Chapter 271
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Chapter 271: Mu Lin: Am I a Demon Sect’s Divine Child?!
"Young Master Bai Qi, you wouldn’t want to be eating hotpot and singing songs only to get robbed by bandits out of nowhere."
Mu Lin didn’t phrase "robbed by bandits" as a question—it was a flat statement.
The message was clear: if Young Master Bai Qi refused to pay, bandits would attack Ping An Ancient County and their own Ping An Ancient Street. Whether those "bandits" were real thieves, demon sect disciples, or ghost-masked soldiers in iron armor didn’t matter.
The naked threat made Young Master Bai Qi grind his teeth. But he had a whole family to feed, while Mu Lin had nothing to lose. Not wanting open conflict, he reluctantly handed over a pile of spiritual materials and resources for Mu Lin’s "bandit suppression."
Outwardly, Young Master Bai Qi kept his composure. The moment Mu Lin left, though, his face twisted into something cold and vicious.
"Lin Qiu, don’t celebrate yet. You’ve made enemies of everyone. When the demon sect’s divine children come, you’re dead!"
…
Young Master Bai Qi eagerly waited for Mu Lin to clash with the demon sect’s talented members. Two tigers couldn’t share one mountain—they’d fight without his prompting.
He wasn’t wrong. A showdown between Mu Lin and the demon sect’s elite was inevitable. But what happened next nearly made him vomit blood.
Mu Lin kept his word. After taking the money, he didn’t just bluff—he actually sent troops to hunt bandits, cracking down hard on demon cultivators in Ping An Ancient City.
This alone didn’t trouble Young Master Bai Qi much. The real agony came when Mu Lin loudly credited Ping An Ancient Street for funding the operation. Posters plastered across the city proclaimed Young Master Bai Qi’s support for the purge.
Now everyone knew Ping An Ancient Street had bankrolled the Demon Exorcism Division. The hunted demon cultivators seethed:
"Bastards! Can’t touch the Demon Exorcism Division, but we’ll make Ping An Ancient Street pay!"
Clashes erupted. Bodies piled up. Young Master Bai Qi could only gnash his teeth.
"We’re on the same side! Lin Qiu’s the enemy!"
But it was too late. This was Mu Lin’s open scheme—no way to counter it. He couldn’t publicly deny funding the purge or admit colluding with demon cultivators. Ping An Ancient Street operated in gray areas, not outright darkness. After the Grave Lord inheritance, other demon cultivators could flee, but Ping An Ancient Street had roots here. They couldn’t burn all bridges with the Demon Exorcism Division.
Secretly, they tried spreading whispers in black markets: claims of being framed, of opposing the Demon Exorcism Division. But rumors were thin shields against Mu Lin’s blunt ax.
Unfortunately, Mu Lin, who had honed his skills in the online wars of his past life, understood public opinion far better than Young Master Bai Qi. He knew people preferred juicy conspiracy theories over plain truths.
Long before Young Master Bai Qi could act, Mu Lin had already unleashed a wave of rumors.
Whispers spread:
"Ping An Ancient Street sits right by the Grave Lord inheritance—they’re practically joined at the hip! They see that legacy as theirs alone, treating outsiders like thieves."
"Rumor has it Ping An Ancient Street can meddle with the trials in the Grave Lord inheritance."
"That brawl between the Demon Exorcism Division and demon cultivators? Ping An Ancient Street stirred it up to thin the competition."
"Pretending to back demon sects while secretly feeding resources to the Demon Exorcism Division? They’re playing both sides!"
These wild stories proved far tastier than Ping An Ancient Street’s dry denials. Soon, tongues wagged:
"Of course it’s true! How else would an outsider like Lin Qiu dare fight demon cultivators without local backing?"
"Who profits when demon cultivators clash with the Demon Exorcism Division? Ping An Ancient Street! You think this happened without their scheming?"
"Them fighting Ping An Ancient Street earlier? Ha! Just staged drama to throw us off!"
Mu Lin’s rumors cemented Ping An Ancient Street’s image as the shadowy mastermind. Rumors fly fast but die slow—especially when the crowd loves drama.
