The Heavenly Court Cult's Sincerity

Headquarters of the Nine Nether Cult. A massive map of Great Xia took up an entire wall, detailing all seventeen provinces and tens of thousands of cities in Great Xia with meticulous precision. On the map, a fifth of the cities were marked with crimson dots, indicating that the Nine Nether Cult had extended its tentacles into them; even the Imperial City, the greatest city in the world, had been infiltrated by the Nine Nether Cult. Mu Baiyi stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing quietly at the map and murmuring to himself, his eyes brimming with undisguisable greed and longing. "Soon, very soon..." "The imperial court is nothing special after all. They haven't even noticed an operation on such a massive scale from our cult..." "Soon, all of Great Xia will be covered with our Nine Nether Cult's barbecue shops..." Mu Baiyi couldn't help but touch one of the red dots on the map. Each red dot represented a barbecue shop, and represented an immense influx of wealth into the Nine Nether Cult in the future to help him pay off his loans. Although they were still in the investment and store-opening phase—profits were being poured into building more locations and were rather meager—the future outlook was magnificent! With this money, he would no longer have to worry about the truth coming to light—that he had used the cultists' identities to take out loans to pay their monthly stipends. This was life-saving money. "It's all thanks to the Heavenly Court Cult." Having personally witnessed the Phoenix Clan Ancient Ancestor defeat Supreme Zhu Tian, Mu Baiyi felt even more awe toward the Heavenly Court Cult. "According to Young Cult Master Lu, there are still several key figures from the ancient Heavenly Court who haven't awakened. Even so, this Heavenly Court Cult is not something our Nine Nether Cult can hold a candle to." "Cult Master, Cult Master Chi of the Shining Sun Cult requests an audience with you," reported a vice cult master surnamed Xiang, presenting a visiting card from the Shining Sun Cult. Mu Baiyi raised an eyebrow, somewhat puzzled. The Nine Nether Cult believed in reincarnation, and their techniques generally leaned toward the yin attribute. As one could tell from their name, the Shining Sun Cult practiced yang-attribute techniques. The two cults rarely had dealings with one another. "What does he want?" Still, a meeting was necessary; as fellow demonic cults, courtesy demanded at least that much face. The location of the Nine Nether Cult's headquarters naturally couldn't be exposed. A day later, the two cult masters met at a teahouse, where the Shining Sun Cult paid to book out an entire floor. Cult Master Chi arrived on time with two protectors. Cult Master Chi was a man who looked to be in his thirties or forties, with a face full of brutish muscle, a bald head, and one eye. Across his right eye ran a terrifying scar stretching from his forehead down to his cheek, giving him a truly menacing appearance. "Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Mu, it's been so long since we last met!" Cult Master Chi greeted him warmly, acting as friendly as if he were Mu Baiyi's own brother. "If you have business, speak. If not, farewell." Mu Baiyi responded coldly, unwilling to deal with Cult Master Chi any more than necessary. The man's overwhelming warmth was unbearable. "Oh, come on, listen to you! With our relationship, would I come looking for you for nothing?" Cult Master Chi sat down and rubbed his bald head, chuckling cheerfully. "What is it?" "I've noticed your Nine Nether Cult's barbecue shops have been quite popular lately. I've even eaten there myself—it really is great value for money. To eat spirit food of that quality at such a price, no wonder business is booming." "What do you want?" Mu Baiyi glared vigilantly at Cult Master Chi. Anyone who dared touch his money was picking a fight to the death. "Relax, we're not here to steal your business." "I heard that Try Again Barbecue Shop doesn't belong only to your Nine Nether Cult, but also involves people from the Heavenly Court Cult?" Mu Baiyi's expression tightened. "You planted a mole in our cult?" The cooperation between the Nine Nether Cult and the Heavenly Court Cult was known only to the Nine Nether Cult's upper echelon. "No worse than what you do." Cult Master Chi also knew there were Nine Nether Cult plants in his own cult; he just didn't know specifically who they were. Cult Master Chi looked eagerly at Mu Baiyi and rubbed his hands together. "So, I was just