A few days later.

Qing'an Square.

A middle-aged man with an unremarkable appearance arrived at a courtyard and knocked on the door.

"Fang Zong? I didn't expect it to be you!" A short man with sparse hair opened the door, joyfully welcoming the visitor into the courtyard.

A moment later.

Inside the courtyard.

"Hai Long, you've been undercover in White Bird City all this time. Do you know anything about the new City Lord?" Fang Zong asked seriously.

"The new City Lord's surname is Chen, just known to be an outsider, initially living in the courtyard diagonally opposite." The short man Hai Long replied.

"It's unknown which city he came from, and the person who brought him here also went to Wuxiang City and disappeared."

"Are you saying this person might be from Wuxiang City?" Fang Zong frowned.

"Maybe." Hai Bin shrugged.

"The other day when Black Wind attacked the city, whose handiwork was that?" He inquired about another matter.

"It was... it was Qin Yisheng, General Qin." Fang Zong hesitated to speak.

"I just knew it was him. Who else would be so ruthless?" Hai Long sneered.

"So many Black Wind Demons attacked the city, and there was no prior notice. Are our lives as undercover agents not lives?" He said with resentment.

"Ah, calm down, calm down. This is all for our Three Paths City." Fang Zong hurriedly comforted.

After consoling for a while, promising additional rewards, the conversation was able to continue.

"You've been here for a long time, surely there's other news you've gathered. Quickly tell me." Fang Zong prodded Hai Long's ribcage playfully.

"Alright, seeing as it's you. If it were someone else..." Hai Long grumbled with a sour face.

"I knew it, an old hand like you wouldn't have gained nothing!" Fang Zong laughed heartily, forcefully patting Hai Long's back.

"Come, take a look at this 'Rootless Scripture' from White Bird City." Hai Long mysteriously handed over a black-skinned scripture: "The new City Lord's secret is within it!"

"Are you saying, the secret of Dragon Taming Divine Power is hidden in this scripture?" Fang Zong asked in disbelief as he took it.

"Almost certainly." Hai Long nodded affirmatively.

"I've been studying this scripture recently and have made some progress."

"You came at the right time, now we can look into what's going on together." He said seriously.

...

Two hours later.

"Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed?"

"We grew up together, Hai Long!"

"Did you just set me up?!"

Fang Zong, feeling the faint energy in his mind, stared incredulously at Hai Long.

"It doesn't stop you from chanting the 'Three Celebrations Scripture', and gives you the chance to learn new divine skills, I'm doing you a favor." Hai Long quietly defended.

"You damn well want to pull me down with you!"

"I have no choice! If I don't drag you down with me, I'll drown myself." Hai Long sighed.

"Qin Yisheng never cared whether we lived or died. If he finds out we've sided with White Bird City, death might be a luxury."

"My family is still in Three Paths City."

"My family is in Three Paths City too!" Fang Zong shouted angrily.

Hai Long shrank his neck, muttering quietly: "You wanted to know the City Lord's divine skills."

"That Dragon Taming Divine Power is indeed in this scripture."

"I'll kill you!" Fang Zong took off his shoes and chased Hai Long around the courtyard.

For quite a while.

Seeing Hai Long, crouched, bruised and sluggish in the corner, Fang Zong, breathing heavily, finally stopped with a face full of resentment.

"Get up, come with me."

"To where?"

"This matter can't just be left as it is." Fang Zong said with a sour face.

What do you mean?

Hai Long was puzzled.

"This time it's not just me who came, as long as one person sends news of the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed back, everyone's lives are forfeit!"

"Then what do we do?" Hai Long suddenly panicked.

"What do we do? Turn them all into our own people!" Fang Zong gritted his teeth.

...

By White Bird Lake.

"City Lord, it's been verified. The Black Wind attack was orchestrated by Three Paths City." Rear General Wu Tong's face was serious.

"On the day of the incident, Three Paths City's Great General Qin Yisheng was ambushed in the mountains forty miles southwest."

"If not for the City Lord's divine skills, aside from Black Wind Ink, he probably would have taken the opportunity to lead troops in." He said with lingering fear.

Three Paths City?

It really is them.

On the wooden porch, sitting in a bamboo chair, Chen Mu nodded slightly.

Deputy City Lord Qin Yue is from Three Paths City. The opponent has been plotting for half a lifetime, just for the Lu Gong Divine Soldier, but the fruit was unexpectedly picked by me. It would be surprising if they didn't seek revenge.

Chen Mu had anticipated this, otherwise he wouldn't have spread the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed so vigorously.

Back then, he had the intention to flee with the entire city's scripture reciters.

"How did you discover this?" Chen Mu curiously looked at Wu Tong.

This Rear General had some skills indeed.

"Thanks to the Deputy City Lord." Wu Tong looked admiringly.

"The Deputy City Lord organized the entire city to chant scriptures early in the morning, every resident of White Bird City must attend the scripture recitation大会."

"The new secret agent sent by Three Paths City diligently recited to avoid detection."

"And then..."

"Then they fell for it, of course." Xu Gui laughed aloud.

"Without even our finding them, they were led by earlier infiltrators to the City Defense Camp to turn themselves in."

Hearing this, Chen Mu also laughed.

"City Lord, this time it was led by Three Paths City's Great General Qin Yisheng, whose divine skills are formidable and battle achievements noteworthy."

"Although temporarily retreated, they haven't left, clearly still coveting our White Bird City."

"We..." Former General Cheng Hu hesitated.

