So it turns out I'm the demon!

Chapter 298 What's so fun about trees?

The Beitang family's residence was built on a gentle slope in the heart of the island.

When You Huofeng entered the courtyard, he saw a plump woman playing with a seven or eight-year-old boy on the lawn.

The woman was dressed simply, but her eyes and brows exuded a mature and charming allure that came from years of pampered living.

She is Madam Beitang.

The woman's expression turned indifferent upon seeing You Huofeng appear.

Beitang Kun emerged from around the corner of the corridor and asked You Huofeng, "What? You didn't bring the little princess back?"

Since his father, Beitang Batian, failed to break through to the Ziwei Emperor Star in front of everyone a year ago and exploded into a firework, this island lord of Liuli Island has become much more haggard.

You Huofeng said calmly:

"An unknown outsider appeared, and with rather cunning methods, took the princess away."

"outsider?"

Beitang Kun was taken aback at first, then noticed the probing and suspicious look on You Huofeng's face, and couldn't help but sneer.

"You don't actually think that outsider who suddenly appeared was someone I secretly sent, do you?"

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't."

You Huofeng remained noncommittal, saying, "After all, what we're doing is nothing more than an exchange of interests where each of us gets what we need. We'll cooperate when there's profit to be made, and we'll part ways when the profit is gone. We can't be too careful."

Beitang Kun snorted coldly and flicked his sleeve, saying:

"Stop judging me by my own petty standards. I have absolutely no interest in your mermaid princess. All I know is that you still haven't fulfilled your promise to me!"

You Huofeng's eyes flickered slightly, and he calmly said:

"Don't worry, I'll give you what you want when the time is right. Besides, what's the rush? You haven't found the Dao Foundation Divine Artifact left by your father yet, have you?"

Upon hearing this, Beitang Kun's face turned ashen, and he fell silent.

After Beitang Batian died, the Dao Foundation Divine Object, which he had condensed through his life's cultivation, was indeed left on Liuli Island.

But Beitang Kun, the biological son, searched through the family's treasure trove and secret realms, yet he could not find the whereabouts of that thing no matter what he tried.

With that divine object, he could make up for his fundamental flaws.

Successfully established the Daofu.

Beitang Kun suppressed his irritation and changed the subject, saying, "I recently received top-secret news that Prince Sheng is dead." He looked up at You Huofeng, his gaze scrutinizing him.

"Both of us were secretly recruited by the Prince. We promised him that we would cooperate and support him should the Prince rise up in rebellion. Now that he's gone, what are your plans?"

You Huofeng remained silent for a moment, his gaze deep and unfathomable:

"Whatever your plans are, so are mine. We'll remain inactive. However... that prince is extremely cunning and shrewd; I don't believe he'll die so easily."

After saying that, his figure blurred and disappeared from the spot.

Beitang Kun stared at the spot where You Huofeng had disappeared, snorted coldly, and turned back into the inner room.

yard.

Madam Beitang, who was playing with the child, stopped what she was doing.

As she watched her husband's weary figure disappear into the distance, her once gentle gaze gradually turned cold, revealing a chilling aura.

Then, her gaze shifted to the statue of the Northern Hall Overlord God enshrined in the corner of the courtyard.

A half-burnt incense stick still burned in front of the statue.

Wisps of smoke rose, circling around that sculpted, sanctimonious face.

The woman stared at that face for a long time, her lips moving silently:

"You old bastard!"

On the sea, the covered boat cuts through the azure waves and sails smoothly.

The ship left behind by the Mermaid Queen does not need a helmsman; once a destination is set, it will guide itself in the predetermined direction.

Ah Yan was quite familiar with the waters around here, and said that at this speed, they would be able to reach the shore in about half a day.

The place where we landed was called Hailing Prefecture, a prefecture-level city by the sea.

"It would take at least eight or nine days to travel from Hailing Prefecture back to Huzhou City by land."

