Chapter 63 Internal strife within the cult, each harboring their own secrets.

[As Grandmaster Xu Liang's corpse was dragged away, the frenzied "Cleansing Ritual" finally came to an end.]

[The Masked Man stood on the high platform, looking at the gray-robed believers below the altar who had become even more fanatical from the scent of blood.]

[A flash of contempt flickered in his eyes.]

[With a wave of his hand, he pointed at the remnants of the "Holy Meal" mixed with secret medicine on the altar.]

["This is the grace bestowed upon you by God! Divide and eat!"]

["Roar!"]

[The believers below instantly lost their reason, swarming onto the altar like a pack of hungry ghosts.]

[They scrambled for the scraps of meat stained with dust.]

[The scene was chaotic for a time, with trampling and biting even occurring.]

[Blood Ghost didn't spare another glance, instead turning and beckoning to you.]

["Follow me closely. I'll take you to meet the 'family members' you'll be working with from now on."]

[You nodded mechanically and followed behind him with stiff steps, heading deeper into the underground base.]

[Passing through a dark corridor lined with torture instruments on the walls, you arrived before a heavy, deep-red door.]

[It was a five-meter-high double-arched door made of a material that looked like metal but wasn't, its surface carved with complex and eerie patterns.]

[In the center of the two doors was a massive blood-red eyeball pattern that seemed to be slowly rotating.]

[That was the holy emblem of the Heart-Eroding Cult.]

[The Eternal Pure Eye.]

["Creeeak—"]

[Blood Ghost extended a pale palm and pushed open the door.]

[A scent mixed with decadent incense instantly rushed toward you.]

[What met your eyes was a spacious circular conference room.]

[A massive black stone long table sat in the center of the room, surrounded by a dozen high-backed chairs.]

[At this moment, six people were already seated around the table.]

[Though they all wore the blood-patterned black robes and blood robes symbolizing high-ranking members, the Aura of each person was entirely different.]

[Some were cold as snakes, some were explosive as fire, and some were deep as an abyss.]

[But most eye-catching was the empty seat at the head of the long table.]

[There sat a primary seat inlaid with unknown beast bones.]

[Though unoccupied, an invisible pressure faintly radiated across the entire room.]

["Hey, Blood Ghost, you finally decided to show up?"]

[A gruff voice was the first to sound.]

[The speaker was a burly man sitting on the right side; he wasn't wearing a mask.]

[A hideous scar stretched across his face, and he was fiddling with two bone walnuts in his hand.]

["Did the Cult Leader call us old fogies here just to wait for your house-playing initiation ceremony?"]

[The scarred man tapped the table in dissatisfaction.]

["I'm busy over on my end! To brainwash that new batch of goods, I haven't closed my eyes for three days!"]

["And... where is the Cult Leader? What's the meaning of leaving us hanging here?"]

[Blood Ghost led you to the table but did not sit down.]

[Instead, he stood by your side, his tone calm but laced with coldness.]

["The Cult Leader is very busy."]

["He is personally handling the final adjustments of the 'God-Descending Rite' in the underground forbidden zone."]

["As you know, a ritual of this level involves communicating with the High God and locking spatial anchor points."]

["Only with the Cult Leader, a Mountain-Sea Realm expert, personally present can the situation be stabilized to ensure nothing goes wrong."]

["Naturally, he cannot spare the time to see you."]

[At this point, Blood Ghost sneered, his gaze sweeping over everyone present as his voice suddenly rose.]

["Furthermore, today is the day of the 'Divine Son's Return' personally set by the Cult Leader! It is the key node for the Holy Cult's revival!"]

["What? Savage Bone, are you implying that without the Cult Leader's direct order,"]

["Or if you knew the Cult Leader wasn't present, you would dare not to show up?"]

[As soon as these words were spoken, the air in the conference room instantly froze.]

[The burly man named 'Savage Bone' stiffened.]

[The hand holding the bone walnuts suddenly tightened, clearly remembering the terrifying methods of the new Cult Leader.]

[A Mountain-Sea Realm Grandmaster crushing Soaring Realm Experts like them might take a little effort, but it was certainly not difficult.]

["Hmph... I didn't mean that."]

[Although Savage Bone remained stubborn, his Aura had clearly weakened.]

[He muttered as he turned his head away, "Didn't I come? Stop trying to pressure me with such accusations."]

["Hehe..."]

[Just then, a burst of sarcastic laughter came from the left.]

[The speaker was a thin, sinister-looking Black-Robed Figure.]

[In each of his eyes, two pupils were strangely rotating, making for a hair-raising sight.]

[Adjudicator · Wan Tong.]

["Blood Ghost, stop using the Cult Leader's Realm to scare us honest folk."]

[Wan Tong extended a slender finger and pointed at the four empty seats across the table, his tone full of mockery.]

["We may complain, but at least we arrived."]

["Unlike those other four—Ming Niao, Qing Gui, Chi Lei, and You Mei."]

["There's not even a sign of them! A typical case of feigning compliance while acting otherwise, ignoring the summons!"]

["You don't target them, but instead scare us here?"]

["Blood Ghost, isn't that a bit unfair? Or... do you only dare to squeeze soft persimmons?"]

["Wan Tong, shut your dog mouth."]

[The red light beneath Blood Ghost's mask flickered, "Stop being so sarcastic."]

["The four of them were personally appointed by the Cult Leader to go to the Forbidden Ground to assist in setting up the Formation core."]

["A trash like you who wasn't chosen has the nerve to pick a fight with them? How ridiculous!"]

["Who are you calling trash?!"]

