I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 175 The Demonic Embryo Appears, Humans and Dragons Sacrificed!
You won't believe it until you see it...

Lying inside... is a "person" whose age is unclear.

His entire body was covered in festering sores and cavities, especially his face, where the muscles were stiff, the skin and flesh were rolled up, and the bone was visible. Two eyeballs hung in his pupils, and his face was expressionless, with two rows of buck teeth protruding out... He really looked just like the bad guy Chen Mo had seen in the anime series in his previous life.

No, he is far more terrifying and ferocious than the Bad Guy Commander!

Numerous centipedes, snakes, and insects slithered in and out of the hollows in the "Bad Marshal's" skin. They practically made their nests inside its body.

Fortunately, Chen Mo had seen a lot in this strange world, and he recovered after a short while. He gently asked Nangong Ye beside him, "Xiao Ye, did this fiend fail in its thirty-sixth incarnation?"

After all, the corpses of the previous thirty-five incarnations were all in good condition, each one lifelike.

Only in this final life... somehow, he ended up living like a rogue general.

It looks like a failure no matter how you look at it.

Nangong Ye said, "My understanding of the thirty-six incarnations of corpse liberation and ascension to immortality is limited to reading similar texts. Those texts are very rough and lack details. I don't know... but judging from the appearance of this evil god, it is very likely that some kind of accident has occurred. Or perhaps the claim of the thirty-six incarnations of corpse liberation and ascension to immortality is flawed in itself."

Chen Mo nodded, no longer asking any questions, and instead carefully looked at Jiang Hongyue in front of him.

When Jiang Hongyue saw the man's appearance, she was not surprised at all; instead, she laughed.

"No wonder you wanted to drag Yuqing into the ancient tomb just now. So this is your true nature."

Yes.

It's worth mentioning that Chen Mo and Nangong Ye had just entered the ancient tomb with Jiang Hongyue and Su Yuqing when Su Yuqing was dragged to the bridal chamber for a ghost marriage. Jiang Hongyue then used the power of her mirror to abruptly cut them apart.

Su Yuqing also completely entered a mirror.

The information matched what Chen Mo had gotten from Su Yuqing earlier.

Chen Mo regained his composure and carefully considered Jiang Hongyue's words: So... this is your true nature.

Could it be that... the corpses of the previous thirty-five incarnations were not the original form of the Great Yin Mountain Evil God?

Is this "bad leader" the real scoundrel?

Is this... even human?
Could it be that there is some kind of race that is born... looking like the Bad Guy Commander?

Chen Mo had no idea.

Just then, Jiang Hongyue spoke up, "You went to all this trouble to send me a message just so I could see your true colors? I thought you were so capable. You just want to be reborn through a ghost marriage. I won't let you succeed."

"The saying about the thirty-six heavens of Taoism originated from the Taiping Taoist Temple in Northern Liang. Later, someone from my Great Qian went to the Taiping Taoist Temple in Northern Liang to learn the scriptures. After returning, he established a Taoist temple on Yujing Mountain in Great Qian to spread the Dharma and recite scriptures. That person was about my age and named himself... Bai Yujing. There are few people I, Jiang Hongyue, admire in my life, but Bai Yujing is one of them."

You, on the other hand, have stolen a few Taoist scriptures and now boast of achieving immortality through thirty-six lifetimes of corpse liberation. What a pipe dream! Even though this place is home to extremely rare elderberry, the true meaning of the Great Way of Peace is far beyond your comprehension.

My husband mistakenly dug up your ancient tomb, but he will not tolerate your recklessness on the territory of the Great Qian Dynasty. Return to where you came from.

After saying that, Jiang Hongyue put her hands together in prayer.

A crimson mirror appeared in mid-air, spinning and flowing in front of her, emitting bursts of crimson light that shone on the "Bad Marshal".

Immediately, Jiang Hongyue sat down cross-legged on the spot, muttering incantations:
"You should never have come into this world. The Great Qian Kingdom is not a place where you can act so recklessly. Today, I, Jiang Hongyue, in the name of Hongyue, will perform a ritual to help you find peace!"

Immediately afterwards, a series of scriptures appeared.

They were all incantations that Chen Mo couldn't understand.

He turned to look at Nangong Ye beside him, "Xiao Ye, can you understand what Jiang Hongyue is muttering?"

