I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 218 Empress Dowager Xiao makes her move, revealing Bai Yujing's true form!
After hearing what the guard martial arts master said, the living room fell silent.

The oppressive atmosphere was suffocating; you could hear a pin drop.

The martial arts guard who had reported the incident collapsed to the ground, his face full of self-reproach, yet he dared not even breathe loudly.

"Xiao Wu was arrested and taken to the Ministry of Justice, which even alarmed the palace, oh my god..." Zhang Ru was so angry that she stood up and took a few steps, but then she couldn't catch her breath and almost collapsed to the ground.

"Second Aunt!" Xiaoyuer, who was sitting next to Zhang Ru, shouted and quickly reached out to help her up. He found that Zhang Ru had already fainted, so he cried out anxiously, "Second Brother, Second Aunt has fainted."

Chen Mo immediately went over, took Zhang Ru's wrist, and checked her pulse. He didn't find any old injuries, just that she was suffering from a sudden attack of anger. So he transferred a surge of spiritual energy to her.

With Chen Mo's current spiritual power at the Great Perfection of the Ghostly Bandit realm, he could heal Zhang Ru in no time.

Indeed, Zhang Ru regained consciousness in a short time. After a moment of disorientation, she suddenly grabbed Chen Mo's sleeve, almost pleading:

"Second Young Master, your second mother knows you are very capable. You are the only one in the whole family who can think of a solution. Please, Second Young Master, save Xiao Wu. Your second mother is kneeling before you."

As Zhang Ru was about to kneel down before Chen Mo, Chen Mo quickly helped her up, saying, "Second Aunt, please don't be so formal. Xiao Wu is also my younger brother, and I won't stand idly by. Second Aunt, please get up first, and I'll think of a solution."

After hearing Chen Mo's words, Zhang Ru stood up with tears in her eyes.

Lin Yulan then said, "This matter involves the Prefect of the Capital, the Ministry of Justice, and the Palace. Erlang, you must not act impulsively."

Chen Mo understood his mother's meaning: if it cannot be forced, then give up.

"Mother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I won't eat. Don't go out unnecessarily these days. I'm going to the Jingzhao Prefecture." Chen Mo got up and left. But when he reached the door, he suddenly turned back.

Zhang Ru thought Chen Mo had changed his mind, but she also knew that this matter was too important, so she didn't dare to urge Chen Mo to do anything. She just burst into tears and sobbed softly.

Chen Mo said, "Mother, take everyone in the family and move into the Jiang family mansion immediately with Xiao Yuan. Xiao Yuan, you will be in charge of this matter. Remember, there must be no accidents."

Xiao Yuan immediately nodded in agreement: "Yes."

After leaving a message, Chen Mo said to the guard, "Lead the way."

Although the martial arts master had never seen Chen Mo before, he knew from everyone's conversation that this violent and fierce young man was the second young master of the Chen family. How could he dare to refute anything? He immediately got up and led the way.

The Chen family members breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Chen Mo leave, but they were also a little worried.

At this moment, Xiao Yuan said to Lin Yulan, "Madam, please don't waste any time. Pack your luggage immediately and come with me to the Jiang family residence right away."

Xiaoyuer spoke up, "The Jiang family? Is it the most powerful Jiang family in the Great Qian Dynasty?"

Xiao Yuan remained extremely respectful: "Yes."

Little Fish was greatly surprised.

Lin Yulan and Zhang Ru, standing to the side, were extremely surprised. They had been staying in the capital for a long time and had naturally heard the discussions, knowing that the most famous families in the capital were the Four Great Demon-Suppressing Families.

Even the royal family is one of the four great families that suppress demons.

The Jiang family mansion was one of them.

Little Fish asked cautiously, "Is my second brother on good terms with the Jiang family?"

Xiao Yuan didn't explicitly state Chen Mo's status in the Jiang family mansion, but nodded emphatically: "They have a very good relationship. Once they move into the Jiang family mansion, I imagine the Prefect of the Capital and the Ministry of Justice won't dare to lay a hand on them. Even the royal family will have to think twice before coming to the Jiang family mansion."

Everyone looked shocked, and since Chen Mo had given them instructions beforehand, they no longer hesitated.

Lin Yulan made a decision: "Then I'll have to trouble Miss Xiaoyuan. Everyone go back and pack up, and move immediately."

……

Chen Mo followed the guard out of the central courtyard and headed straight for the main gate.

They also met Ma Tie and Qiu Lan on the way.

