So it turns out I'm the demon!

Chapter 434 The Unfilial Ah Li

Of course, despite being tempted, Jiang Mu was still aware of her own limitations.

Right now, he's just an eighth-realm Great Karami, and he hasn't even collected all his Star Cores yet. If he really gets caught up in the vortex of power, he'll probably have to buy his coffin in advance.

The saying goes, "If you take too big a step, you're likely to tear your balls."

So we need to proceed cautiously.

However, he now understood why Prince Sheng was so obsessed with the forbidden arts of the Seven Deadly Sins.

What is the emperor most afraid of?

It is death.

However, the royal bloodline is burdened by the shackles of the Heavenly Dao, and is destined to be barred from cultivation from birth, thus severing the path to "immortality and ascension" at its root.

Therefore, Prince Sheng chose the method of unorthodox cultivation.

He attempted to use the Seven Deadly Sins' technique of surrogacy to become a newborn child in exchange for a perfect cultivation body capable of absorbing star positions.

But everything has its advantages and disadvantages.

If this path were truly so easy, surely so many years have passed and no one has succeeded.

It would have prevented him from ending up in such an ugly, inhuman state.

The game at the Divine Sword Sect's Sword Tomb was something Prince Sheng had secretly planned for many years, yet it ultimately fell short of perfection. Then, Jiang Mu suddenly appeared, a formidable obstacle that nearly cost him his life.

This illustrates that human calculations are no match for divine intervention.

Even though he was later reborn through a surrogate mother, the backlash and side effects were obviously very significant.

Now is the best time to kill him.

Given enough time to grow, he will eventually become difficult to deal with.

This is why Quan Shanhai was so anxious to have Jiang Mu replace him.

After taking Meng Zhen away, Jiang Mu paced back and forth in the signing room, lost in thought. He crossed his arms over his chest, one hand stroking his chin, his brows furrowed.

Shui Miaozheng did not make a sound to disturb them, but simply stood quietly to the side.

The warm yellow candlelight flowed over the beautiful woman's shapely body, tracing her undulating curves and running down from her shoulders and neck.

It suddenly contracts at the waist and hips, then spreads out to the sides—

Like a stroke of thick ink depicting a plump mountain peach, it possesses an charm that penetrates to the bone and a captivating ripeness.

After a long silence, Jiang Mu sighed, "People in the martial world are often powerless to control their own destiny. Aunt Shui, things are probably about to change. We need to make plans and think about our escape route as soon as possible."

"An escape route?"

Shui Miaozheng frowned slightly, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

Jiang Mu didn't explain too deeply. He walked to the window, opened it a crack, felt the cool breeze flowing in, and said, "Once I reach the Ninth Realm and attain the Venerable Star Rank, I will leave the Demon Slayer Division and the imperial court. I have a feeling that my real troubles will only begin when I reach that position."

Shui Miaozheng moved gracefully to the man's side, took his slightly cool hand in hers, and said softly, "Wherever you go, Aunt Shui will follow you."

In fact, it's not that simple to withdraw from the imperial court.

The imperial court supports you and provides you with so many resources; they wouldn't just release someone easily. But Shui Miaozheng didn't care. Her man valued freedom, and she would help him even at the cost of her life.

The mature and alluring fragrance emanating from the beautiful woman, along with her tender feelings, intertwined with her attachment to the man, and also settled in his heart.

"So, what do you plan to do with Meng Zhen?"

Shui Miaozheng asked again.

Jiang Mu thought for a moment and said, "Let him stay in the Demon Slayer Division for now. I want to see when the higher-ups will use him as a pawn."

"Aren't you afraid of him—"

Shui Miaozheng hesitated, looking somewhat worried.

Jiang Mu snorted coldly: "Perhaps he is indeed very loyal to Prince Sheng, but since he chose to save his brother's wife and children tonight, it means that he still has a weakness and his own thoughts. There is nothing to worry about with such a person."

In addition, let Wen Li and the others stay in Yunzhou City as well.

To put it bluntly, consider them hostages. To put it nicely, consider it a reassurance for Meng Zhen.

If he still cherishes this kinship and appreciates our kindness, even if Prince Sheng's power were to issue him some orders in the future, he would inform us in advance.

