Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

Jiang Mu originally thought that a young sect master like He Shuangying would be loaded with Magical Treasures and Pills.

But after rummaging around for a good while, it turned out the guy was broke!

Other than a bottle of Healing Elixir, a vial of unidentified powder, a few silver notes and some loose silver, and the list of materials needed to raise Demons...

That was it.

’He’s a young master, for crying out loud. How could he not even carry a couple of secret technique manuals with him?’

Jiang Mu felt a pang of exasperation.

Then again, he remembered Xu Fu mentioning the rules of the cultivation world during a casual chat.

Most Cultivators rarely carried their core Cultivation Techniques on their person when they traveled.

A well-known cautionary tale often made the rounds.

A Core Disciple from a Major Sect was out gaining experience when he was tragically ambushed and killed by his enemies. The sect’s cornerstone technique, which he had been carrying, fell into their hands.

His enemies then published the secrets of the Cultivation Technique for all to see.

Suddenly, everyone in the world knew its weaknesses. The sect’s century-old foundation eventually crumbled to ruin.

Ever since, every sect has treated it as a cautionary tale.

While it was possible to get the secrets by capturing someone and torturing them, that method was far too unpredictable.

Jiang Mu tucked the few items away. As he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard the sound of whistling wind drawing near.

Immediately after, the hazy gray Illusion Array that had enveloped the area began to crack and shatter.

The mountain forest scene instantly returned to normal.

An elegant figure landed gracefully before him, her black robes fluttering. It was Ling Ye.

’Damn, she’s fast.’

Jiang Mu instantly felt a sense of relief.

Sure enough, the Lord Patrol Envoy was the most reliable.

"What happened? Why is the Divine Sword Sect’s ’Illusory Sword Cage’ here? You—"

Before she could finish, Ling Ye’s gaze swept over the decapitated corpse on the ground, and she froze.

That was... He Shuangying?!

She snapped her head up and stared at Jiang Mu. "Who killed him?"

Jiang Mu pointed to himself. "I did."

"I’m not joking!"

Ling Ye frowned, clearly disbelieving that a pseudo-Star Official could defeat an orthodox practitioner of the same realm. "Tell me the truth. Who really did it?"

"I’m really not lying, Ling Ye. Besides, I’m not a pseudo-Star Official anymore."

Jiang Mu simply activated his cultivation, releasing his Star Power.

Unlike the superficial, impure aura of a pseudo-Star Official, this Star Power was exceptionally pure and dense, carrying a natural pressure that stemmed from the very laws of the Celestial Dao.

This was the real deal—orthodox Star Power!

Ling Ye’s pupils dilated slightly, a look of bewilderment appearing on her cool, jade-like face.

"You took his Star Position?"

Jiang Mu nodded. "And not just that. I also found conclusive evidence."

He handed Ling Ye the list he had taken from He Shuangying’s body.

"This is a list of materials for raising Demons, for the Divine Sword Sect. We can now confirm that the Divine Sword Sect has been secretly breeding them!"

Ling Ye took the list and glanced over it. Suppressing the shock that surged within her, she couldn’t help but ask again, "How in the world did you manage it?"

Jiang Mu put on an innocent expression.

"He was dead set on killing me, so I had to defend myself. Turns out the guy was all bluster. He was actually pretty weak, so I cut him down with a single slash.

Oh, and he shamelessly used his Flying Sword Divine Abilities. Luckily, the Protective Talisman the Lord Chief gave me was strong enough to handle it."

As he spoke, he pulled out the Protective Talisman, which now had only a single Dao Pattern remaining.

Ling Ye felt a headache coming on.

’Could it be that the He family’s young master was really just an empty suit?’

’Whatever. Now isn’t the time to dwell on that.’

The Earth Concealing Star has been controlled by the Divine Sword Sect for generations and treated as their exclusive property. Even if the Star Position were to return to the sea of stars, they have Secret Techniques to reclaim it.

Now that the Star Position has changed masters, the He family certainly won’t let this go.

No wonder He Qingyang’s Sword Qi had flared up earlier. He must have sensed it, which means they’ve already pinpointed this location.

"Let’s go! We need to get back to the city!"

Ignoring the impropriety of it, Ling Ye grabbed Jiang Mu’s wrist.

Once they were inside Hu State, the Divine Sword Sect wouldn’t dare to make a move.

However, just as the two were about to make their move...

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Several ghostly figures shot out from the woods, blocking their path.

The man in the lead was none other than He Wugen.

He Wugen was also startled to see Ling Ye.

The Lord Patrol Envoy’s reputation was quite formidable.

