novelapdf Chapter 135 Can you please stop modifying it?
Chapter 135 Can you please stop modifying it?
Jiang Mu could naturally understand Si Rumeng's thoughts.
This woman wants to "get ashore".
He wanted to use the "civil service exam" as a way to cleanse himself of his evil nature and embark on the righteous path of worship.
Thus, they gained the approval of Heaven and used their demonic bodies to prove their star position.
This is the only way for demons to achieve the Great Dao, and it is also the most difficult path.
Jiang Mu had heard Xu Fu talk about it before; in ancient times, there were indeed great demons who had successfully traversed this path and eventually ascended to the ranks of immortals, receiving offerings for countless generations. But that was, after all, just a legend; in reality, no demon had ever been heard of actually achieving it.
But the problem is...
Why should I?
Why should you, a tree spirit, be allowed to transform yourself and enjoy the offerings of human offerings?
Moreover, Jiang Mu didn't think he had such extraordinary abilities to help a tree demon clear her name and go ashore, or to help her defy fate.
"Several months ago, before the Yancheng rebellion, that guy called 'Black Mountain' approached us."
Si Rumeng slowly walked to the ancient locust tree in front of the temple, gently stroking the rough bark. Morning light filtered through the branches, casting dappled shadows on her alluring face as she spoke in a chilling voice:
"He has planted a sage seal within our souls, making life and death hang in the balance. If we harbor any rebellious thoughts, he can easily destroy us with a single thought."
He drove us into the little world he had created.
There was a Buddhist lamp there, a ritual implement that seemed to be connected to his destiny, containing the power of incense and prayers.
It was through this that Yu Xiaoqian and the others were able to condense the true form of the incense.
The price we pay is that we have to find at least twenty living human hearts for him every month and offer them before the Buddha lamp…”
Si Rumeng paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her phoenix eyes:
"It was during this period of imprisonment that I slowly developed a bold idea."
I speculate that Heishan must have been a prominent figure in reality, officially recognized by the imperial court, possessing an independent shrine, and receiving constant worship from the people. Although the Great Qing Dynasty is currently in decline, it remains the legitimate Central Plains nation on this continent. The imperial court's conferment of titles and the establishment of shrines must have been recognized by Heaven and even connected to the nation's destiny.
I have a secret method that allows me to borrow someone else's position and create a new "god".
However, this method requires obtaining a large amount of the original incense and vow power from the other party. I have tried many times to steal the vow power from the Buddha lamp, but I have failed and almost been discovered.
But now, you've succeeded.
She turned around, her gaze fixed intently on Jiang Mu, a fierce flame igniting deep within her bewitching eyes.
"So, as long as you are willing to help me, we can create a 'new god' that belongs to us."
When you have a continuous supply of authentic incense offerings and vows, you will be able to use many top-tier magical artifacts that require incense to activate, such as the Buddha lamp in your hand.
Moreover, if you are lucky enough to reach the tenth realm or higher in cultivation, the blessings from incense offerings and prayers will be immeasurable.
Jiang Mu understood Si Rumeng's thoughts.
To obtain legitimate offerings and gain divine approval, one must have a "license".
Currently, Montenegro possesses an official incense-burning license issued by the imperial court.
Si Rumeng, on the other hand, wanted to secretly copy Heishan's license and operate under a "fake license" to deceive the Heavenly Court. Then, she planned to exploit the turbulent hearts of people in the current chaotic world to harvest the legitimate incense offerings and prayers.
The question is, is the will of Heaven so easily deceived?
Seeing Jiang Mu remain silent, Si Rumeng stepped forward again, her voice carrying a hint of confidence:
"As long as you are willing to help me, I am 80% confident that I can gain the approval of Heaven!"
Moreover, if we are able to kill Montenegro in the future, we can completely take his place and directly inherit everything from him.
You must understand that once the imperial court bestows a title upon a deity, it cannot be revoked; it's like spilled water. This involves many complex factors, which you will understand later.
So once we replace Heishan, even if the imperial court discovers it, they will have to accept it.
even……
If the Great Qing Dynasty falls, whichever new dynasty becomes the legitimate ruler of the Central Plains, we can use our vast number of believers and incense offerings as leverage to negotiate with the new dynasty.
Let them support us, build temples and shrines for us, and proclaim our miracles.
This is mutual exploitation.
Although the gods bestowed by Daqing are bound to the fate of the nation, and the fall of Daqing would harm those gods, I have a way to separate them, making them unaffected by dynastic changes.
even……"
She lowered her voice slightly, leaned closer to Jiang Mu, and her eyes sparkled with a hint of seduction.