[Wan Tong flew into a rage, his internal Yuan energy surging wildly.]

[The shadow behind him instantly transformed into countless opening eyes, emitting heart-palpitating mental fluctuations.]

["You want to fight?"]

[Blood Ghost was not to be outdone, taking a step forward to block in front of you.]

[A blood-red baleful Aura surged toward the sky, faintly overpowering Wan Tong.]

[The collision of the two Soaring Realm Experts' Auras made the atmosphere in the conference room extremely heavy.]

[Tables and chairs trembled, and cups shattered.]

["Enough."]

[A gentle, lazy, yet irresistibly authoritative voice rang out.]

[A blood-robed figure who had been sitting at the left hand of the head seat, resting with his eyes closed, slowly raised his hand.]

[He wore a blank mask without features, and there was no Aura fluctuation from his body.]

[He was like a non-existent ghost.]

[But the moment he spoke, both the enraged Wan Tong and the forceful Blood Ghost instantly withdrew their Auras.]

[Cult Guardian · Mian Sui.]

["Blood Ghost, Wan Tong, both of you settle down."]

[Mian Sui's voice wasn't loud, but it easily neutralized the Aura conflict between the two.]

["Look at what day it is. Engaging in internal strife before the 'Divine Son'?"]

["What kind of behavior is this? Are you not afraid of the Cult Leader's blame?"]

[He slowly stood up, the blank mask turning toward you.]

["Is this the 'Divine Son' personally enlightened by the Cult Leader?"]

[Before his voice had even faded, his figure vanished from the spot without warning.]

[The next second.]

[You felt a blur before your eyes, and Mian Sui was already standing in front of you, less than half a meter away.]

[He extended a hand wrapped in eerie bandages, seemingly wanting to touch your shoulder to probe your strength.]

["Slap!"]

[Blood Ghost reacted extremely quickly, instantly stepping across and firmly grabbing Mian Sui's wrist.]

["Lord Mian Sui, there's no need for you to trouble yourself with this."]

[Blood Ghost's voice became exceptionally heavy, even carrying a warning.]

["The 'Divine Son' has just completed the ritual and needs to maintain the pure state of 'Body Cleansing and Soul Purifying'."]

["Even the mental suggestions the Cult Leader spent great effort planting will only dissipate after the final 'Rite'."]

["If he is interfered with by external forces, causing the Divine Son to be 'impure', can you bear that responsibility?"]

[The two remained in a stalemate for a moment.]

["Haha, Blood Ghost, don't be so nervous."]

[Mian Sui suddenly withdrew his hand, letting out a meaningful chuckle.]

["I just wanted to see the demeanor of our cult's 'Divine Son' up close; it's not like I'm going to eat him."]

[He looked you up and down, even though he had no features.]

[But you could feel the scrutiny in that gaze.]

["He is indeed a fine piece of jade, with a handsome and elegant bearing."]

[Mian Sui clicked his tongue in wonder, but his tone carried a thick sense of jealousy and irony:]

["I must say, the Cult Leader's eye is indeed 'sharp'."]

["It's fortunate that the 'Divine Son' chose to appear at this point in time."]

["Otherwise... if we had waited until the Cult Leader finished that matter with the 'Saintess' and went to complete the task assigned by the High God,"]

["We really might not have been able to hold such a piece of unpolished jade in our hands so smoothly."]

["After all, the Cult Leader's mind is entirely on that key from the Liu Family of Haicheng."]

["How could he care about the wild grass of such a border city?"]

[He then put on a fanatical expression.]

["The key of Haicheng, the vessel of Longnan..."]

["Plus the Cult Leader's timely Mountain-Sea Realm cultivation."]

[Mian Sui spread his arms as if embracing the Void Realm, his voice exaggerated and highly theatrical.]

["This is simply the perfect alignment of heaven, earth, and man!"]

["This time, our Holy Cult is destined to rise! No one can stop us!"]

["May the High God bless us, and may the Holy Cult prosper forever!"]

[With Mian Sui taking the lead, the other high-ranking members in the conference room also stood up.]

[Though they each had their own schemes and might not be fully convinced by the new Cult Leader,]

[At this moment, they had to display absolute loyalty.]

[Everyone crossed their hands over their chests, making a strange "heart-holding" gesture.]

[That was the highest etiquette of the Heart-Eroding Cult, known as the "Heavenly Heart Holding Rite".]

["May the Holy Cult prosper forever!"]

[The unified roar echoed in the conference room, permeated with a suffocating fanaticism.]

[The rite concluded.]

[Mian Sui gave you a deep look, then said to Blood Ghost:]

["Alright, that's enough for today. We've seen the person and established authority."]

["We will fully cooperate with the Cult Leader's plan and guard our respective defense zones."]

["After all... if things get messed up, everyone will become a sacrifice for the High God."]

[Having said that, his figure flickered and disappeared into the air again.]

[The other high-ranking members also got up and left.]

[Naturally, before leaving, there was no shortage of meaningful eye contact and Divine Thought exchanges.]

[Clearly, within this seemingly united evil cult, undercurrents were actually surging, and everyone had their own agenda.]

[In the empty conference room, only you and Blood Ghost remained.]

[Located deep within your Sea of Consciousness, you watched all this, but your heart was cold.]

["A Mountain-Sea Realm Cult Leader... high-ranking members who are united only in appearance... and the so-called 'Saintess' and 'Key'..."]

["This game is even more complex than I imagined."]

[You still maintained a wooden expression, standing submissively behind Blood Ghost.]

["Let's go, Divine Son."]

[Blood Ghost didn't say much more, leading you as he turned to leave.]