it on the long table next to you."

Click!

Lu Chengzhuang put down a large stack of thick books and said, "The recent recruitment of disciples has been very effective. Everyone is drawn by Master Jin Guang's renowned reputation. It has basically filled the vacancies left by Tang Lei and Tang Mei. The entire Qinglang Gang's businesses have also returned to normal."

When Tang Lei and his group left with the core members of the Green Wolf Gang and Tang Family Fortress, Chen Mo also intended for Lu Chengzhuang to leave, but Lu Chengzhuang chose to stay.

"Yeah, well done. Keep it up." Chen Mo replied casually, his eyes never leaving the book.

Lu Chengzhuang could only tell Chen Mo to take care of himself before leaving.

He knew perfectly well that although Chen Mo was now a vice leader, he was essentially the leader with absolute authority. Tang Binghu hadn't been here for a long time.

Seeing Chen Mo so engrossed in his work, Tang Wan didn't disturb him. Instead, she went to prepare lunch.

Chen Mo was flipping through books by himself.

The more Chen Mo looked, the more annoyed he became.

"I've looked at dozens of spirit writing rituals and procedures over the past few days. None of them have anything to do with my situation. Although the power of spirit writing can only be unleashed after reaching the Transcendent Realm, the spirit writing techniques at the Transcendent Realm are just upgrades and evolutions of these ordinary spirit writing techniques, and the principles are the same. How come I haven't even found a similar spirit writing technique?"

Snapped.

Chen Mo slammed the booklet onto the long table and quickly flipped through a large pile of pages, but still couldn't find a similar spirit writing technique.

"We can't keep searching like this. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, we're completely clueless. We need to find a master of spirit writing to ask for advice, that would be much more efficient."

"With Yun Fusi dead, Li Qing'er is the most skilled cultivator in Nanyang Prefecture. But her whereabouts are unknown... Should I leave Nanyang Prefecture and go to Nanzhou? Or perhaps to the capital?" That's not a bad idea...

But the problem is...

Every time I sleepwalk, I run towards the Huai River and then speed along its upper reaches.

The distances I've been covering lately have become increasingly outrageous.

A single shamanic ritual can lead to a journey of over forty miles along the upper reaches of the Huai River.

With this going on and on, when will I be able to reach Nanzhou?
Hey!
Chen Mo was unusually angry.

"Wan'er, go and call Lu Chengzhuang here!"

Chen Mo shouted.

Before long, Lu Chengzhuang rushed over. "Young Master, what are your orders?"

Chen Mo walked to the long table, picked up a wolf-hair brush, and drew several shamanistic hand gestures on the Xuan paper. He then blew on the ink to dry the ink and handed the paper to Lu Chengzhuang. "This Xuan paper has five consecutive divination hand gestures drawn on it. Take this drawing and find a few trustworthy brothers to go to various martial arts sects and schools and ask them if they know what kind of divination technique it is. Also, don't forget about Qingyun Prefecture and Xihe Prefecture, which are near our Nanyang Prefecture. Go and ask the demon-suppressing families there. Anyone who can recognize these divination hand gestures will be rewarded with... 50,000 taels of silver! In addition, my Qinglang Gang will also help them solve a problem."

Chen Mo is certainly not short of money now.

Fifty thousand taels...though expensive.

But this is money to buy my life. I have to spend it no matter how expensive it is.

It's always better to pool our wisdom and efforts than to search alone.

Chen Mo had initially intended to conceal the shamanistic ritual, but now that the situation was becoming increasingly urgent, he could no longer afford to worry about it.

But they also kept a backup plan.

Only five consecutive hand gestures were drawn.

Drawing too few lines may result in errors.

Drawing too much will easily expose your true colors.

If all five consecutive actions are performed correctly, the probability of error is almost zero...

Lu Chengzhuang was startled. "Fifty thousand taels... Young master, are you sure you didn't make a mistake?"