The two were seen holding hands affectionately, sitting on the edge of the corridor feeding each other, looking very content. When they saw Chen Mo come out, they stopped holding hands and came up to greet him, looking quite embarrassed.

Qiulan asked, "Is the Second Young Master leaving already after just returning?"

Chen Mo said, "Don't just stand there, pack your things and get ready to move. For details, go to the central courtyard to find my mother."

After leaving a message, Chen Mo hurriedly left the Chen residence.

Through a brief chat, Chen Mo learned that the guard's martial arts master was named Liu Bing, and was a ninth-level martial arts master. Because he did not have the bloodline of a noble family, he had not been able to step into the Transcendent Realm.

But he has always been efficient and capable, and is highly valued by his father.

Whenever her father went out, he would take Liu Bing with him.

Once outside, Chen Mo instructed Liu Bing: "Go to the Demon Suppression Division and tell them that Chen Mo sent you. Go find Chief Minister Nangong Ye and explain the situation. I'll go to the Capital Prefecture to find out what's going on first."

"Yes!" Liu Bing nodded in agreement, then ran off.

The location of Jingzhao Prefecture was easy to find. Chen Mo asked a few passersby for directions and headed straight for Jingzhao Prefecture.

Although his pace was not slow, Chen Mo remained very calm, having considered the cause and effect of the matter:
Chen Wu is not an impulsive person. The fact that he fought with the son of the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture is most likely because the son of the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture has gone too far.

Even if Chen Wu injured the son of the Prefect of Jingzhao, Chen Wu must have used some force and wouldn't have seriously injured him.

It should be a minor injury.

The key point is that... the son of the Prefect of Jingzhao suddenly stood up and went mad, dying on the spot.

This is very strange.

That's so unreasonable.

The Prefect of Jingzhao was furious and detained Chen Wu on charges of murder, sending him to the Ministry of Justice. This explanation is plausible.

But... people from the palace also came, wanting to bring Chen Wu into the palace.

This is outrageous.

Even if someone is truly a death row inmate, sending them to the Ministry of Justice prison would suffice. Why would the imperial palace come to retrieve them?

The timing is too coincidental.

It's highly likely they're after me.

Could it be that Empress Dowager Xiao in the palace knew about her godmother's death?
Even so, Empress Dowager Xiao should have taken action against the Jiang family.

Everyone knows that Jiang Shuihan and Jiang Yan are now in charge of the Jiang family.

Even if Empress Dowager Xiao wanted to eliminate the Jiang family, a major threat, and consolidate her imperial power, she should have dealt with the two leaders first.

Why yourself?

The answer is obvious... a demonic fetus.

The demonic fetus within her body has been sensed by someone?
Outsiders shouldn't be able to sense it.

But the other demonic body of that twin demon is hard to say.

Like twins from a past life, there's some inexplicable connection between them. It's something that's hard to explain.

If that's the case, then we're in trouble.

Because of this, Chen Mo made an urgent decision to have all members of the Chen family move into the Jiang family mansion.

Even so, Chen Mo still felt an immense sense of oppression.

The pressure is too great.

My cultivation level is only at the level of Drought Demon and Ghost Bandit. I haven't yet reached the level of the Corpse Ancestor's Undying Bones or the Ghost Emperor. I'm really not capable of challenging the Imperial Palace.

But Xiao Wu and his father have now suffered for no reason, and they can't just ignore it.

You should always ask first.

Before long, Chen Mo arrived at the main gate of the Jingzhao Prefecture. He saw several yamen runners holding stern rods, blocking an old man with a full head of white hair from entering. The old man's scalp was broken, and blood was flowing out continuously, but he still tried to rush through the gate, and was stopped by the yamen runners several times.

"Don't go crazy here, leave now."

"If it weren't for the fact that your Chen family has some connection with the Demon Suppression Division, I would have killed you with a single blow long ago."

The old man was shouting wildly, "My Xiaowu is innocent! He's innocent!"

One of the constables said, "Whether you are innocent or not, the Ministry of Justice will make its own judgment. There's no need for you to whine here. Get out of here now."

The white-haired old man was about to rush into the gate when he was stopped by a broad, kind hand.

The white-haired old man didn't even look at him, and shouted, "Don't stop me. If anything happens to Xiao Wu, I, this old man, will not live either."

"Father!"

The word "father" instantly calmed the white-haired old man, who turned around and immediately saw a tall and imposing young man. Although the young man had grown much taller and stronger, he still had a familiar profile.

"Xiao Mo!"

Chen Yinfu exclaimed in surprise, then hugged Chen Mo tightly and cried out hysterically, "It's all because Father is incompetent that Xiao Wu has suffered for no reason. Xiao Mo, you are his brother, you have to think of something."

