novelapdf Chapter 103 Jiang Mu's Mastermind
Chapter 103 Jiang Mu's Mastermind
Chapter 103 Jiang Mu's Mastermind (6400 words, first update)
To be honest, Jiang Mu was also feeling incredibly frustrated at that moment.
Before leaving Qingshan, he repeatedly instructed him to try to avoid this strict and rigid Deputy Director Tian.
The result was good.
Before they even officially met, they ran right into trouble on the very first day.
Not only did they crash into him, they also kicked his confidant into the swill bucket.
This feud has really taken a big turn.
Moreover, in their eyes, his current state is nothing short of gang drinking, frequenting brothels, and beating women in the street.
Beating up a superior —
It's practically a stack of "inevitable death" buffs.
But what can he do?
You can't just stand there and let them slap you in the face, can you?
They've already shoved the whip right in his face. If he doesn't fight back, wouldn't he really be a coward?
Then I can only try to be more focused and not lose any points.
"Ma Guocheng?"
Deputy Chief Tian narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping over Jiang Mu, and said calmly, "Fourth realm cultivation, by convention you should be an Iron Eagle Demon Slayer. Which branch are you from?"
He turned to look at Yan Fenghuo and Xu Fu beside him: "Whose people are they?"
Yan Fenghuo coughed dryly, forced himself to step forward, and said in a low voice, "Lord Tian—this is Lord Jiang Mu, the head of the Eighth Hall of the Demon Slaying Division in Huzhou City."
These words were spoken.
Tian Wenjing and his guards were stunned.
Hall Master?
Their gazes returned to Jiang Mu, filled with astonishment and suspicion.
Tian Wenjing frowned, his voice turning cold: "How did someone at the fourth realm become a hall master? This is utter nonsense!"
Before Jiang Mu could answer, he seemed to have figured something out on his own, a cold sneer curling at the corner of his mouth. "No wonder you're so arrogant and disdainful of everyone. Tell me, what are your parents' names? Let's see if you can scare this old man."
Since the feud had already been formed and the other party had clearly made a preconceived notion, Jiang Mu was too lazy to offer any more pointless explanations.
He dusted off his sleeves and said calmly, "Tonight's events may have been due to our lack of consideration, causing some negative consequences. But Lord Tian, you didn't even bother to find out the truth before resorting to whipping people. Who is truly more arrogant here?"
"If Deputy Chief Tian thinks that I, Jiang Mu, am not worthy of this position as Hall Master and not worthy of staying in the Demon Slaying Division, he can go to the General Headquarters to report me and kick me out."
At this point, Jiang Mu chuckled, "However—I doubt you have that ability either."
Having said that, he didn't even look at Tian Wenjing, whose face was ashen, but turned to the Zhang brothers, who were still in a daze, and said, "Let's go, what are you still standing there for? Are you waiting to be whipped?"
The Zhang brothers exchanged a glance, gritted their teeth, and resolutely followed behind Jiang Mu.
They are from the Eighth Hall, and they only recognize Jiang Mu as their hall master.
Even if I am implicated and expelled from the Demon Slayer Division, I will have no regrets!
In all his years, Tian Wenjing had never seen a subordinate so arrogant and defiant in front of him.
It's impossible not to get angry.
But at the same time, a sense of doubt and apprehension arose in his heart.
The fact that the other party dares to be so arrogant means that their background is so powerful that they can disregard him, the deputy head.
Jiang Mu took a few steps, then suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked coldly at the woman slumped on the ground. He said coldly, "This is the last time I'm warning you."
"Return all the gifts tomorrow. If you're short even a penny, I'll strip you naked and hang you on the city wall so the whole city can see your splendor."
The woman trembled with fear, curled up into a ball, and dared not breathe.
"You arrogant brat!"
Tian Wenjing finally lost his temper. "How dare you openly threaten others in front of me! This is utterly lawless!"
He moved swiftly, his right hand forming a claw, and reached for Jiang Mu's shoulder!
He didn't intend to use excessive force to injure the person, after all, the other party's status as a hall master was evident, and if his background was truly astounding, it would be difficult to explain.
But it's still okay to capture him and toughen him up, to teach him what rules are.
In the Demon Slayer Division, there is no troublemaker that Tian Wenjing cannot handle!
Even Ran Qingshan has to give him some leeway!
"That old bastard actually made a move."
Jiang Mu's heart skipped a beat, and she reacted instantly.
His mind raced, and he threw out the first demonic shadow, preparing to teleport it to a more crowded street corner not far away.
They were trying to make Tian Wenjing hesitate to act rashly.