"If you want to rebel, you can also use this earthly god that you created yourself to create momentum for yourself."
Never underestimate the superstitious worship of gods and immortals by ordinary people. In times of chaos, a divine oracle can be worth a million soldiers!
Jiang Mu narrowed her eyes, looking at the ambitious woman in front of her.
This perfectly matches the tree spirit's personality.
After a brief encounter, it was clear that this woman was unruly and harbored a strong ambition and resentment deep within her.
She was absolutely unwilling to be just a puppet.
Even if it means becoming a demon, one should still be the one playing the game.
"What's your plan?" Jiang Mu asked curiously.
Si Rumeng shook her head, a mysterious smile playing on her lips:
"You'll see when the time comes. After all, this isn't something that can be accomplished in a short time, but it certainly won't take too long either."
"Then what do you need me to do?"
Jiang Mu asked.
Si Rumeng held up three fingers as white as jade:
Three things.
First, help me create a golden statue.
Ideally, you should directly modify a Buddha statue from a temple that has been imbued with the essence of incense offerings over many years. The more popular and established the temple, the better. Then, infuse the incense energy and blessings from your Buddhist lamp into it.
I need to borrow this golden statue to create the appearance of a Bodhisattva for myself.
Jiang Mu frowned: "Using the golden statue of a Bodhisattva for your own purposes? Aren't you afraid of being backfired by the Buddhist fortune? Or being struck down by the Heavenly Dao?"
That's incredibly disrespectful.
Buddhist statues embody the wishes of all beings and the blessings of Buddhism.
For a demon to seize power is tantamount to setting itself on fire.
Si Rumeng smiled sweetly and pointed to Mei Ruo Temple behind her:
"I have a way. Meiruo Temple has been abandoned for a long time. Although its Buddhist nature remains, its Buddhist spirit has dissipated. As long as it is handled properly, it will be like putting new wine in old bottles, and no one will know."
Jiang Mu suddenly realized.
It seems that this Meiruo Temple has been secretly modified by this woman.
"And the second thing?" Jiang Mu asked.
Si Rumeng suppressed her smile and said seriously:
Help me repair my demon core.
I need to raise my cultivation level to the tenth rank. At the very least, I need to recover to the ninth rank.
Otherwise, with my current true strength, even if I could deceive the Heavenly Dao, I wouldn't be able to withstand the massive impact of the orthodox incense offerings. I would simply explode and die, and the success rate of the method would be greatly reduced.
Jiang Mu laughed and retorted sarcastically without any politeness:
"You might as well just call me Dad."
"Do you think I'm a god? You think I can heal you from the eighth rank to the ninth or tenth rank? If I had that ability, I would have ascended to heaven long ago. Why would I be wasting my breath talking to you here?" Si Rumeng was speechless for a moment, but she wasn't angry.
Her eyes sparkled, and she gave him a playful, reproachful look.
"It sounds difficult, but it's very simple for you."
Your Buddha lamp can help stabilize my injuries, and it is now bound to my soul.
When the time comes, you only need to put more demon cores into the Buddha lamp to refine them, and I will naturally absorb them through the connection of souls to repair my demon cores.
Furthermore, the demon cores should ideally be of at least the fifth rank, and the more the better.
Jiang Mu fell into deep thought.
That doesn't sound difficult.
Anyway, he needed to slay demons and monsters to recharge his magic gauge.
After he absorbed all the demonic energy from those demon cores, he used the remaining demonic power to feed the tree demon.
"And the third thing?" Jiang Mu asked.
A sharp glint flashed in Si Rumeng's eyes as she said coldly:
"Third, if we can kill Black Mountain, it would be best to kill him."
Of course, with your cultivation level, you naturally can't kill that guy, so it doesn't matter if you can't kill him.
But if you can find out his true identity, ruin his reputation, and make him lose the trust and worship of the people, that's fine too.
Only in this way, by bringing him down from his pedestal, will I have more confidence to take his place and gain the approval of Heaven as the "new god".
It's about getting a big star into a scandal so you can take their place.
Jiang Mu pouted.
Except for the last one, which is a bit difficult, the other two are not impossible to do.
What Jiang Mu was concerned about was whether this ambitious woman, once she successfully came ashore and became a god among mortals, would escape his control? After all, he had initially only intended to raise the tree spirits as high-level henchmen or pets.
They can help kill demons or save your life in critical moments.
If raising a tiger turns out to be a menace, then the losses outweigh the gains.
Seemingly sensing Jiang Mu's concerns, Si Rumeng sighed helplessly and said softly:
"Don't worry, the more you help me like this, the less I can break free from your control."