“That’s right. Go and do it quickly. In particular, remember to inquire with the demon-suppressing families of Qingyun Prefecture and Xihe Prefecture. I remember there are quite a few demon-suppressing families in these two prefectures, some of which are even more powerful than Shen Tang’s.”

"Yes, young master, I'll go right away!"

After watching Lu Chengzhuang leave, Chen Mo only ate a couple of mouthfuls of rice before losing his appetite. He instructed Tang Wan to practice her martial arts, while he returned to the backyard to start grooming his second brother.

"My second brother is a bit more muscular than before. It seems like he's about to emerge from his burrow like a python..."

"After days of shamanistic rituals, my cultivation has increased at an astonishing rate. I'm about to reach the fifth level of cultivation. This rate of progress is simply outrageous. But I always feel that someone is manipulating all of this, intentionally making me stronger quickly..."

"This is all too bizarre and unsettling. I need to figure out the meaning behind the shamanistic ritual as soon as possible in order to take appropriate action."

a few days later.

early morning.

On the banks of the Huai River.

Chen Mo lay on the rocks, panting heavily. His face was pale, and his eyes were dull and lifeless. He was disheveled, looking as if he had been working all night.

He had just finished his sleepwalking shamanistic ritual last night.

I'm really tired.

"The shamanic rituals are becoming increasingly intense, and the ceremony is becoming more and more elaborate. There are also many more incantations. Last night, I actually ran more than fifty miles upstream along the Huai River... It's really too exaggerated."

"If this continues, I feel like I'm going to break down and lose control sooner or later..."

After his recent experiences, Chen Mo realized one thing: it's better to have a powerful elder brother to rely on than to go it alone. If we were to compare some well-established demon-suppressing families to elder brothers, that would be appropriate.

Those families that suppress demons have been passed down for over a hundred years and possess profound knowledge and skills. Not only do they hold countless treasures and secret techniques, but they will also soon learn what the ritual of shamanic dancing entails.

If Chen Mo had a powerful backer like that, accessing information would be much easier. Why would he have to go through all this trouble to find it?

Unfortunately, I don't have an older brother like that.

After a while, Chen Mo felt that his strength had recovered considerably. Only then did he stand up and stretch his limbs.

Soon, Chen Mo was taken aback.

A fifth stick of silver incense appeared in the natal incense burner.

He had surprisingly reached the level of the Five Sticks of Daoist Cultivation.

At the same time, a fifth wrinkle appeared, imprinted on the natal incense.

Every gesture he made carried an unprecedented and overwhelming power. With a casual finger, he shattered a rock several meters tall; with a stomp of his foot, he stirred up a ten-foot-high wave... He truly became a numerical monster.

But Chen Mo couldn't be happy.

He knew that this was the spiritual advancement he had gained from sleepwalking and shamanistic practices.

I always feel like there's an invisible hand behind me, controlling me to run blindfolded forward.

The faster Chen Mo's cultivation progressed, the more uneasy he became.

This feeling... is like raising pigs in a pen. The piglets are safe, but once they grow fat and chubby... then it's all over.

"Damn! I really didn't expect Dao Xingzhang to be so fast... It's making me a little panicked!"

"Let's go back and see if there's any good news."

Chen Mo quickly tidied himself up, then, carrying the mirror on his back, jumped off the rocks, entered the forest, and headed towards Feilai Mountain.

When we returned to Feilai Mountain, it was already close to morning.

Many of the patrolling youths bowed and greeted Chen Mo when they saw him.

"Greetings, Vice Leader."

"Greetings, Vice Leader!"

Some of the more shrewd members would directly address him as "Master," omitting even the title of "Deputy."

In the current Green Wolf Gang, Chen, the deputy leader... is actually the leader.

Chen Mo simply nodded, which was considered a greeting. When they arrived at the entrance of the Hundred Herbs Garden, Lu Chengzhuang hurriedly approached him: "Young Master, there's news."

"Oh? Tell me about it." Chen Mo was delighted and led the way into the house as he spoke.

