novelapdf Chapter 186 This girl is a bit cold
Chapter 186 This girl is a bit cold
Clearly, the bald giant and the swordsman were no match for the girl.
After a few rounds, the two were sent flying by the girl's fierce energy, landing awkwardly beside the wooden table at the tea stall.
"Tsk, I underestimated you, little girl."
The effeminate man's playful smile finally faded.
He snorted coldly, his figure as weightless as a ghost, and in an instant, he floated in front of the young woman. With a flick of his sleeve, a pair of slender chopsticks made of pure gold appeared in his hand.
The girl's giant sword came crashing down with the force of splitting a mountain, but he easily caught it with his chopsticks, locking the blade in place.
Pull it along
The girl's hand trembled violently, and the giant sword flew out of her grasp.
The golden chopsticks continued their relentless thrust, piercing straight into the girl's eyes.
At the critical moment, the girl's slender waist bent gracefully, slipping away half a step like an eel. Her right leg hooked up, and her toes precisely hooked the hilt of the knife, pulling it back. The instant her left hand caught the knife, she spun around in mid-air.
The black blade cleaved through the air, creating a roaring, black, skull-like cloud of energy that howled as it snapped back at the effeminate man.
"A trivial skill."
The man sneered, and his golden chopsticks pointed out several golden rays, easily dispersing the air mass.
Then the attacks came like rain, forcing the girl to retreat repeatedly.
Bang!
The girl was kicked in the abdomen, and her petite body flew backward, her feet carving two furrows in the ground. She stumbled back seven or eight steps before she could barely steady herself by using her knife for support.
A trickle of blood slowly seeped from the corner of her pale, tender lips.
She raised her hand to wipe away the bloodstains, her still-childish face showing a cold and stern expression, her eyes fixed on the other person with icy eyes.
At the same time, fine black veins faintly appeared beneath her fair neck skin, spreading like leaf veins.
The effeminate man flicked the golden chopsticks in his hand, a sinister smile playing on his lips.
"No wonder he broke through to the fifth realm at such a young age; it turns out he used a secret technique to forcibly enhance his cultivation..."
Judging from your appearance, you're about to suffer a backlash, aren't you?
Little girl, if you keep fighting like this, once the backlash erupts, your cultivation will be ruined.
You might as well come back with us obediently.
"Don't worry, we won't hurt you. We just want to invite your father out for a chat and to hand over the treasures of the Heavenly Blade Sect." The girl didn't speak, but just gripped the hilt of her sword tightly.
Surrounded by black mist, the surface of the huge black tomb knife shimmered with dark red patterns.
Hearing this, Jiang Mu, who was originally planning to leave, paused and looked up at the girl.
Is this girl from the Heavenly Blade Sect?
His expression turned strange.
Suddenly, recalling what Aunt Tang had told him before, he guessed something and tentatively raised his voice:
"Um... are you the young lady of the Heavenly Blade Sect?"
However, the girl remained defensive and showed no intention of paying him any attention.
The effeminate man beside him frowned.
He turned around and sized up Jiang Mu, his eyes filled with wariness and hostility, and said with a forced smile:
"It seems you really are a fellow traveler here after this treasure. Too bad you're too late. What you're looking for isn't here. If you know what's good for you, you'd better head back the way you came to avoid trouble."
Jiang Mu completely ignored him, took two steps forward, and asked the girl again:
"Are you really the young lady of the Heavenly Blade Sect?"
Seeing that the girl remained silent with a cold expression, Jiang Mu sighed helplessly and turned to look at the effeminate man:
"If she won't tell, then you answer. Is she or isn't she?"
The effeminate man's face turned completely gloomy:
"If that's the case, are you planning to double-cross me and rob me outright?"
As they spoke, the bald, burly man and the black-clad swordsman who had just been knocked away helped each other to their feet. With menacing expressions, they flanked Jiang Mu from the left and right, subtly surrounding him.
"Oh, that's it."
Jiang Mu breathed a sigh of relief and a smile appeared on her face.
You're really lucky.
Although I don't know why this girl was treated like cargo and hidden in a black box as if she were a cargo.
But once it's confirmed that she's Aunt Tang's daughter, then this trip won't have been in vain.
Jiang Mu looked at the effeminate man and said calmly, "You're right. This girl is mine now."
"court death!"
The effeminate man laughed in fury, his eyes revealing murderous intent.