Shui Miaozheng nodded slightly, then, as if remembering something, said, "It's strange, Meng Zhen had the opportunity to be transferred to the Demon Slaying Division in the capital back then, but he refused. If he really wanted to gather intelligence and make himself more valuable as a pawn, staying in the capital would have been much better than here."

So,

Jiang Mu laughed and said, "When a chess piece starts to have its own thoughts, it means it's out of control. As for why he didn't want to be transferred back then, I guess it's quite simple."

"What's the reason?"

Shui Miaozheng asked curiously.

Jiang Mu remained silent, only staring at her with a half-smile.

Shui Miaozheng was completely bewildered by his gaze, but she quickly realized what he meant, her pretty face flushed, and she lightly spat at the man: "Do you think all men in the world are like you?"

Jiang Mu smiled and held the woman's warm, soft body in his arms, saying, "Aunt Shui, you're underestimating yourself. There's a stunningly beautiful boss sitting in the yamen. Just glancing at her a few times every day during official business is enough to please your eyes, and it might even be beneficial to your cultivation."

After all, a clear and open mind makes for a smooth journey. Who would want to leave?

He leaned close to the beautiful woman's ear and bit her earlobe, saying, "Aunt Shui, don't disbelieve me, at least half of the demon slayers in Yunzhou City regard you as a goddess."

This isn't something I made up; that girl Ming Cuicui told me.

Hearing her lover's praise, Shui Miaozheng still maintained a hint of elder's anger and reproach on her face, but she couldn't suppress the upward curve of her lips.

After all, it's hard not to feel thrilled to hear your own man praising your charm so highly.

"What goddess or whatever?"

Shui Miaozheng glared at Jiang Mu and teased him sourly.

"If I really had the charm you boasted about, how could that fickle thief have been able to seduce me and then still have so many female confidantes outside?"

Ultimately, it's just that she's aged and lost her beauty; she can't compare to those fresh and vibrant young girls.

"Cough cough————"

Jiang Mu coughed a few times, inwardly cursing himself for being so sharp-tongued. Of all things, he had to stir up the other person's jealousy.

He used a lot of sweet talk and tenderness to finally coax the beautiful woman into smiling.

After appeasing Shui Miaozheng, Jiang Mu then left for the room where Wen Li and the other woman were resting.

The door was slightly ajar, letting in the faint glow of an oil lamp.

Wen Li sat on the edge of the bed, gently patting the sleeping baby on the bed.

Duan Shuang'er, on the other hand, sat by the table with her knees drawn up, head bowed, looking like a wilted eggplant, lost in thought.

Upon seeing Jiang Mu enter, the two women quickly stood up, appearing quite reserved.

"Lord Jiang, my brother-in-law—"

Wen Li looked worried and asked in a low voice.

"He's alright."

Jiang Mu walked to the bedside, glanced at the baby, and said calmly, "You can stay in Yunzhou City. Meng Zhen will take care of you in the future. If the people from Fengyu Sect come to cause trouble again, the Demon Slayer Division will handle it for you."

Upon hearing this, Wen Li's face lit up with joy, and he quickly bowed and thanked him, saying, "Thank you, Lord Jiang."

After wandering for so long, they finally had a stable place to stay. The woman couldn't contain her emotions, her eyes reddening, her gratitude towards Jiang Mu was heartfelt and sincere.

"But I'm not doing charity work."

Jiang Mu changed the subject, her tone becoming low and somber, "You all have to show some sincerity, give something in return, right?"

Wen Li was taken aback and subconsciously looked at Duan Shuang'er beside her.

Jiang Mu said irritably, "Don't overthink it, I have a wife."

Admittedly, Duan Shuang'er does have some pretty features, but she's far from being a good match for the other girls in the family, especially her personality, which Jiang Mu finds extremely unlikable.

Even though the young female doctor in the family is sometimes arrogant and willful, she is still intelligent and quick-witted.

This girl in front of him was simply not good enough for him.

Wen Li bit her lip and said, "If you don't mind our low cultivation level, we are willing to do our part for the Demon Slaying Division."

Jiang Mu cut to the chase: "Back at the inn, I overheard them asking you for a secret letter. I'd like to know what it is. Of course, you can choose not to tell me."

Wen Li's expression changed slightly.