Chen looked at the old man's mournful howls and his full head of white hair, and felt a pang of sadness in his heart.

It's only been two years since I last saw my father, and he has aged so much.

I vaguely remember that when I met my father two years ago, he was a rather charming middle-aged man. I never imagined that he would become a grandfather now.

Everyone says that time is merciless, but the speed at which he has aged far exceeded Chen Mo's expectations.

Chen Mo comforted him, "Father, don't worry. I just went to the Chen residence. Liu Bing has already reported what happened. Now that I'm here, I'll definitely think of a way. Father, don't worry, don't worry."

He comforted Chen Yinfu and led him to sit under a tree not far away. He then wiped the wounds on Chen Yinfu's forehead with his sleeve. Finding two wounds to be relatively large, he tore off half of his sleeve and used it to bandage Chen Yinfu's wounds.

Chen Yinfu's thoughts gradually calmed down. Looking at Chen Mo's thoughtfulness, he couldn't help but sigh, "Little Mo has grown up quite a bit. In the past two years, I've heard a lot about you from Miss Xiaoye. I know that Little Mo has become successful and is now in contact with people from far higher social classes than I am."

Over the years, I've always been careful in running my business, just so I wouldn't cause you any trouble. But alas, Xiao Wu has dragged Xiao Mo down again this time.

Chen Mo wiped the blood from Chen Yinfu's forehead with his sleeve and said softly, "Father, what are you saying? We're all family, no need for formalities. If it weren't for your support in my martial arts training and your introduction of various resources, I wouldn't be where I am today. I've already sent someone to invite Xiao Ye, Father, please don't be anxious. Tell me carefully, Father, what exactly happened between Xiao Wu and the son of the Prefect of Jingzhao?"

The Jingzhao Prefecture was a core department of the imperial court, so Chen Mo naturally wouldn't be so reckless as to rush in and arrest the Prefect for questioning. That wouldn't be helping, but rather causing trouble.

Chen Mo would never do something that would turn out badly despite good intentions.

Chen Yinfu sighed, and then began to explain.

It turns out that Chen Wu had previously gone to a martial arts school called Sifang Martial Arts School in the capital city to learn martial arts, introduced by Xiao Ye. Gao Zhan, the son of Gao Qiu, the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, was also a student there.

Chen Wu has a girlfriend named Xiao Li, who is also a student there. They are very much in love.

Later, Gao Zhan took Xiao Li for himself and even slept with her.

Chen Wu was furious and went to confront her. He was humiliated by Xiao Li, who revealed that she had abandoned him for Gao Zhan.

That’s all.

Chen Wu also knew that Gao Zhan was of high status and could not be bullied.

However, Gao Zhan kept humiliating Chen Wu, calling him a spineless businessman from a poor family... Chen Wu angrily retorted, and then Gao Zhan attacked. Chen Wu was tall and strong, and his martial arts skills were considerable; in the struggle, he injured Gao Zhan's head.

After learning about the incident, Chen Yinfu immediately took Chen Wu to the Jingzhao Prefecture to apologize to Prefect Gao Qiu.

Hearing this story, Chen Mo felt a pang of sorrow. "Indeed, Gao Zhan went too far. It was bad enough that he stole Xiao Wu's woman, but he also insulted him. Xiao Wu did nothing wrong, he just lost his temper. It was right for Father to take Xiao Wu to apologize. But why did Gao Zhan suddenly stand up and go crazy and die? Was Gao Zhan seriously injured?"

Chen Yinfu shook his head: "No, it's just a minor injury. I took Xiao Wu to the room to see Gao Zhan. At that time, Gao Zhan was chatting and laughing with Gao Qiu, and he was in a very good mood. The prefect didn't make things too difficult for us at first."

Chen Mo frowned: "Why did Gao Zhan suddenly go crazy?"

Chen Yinfu cried out in anguish, "I don't know either. Everything was fine at the time. Gao Zhan insulted me and Xiao Wu a few times, and we forgave him. But we hadn't gone far from the room when Gao Zhan suddenly ran out of the room, acting like a madman, pointing at Xiao Wu and shouting insults. In no time, he collapsed to the ground, vomiting blood and dying. The doctor diagnosed that he had a brain problem. All the blame was placed on Xiao Wu. Now that he's dead, Xiao Wu can't clear his name even if he jumps into the Yellow River."

Is there really such a bizarre thing?
Even if the Prefect of Jingzhao received orders from above to target him, it wouldn't warrant publicly killing his own son.