Nangong Ye shook his head: "I could only hear a very small part, it should be a demon-suppressing incantation."

"A demon-suppressing incantation?"

"Yes, I've seen some records of it in relevant ancient texts. This is a spell specifically used to suppress demons and to deliver them from suffering."

"Is this creature a demon?"

"It should be a demon, but not a demon from this world. It is very likely a monster."

"No wonder this fang looks so terrifying, and Jiang Hongyue said that this is its true appearance. It is clear that this fang wants to go through the thirty-six heavens of Taoism, complete thirty-six lifetimes, and achieve immortality through corpse liberation."

"Let's see again."

Soon, Jiang Hongyue finished reciting the demon-suppressing incantation.

The evil god remained silent.

The elderberry tree was completely dried up.

The ghostly aura lingering in the tomb also disappeared.

Jiang Hongyue breathed a sigh of relief, "Finally, I've helped you pass on. I should go back now."

Jiang Hongyue is gone.

Chen Mo and Nangong Ye exchanged a glance, neither of them in a hurry to leave. Instead, they stayed inside the ancient tomb to observe for a while.

Nangong Ye said, "Jiang Hongyue thought this evil god was dead. In fact, we know... he is not."

Chen Mo said, "Let's stay and see. We might just see a scene that Jiang Hongyue didn't see back then."

The two stayed behind, quietly watching the "Bad Commander" inside the coffin.

This is also thanks to the fact that Jiang Hongyue's dream-making methods are too mysterious. Not only can we see what Jiang Hongyue sees from her perspective, but we can also see what Jiang Hongyue did not see at the time.

really.

Not long after, the ghostly aura inside the ancient tomb reappeared and gradually recovered.

The once quiet tomb chamber has become eerily quiet.

At this moment, something strange happened.

Suddenly, the "Untrained Commander" lying in the coffin opened his eyes.

Jie Jie Jie.

The creature suddenly let out a sinister laugh, then uttered words Chen Mo couldn't understand. Finally, it abruptly spoke in human language: "Elderwood is naturally not enough for me to achieve immortality through corpse liberation, nor is the Great Yin Mountain enough. But with you all coming to help one after another, my success rate has greatly increased."

Jiang Hongyue, you thought my target in this ghost marriage was Su Yuqing… but you don't know, my target from the very beginning was you. Hehe. No one knows that I'm not an ordinary demon, but a twin demon. Because I'm twin, I can die in each of my lives. My thirty-six incarnations were also twins. One is me, and the other… will be reborn through your womb, achieving immortality through corpse liberation.”

Jie Jie Jie.

"What a wonderful host. If that person hadn't discovered me first and made a deal with me, I wouldn't have known that the Great Qian Land was full of talented people. Bai Yujing and Jiang Hongyue were both the best hosts to help me complete my final life. It's a pity that Bai Yujing is proficient in the Taiping Scripture and could easily discover me. That leaves only you, Jiang Hongyue."

"Let me borrow your womb to complete my rebirth. Then I will have lived thirty-six lifetimes. At that time, I can transcend my physical form and ascend to immortality, becoming a demon beyond the Three Realms and Five Elements. You, Jiang Hongyue, call yourself the Empress of the Great Qian Dynasty, responsible for guarding the land, yet you have no idea what kind of being I am, much less my schemes. Hehe~ Hehehe~"

Hearing the roar of the evil god, Chen Mo and Nangong Ye were both startled.

Chen Mo gripped Nangong Ye's hand tightly: "Xiao Ye, let's follow Jiang Hongyue."

The two left the main tomb chamber and followed Jiang Hongyue.

There was nothing he could do; Chen Mo was in a dream, and could teleport at any time…

Chen Mo had already vaguely realized something.

He vaguely remembered Shen Yujun and Jiang Xiaoti's story, and knew that Jiang Hongyue was a pregnant woman's corpse. This also concerned Jiang Hongyue's second visit to her family. And the mystery surrounding Jiang Hongyue's death was likely about to unfold.

The two followed Jiang Hongyue all the way.

Jiang Hongyue arrived at the entrance of the ancient tomb, trying to find the mirror that sealed Su Yuqing.

But they couldn't find it.

Jiang Hongyue did not linger, only saying: "Poor Shan Shi."