She hesitated for a long time before finally taking out a letter from her bosom and handing it to Jiang Mu: "Lord Jiang, this letter was given to me by my master before his death, who instructed me not to give it to anyone. The reason I broke my promise today is because you have saved my child's life more than once. In my heart, my child's life is more important than anything else."

Jiang Mu took the letter and opened it.

Wen Li added, "However, I must make it clear beforehand that Fang Yuanhao and the others thought this letter contained the whereabouts of the Phoenix Feather Sect's treasure, but it doesn't. That righteous treasure was already stolen by the great demon Jiang Chaoxi."

Jiang Mu looked at the letter. As Wen Li had said, the contents were nothing important, just some everyday talk.

But when his gaze fell on the signature, his eyes narrowed slightly.

【Ruoxi】

Jiang Ruoxi?

The name suddenly popped into Jiang Mu's mind.

When Yancheng was besieged by the demon army and the situation was extremely precarious, he heard from the then garrison commander Yuan Qianfan that the imperial court was currently in talks with Qianshui.

The Moon Gate Master, Jiang Ruoxi, was negotiating, hoping to ask her for help to resolve the predicament.

But the negotiations ultimately broke down.

The one who came to the rescue was Mo Huaisu, the leader of the Dao Sect.

Could the name "Ruoxi" on this letter refer to Jiang Ruoxi?

"Who is this letter addressed to?"

Jiang Mu asked.

Wen Li shook her head: "I don't know either. My master didn't say anything, he just told me to keep it safe."

"I'll keep it here for now and take a look at it."

Jiang Mu put the letter away, displaying a domineering attitude of forcibly seizing it.

Wen Li didn't say anything.

For her, the greatest wish now is simply to live a peaceful life with her child.

She had no desire to get involved in any more grudges or disputes.

After putting the letter away, Jiang Mu turned her gaze to Duan Shuang'er and asked the most crucial question of the evening: "At the inn earlier, I heard that your father's name is Ding Tieshui, is that right?"

Upon hearing the name, Duan Shuang'er stiffened, then gave a curt "hmm".

"I need to find him."

Jiang Mu asked directly, "Where is he? Tell me."

Duan Shuang'er asked, puzzled, "Why do you want to see him?"

"You don't need to worry about that."

Duan Shuang'er suddenly seemed to have guessed something, staring intently at the man: "Are you going to kill that old bastard? Do you have a grudge against him?"

No! You and he could never have any connection. That's a star position; you want to steal his star core, don't you?"

Jiang Mu was somewhat surprised.

What's going on? How did this idiot's IQ suddenly increase?

"He's with the Blood Blade Sect."

Duan Shuang'er didn't hide anything, and said through gritted teeth, "If you can kill that scoundrel, I'll do anything for you."

Sensing the overwhelming hatred emanating from the girl, Jiang Mu asked with a strange expression, "Just how deep is the grudge between you and your father?"

Wen Li sighed and continued the conversation: "Shuang'er's mother was killed by Ding Tieshui himself, and Shuang'er was sold to the Phoenix Feather Sect as a resource."

A few words were enough to reveal the complex inside story.

One can only imagine how deep the hatred between this father and daughter must have gone.

Jiang Mu knew about the "Blood Blade Sect".

Since the disbandment of the Heavenly Blade Sect, the Blood Blade Sect is now the only sect in the world that specializes in swordsmanship.

The leader of the Blood Blade Sect was a guy named Liu Qiantu.

The Eight Realms Undergo Major Repair.

However, Liu Qiantu is already dead.

Last time, he took Bai Xiang and Yuan Aqing to Yancheng to look for opportunities to become a sword cultivator, and also helped Xun Xiaotong find Yan Zixiao's whereabouts.

That night, he was trapped by the Demon Slayer Society. Yuan Aqing and Bai Xiang stayed in the inn, guarded by Xun Xiaotong and other guards.

According to Yuan Aqing's later recollection, a member of the Blood Blade Sect rushed in to grab her, and she was unable to stop him and fainted. When she woke up...

When they arrived, the wicked man was already dead.

It was Master Mo who came to their rescue.

In fact, neither Jiang Mu nor Yuan Aqing knew that it was actually Bai Xiang who killed Liu Qiantu, the leader of the Blood Blade Sect, that night.

Moreover, Liu Qiantu has an older brother named Liu Wantu.