Based on his father's description, Chen Mo believed that Gao Zhan's head was indeed fine.

He must have been triggered by something, which caused him to go insane and die.

For example, the power of ghosts to attract spirits can achieve this.

The golden ghost has this ability.

But this golden ghost couldn't possibly be his father, nor could it be Xiao Wu, and most likely it couldn't be the Prefect of Jingzhao either.

Thinking about this, Chen Mo asked, "Father, think carefully, were there any other people present at the time?"

"The others?" Chen Yinfu said, recalling the events. "At that time, it was just me, Xiao Wu, Gao Qiu and his son, and a woman. There was no one else."

Chen Mo keenly sensed something, "A woman?"

Chen Yinfu: "Yes. It's the woman who's with Gao Zhan, that's Xiao Li."

Chen Mo fell silent.

He instinctively felt that... something was wrong with Xiaoli.

The initial conflict was stirred up by Xiaoli.

Where is Little Beauty?

Chen Yinfu said, "He's still in the Jingzhao Prefecture right now, wailing and crying in front of Gao Zhan's corpse."

Chen Mo understood.

Sobbing uncontrollably?

This makes things even more suspicious.

Judging from her father's description, Xiaoli had abandoned Chen Wu and gotten involved with Gao Zhan. She seems to be a rather materialistic woman. Would a materialistic woman really wail so bitterly over Gao Zhan's death?
Is he putting on an act for the Prefect of Jingzhao?
Her son is dead, what are you pretending for? Do you want to become the concubine of the Prefect of the Capital?
Not quite right.

Chen Mo instinctively felt that the problem lay with Xiao Li.

Having made up his mind, Chen Mo continued to ask, "What happened later when people from the palace came and took Xiao Wu away? Who were they?"

Chen Yinfu said, "Not long after Gao Zhan died, an old eunuch came in. The old eunuch brought several guards with him, saying that he was an inspector from the capital. Upon learning that a murder had occurred in the capital, he took Xiao Wu away immediately."

Jingcha?

Such a coincidence?
Chen Mo broke off a tree branch and handed it to Chen Yinfu: "Father, could you please draw a sketch of the eunuch's appearance?"

"I'll give it a try." Chen Yinfu took the branch and began to draw on the ground. However, his strokes were too rough, and he couldn't quite capture the essence. Chen Yinfu said, "Xiao Mo, do you think there's something wrong with this eunuch? There's no ink or brush here, and my drawing doesn't look like him."

Chen Mo then said, "That's fine too. I need to access my father's memories. Is that alright?"

Chen Yinfu was astonished, having never heard of a method for reading memories before: "Xiao Mo has actually mastered such a supernatural ability?"

Chen Mo said, "I've been training outside for two years, and I've learned some unorthodox techniques. I want to use my father's memories to see what that eunuch looks like. It'll just be a little painful when I read them."

Chen Yinfu immediately agreed: "My father is old and can't be of much help. You can read it."

"Father, please be patient." Chen Mo raised his hand and pressed it against Chen Yinfu's forehead, then activated his summoning power.

hum!
An extremely pure power of inspiration suddenly flowed into Chen Yinfu's head, and in an instant, Chen Yinfu trembled all over and his face showed pain. But he did not cry out.

As Chen Mo's power of inspiration continued to erupt, he immediately accessed his father's memories of that part.

Everything was pretty much as my father had described.

That Xiaoli is indeed very beautiful, eloquent, and has alluring eyes, fair skin, long legs, and a captivating charm. No wonder she can seduce people.

Furthermore, Chen Mo noticed that after Gao Zhan returned home injured, Xiao Li had been taking care of him the whole time. When Gao Zhan went mad and died suddenly, Xiao Li was there supporting him. However, since it was his father's memory, only images and sounds could be provided.

Since Chen Mo couldn't be there in person, he couldn't determine whether Xiao Li was responsible.

It's highly likely.

Soon after, Gao Zhan died suddenly, and a eunuch arrived shortly afterward.

Upon seeing the eunuch's appearance, Chen Mo took a deep breath.

It was Xu Fu!
Chen Mo had previously seen Xu Fu through the Red Moon Mirror, and also witnessed the scene of Xu Fu besieging his godmother.

It was definitely Xu Fu.

It's highly illogical that the old eunuch from Empress Xiao's side would come to the capital for an inspection. He's clearly here for me.

Chen Mo stopped, his brows furrowed.

Chen Yinfu had recovered by now, but seeing Chen Mo's strange expression, he was very uneasy. "Xiao Mo, did you recognize the eunuch's identity?"

Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief: "I recognized him. He's Xu Fu, the eunuch who served Empress Xiao."

"Empress Dowager Xiao? I've heard that the current Empress Dowager Xiao is ruling from behind the curtain. She is the true power behind the Great Qian Dynasty." Chen Yinfu turned pale with fright: "Does this mean that Xiao Wu is in danger?"

Chen Mo didn't hide anything, "To be honest, Father, Empress Xiao arrested Xiao Wu this time, probably because of me. Father, don't worry about this matter. When Liu Bing arrives later, Father will go back to the Jiang family residence with Liu Bing. Leave things here to me."

If it were his mother, Chen Mo wouldn't even say these things.

My father, after all, has a broad perspective. There's no need to hide some trivial matters. If something goes wrong, at least there's someone to rely on, making communication and arrangements easier.

Chen Yinfu felt a chill run down his spine. "Heavens... Xiao Mo, how did you offend Empress Dowager Xiao?"

Chen Mo shook his head: "I didn't offend her, she's the one who's trying to mess with me."

Chen Yinfu suddenly felt an inexplicable worry and abruptly grabbed Chen Mo's hand. "Xiao Mo, why don't we just leave it at that? Don't try to get involved anymore. If anything happens to Xiao Wu... I absolutely cannot lose Xiao Mo as well."

Chen Mo felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this, and then grasped Chen Yinfu's hand tightly: "Father, it's not that I don't want to escape. It's that I can't escape. The entire Great Qian belongs to that woman. This time she's determined to get me, and I have no choice. Moreover, because Empress Xiao is after me, I can't let anything happen to Xiao Wu. If Father loses me, Xiao Wu will still take care of you in your old age and see you off in your final days. Only in this way can we repay Father's kindness in raising me."

Chen Yinfu suddenly burst into tears and hugged Chen Mo tightly, "Xiao Mo, you've really suffered. It's because your father is incompetent."

"Father, rest assured, I will find a way to bring Xiaowu back." Overwhelmed with emotion, Chen Mo hugged Chen Yinfu tightly. "It is my misfortune that I cannot serve Father. If I am not able to return in the future, please take good care of Mother, Second Mother, and Xiaoyuer."

Overwhelmed with emotion, Chen Yinfu burst into tears, lamenting, "Why is our Chen family so unlucky?"

The father and son embraced and talked like that.

To be honest...

Although Chen Mo was a time traveler, he genuinely considered Chen Yinfu's family as his own.

Perhaps because Chen Mo wasn't human, he cherished this invaluable bond all the more. A short while later, hurried footsteps echoed from not far away.

But it was Nangong Ye who came over with a commander in golden armor.

Chen Yinfu then stopped sobbing, wiped away his tears, and comforted Chen Mo: "Someone's coming. It wouldn't be good if they saw us."

Chen Mo helped Chen Yinfu to his feet. Turning around, he saw Nangong Ye, dressed in a purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), walking over. It was only past noon, and the sun was setting, casting its light on the woman in purple, making her appear even more graceful and elegant.

Following behind Nangong Ye were Ren Qianxing and Liu Bing.

Ren Qianxing knew of the close relationship between Chen Mo and Nangong Ye, so he gave a slight bow, as a gesture of respect to Nangong Ye.

Nangong Ye came up and asked with concern, "Young Master, what exactly happened?"

Chen Mo didn't say anything, but raised his hand and pressed it on Nangong Ye's forehead, transferring his father's memories to Nangong Ye.

After Nangong Ye finished reading the memories, he was quite surprised: "Xu Fu?"

Chen Mo nodded: "It's Empress Dowager Xiao who's got her eye on me. Perhaps she sensed what's in my belly. So she made a move on Xiao Wu, trying to use him as a hostage to threaten me."

Nangong Yue nodded, then said to Chen Yinfu, "Uncle Chen, you go back to the Jiang family residence with Liu Bing. Tell your family not to go out recently."

Chen Yinfu knew that staying would only make things worse, so he thanked Liu Bing, gave Chen Mo a few instructions, and then left with him.

Thus, only Chen Mo, Nangong Ye, and Ren Qianxing remained around.

The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.

It was Nangong Ye who spoke first, "What does Young Master intend to do?"

Chen Mo said, "Xiao Ye is the head of the Demon Suppression Division, and can enter the Jingzhao Prefecture under the guise of supervising all officials. I want to go and see Gao Zhan and that Xiao Li to make sure Xiao Li is alright."