Ah Yan drew a crooked route on the deck, "Go north across two state borders, then west through Yancheng territory..."

Jiang Mu frowned as she listened.

After eight or nine days, the daylilies were already cold.

He was now genuinely starting to suspect that the teleportation array he had stepped on at the exit of the Tree Village secret realm was indeed the work of the Red Umbrella Sect. If it was set up by the Red Umbrella Sect, then the thought processes of these demons were simply incomprehensible.

If you have such amazing teleportation technology that you can teleport people from the mainland to remote islands thousands of miles away, then when the demon army attacked Yan City, why didn't you just teleport a group of eighth and ninth-tier demons into the city walls?

Alternatively, they could lure the experts out of the city and teleport them to a distant place.

Why go through all that trouble to wage a war of attrition?

But no matter what, what he's most worried about right now is Duanmu Li and Yuan Aqing.

Ah Qing was fine staying in the old house in Huzhou City, since it was the headquarters of the Demon Slayer Division, and Shangguan Luoxue, a top expert, was secretly overseeing things, so there wouldn't be any major trouble.

But Duanmu Li did enter Shuer Village.

It's hard to say whether they can escape unscathed from the encirclement and attack by the Red Umbrella Sect and those demons.

Lost in thought, I suddenly felt a gentle tap on my knee.

"I'm hungry..."

A soft, sweet voice rang out.

Looking down, I saw that Chan Xiaoyu had woken up at some point.

She was clinging to his knees with her tiny hands, her delicate little face tilted upwards, her pupils filled with three large words:

I'm hungry.

Sure enough, the little princess Chan Xiaoyu, sitting on his shoulders, started calling out again.

This little guy has truly embodied the principle of "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication".

My daily routine is: wake up, eat; eat, sleep; wake up, and then eat again.

The main focus is on avoiding any internal mental strain.

Jiang Mu shook his head and slowed down the speed of the awning boat.

He then took out the [Thousand Gold Mountain] magic weapon he had gotten for free from You Huofeng from his storage ring, weighed it in his hand, and threw it forcefully into the sea.

The moment the ingot fell into the water, the surrounding sea surface suddenly shone with a brilliant golden light.

Gold ingots rained down from the sky like a storm, crashing into the sea and creating dense columns of water.

Each one exploded in the water, creating a ring of white waves.

Once the sea had calmed down a bit, Jiang Mu raised his hand and made a gesture.

The gold ingot was back in his hand.

On the wrecked sea ahead, plump fish floated to the surface, their white bellies turned up in a dense mass.

Jiang Mu's five fingers were slightly spread.

The seafood flew into the air and landed with a "splash" in the stern of the awning boat.

In an instant, it piled up into a small mountain.

"Wow!"

Chu Lingzhu's eyes lit up.

She glanced at the hold full of fish, then at the glittering gold ingot in Jiang Mu's hand, grabbed Jiang Mu's arm, and said coquettishly, "Master, your magic weapon is too useful! Can you give it to me? I have a brilliant idea."

"You don't have spiritual power, so even if I gave it to you, you wouldn't be able to activate it."

Jiang Mu put the gold away.

"Then teach me how to cultivate now."

Chu Lingzhu tilted her head back, her big eyes blinking rapidly, "I learn things very quickly."

Jiang Mu sized her up for a moment, then said seriously:

"Cultivation is not that easy. Even if you have a talent as rare as mine, it would be absolutely impossible to go from drawing Qi into your body to breaking through the three realms without months of arduous training day and night."

"Huh? It'll take that long..."

Chu Lingzhu was deflated, but still asked, unwilling to give up, "Isn't there some simpler way to take a shortcut?"

Jiang Mu thought about it seriously for a moment, then said solemnly:

"There are shortcuts, though. If I can find a top-quality cultivation technique that allows for both Yin and Yang cultivation in the future, I might be willing to humble myself and personally take you on your journey."

