Chapter 91: My Mouth Has Been Blessed, Right?

"Could it be that...?"

"The magistrate of Gu Yun Cheng standing before us is actually a demon cloaked in human skin?"

"But if that were true, then there would be only two possibilities."

Thinking of this, Li Mu's face showed a hint of contemplation.

"First!"

"The true strength of this Demon Race before us is extremely terrifying!"

"Terrifying enough that it must at least surpass the level of those who forge the Demon-Detecting Mirror."

"And any cultivator capable of forging such a mirror, even at the lowest, must be at least in the Divine Ability Realm!"

"That is equivalent to a great demon who commands the ten directions within the Demon Race—a true demon king!"

"In other words, the middle‑aged, plump magistrate before us, who appears harmless and behaves meekly."

"His true identity must be at least the pinnacle of a Ninth‑rank Demon King."

"Or even already entered the Supreme Realm of a Demon Emperor!"

However, that possibility rose in Li Mu's mind for no more than three seconds before he dismissed it outright.

"The Ziyang Sect issued this assessment task simply to cultivate the next generation of outstanding talent for the sect, to keep growing stronger."

"It's not like they're digging up chives' roots and sending a bunch of chives to act as a suicide squad."

"Therefore, even if the elder who released this Outer Disciple assessment task were insane, they couldn't issue such an outrageous mission, right?"

"Unless…"

"That elder is secretly trying to kill me!"

"Otherwise, aside from that, Li Mu truly cannot imagine the magistrate before us being a top‑tier Demon King or Demon Emperor!"

"Of course…"

"Even if we backtrack ten thousand steps and consider everything in the worst‑case scenario."

"Even if the one who issued the Outer Disciple assessment also wanted to kill themselves by assigning a suicide mission to hunt a Demon King or Demon Emperor."

"Then likely our party wouldn't even see which gate of Gu Yun Cheng opens before we're struck from the sky and crash to our deaths."

"And where would any of the subsequent events even occur?"

Thinking of this, Li Mu laughed at his own wildly imaginative idea.

"So, only one possibility remains."

"That is, the middle‑aged plump man before us likely possesses some kind of Demon Race treasure."

"It can shield the Demon-Detecting Mirror's insight, and even to some degree affect the judgment of the Heavenly Dao Blessing scroll!"

"If not, then by the Divine Ability means of the Heavenly Dao Blessing scroll."

"It would have given an early warning as soon as we entered Gu Yun Cheng, not waited until we were in close proximity to that plump man."

So, given the current overall situation, it's not hard to see!

What level must a Demon Race treasure be that can completely block the Demon-Detecting Mirror's detection and also influence the Heavenly Dao Blessing scroll to some extent?

Just right.

I still have an unused ten‑thousand‑fold Heavenly Dao Blessing at my disposal!

If I apply it to this Demon Race treasure, wouldn't I obtain a divine artifact that is no less than the Heavenly Dao Blessing scroll itself?

Thinking of this.

Li Mu's gaze toward the middle‑aged plump man held no fear at all; instead, it grew increasingly fierce.

A bold plan was gradually taking shape in his mind!

"You, real person, look rather familiar, don't you think?"

"Haven't we met somewhere before?"

Duan Jiangyuan, seeing Li Mu had been staring at his face fiercely since just now, couldn't help feeling a bit uncomfortable and forced a dry, nervous laugh.

"Oh…"

"That magistrate, then you must be mistaken."

"It's my first time coming to Gu Yun Cheng."

Hearing that, Duan Jiangyuan let out a long sigh of relief, thinking the matter was settled.

Yet Li Mu's next sentence instantly made Duan Jiangyuan's complexion turn pale with shock, his eyes flashing murderous intent!

"But, Magistrate Duan!"

"You must be the Demon Race we are tasked to hunt this time!"

"Whoa!"

Li Mu's words were like a bucket of cold water poured into a hot oil pot.

It instantly caused a roar of astonishment throughout the venue; Song Haolin and all the Ziyang Sect Outer Disciples present turned their gazes toward Duan Jiangyuan.