Nangong Ye sighed: "Since Xu Fu has taken action, it doesn't matter whether Xiao Li has any problems or not."

Chen Mo said, "It's still meaningful. At least it lets the Prefect of the Capital know the truth, so he won't continue to hold a grudge against my family."

Nangong Ye nodded, then gave Ren Qianxing a look. Ren Qianxing understood, immediately stepped forward, showed his token, and explained his purpose. The guards at the gate then let him through.

The group entered the Jingzhao Prefecture and found the deceased Gao Zhan and Xiao Li in the backyard, along with the sobbing Gao Qiu.

When Xiaoli saw the people from the Demon Suppression Division arrive, she clearly showed great fear. However, she still burst into tears, appearing deeply devoted. Gao Qiu, on the other hand, maintained proper etiquette when meeting Nangong Ye.

"Lord Nangong, what brings you here?"

Nangong Ye gave Ren Qianxing a look, and Ren Qianxing went up and captured Xiaoli, read Xiaoli's memories, and then transferred them to Gao Qiu's mind.

Upon seeing Xiao Li's memories, Gao Qiu realized that Xiao Li possessed the abilities of the Golden Ghost and that it was Xiao Li who had harmed Gao Zhan.

"It was you! You killed my son!!!"

Gao Qiu trembled with rage. "Guards, take this vile woman away and execute her immediately!"

Xiao Li's cultivation had been crippled by Ren Qianxing, so she was now just an ordinary person and was immediately taken away by two constables.

Gao Qiuchong and Nangong Ye bowed repeatedly, saying, "Thank you, Lord Nangong, for letting me know the real culprit who killed my son. I misunderstood the Chen family boy before."

Nangong Ye waved his hand without saying anything.

……

We left Jingzhao Prefecture.

The sun is setting in the west; it is about to go down.

Ren Qianxing followed behind.

Chen Mo and Nangong Ye walked side by side in front, with the afterglow casting two long, narrow shadows behind them.

Nangong Ye said, "I didn't expect Empress Dowager Xiao to act so quickly. Xu Fu captured Chen Wu mainly to threaten you, young master. I suppose he's not in immediate danger. What are your plans next, young master?"

Chen Mo also had a headache.

We can't just rush into the palace to rescue people, can we?
Isn't that just asking for trouble?
Even a powerful godmother was beaten to death in the palace.

Let alone myself?
Chen Mo said, "If it were someone else who made the move, perhaps I could still think of a way. Since that old woman has taken action, I really have no way to deal with it. I can only see what she plans to do next. I can ask my sister, the Empress, to take good care of Xiao Wu."

As Chen Wu's older brother, Chen Mo cared about his safety more than anyone else.

But there's really no other way.

Nangong Ye summoned Ren Qianxing: "Go to the palace and tell the Empress what happened."

"Yes."

Ren Qianxing nodded in agreement and then hurriedly left.

Nangong Ye said, "Young Master, you can't leave the Jiang family mansion rashly anytime soon. Who knows, that old woman might do something desperate and have you taken to the palace. The reason she didn't make a move against you this time is probably because you've been staying at the Jiang family mansion for so long, it's not convenient to take action against you."

Chen Mo said, "I know."

The situation is already in a terrible state, and I absolutely cannot afford to make any mistakes.

Seeing that Chen Mo remained completely rational, Nangong Ye breathed a sigh of relief: "If you can stay calm, there's nothing to fear. Next time you need to go out, have Xiao Yuan inform me, and I will accompany you. Alternatively, you can have Xiao Bei and Jiang Shuihan accompany you. Don't go out alone."

Chen Mo said, "I remember what Xiao Ye said."

Nangong Ye felt much more relieved after hearing this, but he still personally escorted Chen Mo back to the east courtyard of the Jiang family mansion and left at night.

Chen Mo stood under the eaves, watching Xiao Ye's departing figure.

I actually felt quite uncomfortable.

I haven't had many good days in a long time.

Fortunately, I've met quite a few nice people.

But Chen Mo knew that this time, Empress Dowager Xiao would not give up so easily.

The pressure is just too much.

It's suffocating.

After some time, Xiao Yuan hurriedly walked in. "Young Master, it's dinner time. Should we bring the food?"

Chen Mo had no appetite: "I'm not eating. By the way, are my family all settled in?"

Xiao Yuan nodded: "They've all been settled. The head of the family even went to visit them personally. They're all staying in the west courtyard. If the young master wants to visit, he can do so anytime."

Chen Mo said that time was tight and the task was heavy, and he didn't want to go. But thinking that his family was worried about Chen Wu and probably very anxious, he decided to go anyway.