But when his gaze fell on the decapitated body on the ground, he trembled, and his eyes instantly turned bloodshot.

"Ying’Er!"

He Wugen let out a grief-stricken cry, his head snapping up to glare at Ling Ye. "Lord Ling! What is the meaning of this? You killed my son?!"

Instinctively, he ignored Jiang Mu, who was only at the Third Realm of cultivation.

Ling Ye’s expression flickered when she saw it was He Wugen. Though they were both in the Seventh Realm, his power was slightly greater than hers.

She pulled Jiang Mu behind her and held up the list.

"Sect Leader He, shouldn’t you be the one explaining things?

This is the list for raising Demons we found on your son! I’ve already notified the Hu State Demon-slaying Bureau to conduct a full investigation of your Divine Sword Sect.

I didn’t expect you to deliver yourself right to us! The Divine Sword Sect is unbelievably audacious, daring to secretly raise Demons! Does Elder Sect Leader He know about this? Or did you put your son up to it?"

Ling Ye struck first, speaking at a rapid pace.

She gave He Wugen no time to think, immediately leveling a serious accusation against him.

Seeing the list and hearing that the Demon-slaying Bureau had already sent people up the mountain, He Wugen panicked.

Plus, his son had warned him about this before...

He instinctively tried to argue his way out of it.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lord Ling. The Divine Sword Sect is a renowned and righteous sect. How could we possibly raise Demons? This is slander!"

Ling Ye sneered.

"We’ll see if it’s slander once we investigate.

To be honest, I find it hard to believe Elder Sect Leader He would condone such behavior. After all, he lent his strength during the last invasion of the mist demons.

Why don’t you return to the mountain first, Sect Leader He? Report this to the Elder Sect Leader and investigate whether someone is trying to frame you. As long as Elder Sect Leader He provides an explanation, the Demon-slaying Bureau will not accuse an innocent party.

But if I find you obstructing our investigation..."

A cold aura suddenly erupted from Ling Ye. "Then don’t blame me for being unforgiving!"

He Wugen’s expression was grim and uncertain, his eyes darting about.

He was truly starting to panic.

’What if the demon nest has really been discovered...’

He subconsciously wanted to retreat.

But in the instant he turned to leave, something suddenly clicked in his mind.

’Wait a minute!’

’I was almost bluffed by that bitch!’

’My father-in-law said the Illusion Array had trapped the killer.

If Ling Ye were the killer, with her power, a mere Illusion Array could never have held her. She would have been long gone.

That means... she just got here too.’

’Her claim about notifying the Demon-slaying Bureau was a complete bluff.’

He Wugen whipped his head around, his gaze bypassing Ling Ye to lock onto the unremarkable Demon Slayer Envoy behind her.

’Then the one who killed Ying’Er... could only be this brat!’

But He Wugen immediately found himself in a dilemma.

For one, Jiang Mu was an official of the Demon-slaying Bureau. To kill him publicly would be to make an enemy of the Imperial Court.

For another, Ling Ye was here. Although her cultivation level was lower than his, if she fought to the death to protect Jiang Mu, he wouldn’t be able to get to him easily.

Furthermore, her backer was a Garrison Envoy who was the disciple of a Twelfth Realm master...

And the Divine Sword Sect could not afford to provoke Shangguan Luoxue.

Killing intent and apprehension warred within He Wugen’s chest, leaving him frozen with indecision.

TING-A-LING~

Just then, the pleasant, crisp sound of a bell suddenly rang through the forest.

Startled, everyone turned to look.

There, on the branch of a distant, ancient tree, a graceful figure in red had appeared at some unknown point.

She stood delicately on the branch, hands behind her back. Her eyes seemed to dance with starlight, her spirited air tinged with a bewitching charm.

"What a lively gathering."

The girl’s voice was sweet and bright as she said with a grin,

"Sect Leader He, I was just planning to visit the Divine Sword Sect to settle a score with you. I didn’t expect you to come out to meet me."

?

’Who the hell are you?’

He Wugen was completely baffled.

Jiang Mu frowned slightly. ’What’s this Little Demon doing here?’

His gaze shifted downward, and he saw that the girl was wearing a pair of small red boots embroidered with silver thread.

A stark contrast to her previous appearance, when she was barefoot with a chain around her ankle.

’Huh, she’s wearing shoes now?’

As if sensing his gaze, a cold glint flashed in Qiu Yuexin’s eyes. Her voice transmitted directly into his mind, laced with a threat:

"Keep staring at my feet..."

"...and I’ll shove one in your mouth next time!"