"Oh?"

"Is that true!"

Hearing this, Song Haolin didn't dare be careless and hurried to pull out the Demon-Detecting Mirror from his chest to aim at Duan Jiangyuan.

But just as before.

The reflection in the mirror still showed Duan Jiangyuan's face, with no demon appearing.

Looking at the figure in the mirror, Song Haolin's expression suddenly darkened.

"Li Mu!"

"Are you doubting that our Ziyang Sect's Divine Ability‑level master…"

"Or perhaps!"

"You think that, just with your mortal flesh and eyes, you can see the Demon Race more accurately than the Demon-Detecting Mirror in my hand!"

After leaving the sect, Song Haolin no longer had the pleasant expression he once showed toward Li Mu.

At once, several hats were hurled onto his head.

Moreover, many Outer Disciples of the Ziyang Sect, seeing this, all looked at Li Mu with displeased expressions.

"Indeed!"

"Senior Brother Song is right; you, Li Mu, should take a look at yourself and see exactly how much you weigh."

"All of us present are in the Concentration Realm, and you're the only one in the Refining Qi Realm!"

"We haven't even spoken, yet you pretended to be the one, right?"

"Truly hilarious!"

Li Mu said nothing, but his gaze never left Duan Jiangyuan the whole time.

Likewise, Duan Jiangyuan squinted at Li Mu, a flash of ferocity and cold light passing through his eyes.

After a long while, he finally said meaningfully, "Oh…"

"So, you only have the Refining Qi Realm?"

"I didn't expect it, I really didn't!"

"With the Demon Emperor Remains in my hand, let alone a Demon-Detecting Mirror forged by a Divine Ability Realm master."

"Even if a Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse arrived, unless I showed some flaw that aroused their suspicion."

"That opponent might still not be able to see my true form!"

"But now…"

At this, Duan Jiangyuan's mouth curved into a faint, eerie smile.

"You, a mere ant of the Refining Qi Realm, can actually see through my true form?"

"Kid, I'm becoming more and more interested in you now!"

"What?"

"Demon Emperor Remains!"

"You actually have something of the Demon Emperor in your hand!"

Hearing this, Song Haolin was instantly shocked, his face turning pale!

With those words, Duan Jiangyuan was essentially openly acknowledging his Demon Race identity!

Moreover, the other still held the Demon Emperor Remains in his hand!

That is indeed the Demon Emperor!

What does that imply?

It's equivalent to a human cultivator at the supreme Golden Body Realm!

Not to mention the tiny Song Haolin; even their Ziyang Sect sect master lacks the supreme cultivation of the Golden Body Realm!

"Heh heh heh…"

"Interesting!"

"That's truly fascinating!"

"A tiny ant of the Refining Qi Realm can actually pierce the Demon Emperor's disguise?"

Having his identity exposed, Duan Jiangyuan simply stopped pretending.

His entire skin seemed to be scorched by an invisible flame, melting continuously at a speed visible to the naked eye.

It turned into puddles of blood spilling onto the ground, evaporating into clouds of blood mist, revealing beneath the flesh a bluish‑brown, scale‑covered muscular tissue.

"Splat!"

As the human outer skin dissolved rapidly, Duan Jiangyuan's face also bore a strangely meaningful grin.

His forehead was suddenly pierced; a horn about three inches long, gleaming with a bluish‑black metallic sheen, thrust outward from his flesh.

In just a few breaths, a majestic great demon burst out alive from Duan Jiangyuan's flesh, leaving blood and rotting meat all over the ground!

Obviously!

The real Gu Yun Cheng magistrate had long been dead, and this great demon before them was merely an impostor that devoured Duan Jiangyuan and took his place!

Watching a great demon burst through a human's corpse with eyes wide open was utterly terrifying!

Compared with the visual impact of the imprisoned Demon Race they had seen in the earlier assessment,

there is absolutely no comparability between the two.