He leaped up, his golden chopsticks transforming into a shower of golden light, aiming straight for Jiang Mu's vital points.
At the same time, the bald giant and the swordsman attacked from both sides.
The shadows of the trees around the tea stall swayed, and several figures, all dressed in the attire of martial arts practitioners, could be vaguely seen.
However, they did not act rashly, but instead observed the situation.
They seemed to be assessing whether Jiang Mu's cultivation level was worth the risk of taking action to seize it.
Before they could see clearly, three muffled thuds sounded almost simultaneously.
The three effeminate men were already lying face down on the ground.
It remained motionless and silent.
"hiss"
Those hidden figures in the martial arts world gasped, their scalps tingling.
"Who else wants to go up?"
Jiang Mu glanced at them indifferently.
Those martial arts practitioners instinctively took a big step back, stunned by Jiang Mu's overwhelming skills, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Jiang Mu turned around and walked towards the petite girl with a smile:
"Little girl, what's your name? Don't be afraid, I am..."
Swish!
Before he could finish speaking, the girl suddenly swung her sword horizontally.
Jiang Mu was taken aback, and immediately realized that the other party had mistaken him for another group of treasure hunters.
He dodged the blade to the side and was about to explain when the girl used the momentum to leap up, twist in mid-air, and swiftly flew towards the distant dense forest.
"She has quite a temper."
Jiang Mu was stunned for a moment. Just as she was about to chase after him, she suddenly remembered something, turned around and walked back to the tea stall. She put a few copper coins on the table before setting off to give chase.
After all, he is an official with principles.
He had assumed that the girl, dragging such a heavy tomb knife, couldn't possibly run very fast.
But to my surprise, the opponent was extremely agile.
In the complex terrain of the desolate mountains and wilderness, even with Jiang Mu using the "Spirit Serpent's Wandering Steps," he was still far behind and unable to quickly close the distance.
He simply used teleportation.
In a few flashes, he appeared in front of the young woman, blocking her path: "Hey, listen to me, I'm not a bad guy."
"Whoosh!"
The massive tombstone blade whistled down again.
This time, although the sword strike was still fierce, the momentum was clearly waning.
Even more alarming was the fact that the black, leaf-vein-like marks on the girl's neck had spread to her cheeks, and her eyes were faintly gleaming with a black light, as if her mind was being eroded by something.
No matter how Jiang Mu explained, the girl ignored him.
He just kept swinging his knife wildly.
After dodging for more than a dozen rounds, Jiang Mu finally lost her temper.
His eyes darkened, and he gripped the hilt of the knife at his waist with his right hand.
"Clang!"
The Blood Frenzy Blade was drawn.
A crimson blade of light cascaded out like a waterfall, slamming powerfully into the black blade the girl was swinging.
boom!
The girl was sent flying backward, her back slamming into an old tree, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.
Just when Jiang Mu thought she was finally going to stop, the girl, as if she felt no pain, used the giant sword to support herself on the ground and shakily stood up again.
She stared coldly at Jiang Mu, dragging her knife as she tried to charge forward.
But after staggering two steps, it collapsed with a thud into a pile of dead leaves and fell completely still.
What the hell!
Jiang Mu was startled and quickly went forward to check.
Only after confirming that the girl had simply fainted from exhaustion did they breathe a sigh of relief.
Ji Hongyuan's illusory figure drifted out.
Looking at the girl with a smile, he said, "This little girl is quite bold, daring to devour demonic energy and transform into a demon."
"Demon?"
Jiang Mu's expression changed, and he grabbed the other person's delicate wrist, channeling his star power into it to examine it.
They discovered that there was indeed a violent demonic aura within the other party's body.
Strangely, this demonic energy did not erode her star position.
Judging from its rank, it is a "pseudo-celestial star position".
Ji Hongyuan sat to the side with her arms crossed, her long, black-stockinged legs crossed, and explained:
"The demonic energy this girl absorbed must be different from ordinary demonic energy. I guess she drank the blood of an ancient great demon."
There was no trace of demonic energy about her from her appearance, so she could pass the Star Certification test normally.
However, if her emotions fluctuate too intensely, or if she forcibly uses power beyond her limits, as just now, she will be unable to suppress her demonic blood and completely succumb to demonic possession.
She paused, looking at the girl's pale profile, and continued:
"The benefits of becoming such a demon are obvious: one's physical body far surpasses that of others of the same level, and one's cultivation will improve much faster."