Lady Shan was Su Hetu's first wife, and Su Yuqing was her daughter. Lady Shan died early, so Su Yuqing grew up with Jiang Hongyue from a young age.

Jiang Hongyue left Dayin Mountain.

Not long after, she discovered she was pregnant.

This discovery made Jiang Hongyue very happy.

Jiang Hongyue thought it was because her cultivation had increased and her health had improved.

Jiang Hongyue knew she couldn't hide the matter any longer, so she returned to the palace and told Su Hetu. She planned to confront Su Hetu, stating that she wouldn't interfere in court affairs. At the time, Jiang Hongyue's power overwhelmed the Great Qian Dynasty, and she was confident in this.

However, after the news spread, everyone in the palace knew that Jiang Hongyue was pregnant. After all, Jiang Hongyue was the Empress, and the court officials and members of the royal family were very happy and came up to congratulate her.

Although Su Hetu appeared happy, he was secretly very worried.

Upon arriving here, Chen Mo and Nangong Ye not only followed Jiang Hongyue's perspective but also paid close attention to Su Hetu's movements.

During that period, Su Hetu rarely went to Jiang Hongyue's palace, but instead spent his days drinking with Consort Xiao to drown his sorrows.

Lady Xiao then offered Su Hetu a suggestion: "Since Your Majesty is so worried about the baby in Sister Hongyue's womb, I have an idea."

"What's the idea?"

"I'll have someone spread rumors that Sister Hongyue had an affair while visiting relatives in Dayin Mountain and is carrying a bastard child. With enough gossip, the false will become the truth. Then His Majesty will take the initiative. If he's ruthless enough, he can eliminate the threat and crush the Jiang family as well."

Su Hetu didn't express his opinion, but returned to his residence, muttering to himself, "This is impossible... Xiaoyue can't be pregnant. Even if Xiaoyue's cultivation is about to break through to the fifth level, possibly the first in the history of the Great Qian, the medicine is still effective. Although Consort Xiao's words were for scheming, they may not be entirely unfounded."

And so, rumors and gossip began to spread.

It caused quite a stir in the city.

No matter how Jiang Hongyue tried to explain, it was no use. Su Hetu simply wouldn't believe her.

As the rumors spread, Jiang Hongyue's reputation was ruined. Jiang Beihe was furious, and the entire Jiang family's prestige was damaged. Jiang Beihe's wife, already elderly, was even more enraged, and her health deteriorated until she passed away.

This dealt a huge blow to Jiang Hongyue.

She became depressed and violent.

Later, Jiang Hongyue stopped defending herself.

The Jiang family could not tolerate her, nor could the imperial court.

The whole world has abandoned her.

Gossip and rumors circulate wherever I go.

Normally, matters concerning the Empress's reputation would be something no one would dare to spread. However, with Su Hetu's tacit approval on the surface and Consort Xiao stirring up trouble behind the scenes, the rumors spread.

There was another reason why Jiang Hongyue did not defend herself.

Jiang Hongyue herself realized... something was wrong with the fetus in her womb.

First, the development speed is extremely fast.

It's only been three months, but it feels like I'm ten months pregnant.

Moreover, the fetus was frantically absorbing its own essence and spiritual power.

She examined the fetus inside her womb. It wasn't human at all...

In utter despair, Jiang Hongyue did something extraordinary: she created countless Four Soul Jade pieces and entrusted them to her trusted confidants to distribute throughout the thirty-six states. Then, under the guise of visiting relatives, she went to the Great Yin Mountain once again.

We climbed Mount Dayin and headed towards the ancient tomb.

Chen Mo and Nangong Ye followed them here, their hearts pounding.

They knew that Jiang Hongyue's journey to Dayin Mountain would mean her death.

However, Jiang Hongyue was unaware of this at the time.

The two followed behind Jiang Hongyue.

Nangong Ye said, "Jiang Hongyue died this time when she went to Da Yin Mountain. I really don't know how such a terrifying peerless figure could die."

Chen Mo was also curious.

Although he had heard Jiang Xiaoti and the Red Lantern Goddess say that Jiang Hongyue was sacrificed to death.

But those are all hearsay and shouldn't be taken seriously.

It's like those people saying that Jiang Hong went back home pregnant and was kicked out of her home by the emperor... that's a deviation from the facts.