Because the foundation of all this lies in that Buddha lamp, and that lamp is in your hands. As long as the lamp remains lit, I will forever be your servant. If I disobey, you may whip me at any time.
Jiang Mu gave her a strange look and said, "You're not addicted to being beaten, are you?"
Si Rumeng was stunned, and her alluring cheeks flushed red instantly.
"Shameless!" she gritted her teeth and cursed.
You're the one who's addicted!
Jiang Mu, too lazy to argue with her, asked, "Is that all?"
"I have another favor to do."
Si Rumeng's eyes suddenly turned cold, filled with hatred. "This concerns my personal grudges."
I want you to help me investigate someone.
This person was also from your Demon Slayer Division. He was a Demon Slayer in Hailing Prefecture back then... He killed my sister.
Jiang Mu then remembered what Yan Zixiao had told him about the tree demon.
"I just heard your sister's story from Yan Zixiao," Jiang Mu said. "She fell in love with a demon slayer, and died a tragic death." Si Rumeng gritted her teeth, tears welling in her eyes.
"That's right. It's just that my sister was too honest. That heartless man not only deceived her feelings, but also betrayed her and killed her for the sake of so-called achievements."
I want you to help me find him. I want to personally... tear that bastard to pieces!
Jiang Mu asked, "What's that heartless man's name?"
Upon hearing this, Si Rumeng's originally cold and stern expression faltered, and she finally shook her head somewhat unwillingly:
"have no idea."
"have no idea?"
Jiang Mu's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Are you kidding me? Your sister risked her life for him, and you don't even know that man's name?"
A flicker of pain crossed Si Rumeng's eyes, but she gritted her teeth and said helplessly:
"Back then, I was in the crucial period of my seclusion and wasn't by my sister's side. By the time I emerged from my seclusion, my sister was already dead. Her soul had been scattered. I only managed to piece together what happened from the other surviving lesser demons on the mountain."
All I know is that during that time, my sister would often sneak down the mountain to meet that man in a secluded place.
But regarding the man's name and family background, even to her closest confidante, Xiao Yao, the younger sister remained tight-lipped, protecting him closely for fear of jeopardizing his future.
From the keepsakes left by his sister, we can only deduce that the person was very young at the time, probably not even twenty years old.
Now, eleven years have passed, and he should be approaching thirty.
Moreover, not long after his sister's death, that man was transferred away from Hailing Prefecture and his whereabouts became unknown.
Jiang Mu is difficult to evaluate.
It spans a long period of time, the information is vague, and it doesn't even have a name yet.
Finding someone in a vast sea of people is like finding a needle in a haystack.
"It's a bit difficult, but it's not entirely impossible."
Jiang Mu pondered for a moment and said,
"The personnel transfer files of the Demon Slayer Divisions in each prefecture are shared. When I have time, I'll check the personnel roster of the Demon Slayer Division in Hailing Prefecture eleven years ago and filter them to see if they were under twenty years old at the time."
And the young demon slayer who was transferred shortly afterward always managed to narrow down the scope of the attack.
"really?"
Si Rumeng's beautiful eyes lit up, and she said eagerly, "As long as you can help me find him, I'll do anything you ask!"
"Don't rush to make promises."
Jiang Mu waved her hand, "Even if I find out, I need to understand the true story from back then first. I won't kill someone based on just one side of the story. After all, there are too many misunderstandings in this world."
Si Rumeng nodded, her expression returning to its cold and aloof state:
"Sure. I'm not an unreasonable person. If I find him, I have many questions I want to ask that heartless man face to face. I want to see if he ever truly cared about my sister."
Jiang Mu glanced at the dilapidated temples around her and changed the subject:
"So what are your plans next? Will you stay in this Meiruo Temple?"
The commotion here was so huge, and so many people had died before; the Demon Slayer Division has already listed this place as a key target for elimination. Staying here will only bring endless trouble.
Si Rumeng calmed her agitated emotions, tidied her slightly disheveled hair, and said calmly:
"Of course, I can't simply stay here. Later, I will break the seal again to restore my strength and try to open up an independent 'mustard seed space'."
"You can create a miniature world?" Jiang Mu looked at her in surprise.
This involves advanced operations related to the laws of space, which are usually only accessible to cultivators at the tenth realm or higher.
Si Rumeng explained:
"When I was trapped in the small world of Black Mountain, I wasn't idle. I used my innate divine power, 'All Trees Grow,' to secretly imprint some of the laws and patterns of that space world."