But the downsides are also fatal.
As her cultivation level increases, the erosion by the demon blood will become deeper and deeper.
Her humanity will gradually fade, her reason will be slowly devoured by her bestial nature, and she will eventually become a cold-blooded killer.
Jiang Mu felt a mix of emotions.
I never expected this girl to be so ruthless to herself.
Considering the current situation of the Heavenly Blade Sect, it is not incomprehensible why she would take such a risk.
"Is she alright in this condition?"
Jiang Mu pointed to the black veins on the girl's neck and asked with some concern.
Ji Hongyuan shook her head and chuckled:
"He won't die, he's just suffering from exhaustion and backlash. He'll get some sleep, and once the stellar energy in his body suppresses the demonic blood again, he'll naturally be fine after a while." Jiang Mu was relieved.
Seeing that it was getting late, they found a rope and tied the girl's hands and feet together, then carried her on their shoulders, intending to find an inn in a nearby town to stay in. The reason they tied her up was because they were worried that if the girl woke up, she would go berserk and indiscriminately attack people.
When Jiang Mu picked up the tomb knife, he was surprised by its weight.
It really felt like it weighed a ton.
He himself found it somewhat strenuous to swing it, let alone this petite little girl.
All I can say is that this girl has superhuman strength.
An hour later, Jiang Mu finally found a remote town and an inn.
Amidst the strange looks from the innkeeper and passersby, Jiang Mu casually booked a room, carrying a beautiful, bound girl on his back and dragging a black knife the size of a door in his hand.
He exudes the aura of a notorious bandit.
Entering the house,
Jiang Mu tossed the girl onto the bed and covered her with a thin blanket.
After the shop assistant nervously prepared the hot water and left, Jiang Mu couldn't wait to take off her clothes, step into the bathtub, and soak comfortably, letting out a long, pleasant sigh.
He leaned against the edge of the bucket, glanced at Ji Hongyuan floating in mid-air, and a thought struck him:
"Hey, you're just killing time anyway, come over and give me a back scrub?"
Ji Hongyuan's eyebrows furrowed, her dark golden eyes filled with astonishment, then she laughed in exasperation:
"You think I am the real person?"
"I'll rub your hands once, and I'll tell you a great story you've never heard before."
Jiang Mu said.
Ji Hongyuan's voice abruptly stopped.
After hesitating for a moment, she sneered, "If the story isn't interesting, I'll skin you alive!"
The woman gracefully floated to the back of the bathtub, extending a pair of soft, boneless, yet slightly cool hands to rest on Jiang Mu's broad back. Jiang Mu narrowed his eyes.
Sure enough, no matter how high one's cultivation level or how long one has lived...
Women, in the end, can't resist the temptation to listen to gossip and stories.
After taking a shower, Jiang Mu changed into clean clothes and tied up her half-dry long hair again, feeling much refreshed.
When I returned to the bedside, the girl was still asleep.
His breathing was deep and even, but his brows were slightly furrowed, as if he couldn't find peace even in his dreams.
Jiang Mu was bored, so he summoned the magic gauge.
His gaze swept over the area, and a look of delight immediately appeared on his face.
Beside the magic tank, the churning black energy had completely solidified, transforming into a magic pill about the size of a longan, entirely black and emitting a faint, dark glow.
"It's finally taking shape."
Jiang Mu immediately guided the new demon pill with his mind and sent it into the body of Demon Shadow Number Three.
In an instant, a strange change occurred.
The illusory black shadow, originally in the shape of a human, crumbled into countless fine black snowflakes, like a sandcastle blown away by the wind. With a thought from Jiang Mu,
These particles transformed into a stream of light and entered his body.
The next moment, Jiang Mu felt the star power within his body recede like the tide. From the outside, he looked exactly like an ordinary person without any cultivation, and not even a trace of his aura could be detected.
"That's interesting."
Jiang Mu raised an eyebrow and then channeled the previous Earth Concealment Star Position into the Third Demon Shadow.
The flow of Qi immediately changed.
His original mortal aura was immediately replaced by a cultivation fluctuation familiar to a third-realm Earthly Fiend Star Official.
To anyone else, he was a genuine cultivator at the third realm.
"So, this new skill is... cultivation disguise?"
Jiang Mu seemed to be deep in thought.