We'll have to wait and see to know the final result.

almost……

As Chen Mo followed, he thought to himself: This Jiang Hongyue was already the most powerful figure in the Great Qian Dynasty, on par with Bai Yujing, who had returned from studying at the Taiping Dojo in Beiliang. He truly wondered how she died. Even facing that evil god, it seemed Jiang Hongyue had the power to fight him.

Soon, Jiang Hongyue returned to the main tomb chamber.

Chen Mo followed him inside.

Then, Chen Mo was shocked again: although several months had passed, the coffin in the ancient tomb had actually been closed again.

Who covered it?

The evil god himself?

Jiang Hongyue realized this as well, but she didn't say anything and opened the coffins one by one again.

The bodies in the first thirty-five coffins were all there, just as before.

Click.

When Jiang Hongyue opened the thirty-sixth coffin... she was shocked to find that the "Bad Marshal" inside was gone.

It actually... disappeared.

In an instant, Jiang Hongyue lost control of her emotions.

"is that you?"

"Did you do it?"

"You want to use my womb to be reborn. When did you get into my belly?"

"Come out! Come out here!!"

"I know it was you! You ruined my life, Jiang Hongyue's life."

"You can't run away!"

Jiang Hongyue suddenly flew into a rage, clasped her hands together, and opened the blood-red mirror. "Dream in the mirror! Let me see where you've gone."

boom!
The blood-red mirror emitted a huge fluctuation of light.

Jiang Hongyue also sat cross-legged on the ground, seemingly lost in a dream.

Since this was a dream created by Jiang Hongyue, Chen Mo and Nangong Ye could not see the scenes in her dream.

Nangong Ye said, "Could it be that Jiang Hongyue's dream in the mirror allows her to see things she hasn't seen before? If so, Jiang Hongyue's cultivation level is unimaginably profound. I really don't dare to think about it. After all, she is the first person in the Great Qian Dynasty to break through to the fifth level. She's almost not human anymore."

Chen Mo agreed wholeheartedly: "It's a pity we can't see the scenes in her dream."

After a long time.

Jiang Hongyue snapped out of her reverie, and her emotions began to fluctuate wildly.

"I see……"

"Su Hetu, you are so vicious!! And that bitch from the Xiao family too!"

“You will be punished by heaven for treating me like this. I, Jiang Hongyue, have devoted my whole life to you, Su Hetu, and this is how I end up. Truly, the imperial family is the most ruthless.”

"What did I, Jiang Hongyue, do wrong in this life?"

"What did I do wrong? Why am I being treated like this?"

Before long, a group of old Taoist priests entered the main tomb chamber.

"Jiang Hongyue, you are carrying an illegitimate child and should not be allowed to exist in this world."

"Phoenix Maiden Sacrifice!"

Thirty-six old Taoist priests simultaneously sacrificed themselves, burning their lives.

The leader was a very old man who took out a phoenix statue and sacrificed it along with the others.

Jiang Hongyue sat alone on the ground, lovingly stroking her swollen belly with both hands. "Is it all because of this demonic fetus? Is everyone thinking of killing the mother and leaving the child to ascend to immortality through corpse liberation...?"

"It is said that things in this world cannot be forced."

“But I, Jiang Hongyue, insist on forcing it.”

"I am willing to turn the obsession of this life into resentment and into a curse, to curse you, the Great Qian, to die a horrible death. To curse your Xiao family to be wiped out."

As she spoke, Jiang Hongyue bit her finger and drew a talisman on the blood-red mirror.

"Mirror, the Underworld!"

Boom! Time seemed to stand still.

Thirty-six old Taoist priests, all dead or alive.

On the sacrificial altar, only Jiang Hongyue remained, all alone.

Her face was deathly pale, blood was flowing from all seven orifices, and her skin was cracked all over her body, with blood dripping onto the ground, staining the earth red.

Bang bang bang!
The fetus inside Jiang Hongyue's womb kept moving around, as if it wanted to tear open Jiang Hongyue's abdomen and run out.

"Hahaha."

Jiang Hongyue laughed maniacally.

"My son, do you really want to complete your thirty-sixth reincarnation and ascend to immortality through corpse liberation?"

"But Mother won't allow you to come out. Even though the person I love most betrayed me and poisoned me several times. Even though my mother died of anger because of me, even though I hate this world to the core. But... this land is, after all, the place where I lived. The people on this land deserve to die, but... their lives should be ended by me, not by you!"