Although my cultivation level is only at the eighth level, the space I can create won't be very large and will be quite simple, but it will be enough to accommodate me.
only……"
At this point, she glanced at Jiang Mu, her eyes flickering slightly:
"However, opening up space consumes a huge amount of energy and requires extremely strong demonic power to support it. In my current state, my demonic core could shatter at any moment. Therefore, I need you by my side to use the incense and prayer power within the Buddhist lamp to help stabilize my demonic core and act as a source of power."
Jiang Mu sighed inwardly, thinking that this woman was always thinking three steps ahead and planning her own escape route.
He's a demon destined for great things.
"Okay, come on."
The two arrived at a spacious high ground behind the temple.
Si Rumeng sat cross-legged, her long skirt spread out like a bewitching violet blooming in the night.
Jiang Mu then sat down opposite her.
He reached out a hand and gently pressed it on Si Rumeng's flat stomach.
I sensed the demon core.
Through the thin fabric, the warm, smooth touch under her palm was clearly felt, rising and falling slightly with her breath.
Si Rumeng's delicate body stiffened slightly.
Her long eyelashes trembled, and a faint blush rose on her cheeks.
Although it was for healing and protection, this intimate contact still made her somewhat uncomfortable.
The woman forced herself to remain calm and closed her eyes.
"Let's begin."
With a low shout, the suppressed demonic power within her body began to unseal layer by layer.
Fifth rank, sixth rank, seventh rank... until returning to the peak of the eighth rank!
"boom!"
A powerful surge of demonic energy rose into the sky, condensing into the phantom of a towering ancient tree behind her.
Its branches and leaves are lush and verdant, obscuring the sky.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Si Rumeng's forehead as her hands rapidly formed hand seals, casting out profound runes that were imprinted into the void.
"open!"
She shouted sharply.
The surrounding space began to distort and fold.
An invisible barrier slowly opened, attempting to envelop the entire Meiruo Temple and separate it from the real world.
However, the difficulty of pioneering an independent world far exceeded her imagination.
It took her most of her demonic power to build just a prototype.
The demon core inside her body, which had been damaged before, groaned in despair under such intense stress, and the cracks began to widen.
Si Rumeng groaned, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, her breathing becoming erratic.
"Hold on!"
Jiang Muchen shouted, and the demonic energy in his palm and the incense and vows in the Buddhist lamp erupted simultaneously, continuously pouring into her lower abdomen, like super glue, tightly binding the demon core that was about to burst.
As demonic energy was injected, Jiang Mu suddenly raised an eyebrow.
He was surprised to find that his demonic energy seemed to have a natural affinity for this kind of spatial construction.
It is even more stable and domineering than demonic power.
The spatial barriers that were originally constructed by Si Rumeng's demonic power became stable after coming into contact with demonic energy.
"In that case, I'll give you some extra building materials!"
With a thought, Jiang Mu decided to stop simply repairing the demon core and instead divert a massive amount of demonic energy directly into the emerging spatial mini-world.
Si Rumeng, who was originally prepared to give up for the time being, suddenly felt the pressure decrease.
To her astonishment, she discovered that the rudimentary space she had built was being rapidly filled and reinforced by a domineering and efficient force.
It's as if she was just struggling to move bricks and build walls, when suddenly a construction team with reinforced concrete came along and efficiently turned her dilapidated house into a fortress.
"This is·……"
Si Rumeng's spirits lifted, and without thinking twice, she quickly cooperated with this force to accelerate the opening.
However, as she continued exploring, Si Rumeng gradually realized that something was amiss.
Logically speaking, this is a world she created using her innate supernatural powers, so she should be the absolute ruler, the "landlord" of this place.
But now...
As the black demonic energy seeped in, she felt her control over this new world gradually slipping away.
It felt like she had painstakingly acquired land and prepared blueprints, only to have Jiang Mu come in with the materials, not only build the house but also conveniently change the name on the property certificate to his own!
And she went from being a landlord to...
A manual laborer/construction worker?
"What is this guy doing?!"
Si Rumeng was on the verge of a breakdown.
Why is it that every time I try to keep something in mind, this guy always ruthlessly ruins it?
She had originally planned to create this little world so that she could eventually block the influence of the Buddha lamp, try to sever her connection with Jiang Mu, and regain her freedom. But now things have turned out differently.
Instead, they gave away the land title and property certificate of their newly built "home" to someone else!
Si Rumeng attempts to regain control.
However, Jiang Mu's demonic energy was too domineering and utterly ineffective.
Then, she noticed something else that sent chills down her spine.
Jiang Mu's hand was still pressed against her dantian.
While he was helping to repair her demon core, it seemed he was also modifying it?