If you cooperate well, I guarantee your cultivation will progress by leaps and bounds.

Chu Lingzhu's pretty face flushed red.

She flung Jiang Mu's sleeve away, snorted, and turned her head away, her hair almost hitting Jiang Mu's face.

"I don't care!"

Jiang Mu chuckled, then turned to look at Lan Rou'er, who was staring blankly at the pile of fish by the cabin, and casually asked:

"Rou'er, would you like to cultivate with me too?"

"Huh? I...I?"

Lan Rou'er clearly hadn't expected the topic to suddenly turn to her. Her face immediately turned bright red, and she frantically waved her hands, "No... I can't, I definitely can't."

What a joke.

Back in Huzhou City, she had overheard Lingzhu gossiping to her about how powerful and imposing their master was.

Lingzhu is a doctor, so her words must have some basis.

Even Lingzhu said it was mighty and strong, so it must really be exceptionally mighty and strong.

She absolutely cannot handle it.

Looking at Lan Rou'er, who seemed as delicate as a willow branch, as if a gust of wind could break her, Jiang Mu nodded, his attitude sincere: "It really won't work, someone could die."

Lan Rou'er breathed a sigh of relief.

But for some reason, a vague sense of loss welled up inside me.

Two days later, the covered boat successfully entered the port of Hailing Prefecture.

The treasure ship shrank to the size of a palm on its own.

However, Jiang Mu was somewhat disappointed that some cracks had appeared on the treasure ship, which could not be repaired with demonic energy, and it was estimated that it would not be usable for more than a few uses.

The bustling dock was teeming with people, and thousands of sails were racing.

After disembarking, Ayan walked up to Jiang Mu and bowed deeply:

"Mr. Jiang, thank you for your help along the way. Ah Yan is going to the old site of the Mirror Kingdom to search for clues about the little princess's biological father. Farewell. Please take good care of the little princess. I will definitely come to pick her up once I find the clues."

Jiang Mu looked at the mermaid girl and frowned, saying:

"Didn't your queen provide you with any concrete or useful clues? The Mirror Kingdom has long since become a ruin overrun by demons. What if you, with your fourth-tier cultivation, encounter danger and die on the way?"

Ah Yan lowered her head sadly, but then quickly raised her eyes again, her gaze firm:

"Ah Yan's life belongs to the princess, and also to Her Majesty the Queen. As long as it can help the princess, even if there is only a sliver of hope, it is worth dying for." Seeing the other party's attitude, Jiang Mu knew that she couldn't persuade her, so she didn't say anything more.

He rummaged through his storage ring and pulled out several high-level protective talismans, stuffing them into Ayan's hand: "Take these. If you encounter a monster you can't defeat, tear it apart. They can save your life a few times."

Ah Yan's eyes reddened, she gripped the talisman tightly, and bowed deeply once more.

After parting ways with Ayan.

Jiang Mu led two adults and one child into the city.

Hailing Prefecture, as the premier coastal town of the Daqing Dynasty, may not be as prosperous as Huzhou City, but it exudes a unique vitality of exotic fusion.

Shops lined both sides of the street, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares rose and fell.

The air was filled with the aroma of various spices.

On the streets, you can see not only ordinary people dressed in Daqing clothing, but also many foreign merchants who have come from afar.

He had a high nose and deep-set eyes, and wore a brightly colored robe.

Jiang Mu stopped someone on the street to ask for directions to the Demon Slayer Division, and then led Chu Lingzhu and Lan Rou'er straight there.

He urgently needs a spacious carriage and two legendary horses that can travel a thousand miles a day, so that he can return to Huzhou City as soon as possible.

Upon arriving at the gates of the Demon Slayer Division, Jiang Mu revealed his identity.

Before long, an elderly man dressed in official robes came out to greet them.

This man was Zhao Xianzheng, the deputy head of the Demon Slaying Division of Hailing Prefecture. He was around fifty years old and had a vigorous and healthy appearance.