"I will use my own sword to cut down this world."

"Hahaha……"

Jiang Hongyue: "You've survived thirty-five lifetimes. You shouldn't have provoked me, Jiang Hongyue. I'm going to stop you in your final lifetime. After thirty-six lifetimes, you'll be a true demon. I won't let you out. If I can't stop you, then... come down to the Yellow Springs with me."

"My dear son, I am right above you, using the power of the mirror to open the path to the underworld. I will watch over you every moment, for all eternity, hahaha!"

"Mirror, the Underworld!"

The moment the words fell, Chen Mo and Nangong Ye felt dizzy and disoriented, finally appearing above the main gate of the Red Mansion.

Everything around returned to calm.

The two returned to where they started.

After Jiang Hongyue's life came to an end, both of them were unable to calm down for a long time.

Nangong Ye let out a long sigh: "So this is Jiang Hongyue's life."

Chen Mo said, "She was a woman of strong character. It's a pity she loved the wrong person. In the end, she met such a tragic end. I wonder what Jiang Hongyue saw in her dream."

Nangong Ye said, "It seems she witnessed the thing she least wanted to see in her life. Most likely, she saw Su Hetu involved in plotting against her. Being stabbed in the back by the one she loved, it's no wonder she suddenly lost control of her emotions. Anyone would be devastated in that situation. So, in this life, don't easily trust others, and even more so, don't fall in love with someone. Falling in love with someone means losing yourself, being bewitched, and having your heart ripped out."

Su Hetu and Jiang Hongyue were so deeply in love, making vows of eternal love, yet in the end, she was betrayed. Women are mostly pitiful in this world; and men, there are few good ones.

Chen Mo glared at Nangong Ye and, speaking on behalf of the man, retorted, "I would never be a person like Su Hetu."

Nangong Ye said, "That's because you weren't born into a feudal or imperial family, and you never sat on the dragon throne. Once you sit on the dragon throne, things will change."

Chen Mo neither confirmed nor denied.

Even if I were to sit on that supreme dragon throne, I wouldn't dare guarantee that my mind wouldn't change.

"Alright, let's not talk about that. You've heard that ghost story before. We just experienced Jiang Hongyue's life. Does the ghost story include these events?"

Nangong Ye recovered his senses and shook his head: "The ghost story is about the Great Yin Mountain. There is a part about the Great Yin Mountain in Jiang Hongyue's life. But that part is just an appetizer. The ghost story mainly tells about what happened after Jiang Hongyue died."

Chen Mo didn't ask any further questions. "Is there anything about the human-dragon sacrifice?"

Nangong Ye said, "Yes. By the way, that child exhausted his life to create a dream for you, allowing you and me to see Jiang Hongyue's entire life. Did he leave any other information?"

"Yes. I need to enter the Red Moon Palace to complete the final human-dragon sacrifice. And on the way to the Underworld, I need to bring Jiang Hongyue back to the human world."

"Then... will you die?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

Chen Mo pulled Jiang Hongyue to sit down on the steps.

Back here, the two of them still had a red veil covering their heads, and Chen Mo still held a red lantern in his hand.

The two sat side by side on the steps, leaning on each other's shoulders.

Perhaps Chen Mo was filled with worry about what he was about to do, so he became sullen and remained silent.

The scene became quiet for a moment.

After a moment, Nangong Ye said softly, "Young Master, the baby in Jiang Hongyue's belly should be the other incarnation of that twin demon, a demon fetus. Moreover, it is a demon fetus that has gone through thirty-six lifetimes."

Chen Mo replied listlessly, "Mm."

Nangong Ye: "Once this demonic fetus is born, it will be able to transcend mortality and ascend to immortality. It will be a true demon-suppressing being descended to earth."

"Ah."

"I wonder what happened after Jiang Hongyue used the Mirror of the Underworld to bring the demonic fetus here. Did the demonic fetus die? If you help Jiang Hongyue return to life, will the demonic fetus also return to life?"

Chen Mo thought for a moment and said, "You said that Jiang Hongyue clearly took the demonic fetus with her to the Yellow Springs Road on her own initiative. Why did she later want to return to life? If Jiang Hongyue didn't want to die at the time, wouldn't she have been able to avoid taking the demonic fetus to the Yellow Springs Road?"

