Peng Manor

After Han agreed to follow the teachings of the Goddess, Wang and Li led him to the Peng Manor.

Impressive and grand, it was situated in the most coveted area of Qinghua County.

For a cult, especially one that was being hunted by the Great Qi government, to have its base in such a location was deeply thought-provoking.

"Brother Jia, I'll take you to meet the Goddess now," Wang Hao said, guiding Han toward the back of the manor.

Li Zhi quietly departed, heading to the main hall.

Inside the hall, three people sat. A young man with a somewhat cold and calculating demeanor occupied the main seat. The other two were a burly man with a thick beard and another with a scar running from his left eye to his earlobe, giving him an extra menacing look.

"Director Gao, Director Hong," Li Zhi greeted the two guests before stepping forward to whisper to the cold young man, reporting on Han’s situation.

The young man’s eyes gleamed as he listened.

"Good, good. This will be credited to you and Wang Hao. The Goddess will reward you both."

At this base of the Goddess' cult, besides performing services for the Goddess, gaining the loyalty of practitioners also earned rewards.

"Since Brother Peng has matters to attend to, we shall take our leave," the bearded man said as he stood.

Peng, the young man, escorted the two out, but once they were alone, Li Zhi muttered angrily, "These two are so greedy. Just a month ago they came by, and today, they’re back again."

Peng’s eyes flashed, "Whatever they’ve taken now, we’ll make sure they give it back double later."

"Have Liang Hai and the others returned yet?"

"Not yet, they’re probably still collecting lost souls and ghosts."

Meanwhile, Wang Hao led Han to a very secluded courtyard.

"Brother Jia, this is where the Goddess resides. Go in and pray to her."

Han stepped inside calmly, fully aware of what awaited him.

In the center of the room stood a statue of the Goddess, surrounded by incense smoke. Prayer scrolls adorned the walls, more detailed and complete than those found among the local believers of Qinghua County—each dedicated to praising the Goddess.

The statue was of the Goddess Sutiannü.

With his Yin-Yang Eyes, Han also noticed the statue was hollow inside, and something was concealed within.

"Brother Jia, pray to the Goddess," Wang Hao urged.

Han followed suit, and as he deepened his prayer, a strange force emanated from the statue. Han felt a sense of disorientation, and the image of the Goddess grew larger and more imposing in his mind.

But just as his soul shimmered with a golden light, the sound of a powerful roar filled his mind, dispelling the influence of the Goddess and restoring clarity.

This was a method used by the Goddess cult to ensure loyalty from its followers—a psychological suggestion, subtly altering thoughts and emotions.

The first prayer didn’t have much effect, but repeated prayers would eventually lead to a genuine belief in the Goddess. The higher the practitioner's cultivation, the harder it was to be influenced.

Of course, psychological suggestion wasn't invincible, and there were many ways to avoid its effects. Han, with his strength and knowledge, was largely immune.

But in a small place like Qinghua County, the influence of the Goddess was highly effective.

As Han finished his prayer, he turned to see a new figure standing before him.

"Jia Ming, or should I say, Brother Jia?" the cold young man smiled.

"My name is Peng Liuming, an emissary of the Goddess. Welcome, Brother Jia, to our fold."

"The Goddess?" Han asked, confused.

"That is the true name of our Goddess."

Peng Liuming reassured him, "Don't worry, Brother Jia. As long as you contribute to the Goddess, reaching the Meridian Realm will be a breeze!"

"I hope you keep your word."

Peng Liuming enthusiastically conversed with Han for a while, offering to arrange lodging for him at Peng Manor. However, Han declined the offer.

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Peng Liuming wasn’t offended. He understood Han’s hesitation. It was normal to have doubts at first, but with continuous devotion to the Goddess, Han would eventually dedicate himself fully.

Peng Liuming left instructions for Wang Hao and Li Zhi to take care of Han, then departed to handle other matters.

"Who is this emissary of the Goddess?" Han asked.

"He’s our leader. We have three emissaries of the Goddess, but the other two are away and haven't returned yet."

Han immediately understood that Liang Hai and the elder who accompanied him were the other two emissaries.

These three emissaries were all at the Night Walker level, but there was a distinction among them. Peng Liuming had come directly from the Goddess' cult to establish the base, while Liang Hai and the elder had joined mid-way.

Although their cultivation levels were similar, Peng Liuming held a higher position as he directly communicated with the Goddess' cult.

Han, sensing an opportunity, asked, "How do you view my strength here? Are there ways to quickly accumulate merit?"

"Brother Jia, your strength is extraordinary. Among the Goddess’ followers, you're already among the top, with only a few of the Goddess’ guardians surpassing you."

Wang Hao chuckled. "As for merit, don't worry. We’re in the expansion phase here, so there’s plenty to do."

Wang Hao and Li Zhi explained more about the base, and then Wang Hao smiled mysteriously.

"You’ll understand soon enough, Brother Jia. Joining us is the best choice you could have made."

"It’s not just about power; you’ll also get to enjoy things here that you couldn’t back when you were wandering."

"What do you mean?"

"Every seven days, we hold a meeting for the followers. Some of the devotees, in hopes of receiving the Goddess’ blessings, will offer up great tributes."

"Gold, silver, wives, daughters, dignity, even their lives—they’ll all be offered to the Goddess."

"At that time, Brother Jia, you’ll have a chance to truly enjoy it."

"We never fail to treat our own well."

Han’s heart turned cold as he pieced together the meaning of Wang Hao’s words, recalling things he had learned in his previous life.

Lust, violence, bloodshed...

Han shook his head. "I don’t care for such things. My life is devoted to martial arts."

Li Zhi chuckled. "Brother Jia, you'll come to like it."

Wang Hao and Li Zhi saw Han off at the manor’s gate, and even paid for his lodging before they left.

"Brother Wang, Jia Ming seems to be quite righteous," Li Zhi remarked.

"Ha, righteous? That’s because he hasn’t experienced it yet!" Wang Hao smirked.

"Let’s have Boss Zhang from the west side of town send his wife and daughter to serve him. We’ll see how righteous he is then."

"But tonight, we need to keep an eye on him. He can’t escape."

"Don’t worry, Brother Wang. Once a practitioner from the Flesh Realm has experienced the Goddess, they’ll already start accepting her."

Han, listening from the courtyard, felt a cold chill run through him.

No wonder the Great Qi Empire was hunting this Goddess’ cult—it truly was a cancerous tumor.

The things they planned to offer up were just the beginning.

"Master, what are we going to do next?" An Lang’s voice echoed.

"Anyone connected to this Goddess' cult cannot be allowed to escape," Han said, his voice resolute.

These toxic criminals had been exposed, and now they had to be eradicated completely.

Moreover, this was connected to the Evil Extermination Edict—the more thoroughly he purged, the more merit he would gain, and the greater his rewards would be.

However, completing this task wasn’t going to be easy. The members of the Goddess’ cult didn’t always stay together.

After thinking it through, Han found a secluded spot and began to practice martial arts.

He could feel his body reaching the peak of its refinement.

The Master was right—when it came to judging people, she was truly accurate.