At the same time, he secretly released Shadow Number Two, preparing to unleash a bomb and give the old man a little shock.
Just as Jiang Mu was about to launch a counterattack, "Clang!"
A clear, cold sword cry suddenly rang out.
The chilling ice sword pierced through the air, nailing itself to the ground and blocking Tian Wenjing's path.
The sword energy surged, spreading a small patch of white frost.
This forced Tian Wenjing to halt his offensive and retreat half a step.
Jiang Mu was taken aback and looked up.
A familiar black figure descended from the sky and stood in front of him.
Tall and slender, with flowing black hair and an aura of cool elegance surrounding her—
watermelon!
My big watermelon!
A surge of warmth welled up in Jiang Mu's heart.
The person who arrived was none other than Ling Ye, who had been gone for many days.
"Envoy Ling?"
When Tian Wenjing saw who it was, his expression changed slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
Ling Yeqian gripped the hilt of the ice sword, pulled it from the ground, shielded Jiang Mu behind him, and stared directly at Tian Wenjing with his cold eyes: "Lord Tian, what a display of official power."
"As the deputy head of a department, he beat up his colleague, the head of the hall, in the street."
Tian Wenjing narrowed his eyes and smiled, "It seems this kid has quite a background. Even Inspector Ling, who usually doesn't care about worldly affairs, is willing to step forward to protect him."
Ling Ye sneered and said sarcastically, "Deputy Director Tian is getting old. Not only are his eyes failing, but his brain seems to have rusted too."
"I suggest you go back to the headquarters first and find out what has happened since the Mist Demon invasion, and what this Hall Master Jiang has done."
She stepped forward, her ice sword pointing diagonally at the ground, her aura imposing: "If you truly intend to rely on your seniority and display your authority here, I, Ling Ye, wouldn't mind fighting you. With me here, you won't be able to touch a single hair on his head today!"
Tian Wenjing's expression kept changing.
He is not a fool.
Ling Ye's attitude was so firm, even to the point of turning against him, which showed that this kid named Jiang Mu was no ordinary playboy.
Perhaps—I really am being a bit prejudiced?
Tian Wenjing's gaze swept over Yan Fenghuo and the others who were standing silently with their heads down, and then looked at Jiang Mu, who was being protected by Ling Ye and had a calm expression. His mind raced.
Finally suppressing his anger, he snorted coldly, "Fine, I'll go back and investigate."
Having said that, he said to his trusted aides behind him, "Let's go back to the headquarters!"
Those confidants didn't dare to act recklessly in front of Ling Ye, and followed Tian Wenjing with their tails between their legs.
The bearded man who had been kicked away by Jiang Mu got up and glared at Jiang Mu hatefully before leaving.
Jiang Mu was immediately displeased.
Even at a time like this, you still dare to glare at me?
He immediately complained to Ling Ye, "Your Excellency, this is the guy who just whipped me without asking any questions. Look, the wound on my stomach is from him. Xu Fu and the others all have whip marks on their bodies."
As she spoke, Jiang Mu pulled open her clothes, revealing the abdominal wound she had sustained at the hands of Beitang Batian.
Upon hearing this, the bearded man nearly coughed up blood.
No.
Is it really that shameless?
Ling Ye had just arrived and was unaware of what had happened before.
Her beautiful eyes swept across the area and, sure enough, she saw the torn clothes and whip marks on the bodies of Xu Fu, Yan Fenghuo, and the others.
Even in the dim light, he could see that Jiang Mu did indeed have a wound on his abdomen, and a surge of anger welled up inside him!
You dare to hurt my people?!
Ling Ye's body erupted with icy energy, and the ice sword in his hand hummed and trembled.
Seeing this, Tian Wenjing knew something was wrong and hurriedly shouted, "Inspector Ling, don't listen to his nonsense! He's lying to you!"
Bullshit!
Xiao Jiang would never lie to me!
Ling Ye didn't believe it at all, and unleashed a chilling sword aura.
Tian Wenjing's expression changed drastically, and he roared, "Ling Ye, how dare you!"
He reacted extremely quickly, thrusting his right hand forward. A huge, illusory hand, formed from dense star power and radiating faint lightning, appeared out of thin air and blocked the bearded man's path.
"puff!"
The icy blue sword energy collided with the giant lightning palm.
The giant palm phantom trembled violently, and was actually pierced through by the sword energy, leaving a small gap.
Although most of the power was neutralized, a wisp of icy sword energy still struck the bearded man who couldn't dodge in time.
"puff!"