So Chen Mo went to the West Courtyard, met with his family, and comforted them one by one. He also told Xiao Yu'er not to go to school for the time being, but to attend classes at the Jiang family's school.

As they were leaving, Xiaoyuer ran out and grabbed Chen Mo's hand, asking, "Second Brother, are we in a dangerous situation right now?"

Chen Mo smiled and comforted him, "It is dangerous, but as long as you stay in the Jiang family mansion and don't go out, you'll be fine. Little Yu'er, be good."

Little Fish nodded repeatedly: "Yes, Little Fish will be obedient. I won't make things difficult for Second Brother."

"Little Fish, be good. Your second mother is the one who is suffering the most right now. Go and keep her company as much as possible," Chen Mo instructed before turning back to the east courtyard.

As soon as I arrived in the lobby, I saw Jiang Shuihan sitting inside.

Chen Mo stepped forward and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Brother Shui, I've caused trouble for my family."

Jiang Shuihan smiled and said, "We're family, so let's not speak like that. Do you know what exactly happened in the capital?"

Chen Mo didn't hide anything and recounted the whole story.

Jiang Shuihan frowned and said, "It was Empress Dowager Xiao who made her move. This scoundrel was bound to do it sooner or later. Without Auntie overseeing the Jiang family, we can't escape this fate. Our only hope now is my elder sister and Xiao Bei. Xiao Mo, don't put too much pressure on yourself. As long as you don't leave here, nothing should happen. Empress Dowager Xiao's influence doesn't dare to reach our family. After all, no one in our family holds an official position in the court, so Empress Dowager Xiao can't give orders to us."

Chen Mo said, "Thank you, Brother Shui."

Jiang Shuihan smiled and said, "Don't be so formal. I was just worried that you might be under too much pressure and do something impulsive. Now that you're so calm, I'm relieved. If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

After seeing Jiang Shuihan off, Chen Mo went to sleep and then entered the Red Moon Palace to cultivate again.

He thought about it.

There is no point in thinking about it now.

The only meaningful thing is to speed up the melting of the demonic embryo and incidentally improve one's own cultivation.

However, breaking through to the Ghost Emperor and the Undying Bone realm is extremely difficult.

……

West courtyard.

Zhang Ru did not cry and sob like a fragile woman.

Instead, she lives a very strong life and maintains an optimistic attitude. Even late at night, she personally takes care of Xiaoyuer's homework.

Without him.

Chen Yinfu told her.

The one who took action against Xiao Wu was Empress Dowager Xiao, the actual ruler of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Zhang Ru knew Chen Mo was under a lot of pressure and didn't want to add to it. So she swallowed all her grievances and showed a strong side.

Little Fish, however, keenly sensed something. “Second Aunt, you seem a little different today.”

Zhang Ru smiled and said, "Life isn't easy for anyone. The master is working hard to manage the family business, and the first madam is working hard to manage the internal affairs of the household. Although Xiao Wu has been arrested, the second young master must be under the most pressure. I don't want to cause trouble for the family, and I don't want to bring my bad mood to the family. This is what a family should be like. Everyone is trying to live their lives and helping each other."

Little Fish said, "Second Mother is absolutely right. I believe in Second Brother; he will definitely bring Third Brother out. If Little Fish's life can be exchanged for Third Brother's, Little Fish will not hesitate."

Zhang Ru suddenly burst into tears, "Little Fish, what nonsense are you talking about? It's good that your second mother understands your thoughts, but please don't do this."

……

three days later.

Chen Mo is still in seclusion in the East Courtyard.

Jiang Shuihan hurriedly walked in, holding a letter in her hand, and handed it to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo opened it and took a look.

Only two sentences:
—Seven days from now, you will enter the palace to exchange for your brother. Otherwise, your brother will die.

Signed: Xu Fu.

Chen Mo's hands were trembling as he held the envelope.

Is it finally here?
Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief: "Brother Shui, has anyone else read this letter?"

Jiang Shuihan said, "Lord Nangong just came to see Xiaoyuer and already knows."

Then, Jiang Shuihan added, "Xiao Mo, you can't go. Empress Dowager Xiao doesn't dare to take action against the Jiang family, so she can only resort to such despicable methods to threaten you."

"Thank you, Brother Shui. Brother Shui, I want to be alone for a while."

"Okay, don't be impulsive. Whatever happens, I'll stand by you, Brother Shui."

"understood."

After Jiang Shuihan left, Chen Mo picked up the envelope and read it carefully again and again before finally putting it down. He then went to the eaves and looked at the sun in the sky.