This frightened all the Ziyang Sect disciples into pallor.

Those with weak minds even began to clutch the walls and dry‑vomit!

It is a single‑horned great demon ten meters tall, its body as large as a small house!

Its whole body is covered with bluish‑black scales, muscles bulging, massive cords like twisted dragons constantly writhing beneath its bluish‑black armor.

It emitted a series of muffled sounds like angry waves crashing against a shore.

Its thick, long tail kept swinging, each swipe easily bursting the air with crisp "pop, pop, pop…" sounds.

What's even more chilling!

No one knows how many humans this great demon has slain and devoured before!

Consequently, people could faintly hear within the beast's body intermittent, mournful wails and screams of humans on the brink of death.

Desperate, twisted human faces began to bulge from the demon's abdomen!

And each time a human face emerged, the demon's demonic aura grew stronger than before.

Covering dozens of miles, it directly enveloped Li Mu and the others within.

Heavy, mountain‑like eerie demonic aura streaked through the void like sharp blades!

Where the blade passed, it seemed as if space could be easily split, leaving behind countless spatial rifts, and the unique ancient demon race characters appeared one after another.

Like a ghost, it flickered bright and dark, flashing without cease.

「Hiss! 」

「This... 」

「Such demonic aura has already reached the level of a demon king! 」

「How is this possible... 」

「How could this be possible! 」

「This is merely an outer disciple examination; how could we possibly encounter a demon king! 」

After seeing this scene, Song Haolin felt as if he had suffered a tremendous shock.

He was so shocked his face turned pale; he hurriedly reached into his bosom, crushed the sect's transmission jade slip, and immediately notified the Ziyang Sect of what had happened here.

As for the other outer disciples, even before this demon king revealed its true form,

they had already been scared to the point of losing control of their bowels and bladder, collapsing straight onto the ground, their legs shaking like a sieve nonstop!

What's worse, streams of bright yellow, foul-smelling liquid gushed forth from their crotches!

They were literally scared to piss themselves!

As for Li Mu…

To be honest!

Facing the terrifying demonic aura that swept across the sky and earth, even capable of tearing space!

And it frightened the Ziyang Sect disciples like Song Haolin into trembling terror, losing their wits—but with Li Mu, it was as if everything had completely changed.

This feeling was as if Li Mu didn't even live in the same world as them?

Outside, raging winds and torrential rains, towering waves—only Li Mu's side enjoyed clear skies and pleasant scenery.

He not only felt none of the terrifying pressure from even a hint of demon king–level demonic aura,

on the contrary, the Heavenly Dao Treasure Scroll in his sea of consciousness was like a person starving for three days and three nights.

Suddenly seeing a full Manchu-Han banquet before him!

He almost wanted to pounce right away and devour it!

The terrifying demonic aura emanating from the demon king was absorbed by the Heavenly Dao Treasure Scroll in exact proportion to its amount!

Its motto: accept all who come!

Even, the sheer volume of demonic aura this time even triggered his own Heavenly Dao identification system.

【Ding!】

【System detected that the host is refining demonic aura, triggering tenfold Heavenly Dao Blessing!】

【Congratulations, host, you have gained tenfold harvest!】

「……」

Feeling that he had only just broken through to first-tier Concentration Realm yesterday morning, his foundation was still unsteady.

The result.

Under this demon king's demonic aura baptism, let alone whether his foundation was stable.

Li Mu even felt that if he were to keep absorbing this for a while longer,

he might very well directly break through to second-tier Concentration Realm!

But…

Facing the surging cultivation, Li Mu couldn't feel happy at all.

He even wanted to slap himself!

With this mouth of his, could it have been blessed?

Just moments ago he was muttering, saying no matter what, he could never encounter a demon king!

And yet the result turned out fine!

He not only encountered a demon king,

but critically, he encountered a demon king bearing the remains of a demon emperor!

You damn…

Thieving heavens!

You're probably just playing with me, aren't you?

With a one-in-a-billion chance, how did I end up encountering it!