And who populated Ping An Ancient County now? Demon cultivators—selfish, ruthless folk who always assumed the worst. Even without rumors, they’d sniff conspiracies. With Mu Lin’s stories? Every shadow seemed treacherous.
Outmaneuvered and lacking crisis control, Ping An Ancient Street found itself isolated. Demon cultivators now trusted them less than Mu Lin himself. At least Mu Lin attacked openly—but those ancient street schemers? In everyone’s minds, they’d become venomous snakes waiting to strike.
Easier to block a visible spear than a hidden, poisoned arrow. Fear spread like wildfire.
…
Young Master Bai Qi nearly coughed up blood in rage. His plans lay in ruins. No one dared ally with them now—only plot their downfall. He could only watch helplessly as demon cultivators drifted beyond reach.
The final insult? Mu Lin kept piling pressure. He published a bounty list—demon sect members’ heads priced like market goods—stoking their fury to boiling point.
All rewards came from Ping An Ancient Street’s own coffers. Mu Lin had seized plenty during their dealings—some useful, some not. The useless trinkets now fueled his psychological warfare.
…
While Mu Lin enjoyed his games, powerful beings from the Demon Sect grew uneasy. In a dim tavern, several exchanged wary glances.
After prolonged silence, Ghost Sect’s Elder Yu rasped, “Well? Who’s this ‘Lin Qiu’? Not mine—my disciples slit throats, not brawl openly.”
Jing Jing from the Yin-Yang Harmony Sect giggled, "Hehe, he’s not from my sect. If he were, Ping An Ancient City wouldn’t have this gloomy atmosphere – we’d be holding a grand carnival instead."
A Star-Moon Sect member snorted, "Not ours either. Our disciples pursue extreme emotions to achieve enlightenment, not petty schemes."
The Seven Killing Sect’s representative crossed his arms. "Definitely not my sect. Our juniors prefer direct combat over manipulating people from shadows." The cold-eyed knife-wielding fighter shot a meaningful glance at the Six Desires Sect’s effeminate envoy.
Unbothered by the stares, the slender man smiled. "Not our doing either. Our disciples…"
Before he could finish, a mocking voice cut in. "Really? Mind control and chaos-spreading are Six Desires’ trademark tricks."
Jing Jing twirled her hair playfully. "Come now, brother. Just tell us which Six Desires branch Lin Qiu belongs to."
The gathered Demon Sect leaders all suspected Mu Lin wasn’t truly from the Demon Exorcism Division, but rather a planted agent. After investigating ‘Lin Qiu’s’ activities, their suspicions grew.
"Using the Demon Exorcism Division’s authority to bully Ping An Ancient Street? Typical power play. But what came next…"
"Extortion? Disregarding civilian lives? This reeks of demon sect methods, not righteous path behavior."
Ghost Sect’s Elder Yu chuckled darkly. "Spreading rumors, stirring chaos… ah, this feels like home."
Jing Jing added, "His aura’s mostly Yin energy. Those ghostly cavalrymen patrolling the city? Summoned evil spirits. When challenged, he uses cursed puppets and poison curses. Not one honorable technique!"
Their investigations revealed Mu Lin wasn’t just any demon cultivator – he out-demoned actual demon sect members. Even his ruthless attacks on fellow demon practitioners raised no eyebrows.
"A demon’s worst enemy? Other demons." Someone shrugged. "We’d rather ally with righteous cultivators than trust our own kind."
Elder Yu dropped his bombshell: "I’ve watched him. Lin Qiu’s harvesting demon cultivators’ flesh and souls, using their negative emotions to grow those twisted flowers…"
The room fell silent. Mu Lin’s demonic identity was confirmed.
After heated arguments, they pinned responsibility on the Six Desires Sect. Though their envoy vehemently denied it, doubt gnawed at him. Whispers about the Great Spirit Dynasty cooperating with demon sects against the coming calamity… His own sect’s seven rival branches…
"Could Lin Qiu actually be one of ours?" The Six Desires elder wondered, sweating.
