Chapter 333 - 135: Laying It All Bare Already?

Chapter 333: Chapter 135: Laying It All Bare Already?

"Saintess!"

She bowed respectfully. "Saintess, I verified the list from Shuimo last night. There are no issues. The ones Huangfu Song targeted yesterday were indeed those people."

Gu Xiangzhu said coolly, "Continue your observations. Create a few crises for them from time to time. Any who reveal a Celestial Demon Pattern... kill!"

That single word, "kill."

Lady Yue was startled. "Saintess, you mean..."

Gu Xiangzhu stated, enunciating each word, "The Demon Monarch... has no need to exist!"

"Then..."

Lady Yue asked again, "What if Zhao Ci is the Demon Monarch’s reincarnation?"

Gu Xiangzhu’s tone faltered. "He is the only one who must not be touched!"

Lady Yue was silent for a long moment before saying softly, "Saintess, your heart is in turmoil."

"Absurd! I am the chosen one for Demon Cultivation. How could my heart possibly be in turmoil?"

Gu Xiangzhu’s expression turned chilly. "I have made this decision simply because I believe Zhao Ci’s will is strong enough that he may not be influenced by the Demon Monarch’s memories. Besides... Lady Yue, I have a mission for you."

Lady Yue replied quickly, "Please give your orders, Saintess. I will not fail you."

Gu Xiangzhu took a deep breath. "Find an opportunity and destroy the Divine Cocoon on the altar!"

Lady Yue: "..."

Her expression was conflicted.

She was silent for a long time.

Gu Xiangzhu frowned slightly. "What? Are you unwilling?"

Lady Yue gave a wry smile. "That Divine Cocoon is guarded by at least two Dharma Protectors at all times. How could I possibly have the skill for that?"

Gu Xiangzhu retorted, "Do you think I believe you’re capable of it?"

"Then you are..."

"Just do as I say. If you succeed in destroying it, I will credit you with great merit. Even if you fail, as long as you can tie them up, it will be of great use."

"Yes!"

Lady Yue nodded solemnly. ’Since Gu Xiangzhu has commanded it, I must obey.’

’The Saintess must have her reasons for doing this.’

’It will certainly be dangerous, but the sect is currently in a vulnerable state.’

’Even when the three Elders’ confidants arrive, they will have to show Gu Xiangzhu some respect. Without her, it will be difficult for them to find an opportunity during the spring hunt.’

’Those confidants won’t arrive for at least another month. Even if I do something excessive, there might not be any consequences.’

’Besides, I don’t think I can actually destroy the Divine Cocoon anyway.’

She watched as Lady Yue disappeared back into the mirror.

Gu Xiangzhu rubbed her temples and slowly sat down in her chair. She knew in her heart that if she continued this relationship of mutual exploitation, Zhao Ci would never truly be on her side.

’In that case, I might as well just lay my cards on the table.’

’Let him choose for himself.’

’If he still chooses to stand firmly with me...’

’Then I will do everything in my power to help him reach the pinnacle.’

’The Demon Monarch’s legacy is precious...’

’But it’s not a necessity.’

’I could even keep it, just in case.’

’But if he’s unwilling...’

She didn’t know if she should kill him or set him free. After all, the Demon Sect was watching his every move. Setting him free would be no different from letting him merge with the memories.

Of course, all of this was predicated on the assumption that Zhao Ci was, in fact, the Demon Monarch’s reincarnation.

’And if he isn’t?’

’Then all the other candidates can go to hell!’

Gu Xiangzhu composed herself, feeling as though she had chosen the most difficult path.

But for now, she had to give Zhao Ci what he was owed.

And the mission she had given Lady Yue was the prelude to that.

"The Physical Secret Realm..."

...

「Tianmeng Mountain Range」

The setting sun was the color of blood.

"HUFF, HUFF..."

Yang Mo lay on the ground, his chest heaving violently. He was covered in black, filthy blood, surrounded by severed limbs and mangled corpses.

With every breath he took, the Celestial Demon Pattern on his body flickered in and out of sight.

He had slaughtered another bandit stronghold.

The power drawn from the Celestial Demon Pattern made his cultivation speed skyrocket to an unbelievable degree. In the blink of an eye, he had already completed his first bone forging.

But at the same time, it also made him sense his own limits that much faster.

To be precise, his cultivation was only this fast because his potential was so low.

His flesh, sinews, and bones had all just barely reached the fourth rank.

No matter how many times he broke through his limits, the third rank felt hopelessly out of reach.

He needed at least one of them to reach the third rank just to be considered one of the top contenders in the prefecture competition.

His Celestial Demon Pattern could make up for some of the difference, but to unleash its full power, he would have to let the pattern manifest externally. If he did that, he wouldn’t even know what hit him before he died.

Yang Mo was dejected.

Hitting his "limit" so soon was suffocating him.

’So, what should I do now?’

He could only think of two solutions.

Either he could continue taking the Soul-Burning Potion and risk it all for a chance to advance his Celestial Demon Body Refining Secret Technique to the next level. But the pain and hallucinations from his damaged Divine Soul were already starting to affect his normal actions. He had to be extremely cautious.

Or, he could contact the Demon Sect.

But if he did that, he would undoubtedly become a substitute for the Demon Monarch, or even a completely different person.

’Can I... accept becoming someone else?’

"Pah!"

Yang Mo spat out a mouthful of blood and cursed, "I am Yang Mo, not some damn Demon Monarch! Even if I die weak, even if I get killed, even if I never become a powerful expert in my entire life, I will never accept a single thing from the Demon Sect!"

Fueled by his anger, he staggered to his feet and stumbled toward the chieftain’s quarters.

Since these were minor strongholds that the Government Office looked down on, whoever wiped them out got to claim their spoils.

This had been Yang Mo’s source of income lately, covering all his daily expenses and the purchase of Cultivation Resources.

He couldn’t trade the loot for anything particularly good, but at least he was self-sufficient.

He wouldn’t have to hang his head in front of Zhao Ci.

"I wonder what I’ll be able to scrounge up this time!"

Yang Mo muttered to himself.

Of course, he wasn’t getting his hopes up.

After all, it was just a stronghold of bandits who knew nothing but how to bully commoners. The chieftain’s cultivation was only at the Bone Forging Stage. He estimated he would, at most, find a few Qi Cultivation Pills, and they wouldn’t even be high-grade.