Lu Chengzhuang said, "A member of a demon-suppressing family named Ouyang from Qingyun Prefecture replied. He said he knows the origin of the divination gestures and is willing to trade with you, young master."

Chen Mo's mood, which had been depressed for several days, immediately brightened considerably. "Has the person arrived?"

Lu Chengzhuang said, "They've arrived. A brother and sister from the Ouyang family came to visit the Green Wolf Gang this morning. I told them the deputy gang leader was out and wouldn't be back until noon. After that, I invited the brother and sister to stay at the gang. Shall I go and call them over?"

Chen Mo didn't think much of it: "Okay, call them over immediately."

"Yes!"

……

Chen Mo returned to the Hundred Herbs Garden, first placing the mirror in the bedroom, then taking a bath and changing into a brand new gray brocade robe. He also had Tang Wan comb his hair and insert a wooden hairpin.

Yes, Chen Mo's hair has completely grown back.

Dressed in a brocade robe and belt, adorned with jade pendants and sachets, he exuded the air of a refined gentleman. Yet, his face still conveyed a fierce and ruthless aura, making him appear as a formidable person not to be trifled with.

Dressed neatly, Chen Mo took his seat at the head of the living room. Tang Wan was making tea beside him.

A short while later, footsteps sounded outside the door. It was Lu Chengzhuang who walked in with a man and a woman.

The man was about thirty years old, dressed in a long blue robe, with a long sword slung across his back. He possessed a dignified bearing and a restrained aura, making it impossible to discern his true strength. The woman was about twenty years old, wearing a pink lotus leaf skirt and cloud-patterned boots, which accentuated her fair, jade-like skin. Her face was extremely beautiful, but she had a rather arrogant air about her.

Lu Chengzhuang, standing in the middle, introduced: "Gentlemen, this is our Green Wolf Gang's deputy leader, and also Master Jin Guang of Nanyang Prefecture."

The man cupped his hands in greeting: "I am Ouyang Lu from the Ouyang family of Qingyun Prefecture. This is my younger sister, Ouyang Yu. Greetings, Master Jin Guang."

The woman also stood up, cupped her hands in greeting, and addressed him as "Master Jin Guang".

Chen Mo waved his hand and said, "Sit down. Wan'er, serve tea to both of you."

Tang Wan politely served tea to the two of them. Ouyang Lu thanked her and said in a friendly manner, "Although I am far away in Qingyun Prefecture, I have heard about the glorious deeds of Master Jin Guang of Nanyang. In just a few months, he has become the most powerful man in Nanyang Prefecture. I thought he was a man in his fifties, but I did not expect him to be so young. Truly, heroes emerge from among the young."

After a few pleasantries, Chen Mo got straight to the point, "I'll get straight to the point. Brother Lu, do you recognize the five hand gestures of the spirit writing technique?"

Ouyang Lu said, "I have been practicing the art of spirit writing with my father since I was a child, and I have achieved quite a bit in this area. So I know it."

Chen Mo was delighted: "Please explain in detail, Brother Lu."

Ouyang Lu, however, kept them in suspense and didn't say anything more.

Chen Mo smiled and said, "Brother Lu, rest assured, as long as I confirm the accuracy of your information, the 50,000 taels will be delivered immediately. In addition, I also promise to help you solve a problem."

Ouyang Lu then spoke, "Master Jin Guang is very generous. However, I don't want any money, I just want Master Jin Guang to help me solve a problem."

Chen Mo's pupils contracted.

This seems to be more than just a minor problem...

Ouyang Lu said, "My sister and I were being hunted down in Qingyun Prefecture. We were constantly on the move and had nowhere to go. Recently, we heard that Master Jin Guang offered a large reward, so we took the liberty of coming here. We hope that Master Jin Guang can take us in."

Chen Mo understood.

They came seeking refuge.

The problem is... the Ouyang family is one of the strongest demon-suppressing families in Qingyun Prefecture, yet its members are being hunted down?

This is probably a big problem.

Chen Mo did not blindly agree, but asked, "Since you two want me to take you in, you must tell me the truth about what you have done and who is hunting you down?"