thinking... seeing how close your Nine Nether Cult is with the Heavenly Court Cult, you must have a way to contact them. I was wondering if you could help put us in touch with the Heavenly Court Cult. I'd like to meet them and get acquainted." He had also gone to Demon City in person and witnessed the Phoenix Clan Ancient Ancestor reign supreme over the Demon Empire. Adding to that how Dou Tianzun had previously defeated a Great Yu Tribulation Transcendence cultivator and Young Cult Master Lu had wreaked havoc in the Dao Seeking Sect, all these deeds demonstrated that the Heavenly Court Cult's strength was unfathomable. Strong as their Shining Sun Cult might be, they weren't so conceited as to oppose the Heavenly Court Cult—that would be striking a rock with an egg. Perhaps the Shining Sun Cult might even need to rely on the Heavenly Court Cult in the future. Becoming friendly in advance and familiarizing their faces could never go wrong. Mu Baiyi had originally been unwilling to let the Shining Sun Cult meet the Heavenly Court Cult. Benefits that might have otherwise fallen to the Nine Nether Cult might end up in the Shining Sun Cult's hands instead—just look at how Young Cult Master Lu casually set up a single barbecue shop and got the Nine Nether Cult's entire economy moving again. However, one of the strategies Young Cult Master Lu had laid out was to "internally ally with the Emotionless Cult and the Shining Sun Cult." If Young Cult Master Lu learned that Mu Baiyi had rejected the Shining Sun Cult when they took the initiative to reach out, he feared they would suffer for it later. "We can help you contact the Heavenly Court Cult, but we aren't a charity. What price is your noble cult willing to pay?" Cult Master Chi had anticipated this. He gave a look to the protector behind him, who drew a sheet of yellow paper from his robes and laid it before Mu Baiyi. "I hear your barbecue shops offer a takeout delivery service. However, because it involves intercity deliveries, the skewers get cold over long journeys and the flavor suffers." "This paper is unique to our cult. It has a heating and heat-retention function, and is easy to produce at low cost. If you want it, Fellow Daoist Mu, I can share the crafting method with you." To the Shining Sun Cult, this paper was like a chicken rib—useless to keep, but a pity to discard. It was better used as a stepping stone to curry favor with the Nine Nether Cult and make connections with the Heavenly Court Cult. Mu Baiyi and Vice Cult Master Shi behind him both lit up. This was truly a wonderful item that could drastically increase takeout volume! "Very well, I will contact them for you right away." Seeing how sincere the other party was, Mu Baiyi promptly pulled out his Nine Nether Token. "However, let me make this clear beforehand: I can only reach Young Cult Master Lu. I have no way of contacting anyone else from the Heavenly Court Cult." "Young Cult Master Lu is fine!" Cult Master Chi said hastily. In terms of status, Young Cult Master Lu was fully qualified to stand on equal footing with the master of a demonic cult. Mu Baiyi wrote Cult Master Chi's request for a meeting onto the Nine Nether Token. Soon, the other side responded. "What did they say?" "The usual spot. Yanjiang Commandery, meeting at the Try Again Barbecue Shop headquarters." Cult Master Chi was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately taught Mu Baiyi the refinement method for the heating paper. Mu Baiyi ran through the steps in his mind and knew it was genuine. Besides, the Shining Sun Cult wouldn't dare deceive him on a matter like this. "Then I must trouble Fellow Daoist Mu to put in a few good words for me before Young Cult Master Lu!" "Easily done, easily done!" ... Yanjiang Commandery, Try Again Barbecue Shop headquarters, a three-way meeting. Mu Baiyi and Cult Master Chi sat upright and rigid, not daring to take a loud breath, their backs drenched in cold sweat from sheer tension. "Fellow Daoist Mu, didn't you say you'd put in a few good words for me? Say something!" Cult Master Chi transmitted his voice to Mu Baiyi. Cold sweat poured down Mu Baiyi's face, completely stripped of his earlier composure. Sitting across from the two of them were Southern Pole Nirvana Great Emperor Jiang Lianyi and Heavenly Court Cult Master Yun Zhi. Upon learning that this was a meeting of cult-master-level figures, Lu Yang—out of respect for the Nine Nether Cult and the Shining Sun Cult, and to demonstrate the Heavenly Court Cult's sincerity—had specially invited his cult's Cult Master!