Chapter 37

Looking at the withered appearance of the faceless man, Chen Mo judged he wasn't lying, and squeezed his little heart hard with his palm.

"Speak. How did you find me?"

The faceless man shuddered, his face twisted in anguish.

He was only fifth-rank—he couldn't separate his soul from his body. If his flesh was destroyed, he'd be utterly erased!

Logically, ghost cultivators should dominate martial cultivators, let alone him being one realm higher—yet he'd been pinned down and ground into the dirt…

It was outright rebellion against heaven's order!

"I kicked a iron plate…"

The faceless man lost all will to fight and confessed everything honestly.

After hearing his account and cross-referencing with his own knowledge, Chen Mo reconstructed the events.

The faceless man's name was You Dao Ren, from the Western Regions' Shigui Sect.

Three years ago, while in seclusion, he made a mistake and regressed in cultivation; Qin Wuxiang took advantage, stole his Life-Root Method artifact—the Soul-Calling Banner—and hid in Tongling County.

But before he could refine it, he was slain by Chen Mo.

"... I happened to be investigating nearby, sensed the Soul-Calling Banner's resonance, and followed it all the way to Ducheng."

"But after entering the city, the artifact's aura vanished inexplicably—I could no longer sense it at all…"

"I heard Qin Wuxiang died at your hands, so I assumed the artifact was taken by you, which is why I followed you to the Jiaofangsi…"

Chen Mo's lips twitched.

The Soul-Calling Banner was already refined by the Empress—of course you can't sense it.

He hadn't expected word of his slaying the demon to spread so widely, bringing the creditor straight to his door…

"Young… Master, I've told you everything. The ghost was devoured clean, I accept I've lost the artifact—can you spare my life?"

You Dao Ren pleaded humbly.

Chen Mo retorted: "Do I look stupid to you?"

Before You Dao Ren could react, a muffled explosion rang from his chest, then black blood gushed from his mouth and nose.

"You—"

His eyes glared fiercely at Chen Mo, then he collapsed with a "pūtōng."

Chen Mo absorbed his soul, confirmed he was dead beyond revival, and finally relaxed.

He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the black blood and shredded flesh from his hands.

"Won't more Shigui Sect people come knocking for revenge? That'll never end." Chen Mo muttered to himself.

At that moment, the young maid spoke: "The Shigui Sect was destroyed long ago. This You Dao Ren probably just inherited some legacy and pretended to be from them…"

Chen Mo glanced at her. "You know quite a bit, don't you, Gu Shengnu?"

The young maid's eyes flickered, and she shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Still denying it?

The system prompt just now, plus that signature Lu Qingyu Scripture… even a fool could see her identity.

"You seem to have forgotten what I said last time. How dare you stay in Ducheng? Do you truly think I won't kill you?"

Chen Mo's voice was icy.

With her identity exposed, Gu Manzhi stopped pretending. Her unique soft, seductive voice rang out: "I haven't forgotten. You said our grudges were settled, no debts between us… this time I helped you kill You Dao Ren—doesn't that mean you owe me a favor?"

"…."

Chen Mo frowned.

What kind of mind does this person have?

Last time, he nearly lost his life!

"I didn't know my master intended to poison you… When we withdrew, I deliberately left the corpse of the poison insect at the scene—to confirm my identity. That's a service to you…"

Boom!

Gu Manzhi kept explaining, but before she finished, her body shot upward and slammed hard into the wall, her face instantly pale.

Chen Mo gripped her slender, long neck, his eyes flashing with killing intent.

Gu Manzhi remained calm, her voice as soft and alluring as ever: "If you kill me, my master will retaliate. Even if I die, others will replace me… they're far crueler than I am."

Chen Mo understood this logic perfectly.

The Huang Sect wouldn't let this go. The plot had already shifted—future developments were unpredictable. Compared to that, Gu Manzhi at least had a baseline of favor…

But how much would that favor matter against their opposing positions?

Recalling how Gu Manzhi had just helped intercept You Dao Ren, Chen Mo hesitated, then released his grip.

Gu Manzhi took a steady breath, rubbing her Bai Xi neck, frowning: "So cruel. Last time, your slaps swelled my chest—I still ache. Now you nearly choked me to death…"

Chen Mo stared straight at her. "Your injuries aren't healed. Why risk staying in the Jiaofangsi? What are you after?"

Last time's incident was huge—each faction's spies here doubled at least. Any trace of you would mean total annihilation.

What's your reason?

Gu Manzhi bit her lip and whispered: "Besides seducing men, I have no other skills. Where else could I go but this place of smoke and flowers? And it's convenient for gathering intel—otherwise I wouldn't have known the Prince was targeting you…"

"Prince? Targeting me?"

Chen Mo blinked in surprise.

Gu Manzhi said: "Miss Yu is the daughter of the former Minister of War. After being branded as a courtesan, the Prince used her as a tool to get close to you. If you don't believe me, ask her yourself."

Chen Mo walked to the bed and saw Miss Yu's face blackened, eyes wide open, chest utterly still—she'd been dead for a long time.

He activated Soul-Seizing and found her soul had scattered—she must have died when You Dao Ren possessed her.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Chen Mo motionless, Gu Manzhi walked over, lifting her leg.

After seeing Yu'er's corpse, he too fell silent.

"……"

Chen Mo's brow furrowed tightly.

He did not doubt the truth of Gu Manzhi's words.

If one wanted to investigate, traces could eventually be found; there was no need to lie about such a matter.

"Just because of a case involving a barbarian slave, it's worth spending so much effort on me?"

"Looks like what's behind this isn't as simple as a few ministers being involved… I thought with Commander Shen taking the blame up front, I wouldn't be targeted, but I didn't expect them to still have their eyes on me…"

Looking at Yu'er's corpse on the bed, Daoist You on the floor with his heart ripped out, and Gu Manzhi beside him disguised as a maidservant… Chen Mo's head throbbed with pain.

"I just came here to PC, so why is this entire Jiaofangsi full of moles?"

"Daoist You doesn't matter much, but with Yu'er dead, there'll probably be some trouble…"

Just then, Gu Manzhi took a paper figure from her bosom, dipped her finger in Yu'er's fresh blood, and drew a talisman on the paper's surface.

A green light poured into it, and the paper figure instantly "came alive," spread its legs, leapt down from Gu Manzhi's hand, went to Yu'er's side, pried open her mouth, and burrowed inside.

After about the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, Yu'er's wide-open eyes suddenly blinked.

Then she turned her head to look at Chen Mo, her voice seductive:

"Sir, my body hasn't gone cold yet—how about you take advantage while I'm still warm?"

Chen Mo: "……"