This skill seems somewhat useless, but considering that disguise might be used in the future, it is indeed a special ability.
After all, cultivators often need to rely on high-level magical artifacts or special supernatural abilities to conceal their cultivation level.
Ordinary methods are no match for true masters.
Now, he can switch his "cultivation disguise" at will with just a thought.
More importantly, ever since he successfully attained the Heavenly Star level [Heavenly Lone Star], he has been unable to revert to his original Earthly Fiend Star position.
Now that we have this third Shadow Demon, it's possible to do it.
He currently has four demonic shadows:
Number one teleported, number two self-destructed, number three disguised, and number four is still empty.
Jiang Mu felt a little regretful.
If I had known this would happen, I should have killed more demons in Yan City and condensed another demon core.
After shutting down the magic tank, Jiang Mu went downstairs, got some food, and brought it back inside.
While eating, he chatted with Ji Hongyuan.
The female zombie leaned lazily against the window.
The candlelight shone on her long legs, which were encased in black stockings, giving them a captivating sheen.
The two chatted idly until late at night, when Jiang Mu finally leaned back in her chair to rest.
The next morning,
The morning light streamed into the room through the cracks in the window.
Jiang Mu suddenly heard the sound of fabric rubbing against each other on the bed.
Looking up, I saw that the girl on the bed had already opened her eyes.
Those eyes were clear and piercing, like a thin layer of ice in early winter, clear yet unfathomable, staring coldly at him with a wary and distant gaze. "You're awake."
Jiang Mu greeted him lazily, stood up from her chair, and stretched her stiff neck. "I suddenly remembered, your name is Duanmu Li, right?"
When Tang Guixin mentioned family matters before, she referred to her daughter as "A Li," and Jiang Mu guessed that this should be her name.
The girl pressed her pale lips tightly together and remained silent.
Jiang Mu took out his Demon-Slaying Commander Token from his pocket and waved it in front of her:
"My name is Jiang Mu, and I'm from the Demon Slayer Division."
I'm not a bad guy here to steal your Heavenly Blade Sect's treasure. Your mother, Tang Guixin, and I are friends.
Duanmu Li was taken aback, and the wariness in her eyes faded considerably.
But then a more complex expression appeared on his face, like resentment, or like some kind of grievance that had been forcibly suppressed.
Seeing that her emotions had calmed down, Jiang Mu untied the rope binding her.
Upon regaining her freedom, Duanmu Li immediately grabbed the tomb knife from the bedside table.
Jiang Mu thought she was about to launch another attack, so he subconsciously took a half step back and placed his hand on the hilt of his knife.
But the girl simply slung the broadsword over her back and walked toward the door.
"Hey, wait a minute."
Jiang Mu was stunned for a moment, then quickly called out to her.
He strode over, took out a letter, and stuffed it into the girl's hand:
"Here is a letter left for you by your mother. There are some things I feel I need to talk to you about."
However, Duanmu Li merely glanced coldly at the seal in her hand.
The next second, she surprisingly let go.
He let the letter fall to the ground like a piece of waste paper.
Then, they continued walking towards the door.
Looking at the letter lying on the ground, Jiang Mu wasn't too surprised.
Tang Guixin had said long ago that she left the Heavenly Blade Sect when her daughter was just a month old in order to avenge her son.
After her husband remarried, she never went back.
Having grown up without her birth mother and possibly having to be subservient to her stepmother, Duanmu Li must have harbored deep resentment towards her mother who only gave birth to her but did not raise her.
"I've come to see you today because I want to tell you something."
Looking at the girl's frail figure, Jiang Mu said calmly, "Your mother, Tang Guixin... she has passed away."
Duanmu Li's hand, which had been half-opening the door, suddenly froze.
The slightly harsh scraping sound of the door hinges seemed particularly jarring in the quiet room.
The girl stood frozen in place as if under a spell.
Jiang Mu bent down and picked up the letter from the ground, gently placing it on the table.
Then, he briefly recounted the details of Tang Guixin's death.
The girl still had her back to him.
His shoulders were taut and straight, like a fully drawn bow.
But Jiang Mu could see that her slender fingers were gripping the door frame and she was trying to pry it open, and her thin shoulders were trembling slightly.
Aunt Tang mentioned you to me.
Jiang Mu said gently, "She said the person she has wronged the most in her life is you."
