Chapter 123: Next Target: Lu Tang!

Good grief!

Chen Mu silently exclaimed, "Good grief!"

Qi Mengjun faked her death!

Had there not been a pickup prompt, Chen Mu would have believed Qi Mengjun was dead.

This fake-death technique is impressive.

Breathing, heartbeat, blood flow—all stopped.

Vital energy vanished completely.

The killer who murdered Zhou Shaoyou, Wang Zhongyi, and others was suspected to be Qi Mengjun's admirer.

It had little to do with Qi Mengjun herself.

Now, with Qi Mengjun's fake death, those who had no connection are now dragged into it!

But Chen Mu did not expose her.

Qi Mengjun's current state is that of a corpse; even if Chen Mu stepped forward and claimed she was alive, no one would believe him—he'd only alert the enemy.

It's best to lie low for now, wait for Qi Mengjun to revive, or for her accomplices to reveal themselves automatically!

…

…

Night was ink-black, all sounds silent.

Under the pale moonlight, the Qi family cemetery appeared even more desolate and eerie.

Before the newly piled grave, the soil still carried dampness.

Chen Mu stood like a stone statue, hidden among the branches of a towering ancient cypress less than a hundred meters from the grave, his breath blending with the night wind, his gaze sweeping the surroundings intermittently.

He had been lying in wait here for two days and two nights.

Qi Mengjun's "funeral" was grand and heart-wrenching; Qi Jinghong's grief and Qi Yunpan's collapse seemed genuine.

It seemed the rest of the Qi family did not know Qi Mengjun was faking her death.

But it had nothing to do with Chen Mu.

He was waiting.

Waiting for the truth—or for a big fish.

Indeed.

On the third night, when the moon hung high and the cold was at its peak, a shadow slipped into the cemetery like a ghost, silent and unseen.

The intruder possessed extremely high martial skill; his movements were light and precise, swiftly reaching Qi Mengjun's grave and beginning to dig without hesitation.

The sound of the shovel breaking soil was unnaturally clear in the silent night.

Chen Mu held his breath, eyes narrowing slightly.

Here he comes!

Soon, the coffin emerged.

The digger forced open the lid.

At the very moment the coffin lid opened, a sudden change occurred!

A silver thread, nearly invisible to the naked eye, shot out like lightning from within the coffin and precisely wrapped around the digger's neck!

The digger shuddered violently, his hands clawing uselessly at his throat, emitting a "gurgling" choking sound, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror.

Inside the coffin, the once-beautiful but lifeless "corpse"—Qi Mengjun—suddenly sat upright!

Her face remained pale, but her eyes were open, devoid of any weakness, filled only with cold killing intent and a hint of eerie brilliance.

Her fingers twitched slightly; the silver thread tightened instantly.

"Ugh…" The digger collapsed limply, his breath cut off instantly.

Qi Mengjun glanced coldly at the corpse on the ground, then leapt lightly out of the coffin.

She didn't even spare a second look at the man who came for her but was killed by her; instead, she laboriously dragged the fresh corpse back into the coffin, closed the lid, swiftly refilled the dirt, and fully restored the original appearance.

After completing all this, she glanced around briefly, her figure flickered, and she vanished from the cemetery like a wisp of smoke, speeding away into the distance—far faster than any ordinary Early Innate Stage expert.

'What a ruthless woman! What an exquisite skill!'

Chen Mu's heart tightened; he immediately activated his movement technique, silently shadowing her like a wraith.

In terms of lightness technique, cultivation, and stealth experience, Chen Mu was stronger.

Thus, he maintained a safe distance behind Qi Mengjun at all times.

The two, one ahead and one behind, raced across the wilderness, delving deep into a remote mountain range.

Finally, Qi Mengjun slipped into a hidden valley.

Chen Mu crouched on the cliff wall at the valley's entrance, holding his breath, reducing his presence to the bare minimum.

Inside the valley, a figure had already been waiting.

The man was tall, clad in dark-gold brocade robes, standing with hands behind his back, his aura heavy and steady as a mountain.

By the moonlight, Chen Mu clearly saw the man's profile—and his heart jolted.

It was Jin Yao, lord of the Giant Willow Manor, one of the Ten Major Powers of Tai'an Prefecture!

This man was famed throughout Tai'an Prefecture for his generosity and righteousness—how could he be secretly meeting the "dead" Qi Mengjun here?

…

Qi Mengjun stopped several steps before Jin Yao, nodded slightly, her demeanor respectful but showing no fear.

"I'm here," Qi Mengjun's voice was cold, utterly unlike her previous frail persona.

Jin Yao turned, his gaze flashing like lightning over Qi Mengjun. "Is it done? Cleaned up the traces?"

"Handled. A self-important, foolish lovestruck fool—perfect. His death confirms my 'death'."

Qi Mengjun's tone was as flat as if she were mentioning some trivial matter. "How are things on my lord's side?"

A flicker of fanaticism and reverence crossed Jin Yao's face. "My lord's divine art is about to reach completion! Having devoured the essence and true qi of over a dozen people — that Zhou family boy, Du Gongxian, Wang Zhongyi, Hu Xiaopeng, and others — he has broken through the Mystric Pass and is now thoroughly digesting and fusing this power, entering seclusion once more to consolidate it. The day my lord emerges, this entire Tai'an Prefecture will be groveling beneath our feet!"

Just as expected…

Listening from afar, the corner of Chen Mu's mouth curved up slightly.

The murderer had appeared!

Qi Mengjun was connected to the murderer!

This "Number One Beauty of Tai'an Prefecture" was taking orders from the murderer.

"Excellent."

A bewitching smile curled at Qi Mengjun's lips. "Once my lord's divine art is complete, you and I will both be meritorious ministers. What shall I do next?"

At her words, Jin Yao's gaze settled on Qi Mengjun with the cold detachment of someone appraising goods. "My lord has a decree — you've done well. But the bait cannot be cut off. The next target is that Lu Tang from the Town Martial Bureau!"

"That boy harbored suspicions about my lord over a month ago. My lord held back because of his background. But now that the divine art is nearly complete, there's no need to wait. Go, lure him out."

Hm?

Chen Mu's heart gave a jolt.

The one Lu Tang had suspected over a month ago?

Pei Renguang?!

The highest authority of Tai'an Prefecture's Town Martial Bureau, Pei Renguang — who had been in closed-door cultivation all this time — was the murderer?!

The murderer was actually Pei Renguang!

So that so-called long-term seclusion was actually for cultivating that horrifying Heaven-Devouring Demonic Art.

And Qi Mengjun was the bait he used to lure his prey!

Jin Yao, that sanctimonious Master of the Giant Willow Manor, was actually a running dog under Pei Renguang!

Shock stirred in Chen Mu's heart, but not the slightest ripple disturbed the aura around him.

……

"Lu Tang?"

Qi Mengjun's brows knit briefly, then smoothed out. "This Lu Tang is quite the devoted fool — a bit more troublesome than the previous ones, but… your subordinate obeys the order."

"Do it cleanly. The wind outside is tense these days — don't stir up any more trouble. Once my lord achieves success, the benefits will naturally be yours." With that, Jin Yao's form blurred and vanished from the spot like a phantom.

Qi Mengjun stood where she was, moonlight spilling across her exquisitely beautiful profile. Though her features were unchanged, she now seemed utterly bewitching and dangerous.

She lightly ran her tongue over her lips, a hunter's gleam of excitement flashing in her eyes.

Silence returned to the valley, leaving only the whimpering of the night wind over the rocks.

Chen Mu lay hidden in the shadows, weighing whether to make a move on Qi Mengjun.