"Haha, seeing is believing!"

Zhao Xianzhen looked Jiang Mu up and down with sparkling eyes, praising him.

"I've long heard that Master Jiang of Huzhou City is the number one genius of our Great Qing Demon Slaying Division. Not only is he highly skilled, but he is also incredibly handsome. Meeting him today, I can confirm that he is indeed a dragon among men."

Jiang Mu smiled slightly and politely cupped her hands in greeting:

"You flatter me, Manager Zhao. I am passing through your esteemed territory today and wish to borrow two demon horses and a carriage to return to Huzhou City."

"We've arrived in haste; we hope Manager Zhao will grant us this favor."

"Of course, of course."

Zhao Xianzhen stroked his beard and nodded, then blinked curiously.

"However, I am somewhat puzzled as to why Hall Master Jiang would suddenly appear in Hailing Prefecture. This is several thousand miles away, completely opposite to the main direction. Could it be that he is carrying out some secret mission assigned by the General Headquarters?"

Jiang Mu thought to herself that she couldn't very well say that she was exiled to a deserted island by the Red Umbrella Cult using a trap, and then drifted here by boat.

He coughed awkwardly and mumbled something:

"It wasn't some secret mission. I was just a bit tired from slaying demons lately, and since I had a few days off, I took two friends on a trip to the mountains and sea to relax."

"make a sightseeing tour?"

Zhao Xianzhen was taken aback at first, then his gaze passed over Jiang Mu and landed on Chu Lingzhu and Lan Rou'er behind him.

One is charming and lively, full of youthful energy.

Another one is delicate and pitiful, gentle and graceful.

Both were exceptionally beautiful. This, coupled with the rumors circulating about this Master Jiang's former reputation as a "playboy" in Huzhou City…

Zhao Xianzhen immediately showed a look of sudden realization, as if to say, "Every man understands."

He chuckled, winking, and lowered his voice:

"I understand, I understand. Young people are hot-tempered, they should take their female companions out more often to relax and cultivate their character."

"Master Jiang, please rest in the side hall for a while and have some good tea. I'll personally arrange it for you and make sure to pick two of the fastest horses." "Thank you for your trouble, Manager Zhao."

Jiang Mu was too lazy to explain and went along with it.

Just then, Jiang Mu suddenly remembered something and called out to him, "Chief Zhao, please wait. There's something else I'd like to inquire about." Zhao Xianzheng turned around, "Please speak freely, Hall Master Jiang."

Jiang Mu carefully considered her words before asking:

"Chief Zhao, about eleven or twelve years ago, there was a personnel reshuffle in the Demon Slayer Division of Hailing Prefecture. The Demon Slayer who was transferred was probably not even twenty years old at the time. Does Chief Zhao recall him?"

Jiang Mu asked this question suddenly because of the tree demon grandmother, Si Rumeng.

Si Rumeng once begged him for something: her biological younger sister had fallen in love with a human demon slayer, but was killed as a result.

And that demon slayer was none other than the Demon Slayer Division from Hailing Prefecture.

Jiang Mu had promised to help her investigate, but he was so busy that he forgot about it.

I happened to stumble upon Hailing Prefecture this time, so I decided to casually ask around.

Zhao Xianzhen was taken aback, frowned, and thought carefully for a moment before saying:

"Twelve years ago? That's quite a long time. People come and go every year, and in Hailing Prefecture alone, there are at least a dozen transfers every year. Besides, it happened so long ago, I really can't remember right now."

He smiled apologetically, "Does Hall Master Jiang know that person's name?"

Jiang Mu shook her head: "I don't know the name. But..."

He paused, his gaze fixed on Zhao Xianzheng's eyes. "This man once had a romantic entanglement with a female tree spirit. This caused quite a stir."

Zhao Xianzhen's expression suddenly changed.