What about Chen Wu's death?
To enter the palace?
Empress Xiao was truly shrewd and experienced.

Put yourself in a dilemma.

I'm only giving myself seven days.

Chen Mo's mind was in a state of confusion.

He didn't want to die, even if it meant abandoning Xiao Wu.

But if I abandon Xiao Wu today, won't the old woman continue to kidnap and threaten people?
Catching small fish?

Arresting the parents?
Catching Xiaoye?
How much can I give up?

How long can we keep giving up?
Eh.

so tired.

Having traveled through time to the present, I've been constantly running, constantly being chased, constantly being sabotaged...

Chen Mo was really tired of this kind of life.

The entire Great Qian Dynasty belongs to that old woman.

Where can I run to?

Go to Beiliang?
How do we know that there wasn't another old woman in Northern Liang?
Ultimately, it comes down to my own lack of ability.

……

Yujing Mountain.

Today we have a special guest.

She was wearing a purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). When she arrived at the foot of the mountain, she slowly began to climb it.

It appears to move very slowly, but in reality it moves very fast.

Step by step, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, I climbed Mount Yujing.

Upon reaching the mountain, countless handsome swordsmen came and went, creating a lively scene. Some were practicing their swordsmanship, while others were busy with the mundane affairs of life. None of these swordsmen spoke to the woman in purple; instead, they let her pass.

The woman in purple had a cold and aloof expression, and soon arrived at the gate of the Sword Pavilion.

The Ghost Sword Slave stood guard at the entrance, and upon seeing the woman in purple, he did not stop her and let her pass directly.

And so, the woman in purple went inside.

The courtyard of Jian Ge is very large, with sculptures of greatswords standing everywhere. The ground and walls are covered with broken and fragmented swords.

The woman in purple ignored them, as if she were very familiar with the place, and walked step by step until she reached the main gate of the Sword Pavilion.

The main gate was open, and a solemn atmosphere wafted out. On the altar in the main hall, a four-foot-long ancient sword was enshrined.

The woman in purple paused for a moment at the front door, then took a deep breath before entering the living room and gazing at the ancient sword.

There was no one else in the living room, but a cold, quiet female voice came from there.

"You are finally back."

There was no one there, but there were sounds.

But the ancient sword is strange.

It was clearly a sword, but in the flickering candlelight, it reflected the shadow of a person. Presumably, it was this shadow who spoke.

The woman in purple spoke: "I, Nangong Ye, have returned."

The shadowy figure spoke: "You are the head of the Great Qian Demon Suppression Division, and it is your duty to protect the peace and tranquility of the world. You should not have come."

Nangong Ye said, "I've fallen in love with someone."

"?"

Nangong Ye: "I've fallen in love with someone."

"How could you fall in love with someone? Didn't you say you wanted to eradicate all the demons and evil spirits in the world? That's why the Great Qian Demon Suppression Division was created. An organization that even the royal family can't control. Isn't this in accordance with your wishes? How could you change your mind halfway through?"

Nangong Ye: "People always change. Changing one's personality isn't a big deal. Besides, we've been slaying demons and monsters for so many years, but instead of eradicating them, they've only multiplied. This wish is meaningless."

Shadow: "You've changed."

Nangong Ye: "I have changed."

Shadow: "You cannot have love. Otherwise, your Dao heart will not be pure. It's better not to force it."

Nangong Ye: "I used to think I shouldn't force myself, but this time, I'm going to force myself."

"why?"

"Because I feel it's quite interesting to be with this person. He has a special charm that attracts me."

"Those are all illusions."

Nangong Ye: "I just visited that person's sister, Xiaoyuer. Xiaoyuer gave me a poem. A poem written by that person. Shall I read a couple of lines to you?"

"I have no interest in poetry; it's just something writers play with. It's meaningless."

Nangong Ye: "You must listen."

"Then tell me."

"Nung, moon and new moon."

The shadow was greatly shocked, as if it had heard something extremely shocking.

Nangong Ye: "This was written by Su Shi to his younger brother. How many years have I been in this world? A hundred years? More than that. This man, I must have him. Doesn't this man deserve my love? Doesn't he deserve your help?"

The shadow remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "You will die."

Nangong Ye, tears streaming down his face, said, "I won't die. I've just lost my memory. Because you were originally me, and I was originally you. It's just that I was created from the original parts."

The shadow asked, "What exactly happened?"

Nangong Ye: "Empress Dowager Xiao wants him to enter the palace in seven days. You must make your move."

(End of this chapter)