Moving around the town was just an even more depressing prospect. I had taken part in great depravity and suffering, but that was a means to an end. This just seemed like a useless waste of life and just wanton destruction of dignity and the Soulforce of the people.

I figured it was time for the management to change hands.

The defenses around the Mansion were nothing. The cultivators either didn't care enough to put up defenses, which seemed strange considering there was an outpost for the Flowering stream sect, unmanned as it is, now that it used to be in operation. Working without any defenses against enemy cultivators seemed ludicrous.

Maybe the overconfidence from members of the Demon Hair Sect transitioning to a neutral sect and the seemingly unstoppable constructs put up. They figured they were about as safe as it was possible to be.

I guess I would soon have to change their thoughts about that.

Walking through the doors was even easier. It was just left unlocked.

I would have thought with the desperate townsfolk around they would have been a bit more safety conscious.

I was brought to a stop by the people inside the entranceway of the house.

Laying down on quite comfortable looking sofas were two members of the demonic Hair sect. Judging from their aura, they were only Qi gathering cultivators, but they certainly had more confidence than that title warranted.

"Who are you, kid?"

They were also quite senior, obviously the worst of the worst when it came to the sect. Shipped off on easy long term jobs, bullying mortals, quite lofty goals, I must say.

"My name is Byren. If you could take me to whoever is the most senior person here, I would be most appreciative."

Their response seemed a little more violent than I would prefer.  My perfect plan wouldn't require quite so much bloodshed in the early parts of it, but if they were looking for a battle, I would be happy to oblige.

"Who do we have here?"

Luckily for them, the cultivator in charge soon took to the stage. An attractive Foundation Building cultivator walked down the stairs, trying to put off waves of attractiveness and eroticism, her hair curling around her body. Framing certain parts very well.

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She was surprisingly strong as well, mid-Foundation building. I wasn't sure why she was sticking around here, helping a mortal run a declining town. I was sure I was going to find out, though.

"What  brings an unknown foundation building cultivator out to these parts?"

That brought pause to the two thugs trying to attack me. They faltered in their steps, unsure how to proceed.

"Just trying to avoid the war, is all, I am a simple wandering cultivator. "

She got to the bottom of the stairs and headed straight for me. Staring me down with every step, her dress was extremely revealing, the slit along her leg, reaching all the way to her waist. Her cleavage on full display.

I don't know who she was trying to impress. I couldn't understand how anyone would dress like that day in and out.

"So what can our little operation do for you, O wandering cultivator."

My gaze remained steady as she approached. I couldn't say the same for the cultivators behind me, who seemed intent on staring at every part of her for as long as possible.

"I was just wondering why you let the mortals get to such a terrible state out there. It seems unnecessary if you ask me."

"All preparations, unfortunately, as you might be able to tell, we are a demonic sect, so we need a little bit of karmic imbalance to get the maximum amount of power, so that is what we are setting up here."

"For what and who, though."

This was barely large enough scale suffering to empower the Qi gathering cultivators, never mind someone more powerful like her.

"That is none of your concern. If you would like to join us for dinner, then you are more than welcome. Otherwise, I will have to ask you to continue on your travels."

"What will you do if I make it my concern."

She didn't take that too well. As she got up into my face, up close, there were many inconsistencies in her heavenly appearance, speaking to enchantments and spells being the source of her beauty, unsurprising, really.

"I don't think you would like that, I'm afraid."

"Well, then I would love to join you for dinner before I go on my way."

Even with all the town's taxes being pumped into it, the mansion wasn't a particularly luxurious affair.

"So, where is the lord mayor of the town?"

"He is out of town for the moment. Issues with the nearby lord. He won't be back for quite some time."

"So who's leading the town in his absence."

She looked at me as if I was an idiot.

"We are, of course. Of course, the town would have been run into the ground with his plans, but we have used the decline of the town, more constructively, affording us several opportunities to grow in power."

Moving to the dining room, I was greeted with even more cultivators. It seemed that this was a bigger operation than I had originally thought.

There was no one stronger than the seductress, but there were a few more foundation building cultivators. None of them seemed to be doing anything.

Just lounging around the house. Whatever they were waiting for, it seemed to be a ways off.

Still, it would be a great place to attack with the team. A small scale battle like this would be a great way to build prestige and experience for the newbies.

Finally, going through the door of the dining room.

There was someone I certainly wasn't expecting to see there.

An inner disciple from the Ghost devouring sect, sitting at the head of the table.