Three days after Hua Qian Gu returned to the Demon Emperor Palace, she received his carrier pigeon message—Mo Yan had already dispatched three Chang Liu disciples down the mountain, ostensibly to "patrol the Immortal Realm," but in reality, to investigate her.
"The daughter of the Penglai Sect Leader personally identified Hua Qian Gu of Maoshan as possessing strange arts, suspected to be the reincarnation of the Demon God, requiring strict monitoring." The message contained what Ni Mantian had said to Mo Yan.
After reading it, Hua Qian Gu let out a cold laugh.
Reincarnation of the Demon God?
In her previous life, she indeed was. But in this life, she possessed a Godhead within her, which was several levels higher than the Demon God. Ni Mantian deliberately called her the "Demon God" to incite Mo Yan to deal with her.
"Your Majesty, there is a guest seeking an audience outside," the Demon Servant announced from outside the door.
"Who?"
"They claim to be Chang Liu disciples, sent by the World Honored One to patrol the Demon Realm."
Hua Qian Gu put away the message and stood up.
They came so quickly.
Sha Qian Mo was not in the Demon Emperor Palace—he had gone to the Demon Realm border to handle a rebellion. Hua Qian Gu walked alone to the main hall and saw three Chang Liu disciples in white clothes standing in the center of the hall, each with their heads held high and nostrils pointed to the sky.
The one leading them was a young male cultivator, with a proper appearance, but his eyes held an arrogant air of superiority. He looked Hua Qian Gu up and down as she emerged and asked condescendingly, "You are Hua Qian Gu?"
"I am."
"We are Chang Liu disciples, sent by the World Honored One to investigate your relationship with the Demon Realm." The leading male cultivator took out a document from his sleeve, "Please cooperate."
Hua Qian Gu took the document and glanced at it. It bore the seal of Chang Liu and Mo Yan's signature. The wording was polite, but between the lines, it implied, "If you don't cooperate, you are guilty."
"How should I cooperate?" Hua Qian Gu asked.
"Return to Chang Liu with us for questioning."
"I will not."
The leading male cultivator's expression changed, "You—"
"I am a guest of the Demon King, residing in the Demon Emperor Palace, protected by the Demon Realm," Hua Qian Gu said calmly, looking at him. "Your Chang Liu documents are not valid in the Demon Realm. Ask me whatever you wish, right here."
The three Chang Liu disciples exchanged glances.
They hadn't expected a mortal to be so defiant.
"Hua Qian Gu, don't be ungrateful." The leading male cultivator put away the document, his voice turning cold. "The World Honored One personally inquiring about your case is your fortune. If you cooperate, there is still room for maneuver. If you refuse—"
"What if I refuse?" Hua Qian Gu tilted her head.
"Then don't blame us for being impolite."
The leading male cultivator took a step forward, releasing his Immortal Lord-level pressure.
Hua Qian Gu felt an invisible force pressing down, her breath catching. She was a mortal, without cultivation, unable to withstand such pressure.
But she did not retreat.
"This is the Demon Emperor Palace," she said, enunciating each word. "Do you dare to make a move here?"
The leading male cultivator hesitated.
The Demon Emperor Palace was Sha Qian Mo's territory. Making a move here would be slapping the Demon King in the face. Sha Qian Mo was notoriously protective of his own and held grudges. If he found out, it wouldn't just be the three of them; even Chang Liu might not be able to withstand it.
"Senior Brother, let's forget it," a disciple beside him pulled him. "We'll discuss it back at Chang Liu."
The leading male cultivator unwillingly withdrew his pressure, glaring fiercely at Hua Qian Gu, "You just wait."
The three turned to leave.
"Wait a moment," Hua Qian Gu called out to them.
The three turned back.
Hua Qian Gu smiled slightly, "Please give my regards to Lord Mo Yan—'False charges are easy to fabricate.' I, Hua Qian Gu, act with integrity and am not afraid of investigation. But if someone wants to smear me, they should first consider if they are weighty enough."
The leading male cultivator's face turned ashen, and he flicked his sleeve, departing.
After the three left, Hua Qian Gu's smile vanished.