Ouyang Lu and Ouyang Yu exchanged a glance, their expressions showing pain.

Finally, Ouyang Lu spoke up, "To be honest, Master Jin Guang, my father was originally the head of the Ouyang family, but unfortunately, the family suffered a misfortune, and my father was framed. My sister and I were also hunted down by our enemies."

Chen Mo vaguely realized the problem: "Could it be a power struggle within the family?"

Ouyang Lu gritted his teeth and nodded: "Yes."

"Has anyone along the way known that you came here?"

"Absolutely not!" Ouyang Lu patted his chest and assured him, "I've been hiding for so long, and this time it concerns my life and fortune. I would never tell a lie."

Chen Mo considered for a moment and said, "I agree to this. Just don't make a fuss about it and cause trouble."

"Thank you very much, Master Jin Guang!"

"Master Jin Guang is very kind."

The brother and sister both stood up, bowed, and expressed their gratitude.

Chen Mo waved his hand: "From now on, you will live here as members of the gang. Don't keep calling me Master Jin Guang. Just call me the Vice Gang Leader. Lu Chengzhuang, go and find a quiet courtyard for them to stay in."

"Thank you, Chief!" Ouyang Lu omitted the word "Deputy Chief." Before coming, he had inquired with Ouyang Yu and learned that this Master Jin Guang was the actual power holder of Tang Family Fort. How could he really call him Deputy Chief just because he was being polite?
That would be incredibly inconsiderate.

Chen Mo noticed that Ouyang Lu was trying to curry favor with him, but he was too lazy to correct her. "What are the hand gestures for spirit writing?"

Ouyang Lu glanced at Lu Chengzhuang and Tang Wan, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but didn't.

Chen Mo gave the two men a look, and they left.

Ouyang Lu then took out a yellowed booklet. "This is a collection of several magical techniques that my father copied from the treasury of the Prince of Zhennan's mansion when he was a clerk in the Zhenmo Prefecture of Nanzhou in his early years. Among them are the five hand gestures given by the leader. Please take a look, leader."

Chen Mo took the booklet and began to examine it.

The ink on it has dried for many years and is almost fused with the paper. It looks like it's decades old.

It contains the incantations for several magical techniques, along with corresponding illustrations. Clearly, it is a copy.

The first few techniques were extremely sophisticated, advanced techniques not found in Nanyang Prefecture. When he turned to the later ones, Chen Mo's pupils contracted.

It was a large collection of hand gestures and human figures, densely covering several sheets of paper.

The five initial hand gestures were exactly the same as those used by the shaman in his own rituals.

The subsequent forty-odd gestures were perfectly matched.

The drawing only showed about forty gestures and movements; there were no more after that, and some pages were torn out.

Chen Mo was quite disappointed. "What happened to the rest?"

Instead of answering, Ouyang Lu asked, "Are the forty-odd hand gestures recorded above the same as what the gang leader wants?"

Chen Mo nodded: "It's exactly the same. Why is it gone after that?"

Ouyang Lu sighed: "At first, my father casually copied a few spells from the treasure vault of the Prince of Zhennan's mansion, without studying them seriously at the time. Later, my father studied them seriously and felt that these spells were too evil. Fearing that my descendants of the Ouyang family would learn them, he tore off the later parts."

Chen Mo felt a pang of regret, but then he thought that he had never intended to learn the techniques of this shamanic ritual; he only wanted to understand its meaning. The missing parts were not a problem.

"What kind of spirit writing technique is this?"

Ouyang Lu shook his head, "To be honest, Chief, this is not spirit writing."

What?
Isn't the whole point of shamanic rituals to invoke and receive spirits? This all falls under the category of spirit writing...

At least that's how Chen Mo perceived it.

In an instant, Chen Mo had a very bad feeling. "What is that?"

Ouyang Lu said, "It's a sacrificial ceremony. And the most brutal of all—a human-dragon sacrifice!"

Human sacrifice!