The bearded man screamed in agony, spitting out blood as he was sent flying backward again, crashing heavily to the ground and immediately losing consciousness.
"Ling Ye, you—"
—"
Tian Wenjing's beard and hair stood on end, his anger barely contained.
His body was faintly crackling with lightning, clearly indicating that he was truly enraged.
Ling Ye, however, did not care at all. She held her sword horizontally in front of her chest, the icy blue blade reflecting her cold and stunningly beautiful face.
She said coldly, "Want to fight? I've long heard of Deputy Commander Tian's extraordinary 'Thunderbolt Hand' technique. Today, I, Ling Ye, would like to experience it for myself!"
However, after her outburst of anger, Tian Wenjing quickly calmed down.
wrong!
Ling Ye has always been calm and rational, not a reckless or impulsive person.
Her willingness to disregard her status and even break ties with me to protect this boy today is not simply because she is protective of her own.
It seems that Jiang Mu's background is far beyond my imagination.
We must go back and investigate thoroughly; we cannot act rashly again.
Tian Wenjing took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging blood and anger. He gave Ling Ye and Jiang Mu a deep look, and his tone returned to calm: "Since Inspector Ling is in such a good mood, it's not too late for this old man to learn from you another day. Today, I will not keep you company."
He gave a wink to his trusted confidant.
His confidants rushed forward and, with a flurry of activity, lifted the unconscious Wang Meng and carefully placed him on the horse's back.
Tian Wenjing said no more and left with his group.
Watching Tian Wenjing and the others leave in a disheveled state, Xu Fu and the others felt a pang of envy.
It's so sour!
Why is Inspector Ling so nice to Old Jiang?
We are also talents of the Demon Slayer Division!
However, upon further reflection, they felt relieved.
Ling Ye's willingness to offend Tian Wenjing to protect Jiang Mu stemmed entirely from his appreciation of Jiang Mu's exceptional talent and immense potential, and from a desire to safeguard the future pillar of the Demon Slayer Division.
This shows a willingness to cherish talent.
As for romantic love—
Ha, stop joking.
She's a famously beautiful ice queen, how could she possibly be interested in mortals?
"Your Excellency, didn't you already leave the city? Why have you returned?"
Jiang Mu moved closer to Ling Ye and asked curiously.
Ling Ye glanced at the few remaining onlookers who had not completely dispersed, as well as Xu Fu and his subordinates, without saying a word.
Jiang Mu immediately understood, straightened his back, and said loudly, "Sir, I have urgent official business to report to you privately!"
Ling Ye nodded calmly: "Come with me."
After saying that, she turned and left, leaving everyone with only a cool and beautiful back view.
Jiang Mu turned to the Zhang brothers and said, "You two go back first, and remember to take care of that woman's matter."
After saying that, he followed Ling Ye eagerly.
Xu Fu clutched the burning welt on his shoulder, grimacing and cursing, "Damn it, that inspector surnamed Wang is really ruthless! He thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he has Deputy Director Tian backing him up!"
And what about Inspector Ling? Couldn't he have come sooner? Did he have to wait until we were all beaten before showing up?
"Master Jiang is a real man."
Yan Fenghuo was filled with emotion.
In the Demon Slayer Division of Huzhou, no demon slayer had ever dared to confront Tian Wenjing so directly; they had always been trembling with fear and bowing their heads to be reprimanded.
Even Ran Qingshan has to be given some face.
Unexpectedly, the two people's first meeting was full of tension.
"Sigh, Old Jiang is probably in for a tough time from now on."
Xu Fu sighed, a worried look on his face: "Deputy Director Tian is notoriously petty."
This feud is now set in stone; I'll definitely make things difficult for him later. What a hassle, a real hassle.
"What are you afraid of?"
Yan Fenghu snorted coldly, "In the Demon Slayer Division, strength is the only truth. Hall Master Jiang has strong fists and great merits, that's the source of his confidence!"
If I had his skills, I'd be just as arrogant! Anyone who dares to make things difficult for me, I'll make sure they have no shoes to wear!
Xu Fu glanced at him.
have to.
This usually arrogant Master Yan has completely become Jiang Mu's little fanboy.
However, what he said made sense. Jiang Mu was currently the most prominent figure in Huzhou City, and was highly regarded by Ling Ye and possibly even higher-ups. It would probably not be so easy for Tian Wenjing to touch him.
the other side.
Zhang Daxiao walked up to the woman who was slumped on the ground.
He looked at the face that had once haunted his dreams, but now it only felt unfamiliar and weary.
Zhang Dasui sighed: "Perhaps, it was all just wishful thinking on my part from beginning to end. From now on, let's pretend we never met and wish each other well."