She longed to see you get married, to see you in your wedding dress, and to personally comb your hair one last time. Sadly, that chance is gone. Jiang Mu sighed softly, placing Tang Gui's belongings beside the letter.
"Miss Duanmu, I can understand your resentment towards Aunt Tang."
No child in this world can easily forgive a mother who has been absent from their entire life.
But when a person dies, it's like a lamp going out; past grievances should eventually come to an end.
The room was quiet.
Only Jiang Mu's voice echoed.
Duanmu Li still didn't turn around, but her trembling seemed to have intensified.
Jiang Mu paused for a moment, then continued:
"I don't know the specifics of what happened in your Heavenly Blade Sect. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask."
However, your current situation is dangerous; those who covet the treasure won't let it go easily. How about... coming with me to Huzhou City? At least there, no one can touch you.”
The girl did not respond.
Even their breathing was so light it was almost imperceptible.
Jiang Mu nodded, no longer insisting:
"Alright, then I won't bother you anymore. If you can find your father, remember to tell him about this. Just say that Aunt Tang didn't blame him for anything before she left."
"Also, if you encounter any trouble in the future, or need any help, come to the Demon Slaying Division in Huzhou City to find me."
After saying that, Jiang Mu pushed open the door and went out.
He didn't look at the girl's expression as he passed by.
But he knew that outsiders shouldn't be present at times like this. Some emotions can only be released in solitude.
Stepping out of the inn, there weren't many pedestrians on the streets in the early morning.
Jiang Mu did not go far, but stood under the eaves of a secluded house on the street corner and waited against the wall for about the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn.
They only left after confirming that no other suspicious figures from the martial arts world had appeared.
He could tell that Duanmu Li had a very strong sense of self-respect.
If we force her to leave, this girl will definitely not be happy.
He was in a hurry to get home and couldn't keep up with her all the time.
Fortunately, with this girl's cultivation level, ordinary villains couldn't do anything to her. Once back in Huzhou City, he'd have the intelligence network in the department keep a close eye on her. However, just as he had walked a short distance out of the town and through a grove of trees, his steps suddenly halted.
He glanced back, a slight smile playing on his lips, but didn't stop; he simply slowed down deliberately.
After walking for a while, Jiang Mu finally stopped.
He turned around, crossed his arms, and looked at the dense bushes behind him with a half-smile:
"Come out, you've been following me all this way, aren't you tired?"
The bushes swayed slightly a few times.
A moment later, a petite figure carrying an exaggerated black tomb knife slowly emerged from the shadows.
It was Duanmu Li.
When she got closer, Jiang Mu noticed that the girl's beautiful eyes were swollen like peaches, and the tip of her nose was red, yet she was still trying to put on a cold and aloof expression. Her heart softened.
"Planning to come with me to Huzhou City to lay low for a while? Where is your father now?"
Duanmu Li pursed her lips tightly, her cold eyes fixed on him, but she remained silent.
Jiang Mu was somewhat puzzled.
Could this girl be mute?
It seems that when Aunt Tang was chatting with him about everyday things, she never mentioned that her daughter was a mute.
He asked a few more questions, but Duanmu Li remained silent throughout.
Like a delicate porcelain doll.
Jiang Mu waved his hand helplessly: "Alright, let's go to Huzhou City now. But let's make it clear first, you have to behave when we get there and don't run around." He turned and walked towards the city.
After walking a few steps, Jiang Mu looked back.
The girl stood there for a moment, and after he walked away, she picked up the tomb knife on her back and followed him.
The atmosphere was rather strange along the way.
Jiang Mu initially tried to break the deadlock by talking about something lighthearted.
For example, ask her where she got that strange tomb knife, or praise her skills yesterday.
But no matter what he said, Duanmu Li behind him was like a ghost without vocal cords, and apart from the occasional faint sound of breaking a dry branch, she didn't respond to him at all.
Moreover, this girl doesn't walk alongside Jiang Mu.
It always maintained a distance of about three zhang (approximately 10 meters), like a small tail.
In the end, Jiang Mu completely gave up on the idea of communicating and simply treated her as if she were invisible, continuing on his way.
The girl's delicate and pretty face was tense.
Her tied ponytail swayed behind her head, gently brushing against the huge black sword with each step.
The warm sunlight cast long shadows of the two of them.
One after the other, like two ink marks, they silently extend across this vast天地 (heaven and earth).