Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 45 - 41: Leave After Hitting Me

Chapter 45: Chapter 41: Leave After Hitting Me

The boss wanted to treat us to shrimp, and Jiang Shouzhong, being a subordinate, naturally didn’t stand on ceremony.

He just felt that Jia had missed out big time by not coming along.

The two went to the rather famous "Qiong Xiang Restaurant" and picked a corner spot on the first floor.

When the drunken shrimp was served, Li Nanshuang thoughtfully peeled the shrimp for her trusted lieutenant.

She was just like a maid serving a wealthy young master.

As the face of Wind Thunder Hall, she could slack off, old Jia could take a hike, Zhang Yunwu could switch allegiances, but Jiang, alone, could not leave.

If Jiang were to leave, the skies of Wind Thunder Hall would truly collapse.

Back when Nalan Xie of the Iron Cloth Hall had wanted to poach Jiang Shouzhong, if she hadn’t blocked his door with two stone lions weighing over six hundred pounds each, Wind Thunder Hall might have lost its face.

With Jiang around, Mr. Li could slack off in peace and enjoy her time flying kites and playing chess.

As Li Nanshuang peeled the shrimp, she said, "According to your speculation, it means that Ge Dasheng was killed first, and then the demon took his heart. Do you think the demon was following We Zhaodi all the time, or was it a chance encounter? Or, is the demon hiding within Wufeng Temple?"

Jiang Shouzhong ate a piece of the tender and juicy shrimp, savoring the lingering taste of the wine, and felt even more that Jia had truly missed out today.

Going over to the Spring Rain Building to court Qing Niang, at best, he’d probably end up with just two meat buns; even the bootlicker Jia would be happy about that for half a day.

Of course, if those were the additional two meat buns inside his clothing, then it would have been worth it.

Jiang Shouzhong mumbled unclearly, "It’s hard to conclude at the moment, but it’s most likely a chance encounter."

"Ah, such a headache."

Li Nanshuang wiped her hands and pushed the remaining drunken shrimp in front of him.

The tomb blade she carried on her back was placed beside her.

Pitch-black.

It looked even more like a tombstone.

Jiang Shouzhong looked at the bowl of drunken shrimp pushed in front of him and asked, "Aren’t you eating?"

Li Nanshuang picked up her wine cup with a listless air, "I don’t feel like it, not much of an appetite. You eat as much as you want, just peel them yourself. If that’s not enough, we’ll fry another portion for you."

"Then fry another portion," Jiang Shouzhong really wasn’t polite at all.

Li Nanshuang’s watery almond eyes spun around, her expression a mix of smiling and not smiling, "You’re planning to take it to go, for old Jia, or for Erniu’s wife and daughter?"

Jiang Shouzhong didn’t respond but peeled a shrimp and offered it to her, asking, "The demon taking Ge Dasheng’s heart, does it mean that the demon had just possessed a body and urgently needed to stabilize its demon soul?"

From ancient times, there have been three types of demons.

The first type is the demon that always maintains its original animal form, like those sentient animals in the Thousand Beasts Forest.

They are unwilling to change into humans.

The second type is humans who absorb demon energy for cultivation and become demon cultivators. For instance, those half-human, half-demons from Dead Man Island or people like Leng Chaosong, the Lord of Tianqing Manor.

The third type is the demon that transforms into humans.

Like those from the Sky Demon Sect.

For a demon to transform into a human, it must first cultivate a congenital demon core within its body. Then it draws upon demon energy that possesses innate spirituality to cultivate and gradually evolve into a human form.

This is also known as innate evolution.

Once they survive the Heavenly Tribulation and achieve human form, even a master of profound energy would find it extremely difficult to detect the demon energy within them.

It’s just that the process is quite difficult.

Their strength in the initial phase after transformation is also average, like the koi Jiang Shouzhong had killed before.

Especially in recent years, although demon energy has revived, the innate spirituality within this demon energy is extremely scarce. So, becoming human is even more difficult and fraught with challenges.

As a result, a large number of demons opt for a shortcut.

They choose to possess souls!

Possession comes in two forms: taking over a corpse and taking over a living body.

It’s relatively easy to possess a dead body – as long as the original body hasn’t been dead for more than seven days, in most cases, possession can succeed, usurping the nest.

But the downside is that the path of cultivation is almost cut off.

No more chances of Sanctum Ascension.

Therefore, many demons, unless absolutely necessary, would not choose to possess a dead body.

Possessing a living body, on the other hand, is more troublesome.

Because a living person’s body already has a soul, once possessed, the demon must vie for control over the body with the original host’s soul. A slight mishap during the struggle could lead to rejection and the dissolution of the soul.

This is also referred to as "seizing the flesh."

The Archive Hall of the Liushan Division has several cases recorded of this nature.