Nangong Ye said, "Perhaps something else happened later, such as Jiang Hongyue realizing something and deciding to return to life with the demonic fetus, so that no one in the Great Qian could survive. Or perhaps, Jiang Hongyue later killed the demonic fetus on the road to the Yellow Springs? And that's why she thought of returning to life?"

Chen Mo nodded slightly, "No matter what, Jiang Hongyue eventually went mad and even cast a poisonous curse to wipe out the world. Even if only Jiang Hongyue is resurrected, this world will still be in great turmoil."

Nangong Ye said, "If you don't help Jiang Hongyue return to life, she will take you to the underworld. What are your thoughts, young master?"

Chen Mo thought for a moment and said, "I can't die. I don't want to die. What does the state of this world have to do with me? I'm not willing to sacrifice my life to save this damn world. At least, I'm not willing now. I'll try anything if there's even a sliver of a chance to live."

Nangong Ye looked at Chen Mo with surprise.

Chen Mo sensed Nangong Ye's unusual behavior and turned to look at him.

Under the red veil, their faces were almost pressed tightly together, and they could feel each other's breath.

Chen Mo suddenly said, "Xiao Ye, are you planning to betray your own family for the greater good? Are you trying to become like Su Hetu?"

Nangong Ye pursed her lips: "What kind of person do you take me for? Su Hetu is so heartless and ruthless, how could I learn from him?"

Chen Mo breathed a slight sigh of relief: "Then why are you looking at me with such surprise?"

Nangong Ye stared intently at Chen Mo: "There will always be injustices and unresolved issues in this world. The world has been in turmoil for hundreds of years, and there have been demons and evil spirits like Jiang Hongyue and the Twin Demons. If I were to kill you just to stop you from bringing Jiang Hongyue back to life, how would I be any different from a demon?"
I was simply struck by how straightforward and unpretentious the young master was. It made him seem genuinely sincere.

Chen Mo said, "I have always been honest."

Nangong Ye said, "I was worried that if you were to lose your life, I would be heartbroken."

Chen Mo looked at the beautiful woman in front of him and suddenly smiled.

Nangong Ye asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Chen Mo said, "I think that even if I am gone, there will still be people who are saddened by my passing. That would make my life worthwhile."

Nangong Ye was taken aback, then felt a pang of sadness. "Is that all you aspire to?"

Chen Mo said, "I've never had any grand ambitions. The past is irretrievable, and the future is uncertain. So I can only think about the things in front of me."

Nangong Ye's eyes welled up with tears. "Young Master always speaks the truth, but I never imagined... that in this world, only such truths are the most heart-wrenching. I envy Young Master, living so freely and unrestrained, doing as he pleases. However, I have a duty to perform, and I always find myself in a dilemma, unable to be myself many times."

Chen Mo said, "When did Xiao Ye become so sentimental? There are no outsiders here today, only you and me, fighting for our lives. With life and death at stake... then..."

Nangong Ye blinked. "Then what do you suggest?"

Chen Mo stared intently at Nangong Ye: "Then to hell with your job, just be yourself today."

Having said that, Chen Mo stood up, carrying the red lantern, and without giving Xiao Ye a chance to speak, said, "Xiao Ye, I'm going to the Red Moon Palace. Actually, the dream teller told me that the ghost curse in your body is mostly gone. As long as Jiang Hongyue doesn't return to life, your ghost curse won't flare up or worsen. You don't need to come in with me."

Immediately, Chen Mo handed the red veil to Nangong Ye, then emerged from under it, breathing in the fresh air.

Nangong Ye stood to the side, her head covered by a red veil, sizing up Chen Mo.

call!
Chen Mo let out a long sigh, stretched, and looked back at Nangong Ye, who was covered by a red veil. Then, looking at her purple dress, he couldn't help but say, "You do look like a bride this time. I just wonder which scoundrel will end up with you. That man is really annoying."

After saying that, Chen Mo stopped being coy and, carrying the big red lantern, climbed the steps one by one, heading towards the red gate of the Red Moon Palace.

Upon reaching the door, Chen Mo pushed it open.

Squeak!

As the door opened, a cloud of smoke blew out.

Chen Mo stepped across the threshold with his left foot, saying without turning his head, "Xiao Ye, goodbye."

Nangong Ye, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, "Young master, I have a question."