Having said that, he didn't look at the woman again and turned to leave.
His silhouette looked somewhat desolate.
Zhang Xiaokui glared at the woman and quickly followed his brother.
The woman stood frozen in place, watching the man's departing figure.
Regret, resentment, and unwillingness—all sorts of emotions welled up in my heart.
Although she kept him hanging on and didn't give him a straight answer, she didn't refuse him either!
Having already come this far, why can't we persevere a little longer?
I was almost ready to give in and agree!
The crowd gradually dispersed.
Young Master Zhao, who had been standing in the shadows, had long since lost his anger and frustration, and now his face was grim.
"What a fine Jiang Mu."
He picked up the dusty folding fan from the ground, gently patted his palms, his eyes dark and unfathomable. "I never expected our first meeting to be like this. My master wants me to cooperate with him in the future—this man is so arrogant and domineering, I'm afraid he won't be easy to control."
He glanced at the woman still crying on the ground, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes, and turned to leave.
However, just as he turned around, his eye suddenly twitched.
On the back of the woman's neck, a faint red umbrella mark was faintly visible, shimmering slightly.
Young Master Zhao's pupils contracted, and he stopped in his tracks.
He immediately put on a gentle smile, strode forward, and helped the woman up: "Miss Ruyan, don't cry. Let's get in the carriage first; there are too many people around here."
Like smoke rising.
Seeing that someone still cared about me at this time warmed my heart.
Her initial disdain for Young Master Zhao's cowardly behavior had lessened somewhat, and she cried out, "Young Master Zhao, he's wronged me! I didn't want those gifts at all; he forced them on me—"
"Yes, I know, you're a good girl."
Young Master Zhao gently comforted her and helped her into the carriage.
Ru Yan burst into laughter after her tears, and all the gloom in her heart vanished.
snort!
Zhang Daxiao, you damn backup plan! You don't want me? I have plenty of other guys who want me!
Once inside the carriage, the outside world's sight and cold air were cut off.
Ruyan breathed a sigh of relief and was about to express her gratitude when her body suddenly stiffened.
Her eyes glowed with an eerie red light.
Immediately afterwards, a red umbrella phantom slowly appeared above her head.
His entire demeanor changed abruptly.
She went from being weak and pitiful to being lazy and carrying a hint of evil.
Young Master Zhao looked respectful and quickly cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Greetings, Master."
The woman smiled at Young Master Zhao, her voice low and deep: "Were you genuinely frightened by him just now, or were you pretending?"
Young Master Zhao gave a wry smile: "I guess so. That guy was a bit too arrogant."
"Only those with real ability can be arrogant."
The woman said calmly, a hint of admiration in her eyes, "In the entire Daqing, it's hard to find another person as young and capable as him. It's inevitable that he has a bit of a temper."
"I'm afraid that if they're spoiled for too long, they'll fall hard when they climb higher."
Young Master Zhao said in a low voice.
The woman looked at him with a half-smile: "What? Jealous already?"
Young Master Zhao lowered his head in embarrassment.
The woman leaned against the car wall and laughed, "We'll see how well he climbs later. At least for now, I really like that kid."
His position in the Demon Slayer Division is crucial, and he's ruthless enough. Perhaps we'll really need this pawn when we start our uprising in Huzhou City.
Although that good-for-nothing Shen Wanhai betrayed me, he brought me such a treasure, so his death can be considered worthwhile.
Young Master Zhao hesitated for a moment, then whispered a reminder: "Master, but I heard that you sent the pig demon and the fox demon to kill Shen Wanhai's entire family, but in the end, they were all killed by that brat surnamed Jiang. This—"
The woman narrowed her eyes: "I really didn't expect this. But—so what if they're dead? They were just two idiots. I only care about value. As long as they can bring me greater benefits, what's wrong with killing a few dogs?"
Young Master Zhao frowned and said, "That's not what I'm worried about. I'm afraid this kid is unruly and won't listen to us."
Master, you've seen it yourself; this guy doesn't even respect Tian Wenjing.
The Han family's troubles this time are also related to him. You must know that Madam Han was also an important pawn you laid out, and he ruined her like this—”
"Does he dare disobey?"
The woman sneered, her tone chilling, "That kid thinks that just because Shen Wanhai's whole family is dead, no one knows his background anymore?"
Innocent!
Putting aside everything else, the Na Yin Stones he took from the Shen family were only a small portion of the total.
1
As she spoke, she opened her palm.
In an instant, a lustrous Na Yin stone appeared out of thin air in my palm.