Some demons tried to possess a living person, but not only did they fail at the seizure, they ended up utterly dispersed and lost.

Only by devouring and merging with the original owner’s soul can they completely take over.

Thus, they transform from demons into humans with considerable cultivation.

Demons that successfully possess bodies, unless encountered by a master infused with mystical energies or confronted with a special magic artifact, are undetectable by ordinary people due to the demon energy they carry.

However, because "body stealing" is so sinister, even if successful, when the demon cultivator reaches the Heaven Desolation Boundary, it will have to face a Heavenly Tribulation sooner than others.

If luck is on their side and they evade the tribulation, their cultivation path becomes smooth.

If they cannot evade it, they will turn to ashes and dust.

With no more chances to become human again.

This is also why many demons are reluctant to transform into humans.

Being human is good indeed, but it’s also fraught with hardships.

Gazing at the drunken shrimp offered to her, Li Nanshuang hesitated for a moment, then opened her small mouth, akin to a chewed cherry, and gently bit down.

Jiang Shouzhong was stunned.

He had thought she would take it with her hand, not expecting her to bite it directly.

Such a familiar scene made the man involuntarily dazed.

Once, he too had fed peeled shrimp into the mouth of a girl in red.

After swallowing the tender drunken shrimp, Li Nanshuang said, "Initially, a demon that possesses a body indeed needs to stabilize the demon soul within to control the body effectively, which is why the best method is to devour the heart.

Now, it depends on whether the demon has possessed a dead or a living person. If it’s a dead person, that makes things simpler. But if it’s a living person, it’s more troublesome to find, since they can easily disguise themselves and hide."

Jiang Shouzhong’s expression turned grave.

Without thinking, he peeled another shrimp and offered it to her.

Li Nanshuang shook her head.

The man still held out the shrimp.

Li Nanshuang, who had barely managed to restrain her gluttony, rolled her eyes and tossed her bowl at him. "I’ll eat as many as you peel."

Thus, the remaining half basin of drunken shrimp all ended up in the girl’s belly.

Having paid the silver coin and packed two portions, the two left the restaurant.

The sky was darkening, pedestrians were thinning out, and the shops on both sides of the street were gradually closing.

The back-carrying girl, who had recently gained two pounds and was planning to lose some weight, touched her slightly distended stomach with annoyance.

The girl looked at Jiang Shouzhong with a face full of grievances and said, "Looks like I have to drink clear soup for the next few days, I don’t even dare to eat my favorite braised noodles."

Jiang Shouzhong smiled and said, "Boss, even if you gained another three hundred pounds, you would still be a peerless beauty."

"Your flattery isn’t even as good as Old Jia’s."

Li Nanshuang stretched like a cat, her body’s graceful curves unfolding, her chest thrusting forward like a half-moon of snow, her tone revealing a hint of laziness after a satisfying meal,

"Let’s go, I’m going back to sleep. You should head back early too and get some rest, don’t wear yourself out."

Jiang Shouzhong nodded and asked, "Didn’t you say last time we have a new member? Why has there been no movement?"

"Looks like their family probably didn’t allow them to come."

Li Nanshuang laughed, her back bearing the knife as she vanished into the night.

Jiang Shouzhong suddenly thought of something and called out, "Right, the talisman you gave me is gone, give me another one."

"Got it, I don’t have one on me, I’ll give you one next time."

The girl waved her hand.

As he watched the girl recede into the distance, Jiang Shouzhong carried the packed drunken shrimp home.

And soon after the man left, Li Nanshuang unexpectedly turned back.

She re-entered the restaurant, leisurely climbing the stairs to the third floor, and came to a private room, where she pushed the door and entered.

Inside the room, there was only a girl in red at this point.

Qu Hongling looked at the new arrival with interest.

Li Nanshuang hadn’t suppressed her presence or footsteps when ascending the stairs, so Qu Hongling was well aware that the coming person was targeting her.

She just hadn’t expected it to be a cute girl.

Another demon might have fled, but Qu Hongling, as the leader of a sect and highly cultivated, was not going to be frightened into fleeing.

The girl eyed the dark large knife on Li Nanshuang’s back thoughtfully.

"Originally, I had no intention of meddling in idle affairs."

Li Nanshuang’s delicate and fair face broke into a mild smile as she spoke,

"But then I remembered I am a public official from the Liushan Division, and sensing such heavy demon energy without acting seems hard to justify. Even if I slack off, I can’t just lie down and give up, or the braised noodles would look down on me.

I have no particular prejudice against demons as long as they don’t cause trouble or get caught by my eyes, which I’m too lazy to bother with.

So, I’m giving you an opportunity now."

The girl removed the large knife from her back, standing ready.

"If you manage to defeat me, you can leave. If you can’t, I won’t mind letting my knife have a taste of blood."