He was a cultivator at the eleventh realm.

That night, Liu Wantu was also severely injured by Bai Xiang's karmic backlash technique, suffering a hidden loss.

Jiang Mu knew nothing of these inside details.

So when he heard that Ding Tieshui was actually at the Blood Saber Sect, he was greatly surprised: "The Blood Saber Sect's leader is dead, what is your father still doing there?"

"I don't know either," Duan Shuang'er said. "He seems to be injured and needs something from that place to heal, so he's been hiding there, and very few outsiders know about it."

Jiang Mu understood and patted the girl's shoulder: "Don't worry, I will bring your father's head back and give it to you."

But let me make this clear from the start: I don't want you to suddenly feel some blood relation and start holding a grudge after I kill him.

"Me. By then, I won't show you any mercy."

"No, it won't."

With red eyes, Duan Shuang'er said in a deep voice, "As long as you kill that beast, you will be my benefactor for life."

Meanwhile, inside the Jiang family residence.

The moon sets, leaving a trail of frost on the ground.

Under the eaves, Duanmu Li, dressed in a black dress, was eating half a watermelon as usual, slowly taking spoonfuls with her hands.

Actually, the girl didn't really like eating watermelon.

But ever since Little Doctor Chu Lingzhu told her that this watermelon could not only nourish the skin, but also replenish a woman's blood and qi, making her muscles plump and bones smooth, she forced herself to eat it.

Although she felt the effects of eating it were far less substantial than those of papaya juice, she could only grit her teeth and endure it in order to help her future child's nutritional needs grow as quickly as possible.

Just then, a bright light streaked across the night sky and disappeared in an instant.

Duanmu Li was taken aback for a moment, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly.

She pursed her pink lips, grabbed the watermelon, and leaped out of the yard.

Before long, we arrived at a tranquil lake.

There is a pavilion by the lake, and a person is sitting inside.

It was Duanmu Hanshan.

Duanmu Li sat down opposite the man, eating watermelon by herself without saying a word, her cheeks puffing out from time to time.

Duanmu Hanshan looked at his daughter, who had grown into a tall and aloof young woman, and a bitter smile of embarrassment and helplessness appeared on his weathered face covered with stubble: "It's been so long since I've seen my father. Now that we've met, you don't even know how to be happy."

"oh."

Duanmu Li responded.

After hesitating for a moment, he pushed the half-eaten watermelon in his arms forward and asked with a blank expression, "Want some?"

Duanmu Hanshan's lips twitched, and he waved his hand, both amused and exasperated: "No, no—it's the middle of the night, why would a young lady like you eat watermelon? Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"

"hehe."

Duanmu Li twitched the corner of her mouth and continued eating.

The father and daughter were speechless for a moment.

The lake water rippled gently in the night breeze, its shimmering waves breaking into silvery light.

Occasionally, a fish swimming at night leaps out of the water, creating a sparkling ripple and making a splash.

Deep in the grass by the lake, cicadas chirped intermittently, adding a touch of comfort to the atmosphere.

Finally, Duanmu Hanshan broke the silence first, smiling as he said, "It seems that kid Jiang Mu has taken good care of you. The demonic aura around you isn't as strong as before, and your cultivation has become much more solid. Besides, you've gained a lot of weight too—"

Snapped!

The spoon slammed heavily onto the bottom of the melon rind.

The girl raised her delicate, aloof face and glared fiercely at the other person.

Duanmu Hanshan felt a chill run down his spine, realizing he had stepped on a landmine. Never mention being fat in front of a girl! He quickly chuckled awkwardly to salvage the situation: "I meant you've grown taller, your body has developed a lot, and you're prettier than before, you look more like a young lady now—"

"snort!"

The girl lowered her head and continued eating watermelon.

Duanmu Hanshan wiped his eyes and snorted, his expression somewhat complicated.

My daughter has grown up and become somewhat distant. Although we weren't particularly close before, there seems to be a growing sense of estrangement between us now.

He composed himself, his heart heavy with sorrow, and slowly began, "Ah Li, I've come to take you away. I—"

Before she could finish speaking, Duanmu Li suddenly picked up the watermelon, turned around and left, leaving behind only two cold words: "Goodbye."

?

Duanmu Hanshan looked completely dazed.