She returned to the stone chamber and took out the "Immortal Realm Power Map" that Dongfang Yuqing had given her, finding the location of Chang Liu. Next to Mo Yan's name, Dongfang Yuqing had written a small note—"Vain, values status, hates evil but is easily manipulated."
"Vain..." Hua Qian Gu murmured.
A thought formed in her mind.
She picked up a brush and wrote a letter to Dongfang Yuqing.
Three days later.
Those three Chang Liu disciples returned. This time, they did not go to the Demon Emperor Palace but to Maoshan—they intended to start from Hua Qian Gu's "background" to investigate her past.
Hua Qian Gu had asked Dongfang Yuqing to set up a situation in Maoshan in advance.
The leading male cultivator visited villagers in Maoshan, asking about Hua Qian Gu's background. He expected to hear descriptions like "demoness" or "monster," but instead—
"Little Gu? That child is wonderful," Aunt Wang said. "She's been sensible since she was young, helping her father with chores, never causing trouble."
"The Hua family's daughter? Filial." Uncle Zhang said, "She even bought new clothes for her father last time."
"Demoness? Who said that? Nonsense!" The village chief huffed, his beard bristling. "I watched Little Gu grow up; she's a good child!"
The three Chang Liu disciples found the investigation increasingly strange.
This was completely different from the intelligence they had received. The intelligence stated Hua Qian Gu was the "reincarnation of a demoness" and abnormal since childhood. But what these villagers said clearly described an ordinary, good girl.
"Senior Brother, could Miss Ni have made a mistake?" one disciple whispered.
The leading male cultivator frowned, not answering.
They went to Maoshan town, hoping to find more "evidence." In a teahouse, they were engaged in conversation for a long time by a "well-meaning person." That person said, "You are from Chang Liu? Oh dear, you mustn't be fooled by Ni Mantian from Penglai. That woman is ruthless and will do anything to get ahead. She even secretly learned forbidden techniques before and was punished by her Sect Leader..."
The leading male cultivator found it increasingly suspicious and stood up to leave.
However, he didn't notice a man in gray clothes sitting in a corner of the teahouse, writing something with his head bowed. It was one of Dongfang Yuqing's people.
The next day, Mo Yan received three reports at Chang Liu.
One was the disciples' investigation results—Hua Qian Gu's background was pure, with no abnormalities.
One was an anonymous letter—detailing evidence of Ni Mantian secretly learning forbidden techniques.
And the third was a letter delivered by proxy from Hua Qian Gu. The letter contained only one sentence: "The World Honored One has keen eyes and will surely not be deceived by petty individuals."
After reading the three documents, Mo Yan's face turned ashen.
He summoned Ni Mantian and threw the letter in front of her, "Didn't you say she was a demoness? Why are the investigation results completely different from your account?"
Ni Mantian picked up the letter and her expression changed.
She knew Hua Qian Gu would be on guard, but she hadn't expected her to act so quickly.
"World Honored One, this evidence is forged—"
"Forged?" Mo Yan looked at her coldly. "Did my people who personally went to Maoshan to investigate also forge it?"
Ni Mantian was speechless.
"You may return first," Mo Yan waved his hand. "Without my permission, you are not to mention Hua Qian Gu's matter again."
Ni Mantian gritted her teeth and turned to leave.
The moment she walked out of the Chang Liu main hall, her fingernails dug deeply into her palm.
"Hua Qian Gu, you just wait."
In the Demon Emperor Palace, Hua Qian Gu received Dongfang Yuqing's message and smiled after reading it.
Mo Yan was thwarted for the first time.
Ni Mantian was reprimanded.
She had won this round.
"This is just the beginning," she put away the message and looked down at the Tang Bao's Egg in her embrace.
The cracks on the eggshell were countless, and the green light was so strong that the entire stone chamber glowed.
"Tang Bao, come out soon," Hua Qian Gu said softly. "Mother still has many battles to fight and needs you to cheer me on."
The eggshell flickered.
As if to say: Soon.
【End of Chapter·Comment Section: How will Ni Mantian retaliate next?】
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