Chapter 52: A Good Price

The Village Chief's brows furrowed. "If the fish die and the net breaks, won't the Heavenly Demon Cult also suffer countless deaths and injuries? Why insist on this bitter struggle? If because of us old cripples, your noble cult's vitality is severely damaged, the Yan Kang National Teacher will undoubtedly be gleeful, seizing the opportunity to absorb the Heavenly Demon Cult into his grasp. What say you?"

That young Ancestor Master nodded. "The Yan Kang National Teacher has indeed always sought an opportunity to subdue my cult and force us to submit to the court. However, with the loss of our sacred scripture and the death of our Cult Master, it is almost akin to the cult's extermination. If Dao Brother remains resolute, the small village guarded by Dao Brother will likely have to clash with my sacred cult. Display the banners!"

The Enforcement Elder beside him bowed. "Yes, Ancestor Master. Display the banners!"

The Hall Masters of the three hundred and sixty halls each took out a large banner, unfurling its surface with a whoosh. The great banners fluttered in the wind.

Qin Mu looked into the distance, and saw that the three hundred and sixty great banners grew wider and wider, larger and larger, each one the size of several mu.

"Gather the banners," the young Daoist said.

The Enforcement Elder's voice rose high. "Gather the banners!"

The great banners were gathered, their surfaces disappearing. Then, Qin Mu saw that behind the banner surfaces were actually tens of thousands of divine ability users, standing straight as spears, each with an outstanding presence, not emitting the slightest sound. They exuded an unparalleled solemn killing intent!

The Village Chief sighed. "The Heavenly Demon Cult's 'Transmit Banner' indeed lives up to its reputation. With the banners displayed and then gathered, tens of thousands of divine ability users can directly enter the Great Ruins. No wonder the Yan Kang National Teacher is so eager to subdue the Heavenly Demon Cult. If he obtains this divine ability of the Heavenly Demon Cult, the army of the Yan Kang country will sweep across the world and unify the various nations!"

The young Ancestor Master sighed. "Without a Cult Master, my sacred cult is now just a loose collection of sand. These past forty years, the situation of my Heavenly Demon Cult has become increasingly difficult. I estimate that the Yan Kang National Teacher will soon be unable to restrain himself and will move against my cult. You and I are the same, both old, with not many days of hope left. Now, we can only hope to select a new Cult Master of stunning talent."

The Village Chief's gaze flickered. "So, the Cult Master's Madam who killed the old Cult Master on their wedding night is your best candidate?"

The young Ancestor Master nodded, a bitter smile on his face. "Dao Brother, you also know how difficult it is to select a Cult Master who is both stunningly talented and wise. Although my Heavenly Demon Cult has many members, there are few who possess the ability to take on the mantle of Cult Master, and none who can compare to the Cult Master's Madam. In our helplessness, we can only appeal to the Cult Master's Madam, welcome her back to the cult, and let her assume the role of Cult Master."

The Village Chief looked at Granny Si, a slight headache forming. "I hear this Cult Master's Madam killed your noble cult's Cult Master Li Tianxing. Why do you still want her to serve as the new Cult Master, instead of seeking revenge for the old Cult Master? Is the death of the Cult Master not a great shame for your noble cult?"

The young Ancestor Master's eyes shone brightly, and he laughed. "Dao Brother, you forget that we are a demon cult; we cannot be judged by common sense. If the new Cult Master kills the old Cult Master, it simply means the new Cult Master is more capable. Naturally, we should support her!"

The Village Chief's face was strange, and Qin Mu and the Apothecary beside him also wore extremely peculiar expressions. Did the Heavenly Demon Cult actually have such a rule?

"Grandma, is there such a rule?" the Apothecary asked.

Granny Si nodded woodenly.

The Apothecary couldn't help but say, "Since there is such a rule, then after you killed the old Cult Master, why didn't you stay in the Heavenly Demon Cult and become the new Cult Master?"

Granny Si said bitterly, "I killed him, and I had no face to continue staying in the Heavenly Demon Cult. Staying there, my heart demon would have grown heavier."

The Apothecary still couldn't quite understand. In his view, it was already very difficult to comprehend that the Heavenly Demon Cult had waited and sought for forty years to kill the enemy of their Cult Master and make her the new Cult Master. And Granny Si actually still hid and avoided them, which was even more difficult to grasp.

The Village Chief smiled faintly and said to the young Ancestor Master, "If Granny is unwilling to follow you all, you will not be able to take her away."

The young Ancestor Master frowned. "I want to take away both the Cult Master's Madam and the Great Nourishing Heavenly Demon Scripture."

The two faced each other across the table.

The Village Chief finished his tea, signaling his intention to see the guest out. "If the guest does not leave, then I can only eliminate the guest. There are too many people in the Heavenly Demon Cult, and I don't want to make coffins. Those of us from that era are becoming fewer and fewer, and I truly cannot bear it in my heart."

The young Ancestor Master finished his tea, lifted the cup, and drank. He put the cup down and rose. "Neither can I. However, there are very few people in your village, and I can arrange coffins."

"Wait a moment!"

Granny Si suddenly spoke, laughing. "Village Chief, Apothecary, you and Mu'er return to the village first. I will talk with the Ancestor Master! If we cannot talk smoothly, then we will fight until the fish die and the net breaks. If we can talk smoothly, everyone will be happy, and isn't that a beautiful thing?"