Chen Mo's heart suddenly raced a little, but he remained outwardly calm. "Please tell me more about this human-dragon sacrifice, Brother Lu."

Ouyang Lu said, "The copy of the human-dragon sacrifice that my father made was incomplete to begin with, and then my father tore off parts of it, so there was even less information left. But my father still told me some things. This human-dragon sacrifice is a very ancient sacrificial ritual. And unlike other sacrificial rituals, the human-dragon sacrifice is the most brutal sacrificial ritual."

Chen Mo: "How ruthless?"

Ouyang Lu: "Ordinary sacrificial ceremonies are just about sacrificing a few people to achieve a certain purpose, at most a few hundred or a thousand. But human-dragon sacrifice is something that the royal family uses exclusively."

"For royal use only... what do you mean by that?"

"The emperor is the supreme ruler, the Son of Heaven. The emperor's body is called the dragon body, and his blood is called dragon blood. Once the dragon body is in trouble, the nation's constitution will be damaged. It is a major event that affects the whole country. Human-dragon sacrifice is a special sacrifice for the emperor and princes. That's all my father told me. It was because of this that my father tore off part of it, for fear of getting into trouble."

Seeing that he couldn't get any more information, Chen Mo dismissed Ouyang Lu and his sister. He then sat alone in a chair and began to peruse the book.

Offering sacrifices to the emperor and princes?

It's really weird...

What exactly is Jiang Hongyue trying to do?
wrong……

Not right.

Chen Mo sensed something was wrong.

"This human-dragon sacrifice was originally offered to the emperor and princes. Because the emperor was likened to a real dragon. But the emperor is not a real dragon after all."

"After the dragon transforms into a dragon... that becomes the true dragon?"

"So, the true object of this human-dragon sacrifice is actually the dragon that has transformed into a dragon. That is... me?"

"But there's another problem. I'm the one who performs shamanic rituals and chants incantations... Logically, I should be the one conducting the sacrificial ceremony, and others should be sacrificed. Can I perform shamanic rituals and sacrifice myself at the same time?"

"No matter which one it is, I feel like something big is going to happen."

"Unfortunately, no one can fully explain the white dragon sacrifice..."

……

In Nanyang Prefecture, there was a secluded villa.

Baiyuju.

After Bai Ye bought the house, he welcomed Li Qing'er to stay there. During this time, Bai Ye tried every means to treat Li Qing'er, but to no avail. So he stayed by Li Qing'er's side day and night, taking meticulous care of her. He also made sure to follow Li Qing'er's instructions, occasionally going to the Green Wolf Gang to deliver gifts to Chen Mo and maintain contact.

On this day, Bai Ye and Li Qing'er were having dinner in the living room.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

Bai Ye rushed to open the door, and when he saw the three people standing there, he gasped in shock.

puff.

Bai Ye immediately knelt on the ground, saying, "Greetings, Lord of the Tower, greetings, Lord of the State."

The visitors were none other than Li Huabai and Hua Yunfeng. Following behind Hua Yunfeng was a young man who looked quite like him; he was Hua Yunfeng's son, Hua Xiong.

Li Huabai raised her hand. "Get up. Is Xiaoqing here?"

"Yes, Sister Qing is injured. Please, Master, lend a hand." Bai Ye happily welcomed the three of them into the house.

Upon arriving in the living room, Li Huabai was slightly surprised to see Li Qing'er's appearance: "Qing'er, what happened to you?"

Li Qing'er bowed and recounted her ordeal in detail, "My matter is not important, but what Sister Bai asked me to do is important. That Master Jin Guang, Chen Mo, is now the vice leader of the Green Wolf Gang, and I have asked Bai Ye to keep in touch with him often."

Li Huabai looked at Hua Yunfeng beside him.

Hua Yunfeng said, "Chen Mo is extremely important. I think... we should capture him and keep him under house arrest."

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.: Still experiencing some writer's block, but I've finished updating a bit. More coming out around midnight~
(End of this chapter)