"Old Chen, General Cheng is wondering if we should make a direct escape!" Xu Gui boldly said.

Chen Mu couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Moving is a hassle, unless absolutely necessary, it's best not to run."

He's the most qualified to speak on this matter.

"How about letting those secret agents send the Rootless Scripture to the enemy's camp?" Xu Gui's eyes twinkled as he suggested sneakily.

The other three generals' faces immediately lit up with interest.

If they could turn the Three Paths City's army into their own without a fight...

"How can you be so devious!" Chen Mu glared at Xu Gui with exasperation.

"Forget it."

"Qin Yisheng, to reach his current position, must be cautious."

"If by any chance we're discovered, those undercover agents who defected might suffer, don't harm our own."

The Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed's power is bizarre, but it's inherently fragile. Encountering a Great Divine Power User, it probably won't hold.

"I remember there are some secret agents from Wuxiang City within the city." Chen Mu squinted his eyes.

"What does the City Lord mean..." Wu Tong felt a stir in his heart.

"Let them send a message to Wuxiang City, saying the Great General of Three Paths City is coming to White Bird City with more than half the troops."

"Isn't Wuxiang City keen on expanding?"

"Three Paths City's defense is weak at the moment, it's a rare opportunity!"

They exchanged glances and their eyes suddenly lit up.

"Let them tear each other apart?"

"Hey, Old Chen, when it comes to being devious, you're the sneakiest, haha!" Xu Gui laughed heartily.

"Get lost!"

"Alright!"

Xu Gui laughed merrily and left with the other generals.

Watching their backs disappear, Chen Mu squinted again.

"This tactic better work, or else..."

"Or else I'll take the entire White Bird City and run away!"

"Hmph!" He looked at ease.

With his foundation solid, as long as he progresses in cultivation step by step, whether as a Qi Cultivator or in the Heavenly Demon Dao, there's a bright path ahead. How could he engage in reckless conflict?

"Porcelain doesn't clash with earthenware, if things get sticky, I'm not playing!"

...

Instead of pondering Qin Yisheng and Three Paths City, he preferred thinking about how to scare the city's Scripture Reciters.

Fear is the deepest emotion, capable of generating more Divine Power.

Lu Gong proactively unleashed the Black Wind Demon to create incidents, likely to harvest fear.

Other cities are likely doing the same.

"Each one is a disgraceful old scoundrel!" Chen Mu pursed his lips.

He couldn't possibly unleash the Black Wind Demon to kill.

As long as the Scripture Reciters are alive, they're prime candidates for producing constant desires and emotions. Compared to draining the pond for fish, he prefers the slow and steady approach.

"First, I must find a way to control this batch of new Black Wind Demons."

Chen Mu sank his consciousness into the Five Ghosts Bag.

...

Ever since he started placing Ghosts into the Five Ghosts Bag, its internal space began to expand continuously.

Even after collecting tens of thousands of Black Wind Demons, it still appeared fairly empty.

At this moment, some of the new Black Wind Demons had transformed into bizarre Exotic Beasts, sleeping in corners, while others turned into black smoke clouds, hovering among the Ghosts.

With a slight thought from Chen Mu, a black cat about seven or eight meters long, with wings on its back, floated before him. It was the same Black Wind Demon that had chased Xu Gui earlier.

Upon seeing Chen Mu, it immediately arched its back, fluffed up its fur, and opened its mouth to hiss.

But with the Five Ghosts Paper Man present, the big cat could only hiss and didn't dare to move a muscle.

"Hello." Chen Mu waved with a smile.

"Hiss..."

"I have something good, come, eat this Spiritual Seed."

"Hiss..."

"Listen, if you eat the Spiritual Seed, I'll bring back that fatty from a few days ago to play ball with you."

"Hiss..."

"Is hissing all you can do?!"

"Hiss..."

Damn idiot!

Chen Mu finally saw through it, these so-called Black Wind Demons had some intelligence, but not much.

Their strength was equivalent to a Hundred Intentions Heaven Awakening Demon, but their Spiritual Wisdom was less than a one-year-old child.

"Stop hissing and eat up!"

Chen Mu activated the Yama Emperor's Command.

The big cat immediately drooped its head as if taking medicine and arduously swallowed the Spiritual Seed into its belly.

And then...

Then the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed shattered.

Chen Mu: "..."

This is not right.

Unwilling to accept defeat, he tried multiple times.

The big cat obediently swallowed the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed, but the Seed itself betrayed him. As soon as it entered the cat's stomach, it would soon dissipate and vanish.

After quite a while of trying, Chen Mu finally understood what's going on.

The big cat did have a bit of brainpower.

If it had none, it would be fine, as long as the Yama Emperor's Command can force it to devour the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed. The tens of thousands of Ghosts in the Five Ghosts Bag were imbued with the Seed this way.

But the enemy has some Spiritual Wisdom, the Yama Emperor's Command can control its superficial actions but cannot affect its deep Spiritual Deity instincts.

For an invasive parasitic like the Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed, any creature with Spiritual Wisdom would be guarded against it.

The Heavenly Demon Spirit Seed itself is extremely fragile; unless actively induced by reciting the Heavenly Demon Curse, if the planter's Spiritual Deity instincts are alert, it cannot be implanted, ultimately dissipating and shattering.

"Should I make this big cat learn to recite the Rootless Scripture?"

Chen Mu turned to the big black cat.

"Hiss..."

Better forget about it.