I Became the Devil Queen's Heart Demon-Chapter 300 - 140: Without entering the tiger’s den, how can one obtain the tiger cub! You Ji? Stupid cat! (7K)

West Desolate Mountain.

The steep mountain slopes were covered by dense forests, layers of lush greenery extending endlessly, with branches and leaves interwoven tightly, forming a natural canopy.

At the foot of the mountain, the atmosphere was somewhat noisy, with more than a dozen hunters, dressed in animal skins and having dark, shiny skin, gathered together in conversation.

"Old Wang, did you go up the mountain yesterday?"

"Go up my ass, in the past few days, five people in our village have died!"

"Do you know the Li’s at the east end of the village? He’s been hunting for over thirty years and knows the West Desolate Mountain like the back of his hand. He wouldn’t trip even with his eyes closed, but ended up getting lost and wandered around the mountain for two days before his stiff body was found..."

"Every night on the mountain, there’s a mysterious light flashing, accompanied by eerie howls. It’s creepy and unidentifiable..."

"I heard a beast has become demonized there..."

The West Desolate Mountain was home to various beasts and birds, countless wild boars, deer, and pheasants, with occasional appearances of alien beasts. Many hunters in the nearby villages made a living out of this.

If they were lucky enough to hunt an alien beast, just its flesh and blood could be sold for dozens of taels, enough to cover a whole family’s expenses for a year.

However, life had not been easy for them lately.

Previously, due to the Red Sand Mine incident, the entire mountain had been locked down by the court for over two months. Just as it was unsealed, this situation arose, and it looked like they wouldn’t harvest anything in the first half of the year.

The hunters sighed, looking visibly gloom-ridden.

Da-da-da—

At this moment, rapid hoofbeats were heard.

Everyone turned to see a woman in a black martial robe riding swiftly towards them.

With features like exquisite jade, ruby lips, and white teeth, she looked as if she had stepped out of a painting, yet there was a hint of evil qi in her eyebrows, and her gaze was sharp as a knife, making it intimidating to meet her gaze.

The woman arrived at the foot of the mountain, dismounted, and tied the reins to a tree.

She then took a long sword from the sheath on the back of the saddle, slung it over her shoulder, and started walking up the mountain.

"Miss, it’s dangerous on the mountain..."

A hunter was about to warn her, but someone else stopped him, whispering, "Haven’t you seen that dark patterned garb? That’s an esteemed official of the Sky Scale Guard! No need for your comments!"

"Is she here because of the disaster on the mountain?"

"She came quite quickly, but how come it’s just one person, and a young woman at that? Can she manage..."

While the crowd was engaged in discussion, a figure in a moon white daoist robe appeared in mid-air, descending gracefully like a bright moon falling to the world of men.

Ling Ningzhi, with her flawless face, carried an air of dust-covered travel, gazing at the vast mountain range before her, her black and white eyes full of resignation.

In these past few days, she had been following clues given by her sect, searching for the whereabouts of immortal materials, yet had come up empty several times, proving that the materials were not easily acquired.

If it weren’t for Chen Mo being willing to make a trade with her, the thought of refining a Creation Golden Pill before her grandfather’s end would be nothing more than a pipe dream.

This made her feelings towards Chen Mo increasingly complex.

"This is the last place showing unusual activity. Hopefully, I won’t return empty handed..."

Suppressing her distractions, Ling Ningzhi leaped and headed up the mountain.

Even as she passed right by everyone, they seemed completely unaware, as if they hadn’t seen anything at all.

...

At the summit, next to a withered tree, a small red flower rooted in the soil, its petals like flowing flames, radiating intense heat.

An old butler, his hair slightly gray, stood with his hands behind his back at the edge of the cliff, gazing at the rolling clouds below.

"Are you sure this plan will work? What if Ling Ningzhi doesn’t take the bait?" A black cat, its fur sleek and shiny, lay lazily on a rock, licking its paw.

"Ling Ningzhi came down the mountain this time to search for immortal materials. The information has already been leaked; even if there’s the slightest possibility, she won’t let it slide... Besides, the princely heir really brought a piece of immortal material this time." The old butler replied indifferently.

To fully play one’s role, if you want to catch a big fish, naturally, you have to be willing to use bait.

"But seriously, why did you possess a cat? Doesn’t it affect your abilities?" The old butler asked, puzzled.

The black cat glared at him with its different colored eyes, "I just like it. What’s it to you?"

Possessing a cat had many benefits: it allowed for more covert actions, drew less attention, moved more swiftly, and could sneak through punch-sized holes... Most importantly, it could sun its belly on the rooftop, enjoying a leisurely and carefree feeling, letting her momentarily forget all pressure and troubles.

As for the downside, she had the instinctive urge to catch mice. Last time, she almost took a bite, and it nearly made her throw up her last meal.

"Ling Ningzhi is the direct disciple of that Daoist Venerable, and you dare scheme against her. You all are really quite daring." The black cat shook her head.

"Fortune comes from danger. If we want to get the Array Map from Ling Yishan, Ling Ningzhi is the only breakthrough point; besides..." The old butler glanced at the black cat and said, "This is the work of your Demon Clan. Regardless of success or failure, it has nothing to do with the princely heir."

"Tch..."

The black cat snorted.

The Human Race, as always, was hypocritical and despicable.

However, she wasn’t afraid of offending the Tianshu Pavilion, as the Demon Clan and Three Saint Sect were dead enemies.

Last time in the Donghua Region, she had wanted to finish off Ling Ningzhi while blocking Chen Mo, but unfortunately failed, resulting in damage to one of her Demon Eyes, which significantly weakened her.

Yet dealing with a Fourth Rank Daoist should still be more than sufficient.

"Remember the agreed conditions; I help you capture Ling Ningzhi, and you help me get close to Chen Mo," the black cat said.

"Rest assured, the princely heir already planted a mole beside Chen Mo, making him head over heels controlled in every movement," the old butler stepped forward, his figure slowly dissipating, "Remember, I need her alive."