This time, Nangong Ye used the term "concubine" to address her.

Having clearly experienced so much, this chief has a very high opinion of Chen Mo.

"Xiaoye, please ask."

"If I were Jiang Hongyue and you were Su Hetu, what would you choose?"

Chen Mo thought for a moment and said, "What's so good about being an emperor? To hell with the empire. That Su Hetu is a complete idiot, letting go of such a wonderful woman as Jiang Hongyue. He must have had his brains squeezed in a door. When Su Hetu gets old and is about to die... he will realize that Jiang Hongyue may be the only woman he has ever met who truly loves him. He will eventually realize that his imperial ambitions were nothing but a pipe dream."

Perhaps knowing he was about to die, Chen Mo began to let loose and started using more profanity.

Actually, Chen Mo had another answer in his heart: To hell with women, you can't even imagine the joy of sitting on the dragon throne.

However, Chen Mo had never sat on the dragon throne, so he couldn't truly understand the feeling. Since Xiao Ye was present today, he gave an answer that Xiao Ye found appropriate, and it was also fitting for the occasion.

Click.

Chen Mo stepped his right foot across the threshold.

The interior was filled with red mist, eerie and ghostly, with visibility of only four or five meters.

The feeling of extreme cold sent shivers down one's spine.

There is only one road, winding its way forward.

Chen Mo carried the red lantern alone, walking forward step by step, thinking to himself: This place is so eerie. I've encountered ghost walls before, but none of them can compare to this place. It feels like death is everywhere, and every step I take feels like I'm approaching the gates of hell.

Just then, footsteps came from behind.

Before Chen Mo could turn around, a warm and smooth hand grasped his left hand. A very familiar voice also rang out.

“My lord, even if the road ahead leads to the Yellow Springs, I will walk with you.”

Chen Mo turned around abruptly and saw Nangong Ye, who was wearing a red veil, walking towards him. "Didn't I tell you not to come?"

Nangong Ye said, "Young Master has already said that if Jiang Hongyue is resurrected, the ghost curse in my body will erupt and worsen. Since that's the case, I'll come and see Jiang Hongyue. After all, I've witnessed the ups and downs of Jiang Hongyue's life, and I'll only be satisfied if I see the real thing. Besides, this is Jiang Hongyue's mirror world, and if I leave Young Master, I don't know how to leave."

Chen Mo didn't say much, he just sighed.

Nangong Ye stepped forward and covered Chen Mo's head with the red veil as well. "This red veil was given to me by that child. There must be a reason for it. Let's wear it together."

"Ok."

Chen Mo didn't try to persuade them any further. And so, the two of them followed the path beneath their feet, step by step, heading deeper into the red mist.

At first, they just felt that the road was strange, but as they walked... the two of them felt their life force was being drained away at a visible speed, and the aura of death was getting stronger and stronger.

Pfft!
Nangong Ye's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he stopped abruptly.

Chen Mo turned his head to look and saw blood trickling from the corner of Nangong Ye's mouth. "Xiao Ye, what happened to you?"

Nangong Ye said, "The ghost curse within me has begun to take effect."

Chen Mo gripped Nangong Ye's hand tightly, "Stay closer to me."

"Ah."

We walked on for a while longer.

Chen Mo sensed something was wrong.

I feel like I'm getting old.

Osteoporosis has made my hands and feet less nimble.

Even when Chen Mo activated his cultivation and the power of the ghosts, it was useless.

"Xiao Ye, I feel... I'm getting old. You..." Chen Mo suddenly turned around and was shocked to find that Xiao Ye was also getting old.

Nangong Ye was a little embarrassed. "This road might really lead to the Yellow Springs. Jiang Hongyue used the power of the mirror to open the Yellow Springs. If we continue walking, our appearance will gradually age."

Chen Mo was secretly alarmed: Jiang Hongyue's cultivation was far too terrifying. Had she truly opened the road to the underworld in this bizarre world?
There are few gods and immortals in this world, but there are plenty of ghosts and spirits.

Even if there really is a road to the underworld... this feeling is just too astonishing.

Looking back on the countless years that had passed, Chen Mo felt a mix of resentment and unease. Yet, he also knew he couldn't stop now.

He held Xiaoye's hand tightly. "Xiaoye, don't be afraid. We came here to find a glimmer of hope."