The next moment, the conversation between Jiang Mu and Madam Shen echoed within the Na Yin Stone: "My darling—listen to me, you must leave Huzhou City first thing tomorrow morning—this city-protecting formation is about to fail—"
'
The voice was clear; it was Jiang Mu.
Young Master Zhao felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.
This master from the Red Umbrella Cult is truly terrifying; his methods are all-powerful and insidious.
It's unknown how many officials in the Great Qing court have been compromised by them.
Even himself—
A bitter feeling welled up in Young Master Zhao's heart.
Because of a moment of pleasure, I couldn't control my lower body and was forced onto a pirate ship.
At first, he was very uneasy, but later he found that the Red Umbrella Cult had not contacted him. He thought that the other party had forgotten him, and he was secretly delighted.
As a result, this woman came to visit my uncle as soon as he was appointed as the prefect of Huzhou City.
This also reveals the Red Umbrella Sect's organizational structure.
First, cast a wide net.
First, plant countless "spies" like him.
They usually remain silent and in hiding.
Once the time is right, or the person becomes useful, they will be "activated" immediately.
Moreover, he knew that the Red Umbrella Cult had initially tried to turn his uncle against them. However, his uncle was upright and cautious, and they were never able to find a breakthrough.
Therefore, the Red Umbrella Cult set its sights on him.
Because his uncle had no children of his own, he always treated him as his own son.
Thinking of this, Young Master Zhao was filled with regret and guilt.
Fortunately, the other party promised that as long as he obediently passed on the information, they would not harm his uncle.
"But you're right, young people shouldn't be allowed to get too arrogant; they need to be taught a lesson."
The woman casually tossed him the Na Yin Stone, saying, "Give him a lesson first, so he'll remember it. Lest he forget who his real master is and who he is."
Young Master Zhao took the Na Yin Stone, looking puzzled. "Are you telling me to use this to threaten him?"
"No."
The woman shook her head. "Let this woman named Ruyan go. Create an opportunity for her to accidentally find this Na Yin Stone. Try not to get directly involved, so as not to expose yourself."
Young Master Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.
He really did have some issues dealing with that madman Jiang Mu.
But the woman's next words stunned him: "Have Ruyan take this and deliver it directly to the Demon Slayer Division."
"Hand it over to the Demon Slayer Division?"
Zhao Wenchang was dumbfounded. "Master, why is this? Isn't this—trying to destroy Jiang Mu? What good will it do us if he falls because of this?"
The woman smiled faintly: "The Red Umbrella Cult does not raise useless people. This time, let's take it as a test of his abilities."
If he can overcome this ordeal through his own abilities, it will prove that he has great potential for development, and we will certainly not be stingy with the resources we should provide in the future.
If he stumbles and falls into prison —
"I'll personally rescue him from jail and give him another chance to be my dog. After all, he's a talented individual; we can't waste his potential."
Young Master Zhao understood.
It's likely that the higher-ups in the Red Umbrella Cult recognized Jiang Mu's value and wanted to cultivate him and bring him into their ranks.
Therefore, we will conduct a test first.
Let's see if this kid is capable enough and whether he's worth betting on.
If he can turn the tide even in such a desperate situation, it means this kid is a great talent and should be nurtured.
Moreover, Young Master Zhao also believed it.
The Red Umbrella Cult's leverage extends beyond just this Na Yin Stone.
Young Master Zhao was still somewhat worried: "What if—what if this mole's identity is exposed, and he decides to do whatever he wants and become our enemy?"
"Hahaha----"
The woman burst into laughter, as if she had heard a joke.
She stared at Young Master Zhao with a sinister look, as if she were looking at an ant: "Do you know what cultivators crave most?"
It's a resource!
Once he is expelled from the Demon Slayer Division, it will be equivalent to cutting off all his cultivation resources. The righteous path will not tolerate him, and other sects will not dare to accept him.
In this vast world, only my Red Umbrella Sect can allow him to continue his cultivation, provide him with the resources he desires, and offer him protection!
"At that point, will he have any other choice but to acknowledge me as his master?"
"Furthermore, at worst, we can use our feminine wiles more often. Men's greatest weakness is always the allure of a gentle touch."
even----"
She licked her red lips, a strange light flashing in her eyes. "If necessary, I can personally take part in his game."
Young Master Zhao frowned and said, "But I heard that he has reformed and is now averse to women, so the honey trap probably won't work."
Hearing this, the woman laughed even harder: "Repent and start anew? Haven't you heard the saying?"
"What did you say?"
"A dog can never stop eating shit!"
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