The Village Chief glanced at her. Granny Si laughed and said, "Don't worry, at most they will capture me."

The Village Chief nodded. "Apothecary, Mu'er, we will return to the village first."

Granny Si waited for them to return to the village, then sat down in front of the young Ancestor Master. "Enforcement, withdraw."

"Yes, Madam."

The Enforcement Elder bowed and slowly withdrew.

Granny Si's eyes were bright as she looked at the young Ancestor Master opposite her. The young Ancestor Master sighed. "You were originally the holy maiden of my cult, your aptitude brilliant, an unparalleled talent. When Li Tianxing wanted to marry you, I actually did not agree."

"But you didn't stop it," Granny Si laughed. "Li Tianxing was my master. A master marrying a disciple is against human ethics. My sacred cult claims to be holy, do we not even want human ethics?"

The young Ancestor Master frowned. "At that time, when Li Tianxing took you as his disciple, I knew it was not right. And being with you day and night, I feared he would be utterly captivated by you, and his mind would be in disarray. He was indeed captivated by you, even abandoning his old madam with whom he had several hundred years of conjugal affection, and wanted to marry you as his new madam."

Granny Si gnashed her mouth with the few remaining teeth, giggling. "Since you knew he would be captivated by me, why did you still let him take me as his disciple? Ancestor Master, you should have taken me as your disciple! If I had been your disciple, none of this would have happened!"

"I feared that being with you day and night, I would be captivated by you," the young Ancestor Master said bitterly. "The first time I saw you, you were only thirteen years old, but my heart suddenly beat violently several times. At that time, I knew I could not take you as my disciple. I was already old, and I did not want my life's fame to be ruined in your hands. A master falling in love with a disciple, I would be laughed at by others."

He sighed. "Very few people who have seen your true appearance have not been captivated by you. The longer they are with you, the deeper the captivation."

Granny Si continued to gnash her teeth, seeming to smile yet not smile. "Since that is the case, why do you still want me to be Cult Master? Are you not afraid I will ruin the sacred cult?"

The young Ancestor Master said, "You are the best candidate. I also feel you are something of a beauty disaster, and becoming Cult Master might indeed cause my sacred cult to be in turmoil. However, these past forty years, we have traveled east and west and sought out some outstanding young men and women, but none are like you. To become Cult Master, they always lack that certain something."

He sighed, dispirited. "Once you've seen the best, when you look at others, you always feel something is lacking."

"I will not go back," Granny Si said with a smile, squinting her eyes. "However, I can return a Cult Master to you all, and I will also send the cult's protective scripture, the Great Nourishing Heavenly Demon Scripture."

The young Ancestor Master's expression shifted slightly. "Return a Cult Master to us? What do you mean?"

In Disabled Elderly Village, Qin Mu, the Village Chief, the Apothecary, and the others watched Si Granny and the Demon Cult Ancestor Master's every move with unwavering attention. The two of them were talking very happily, with laughter and conversation, which was quite unexpected.

As Granny Si and the Demon Cult Ancestor Master spoke, Granny Si turned her head and looked towards the village. The Demon Cult Ancestor Master also looked over, revealing a smile, and said something to Granny Si by her side.

After a moment, Granny Si tip-toed back to the village, laughing. "We talked smoothly."

"Talked smoothly?"

The crowd's faces were strange. Cripple expressed deep doubt, a smile covering his face. "When do we start fighting?"

"No need to start fighting," Granny Si blinked. "However, they want to live here for a period of time, and they'll leave after a few days."

The crowd's hearts tightened. The Heavenly Demon Cult saying they would stay for a period of time and then leave – what was the actual intention?

Granny Si squinted and smiled. "Old Horse, Mu'er says his Overlord Body vital energy has an Azure Dragon attribute. You should see if he has made any progress."

"Overlord Body vital energy can even imitate Azure Dragon vital energy?"

Old Ma was extremely surprised. "Mu'er, come over here!"

Qin Mu hurriedly walked over.

The Apothecary looked at the two who were sparring, and moved to Granny Si's side. He said in a low voice, "Grandma, did you sell Mu'er?"

Granny Si blinked and said seriously, "Where did you hear such a thing? How could I sell Mu'er?"

"How much did you sell him for?" Cripple and the others came forward, asking curiously.

"Young Cult Master of the Demon Cult," Granny Si said dispiritedly, sighing. "First, he'll have a title. I'll also send the cult's protective demonic scripture, the Great Nourishing Heavenly Demon Scripture. After he matures, we'll see how he develops. If he progresses well, he will formally become the Holy Cult Master. How does that price sound?"

Cripple's eyes brightened, and his breath quickened. "Is there such a good thing? Grandma, why didn't you tell me earlier? Sell me!"

Granny Si laughed. "If you want to become the Holy Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult, it's also very simple. Take a trip to the next village, meet the Hall Masters of the three hundred and sixty halls of the Heavenly Demon Cult, plus the twelve Protector Elders, the Left and Right Protector Envoys, the Four Great Cult-Guarding Heavenly Kings, and the Eight Great Supervising Envoys. In addition, you'll also have to add the Demon Cult Ancestor Master."

Cripple's face turned ashen. "Does Mu'er also need to take a trip to the next village to become the Young Cult Master?"

Granny Si sighed, helpless. "They want to inspect the goods first. If they don't inspect the goods, how can they feel at ease allowing him to be the Young Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult?"