Nangong Ye's eyes were exceptionally calm and serene: "Mm."

move on.

With each passing moment, Chen Mo and Nangong Ye's appearances aged at a visible rate.

Before long, Chen Mo became an old man with white hair, and Xiao Ye, who already had white hair, also became an old woman.

They looked at each other and simply smiled.

"Once you step into the Red Moon Palace, there is no turning back. Young master, please continue on your way."

"Ah."

As Chen Mo walked, he realized that his back and waist were both bad, and he had even started to hunch over. No matter how hard Chen Mo tried to straighten up, he couldn't, and he could feel that his back was heavy.

Nangong Ye saw this, but simply grabbed Chen Mo's hand and slowly walked forward.

"Xiaoye, is there something on my back?"

Nangong Ye said, "No, this is the Road to the Underworld. You're old, that's why you're hunchbacked. You'll get used to it."

cough cough cough.

Chen Mo coughed twice and continued walking.

Finally, at the end of their lives, the two also reached the end of their road:

There is a river ahead.

A red mist hangs heavy in the air, the river roars on, blurring the lines between life and death, between the living and the dead. An unimaginable aura of death seems to surge through the river, as if touching its waters would instantly kill one.

Chen Mo's heart suddenly raced, as if he were about to die at any moment.

Nangong Ye stopped at the riverbank, watching the surging waters and the rising red mist. "The red mist we just saw originated from here. This river is so vast and expansive, and it contains an unimaginable aura of death. Could it be the legendary River of Oblivion?"

Legend has it that the River of Oblivion is located between the Yellow Springs Road and the Underworld. The Bridge of Helplessness spans the river, and Meng Po, the goddess of forgetfulness, uses a soup to make the departed forget their past lives. The river is filled with blood, insects, and snakes, and the departed must pass through it to be reincarnated. In folklore, the River of Helplessness is regarded as a "separation zone" between the human world and the underworld.

Chen Mo stared wide-eyed.

I have learned a lot...

In this world, there really is a River of Oblivion.

Jiang Hongyue's mirror power is far too bizarre.

I really don't know how she did it.

Just thinking about it is terrifying.

Nangong Ye pointed to the riverbank: "Young master, look, these are spider lilies."

Chen Mo snapped out of his thoughts and looked in the direction Nangong Ye was pointing. Sure enough, he saw that the place was covered with countless spider lilies.

Moreover, it was a very large flower, a meter tall, blooming crimson all over the ground, like fresh blood.

Chen Mo thought of the ghost bone inside his body, the curse of the other shore flower that it had given rise to, and the words that the Red Lantern Goddess had once told him.

really……

With her last breath, Jiang Hongyue cast the Other Shore Flower Curse, severing the path to the underworld.

Someone who knows the spell of the Red Spider Lily must guide her and bring her back to the human world!
The red spider lilies have appeared, and the road to the underworld has come to an end.

So, what about Jiang Hongyue?
“Let’s go take a look.” Chen Mo held Nangong Ye’s hand and slowly walked into the red spider lily bushes. As they approached the river, they were shocked to see thirty-six giant dragon snakes with long whiskers coiled in the river.

Each of the thirty-six dragons emanated an incredibly powerful aura, and its body was covered with the Red Spider Lily Mantra. The Red Spider Lilies on both banks of the River of Oblivion nurtured the power of each mantra seal, infusing it into the thirty-six dragons. This ensured that the dragons' lives were perpetual and their power was inexhaustible.

The thirty-six dragon-like creatures together used their bodies to protect a scarlet coffin, preventing it from being swept away by the surging river to the other side of the River of Oblivion.

The coffin had no lid, and inside lay a woman dressed in a traditional Chinese wedding dress, her belly protruding high.

That's right, Jiang Hongyue!

Chen Mo took a deep breath: "Finally, we've met the main character. It turns out that the dragons in the lake outside were all dead, so they weren't selected. Only the dragons that entered here have truly completed their dragon journey. And Jiang Hongyue used the power of the great dragon demon to prevent herself from being swept to the other side of the River of Oblivion. In that case, the sacrificial altar for the human-dragon sacrifice should be here."

Nangong Ye pointed to the bottom of the coffin: "Young master, look, there are countless runes and patterns engraved on the bottom of the coffin. It seems that this coffin was the sacrificial altar for the human-dragon sacrifice."

(End of this chapter)