His fingers, which had been twirling his beard, froze under his chin. A layer of wariness surfaced in his usually smiling eyes as he stared at Jiang Mu.

"Why is Hall Master Jiang suddenly asking about this person?"

Seeing Zhao Xianzhen's reaction, Jiang Mu knew she had asked the right person.

He said calmly, "I was entrusted with this task, so I simply did my duty. Due to some personal matters, I cannot elaborate on the specifics to Manager Zhao."

But judging from Manager Zhao's expression, he must have already remembered who I was asking about, right?

Zhao Xianzhen stared at Jiang Mu for a long time before sighing and saying:

"What Hall Master Jiang said is correct. There was indeed such a person twelve years ago."

He was exceptionally talented, a promising talent that Hailing Prefecture was grooming for the future. But a moment of foolishness led him to develop an affair with the tree demon, violating the Demon Slayer's orders and ultimately resulting in his transfer away from Hailing Prefecture.

"Where did he go after that?" Jiang Mu quickly asked.

"He's dead."

Zhao Xianzheng shook his head, his tone somber, "He died of exhaustion while slaying a demon on his way out of Hailing Prefecture."

"Dead?"

Jiang Mu frowned. "What's his name?"

"His name is Xu Chen."

Zhao Xianzhen raised her eyes to look at Jiang Mu and said, word by word,

"He also has a twin brother named Xu Fu. He is your colleague, Hall Master Jiang."

"What?!"

Jiang Mu was stunned.

So it turns out that the man who seduced and abandoned Si Rumeng's younger sister back then, and caused her death, was actually Xu Fu's brother?

Why Xu Fu never told him this.

However, upon closer reflection, Xu Fu's behavior at Meiruo Temple was indeed suspicious.

Back then, when he took Xu Fu with him to set up a sting operation and confront Si Rumeng, Xu Fu either hid in the back and pretended to be dead, or he messed up and fainted at the crucial moment.

He thought it was just a simple dish.

Looking back now, that wasn't food at all; it was clearly hiding.

He was afraid that Si Rumeng would see his face.

They're twin brothers, after all, and look exactly alike. If that crazy woman recognizes them, she'll tear him apart on the spot, thinking he's a heartless man. "H, this bastard's acting is really good."

Jiang Mu cursed inwardly.

Suppressing her inner turmoil, Jiang Mu kept a straight face and feigned curiosity, asking, "Chief Zhao, what exactly was Xu Fu's brother's situation back then? How did he get involved with a demon?"

Zhao Xianzhen sighed, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes, and slowly said:

"Twelve years ago, Xu Chen was an outstanding young talent in our Hailing Prefecture's Demon Slaying Division. At a young age, he had already become the head of a hall, with a promising future ahead of him. However, fate played a cruel trick on him. During a mission, he somehow became infatuated with a female tree spirit who had taken human form. The two developed feelings for each other, and Xu Chen even fell deeply in love with her for a time."

We old folks took turns trying to persuade him, but he just wouldn't listen; it was like he was possessed.

Jiang Mu was speechless.

What's so interesting about a tree? He's only interested in foxes now.

Interspecies pairings are really hardcore, you know?

The next time I see Si Rumeng, I'll have her transform into a tree and see how we can play with her.

"Later, we secretly discovered that the female tree spirit was not a kind person. In order to maintain her human form and improve her cultivation, she had harmed many innocent people who passed through the mountains."

Zhao Xianzhen continued,

"We presented this evidence to Xu Chen, and he finally realized the truth. In the end, he personally killed the tree demon."

Because of the egregious nature of this incident, he felt ashamed to remain in Hailing Prefecture and voluntarily applied for a transfer.

Unexpectedly, on his way back to the capital to report on his duties, he was ambushed by demons and died from exhaustion after a fierce battle. What a pity for such a fine constitution.

Jiang Mu frowned more and more as she listened.

This version doesn't match what Si Rumeng said at all.