The spoils of war had been tallied. Wang Xiu’s attention fell on the remnant souls of the Golden Core Realm Demon Cultivators.
The remnant souls had just been released when they saw Wang Xiu and began speaking all at once.
"Don’t kill me! I’ll be your slave, your servant! I’ll do whatever you say..."
"Young man, we have no quarrel. Why not be friends? If you release me, I can give you money, a lot of money... And my three new concubines, they can all be yours!"
"Kid, you’d better let me go! Our Ghost King Sect is not to be trifled with!"
"Such noise." Wang Xiu’s expression was indifferent. He circulated the Ming Emperor’s Prison-Suppressing Scripture, causing a phantom of the Ming Emperor to materialize. An immense pressure immediately suppressed the remnant souls, their forms flickering as if on the verge of dissipation. They turned pale with fear, kneeling on the ground and trembling, not daring to utter another word.
Then, with a raise of his hand, Wang Xiu performed the Ming Emperor’s Soul-Reading Technique, extracting all the memories from the remnant souls. After a long moment, he slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing in them before vanishing. A strange expression appeared on his face.
This Elder Seven is really something else!
Although the Demonic Path was rampant, its practitioners still had to pick their moments. They weren’t fools. They knew their place as figures hunted by all. Especially within the territory of a Righteous Path Sect, exposing their identity would lead to a relentless, cross-country hunt. Having experienced such a wretched life once, none wished to repeat it. Only a temptation so great they couldn’t refuse would make them take such risks. Ordinarily, when members of the Demonic Path moved through the world, they would adopt false identities to hide their true nature, such as "music shop owners," "teachers," "top courtesans," or "wealthy merchants." All sorts of disguises existed.
The Ghost King Sect’s branch in Vermilion Bird City was special: the Star Pavilion. Under Elder Seven’s meticulous direction, it had practically become the titan of Vermilion Bird City’s entertainment industry, dabbling in theater, folk songs, popular fiction, and more. It boasted a multitude of handsome men and beautiful, well-figured women. However, unlike the brothels that sold their bodies openly, the people of the Star Pavilion cultivated a remarkably upstanding public image. They sold their art, not themselves.
Although the quality of their work was uneven, they were incredibly good-looking! Besides, they knew what people wanted to see. They also frequently held public events where they sponsored poor commoners who couldn’t afford food. Through these many charitable acts, they amassed a large following of fans and admirers, becoming extremely popular.
However, it was all a complete scam, a trap from top to bottom. The quality of their work was uneven because these people didn’t actually know how to perform theater or understand music at all. They just put on a show for the audience after two days of hasty practice. In any case, even if they could sing and perform, their professional skill couldn’t compare to Lady Feiyin of the Phoenix Perch Building, so that was never their selling point.
What they wanted was to sell a persona—to create an image of approachable, unpretentious, down-to-earth gods and goddesses. This allowed them to gather a huge number of fans and followers, whose hearts they could then bewitch. The sponsorships for the commoners weren’t real either. Once the event was over and the crowd dispersed, they would take it all back! What if someone refused? They would be killed on the spot! In this world, the death of a few insignificant commoners was no big deal.
What if there was resentment? That was perfect! Resentful souls were highly nourishing, and the more, the merrier. Afterwards, they could even issue a public statement claiming that the commoners were likely attacked by scoundrels who coveted the money they had just been given. They would add a little self-reproach, which would instantly provoke comfort and pity from countless fans, causing their popularity to skyrocket once again.
In short, their target audience was the people at the bottom of society, those who were routinely looked down upon. To these people, a goddess like Feiyin, high and aloof, was for the wealthy and so-called ’refined’ to appreciate. They preferred something more direct. A group of stunningly handsome and beautiful idols who were willing to interact intimately with them, calling them "big brother" and "dear sister"—wasn’t that more appealing?
Clearly, Elder Seven’s strategy was a resounding success. In just a few short years, he had gathered a large number of loyal fans. Once he had an audience, the rest was simple. He could rake in money while continuously recruiting promising individuals from the fanbase, brainwashing them, and turning them into new blood for the Ghost King Sect. At the same time, unlike other Demonic Path factions, they didn’t have to hide in the shadows, afraid to do business on a large scale for fear of being noticed. They lived freely and comfortably, enjoying the adoration of the masses. The feeling was simply euphoric. He even expanded the Star Pavilion’s fame beyond the city, continuously attracting star-struck fans who heard the news and flocked to see them. With a constant flow of people, deaths were harder to notice.
After reviewing these memories, Wang Xiu could only marvel at the sheer cunning of the old schemer. Capitalists are everywhere! There’s a reason the Ghost King Sect could commit so much evil and keep on ticking. The demon lords of today have started using their brains! No wonder the Righteous Path disciples have been doing so poorly in recent years. They’re just buried too deep! It’s impossible to spot them unless you’re specifically looking.
And now, Elder Seven was dead, and his elite protectors at the Golden Core Stage had been wiped out in one fell swoop. The Vermilion Bird City branch was left with only a few stragglers. The news would soon get back, and those people would likely choose to flee. Their escape was a minor issue. The real problem was that the system Elder Seven had created was truly insidious. If it was taken elsewhere, developed, and expanded, the harm it could cause in the future would be immense. Wang Xiu had seen for himself just how brainless those Star Chasers could be.
With that in mind, Wang Xiu didn’t hesitate. He set out at once for the Ghost King Sect’s branch in Vermilion Bird City. If you’re going to pull weeds, you have to get the roots.
「East of Vermilion Bird City.」
Compared to the bustling city center, this area was much quieter, and the surrounding buildings were somewhat smaller. As a result, the five-story-tall Star Pavilion was incredibly conspicuous, like a crane standing among chickens.
Dawn was just breaking. The streets were mostly empty, save for a few early-rising vendors. Yet, a crowd of young men and women was already gathered at the entrance of the Star Pavilion, shouting excitedly:
"Brother, brother, I love you, like a mouse loves its rice!"
"Sister, sister, you’re the prettiest, I’ll never regret loving you!"
"My life is yours~" Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs N0v3l.Fiɾe.net
Wang Xiu watched them. Youth truly is something else, to offer up one’s life so casually!
He shook his head, then his body shimmered, and he transformed into the likeness of a Golden Core Stage protector from the Ghost King Sect before slipping into the Star Pavilion.